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Title: The Part Borne by the Dutch in the Discovery of Australia 1606-
1765

Author: J. E. Heeres

Release date: January 3, 2006 [eBook #17450]
Most recently updated: October 15, 2021

Language: English

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Credits: Colin Choat

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PART
BORNE BY THE DUTCH IN THE DISCOVERY OF AUSTRALIA 1606-
1765 ***

* Refer to the note at the end of this ebook for an explanation, by Peter
Reynders, of usage regarding 17th Century Dutch Surnames.

THE PART BORNE BY THE
DUTCH IN THE DISCOVERY OF
AUSTRALIA 1606-1765.
BY

J. E. HEERES, LL. D.
PROFESSOR AT THE DUTCH COLONIAL INSTITUTE DELFT

PUBLISHED BY THE ROYAL DUTCH GEOGRAPHICAL
SOCIETY IN COMMEMORATION OF THE XXVth
ANNIVERSARY OF ITS FOUNDATION

(No. 19. Little map of the world from the Journal of the Nassau fleet,
1626)

LONDON
LUZAC & CO, 46 GREAT RUSSELL STREET W. C.
1899

CONTENTS.
List of books, discussed or referred to in the work

List of Maps and Figures

Introduction

DOCUMENTS:
I. Dutch notions respecting the Southland in 1595
II. Notices of the south-coast of New Guinea in 1602
III. Voyage of the ship Duifken under command of Willem Jansz(oon) and
Jan Lodewijkszoon Rosingeyn to New Guinea.--Discovery of the east-coast
of the present Gulf of Carpentaria (1605-1606)
IV. Fresh expedition to New Guinea by the ship Duifken (1607)
V. Voyage of the ships Eendracht and Hoorn, commanded by Jacques Le
Maire and Willem Corneliszoon Schouten through the Pacific Ocean and
along the north-coast of New Guinea (1616)
VI. Project for the further discovery of the Southland--Nova Guinea (1616)
VII. Voyage of de Eendracht under command of Dirk Hartogs(zoon).
Discovery of the West-coast of Australia in 1616: Dirk Hartogs-island and -
road, Land of the Eendracht or Eendrachtsland (1616)
VIII. Voyage of the ship Zeewolf, from the Netherlands to India, under the
command of supercargo Pieter Dirkszoon and skipper Haevik Claeszoon
van Hillegom.--Further discovery of the West-coast of Australia (1618)
IX. Voyage of the ship Mauritius from the Netherlands to India under the
command of supercargo Willem Jansz. or Janszoon and skipper Lenaert
Jacobsz(oon). Further discovery of the West-coast of Australia.--Willems-
rivier (1618)
X. Further discovery of the South-coast of New-Guinea by the ship Het
Wapen van Amsterdam? (1619?)
XI. Voyage of the ships Dordrecht and Amsterdam under commander
Frederik De Houtman, supercargo Jacob Dedel, and skipper Reyer Janszoon
van Buiksloot and Maarten Corneliszoon(?) from the Netherlands to the
East-Indies.--Further discovery of the West-coast of Australia: Dedelsland

and Houtman's Abrolhos (1619)
XII. Voyage of the ship Leeuwin from the Netherlands to Java.--Discovery
of the South-West coast of Australia.--Leeuwin's land (1622)
XIII. The Triall. (English discovery)--The ship Wapen van Hoorn touches at
the West-coast of Australia.--New projects for discovery made by the
supreme government at Batavia (1622)
XIV. Voyage of the ships Pera and Arnhem, under command of Jan
Carstenszoon or Carstensz., Dirk Meliszoon and Willem Joosten van
Colster or Van Coolsteerdt.--Further discovery of the South-West coast of
New Guinea. Discovery of the Gulf of Carpentaria (1623)
XV. Voyage of the ship Leiden, commanded by skipper Klaas
Hermansz(oon) from the Netherlands to Java.--Further discovery of the
West-coast of Australia (1623)
XVI. Discovery of the Tortelduif island (rock) (1624?)
XVII. Voyage of the ship Leijden, commanded by skipper Daniel Janssen
Cock, from the Netherlands to Java. Further discovery of the West-coast of
Australia (1626)
XVIII. Discovery of the South-West coast of Australia by the ship Het
Gulden Zeepaard, commanded by Pieter Nuijts, member of the Council of
India, and by skipper Francois Thijssen or Thijszoon (1627)
XIX. Voyage of the ships Galias, Utrecht and Texel, commanded by
Governor-General Jan Pieterszoon Coen.--Further discovery of the West-
coast of Australia (1627)
XX. Voyage of the ship Het Wapen van Hoorn, commanded by supercargo
J. Van Roosenbergh.--Further discovery of the West-coast of Australia
(1627)
XXI. Discovery of the North-West coast of Australia by the ship Vianen
(Viane, Viana), commanded by Gerrit Frederikszoon De Witt.--De Witt's
land (1628)
XXII. Discovery of Jacob Remessens-, Remens-, or Rommer-river, south of
Willems-river (before 1629)
XXIII. Shipwreck of the ship Batavia under commander Francois Pelsaert
on Houtmans Abrolhos. Further discovery of the West-coast of Australia
(1629)
XXIV. Further surveyings of the West-coast of Australia by the ship
Amsterdam under commander Wollebrand Geleynszoon De Jongh and
skipper Pieter Dircksz, on her voyage from the Netherlands to the East

Indies (1635)
XXV. New discoveries on the North-coast of Australia, by the ships Klein-
Amsterdam and Wesel, commanded by (Gerrit Thomaszoon Pool and)
Pieter Pieterszoon (1636)
XXVI. Discovery of Tasmania (Van Diemensland), New Zealand
(Statenland), islands of the Tonga- and Fiji-groups, etc. by the ships
Heemskerk and de Zeehaen, under the command of Abel Janszoon Tasman,
Frans Jacobszoon Visscher, Yde Tjerkszoon Holman or Holleman and
Gerrit Jansz(oon) (1642-1643)
XXVII. Further discovery of the Gulf of Carpentaria, the North and North-
West coasts of Australia by the Ships Limmen, Zeemeeuw and de Bracq,
under the command of Tasman, Visscher, Dirk Corneliszoon Haen and
Jasper Janszoon Koos (1644)
XXVIII. Exploratory voyage to the West-coast of Australia round by the
south of Java, by the ship Leeuwerik, commanded by Jan Janszoon Zeeuw
(1648)
XXIX. Shipwreck of the Gulden or Vergulden Draak on the West-coast of
Australia, 1656.--Attempts to rescue the survivors, 1656-1658.--Further
surveyings of the West-coast by the ship de Wakende Boei, commanded by
Samuel Volckerts(zoon), and by the ship Emeloord, commanded by Aucke
Pieterszoon Jonck, (1658)
XXX. The ship Elburg, commanded by Jacob Pieterszoon Peereboom,
touches at the South-West coast of Australia and at cape Leeuwin, on her
voyage from the Netherlands to Batavia (1658)
XXXI. Further discovery of the North-West-coast of Australia by the ship
de Vliegende Zwaan, commanded by Jan Van der Wall, on her voyage from
Ternate to Batavia in February 1678
XXXII. Further discovery of the West-coast of Australia by the ship
Geelvink, under the skipper-commander of the expedition, Willem De
Vlamingh, the ship Nijptang, under Gerrit Collaert, and the ship het
Wezeltje, commanded by Cornelis De Vlamingh (1696-1697)
XXXIII. Further discovery of the North-coast of Australia by the ships
Vossenbosch, commanded by Maarten Van Delft, de Waijer under Andries
Rooseboom, of Hamburg, and Nieuw-Holland or Nova-Hollandia,
commanded by Pieter Hendrikszoon, of Hamburg (1705)
XXXIV. Exploratory voyage by order of the West-India Company "to the
unknown part of the world, situated in the South Sea to westward of

America", by the ships Arend and the African Galley, commanded by Mr.
Jacob Roggeveen, Jan Koster, Cornelis Bouman and Roelof Roosendaal
(1721-1722)
XXXV. The ship Zeewijk, commanded by Jan Steijns, lost on the Tortelduif
rock (1727)
XXXVI. Exploratory voyage of the ships Rijder and Buis, commanded by
lieutenant Jan Etienne Gonzal and first mate Lavienne Lodewijk Van
Asschens, to the Gulf of Carpentaria (1756)

INDICES. (Persons, Ships, Localities)

LIST OF MAPS AND FIGURES.

No. 1 Gedeelte der (Part of the) Orbis terrae compendiosa describtio
No. 2 Gedeelte der (Part of the) Exacta & accurata delineatio cum orarum
maritimarum tum etjam locorum terrestrium, quae in regjonibus
China...una cum omnium vicinarum insularum descriptjone ut sunt
Sumatra, Java utraque
No. 3 Zuidoostelijk gedeelte der Kaart (South-eastern part of the Map)
Indiae Orientalis Nova descriptio
No. 4 Caert van (Chart of) 't Land van d'Eendracht Ao 1627 door HESSEL
GERRITSZ
No. 5 Uitslaande Kaart van het Zuidland door HESSEL GERRITSZ
(Folding chart of the Southland).
No. 6 Kaart van het Zuidland van (Alap of the Southland by) JOANNES
KEPPLER en PHILIPPUS ECKEBRECHT, 1630
No. 7 Kaart van den opperstuurman AREND MARTENSZ. DE LEEUW,
der Zuidwestkust van Nieuw Guinea en der Oostkust van de Golf van
Carpentaria (Chart, made by the upper steersman Arend Martensz. De
Leeuw, of the Southwest coast of New-Guinea and the East-coast of the
Gulf of Carpentaria)
No. 8 Kaart van (Chart of) Eendrachtsland, 1658
No. 9 Kaart van (Chart of) Eendrachtsland, 1658
No. 10 Kaart van (Chart of) Eendrachtsland, 1658
No. 11 Kaart van de Noordzijde van 't Zuidland (Chart of the North side of
the Southland), 1678

No. 12 Opschrift op den schotel, door Willem De Vlamingh op het Zuidland
achtergelaten (Inscription on the dish, left by Willem De Vlamingh at the
Southland), 1697.
No. 13 Kaart van het Zuidland, bezeild door Willem De Vlamingh, in 1696-
1697 door ISAAC DE GRAAFF (Chart of the South-land, made and
surveyed by Willem De Vlamingh in 1696-1697)
No. 14 Uitslaande kaart van den Maleischen Archipel, de Noord- en West-
kusten van Australië door ISAAC DE GRAAFF (Folding chart of the
Malay Archipelago, the North- and West-coast of Australia) 1690-1714
No. 15 Kaart van (Chart of) Hollandia Nova, nader ontdekt anno 1705 door
(more exactly discovered by) de Vossenbosch, de Waijer en de Nova
Hollandia
No. 16-17 Kaarten betreffende de schipbreuk der Zeewijk (Charts,
concerning the shipwreck of the Zeewijk) 1727.
No. 18 Typus orbis terrarum uit GERARDI MERCATORIS Atlas...De
Novo...emendatus...studio JUDOCI HONDIJ, 1632.
No. 19 Wereldkaartje uit het Journaal van de Nassausche Vloot (Little map
of the world from the Journal of the Nassau fleet), 1626

LIST OF BOOKS DISCUSSED OR REFERRED TO IN THE
WORK.

Aa (PIETER VAN DER), Nauwkeurige Versameling der
gedenkwaardigste Zee- en Landreysen na Oost- en West-Indiën,
Mitsgaders andere Gewesten (Leiden, 1707).
S. d. B. Historie der Sevarambes...Twede druk. t'Amsterdam, By
Willem de Coup (enz.). 1701. Het begin ende voortgangh der
Vereenighde Nederlantsche Geoctroyeerde Oost-Indische Compagnie
(II). Gedruckt in 1646.
BURNEY, Chronological history of the voyages and discoveries in the
South Sea, Deel III (London, Luke Hansard, 1813).
Bandragen tot de taal- land- en volkenkunde van Nederlandsch Indië,
nieuwe volgreeks, I (1856).
A F. CALVERT, The Discovery of Australia. (London, Liverpool,
1893).

G. COLLINGRIDGE, The discovery of Australia. (Sydney, Hayes,
1895).
Remarkable Maps of the XVth, XVIth & XVIIth centuries. II. III. The
geography of Australia. Edited by C. H. COOTE (Amsterdam,
Frederik Muller, 1895).
L. C. D. VAN DIJK. Mededeelingen uit het Oost-Indisch Archief. No.
1. Twee togten naar de Golf van Carpentaria. (Amsterdam, Scheltema,
1859).
LOUIS DE FREYCINET, Voyage autour du monde, entrepris par
ordre du roi, executé sur les corvettes de S. M. l'Uranie et la
Physicienne, pendant les années 1817, 1818, 1819, 1820.--Historique.
(Paris, Pillet ainé, 1825).
J. F. GERHARD. Het leven van Mr. N. Cz. Witsen. I (Utrecht,
Leeflang, 1881).
J. E. HEERES, Bouwstoffen voor de geschiedenis der Nederlanders in
den Maleischen Archipel, III. ('s Gravenhage, Nijhoff, 1895).
J. E. HEERES. Dagh-Register gehouden int Casteel Batavia Anno
1624-1629. Uitgegeven onder toezicht van...('s Gravenhage, Nijhoff,
1896).
Abel Janszoon Tasman's journal of his discovery of Van Diemens land
and New Zealand in 1642...to which are added Life and Labours of
Abel Janszoon Tasman by J. E. HEFRES...(Amsterdam, Frederik
Muller, 1898).
Iovrnael vande Nassausche Uloot...Onder 't beleyd vanden Admirael
JAQUES L'HEREMITE, ende Vice-Admirael Geen Huygen
Schapenham, 1623-1626. T'Amstelredam, By Hessel Gerritsz ende
Jacob Pietersz Wachter. 't Jaer 1626.
J. K. J. DE JONGE De opkomst van het Nederlandsch gezag in Oost-
Indië, 1. ('s-Gravenhage, Amsterdam, MDCCCLXIV); IV.
(MDCCCLXIX.)
P. A. LEUPE. De Reizen der Nederlanders naar het Zuidland of
Nieuw-Holland, in de 17e en 18e eeuw. (Amsterdam, Hulst van
Keulen, 1868).
LINSCHOTEN (JAN, HUYGEN VAN). Itinerario, Voyage ofte
Schipvaert naer Oost ofte Portugaels Indiën...'t Amstelredam by
Cornelis Claesz. op 't VVater, in 't Schriff-boeck, by de Oude Brugghe.
Anno CICICXCVI.

