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He found Australia and considered it worthless
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Crest of Tasmania
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| Abel Tasman,
dutch explorer. In the service
of the Dutch E. India Co., he made exploratory and trading
voyages to E. and S.E. Asia 1634-39. In 1642 he was sent by A.
van Diemen, to find the hypothetical Sub continent of the Pacific
and a possible route to Chile. Sailing from Batavia (modern
Jakarta), he reached 49° S at 94° E, then turned north and
discovered land he named Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania), then
sailed along the coast of New Zealand, believing it to be the S
continent. He also discovered Tonga and the Fiji Islands. On his
next voyage (1644) he sailed into the Gulf of Carpentaria and
along the N and W coasts of Australia |
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