The Southern Hemisphere.

Alexander Kincaid’s c.18th reduced map of Cook’s the Southern Hemisphere‘, showing the tracks of the Resolution made on the second and third voyages.

Cook’s famous and rare large map of the southern hemisphere, was first issued after his second voyage (1773-1775) of discovery and exploration. It was the most important and up-to-date chart of the southern hemisphere on its day and which dispelled the myth of the landmass known as, Terra Australia Incognita. The map includes the tracks of Cooks first and second voyages, as well those of numerous other explores including; Bougainville, Le Maire, Mendana, Quiros, Schouten and Tasman. It also records the first known crossing of the Antarctic Circle by Cook on 17 January 1773.

From: Alexander Kincaid’s, A New Geographical, Historical, and Commercial Grammar.

Kincaid’s publication was a copy of William Guthrie’s work of the same title. Kincaid was one of a number of Scottish publishers actively republishing English books at lower prices. This was possible due to a loophole in the Copyright Act and a subsequent ruling by the Scottish Court of Session in 1751 which allowed any book not registered at Stationer’s Hall to be copied legally in Scotland. This map appears in all three editions of his geography and also depicts Australia prior to the discovery of Bass Strait, notes him as ‘del.’ (delineator or creator). Kincaid’s work is historically significant as it disseminated the latest knowledge and discoveries of Australia to a much wider audience.