R. H. MAJOR. Early voyages to Terra Australis, now called Australia
(London, Hackluyt Society, MDCCCLIX).
GERARDI MERCATORIS atlas sive Cosmographicae Meditationes
de Fabrica mundi et fabricati figura. De novo multis in locis
emendatus novisque tabulis auctus Studio IUDOCI HONDIJ.
Amsterodami. Sumptibus Johannis Cloppenburgij. Anno 1632.
A. E. NORDENSKIÖLD. Facsimile-Atlas to the early history of
cartography. (Stockholm, MDCCCLXXXIX).
A. E. NORDENSKIÖLD. Periplus.--Translated from the Swedish
original by F. A. Bather. (Stockholm, MDCCCLXXXXVII).
PURCHAS his Pilgrimes Contayning a History of the World in Sea
voyages, and lande-Travells by Englishmen and others
(HACKLUYTUS POSTHUMUS).
A. RAINAUD. Le Continent Austral. (Paris, Colin, 1893).
Dagverhaal der ontdekkings-reis van Mr. JACOB ROGGEVEEN...in
de jaren 1721 en 1722. Uitgegeven door het Zeeuwsch Genootschap
der Wetenschappen.--Te Middelburg, bij de gebroeders Abrahams.
1838.
TIELE (P. A.) Mémoire bibliographique sur les journaux des
navigateurs Néerlandais. (Amsterdam, Frederik Muller, 1867).
TIELE (P. A.), Nederlandsche bibliographic van land- en volkenkunde.
(Amsterdam, Frederik Muller, 1884).
N. CZ. WITSEN. Noord- en Oost Tartarije. (1692, enz.)
C. WYTFLIET. Descriptionis Ptolemaicae augmentum. (1597).

INTRODUCTION.
{Page i}

I.

OCCASION AND OBJECT OF THE PRESENT WORK.

In writing my biography of Tasman, forming part of Messrs. Frederik
Muller and Co.'s edition of the Journal of Tasman's celebrated voyage of
discovery of 1642-1643, I was time and again struck by the fact that the part
borne by the Netherlanders in the discovery of the continent of Australia is
very insufficiently known to the Dutch themselves, and altogether
misunderstood or even ignored abroad. Not only those who with
hypercritical eyes scrutinise, and with more or less scepticism as to its
value, analyse whatever evidence on this point is submitted to them, but
those others also who feel a profound and sympathetic interest in the
historical study of the remarkable voyages which the Netherlanders
undertook to the South-land, are almost invariably quite insufficiently
informed concerning them. This fact is constantly brought home to the
student who consults the more recent works published on the subject, and
who fondly hopes to get light from such authors as CALVERT,
COLLINGRIDGE, NORDENSKIOLD, RAINAUD and others. Such at
least has time after time been my own case. Is it wonderful, therefore, that,
while I was engaged in writing Tasman's life, the idea occurred to me of
republishing the documents relating to this subject, preserved in the State
Archives at the Hague--the repository of the archives of the famous General
Dutch Chartered East-India Company extending over two centuries (1602-
1800)--and in various other places? I was naturally led to lay before Messrs.
Frederik Muller and Co. the question, whether they would eventually
undertake such a publication, and I need hardly add that these gentlemen, to
whom the historical study of Dutch discovery has repeatedly been so
largely indebted, evinced great interest in the plan I submitted to them.[*]

[* See my Life of Tasman, p. 103, note 10.]

Meanwhile the Managing Board of the Royal Geographical Society of the
Nether lands had resolved to publish a memorial volume on the occasion of
the Society's twenty-fifth anniversary. Among the plans discussed by the
Board was the idea of having the documents just referred to published at the
expense of the Society. The name of jubilee publication could with
complete justice be bestowed on a work having for its object once more to
throw the most decided and fullest possible light on achievements of our
forefathers in the 17th and 18th century, in a form that would appeal to
foreigners no less than to native readers. An act of homage to our ancestors,
therefore, a modest one certainly, but one inspired by the same feeling
which in 1892 led Italy and the Iberian Peninsula to celebrate the memory
of the discoverer of America, and in 1898 prompted the Portuguese to do
homage to the navigator who first showed the world the sea-route to India.

{Page ii}

How imperfect and fragmentary even in our days is the information
generally available concerning the part borne by the Netherlanders in the
discovery of the fifth part of the world, may especially be seen from the
works of foreigners. This, I think, must in the first place, though not,
indeed, exclusively, be accounted for by the rarity of a working
acquaintance with the Dutch tongue among foreign students. On this
account the publication of the documents referred to would very
imperfectly attain the object in view, unless accompanied by a careful
translation of these pieces of evidence into one of the leading languages of
Europe; and it stands to reason that in the case of the discovery of Australia
the English language would naturally suggest itself as the most fitting
medium of information[*]. So much to account for the bilingual character
of the jubilee publication now offered to the reader.
[* The English translation is the work of Mr. C. Stoffel, of Nijmegen.]

Closely connected with this consideration is another circumstance which
has influenced the mode of treatment followed in the preparation of this
work. The defective acquaintance with the Dutch language of those who
have made the history of the discovery of Australia the object of serious

study, or even, in the case of some of them, their total ignorance of it,
certainly appears to me one, nay even the most momentous of the causes of
the incomplete knowledge of the subject we are discussing; but it cannot
possibly be considered the only cause, if we remember that part of the
documentary evidence proving the share of the Netherlanders in the
discovery of Australia has already been given to the world through the
medium of a leading European tongue.

In 1859 R. H. MAJOR brought out his well-known book Early Voyages to
Terra Australis, now called Australia, containing translations of some of the
archival pieces and of other documents pertaining to the subject. And
though, from P. A. LEUPE'S work, entitled De Reizen der Nederlanders
naar het Juidland of Nzeuw-Holland in de 17th en 18th eeuw, published in
1868, and from a book by L. C. D. Van Dijk, brought out in the same year
in which MAJOR'S work appeared, and entitled Twee togten naar de golf
van Carpentaria; though, I say, from these two books it became evident that
MAJOR'S work was far from complete, still it cannot be denied that he had
given a great deal, and what he had given, had in the English translation
been made accessible also to those to whom Dutch was an unknown tongue.
This circumstance could not but make itself felt in my treatment of the
subject, since it was quite needless to print once more in their entirety
various documents discussed by MAJOR. There was the less need for such
republication in cases which would admit of the results of Dutch
exploratory voyages being exhibited in the simplest and most effective way
by the reproduction of charts made in the course of such voyages
themselves: these charts sometimes speak more clearly to the reader than
the circumstantial journals which usually, though not always, are of interest
for our purpose only by specifying the route followed, the longitudes and
latitudes taken, and the points touched at by the voyagers. These
considerations have in some cases led me only to mention certain
documents, without printing them in full, and the circumstance that my
Tasman publication has been brought out in English, will sufficiently
account for the absence from this work of the journal of Tasman's famous
expedition of 1642/3.[*]
[* I would have the present work considered as forming one whole with my Tasman publication
and with the fascicule of Remarkable Maps, prepared by me, containing the Nolpe-Dozy chart
of 1652-3 (Cf. my Life of Tasman, pp. 75 f). Together they furnish all the most important pieces

of evidence discovered up to now, for the share which the Netherlanders have had in the
discovery of Australia.]

{Page iii}

The documents, here either republished or printed for the first time, are all
of them preserved in the State Archives at the Hague[*], unless otherwise
indicated. They have been arranged under the heads of the consecutive
expeditions, which in their turn figure in chronological order. This seemed
to me the best way to enable readers to obtain a clear view of the results of
the exploratory voyages made along the coasts of Australia by the
Netherlanders of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
[* My best thanks are due to Jhr. Th. Van Riemsdijk, LL. D., Principal Keeper, and to Dr. T. H.
Colenbrander, Assistant-Keeper, of the State Archives of the Hague.]

For this and this only, was the object I had in view in selecting the materials
for the present work: once more, as completely and convincingly as I could,
to set forth the part borne by the Netherlanders in the discovery of the fifth
part of the world. I have not been actuated by any desire to belittle the
achievements of other nations in this field of human activity. The memorial
volume here presented to the reader aims at nothing beyond once more
laying before fellow-countrymen and foreigners the documentary evidence
of Dutch achievement in this field; perhaps I may add the wish that it may
induce other nations to follow the example here given as regards hitherto
unpublished documents of similar nature. Still, it would be idle to deny that
it was with a feeling of national pride that in the course of this investigation
I was once more strengthened in the conviction that even at this day no one
can justly gainsay MAJOR'S assertion on p. LXXX of his book, that "the
first authenticated discovery of any part of the great Southland" was
made in 1606 by a Dutch schip the Duifken. All that is asserted regarding
a so-called previous discovery of Australia has no foundation beyond mere
surmise and conjecture. Before the voyage of the ship Duifken all is an
absolute blank.

II.

CHRONOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE DUTCH DISCOVERIES ON
THE MAINLAND COAST OF AUSTRALIA.

If one would distribute over chronological periods the voyages of discovery,
both accidental and of set purpose, made by the Netherlanders on the
mainland coast of Australia, it might be desirable so to adjust these periods,
that each of them was closed by the appearance in this field of discovery
and exploration, of ships belonging to other European nations.

The first period, extending from 1595 to 1606, would in that case open with
the years 1595-6, when JAN HUYGEN VAN LINSCHOTEN, in his highly
remarkable book entitled Itinerario, imparted to his countrymen what he
knew about the Far East; and it would conclude with the discovery of
Torres Strait by the Spaniards in 1606, a few months after Willem Jansz. in
the ship Duifken had discovered the east-coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria,
the latter discovery forming the main interest of this period.

The second period may be made to extend from 1606 to 1622, i.e. from the
appearance of the Spaniards on the extreme north-coast of the fifth part of
the world, to the year in which the English ship Trial was dashed to pieces
on a rock to westward of the west-coast of Australia; the discovery of this
west-coast by the Dutch in and after 1616, and of the south-western
extremity of the continent in 1622, constituting the main facts of the period.

{Page iv}

We next come to the palmiest period of Dutch activity in the discovery of
Australia (1622-1688), terminating with the first exploratory voyage of
importance undertaken by the English, when in 1688 William Dampier
touched at the north-west coast of Australia. This period embraces the very
famous, at all events remarkable, voyages of Jan Carstensz (1623), of Pool
and Pieterszoon (1636), of Tasman (1642-1644), of Van der Wall (1678),
etc.

The last period with which we wish to deal, lies between Dampier's arrival
and Cook's first visit to these regions (1688-1769), and is of secondary
importance so far as Dutch discoveries are concerned. We may just mention
Willem de Vlamingh's voyage of 1696-1697, and Maerten van Delft's of

1705; Gonzal's expedition (1756) is not quite without significance, but the
results obtained in these voyages will not bear comparison with those
achieved by the expeditions of the preceding period. Besides this, the
English navigator Dampier and afterwards Captain Cook now began to
inscribe their names on the rolls of history, and those names quite
legitimately outshine those of the Dutch navigators of the eighteenth
century. The palmy days of Dutch discovery fell in the seventeenth century.

In some such fashion the history of the Dutch wanderings and explorations
on the coasts of Australia might be divided into chronological periods. The
desire of being clear has, however, led me to adopt another mode of
treatment in this Introduction: I shall one after another discuss the different
coast-regions discovered and touched at by the Netherlanders.

III.

THE NETHERLANDERS IN THE GULF OF CARPENTARIA[*]

[* As regards the period extending from 1595-1644, see also my Life of Tasman, Ch. XII, pp.
88ff.]

We may safely say that the information concerning the Far East at the
disposal of those Dutchmen who set sail for India in 1595, was exclusively
based on what their countryman JAN HUYGEN VAN LINSCHOTEN, had
told them in his famous Itinerario. And as regards the present Australia this
information amounted to little or nothing.

Unacquainted as he was with the fact that the south-coast of Java had
already been circumnavigated by European navigators, VAN
LINSCHOTEN did not venture decidedly to assert the insular nature of this
island. It might be connected with the mysterious South-land, the Terra
Australis, the Terra Incognita, whose fantastically shaped coast-line was
reported to extend south of America, Africa and Asia, in fact to the
southward of the whole then known world. This South-land was a
mysterious region, no doubt, but this did not prevent its coast-lines from
being studded with names equally mysterious: the charts of it showed the
names of Beach [*], the gold-bearing land (provincia aurifera), of Lucach,
of Maletur, a region overflowing with spices (scatens aromatibus).

Forming one whole with it, figured Nova Guinea, encircled by a belt of
islands.
[* That the Dutch identified Beach with the South-land discovered by them in 1616, is proved
by No. XI A of the Documents (p. 14).]

