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Description

Nice example of the first edition of James Cook's map of a part of the Coast of Van Diemens Land (Tasmania), published in London in 1777.

Captain Tobias Furneaux (1735 - 1781) was an English navigator and Royal Navy officer, who accompanied James Cook on his second voyage of exploration. He was the first man to circumnavigate the world in both directions, and later commanded a British vessel during the American Revolutionary War.

In November 1771, Furneaux was given command of Adventure, which accompanied James Cook (in Resolution) on his second voyage. On this expedition Furneaux was twice separated from Cook. On the former occasion he explored a great part of the south and east coasts of Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania), and made the earliest British chart of the same. Most of the placenames given by Furneaux survived. Cook, visiting the shore-line on his third voyage, confirmed Furneaux's account and delineation of it, with certain minor criticisms and emendations, and named the islands at the eastern entrance to Bass Strait the Furneaux Group (now Low Archipelago)

After Adventure was finally separated from Resolution off New Zealand in October 1773, Furneaux returned home alone, bringing with him Omai of Ulaietea (Raiatea). This first South Sea Islander to travel to the Great Britain returned to Tahiti with Cook in 1776-1777.