in the 18th centurye century, the sea and the Royal Navy were off limits to women. Jeanne Barrett, Botanist Commerson’s lover and assistant, then disguises herself as a man to accompany him on his explorations to the ends of the earth. The story told by Virginia Giraud *.
At the end of 1766, the Bougainville fleet consisted of two ships; The Boudeusefor officers and The star, for sailors and scientists. Botanist Philibert Commerson has his own cabin, which he shares with his butler Jean Barre. The latter is often encouraged by the staff because of his thin voice and hairless cheeks. John confesses to them that he had an accident that made him a eunuch, hence his unusual appearance in their eyes. Ah! If the staff knew the truth. Commerson did not have the heart to explore the world without Jeanne Barre, his lover, a young country girl whom he made his assistant. One of the two – we’ll never know which – had the idea to cross-dress the servant to circumvent the edict banning women from serving in the Royal Navy.
In the spring of 1768. The Boudeuse And The star port on the tip of Tahiti. The couple has already registered almost 2,000 new plants, including a bougainvillea named after the captain. There is no doubt that this heavenly environment will bring its share of discoveries. The meeting with the local population is marked by mutual interest. Ahutoru, a Polynesian, invites himself aboard The star. He refers to Jeanne with the word “vahiné”. The botanist’s assistant tries to explain that he is a eunuch with many gestures. Ahutoru agrees. therefore, he is a ‘mahu’, a woman’s man. But on land too, the atoll residents call her a woman. At least, that’s how they treat sailors, whom they find a little delicate. It suits the false servant.
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The scam was exposed
Jeanne narrowly escapes, but the sailors’ suspicions grow stronger after Ahutoru’s mentions. During a layover, the sailors attack a young transvestite woman in an attempt to uncover the truth. For more than a year, Bougainville tried to ignore the rumors, hoping to avoid punishment for taking a woman on board. But this time the matter is serious. He calls the servant who confesses. Jeanne says that she was an orphan, that she disguised herself as a man in order to get a job with Commerson. This lie protects the botanist and relieves Bougainville of responsibility. Since then, Zhanna accepts her identity.
A way to lower
Some sailors hate the idea of having a woman among them. During another stop near Australia, while she was alone on land, sailors molested her. This act of sexual violence is also a way of humiliating her and her illicit companion. Bougainville finally lands the two lovers in Mauritius. There, the governor forces them to separate. Jeanne will return to France a few years after the death of her teacher, who took care to leave her a beautiful legacy. When, in 1785, Louis XVI discovered Jeanne Barre’s story through avid research, he decided to grant her a pension from the invalids’ budget as an “extraordinary woman”. Great recognition for him who was a zealous assistant to the Bougainville botanist.
Discover other historical figures on the podcast with Virginia Giraud At the heart of the story
Source: Le Figaro
