A splendid copy of this substantial and significant work in the history of exploration literature, a comprehensive compilation of accounts from numerous explorers and travellers. This is an example of the third edition, clearly published in light of the reawakening of British voyaging to the Pacific, and one of the preferred issues of the book since it contains the full complement of maps, including the famous Bowen/Tasman map of Australia which did not appear in the first edition.

A splendid copy of this substantial and significant work in the history of exploration literature, a comprehensive compilation of accounts from numerous explorers and travellers. This is an example of the third edition, clearly published in light of the reawakening of British voyaging to the Pacific, and one of the preferred issues of the book since it contains the full complement of maps, including the famous Bowen/Tasman map of Australia which did not appear in the first edition.

Harris's great collection of travels was first published in 1705 in slighter form. It was extensively revised by John Campbell for the second and third editions: he added narratives of new voyages – many of Australasian interest – that had been undertaken or become known since 1705. He also had new maps prepared by Emmanuel Bowen, the most notable being "A Complete Map of the Southern Continent surveyed by Capt. Abel Tasman"; this is one of the earliest English maps of Australia. Campbell actively encouraged further voyages to the imperfectly known Southern Continent in continuation of the work of those (including de Quiros, Pelsaert, Tasman and Dampier) whose narratives he published. "He recommended an expedition to Van Diemen's Land, and a voyage to New Guinea by which means… 'all the back coast of New Holland, and New Guiney, might be thoroughly examined; and we might know as well, and as certainly, as the Dutch, how far a Colony settled there might answer our Expectations'…" (Glyndwr Williams and Alan Frost, Terra Australis to Australia, 1988).

"In addition to the two charts of the world with interesting maps of New Holland and the chart 'the Discoveries made by Capt. William Dampier in the Roebuck in 1699' this edition contains a copy of Tasman's original map, with engraved surface 19 x 15 inches, to which is added two short articles printed on the map, one discussing the Quiros voyage and the other the possibilities of the continent being colonised: 'Whoever perfectly discovers and settles it will become infallibly possessed of territories as rich and fruitful and as capable of improvement as any that have hitherto been found…'. The voyages of Australian and Pacific interest are numerous including those of de Quiros, Pelsaert, Tasman, Narborough, Magellan, Drake, Funnell, Woodes, Rogers, Cavendish, Cowley, Dampier, Anson and Roggewein". (Davidson).