n, one of Villalobos'
pilots, who wrote a description of it, extended to six or seven degrees
of south latitude, must represent the modern Cape King William, or
thereabouts.

CHAPTER VI.

JAVE-LA-GRANDE. THE FIRST MAP OF AUSTRALIA.

The maps that I am going to describe in this chapter are beautiful
specimens of medieval work; they are, however, somewhat startling, for
they reveal, in a most unexpected and sudden manner, nearly the whole of
the coasts of Australia discovered, yet, without any narrative of voyage
to prepare us for the fact.

They stand alone, therefore, as the most important documents hitherto
come to light bearing on the early discovery and mapping of Australia.

They belong to a type of manuscript Lusitano-French, or Lusitano-Spanish
planispheres, which is represented by several specimens, all of which are
copies from a prototype which has either been destroyed or has not yet
been found.

As the original model, or prototype, is of a date anterior to 1536, they
may be considered collectively notwithstanding the apparent later date
of some of them.*

[* Desliens' bears the date 1566; see pages 70-71.]

The Australian portion, or Jave-la-Grande, of the oldest one, given here
first, is taken from a large chart of the world, on a plane scale,
painted on vellum, 8ft. 2in. by 3ft. 10in., highly ornamented with
figures, etc., and with the names in French.

At the upper corner, on the left hand, is a shield of the arms of France,
with the collar of St. Michael; and on the right, another shield of
France and Dauphiny, quarterly. It was probably executed in the time of
Francis I. of France, for his son, the Dauphin, afterwards Henry II.;
hence, this chart has sometimes been called the "Dauphin Chart."*

[* Another of these planispheres, belonging to the same French School of
Cartography, was presented to Henry II. of France. About that time a
movement was set on foot for the colonisation of the Great Southern
Continent, or Jave-la-Grande. The promotors failed in their endeavours,
and one of them went to England with the hopes of better success; he also
failed in his efforts, and the great colonising scheme was abandoned.]

This chart formerly belonged to Edward Harley, Earl of Oxford and one of
the principal Lords of the Admiralty, after whose death it was taken away
by one of his servants. It. was subsequently purchased by Sir Joseph
Banks, Bart., and presented by him to the British Museum in 179