 At the same time Botany Bay was visited by the French expedition under the command of Jean-Francois Galaup de Laperouse whose frigates, "La Boussole" and "Astrolabe" anchored near Frenchman's Beach on 24 January 1788.Captain Hunter of the first fleet established contact with the French in the absence of Governor Phillip.The French ships had sailed from Samoa where they had been involved in a battle with the Samoans.