{Page v}

So far the information furnished by VAN LINSCHOTEN [*]. At the same
time, however, there were in the Netherlands persons who had other data to
go by. In 1597 CORNELIS WIJTFLIET of Louvain brought out his
Descriptionis Plolomaicae augmentum, which among the rest contained a
chart on which not only Java figured as an island, but which also
represented New Guinea as an island by itself, separated from Terra
Australis. The question naturally suggests itself, whether this chart [**] will
justify the assumption that the existence of Torres Strait was known to
WIJTFLIET. I, for one, would not venture to infer as much, seeing that in
other respects this chart so closely reproduces the vague conjectures
touching a supposed Southland found on other charts of the period, that
WIJTFLIET'S open passage between New Guinea and Terra Australis
cannot, I think, be admitted as evidence that he actually knew of the
existence of Torres Strait, in the absence of any indications of the basis on
which this notion of his reposed. Such indications, however, are altogether
wanting: none are found in WIJTFLIET'S work itself, and other
contemporary authorities are equally silent on the point in question [***].
[* See No. I of the Documents, with charts Nos. 1 and 2.]

[** COLLINGRIDGE, Discovery, p. 219, has a rough sketch of it.]

[*** Cf. also my Life of Tasman, p. 89, and Note 8.]

After this digression let us return to the stand-point taken up by the North-
Netherlanders who first set sail for the Indies in 1595. They "knew in part"
only: they were aware that they knew nothing with certitude. But their
mercantile interests very soon induced them to try to increase and
strengthen their information concerning the regions of the East. What sort
of country after all was this much-discussed New-Guinea, they began to
ask. As early as 1602 information was sought from the natives of adjacent
islands, but these proved to have "no certain knowledge of this island of

Nova Guinea" [*]. The next step taken was the sending out of a ship for the
purpose of obtaining this "certain knowledge": there were rumours afloat of
gold being found in New Guinea!
[* See No. II of the Documents.]

On the 28th of November 1605 the ship Duifken, commanded by Willem
Jansz., put to sea from Bantam with destination for New Guinea. The ship
returned to Banda from its voyage before June of the same year. What were
the results obtained? What things had been seen by Willem Jansz. and his
men? The journal of the Duifken's voyage has not come down to us, so that
we are fain to infer its results from other data, and fortunately such data are
not wanting. An English ship's captain was staying at Bantam when the
Duifken put to sea, and was still there when the first reports of her
adventures reached the said town. Authentic documents of 1618, 1623, and
1644 are found to refer to her voyage. Above all, the journal of a
subsequent expedition, the one commanded by Carstensz. in 1623, contains
important particulars respecting the voyage of his predecessors in 1605-6.
[*]
[* See pp. 28, 42, 43, 45 infra. I trust that these data will go far to remove COLLINGRIDGE'S
doubt (Discovery p. 245) as to whether the ship Duifken sailed farther southward than 8° 15'.]

On the basis of these data we may safely take for granted the following
points. The ship Duifken struck the south-west coast of New Guinea in
about 5° S. Lat., ran along this coast on a south-east course [*], and sailed
past the narrows now known as Torres Strait. Did Willem Jansz. look upon
these narrows as an open strait, or did he take them to be a bay only? My
answer is, that most probably he was content to leave this point altogether
undecided; seeing that Carstensz. and his men in 1623 thought to find an
"open passage" on the strength of information given by a chart with which
they had been furnished. [**] This "open passage" can hardly refer to
anything else than Torres Strait. But in that case it is clear that Jansz. cannot
have solved the problem, but must have left it a moot point. At all events he
sailed past the strait, through which a few months after him Luiz Vaez de
Torres sailed from east to west.
[* As regards the names given on this expedition to various parts of this coast, see my Life of
Tasman, pp. 90-91, and chart No. 3 on p. 5 infra.]

[** See pp. 47, 66 infra.]

{Page vi}

Jansz. next surveyed the east-coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria as far as
about 13° 45'. To this point, the farthest reached by him, he gave the name
of Kaap-Keerweer [Cape Turn-again]. That skipper Jansz. did not solve
the problem of the existence or non-existence of an open passage between
New Guinea and the land afterwards visited by him, is also proved by the
circumstance that even after his time the east-coast of the Gulf of
Carpentaria was also called New Guinea by the Netherlanders. Indeed,
throughout the 17th and 18th centuries the Dutch discoverers continued in
error regarding this point. They felt occasional doubts on this head [*] it is
true, but these doubts were not removed.
[* See inter alia a report of a well-known functionary of the E.I.C., G. E. RUMPHUS, dated
after 1685 in LEUPE Nieuw-Guinea, p. 86: "The Drooge bocht [shallow bay], where Nova-
Guinea is surmised to be cut off from the rest of the Southland by a passage opening into the
great South-Sea, though our men have been unable to pass through it owing to the shallows, so
that it remains uncertain whether this strait is open on the other side."]

The Managers of the E.I.C. did not remain content with this first attempt to
obtain more light [*] as regards these regions situated to eastward, the
Southland-Nova Guinea as they styled it, using an appellation
characteristic of their degree of knowledge concerning it. But it was not
before 1623 that another voyage was undertaken that added to the
knowledge about the Gulf of Carpentaria: I mean the voyage of the ships
Pera and Arnhem, commanded by Jan Carstensz. and Willem Joosten van
Colstjor or Van Coolsteerdt. [**]
[* See pp. 6, 7-8, 13 and note 2 infra.]

[** See the Documents under No. XIV (pp. 21 ff.), and especially chart No. 7 on p. 46.]

On this occasion, too, the south-west coast of New Guinea was first touched
at, after which the ships ran on on an eastern course. Torres Strait was again
left alongside, and mistaken for a Drooge bocht,[*] "into which they had
sailed as into a trap," and the error of New Guinea and the present Australia
constituting one unbroken whole, was in this way perpetuated. The line of
the east-coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria, "the land of Nova Guinea", was

then followed up to about 17° 8' (Staten river), whence the return-voyage
was undertaken [**]. Along this coast various names were conferred. [***]
[* As regards the attempts to survey and explore this shallow water, see infra pp. 33-34]

[** See p. 37 below.]

[*** As regards this, see especially the chart on p. 46.--Cf. my Life of Tasman, pp. 99-100.]

In the course of the same expedition discovery was also made of
Arnhemsland on the west-coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria, and almost
certainly also of the so-called Groote Eyland or Van der Lijns island
(Van Speultsland) [*] The whole of the southern part of the gulf remained,
however, unvisited.
[* See my Life of Tasman, pp. 101-102; and pp. 47-48 below.]

{Page vii}

The honour of having first explored this part of the gulf in his second
famous voyage of 1644 is due to our countryman Abel Janszoon Tasman
together with Frans Jacobszoon Visscher and his other courageous
coadjutors in the ships Limmen Zeemeeuw and Brak. [*] Abel Tasman's
passagie [course] of 1644 lay again along the south-west coast of New
Guinea; again also Tasman left unsolved the problem of the passage
through between New Guinea and Australia: Torres Strait was again
mistaken for a bay. The east-coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria was next
further explored, and various new names were conferred especially on
rivers on this coast, which most probably got the name of Carpentaria
about this time; of the names then given a great many continue to figure in
modern maps. After exploring the east-coast, Tasman turned to the south-
coast of the gulf. In this latter case the results of the exploration proved to
be less trustworthy afterwards. Thus Tasman mistook for a portion of the
mainland the island now known as Mornington Island; the same mistake
he made as regards Maria Eiland in Limmensbocht. For the rest however,
the coast-line also of the south-coast was delineated with what we must call
great accuracy if we keep in mind the defective instruments with which the
navigators of the middle of the seventeenth century had to make shift. The

west-coast of the gulf, too, was skirted and surveyed in this voyage; Tasman
passed between this coast and the Groote (Van der Lijn's) eiland.
[* See my Life of Tasman, pp. 115-118, and especially chart No. I of the Tasman Folio. Much
information may also be gathered from chart No. 14 of the present work, since it registers
almost the whole amount of Dutch knowledge about Australia circa 1700.]

The entire coastline enclosing the Gulf of Carpentaria had accordingly now
been skirted and mapped out. The value of Tasman's discoveries in this part
of Australia directly appears, if we lay side by side, for instance, the chart of
the upper-steersman De Leeuw [*], who formed part of the voyage of 1623,
or Keppler's map of 1630 [**]; and Tasman's chart of 1644 [***], or Isaac
De Graaff's made about 1700 [****], which last gives a pretty satisfactory
survey of the results of Tasman's voyage of 1644 so far as the Gulf of
Carpentaria is concerned. Although Tasman's expedition of 1644 did not
yield complete information respecting the coast-line of the Gulf, and
although it is easy to point out inaccuracies, the additions made by this
voyage to our knowledge on this point are so considerable that we may say
with complete justice that while the discovery of the east-coast of the Gulf
is due to Jansz. (1606) and Carstensz. (1623), it was Tasman who made
known the south-coast and the greater part of the west-coast.
[* No. 7 on p. 46.]

[** No. 6 on p. 10.]

[*** Chart No. I in the Tasman Folio.]

[**** No. 14 below.]

More than a century was to elapse before Dutch explorers again were to
visit the Gulf of Carpentaria. In 1756 the east- and west-coast of it were
visited first by Jean Etienne Gonzal and next by Lavienne Lodewijk van
Assehens [*]. The expedition is of little interest as regards the surveying of
the coast-line, but these explorers got into more frequent contact with the
natives than any of their predecessors--what especially Gonzal reports on
this subject, is certainly worth noting. Gonzal also first touched at the
south-west coast of New Guinea, and next, again without becoming aware
of the real character of Torres Strait, sailed to the east-coast of the Gulf,
skirting the same up to about 13° S. Lat., after which he crossed to the west-

coast. What he did there is of little interest. Van Asschen's experiences are
of even less importance for our present purpose. One remark of his,
however, is worth noting: he states namely that he found the east-coast of
the Gulf of Carpentaria [**] to be "fully 12 miles more to eastward" than
the charts at his disposal had led him to believe; and it would really seem to
be a fact that Tasman had placed this coast too far to westward.
[* See No. XXXVI infra.]

[** The names there conferred by him on various parts of the coast, may be sufficiently gathered
from Document No XXXVI.]

{Page viii}

IV.

THE NETHERLANDERS ON THE NORTH-WEST COAST OF
AUSTRALIA.

In a previous work [*] I have attempted to show that the discovery of
Arnhemsland must beyond any doubt be credited to the voyage of the
yacht Arnhem, commanded by Van Colster or Van Coolsteerdt, which
took place in 1623. Since the Journal and the charts of this voyage are no
longer available, we are without the most important data for determining
with certainty between what degrees of longitude the Arnhemsland then
discovered was situated. To westward of it must be sought Van Diemens-
and Maria's-land, touched at in 1636 by Pieter Pieterszoon with the ships
Cleen Amsterdam and Wesell) [**]. There can be no doubt that
Pieterszoon must have sailed far enough to westward to have passed
Dundas Strait, and to have reached the western extremity of Melville
Island (Roode hoek = red point). He took Dundas Strait to be not a strait,
but a bay, and accordingly looked upon Melville Island not as an island, but
as a portion of the mainland (Van Diemensland) [***].
[* See my Life of Tasman, pp. 100-102, and the Documents under No. XIV, 2 infra.]

[** See the Documents under No. XXV.]

[*** Maria-land lies immediately to eastward of Van Diemens-land, and to westward of
Arnhems-land.]

In the course of these two voyages of 1623 and 1636, therefore, the whole
of the north-west coast from Melville Bay to Melville Island was surveyed
by Dutch ships. But in the absence of charts made on these voyages it is
impossible for us to say with certainty, whether the coastline can have been
traced with correctness. On this point also more light is thrown by the well-
known chart of 1644, in which the results of Tasman's voyages are
recorded. Tasman sailed along the whole of the coast, but in this case too,
his observations were not on all points accurate. Thus the situation of
Wessel-eiland and the islets south of it, with respect to the mainland, is not
given correctly by him; nor has he apprehended the real character of
Dundas Strait and of Van Diemen's Gulf, so that also according to him
Melville island forms part of the mainland. But for the rest Tasman's chart
also in this case approximately reproduces the coast-line with so much
correctness, that we find it quite easy [*] to point out on the maps of our
time the results of the Dutch voyages of discovery in this part of the
Australian coast.
[* Chart No. 14 below may also be of excellent service here.]

Far more accurate, however, than Tasman's chart is the chart which in 1705
was made of the voyage of the ships Vossenbosch, de Waijer and Nova-
Hollandia, commanded by Maarten van Delft [*]. This chart may at the
same time be of service to elucidate Tasman's discoveries and those of his
predecessors. It is to be regretted, therefore, that it only embraces a
comparatively small portion of the north-west coast, namely the part
extending from the west-coast of Bathurst island and the western
extremity of Melville island to the eastern part of Coburg peninsula and
Croker-island. This time again the real character of Dundas Strait and Van
Diemens Gulf were not ascertained [**].
[5) See the Documents under No. XXXIII and Chart No. 15.]

[** I subjoin the names of localities that are found in this chart, since the reproduction had to be
made on too small a scale to allow of the names being distinctly visible to the naked eye. Going
from west to east they are the following: Kliphoek, Duivelsklip, Droge Hoek, Boompjeshoek,
Wille Hoek, Noordhoek van Van Diemens Land, Waterplacts, Vuyle Bocht, Vuijl Eijland, Hoek
van Goede Hoop, Hoefyzer Hoek, Fortuyns Hoek, Schrale Hoek, Valsche Westhoek, Valsche
Bocht, Bedriegers Hoek, Westhoek van 3 Bergen's bocht of Vossenbos Ruyge Hoek, Orangie
Hoek, Witte Hoek, Waterplacts, Alkier liggen drie bergen, Toppershoedje, Oosthoek van Drie
Bergens bocht, Scherpen Hoek, Vlacke Hoek, Westhoek en Costhoek (van) Mariaes Land,
Maria's Hoek, de Konijnenberg, Marten Van Delft's baai, Pantjallings Hoek, Rustenburg,

Wajershoek, Hoek van Onier, Hoek van Canthier, P. Frederiksrivier, Jan Melchers Hoek. Pieter
Frederiks Hoek, Roseboomshoek, W. Sweershoek, Hoek van Calmocrie.]

