Terra Australis Incognita; Or, A New Southern Discovery, containing A Fifth Part of the World

The text presents a first-person petition and travel report urging royal support for colonizing a vast southern land, describing its extent, climate, peoples, settlements, customs, and abundant natural resources. The narrator recounts voyages and encounters, emphasizes fertile soils, diverse fruits, sugarcane, palms, marine and terrestrial fauna, and materials useful for navigation and industry. Observations of indigenous lifestyles, social organization, material culture, and susceptibility to peaceful conversion and labor are offered, alongside strategic arguments about geopolitical advantage and economic gain. Practical recommendations for gentle treatment, settlement, and exploitation of minerals, pearls, and timber conclude the appeal.