The discoveries made in Terra Australis, prior to the Investigator’s voyage, will, therefore, be divided into four Sections, under the following heads:  1.  The NORTH COAST; 2.  The WESTERN COASTS; 3.  The SOUTH COAST; and, 4.  The EAST COAST with VAN DIEMEN’S LAND.  But the articles in the fourth Section, being numerous and more extensive, will be divided into two parts:  PART I. will contain the early discoveries, and such of the later, as were made independently of the British colony in New South Wales; and PART II. those which were made in vessels sent from that colony; and which may be considered as a consequence of its establishment.

PRIOR DISCOVERIES IN TERRA AUSTRALIS.

SECTION I.

NORTH COAST.

Preliminary Remarks: 
Discoveries of the Duyfhen; of
Torres;
Carstens;
Pool;
Pietersen;
Tasman; and of
three Dutch vessels. 
Of Cook;
M’Cluer;
Bligh;
Edwards;
Bligh and Portlock; and
Bampton and Alt. 
Conclusive Remarks.

PRELIMINARY REMARKS

The late Hydrographer to the Admiralty, ALEXANDER DALRYMPLE, Esq., in his curious Collection concerning PAPUA, published, with a translation, a paper which furnishes more regular and authentic accounts of the early Dutch discoveries in the East, than any thing with which the public was before acquainted.  This interesting paper was procured by the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks; and is a copy of the instructions to commodore ABEL JANSZ TASMAN, for his second voyage of discovery:  It is dated January 29, 1644, from the Castle of Batavia, and signed by the governor-general ANTONIO VAN DIEMEN, and by Vander Lyn, Maatsuyker, Schouten, and Sweers, members of the council.  The instructions are prefaced with a recital, in chronological order, of the previous discoveries of the Dutch, whether made from accident or design, in NOVA GUINEA, and the Great SOUTH LAND; and from this account, combined with a passage from Saris,* it appears, that—­

THE DUYFHEN. 1606.

On the 18th of November 1605, the Dutch yacht, the Duyfhen, was dispatched from Bantam to explore the islands of New Guinea; and that she sailed along, what was thought to be, the west side of that country, to 133/4 deg. of south latitude.  “This extensive country was found, for the greatest part, desert; but, in some places, inhabited by wild, cruel, black savages; by whom some of the crew were murdered.  For which reason they could not learn anything of the land, or waters, as had been desired of them; and, from want of provisions and other necessaries, they were obliged to leave the discovery unfinished:  The furthest point of the land, in their map, was called Cape KEER-WEER,” or Turn-again.

(ATLAS, Pl.  I.)