178 
4 - 
Banks’ Interest in the Progress of 
Australia Generally. 
What is considered by many as the most important document connected 
with the early history of Australia is the map or chart which R. H. 
Major called the Dauphin Map. 
“ It belongs to a type of manuscript Lusitano-French planispheres, 
which is represented by several specimens, all of which are copies 
from a prototype which has either been destroyed or has not yet been 
found.” 
The Dauphin Map is the most fully detailed of these maps, and is 
jirobably the oldest. It was probably executed in the time of Francis I 
of France, for his son the Dauphin, afterwards Henry II. The assigned 
date is 1530-(5. 
The chart formerly belonged to Edward Harley, Earl of Oxford, 
and many years after his death it was purchased by Sir Joseph Banks 
and presented by him to the British Museum in 1790. 
Space forbids me to more fully refer at this place to the map, which 
is illustrated and fully described by Collingridge,* * and the purchase 
and placing in safe custody of this priceless relic is but one of the 
innumerable services rendered by Banks to Australia. 
Another service of the same character rendered by Banks, was the 
purchase by him of a document which he handed over, on the return 
of the “ Endeavour,” to Alexander Dalrvmple, hydrographer to the 
Admiralty, by whom it was published. This was a copy of the instruc- 
tion to Commodore Abel Yansz Tasman for his second voyage of 
discovery. 
That distinguished commander had already, in 1642, discovered not only the 
island now named after him, Tasmania (but more generally known as Van Diemen’s 
Land, in compliment to the then governor of the Dutch East India Company at 
Batavia), but New Zealand also; and passing round the east side of Australia, 
but without seeing it, sailed on his return voyage along the northern shores of 
New Guinea, fn January, 1644, he was despatched on his second voyage; and 
his instructions, signed by the governor-general, Antonio Van Diemen, and the 
members of the council, are prefaced by a recital, in chronological order, of the 
previous discoveries of the Dutch.* 
* " The Discovery of Australia,” by George Collingridge; Sydney, Hayes Brothers, 1895. (See 
Chapter xxx.) 
* Collingridge, op. cit., ]). 239. 