{Page ix}

V.

THE NETHERLANDERS ON THE WEST- AND SOUTH-WEST
COAST OF AUSTRALIA

In the year 1616 the Dutch ship Eendracht, commanded by Dirk Hartogs
on her voyage from the Cape of Good Hope to Batavia unexpectedly
touched at "divers islands, but uninhabited" and thus for the first time
surveyed part of the west-coas of Australia[*]. As early as 1619 this coast,
thus accidentally discovered, was known by the name of Eendrachtsland
or Land van de Eendracht. The vaguenes of the knowledge respecting the
coast-line then discovered, and its extent, is not unaptly illustrated in a
small map of the world reproduced as below, and found in {Page x}
GERARDI MERCATORIS Atlas sive Cosmographicae Meditationes de
Fabrica mundi et fabricati figura. De novo...auctus studio JUDOCI
HONDIJ (Amsterodami; Sumptibus Johannis Cloppenburgij. Anno 1632)
[**]. If, however, we compare this map of the world with KEPPLER'S map
of 1630 [***], we become aware that Hondius has not recorded all that was
then known in Europe respecting the light which since 1616 European
explorers had thrown on the question of the western coast-line of Australia.
In Keppler's map, namely, besides the English discovery of the Trial rocks
(1622) [****], and the name "'T Landt van Eendracht" in fat characters,
passing from the north to the south, we meet with the following names,
which the smaller letters show to have been intended to indicate subordinate
parts of Eendrachtsland: Jac. Rommer Revier [*****], Dirck Hartogs ree,
F. Houtmans aebrooleus and Dedells lant. What is more, Keppler's map also
exhibits the south-west coast of Australia.
[* See on this point the Documents sub No. VII (pp. 8f.).--It will hardly be denied that these
pieces of evidence may justly be called "documents immediately describing" Hartogs's
dicsovery.]

[** For my knowledge of this remarkable atlas I am indebted to Mr. ANTON MENSING,
member of the firm of Messrs. Frederik Muller and Co., of Amsterdam. These gentlemen kindly

enabled me to reproduce this chart for the present work. I received it too late to allow of its
being placed among the charts accompanying the various documents.]

[*** See Chart No. 6 on p. 10 below.]

[**** See under No. XIII (p. 17) below.]

[***** See on this point p. 54 infra (No. XXII A and note 3).]

No. 18. Typus orbis terrarum uit GERARDI MERCATORIS Atlas...De
Novo...emendatus...studio JUDOCI HONDIJ, 1632.

Whence all those names? The answer to this question, and at the same time
various other new features, are furnished by the chart of Hessel Gerritsz. of
1627 [*] and by the one dated 1618 [**], in which corrections have been
introduced after date. The 1627 chart is specially interesting. Gerritsz., at
the time cartographer in ordinary to the E.I.C., has "put together this chart
of the Landt van d'Eendracht from the journals and drawings of the
Steersmen", which means that he availed himself of authentic data [***].
He acquitted himself of the task to admiration, and has given a very lucid
survey of the (accidental) discoveries made by the Dutch on the west-coast

of Australia. In this chart of 1627 the Land of d'Eendracht takes up a good
deal of space. To the north it is found bounded by the "Willemsrivier",
discovered in July 1618 by the ship Mauritius, commanded by Willem
Janszoon [****]. According to the chart this "river" is in about 21° 45' S.
Lat., but there are no reliable data concerning this point. If we compare
Hessel Gerritsz's chart with those on which about 1700 the results of
Willem De Vlamingh's expedition of 1696-7 were recorded [*****] we
readily come to the conclusion that the ship Mauritius must have been in the
vicinity of Vlaming Head (N.W. Cape) on the Exmouth Gulf. From
Willem Janszoon's statements it also appears that on this occasion in 22° an
"island (was) discovered, and a landing effected." The island extended
N.N.E. and S.S.W. on the west-side. The land-spit west of Exmouth Gulf
may very possibly have been mistaken for an island. From this point then
the Eendrachtsland of the old Dutch navigators begins to extend southward.
To the question, how far it was held to extend, I answer that in the widest
sense of the term ('t Land van Eendracht or the South-land, it reached as far
as the South-coast, at all events past the Perth of our day) [******]. In a
more restricted sense it extended to about 25° S.' Lat. In the latter sense it
included the entrance to Shark Bay, afterwards entered by Dampier, and
Dirk Hartogs island, likewise discovered by Dirk Hartogs.
[* No. 4 on p. 9 infra.]

[** No. 5 (folding map).]

[*** It is evident that he did not use all the data then available. Thus, for instance, he left unused
those furnished by the Zeewolf (No. VIII, pp. 10 ff. below), and those of the ship Leiden (No.
XV, p. 49).]

[**** See the Documents under No IX (pp. 12 f.).]

[***** Nos. 13 and 14]

[****** Chart No. 14]

{Page xi}

More to southward we find in the chart of 1627 I. d'Edels landt, made in
July 1619 by the ships Dordrecht and Amsterdam, commanded by
Frederik De Houtman and Jacob Dedel [*]. To the north of Dedelsland
the coast is rendered difficult of access by reefs,the so-called (Frederik De)

Houtmans-Abrolhos (now known as the Houtman Rocks), also
discovered on this occasion [**]. To the south, in about 32° S. Lat. [***]
Dedelsland is bounded by the Landt van de Leeuwin, surveyed in 1622
[****]. Looking at the coast more closely still, we find in about 29° 30, S.
Lat. the name Tortelduyff (Turtle Dove Island), to the south of Houtmans
Abrolhos, an addition to the chart dating from about 1624 [*****].
[* See the documents sub No. XI (pp. 14 ff.). If NORDENSKIÖLD had known these
documents, he would have withheld the second alinea on p. 199 of his interesting Periplus.--The
doubts, also, concerning Frederik De Houtman's share in the discoveries on the west-coast of
Australia, expressed by COLLINGRIDGE (Discovery p. 304), CALVERT (Discovery, p. 25),
and others, are now likely to be set at rest.]

[** They were then held to lie in 28° 46'. On this point see also the documents of PELSAERT'S
shipwreck (No. XXIII, pp. 55 ff).]

[*** About this latitude, between 32° and 33° S. Lat., also De Houtman and Dedel estimated
themselves to be, when they first came upon land. They afterwards ran on on a northerly
course.]

[**** See the documents sub No. XII (p. 17).]

[***** See No. XVI (p. 50) below, and the highly curious charts Nos. Nos. 16 and 17.]

So much for the highly interesting chart of Hessel Gerritsz of the year 1627.
If we compare with it the revised edition of the 1618 chart, we are struck by
the increase of our forefathers' knowledge of the south-west coast. This
revised edition gives the entire coast-line down to the islands of St.
François and St. Pieter (133° 30' E. Long. Greenwich), still figuring in the
maps of our day: the Land of Pieter Nuyts, discovered by the ship het
Gulden Zeepaard in 1627 [*].
[* See No. XVIII (p. 51) below.]

North of Willemsrivier, this so-called 1618 chart has still another addition,
viz. G. F. De Witsland, discovered in 1628 by the ship Vianen commanded
by G. F. De Witt [*]. In this case, too, it is difficult to determine exactly the
longitudes between which the coast-line thus designated is situated. [**]
But with great distinctness the chart exhibits the chain of islands of which
the Monte Bello and tha Barrow islands are the principal, and besides,
certain islands of the Dampier Archipelago, afterwards so called after the
celebrated English navigator. I would have these observations looked upon

as hints towards the more accurate determination of the site of this De Wit's
land, and they may be of the more value since the small scale of the chart
renders an exact determination of it exceedingly difficult.
[* See No. XXI (p. 54) below.]

[** See, however, No. XXI., C. infra.]

In Gerritsz's chart of 1627, as well as in the so-called 1618 one, we are
struck by the fact, that on the west-coast the coast-line shows breaks in
various places: De Witt's land is not connected with the coast of Willems-
rivier; the coast-line of Eendrachtsland does not run on; there is uncertainty
as regards what is now called Shark-bay; the coast facing Houtmans
Abrolhos is a conjectural one only; the coast-line facing Tortelduyf is even
altogether wanting; Dedelsland and 't Land van de Leeuwin are not marked
by unbroken lines. This fragmentary knowledge sufficiently accounts for
the fact, that about the middle of the seventeenth century navigators were
constantly faced by the problem of the real character of the South-land: was
it one vast continent or a complex of islands? And the question would not
have been so repeatedly asked, if the line of the west-coast had been more
accurately known.

{Page xii}

Tasman and Visscher [*] did a great deal towards the solution of this
problem, since in their voyage of 1644 they also skirted and mapped out the
entire line of the West-coast of what since 1644 has borne the name of
Nieuw-Nederland, Nova Hollandia, or New Holland, from Bathurst
Island to a point south of the Tropic of Capricorn. In this case also certain
mistakes were committed: they failed, for instance, to recognise the real
character of Bathurst Island, which, like Melville Island, they looked upon
as forming part of the mainland; but if we make due allowance for the
imperfection of their means of observation, we are bound to say that the
coast-line has by them been mapped out with remarkable accuracy [**].
[* I pass by certain other exploratory voyages on the westcoast (see e.g. No. XXIV. infra, etc.).]

[** Cf. Tasman's chart of 1644 in the Tasman Folio.]

About fifteen years after the west-coast was more accurately mapped out
also, to the south of the tropic of Capricorn. In the year 1658 Samuel
Volekersen with the ship de Wakende Boei [Floating Buoy], and Aucke
Pieters Jonck with the ship Emeloord surveyed a portion of the west-
coast, and the charts then made have been preserved [*]. The coast-line
from a point near the Tortelduyf down to past Rottenest (the large island
on which Volkertsen did not confer a name, preferring to "leave the naming
to the pleasure of the Hon. Lord Governor-General") and the present Perth,
were surveyed with special care. In the same year the ship Elburg,
commanded by Jacob Peereboom, brought in further reports about the
Land van de Leeuwin, where she had been at anchor "in Lat. 33° 14'
South, under a projecting point" (in Geographe Bay?).
[* See infra No. XXIX., pp. 75 ff., and the charts sub No. XXIX. E, F and I.]

The surveying of the lines of the west-coast was finally brought to a close
by the exploratory voyage of Willem De Vlamingh in 1696-7 with the
ships Geelvink, Nijptang, and het Wezeltje. A remarkable chart referring
to this voyage, here reproduced [*], as well as the ISAAC DE GRAAFF
chart [**] of circa 1700, give an excellent survey of the expedition. The
whole coast-line from the so-called Willemsrivier (N.W. Cape) to a point
south of Rottenest, Garden-island and Perth, was now mapped out. And
that, too, with great accuracy. Thus, for instance, the true situation of the
belt of islands enclosing Shark Bay was this time observed with unerring
exactitude, and Shark Bay itself actually discovered, though its discovery is
usually credited to Dampier (August, 1699).
[* No. 13.]

[* No. 14.]

VI.

THE NETHERLANDERS TO EASTWARD OF PIETER NUYTS-
LAND.

The south-east- and east-coasts of Australia have never been visited by the
ships of the East India Company. Tasman and Visscher [*] discovered

Tasmania (Van Diemen's land) in 1642, but were unaware of the existence
of what is now known as Bass Strait; they discovered the west-coast of
New Zealand (Staten-land) and certain island-groups east of Australia, but
did not touch at or sight the east-coast of Australia. Of course, after the
discovery of the west-coast of New Zealand and of the island-groups east of
Australia [**], the existence of an east-coast of Australia to westward of the
regions thus discovered, was an indubitable fact, but this east-coast itself
was never visited by the Netherlanders.
[* See the journal of this voyage and the discussion of it in my Tasman Folio.]

[** In the year 1616 Lemaire and Schouten (No. V), and in 1722 Roggeveen (No. XXXIV),
also touched at various island-groups east of Australia, but these voyages fall outside the plan of
the present work.]

{Page xiii}

VII.

OBJECT OF THE DUTCH VOYAGES FOR THE DISCOVERY OF
THE SOUTH-LAND.--CONCLUSION.

Although it is quite true that the south-east- and east-coasts of the
Australian continent were not discovered by Dutch ships, still it is an
undoubted fact that, so far as is known up to now, the whole of the
Australian coast-line from Prince of Wales Island and York Peninsula and
along the Gulf of Carpentaria, the north- and north-west-coast of Australia
then following, the whole of the west-coast, and the south-coast down to the
islands of St. François and St. Pieter (133° 30' E. L. Greenwich) were in the
17th century discovered by vessels belonging to the Netherlands [*].
[* It is true that Dampier touched at the north-west coast in 1688, but at that time this coast had
already been surveyed by Dutch skippers.]

We now come to the question of the object which the Dutch authorities had
in view in arranging for the expeditions that ultimately led to these
discoveries.

In answering this question we shall have to distinguish between two
different categories of voyages: among the voyages undertaken by
Netherlanders that have led to discoveries on the coasts of Australia, there
are some which were not begun with the express purpose of going in search
of unknown lands; but there are others also that were undertaken expressly
with this end in view. Of course the second class only can be called
exploratory expeditions in a more restricted sense--the voyages of the first
category became voyages of discovery through accidental circumstances.

