3 Review(s)

Originally published in 1694, this record of recent voyages made by Sir John Narborough, Abel Tasman, John Wood and Friderich Martens includes Tasman's account of discovering Tasmania and New Zealand in 1642. Equally engaging, Narborough's journal records his voyage to the Straits of Magellan and his interest in the lands and peoples he encountered from 1669 to 1671. Here also are Wood's thoughts on his 1676 attempt to find a north-east passage to the East Indies, along with Martens' observations on Spitsbergen and whaling in northern waters in 1671. The extracts given here, translated where necessary, offer valuable insights into seventeenth-century navigation and exploration. A selection of illustrations, ranging from maps to depictions of exotic flora and fauna, accompany the text. A key reference for later navigators and for those interested in the history of maritime exploration, the book was also one of the oldest works in Darwin's library aboard the Beagle.