[* In Vol. III. just published, of captain Burney's _History of
Discoveries in the South Sea_, a copy is given of Tasman's charts, as
they stand in the original.]

COOK. 1770.

More than a century had elapsed after this celebrated voyage of Tasman,
and the eastern limit of Terra Australis remained still unknown. But the
British nation was then taking the lead in discovery; and the new and
liberal principles upon which His Majesty, GEORGE III, ordered it to be
prosecuted, was a sure indication that so considerable a part of the
globe would not long escape attention. Captain JAMES COOK, accompanied by
Mr. Green, was sent in the _Endeavour_ to observe, at Taheity, the
transit of Venus over the sun's disk; and after accomplishing that
object, and making a survey of New Zealand, he continued his course
westward, in order to explore the east side of the _Terra Australis
Incognita_.

(Atlas, Pl. I.)

In the morning of April 19,1770, the land was seen bearing from
north-east to west; the furthest part, in the latter direction, being
judged to lie in 38° south, and 148° 53' east. But captain Cook could not
determine whether it did, or did not, join to Tasman's Van Diemen's Land.

It would be superfluous, here, to follow our great navigator in his
discoveries along the coast, northward to _Botany Bay_ and from thence to
Cape York. Such an abstract as suits the plan of this Introduction would
be little satisfactory to the reader; when, by an easy reference to the
original narrative, so much interesting information upon this new