The discoveries on the west- and south-west coasts of Australia down to
Tasman's time all bore an accidental character. Eendrachtsland was
discovered by accident in the year 1616, and after that time a number of
Dutch ships unexpectedly touched at those shores, thus continually
shedding additional, though always imperfect light on the question of the
conformation of the coast-line. How was it, we may ask, that it was
especially after 1616 that this coast was so often touched at, whereas there
had never been question of this before that time? The question thus put
admits of avery positive answer.

When the Netherlanders set sail for India for the first time, they naturally
took the route which they knew to be followed by the Portuguese. After
doubling the Cape of Good Hope, they directly continued their voyage on a
north-eastern course, along the west-coast, or close by the east-coast, of
Madagascar, and then tried to reach India coming from the west. To this
route there were grave objections both as regards the winds prevailing in
those latitudes, the intense heat soon encountered, the great number of
"shallows or foul islands," etc. Besides, the voyage was apt to last very
long. In 1611, however, certain ships going from the Netherlands to India
followed another route: directly after leaving the Cape they ran on an
eastern course (in about 36° S. Lat.) for a considerable time, after which
they tried to navigate to Java on a northerly course. The commander of
these ships, the subsequent Governor-General {Page xiv} Hendrik
Brouwer, wrote to the Managers of the E.I.C. about "this fairway" in highly
laudatory terms. They adopted the idea suggested by Brouwer, of
henceforth prescribing this route in the instructions for the commanders and
skippers sailing for the Indies, leaving them a certain scope certainly as
regards the latitude in which the said easterly course was to be followed,

and the degree of longitude up to which it was to be kept. As early as the
beginning of 1613 such a route was enjoined on the ships' captains by the
Managers of the E.I.C. The ship Eendracht also was directed to follow this
course: she ran so far to eastward as to come upon the west-coast of
Australia, and the same thing happened to subsequent vessels.

Although in the sense thus indicated we must here speak of acczdental
discoveries on the west-coast, yet the Dutch authorities were fully aware of
the importance of such discoveries. As early as 1618, the Managers of the
E.I.C. were considering the possibility of "discovering the Southern Lands
in passing," and in a letter of September 9, 1620, with reference to "the
discovery of a vast land, situated south of Java...by the ship Eendracht",
etc., they expressly enjoined the G.-G. and Counc. to dispatch a ship for the
purpose of "resuming this work with some hope of success." The lands
discovered were to be mapped out, and efforts made to ascertain "the
situation and condition of the country, its productions, what commodities it
yields, the character of the natives, their mode of life, etc."

The Managers had not preached to deaf ears: the direction of the Company's
affairs in India was at that time in the hands of Jan Pieternoon Coen, who,
being himself strongly disposed in favour of extending the Dutch
connections with the East [*], eagerly embraced the idea thus suggested, as
is proved by the instructions, dated September 29, 1622, for the ships
Haring and Hazewind, "destined for the discovery of the South-land". [**]
Thus we see that one of the projects contemplated by the Dutch authorities
certainly was the dispatching of ships also to the west-coast of Australia for
the purpose of further discovery and of definitely ascertaining the real state
of affairs there.
[* See below.]

[** See below, No. XIII, B (pp. 18 ff.)]

But not for the purpose of further discovery exclusively, although this
continued to be "the principal end in view." The instructions of September
29, 1622, also point to other motives that led the Netherlanders to reckon
also with regions to be first discovered, in carrying out their colonial policy.
The commanders of this expedition were "specially to inquire what

minerals, such as gold, silver, tin, iron, lead and copper, what precious
stones, pearls, vegetables, animals and fruits, these lands yield and
produce";--the commercial interests of the E.I.C.--and what was more
natural in the case of a trading corporation?--were to take a foremost place.
Wherever possible, also political connections were to be formed, and the
counries discovered "to be taken possession of". The authorities were even
considering the idea of at some future date "planting colonies" in some of
the regions eventually to be discovered.

Here we have the colonial policy of the E.I.C. of the period to its full
extent: commerce, increase of territory, colonies. And these ideas were at
the bottom of most of the voyages of discovery to the north-coast of
Australia before Tasman, and of Tasman's voyages themselves. The
celebrated voyage of the ship Duifken (1605-6) {Page xv} bears a character
of intentionality, and if we bear in mind that the same ship's voyage of 1602
had for its professed object the extension of the Company's mercantile
connections, we need not be in doubt as to this being equally the motive or
one of the motives of the expedition on which she was dispatched in 1605-
6. We know, moreover, that New Guinea was then reported "to yield
abundance of gold." The three principles of colonial policy just mentioned
also underlay the voyage undertaken by Jan Carstensz in 1623; for we know
that this commander got the instructions drawn up for the ships Haring and
Hazewind, but not then carried into effect, since these ships did not sail on
their ordained expedition [*]. These principles are found set forth with more
amplitude than anywhere else in the instructions drawn up for Tasman and
his coadjutors in 1642 and 1644 [**]. The voyages, then planned, were to
be undertaken "for the enlargement, increase and improvement of the Dutch
East India Company's standing and commerce in the East."
[* See below, p. 21, Note 1.]

[** See these instructions in my Life of Tasman, pp. 131 ff. and 147 ff.]

In the instructions for Tasman's voyage of 1644 the G.-G. and Counc., who
drew them up, could still refer to "the express commands of the 'Heeren
Maijoores" [*] to "attempt the discovery of Nova Guinea and other
unknown Eastern and Southern lands." And it is a fact certainly, that in the
first half of the seventeenth century the Governors-General who planned

these exploratory voyages were in their endeavours supported by the
Managers of the E.I.C. in the mother country [**]: it was especially Jan
Pieterszoon Coen (1619-1623 and 1627-1629), Hendrik Broulwer (1632-
1636) and Antonio van Diemen (1636-1645), who were most efficiently
backed in their efforts for this purpose by their principals at home. Among
these Governors-General Van Diemen holds the foremost place as regards
the furtherance of discoveries by Netherlanders in the Far East: in the
Pacific and on, "the mainland coasts of Australia." It is, with complete
justice, therefore, that a foreign author mentions the name of Van Diemen as
"a name which will ever rank among the greatest promotors of maritime
discovery".[***]
[* Meaning the Managers of the E.I.C.]

[** See also the instructions for the voyage of 1636, p. 64 infra.]

[*** BURNEY, Chronological History, III, p. 55. Speaking of Van Diemen, we must not omit to
call the reader's attention to sentiments such as the following: "Whoever endeavours to discover
unknown lands and tribes, had need to be patient and long-suffering, noways quick to fly out,
but always bent on ingratiating himself" (p. 65 infra), a piece of advice elsewhere taking the
form of a command, e.g. p. 66: "You will not carry off with you any natives against their will".
And, sad to say, such injunctions were often imperiously necessary!]

And this same eminent manager of the Company's interests in India lived to
see at the end of his official career far narrower views about colonial policy
not only take root in the mother-country (where isolated opinions that way
had found utterance long before), but even get the upper hand in the
Company's councils. Van Diemen's policy came ultimately to be
condemned in the Netherlands, whatever homage might there be paid to his
eminent talents, whatever acknowledgment vouchsafed to his great merits!
It may almost be called a matter of course that great differences of opinions
were bound surely, if slowly, to crop up between the Managers on one hand,
and able Governors-General on the other, touching the line of conduct to be
followed by the Netherlanders in the East. The Managers were in the first
place the directors of a trading company: they hardly looked beyond the
requirements of a purely mercantile policy. Eminent Governors-General on
the contrary were conscious {Page xvi} of being more than this: they were
not only the representatives of a body of merchants, they were also the
rulers of a colonial empire which in the East was looked up to with dread,
with hatred also sometimes, to be sure, but at the same time with respect

and awe! There lay the ultimate cause of the fundamental difference of
opinion respecting the colonial policy to be followed [*]. Van Diemen
dreamt a bold dream of Dutch supremacy in the East and of the East India
Company's mastery "of the opulent Indian trade." To this end he deemed
necessary: "harassing of the enemy [**], continuation and extension of
trade, together with the discovering or new lands." But if he had lived to
read the missive [***], his grand projects would have received an effectual
damper as he perused the letter addressed to him by the Lords Managers, on
September 9, 1645, and containing the passage following: "[We] see that
Your Worships have again taken up the further exploration of the coast of
Nova Guinea in hopes of discovering silver- and gold-mines there. We do
not expect great things of the continuation of such explorations, which more
and more burden the Company's resources, since they require increase of
yachts and of sailors. Enough has been discovered for the Company to carry
on trade, provided the latter be attended with success. We do not consider it
part of our task to seek out gold- and silver-mines for the Company, and
having found such, to try to derive profit from the same; such things
involve a good deal more, demanding excessive expenditure and large
numbers of hands...These plans of Your Worships somewhat aim beyond
our mark. The gold- and silver-mines that will best serve the Company's
turn, have already been found, which we deem to be our trade over the
whole of India..."
[* I have dealt at some length with this subject in Vol. III ('s-Gravenhage, NIJHOFF, 1895) of
my Bouwstoffen voor de geschiedenis der Nederlanders in den Maleiscken Arckipel, pp. LVI ff.]

[** The eighty years' war was still going on]

[*** Van Diemen died April 19, 1645.]

Is it wonderful that, where the supreme authorities of the E.I.C. regarded
matters in this light, there was no longer question of exploratory voyages of
any importance? The period of the great voyages of discovery undertaken
by Netherlanders, accordingly terminates with Van Diemen's death. It is
true that occasionally voyages of this nature were planned [*]; that
Australia--not to go further afield--was also visited now and then in later
times, but such visits either bore an incidental character, or formed part of
expeditions undertaken for other purposes [**], the occasion being then

used to "obtain once for all some full and reliable information touching the
situation and coast-lines" of lands previously discovered.
[* See p. 72 and Note below: 1645 and 1646.]

[** Now, for instance (No. XXVIII, 1648), for the purpose of seeking another route than the
customary one from Batavia to Banda, at another time (No. XXIX, 1656-1658) to inquire into
the fate of a shipwrecked crew; or to prevent the voyages of William Dampier from entailing
unpleasant consequences for the Dutch E.I.C. (1705, No. XXXIII).--Thus, in 1718, a Swiss of
the name of J. P. Purry submitted to the Managers of the E.I.C. proposals for the further
discovery of Nuytsland. The proposal was duly reported on, but ultimately laid aside
(Resolutions of the "Heeren XVII", Oclober 3, 1718, and March 11 1719; Resolution of the
Amsterdam Chamber, April 17, 1719).]

Still, we must not omit to mention that at the close of the seventeenth
century a desire to contribute to the enlargement of geographical knowledge
for a moment got a voice in the question of equipping vessels for
expeditions sent out for this purpose. And this scientific impulse originated
in the mother-country [*]. The impulse was undoubtedly given by the well-
known burgomaster of Amsterdam and Manager of the E. I. C., Nicolaas
Corneliszoon Witsen, LL D, author of the work entitled {Page xvii} Noord
en Oost Tartarije. He took a diligent part in the preparations for the voyage
of skipper De Vlamingh: "We are having the vessels manned mainly with
unmarried and resolute sailors; I have directed a draughtsman to join the
expedition that whatever strange or rare things they meet with, may be
accurately depicted". And Witsen anxiously awaited the outcome of De
Vlamingh's expedition. He was disappointed by the results: the commander
had indeed "surveyed and made soundings on the coasts, but had made few
landings." At the same time Manager Witsen mentions not without some
satisfaction the results of this voyage, meagre though they may be in his
eyes, in letters to friends both at home and abroad, imparting to them what
he has learned on the subject [**]. A few years later, however, he bitterly
complains of the indifference of many of his countrymen in those days:
"What does Your Worship care about curious learning from India," he
grumbles in a letter to one of his friends [***] "no, sir, it is money only, not
learned knowledge that our people go out to seek over there, the which is
sorely to be regretted."
[* Resolution of the "Heeren XVII", August 25, 1692; see also p. 60 infra.]

[** As regards this see J F GEBHARD Het leven van Witsen I., pp. 480 f.: II. pp. 260 f. (Letter
of Witsen to "Dr. Martin Lister, fellow of the Colledge of Physicians and R. S., concerning some
late observations in Nova Hollandia." October 3, 1698), pp. 299 f. (Letter to Gijsbert Cuper at
Deventer, 1698?) pp. 407, 414, 416]

[*** Witsen to Cuper, August 1, 1712 (GEBHARD p. 480).]

"The which is sorely to be regretted!"...The times of Van Diemen had failed
to return; the spirit by which he was imbued no longer presided over the
debates on colonial matters. But his name is indissolubly bound up with the
palmy days of Dutch discovery in the Far East, initiated by the East India
Company.

Fortunately, in our time Holland again bears a part in what is done by
cultured Europe for the scientific exploration of the unknown regions of the
world. In this field of inquiry the nineteenth century has again beheld her
sons take a place which the achievements of their forefathers have as it
were by right of inheritance assigned to them.

{Page 1}

DOCUMENTS.
I. (1595)
DUTCH NOTIONS RESPECTING THE SOUTH-LAND IN
1595.

Itinerario, Voyage ofte Schipvaert, van JAN HUYGEN VAN LINSCHOTEN
naer Oost ofte Portugaels Indien [Itinerary, Voyage or Navigation of J. H.
v. L. to Eastern or Portuguese India]...t' Amstelredam. By Cornelis Claesz
opt Water, in 't Schrijf-boeck by de Oude Brugghe. Anno CIC.IC.XCVI
(1596?--Ed.)[*].
[* There may have been an earlier edition of this book. At all events, the Netherlanders who in
1595 undertook the first voyage from Holland to India, were acquainted with the work either in
manuscript or in print. See the journal of this voyage, kept by Frank Van der Does, one of the
sharers of the expedition, and printed in the second volume of J. K. J. De JONGE'S well-known
book: De Opkomst van het Nederlandsch gezag in Oost-Indië [The Rise of the Dutch power in
the East Indies] ('s Gravenhage, Amsterdam MDCCCLXIV), pp. 287-372.

