In Prosecuting His Voyage In The Track Pursued By Dampier,
Captain Carteret Arrived On The East Coast Of The Land Named New Britain,
By That Celebrated Navigator.
This he found to consist of two islands,
separated by a wide channel; to the northern island he gave the name of New
Ireland.
At this period the French were prosecuting voyages of discovery in the same
portion of the globe. An expedition sailed from France in 1766, commanded
by M. Bougainville: he arrived within the limits of Australasia in May,
1768. Besides visiting a group of islands, named by him Navigators'
Islands, but which are supposed to have been discovered by Rogewein, and a
large cluster, which is also supposed to be the archipelago of the same
navigator, M. Bougainville discovered a beautiful country, to which he gave
the name of Louisiade: he was not able to examine this country, and as it
has not been visited by subsequent navigators, it is generally believed to
be an extension of the coast of Papua. After discovering some islands not
far from this land, M. Bougainville directed his course to the coast of New
Ireland; he afterwards examined the north coast of New Guinea.
About the same time, M. Surville, another Frenchman, in a voyage from the
East Indies into the Pacific, landed on the north coast of a country east
of New Guinea; he had not an opportunity of examining this land, but it
seems probable that it was one of Solomon's Islands.
We have already had occasion to notice the first voyage of Captain Cook,
during which he traced the eastern coast of New Holland, and ascertained
that it was separated from New Guinea. In this voyage he made further
additions to our geographical knowledge of Australasia; for he visited New
Zealand, which Tasman had discovered in 1642, but on which he did not even
land. Captain Cook examined it with great care; and ascertained not only
its extent, but that it was divided into two large islands, by a strait,
which is called after him. During his second voyage he explored the New
Hebrides, the most northern of which is supposed to be described by Quitos:
Bougainville had undoubtedly sailed among them. The whole lie between the
latitude of 14 deg. 29' and 24 deg. 4' south, and between 166 deg. 41' and 170 deg. 21'
east longitude. After having completed his examination of these islands, he
discovered an extensive country, which he called New Caledonia. In his
passage from this to New Zealand he discovered several islands, and among
the rest Norfolk Island. The great object of his third voyage, which was
the examination of the north-west coast of America, did not afford him an
opportunity of visiting for any length of time Australasia; yet he did
visit it, and examined New Zealand attentively, obtaining much original and
important information respecting it, and the manners, &c. of its
inhabitants.
The voyages which we have hitherto noticed, were principally directed to
the southern parts of Australasia.
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