Editing Christmas Island (section)

===First visits by Europeans, 1643===
The first European to sight the island was Richard Rowe of the ''Thomas'' in 1615.<ref name=":1">{{cite web |last1=James |first1=David J. |last2=Mcallan |first2=Ian A.W. |title=The birds of Christmas Island, Indian Ocean: A review |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274639116 |website=ResearchGate |publisher=Australian Field Ornithology |access-date=20 January 2017 |date=August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202000221/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274639116_The_birds_of_Christmas_Island_Indian_Ocean_A_review |archive-date=2 February 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> Captain [[William Mynors]] of the [[East India Company]] vessel ''Royal Mary'' named the island when he sailed past it on Christmas Day in 1643.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/christmas/culture-history/island-history.html |title=Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts – Christmas Island History |publisher=Australian Government |access-date=26 April 2009 |date=8 July 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304001240/http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/christmas/culture-history/island-history.html |archive-date=4 March 2012 }}</ref> The island was included on English and Dutch navigation charts early in the 17th century, but it was not until 1666 that a map published by Dutch cartographer [[Pieter Goos]] included the island. Goos labelled the island "Mony" or "Moni",<ref name=EB1911>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Christmas Island |volume=6 |pages=294–295}}</ref> the meaning of which is unclear.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nla.gov.au/apps/cdview?pi=nla.map-nk1574-sd&rgn=0.5309855310%2C0.5141004862%2C0.6401856402%2C0.6437601297&cmd=zoomin&width=400&x=200&y=199 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120805120217/http://www.nla.gov.au/apps/cdview?pi=nla.map-nk1574-sd&rgn=0.5309855310,0.5141004862,0.6401856402,0.6437601297&cmd=zoomin&width=400&x=200&y=199 |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 August 2012 |title=Digital Collections – Maps – Goos, Pieter, ca. 1616–1675. Paskaerte Zynde t'Oosterdeel Van Oost Indien (cartographic material) : met alle de Eylanden deer ontrendt geleegen van C. Comorin tot aen Iapan |publisher=National Library of Australia |access-date=26 April 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The naming of Christmas Island |url=https://australiapostcollectables.com.au/articles/the-naming-of-christmas-island |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=Australia Post Collectables |language=en}}</ref>

English navigator [[William Dampier]], aboard the privateer [[Charles Swan (pirate)|Charles Swan]]'s ship ''Cygnet'', made the earliest recorded visit to the sea around the island in March 1688.<ref name=EB1911/> In writing his account, he found the island uninhabited.<ref name=EB1911/><ref>{{cite book |last=Carney |first= Gerard |title=The constitutional systems of the Australian states and territories |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |year=2006 |isbn=0-521-86305-8 |page=477 |quote=The uninhabited island was named on Christmas Day, 1643, by Captain William Mynors as he sailed past, leaving to William Dampier the honour of first landing ashore in 1688.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=A New Voyage Round the World |last=Dampier |first=William |author-link=William Dampier |year=1703 |publisher=James Knapton |location=The Crown in St.&nbsp;Paul's Church-yard, London, England}}</ref> Dampier was trying to reach [[Cocos (Keeling) Islands|Cocos]] from [[New Holland (Australia)|New Holland]]. His ship was blown off course in an easterly direction, arriving at Christmas Island 28 days later. Dampier landed on the west coast, at "the [[The Dales (Christmas Island)|Dales]]". Two of his crewmen became the first Europeans to set foot on Christmas Island.<ref>{{cite web |title=Where is Christmas Island? |url=http://www.hamiltonstampclub.com/christmas-islands.html |website=Hamilton Stamp Club |access-date=18 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820120024/http://www.hamiltonstampclub.com/christmas-islands.html |archive-date=20 August 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Captain Daniel Beeckman of the ''Eagle'' passed the island on 5 April 1714, chronicled in his 1718 book, ''A Voyage to and from the Island of Borneo, in the East-Indies''.<ref name=":2">{{cite journal |last=Gibson-Hill |first=Carl Alexander |author-link=Carl Alexander Gibson-Hill |date=1949 |title=The Early History of Christmas Island, in the Indian Ocean |url= |journal=[[Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society]] |volume=22 |issue=1 |pages=72–76 }}</ref>