Region
Tasman became the first European known to reach Tasmania, New Zealand, Tonga and Fiji, and showed that Australia was not joined to a great southern continent, but found no trade for the VOC.
Dampier became the first Englishman known to land on and describe the Australian mainland, and his books shaped British interest in the Pacific.
The Dutch expedition named the island Easter Island and recorded the first European description of Rapa Nui and its standing moai; a clash on shore left about ten islanders dead.
Cook observed the 1769 transit of Venus, charted both main islands of New Zealand and the east coast of Australia, and claimed that coast for Britain.
Observers at dozens of stations timed the transit; combined with 1761 results, it gave a Sun–Earth distance within a few per cent of the modern value.
Cook circled the globe at high southern latitudes, showing that no habitable southern continent existed, and proved the chronometer could find longitude at sea.
The expedition charted the North Pacific coast and reached Hawaii but found no Northwest Passage; Cook was killed in Hawaii and Clerke died before the ships returned.
Cook, four marines and around 17 or more Hawaiians were killed; Cook's remains were partly returned and buried at sea, and the expedition sailed on under Clerke.
The two frigates charted much of the Pacific rim but were wrecked at Vanikoro in 1788 with no confirmed survivors; their fate was solved only from 1826 onwards.
The fleet founded the penal colony of New South Wales at Sydney Cove, beginning British settlement of Australia and the dispossession of its Aboriginal peoples.
Christian seized the ship; Bligh and 18 men reached Timor in an open boat, and the mutineers settled on Pitcairn Island.
The coast from California to Alaska was accurately charted, ending hopes of a Northwest Passage in temperate latitudes.
