William Dampier was born on 5th September 1651 in Somerset, England, and he died in March 1715 (aged 64 years). William Dampier was the first European to explore Australia and the first person to circumnavigate the world thrice. He wrote an account of his travels in four volumes entitled ‘New Voyage Round the World’ which became hugely popular. Also, his account of the winds and current of the Pacific in his second volume has the navigators and meteorologists of the present day impressed. William Dampier had reached Australia on one of his voyages but he took a dislike to it and its people and their customs.
Do you know: William’s naval service was cut short due to an illness and later he tried his hand at several careers such as plantation management in Jamaica, logging in Mexico, etc.
