Subject: World
Period: 1697 (circa)
Publication: A Collection of Voyages...
Color: Black & White
Size:
11.4 x 6.5 inches
29 x 16.5 cm
William Dampier (baptized 1651-1715) was a buccaneer (pirate) and sea captain. He was the first Englishman to explore parts of New Holland and New Guinea, and was the first man to circumnavigate the world three times.
In the 1670s he crewed with buccaneers on the Spanish Main of Central America, which eventually led to his first circumnavigation. On the ship Cygnet, following Pacific-spanning raids that included the East Indies, Manila, and the Spice Islands, Dampier's ship was beached on the northwest coast of Australia in 1688. Waiting for repairs, his scientific interest surfaced as he made notes and drawings on the local fauna and flora. Following three years of further adventures he returned to England. In 1697 he published his experiences in A New Voyage. Described as one of the greatest tales of adventure and exploration ever written, the book was published in several languages. It is reported that Captain Cook used Dampier's nautical observations on his voyages, and Charles Darwin found his books so useful that he took them aboard the Beagle.
This double-hemispheric map of the world shows California as an island. The partial coasts of New Guinea and Australia are shown as one coastline, and a small amount of New Zealand is indicated. The tracks of William Dampier's first circumnavigation (1679-1691) fills the oceans. Dampier's 12 year journey took him to Central America, Virginia, western South America, the East Indies, and Australia. From the Dutch edition of Dampier's A Collection of Voyages.
References:
Condition: A
Issued folding on a clean sheet.