For such an awkwardly positioned, small island, Tasmania has had a remarkably cosmopolitan history. The island was discovered - "discovered" by the West, that is, since an Aboriginal population had thrived there for centuries already - in 1642 by a Dutchman of all people, a certain Abel Janszoon Tasman. Tasman may have given his name to the island, but not until several hundred years later. For over two hundred years until 1856, the island was known as Anthoonij van Diemenslandt or Van Diemen's Land. This name, although pretty much unknown nowadays, certainly was not unknown in 19th century Britain, where it surely sent a shiver down the spines of the country's more, let us say, unsavoury characters. More on that in the next entry though. Between being discovered by a Dutchman and settled by Englishmen, Van
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