It may safely be assumed that Van Linschoten's book contains everything that the Dutch knew of
the East, when in 1595 Dutch vessels were first sent out to those remote regions. Charts Nos 1
(a part of the Orbis terrarum combmdiosa descriptio. Antverpiae apud joafiem Baptistam
Vrient), and 2 (a part of the Exacta & accurata delineatio cum orarum maritimarum tum eijam
locorum terrestrium quae in regionibus Chiua...una cum omnium vicinarum instilarum
descriptjone ut sunt Sumatra, Java utraque...) give a survey of this knowledge so far as our
present purpose is concerned. I have made use of a copy of Van Linschoten's work in the library
of the Leyden University.]

Pag. 25. Chapter the Twentieth.

Concerning the island of Java Mayor, together with its commodities,
merchandise and dealings, weights, coins and value of the same, and other
particulars.

No. 1. Gedeelte der (Part of the) Orbis terrae compendiosa describtio

{Page 2}

South-south-east, facing the farthest extremity of the island of Samatra,
south of the line equinoctial, lies the island called Java Mayor, or great
Java...This island begins in 7 degrees Latitude South, and extends east by
south a length of 150 miles but of its breadth nothing is known up to now,
since it has not yet been explored, nor is this known to the inhabitants
themselves. Some suppose it to be a mainland, [forming part] of the land
called Terra incognita, which would then extend hitherward from beyond
the C de boa Esperança but of this there is no certitude hitherto, so that it is
usually accounted an island...

No. 2. Gedeelte der (Part of the) Exacta & accurata delineatio cum
orarum maritimarum tum etjam locorum terrestrium, quae in regjonibus
China...una cum omnium vicinarum insularum descriptjone ut sunt
Sumatra, Java utraque

{Page 3}

II. (1602).
NOTICES OF THE SOUTH-COAST OF NEW GUINEA IN
1602.

Journal or Daily Register, begun on the 22nd day of April, A.D. 1601, kept
on board the sho Gelderlant...

This 10th day of April 1602.

The meeting of the Plenary Council [*] having been convened by order of
the Lord Admiral [**] to resolve to dispatch the yacht called Duyffken to
the island of Ceram, the Council have drawn up the Instructions following,
which Supercargo Master Claes Gaeff [and] skipper Willem Cornelisz
Schouten will have to act up to.
[* The joint council of all the ships forming the flotilla to which the Gelderland belonged.]

[** Wolphert Hermanszoon.]

Imprimis he will have to navigate to the island of Ceran, and there call at
the ports or roads following, to wit: Queuin, Quelibara, Quelilonhen or
Goulegoubj [*], and failing these, at certain others where profitable
dealings may be expected...
[* Keffing, Kilwaroc,...Goeli-goeli. These place-names go to show, that by Ceram are meant the
south-eastern extremity of Ceram and the Ceram-Laut islands.]

Secondly, [he will have to inquire] whether there is anything to be had there
besides sago; their way of doing business and in what places; what
commodities had best be sent thither; and to what limits their farthest
navigation extends; also, whether they have any knowledge of Nova
Guinea; whether they have ever sent ships thither, or whether ships from
Nova Guinea have ever come to Ceran. In the island of Banda, actum April
the 10th, A.D. 1602, on board the ship Gelderlandt. God send his blessing
unto salvation. Amen.

Laus deo A.D. 1602 This 15th day of May in the island of Banda.

A brief account of certain islands with which they of the islands of Ceran
and, Banda carry on trade...

They can say nothing certain respecting the island of Nova Guinea, but say
that there are white people living on the south side, inhabited by

Portuguese [*], but [the people of the parts of Ceram visited by the Dutch]
had never seen any Portuguese ships. They can give no information about
their dealings and commodities.
[* If any reliance can be placed on this report, it proves that in 1602 the Portuguese were
acquainted with the South(-west) coast of New Guinea. But considering the fact that the Dutch
were utterly unacquainted with New Guinea, it is quite possible that on this point they
misunderstood the inhabitants of the parts of Ceram visited by them.]

{Page 4}

III. (1605-1606).
VOYAGE OF THE SHIP DUIFKEN UNDER COMMAND OF
WILLEM JANSZ(OON) AND JAN LODEWIJKSZOON
ROSINGEYN TO NEW GUINEA.--DISCOVERY OF THE
EAST-COAST OF THE PRESENT GULF OF
CARPENTARIA.

A.

HACKLUYTUS Posthumus or PURCHAS his Pilgrimes Contayning a
History of the World in Sea voyages, & lande-Travells by Englishmen &
others.

English Voyages beyond the East-Indies, to the islands of Japan, China,
Cauchinchina, the Philipinae with others; and the Indian navigations further
prosecuted...

THE FOURTH BOOKE.

Chap. II.

Observations of Captaine Iohn Saris, of occurrents which happened in the
East-Indies during his abode at Bantam, from October 1605, till October
1609...

The eighteenth [November 1605] [*] heere [**] departed a small Pinnasse
of the Flemmings, for the discovery of the Land called Nova Guinea
which, as it is said, affordeth great store of Gold...
[* Old style: therefore November 28, 1605.]

[** Bantam.]

The fifteenth [*] of June [1606] heere [**] arrived Nockhoda [***] Tingall,
a Cling-man from Banda, in a Java juncke...
[* Old style: therefore Junr 25, 1606.]

[** Bantam.]

[*** Nachoda or Anachoda: a skipper.]

He told me that the Flemmings Pinasse which went upon discovery for
Nova Ginny, was returned to Banda, having found the Iland: but in sending
their men on shoare to intreate of Trade, there were nine of them killed by
the Heathens, which are man-eaters; So they were constrained to returne,
finding no good to be done there.

B.

Instructions drawn up to serve as a basis for Answers on the part of the
General United E.I.C. to the advice given by the Lords States of Holland
and Westfriesland, touching the Charter of the Australia Company. Laid
before the Council, Aug. 2, 1618.

...So that the E.I.C. opines that in every case the Australia Company
aforesaid ought to be excluded from the Southern parts, situated between
the Meridian passing through the Eastern extremity of Ceylon and the
Meridian lying a hundred miles eastward of the Salomon islands; seeing
that the United East India Company has repeatedly given orders for
discovering and exploring the land of Nova Guinea and the islands situated
east of the same, since, equally by her orders, such discovery was once tried
about the year 1606 with the yacht de Duyve by skipper Willem Jansz and
subcargo Jan Lodewijs van Rosingijn, who made sundry discoveries on
the said coast of Nova Guinea, as is amply set forth in their journals. [*]

[* In 1618, therefore, there must have been extant journals of the expedition of 1605-6.]

{Page 5}

C.

See infra the Journal of the voyage Of JAN CARSTENSZOON 1623, at the
dates: March 7, May 11, 12, 15.

D.

South-eastern part of the Map Indiae Orientalis Nova descriptio in the atlas
JOANNES JANSSONIUS-MERCATOR-HONDIUS 1633 [*]
[* The whole map is reproduced in Remarkable Maps (II, 7.) See also C. H. COOTE'S
Introduction; P. A. TIELE: Nederlandsche Bibliographic van Land- en Volkenkunde, s. vv.
Janssonius and Mercator, and my Life of Tasman, p. 91, note I.]

No. 3. Zuidoostelijk gedeelte der Kaart (South-eastern part of the Map)
Indiae Orientalis Nova descriptio

E.

Instructions for Skipper Commander Abel Jansen Tasman, Skipper Pilot-
Majjr Frans Jacobsen Visscher, and the Council of the Yachts Limmen,
Zeemeeuw, and the Quel de Brack, destined for the further discovery of
Nova Guinea, and of the unknown coasts of the discovered East- and South-
lands, together with the channels and islands presumably situated between
and near the same.

Both by word of mouth and through the perusal of Journals, Charts and
other writings, it is in the main well-known to you, how the successive
Governors of India, at {Page 6} the express command of our Lords and
Masters the "Heeren XVII", have, in order to the aggrandisement,
enlargement and improvement of the Dutch East India Company's standing
and trade in the East, divers times diligently endeavoured to make timely
discovery of the vast country of Nova Guinea and of other unknown
Eastern and Southern regions; to wit, that four several voyages have up to
now with scant success been made for this desired discovery; of the which
voyages the first was undertaken in the year 16066 with the Yacht 't
Duyffken, by order, of President Jan Willemsz Verschoor (who then
managed the Company's affairs in Bantham), on which voyage the islands
of Key and Arouw were visited in passing, and the unknown south and
west coasts of Nova Guinea were discovered over a length of 220 miles
from 5 to 13¾ degrees Southern Latitude, it being only ascertained that vast
regions were for the greater part uncultivated, and certain parts inhabited by
savage, cruel, black barbarians who slew some of our sailors, so that no
information was obtained touching the exact situation of the country and
regarding the commodities obtainable and in demand there.\; our men
having by want of provisions and other necessaries, been compelled to
return and give up the discovery they had begun, only registering in their
chart with the name of Cape Keer-weer the extreme point of the
discovered land in 13¾ degrees Southern Latitude.

In the castle of Batavia, this 29th of January Ao 1644. Signed ANTONIO
VAN DIEMEN, CORNELIS VAN DER LIJN, JOAN MAETSUIJCKER,
JUSTUS SCHOUTEN and SALOMON SWEERS.

IV. (1607).
FRESH EXPEDITION TO NEW GUINEA BY THE SHIP
DUIFKE.

Second volume of "Het begin ende voortgangh der Vereenighde
Nederlantsche Geoctroyeerde Oost-Indische Compagnie. Gedruckt in den
jaere des Heeren 1646" [Rise and Progress of the United Netherlands
Chartered East India Company. Printed Anno Domini 1646].

A Narrative and Journal of the voyage made from Bantam to the coast of
Choromandel and other parts of India, by Supercargo PAULUS VAN SOLT
in the years 1605 1606, 1607, 1608.

"On the 4th of March 1607, through God's mercy [we] arrived before the
Castle [of Victoria in Amboyna]...here we found...the yacht Duyfken,
which had come from Nova Guinea"...

V. (1616).
VOYAGE OF THE SHIPS EENDRACHT AND HOORN,
COMMANDED BY JACQUES LE MAIRE AND WILLEM
CORNELISZOON SCHOUTEN THROUGH THE PACIFIC
OCEAN AND ALONG THE NORTH-COAST OF NEW
GUINEA.

One of the journals of this voyage has been repeatedly printed in various
languages. (See TIELE, Mémoire Bibliographique, pp. 42-62, and the same
writer's Bibliographic Land- en Volkenkunde, s. vv. Begin ende Voortgangh,
Herrera, W. Cz. Schouten, and Spilbergen). I need not, therefore, go into
detail on this point here. The voyage was begun on the 14th of June 1615,
and in January 1616 the strait of {Page 7} Le Maire was discovered. In the
Pacific Ocean various islands unknown to the voyagers were touched at:
inter alia Kokos-island (Boscawen or Tafahi), Verraders-eiland [Traitors'
island] (Keppel or Niutabutabu), (Goede) Hoop island (Nino-fa), the

Hoornsche islands (Fotuna and Alofi). Besides, various islands east of New
Guinea were surveyed, and New Ireland, New Hanover and the north-coast
of New Guinea with the islands north of it (among others Schoutens island),
sailed round or touched at.

VI. (1616).
PROJECT FOR THE FURTHER DISCOVERY OF THE
SOUTH-LAND NOVA GUINEA.

A.

Resolution of the Governor-General and Councillors, October 8, 1616.

...Inasmuch as heretofore the Company has taken in hand to dispatch a ship
for the discovery of the South-land-Nova-Guinea and the dependencies
thereof, which project has not been executed owing to other intervening
business, it has been resolved to take the said project once more in hand at
the present time; and that to this end the Lord Admiral...[*] shall dispatch
from Amboyna or Banda the ship de Jager with any other small yacht that
should lie at anchor there, or happen to put into port, in order to the
discovery of the lands aforesaid; seeing that it is much more convenient to
visit those parts starting from here than from the Netherlands, and that the
same can now be done without any inconvenience or detriment to the
Company. And if in Amboyna or Banda no other yacht besides the ship de
Jager should be found available, then the Lord Admiral shall be free to
assign the ship Morgenster for the said purpose...
[* Steven Van der Haghen.]

B.

Resolution of the Governor-General and Councillors, October 21, 1616.

...Considering the confident inclination to the said voyage evinced by the
Lord Advocate Dedel [*], and the importance of this enterprise being
conducted with great skill and judgment, it has been determined and
resolved to employ the Advocate aforesaid in the said voyage, to the end

that all things may be conducted in good order, with the requisite courage
and resolution, for which purpose the Hon. Advocate will now depart for
Amboyna with the Lord Admiral...
[* Cornelis Dedel, LL. D.]

C.

Letter from the Governor-General LAURENS REAEL to the Managers of
the E.I.C., May 10, 1617.

...Mr. Cornelis Dedel, LL. D., had by us been dispatched to this place [*]
from the Moluccas, that with two or three yachts and pinnaces he might
proceed to the discovery of the Southern lands, which undertaking had
heretofore once more by order of...Admiraal Verhagen been engaged in by
Jan Rossangin [**]. But when lying at anchor in Amboyna...Dedel's ships
were employed on other services. [***]
[* Reael was then staying in Banda.]

[* This almost certainly refers to the voyage of 1605-6 under Willem Jansz. and Rosengein.]

