François Péron

François Péron (1775-1810), naturalist and explorer, served as a soldier from 1792 to 1794, in which period he was imprisoned and lost the sight of one eye. After working as the town clerk in his home town, Cérilly, he studied medicine in Paris. In 1800, on the rebound from a sad love affair, he volunteered for Baudin's expedition to the western and southern coasts of Australia on the Géographe and Naturaliste. He hoped to observe the peoples encountered on the way, but was appointed a trainee zoologist instead. Alongside Charles Lesueur, Péron gathered some 100 000 zoological specimens, which still comprise the largest Australasian natural history collection. He also conducted important experiments on deep water temperature, and wrote about Indigenous Tasmanians of the south east (Péron is credited with inventing the term 'anthropology'). Péron and Baudin did not enjoy a happy relationship. When Baudin died, Péron took over the official account of the expedition, Voyage de Découvertes aux Terres Australes, and damned Baudin for posterity therein. Amongst his numerous other publications was a secret memo urging a French takeover of Port Jackson, to be achieved with the aid of disgruntled Irish convicts. He died of tuberculosis at 35; Louis de Freycinet finished his account of the voyage.