A Voyage to Terra Australis — Volume 1: Undertaken for the purpose of completing the discovery of that vast country, and prosecuted in the years 1801, 1802 and 1803, in His Majesty's ship the Investigator, and subsequently in the armed vessel Porpoise and Cumberland schooner

"A Voyage to Terra Australis — Volume 1" by Matthew Flinders is a historical account written in the early 19th century. The work chronicles Flinders' voyage of exploration to the southern continent of Terra Australis, aiming to finalize the discoveries of Australia. It includes detailed observations of the coastlines, navigational challenges, and interactions with indigenous populations encountered during the journey. The opening of the narrative presents the background and motivations behind the voyage, which took place between 1801 and 1803 in the ship Investigator. Flinders outlines the purpose of the expedition in a preface, addressing the necessity of refining earlier exploration charts for accuracy. He also mentions the shipwreck of another vessel, the Porpoise, which leads into the account of the journey's trials—including a long imprisonment in Mauritius—and the scientific pursuits that accompanied the navigation of Australia's vast and largely uncharted coasts. Flinders sets the stage for a meticulous account of discoveries and challenges that await in the subsequent chapters of the book.