Long title: Chart of part of the South Sea, shewing the Tracts an

Code: 53594

 1773

Chart of part of the South Sea, shewing the Tracts and Discoveries made by His Majesty’s Ships Dolphin Commodore Byron and Tamer Caps Mouat, 1765. Dolphone Captain Wallis and Swallow Cap Carteret 1767 and Endeavour Lieutenant Cooke 1769.  Pencil note on verso states that this chart is from a Dublin edition of Hawkesworth’s Voyages of 1773.
Copper engraving; uncoloured as issued; old folds as issued, not noticeable from the front.  Overall sheet size: 67cms x 36cms. Note bottom middle states that : The shaded Lands are new Discoveries except a part of the West side of new Zeeland which was seen by Tasman in 1642.  Those without shade are copied from Charts. Routes of explorers Byron, Wallis and Cook marked.   Cook's route across the South Pacific from Cape Horn to New Zealand and Australia is marked. This map was produced soon after his ground breaking discoveries.  One small repair at margin edge at old fold, else very good condition indeed.

In his first voyage of 1768-71 James Cook charted the coasts of both islands of New Zealand and discovered the whole of the east coast of Australia. His second voyage proved conclusively that the great south land that appeared on the map of the world for centuries did not exist.   ‘For his immense services to science and navigation he received little reward from his own countrymen.  By the Admiralty he was promoted to Captain, and for his contribution towards removing the causes of scurvy he was awarded the Copley gold medal.  ’France ..with true gallic generositiy, though at war with England , gave orders to her naval commanders to give free passage to Cook should they encounter his ship, an unprecedented step in war and a remarkable tribute from a great nation to a great man’ .’Tooley: the Mapping of Australia and Antarctica