. The earth and its inhabitants .. . base oh Gr-eenvMch 600 Miles. the Spanish crown. At that time, however, it was still uncertain Avhether it was an island or a part of the Australasian mainland. Doubtless some charts dating from the sixteenth century already represent Papuasia as an island ; but on others, notably that of Valentijn, prepared in the eighteenth century, it still figures as a part of Australia. Yet its insular character had already been practically demonstrated in 1606 b}^ the Spanish pilot, Torres, who had penetrated into the dangerous strait named from him, and who had at th
. The earth and its inhabitants .. . base oh Gr-eenvMch 600 Miles. the Spanish crown. At that time, however, it was still uncertain Avhether it was an island or a part of the Australasian mainland. Doubtless some charts dating from the sixteenth century already represent Papuasia as an island ; but on others, notably that of Valentijn, prepared in the eighteenth century, it still figures as a part of Australia. Yet its insular character had already been practically demonstrated in 1606 b}^ the Spanish pilot, Torres, who had penetrated into the dangerous strait named from him, and who had at the same time surveyed the south coast of New Guinea. But this discovery, carefully concealed as a state secret in the archives of Manilla, had at last been forgotten by the Spaniards themselves. It was again brought to light, however, by Dalrj^mple during the temporary occupation of Manilla by the English in 1762 ; and in 1770, Cook, resuming the itinerary of the Spanish navi- gator, traversed the strait which he supposed he was the first to visit. Henceforth
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectgeography, bookyear18
