Kaart van Nieuw Zuid Wales of de Oostyke Kust Van Nieuw Holland …

Dutch edition of the seminal map in the charting of the Australian continent and the first of the east coast of New Holland. The discoveries made by Cook in the Endeavour on his first voyage 1768-1771 are shown for the first time. With the charting of the east coast, the geographical limits of the South Land were now known. On 30 July 1768, the Lords of the Admiralty signed Cook&#8217s secret instructions for the voyage of the Endeavour. The instructions were in two parts, the second of which was sealed, only to be opened by Cook himself. The first task was to sail to Tahiti from where Cook and his crew were instructed to observe the Transit of Venus. The document included the request that &#8216When this service is perform&#8217d you are to put to Sea without Loss of Time, and carry into execution the Additional Instructions contained in the inclosed Sealed Packet&#8217. The sealed instructions contained the Admiralty&#8217s true reasons for supporting the voyage. In addition to observing the Transit of Venus, Cook was commanded to find the South Land, a &#8216Land of great extent&#8217 that was thought to exist in the southern latitudes. The orders continued, &#8216You are to proceed &#8230 southward in order to make discovery of the Continent above-mentioned until you arrive in the latitude of 40�, unless you sooner fall in with it&#8217. Undertaken at the height of the Age of Enlightenment, Cook&#8217s voyage heralded a new era of scientific exploration in which the two dominant maritime and scientific powers, France and Britain, would confront each other in a great rivalry for power and discovery.