ORIGINAL TASMAN MAP

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 71, 21 September 1933, Page 18

ORIGINAL TASMAN MAP

VOYAGE OF 1642

GIFT TO MITCHELL LIBRARY

(From "The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, September 9.

The Mitchell Library's wonderful store of Australjana has been enriched by the acquisition of one of the most interesting relics that have come into its possession. It has just received from London the original Tasman map showing Tasman's voyage of 1642, when he discovered Tasmania, New Zealand, the Fijis, and the Tonga Islands. The map was presented to the trustees of the library by Princess George of Greece. The trustees of the Mitchell Library consider it to be one of the most important maps in their extensive collection. It is especially interesting because of the fact that Tasman was the first to circumnavigate Australia and because the Mitchell Library a few years ago acquired in Holland the original Tasman Journal of the 1642 expedition. A translation of the Dutch title of the map is: "All these lands were discovered by the Dutch East India Company 's discoverers, with the exception of the northern part of Nova Guinea and the west end of Java. This work has been compiled from various writings, together with his own observations, by Abel Jansz Tasman, Anno, 1644, by order of the Honourable the Lord' Governor-General Anthonio van Dieman." , ,• , The history of the acquisition of the map, as is often the case with rare and valuable historic documents, is interesting. The Public Librarian (Mr.'W. H. Ifould) was first informed of the' map being in the possession of the Bonaparte family (of which Princess George of Greece is a member) by Mrs. Daisy Bates, one of the most isolated white women in Australia, as she lives, as a protreetress of aborigines, at Ooldea, Western Australia. Mrs. Bates directed Mr. Ifoud's attention to a paragraph in a book, "Bound the World " by Dr. iThomson, secretary of the Queensland Geographical Society, the book having been published in 1904 Dr. Thomson, the, guest of Prince Roland Bonaparte, was interested in the Prince's special hobby, the collection of geographical books. Dr. Thomson referred in his book to _tne prince's possession of the original Tasman manuscript map of his. 1642 voyace He said that the prince.,stated his intention of bequeathing th<? Tasman map to Australia at his death. On this information Mr. Ifould wrote to the then Agent General for New South Wales (Lord Chelmsford), _ suggesting that he should communicate with Princess George of Greece, who had inherited the collection pf her father, Prince Roland Bonaparte. Lord Chelmsford wrote to the British Ambassador in Paris, who interviewed the Princess, who agreed that the map should go to Australia. She, however, mentioned that her husband, Prince George, intended to visit Australia and present the map to the people on that visit. As nothing eventuated for some time, Mr. Ifould, during a visit to Europe in 1929, took steps to remind the Princess, of her promise^ The Princess repeated her promise, but still hoped that her husband would be able to present the map in person. Princess George was reminded again two years later, and was persuaded to agree that the map should be transferred 'to London and thence-to fus- ' The' discovery has also been reported to Mr. Ifould of a Duiffien chart, which proves (that the Duiffien was the first .vessel to sight any part of Australia. The discoverer was Dr. Wieder, probably the most distinguished authority in the world on early maps and editor of "Monumenta Cartographica." An Australian prof essor, writing _to Mr. Ifould from London regarding the chart, said: "Dr. Wieder has recently found a chart drawn by Roossengin on board the Duiffien of her discovery of the western coast of York Peninsula hi 1606. He has just given me a. copy, with permission to use it as I.wish. It, is my intention to send it out oh loan for exhibition in the Mitchell Library. It is the first authentic Tccord of the discovery of any part of Australia by a white man. !3omo months before Torres went through the straits, and every place ho visited is clearly marked on the chart." Mr. Ifould described the chart as an important discovery. He said: "Owing to the absence of any direct record of the Duiffien 's voyage, geographers have frequently questioned whether sho ever did more than sail along the south coast of New Guinea —that is, whether those on board really had the first sight ! of any part of Australia. This chart answers that question, which has been a matter of controversy among geographers for more than a century. The Mitchell Library will obtain from Dr. Wiedet a .facsimile reproduction of tho chart in colour." ) The T.as.man map gives a fairly good outline,, of the .Australian coasts, especiajjx the southern, western, and north-western," but Tasmania is shown joined .to. the mainland.. The east coast is made too regular, and there is evidence that Tasman. regarded the Great Barrier' Beef as the main coastline, while it is shown that he believed New Griiiriea 'afs'o 'to be .joined to the mainland. New Zealand is peculiarly charter!.' ' Only the, west coast of the two islands is shown, and that is joined, with evidence that Tasman believed the strait between them was a huge bay.