A track chart of Anson's Voyage around the world.

A track chart of Anson's voyage.

Description: This map clearly shows that knowledge of parts of the world was still limited in the middle of the 18th century. The west coast of America north of California is blank, as is the east coast of Australia. New Zealand is not shown at all, nor are many of the Polynesian island groups. It was drawn to illustrate the track of George Anson's voyage through the Pacific in the 1740s. This voyage was largely aimed at plunder rather than science and Anson's ships suffered huge casualties from disease. Cook's voyages would be very different.

Creator: R. W. Searle

Date: 1750

Credit line: National Maritime Museum, London