Carte de Ia Nle. Galles Meridle. ou de la Côte Orientale de la Nle. Hollande découverte et visitée par le Lieutenant J. Cook, Commandant de l’Endeavour, vaisseau de sa Majesté en 1770

Captain James Cook’s seminal map of the east coast of Australia, from the French edition of the accounts of the first voyage, published (1774) the year after the English edition (1773).

The title in the English versions was: A Chart of New South Wales, or the East Coast of New-Holland. Discovere’ and Explored by Lieutenant J.Cook, Commander of his Majesty’s Bark Endeavour, in the year MDCCLXX.

The discoveries made by James Cook in the Endeavour on his first voyage finally resolved the question of Terra Australis Incognito that had puzzled and intrigued explorers and cartographers for centuries. Officially, Cook was sent by the British Admiralty to observe the transit of Venus from Tahiti but prior to his departure he was given secret instructions which set out the true nature of his mission. They instructed that after observing the transit of Venus, he was to sail for the Great Southern Continent. In the event that he found the Continent, he should chart its coasts, obtain information about its people, cultivate their friendship and alliance, and annex any convenient trading posts in the King’s name. Cook first sighted the Australian east coast on 19 April 1770 after sailing west from New Zealand and then sailed north, anchoring at Botany Bay on 29 April 1770, before methodically charting the entire east coast. It was his observations while at Botany Bay that were later used by Joseph Banks to make the case for a penal colony. The voyage almost came to a fatal end when the Endeavour struck the Great Barrier Reef, which Cook subsequently named the Labyrinth. Fortunately, Cook was able to steer the ship clear to Endeavour River, near Cooktown, where she was careened for repairs. The chart is orientated with north to the right.

Thursday 19, June 1770, Cooks Journals I, 3, 483;

‘..at six we saw land extending from N.E. to W. at the distance of five of six leagues….The southernmost point of land in sight, which bore from us W.1/4S. I judged to lie in latitude 38°, longitude, 211°, 7′, and gave it the name of POINT HICKS, because Mr. Hicks, the First Lieutenant, was the first who discovered it.’

References;
Andrew (Hakluyt Society) 1.270A, ill.p.262 (English edition), Beddie 659, p.124, Tooley 342, p.47

From Hawkesworth, Relation des Voyages Entrepris par ordre de Sa Majeste Britannique Actuallement Regnante:…..Paris.

Collections:
National Library Australia: Bib ID 1284603