10 interesting facts about matthew flinders

Introduction
Matthew Flinders, the first person to circumnavigate (sail around) Australia, also gave the country its name. There are monuments to him throughout several Australian cities, as well as to his cat, Trim – the first feline to circumnavigate the continent.¹

Biography
Early Life
The oldest of seven children, Matthew Flinders was born March 16, 1774 at Donington, Lincolnshire, England. He received a good education because it was thought he would become a surgeon like his father and grandfather. However, after reading the book Robinson Crusoe, Flinders developed a passion for seafaring.² His first opportunity for adventure came in 1791 when he joined the crew of HMS Providence on a voyage to modern day Tahiti where they stayed for three months. While aboard the ship, he gained knowledge of navigation, tracking star patterns, using tools like the compass, and he took lessons from Bligh on chart construction.^{3 Baby birth date!}