A naval encampment overlooking an anchorage in the Indian Ocean

Lesueur joined Baudin's Géographe and Naturaliste in Le Havre in 1800 as an assistant gunner, but Baudin soon recognised his talents and employed him to illustrate his journal. With the departure of the chief zoologist, Bory de Saint Vincent (along with the three official artiste-peintres, Milbert, Lebrun and Garnier) at Mauritius in 1801, the botanist Péron took over as zoologist and Lesueur and Petit as artists (Lesueur concentrating on natural history while Petit undertook portraiture). Lesueur and Péron worked together collecting and recording zoological and marine subjects throughout the remainder of the voyage. Most of Lesueur's work consists of these natural history studies, with just two pure landscapes, both views of Sydney harbour, in his voyage portfolio of over 1500 voyage drawings. In 1815 Lesueur travelled to the United States, via the West Indies, remaining in America until his return to his native Le Havre twenty years later. The present view may have been taken on the Baudin voyage, perhaps at Mauritius or La Réunion, but the location of the subject remains unidentified.