ENTRECASTEAUX, JOSEPH-ANTOINE BRUNI D' , French navigator, was born at Aix, and entered the navy at the age of fifteen. In the war of 1778 he commanded a 32-gun frigate, and successfully convoyed a fleet of merchant vessels from Marseille to the Levant, though they were attacked by two pirate vessels, each of which was larger than his own. In 1785 he was put in command of the French fleet in the East Indies, and in 1787 he was made governor of Mauritius and the Isle of Bourbon. While in command of the East India fleet he made a voyage to China, and in 1791 he was given command of an expedition to search for La Perouse, lost since Feb. 1 788.
The expedition comprised the "Recherche" and "L'Esperance," with Captain Huon de Kermadec as second in command. No tidings were obtained of La Perouse, but in the course of his search Entrecasteaux made important geographical discoveries. He traced the outlines of the east coast of New Caledonia, made surveys of the Tasmanian coast, and touched at several places on the south coast of New Holland. The two ships entered Storm bay, Tasmania, on April 21, 1792, and remained there until May 16, surveying and naming d'Entrecasteaux channel, the entrances to the Huon and Derwent rivers (the latter they called Riviere du Nord), Bruni island, and other places. They then sailed for the East Indies, and near Java Entrecasteaux died of scurvy on July 20, 1793.
See M. de Rossel, Voyage de Dentrecasteaux (i8o8) .