00 leagues
to the east of Nova Zembla. The first argument only proved, that there was
sea between Nova Zembla and Japan; but not that it was navigable, though
passable for whales: the other two positions were unfounded. Wood, however,
persuaded the Duke of York to send him out in 1676. He doubled the North
Cape, and reached 76 degrees of north latitude. One of the ships was
wrecked off the coast of Nova Zembla, and Wood returned in the other, with
an opinion that a north-east passage is impracticable, and that Nova Zembla
is a part of the continent of Greenland.

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. In 1642, Tasman, a celebrated Dutch navigator,
sailed from Batavia, and discovered the southern part of Van Dieman's Land
and New Zealand. From this time to the beginning of the eighteenth century,
little progress was made in exploring the coast of New Holland. Dampier,
however, a man of wonderful talents, considering his education and mode of
life,