[* Although, as we see, the project was not carried into execution, I have thought it good to print
the above documents, because they bear testimony to the earnest intention of the Dutch
authorities in India once more to undertake the discovery of the "South-land" (at the same time
the matter was by no means lost sight of in the Netherlands, as is proved by a resolution of the
Managers of the E.I.C., of October 1616); [and] because document C in the text is presumably
fresh evidence for the voyage of 1605-6.]

{Page 8}

VII. (1616).
VOYAGE OF DE EENDRACHT UNDER COMMAND OF
DIRK HARTOGS(ZOON). DISCOVERY OF THE WEST-
COAST OF AUSTRALIA IN 1616: DIRK HARTOGS ISLAND
AND -ROAD, LAND OF THE EENDRACHT OR
EENDRACHTSLAND.

A.

Letter of Supercargo Cornelis Buysero at Bantam to the Managers of the
East India Company at Amsterdam.

Worshipful, Wise, Provident, very Discreet Gentlemen,...

...The ship Eendracht [*], with which they had sailed from the
Netherlands, after communicating at the Cabo sailed away from them so far
southward as to come upon 6 various islands which were, however, found
uninhabited [**]...
[* Commanded by Dirk Hartogs, or Hartogszoon.]

[* What "uninhabited islands" the ship Eendracht "came upon", Buysero's letter does not say.
Various authentic archival documents of 1618 and subsequent years, however, go to show that
the land afterwards named Eendrachtsland or Land van de Eendracht, and the Dirk
Hartogsreede (island) must have been discovered on this voyage.]

Bantam, this last day of August, A.D. 1617.
Your Worships' servant to command
CORNELIS BUYSERO [*]
[* Buysero was supercargo at Bantam (DE JONGE, Opkcornst, IV, p. 68,) and was therefore
likely to be well informed as to the adventures of the ship, which had sailed from the
Netherlands in January 1616, departed from the Cape of Good Hope in the last days of August,
and had arrived in India in December of the same year, as appears from what Steven Van der
Haghen, Governor of Amboyna, writes May 26, 1617: "That in the month of December 1616,
the ship Eendracht entered the narrows between Bima and the land of Endea near Guno Api
(Goenoeng Api) in the south of Java" (Sapi Straits).]

B.

See infra Document No. IX, of 1618.

It proves that as early as 1618 the name of Eendrachtsland was known in
the Netherlands.

C.

The subjoined chart (reproduced on the original scale in Remarkable Maps,
II, 4) was drawn by HESSEL GFRRITSZ, Cartographer in ordinary to the
East India Company {Page 9} (Ress. of the "Heeren XVII", March 21, 1619

and October 21, 1629). He had accordingly at his disposal the official
documents referring to this discovery.

No. 4. Caert van (Chart of) 't Land van d'Eendracht Ao 1627 door
HESSEL GERRITSZ

D.

The interesting little folding chart, marked No. 5, is now in the possession
of Jhr. J. E. Huydecoper van Maarsseveen en Nigtevegt, LL. D., at Utrecht.
It is bound up with the said gentleman's copy of Abel Janszoon Tasman's
journal of his voyage of 1642-3 [*]. The chart clearly shows that at times in
subsequent issues of certain charts the dates given in the first issue were
retained, while numerous corrections were made in the chart itself.
[* See my Life and Labours of TASMAN, p. 69.]

{Page 10}

E.

Of the chart of which this is a small portion, a complete reproduction will
be found in Remarkable Maps, II, 8. In 1630, accordingly, the discovery of

Eendrachtsland was known at Nuremberg.

No. 6. Kaart van het Zuidland van (Alap of the Southland by)
JOANNES KEPPLER en PHILIPPUS ECKEBRECHT, 1630

VIII. (1618).
VOYAGE OF THE SHIP ZEEWOLF, FROM THE
NETHERLANDS TO INDIA, UNDER THE COMMAND OF
SUPERCARGO PIETER DIRKSZOON AND SKIPPER
HAEVIK CLAESZOON VAN HILLEGOM.--FURTHER
DISCOVERY OF THE WEST-COAST OF AUSTRALIA.

Letter of Supercargo Pieter Dirkszoon to the Managers of the E.I.C. at
Amsterdam, dated June 24, 1618.

A.

Worshipful Wise Provident Very Discreet Gentlemen.

By the ships T'Wapen van Zeelandt, den Eenhoorn and Enckhuyzen (which
with full cargoes arrived at the Cape de bone Esperance from these parts of
India) I have on the 22nd of March last [1618] briefly advised Your
Worships of our safe arrival there...[*]
[* The ship had sailed from the Netherlands in December 1617.]

{Page 11}

Now with this ship den Witten Beer Your Worships may be pleased to
receive news of the subsequent successful progress of our voyage to this
part of India, viz. that on the 24th of the said month we sailed from the
Taeffelbaey [Table Bay]...in the ship Seewolf for Bantam (pursuant to Your
Worships' orders); in such fashion that by God's grace we soon got south as
far as 37, 38 and 39 degrees, after which we held our course due east for a
thousand miles before turning it northward; so that on the 21st of May
following we made the land in Cleyn Java about 6 or 8 miles east of the
island of Bali; after which, passing between Bali and Cleyn Java, we came
to anchor before our factory of Japara on the second day of June...

Having on the 11th of May reached 21° 15' S. Latitude, we saw and
discovered...land about 5 or 6 miles to windward east of us, which in
consequence we were unable to touch at. We observed it to be a level, low-
lying shore of great length, and looking out from the top-mast we saw on
both ends of it, to north as well as to southward, still other land which
showed high and mountainous. But as the land bore eastward from us, and
we could not have got higher without considerable inconvenience, we do
not know whether it forms an unbroken coast-line, or is made up of separate
islands. In the former case it might well be a mainland coast, for it extended
to a very great length. But only the Lord knows the real state of affairs. At
all events it would seem never to have been made or discovered by any one
before us, as we have never heard of such discovery [*], and the chart
shows nothing but open ocean at this place. According to our skipper's
estimation in his chart the Strait of Sunda was then N.N.E. of us at about
250 miles' distance; according to the second mate's reckoning the direction

was North East, and according to the first mate's estimation North East by
North. These statements, however, proved erroneous, since we arrived east
of Bali on a north-north-east course. So that consequently this land bears
from Sunda Strait south-south-west, and ships must arrive in Java eastward
of Sunda Strait on a north-by-west or northern course; on which those who
come in sight of this land from eastward and wish to go to Bantam, may
safely base their course. This much by way of advice...
[* Dirk Hartochs's discovery had not come to their knowledge then.]

On board the ship Seewolff lying at anchor before Jacatra, this 20 of June,
1618.
Your Worships' obedient Servant
PIETER DIRCXSOON 1618.

B.

Letter of Skipper Haevick Claeszoon van Hillegom to the Managers of the
E.I.C. at Amsterdam, dated June 24, 1618.

Laus Deo. On board the ship Seewolf lying at anchor before Jaeketerae, this
24th of June 1618.

Right Worshipful Beloved Gentlemen My Lords Directors of the United
Company at Amsterdam, with friendly greeting, the present, after my best
wishes for the {Page 12} well-being and health of my Worshipful Noble
Masters, serves to express my hope that Your Worships may have duly
received, through Pieter Gertsz, skipper of the ship Enckhuyzen [*], my
letters of the 22nd of March, written in the Taefel Bay, recounting what had
happened on our voyage up to said date. The present further serves to
inform Your Worships of our progress up to this day, as follows. We set sail
from the Cape de bon Esperanse on the 24th of the same month...
[* See supra A.]

On the 5th of May we got into Latitude 28° 26' South, when we saw
numbers of birds many of which seemed to be land-birds, such as a white
tropic-bird and a few scissor-tailed ducks, so that I surmised that we were
near land. Two or three days afterwards we saw sea-weed floating in large

quantities and long strips. On the 10th do. we passed the tropic in fine
weather. On the 11th do. we saw land in 21° 20' S. Lat.: it was a level, low-
lying coast extending to a great length, and bearing mainly south and north,
falling off on both sides with high mountains; we could not get near it.
Whether it was a mainland coast or islands only, is known to God alone, but
from the signs seen at various times I suspect it to be a mainland. The
compass has one point north-westerly variation here; we saw a good deal of
sea-weed floating about, and observed land-birds up to the 16th degree,
both of these being signs of the proximity of the mainland. This land is a fit
point to be made by ships coming here with the eastern monsoon, in order
to get a fixed course for Java or Sunda Strait; for if you see this land in 21,
22 or 23 degrees, and shape your course north-north-west and north-by-
west you will make the western extremity of Jaeva. I write this as a matter
of certainty, seeing that we have made the same on a fixed course, and ships
following this course are sure to find it true. On the 21st do. we saw land, to
wit, Kleyn Jaevae; we kept off and on during the night, and at daybreak
made for the land, passing through the strait between Kleyn Jaeva and
Baely...

Your Worships' servant to command

H. CLAESSEN VAN HILLEGOM.

IX. (1618).
VOYAGE OF THE SHIP MAURITIUS FROM THE
NETHERLANDS TO INDIA UNDER THE COMMAND OF
SUPERCARGO WILLEM JANSZ OR JANSZOON AND
SKIPPER LENAERT JACOBSZ(OON). FURTHER
DISCOVERY OF THE WEST-COAST OF AUSTRALIA.--
WILLEMS-RIVER.

Letter Of supercargo WILLFM JANSZ(OON) to the Managers of the
Amsterdam Chamber, Oclober 6, 1618.

A.

Worshipful Wise Provident Discreet Gentlemen,

(Sailed 1000 miles to eastward in in 38 degrees with notable success.)

The present serves only to inform you that on the 8th of June last with the
ship Mauritius we passed Cape de bon esperence, with strong westerly
winds, so that we deemed it inadvisable to call at any land, after which we
ran a thousand miles to eastward in 38 degrees Southern Latitude, though
we should have wished to go still further east.

{Page 13}

On the 31st of July we discovered an island and landed on the same, where
we found the marks of human footsteps--on the west-side it extends N.N.E.
and S.S.W.; it measures 15 miles in length, and its northern extremity is in
22° S. Lat. It bears Eendracht S.S.E. and N.N.W. from the south-point of
Sunda at 240 miles' distance; from there (Eendrachtsland [*]) through God's
grace we safely arrived before Bantam on the 22nd of August...
[* This marginal note was made by an official of the East India Company, when the letter had
reached its destination.]

Done on board the ship 't Wapen van Amsterdam, October 6, 1618.

Your Worships' Obedt. Servant

WILLEM JANSZ.

B.

Worshipful Wise Provident Discreet Gentlemen,

See the Maps numbered VII, C and D (1616).

X. (1619)?
FURTHER DISCOVERY OF THE SOUTH-COAST OF NEW-

GUINEA BY THE SHIP HET WAPEN VAN AMSTERDAM?
[*]

Instructions for Tasman 1644.

...In the interim in the year 1619 the ship 't Wapen van Amsterdam, passing
Banda on her way thither, was east on the south-coast of Nova Guinea
where also some of her crew were slain by the barbarian inhabitants, so that
no certain information respecting the situation of the country was
obtained...
[* I place a note of interrogation here. The matter is not quite clear. For the sake of completeness
I mention it here, but without drawing any conclusion. On p. 95, note 5 of my "Life of Tasman"
in Fred. Muller's Tasman publication I say: "Leupe, Zuidland, p. 35, cites a letter sent by the
Directors to the Gov.-Gen. and Councillors, of Sept. 9, 1620. In this letter there is question of
the discoveries made by d'Eendracht, Zeewolff, 't Wapen van Amsterdam, and quite recently by
Commanders Houtman and D'Edel". When, we may ask, did the ship 't Wapen van Amsterdam
survey the South-land? There certainly was a ship of that name by the side of another vessel,
named Amsterdam pur et simple. According to the Register of departures of vessels of the
E.I.C., preserved in the State Archives at the Hague, this ship set sail from the Netherlands on
May 11, 1613. I have found no reliable trace of later date of this vessel, and the documents
know nothing of any exploration of the South-land by her. I am inclined to think that Leupe is
mistaken here. The letter itself, which is contained in the copying-book of letters, preserved in
the State Archives, has suffered much from theravages of time. Between the words "Zeewolff"
and "Amsterdam" the paper has suffered so much that nothing is left of the intervening letters.
L. C. D. Van Dijk, in his Mededeelingen uit het Oost-Indisch archief. Amsterdam, Scheltema,
1859 p. 2, note 2, has also printed the letter in question. He puts the words: "'t Wapen van" in
parentheses, in order to denote that they are merely conjectural. Leupe may have inadvertently
omitted these parentheses. Perhaps the original text read: "ende Amsterdam". In this case there
would have been two times question of Dedel's voyages: once by a reference to the ship
Amsterdam; and afterwards by mentioning Dedel's name itself. I must not however omit to
make mention here of what the Instructions for Tasman's second voyage, dated January 29,
1644, say about an unsuccessful expedition undertaken by the ship 't Wapen van Amsterdam to
the south coast of New Guinea in 1619.]

{Page 14}

XI. (1619)
VOYAGE OF THE SHIPS DORDRECHT AND
AMSTERDAM UNDER COMMANDER FREDERIK DE
HOUTMAN, SUPERCARGO JACOB DEDEL, AND

SKIPPERS REYER JANSZOON VAN BUIKSLOOT AND
MAARTEN CORNELISZOON(?), FROM THE
NETHERLANDS TO THE EAST-INDIES.--FURTHER
DISCOVERY OF THE WEST-COAST OF AUSTRALIA:
DEDELSLAND AND HOUTMAN'S ABROLHOS.

A.

Letter of Commander FREDERIK DE HUTMAN to Prince Alaurice,
October 7, 1619.

Most Noble Highborn Prince,

Most Highborn Prince, my last letter to Your Princely Excellency was dated
May the 20th last from the Taefelbay near Cabo de bonne esperance with
the ship Anna from England...

