Volume 5

Atlas geographus: or, a compleat system of geography, ancient and modern / Containing what is most of use in Bleau, Varenius, Cellarius, Cluverius, Baudrand, Brietius, Sanson, &c. With the discoveries and improvements of the best modern authors to this time. Illustrated with about 100 new maps, done from the latest observations, by Herman Moll, geographer. And many other cuts, by the best artists.

  • Moll, Herman, -1732
Date:
1711-1717
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Atlas geographus: or, a compleat system of geography, ancient and modern / Containing what is most of use in Bleau, Varenius, Cellarius, Cluverius, Baudrand, Brietius, Sanson, &c. With the discoveries and improvements of the best modern authors to this time. Illustrated with about 100 new maps, done from the latest observations, by Herman Moll, geographer. And many other cuts, by the best artists. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    16/866 (page 6)
    Thevenot in his prefent State of the Com¬ merce of the Dutch and Portuguefe in the Eaft-lndies, printed at Paris in 1683, fays, the Dutch pretend a Right to the Terra Au- flralis, which they have difcover’d, and is comprehended betwixt Long. 25 and 220 inclufively ; that is to fay, betwixt the Me¬ ridian of the Cape of Good Hope, and that which paffes thro1 Solomons Iilands, and is the fartheft to the E. and from the Line to the $. Pole, or as far as Terra Aujhalis extends towards the S. He likewiie ob- ferves, that all that Country is within the Charter of the Dutch EaJl-Ind/a Company, if we may believe their Maps; and that he fuppofes to be the Reafon which has made them place New Zealand wrong, left: it Ihould fall to the Share of their WefiAndia Com¬ pany, betwixt whom there is a Jealoufy. Having thus gone thro1 the General De- feription of Terra Aufir alls, we proceed now to treat of the leveral Iflands of this Coun¬ try, and lhall begin firft with thofe of NEW G V 1 N E A. HIS is the moft N. Part of Terra g Aujlralis Mod and others join it with Terra de Papous, which we deferibed in Ajia ; but Luyts and the Sanfins divide them. Oval/e fays, that before the Difcovery of the Streights of Le Maire, Orteliw and others of the Ancients did fuppofe it to be join’d to Terra del Fuego. In the S. Navigations by Le Mair'e and Schouten, from 1615 to 16s7, in the 3d Vol. of Dutch Voyages, according to the Copy printed at Batavia An. 1638. New Guinea is fuppofed to reach 45 Min. N. of the Line, thefe Gentlemen having failed 280 Dutch Miles along the Coaft of it. Barham, in his Tranflation of Hereras novus Orbos, begins New Guinea 100 Leagues E. of Gilolo, at a little more than one Deg. of S. Lat. and fays, that the Iilands of New Guinea run out 300 Leagues E. to $ or 6 Degrees. Tho1 many have doubted whether New Guinea be a Continent or Illand, lince it extends to fo great a Length, and whether it may be reckon’d among the Iilands of Solomon, or the Southern Provinces of the Streights of Magellan, yet he fays, thofe who have difeo- ver’d the S. Side of the Streights of Magel- 1 lan do affirm, that Nsw Guinea conftfts of a great Number of Iilands in the open Sea. He particularly mentions Sir Richard Haw¬ kins, an EngUjlmian, who cruis’d about thefe Iflands 45 Days, and fays, that the Coafts have a very good Soil, and the Inhabitants a black fwarthy Complexion. He adds, that there are many Iilands and convenient Harbours on the Coaft ; but thofe which he particularly mentions are as follow, viz. 1. El Aguada, on the E. 3 ? Leagues from that Part which lies about one Deg. S. of the Equator. 2. The Harbour of St. Jago, iS Leagues farther. 3. The Illand de los Crespos, 16 Leagues in Length, upon the Coaft. 4 The Harbour of St. Andrew, over a- gainft los Crefpos, and 40 Leagues from St. Jago. 5;. Vallena, a fmall Illand further to the E„ It lies before the River of St. Auguflin, al- moft 50 Leagues from the Port of St. An¬ drew. 6. Not far from hence are the Rivers of San Pedro and San Pablo, before the Harbour of St. Jerom and the Illand Buenapaz, near the Cape Salida, 40 Leagues from St. Au- guflin. 7. At a greater Diftance lie the Iflands Abrigo and Malagente* and St. Nicholas Bay, 50Leagues from the Cape Salida. He adds, that among other Iflands, there’s one whofe Inhabitants are white. Tafvnan fays, That the firfl Place he came to on this Coaft was called by the Spaniards Cabo S. Maria, at S Lat. 4 and a half, Long, 171. 2. He adds, that they were often be¬ calmed on this Coaft, and that a great deal of Wood was brought hither by the Cur¬ rents of the Rivers. He fays, the W. End of this Country is a broken Point of Land, in S Lat. 26 Min. and Long. 147. 55. Hey- lin{ays, that New Guinea receiv’d its Name from Vida hobos, who being fent in 1 $43 by the Governor of New Spain with a Fleet to¬ wards the Molucca's, difcover’d this Coun¬ try in his Voyage. But Herera fays, it was found out in 1527 by Alvarez de Savedra, in his Return to New Spain, after he had fought for the Spice Iflands. Heylin fuppo¬ fes it was more perfectly difcover’d by Fer¬ dinand de Quir. Luyts fays, this is one of the largeft Iflands in the World ; that it is fo t I