On his voyage out from Europe to East Africa and India in command of the Imperial Asiatic Company of Trieste and Antwerp ship, "Joseph et Therese", William Bolts sighted Tristan da Cunha, put a landing party ashore on 2 February 1777 and hoisted the Imperial flag, naming it and its neighboring islets the Isles de Brabant.re-published as </ref>cited in and cited in and cited in article </ref> In fact, no settlement or facilities were ever set up there by the company.