Chart of the south Pacific Ocean, pointing out the discoveries made previous to 1764

Dalrymple 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.