Dampier William

Dampier, William, English navigator and buccaneer, was born in 1652. While on a voyage in 1699-1701 to New Holland, he discovered the Archipelago of New Britain, the Dampier Archipelago, and Dampier Strait. He made other voyages in 1705 and 1708-11. In 1698 he had been given a commission as commander in the navy. He wrote A Voyage round the World. He is supposed to have died in 1715.