But We Must Turn From These Attempts To Discover A Northwest Or North-East Passage To India, Which, From The Accounts Given Of Them, It Will Be Evident, Contributed Very Little To The Progress Of Geographical Knowledge, Though They Necessarily Increased The Skill, Confidence, And Experience Of Navigators.

While these unprofitable voyages were undertaken in the north, discoveries of consequence were making in the southern ocean.

These may be divided into two classes; viz., such as relate to what is now called Australasia; and those which relate to the islands which are scattered in the southern ocean.

We have already stated that there is reason to believe some part of New Holland was first discovered by the Portuguese: two ancient maps in the British Museum are supposed to confirm this opinion; but the date of one is uncertain; the other is dated 1542, and certainly contains a country, which, in form and position, resembles New Holland, as it was laid down prior to the voyage of Tasman. But allowing this to be New Holland, it only proves, that at the date of this map it was known, not that it had been discovered by the Portuguese.

The Dutch, however, certainly made several voyages to it between 1616 and 1644: the western extremity was explored in 1616. The same year Van Dieman's Land was discovered. In the course of the ten following years, the western and northern coasts were visited. The southern coast was first discovered in 1627, but we have no particulars respecting the voyage in which it was discovered.

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