The belief in the existence of the Australian continent grew
gradually and naturally out of a belief in a great southern land. G.B.
Barton, in an introduction to his valuable Australian history, traces
this from 1578, when Frobisher wrote:
"Terra Australis seemeth to be a great, firm land, lying under and about
the south pole, being in many places a fruitful soil, and is not yet
thoroughly discovered, but only seen and touched on the north edge
thereof by the travel of the Portiugales and Spaniards in their voyages
to their East and West Indies. It is included almost by a parallel,
passing at 40 degrees in south latitude, yet in some places it reacheth
into the sea with great promontories, even into the tropic Capricornus.
Only these parts are best known, as over against Capo d'buona Speranza
(where the Portiugales see popinjayes commonly of a wonderful greatness),
and again it is known at the south side of the Straight of Magellanies,
and is called Terra del Fuego. It is thought this south land, about the
pole Antarctic, is far bigger than the north land about the pole Arctic;
but whether it be so or not, we have no certain knowledge, for we have no
particular description thereof, as we have of the land under and about
the north pole."
Then Purchas, in 1578, says: "This land about the Straits is not
perfectly discovered, whether it be continent or islands.
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