Archaeologists found Captain Flinders' name on the coffin. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation Photo)
A portrait of Captain Flinders. (Web Photo)
The remains of Captain Flinders (Matthew Flinders), the first European sailing around Australia and British navigator and cartographer, disappeared in London in the 1840s and are now being recovered.
Flinders' remains were found in archaeological excavations at a railway terminal in London after more than 170 years of disappearance, the Australian news agency reported.
Archaeologists found Flinders' coffin at (St James's Burial Ground), St. James' Cemetery at (Euston) Station in Yousseton, England.
Flinders sailed around Australia from July 1802 to May 1803 with British Bath (George Bass) and aboriginal Bangali (Bungaree) aboard the Inquirer (Investigator). The voyage proved to Europeans that Australia is a single mainland, rather than what is thought to be the mainland plot of New Holland (New Holland) and New South Wales (New South Wales).
In addition, Flinders, although not the inventor of Australia, has contributed a lot to the promotion.
Flinders died in 1814. His tombstone was removed from St. James's Cemetery during the expansion of Eastton Station, and remains are believed to have been lost.
Archaeologists now rely on a lead board on the coffin to identify Flinders as the owner of the tomb.
"as a navigator and explorer, Captain Flinders put Australia on the map with his perseverance and professionalism," (Helen Wass), director of the project's cultural heritage, said in a statement on Jan. 25. Given the numerous remains of St. James, we have no confidence in finding him. Fortunately, Captain Flinders had a piece of lead breast armor that would not rust. Now, we can study his bones, see if there are traces of life at sea, and more. "