Explore "The Voyage of Captain Abel Jansen Tasman in the Year 1642" by James Burney on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
After the discovery of the Western coast of the _Terra Australis_ or _Great South Land_ by Theodoric Hertoge, which was in the year 1616, the Hollanders endeavoured at various opportunities to obtain further knowledge concerning the country and its extent, as well by their ships outward bound from Europe touching on different parts of the coast, as by vessels sent purposely from their Eastern settlements to make examination. Before the Presidentship of Governor Van Diemen, however, only the Northern and Western coasts had been visited: and to that time no limitation had been set by the track of any navigator to the extent Southward and Eastward of the _Terra Australis_.
In 1642, the Governor and Council at _Batavia_ fitted out two ships to prosecute the discovery of the South Land, principally with a view to ascertain its extent. The command of this expedition was given to Captain Abel Jansen Tasman, and his Voyage proved to be one of the most importance to geography of any which had been undertaken since the first circumnavigation of the globe.