the Duyfken
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The first known European to sail to Australia was Dutchman Willem Jansz, who landed on the shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria in 1606. However, it is believed that the Portuguese were the ones who first saw the continent, even though no records of this still exist.
Gulf of Carpentaria
Willem Janzsoon, also known as Willem Jansz, was the first European explorer to note the presence of the continent now known as Australia, although at the time he believed it to be part of New Guinea.Jansz was a Dutch trader. He departed on his third trip to the East Indies in December 1603, commanding the "Duyfken". His task was to seek new trade possibilities. After reaching western New Guinea in November 1605, he crossed the Arafura Sea into the Gulf of Carpentaria. Where he landed, near the Pennefather River on Cape York, he believed to be part of New Guinea, and Dutch maps showed the two land masses as one for many years.
Marquette and Joliet as part of their exploration of the unknown territories between the great lakes and the gulf of Mexico, sailed down the Mississippi discovering Indian tribes and new lands along the way including Arkansas and Iowa. They stayed only briefly. However, other French explorers followed. As a result Iowa was part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.
Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette never went as far as the Gulf of Mexico. Robert LaSalle explored the Gulf of Mexico.