1839.] DISCOVERY OF AUSTRALIA. 219 



As early as 1526, a few accidental discoveries on the Aus- 

 tralian coast were made by the Spaniards ; but the first 

 accurate information was obtained by the Dutch yacht 

 Dnyf hen, in 1606, which, while engaged in exploring the coast 

 of New Guinea, discovered that portion of Australia extending 

 south of Endeavor Straits, and gave it the name of New 

 Holland. A few months later, Louis de Torres, a Spanish 

 navigator, passed through the straits which bear his name, and 

 made the northeastern point of Australia, an account of which 

 was given to the world on his return. From 1616 to 1628, 

 various discoveries, of greater or less extent, were made by 

 the Dutch navigators, Hartog, Zeachem, Dewitt, and Car- 

 penter ; in 1627, Van Nuyt sailed along the southern coast 

 of Australia, from Cape Leeuwin to Spencer's Gulf, to which 

 his name has been given ; and between the years 1642 and 

 1644, Tasman completed the discovery of a great part of the 

 Australian coast line, and the island of Van Diemen's Land. 



The result of these discoveries by the Dutch was, that 

 about one half of the coast outline of the continent was sur- 

 veyed ; but the information which they had obtained was 

 deemed of little consequence, and attracted so little attention, 

 that it was soon more than half forgotten. At length, the 

 English navigators entered with zeal and spirit upon the ca- 

 reer of discovery. Between 1684 and 1690, Dampier ex- 

 plored a part of the west and northwest coasts, and subse- 

 quently extended his surveys to the neighboring islands. 

 From 1763 to 1766, Wallis and Carteret were engaged on 

 a similar errand, in the same quarter of the world. But it 

 was reserved for the talented, and indefatigable Cook, to ac- 

 complish more, in a far briefer period, than the united labors 

 of all those who had preceded him : he surveyed, in 1770, 

 the whole eastern coast of Australia, and was the first to 

 make known the important fact, that this terra incognita 

 was a vast island-continent. 



Shortly after the return of Cook, a number of expeditions 

 were set on foot for exploring the newly discovered country ; 

 and in 1788 the first colony arrived there from England. In 



