A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 12 Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present Time

A sweeping chronicle of humanity’s restless drive to explore, this volume gathers the great sea‑borne and over‑land journeys that opened new worlds from antiquity to the modern era. Illustrated with detailed maps and charts, it presents each expedition in a clear, systematic order, allowing listeners to trace how trade routes and geographic knowledge expanded over centuries. The narrative balances technical detail—latitude tables, compass variations, and ship logs—with vivid observations of the lands and peoples encountered.

The first act follows Commodore Byron’s 1764‑66 voyage aboard the Dolphin, beginning with the departure from the English Downs and the crossing to Rio de Janeiro. The crew then threads through the treacherous Strait of Magellan, rounds Cape Monday, and pushes into the South Sea, where they sight and name a string of isolated islands. Their journals record encounters with Patagonian natives, the harshness of the strait’s shoals, and the awe‑inspiring geography of places like King George’s Islands, offering a front‑line view of eighteenth‑century discovery.