William Dampier

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William Dampier
Oil on canvas portrait of Dampier holding a book
Portrait of Dampier holding his book, a painting by Thomas Murray (c. 1697–1698)
BornBaptised 5 September 1651
DiedMarch 1715 (aged 64)
London, England
NationalityBritish
Occupation(s)Privateer and explorer
Known forExploring and mapping Australia, Circumnavigation

William Dampier (baptised 5 September 1651;[1] died March 1715) was the first Englishman to explore parts of Australia. He was the first person to circumnavigate the world three times. On one voyage he rescued Alexander Selkirk, a sailor who may have inspired Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe.

References[change | change source]

  1. "Out of the Library". The Sunday Times. Perth, W.A.: National Library of Australia. 3 September 1933. p. 17, Sect. A. Retrieved 7 February 2012.