In 1859 the Dutch historian, L.C.D. van Dijk published a book on the voyages of discovery made by Jan Carstenszoon in 1623 and Jean Etienne Gonzal in 1756 to the Gulf of Carpentaria. The book contains a commentary of the two voyages as well as a copy of Carstenszoon’s journal. It also contains a curious map that not only renames the Gulf of Carpentaria and the west coast of Cape York Peninsula, but also questions the naming of Arnhem Land and some of its named locations. In this paper Dr Jan Tent examines some of the possible reasoning behind this unusual map.
More information on, and publications from Linguist Dr. Jan Tent
