Ask about this item

The first edition of the first separately printed English map to show part of the coast of Tasmania. Furneaux's track in the Adventure is shown.

In this English edition, this is the first separately printed English map to show part of the Tasmanian coast - the south-east, from 'S.W. Cape' to Furneaux Isles. It records the track of Furneaux's vessel along the south and east coasts of Tasmania after he was separated from Cook in the southern Indian Ocean, during Cook's second voyage to the South Pole. On 17 January 1773 Cook, sailing in the Resolution and Tobias Furneaux commander of the Adventure, became the first Europeans to cross the Antarctic Circle. Intense danger from large ice packs forced the two vessels to turn north into warmer waters. On 8 February 1773 a dense fog set in and the two commanders were no longer able to keep in contact with each other. Anticipating such an event, Cook and Furneaux had planned to meet up in Queen Charlotte Sound in New Zealand. On the way, Furneaux stopped off at Adventure Bay and proceeded to explore the east coast of Tasmania, where he took soundings as shown here on his map. Furneaux wrongly identified Tasman's 'S.W.Cape' as the 'S.E.Cape' and subsequently all capes and bays were incorrectly charted. Frederick Henry Bay is shown to the west of Tasman's Peninsula instead of to the east. Other mapmakers copied Furneaux's mistake.

This information is adapted from the Printed World catalogue series, one of the most enjoyable and informative Australian Antique map catalogues available, created and compiled by Simon Dewez.