A magnificent chart centred on the Indian Ocean, with insets of: the 'Anemo-hydrography of the monsoons according to Viconte Grenier'; and the 'Southwest Monsoon from the Middle of April to the Middle of October'. The chart incorporates the wilder theories of Alexander Dalrymple, namely that the Portuguese discovered the east coast of Australia, naming 'Costa das Ervas', 'Rio de Muitas' and 'Balra Perdida', and dating the discoveries 1550. The tracks of Vasco da Gama and Thomas Butler are shown, as well as all other major voyages in between.

Of particular interest is De la Rochette's attempt to incorporate Alexander Dalyrmple's theory that the Portuguese had sailed down the east coast of Australia in the 1550s. Using a 'Dieppe Map' of the world re-discovered in the British Museum, he argued that 'Java Major' was Australia: here names from that chart ('Costa das Ervas', 'Rio de Muitas' & 'Balra Perdida') have been placed along the coastline with the date 1550.

The mapmaker
Louis Stanislas d'Arcy Delarochette (1731-1802) was a cartographer and engraver working in London, who produced maps for both the Bowles family and William Faden.