Between 1796 and 1803 the English navigator and chartmaker Matthew Flinders surveyed the Australian coastline in his ship the 'Investigator'. He was the first known European to circumnavigate the continent.

Printed chart of Terra Australis by Flinders (Repro ID F0109). Click the image to enlarge.

Ship plans of the 'Investigator' (Repro ID E7020). Click the image to enlarge.

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Featured manuscript
Flinders's tribute to Trim the cat, FLI/11 (excerpt). Click the image to read the transcript.

Featured letter
Matthew Flinders to Ann Flinders, FLI/25, Isle of France August 26 1804:

A second opportunity of writing to my dear friends now presents itself, the first occurred about five weeks since. I yesterday enjoyed a delicious piece of misery in reading over thy dear letters, my beloved Ann. Shall I tell thee that I have never before done it since I have been shut up in this prison.
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