William Dampier – British Exploration of Australia
William Dampier, An adventurous Buccaneer who started his early career in the Americas, was a member of the crew who were the first British Explorers known to land on Terra incognita Australis. Prior to Dampier the Portugese, Spanish and Dutch had touched foot on Australia. While these other earlier European expeditions were seldom game to venture inland for curiosity’s sake, Dampier took it a step further by more thoroughly exploring and detailing Australia’s interior, illustrating and corresponding of its vast array of new and unique flora and fauna. His published material of his exploration into this strange new alien land was a hit back in England, despite its noted crude drawings. Through him we can see his first thoughts on the land and the people who inhabited Australia.