Baret's Expedition Circled World Disguised

In late December 1766, a female French botanist named Jeanne Baret joined French explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville's round-the-world expedition while posing as a man. Calling herself Jean Baret, she served as valet and assistant to French naturalist Philibert Commerson because French naval rules barred women from ships. She concealed her identity for much of the voyage while carrying supplies, collecting hundreds of plant specimens, and helping organize and catalogue the expedition's collections and notes. After remaining in Mauritius, she probably returned to France in 1775 and became the first woman known to complete a circumnavigation.

Previous Fact Next Fact