Jacques Gouin de Beauchêne

Who was Jacques Gouin de Beauchêne?

Jacques Gouin de Beauchêne was a French explorer. His name is also spelled as Beauchesne. He was born in Saint-Malo in Brittany, and died there at 78 years of age.

He was the captain of the Phelypeaux that sailed into the Strait of Magellan in 1699, and he named one of the islands there after Louis XIV of France, and the bay after Louis, le Grand Dauphin. After a successful trading cruise along the coast of Chile and Peru, taking in a visit to the Galapagos Islands, he returned via Cape Horn, passing the Cape on 9 January 1701. Ten days later, he discovered the island that was named for him, Beauchene Island. He was the first Frenchman to sail Cape Horn from west to east. He also initiated trade relations between France, Peru and Chile.