AustLit

This, the twenty-third in a series on pioneers and explorers, tells of William Dampier's first visit to Australia in 1688. Dampier was an English buccaneer travelling the world plundering Spanish ships and Dutch fortresses. He wrote an unflattering account of Aboriginal Australians and described the kangaroo as a 'racoon' with 'long hind legs'. In 1699 he returned to Australia and explored the north west coast from Shark's Bay to Dampier's Archipelago. Cronin claims DeFoe's Robinson Crusoe was based on the incident aboard a ship captained by William Dampier. Alexander Selkirk asked to be put ashore at Juan Fernandez Island and remained there for fifty-two months. The article also mentions Abel Jansen Tasman, Willem Vlamingh, Dirk Hartog,