Name/TitleChart of the south Pacific Ocean, pointing out the discoveries made previous to 1764
About this objectDalrymple conducted extensive research into the early Spanish and Dutch voyages in the Pacific, which was then the least known part of the world. On his chart he marked the tracks of all the key navigators including Mendana, Quiros, Torres, Roggeveen, and Lemaire and Schouten, and based his chart on a thorough re-examination of their discoveries. He set out discoveries made by the Dutch in the Duyfken along the Gulf of Carpentaria, by the Leeuwin on the south-west coast of Australia, and by Tasman along the southern coast of Tasmania.
The entire east coast of Australia between the tip of Tasmania to New Guinea, and the west coast of New Zealand was unexplored, and remained a mystery until Cook’s discoveries in 1770. Indeed Dalrymple’s Account together with this chart were among the few reference books taken on board the Endeavour, and Joseph Banks had a separate copy of the chart in his map collection.
MakerAlexander Dalrymple - Cartographer
Maker RoleCartographer
Date Made1767
Period18th century
Medium and MaterialsPaper, ink
Measurements300mm x 500mm
Object TypeMaps and Charts
Object numberSF000047
Copyright Licence
Attribution - Non-commercial - No Derivatives (cc)
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The mug is decorated with an underglaze and a blue transfer print. On the body, it is titled ‘Emigrants to Australia’. This type of body and glaze was discontinued by 1840. Comparison of the handle shape and the profile of the foot, point to the attribution of manufacture by the Davenport Factory.
Delta was a ship-rigged vessel with two decks and three masts. It was built in Dordrecht, Netherlands in 1839 at the shipyard of Jan Schouten and registered in the same port. Its hull was constructed of oak and sheathed in ‘yellow metal’. Delta was owned by H. van der Sande at the time of its loss and was engaged as a cargo trader.
The Delta carried 29 crew and passengers, while sailing from Melbourne to Batavia in ballast when wrecked at Kenn Reefs on 30 May 1854 whilst under the command of Captain J.G. Kunst. This vessel loss supports the pattern of shipwrecks located on a well-travelled shipping route that was poorly charted until the mid-nineteenth century. The crew of the Delta could see four other shipwrecks at Kenn Reefs at the time of their vessel’s loss.
Important image of a ship associated with Matthew Flinders, that would shortly become one of the most famous early shipwrecks in eastern Australian waters. This is a fine ship’s portrait, by one of the great exponents of the art