Tobias Furneaux

Who was Tobias Furneaux?

Captain Tobias Furneaux was an English navigator and Royal Navy officer, who accompanied James Cook on his second voyage of exploration. He was the first man to circumnavigate the world in both directions.

Furneaux was born at Swilly House near Plymouth, son of William Furneaux of Swilly, and Susanna Wilcocks. He entered the Royal Navy, and was employed on the French and African coasts and in the West Indies during the latter part of the Seven Years' War. He served as second lieutenant of HMS Dolphin under Captain Samuel Wallis on the latter's voyage round the globe and due to Wallis being ill and confined to his cabin, Tobias was the first to set foot on Tahiti, hoisting a pennant, turning a turf, and taking possession of the land in the name of His Majesty

In November 1771, Furneaux was given command of Adventure, which accompanied James Cook on his second voyage. On this expedition Furneaux was twice separated from his leader. On the former occasion he explored a great part of the south and east coasts of Van Diemen's Land, and made the earliest British chart of the same. Most of his names here survive; Cook, visiting the shore-line on his third voyage, confirmed Furneaux's account and delineation of it, with certain minor criticisms and emendations, and named after him the Furneaux Group at the eastern entrance to Bass Strait, and the group now known as the Low Archipelago.