Duperrey undertook this circumnavigation under the sponsorship of the French Minister of Marine, to study terrestrial magnetism and meteorology, and to confirm or correct the position of islands and landmarks that were essential for safe navigation. To accomplish this mission in August 1822 Duperrey departed Toulon, "embarking on what would become a three-year expedition through the Pacific Islands and South America. Joining him on board were two naturalists, both also the ship’s surgeons, Prosper Garnot and René Primevère Lesson, plus his colleague and assistant commander, the botanist Jules Dumont d’Urville. They sailed along the coast of South America as far as Paita, Peru, and then headed west through the Tuamotus to Tahiti, before continuing on through the Society, Friendly (Tonga), and Fiji Islands. Although they were bound for Australia, dangerous weather conditions forced them northwest, and they passed the Santa Cruz and Solomon Islands before landing at Louis de Bougainville’s Port Praslin, New Britain. From there Coquille continued across the top of New Guinea, eventually making its way to the west and south coasts of Australia and to New Zealand by April 1824. It also passed through the Gilbert and Ellice Islands and the British island of Mauritius before finally docking in Marseilles in March 1825.

"Along the way, Duperrey and his crew had discovered a number of undocumented islands, prepared charts of little-known areas of the South Pacific (especially in the Caroline Archipelago), studied ocean currents and gathered new data on geomagnetic and meteorological phenomena. They had also amassed a staggering collection of unknown plants and animals, especially from New Guinea, including birds of paradise, bower birds, marsupials and a variety of fish and invertebrates for the Musée d’Histoire Naturelle" (https://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/special-collections/2015/11/18/voyage-autour-du-monde-by-louis-isidore-duperrey-1826/, accessed 04-2018). Digital facsimiles of the complete set, including the unusually elaborate 12-page prospectus from the Biodiversity Heritage Library at this link.

Lesson who was naturalist and physician on the voyage of La Coquille was a prolific author of works concerning natural history. This was his account of the voyage from his point of view as a physician. Digital facsimile from BnF Gallica at this link.