William Dampier

William Dampier (born August 1651, East Coker, Somerset, Eng.—died March, 1715, London) was a buccaneer who later explored parts of the coasts of Australia, New Guinea, and New Britain for the British Admiralty. A keen observer of natural phenomena, he was, in some respects, a pioneer in scientific exploration. Dampier, orphaned at the age of 16, voyaged to Newfoundland and later sailed to the East Indies and the Gulf of Mexico. Between 1678 and 1691...