Du Fresne, << doo frehn, >> Marion (1726-1772), was a French explorer known for his voyages in the South Pacific Ocean. When he was young, du Fresne joined the French East India Company, a trading company established to do business in Asia, and traveled widely on trading ships. He also served in the French Royal Navy in the 1740’s. In 1771, du Fresne commanded the vessels Mascarin and Marquis de Castries on a French-sponsored trade and exploration voyage. The expedition visited several southern islands in the Indian Ocean, including what are now the Prince Edward Islands and the Crozet Islands, and continued to the South Pacific. Du Fresne reached the coast of Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) in March 1772, before setting sail for New Zealand.
Du Fresne’s expedition spent five weeks exploring the Bay of Islands in northern New Zealand. The explorers encountered the local Māori and established generally friendly relations with them. Du Fresne and his crew kept valuable records of early Māori life. However, in June 1772, du Fresne and 24 members of his party were killed in a Māori attack. The circumstances surrounding the attack are unclear, but many historians believe that the French had overstayed their welcome or offended their hosts. The French responded with violence and killed an estimated 250 Māori. Du Fresne’s death led many Europeans to believe that New Zealand was unsuitable for colonization.
