From todays "The New Zealand Herald":-
A Portuguese fleet searching for fabled islands of gold discovered New Zealand and Australia 250 years before (that legendary) Capt.Cook, an author has claimed in a new book.
The tiny fleet of four ships left the Portuguese base at Malacca on a secret mission in 1522, sailing down the east coast of Australia.......... before returning to their home port by way of the North Island.
The thesis has been put forward in "Beyond Capricorn" a book published by ..... Peter Trickett. He argues that the Portuguese kept their discoveries secret because of their rivalries with the Spanish.
His startling thesis began eight years ago ........ when he stumbled on a portfolio of maps reproduced from the "Vallard Atlas", a priceless collection of charts which represent the world as it was known in the 16th.century.
QED
Geoff Garrett.
A Portuguese fleet searching for fabled islands of gold discovered New Zealand and Australia 250 years before (that legendary) Capt.Cook, an author has claimed in a new book.
The tiny fleet of four ships left the Portuguese base at Malacca on a secret mission in 1522, sailing down the east coast of Australia.......... before returning to their home port by way of the North Island.
The thesis has been put forward in "Beyond Capricorn" a book published by ..... Peter Trickett. He argues that the Portuguese kept their discoveries secret because of their rivalries with the Spanish.
His startling thesis began eight years ago ........ when he stumbled on a portfolio of maps reproduced from the "Vallard Atlas", a priceless collection of charts which represent the world as it was known in the 16th.century.
QED
Geoff Garrett.