Now as regards my subsequent progress I would inform Your Excellency
that on the 8th of June we set sail from the Tafelbay with a fair wind with
the ships Dordrecht and Amsterdam, add that on the 19th of July following
we suddenly came upon the Southland of Beach [*] in 32 degrees 20
minutes. We spent a few days there in order to get some knowledge of the
same, but the inconvenience of being unable to make a landing, together
with the heavy gales, prevented us from effecting our purpose, upon which
shaping our course for Java, we got sight of the same on the 19th of August,
and arrived safely before Jacatra on the 3rd of September...
[* Though De Houtman knew of the discovery of Eendrachtsland (see infra), he still uses the
name Beach; which clearly proves that in the early part of the seventeenth century the
Netherlanders identified the discovered South-land with the mysterious land of Beach.]

From Jacatra, this seventh of October, A.D. 1619.

(Signed)

Your Excellency's most devoted Servant

FREDERICK HOUTMAN.

B.

Letter of FREDERIK DE HOUTMAN to the Managers of the E.I.C.,
October 7, 1619.

Most Noble Wise Provident Very Discreet Gentlemn,

My last letter to Your Worships was dated May 20th from the Tafelbay...We
next sailed from the Tafelbay with the ships Dordrecht and Amsterdam on
June the 8th...

We ran on with a fair north-west wind as far as 36° 30', in which latitude we
kept this steady breeze with us up to the 17th of July, when we estimated
ourselves to have sailed straight to eastward the space of a thousand miles.
We observed 16° decreasing north-westerly variation of the compass, and
resolved to steer...on a north-east-by-north course, {Page 15} we then being
in 35° 25' Southern Latitude. After keeping the aforesaid course for about
60 miles, in the evening of the 19th we suddenly saw land, which we
steered away from. On the 20th we found it to be a mainland coast
extending South and North. We resolved to use our utmost endeavours to
obtain some knowledge of this coast, which seemed to be a very good land,
but could find no spot for conveniently landing owing to the surf and the
heavy seas. On the 23rd both the Amsterdam and our ship lost an anchor
each, since our cables were broken by the strong gale. We kept near the
coast till the 28th of July, but owing to the violent storm could not effect a
landing, so that we were forced to leave the land aforesaid, not without
imminent danger of being thrown on it by the strong gale.

On the 28th we sighted a cape of the said coast, off which we sounded in
from 45 to 70 fathom, but shortly after we got no bottom, and in the
evening the land was out of sight.

On the 29th do. deeming ourselves to be in an open sea, we shaped our
course north-by-east. At noon we were in 29° 32' S. Lat.; at night about
three hours before daybreak, we again unexpectedly came upon a low-lying
coast, a level, broken country with reefs all round it. We saw no high land
or mainland, so that this shoal is to be carefully avoided as very dangerous

to ships that wish to touch at this coast. It is fully ten miles in length, lying
in 28° 46.

On the 2nd of August, the wind becoming contrary, we turned our course
eastward at noon we again sighted a long stretch of land in Lat. 27° 40'
South. We are all assured that this is the land which the ship Eendracht
discovered and made in the year [*], and noways doubt that all the land they
saw in 22, 23, 25 degrees, and which we sighted down to 33 degrees, is one
uninterrupted mainland coast.
[* Left blank.]

When in 26° 20' we were in sight of the land, we had 8 degrees decreasing
northwesterly variation of the compass. We then shaped our course north
and north by west, which leaves it due north, if the variation is deducted.
On the 29th of August we made the south-coast of Java, 60 miles to
eastward of the western extremity of the said island, so that if you are near
this South-land in 23, 24 or 25 degrees S. Lat., and shape your course north
by west, which deducting the variation is due north-north-west, you will
strike the coast of Java [*] miles to eastward of its south-western extremity.
Therefore, in order to have a fixed course from the Cape to Java, it is
advisable to set sail from the Cape de bonne Esperance in June or July, and
to run on an eastern course in 36 and 37 degrees Southern Latitude, until
you estimate yourself to have covered a thousand miles to eastward, after
which you had better shape your course north and north by east, until you
get into 26 or 27 degrees, thus shunning the shoal aforesaid which lies off
the South-land in 28° 46'.
[* Left blank.]

When you have reached the 26th or 27th degree, run eastward until you
come in sight of the South-land, and then, as before mentioned, from there
hold your course north by west and north-north-west, and you are sure to
make the western extremity of Java, as shown in the annexed small chart
[*], which I have drawn up for the better assurance. This South-land, as far
as we could judge, seems to be a very fair coast, but we found it impossible
to land on it, nor have we seen any smoke or signs of inhabitants there; but
further investigation is wanted on this point.

[* Not forthcoming.]

On the 25th of August we got into Sonda Strait...

In the fortress of Jacatra, October 7, 1619.
Your Worships' obedient servant
FREDERICK HOUTMAN.

{Page 16}

C.

Letter of Supercargo JACOB DEDEL to the Managers of the E.I.C.,
October 7, 1619.

Worshipful Wise Provident Gentlemen,

My last letter to you was dated May 20 last, in which I informed you of my
arrival at Cabo de bonne Esperance..., where I found Commander
Houtman...

On the first of June I was ready to set sail for Bantam from Cabo de bonne
Esperance but contrary winds prevented my putting to sea before June 8th,
when I sailed in company with the Hon. Houtman, pursuant to a resolution
of the Plenary Council. The ships were found to have nearly the same
sailing powers, so that we constantly remained in each other's company.
After having had plenty of westerly, south westerly and southerly winds in
35, 36 and 37 degrees Southern Latitude, with occasional stiff breezes, we
safely made the required distance to eastward, and on the 19th of July last
came upon the south-lands situated behind Java. We anchored in 14
fathom in 32½ degrees latitude, the bottom being level and hard; in full
sight of the land the sea was 100 fathom deep, the coast being steep and
mountainous, the interior uniformly high, of which I append a map. We
used our best endeavours to make a landing, which, however, could not
conveniently be done owing to the steep coast, whereupon we resolved to
run a little more north, where the coast seemed easier of access; but the
wind steadily blowing very stiffly from the north under the land, and the
tide coming in from the south, we spent a good deal of time in tacking, until

a sudden squall from the west, which made the coast a lee-shore and made
us lose one of our anchors, threatened to throw us on the coast. We then
made all sail, and the wind coming round a little, we stood out to sea, not
deeming it advisable to continue longer inshore in this bad weather with
such large heavy ships and such costly cargoes as we had entrusted to our
care, and with great peril to lose more precious time, but being contented
with having seen the land which at a more favourable time may be further
explored with more fitting vessels and smaller craft. We have seen no signs
of inhabitants, nor did we always keep near the coast, since it formed large
bays which would have taken up much time. Still we kept seeing the coast
from time to time, until in 27 degrees we came upon the land discovered
by the ship Eendracht, which land in the said latitude showed as a red,
muddy coast, which according to the surmises of some of us might not
unlikely prove to be gold-bearing, a point which may be cleared up in time.

Leaving the 27th degree, we shaped our course north and north by west,
until on the 19th of August we struck the island of Java 70 miles to
eastward of its western extremity...after which we arrived in Sunda Caleppe
Strait on the 23rd of the same month...

This 7th day of October, 1619.

On board the ship Amsterdam at anchor before our fortress of Jacatra.
Your Worships' Servant
JACOB DEDEL.

{Page 17}

D.

Maps of Hessel Gerritsz, numbered VII C and D. (1616).

XII. (1622)
VOYAGE OF THE SHIP LEEUWIN FROM THE
NETHERLANDS TO JAVA.--DISCOVERY OF THE SOUTH-
WEST COAST OF AUSTRALIA.--LEEUWIN'S LAND.

A.

Chart of Hessel Gerritsz, VII C (1616).

I print such of the legends of this chart as refer to the results of this
expedition:

"Duynich landt boven met boomen ende boseage.
Laegh ghelijck verdroncken landt.
't Landt van de Leeuwin beseylt Ao 1622 in Maert [*]. Laegh duynich
landt."
[Dunes with trees and underwood at top.--Low land seemingly submerged
(by the tide).--Land made by the ship Leeuwin in March, 1622.--Low land
with dunes].
[* The ship Lecuwin had set sail from the Netherlands on April 20, 1621, and arrived at Batavia
May 15, 1622, after a very long voyage, of which the G.-G. and Counc. did not fail to
complain.]

B.

Instructions for Tasman 1644.

...likewise, during the same period in the years 1616, 1618, 1619 and 1622,
the west coast of the great unknown South-land from 35 to 22 degrees
was unexpectedly and accidentally discovered by the ships d'Eendracht,
Mauritius, Amsterdam, Dordrecht and Leeuwin, coming from the
Netherlands...

XIII. (1622)
THE TRIALL (ENGLISH DISCOVERY).--
THE SHIP WAPEN VAN HOORN TOUCHES AT THE WEST-
COAST OF AUSTRALIA. NEW PROJECTS FOR
DISCOVERY MADE BY THE SUPREME GOVERNMENT
AT BATAVIA.

A.

Letter from the G.-G. and Counc. to the Managers of the E.I.C., September
6, 1622.

...On the 5th of July there arrived here [*] a boat with ten men forming part
of the crew of an English ship, named the Triall, and on the 8th do. her
pinnace with 36 men. They state that they have lost and abandoned their
ship with 97 men and {Page 18} the cargo she had taken in, on certain
rocks situated in Latitude 20° 10' South, in the longitude of the western
extremity of Java. These rocks are near a number of broken islands, lying
very far apart, South-east and North-west, at 30 miles' distance northwest of
a certain island which in our charts is laid down in 22° S. Lat. [**]. The
said ship Triall ran on these rocks in the night-time in fine weather, without
having seen land, and since the heavy swells caused the ship to run aground
directly, so that it got filled with water, the 46 persons aforementioned put
off from her in the greatest disorder with the boat and pinnace each
separately, leaving 97 persons in the ship; whose fate is known to God
alone. The boat and pinnace aforesaid arrived here each separately, without
knowing of each other.
[* Batavia.]

[** See, for instance, the chart of Hessel Gerritsz: VII C (1616).]

The ship 't Wapen van Hoorn [*] has also been in extreme peril; at night
in a hard wind she got so near the land of d'Eendracht or the South-land
of Java that she was in 6 fathom before they saw land, which they could
noways put off from, so that they ran on it. But shortly after the storm
abating, they got the landwind, and came off safe, for which the Lord be
praised.
[* She sailed from the Texel, December 22, 1621, and arrived at Batavia, July 22, 1622.]

The ships Amsterdam and Dordrecht [*] likewise got into great peril near
the land just mentioned in the year 1619. Whereas it is necessary that ships,
in order to hasten their arrival, should run on an eastward course for about
1000 miles from the Cape de Bona Esperance between 40 and 30 degrees
Southern Latitude, it is equally necessary that great caution should be used
and the best measures taken in order to avoid such accidents as befell the
English ship Triall. They say that they met with this accident through

following the course of our ships; that they intend to dissuade their
countrymen from imitating their example, and that their masters are sure to
take other measures accordingly.
[* See supra, p. 10.]

For the further discovery of the lands aforesaid we intend, in conformity
with your orders, to send a ship thither as soon as practicable, for which
purpose we have selected the yacht Hazewint [*]. May God Almighty
preserve all your worships' ships from accidents and bring them safe to
port...
[* See infra.]

B.

Instructions for the yachts Haringh and Hasewint having destination jointly
to discover and explore the South-land, September 29, 1622.

Inasmuch as Our Masters ["Heeren Majores"] earnestly enjoin us to
dispatch hence certain yachts for the purpose of making discovery of the
South-land; and since moreover experience has taught, by great perils
incurred by sundry of our ships--but specially by the late miscarrying of the
English ship Triali on the said coast--the urgent necessity of obtaining a full
and accurate knowledge of the true bearing and conformation of the said
land, that further accidents may henceforth be prevented as much as
possible; besides this, seeing that is highly desirable that an investigation
should be made to ascertain whether the regions or any part of the same are
inhabited, and whether any trade might with them be established.

Therefore, for the purpose before mentioned, we have resolved to fit out the
yachts Haringh and Hasewint for undertaking the said voyage, and for
ascertaining as much of the situation and nature of these regions as God
Almighty shall vouchsafe to allow them.

{Page 19}

You will accordingly set sail from here together, run out of Sunda Strait,
and steer your course for the South-land from the western extremity of Java,

keeping as close to the wind as you will find at all possible, that by so doing
you may avoid being driven too far westward by the South-easterly winds
which generally blow in those waters. You may therefore run on as far as
the 32nd or 33rd degree, if you do not fall in with land before that latitude;
having got so far without seeing land, you may conclude that you have
fallen off too far to westward, for sundry ships coming from the
Netherlands have accidentally come upon the South-land in this latitude;
you will in this case have to turn your course to eastward, and run on in this
direction until you sight land.

In running over to the South-land aforesaid, you will have to keep a careful
lookout, as soon as you get in 14 or 15 degrees, seeing that the English ship
Trial before mentioned got aground in 20° 10' Southern Latitude on certain
sunken rocks, bearing north-east and south-west for a length Of 7 miles,
according to the observation of the English pilot, but without having seen
any mainland thereabouts. But the men who saved themselves in the
pinnace and the boat, and thus arrived here, deposed that in the latitude of
13 or 14 degrees they had seen sundry pieces of wood and cane, and
branches of trees floating about, from which they concluded that there must
be land or islands near there. The sunken rocks aforesaid on which the Triall
was wrecked, were exactly south of the western extremity of Java
according to the statements made by the English sailors.

When you shall have come upon the South-land in the said latitude or near
it, you will skirt the coast of the same as far as Latitude 50°, in case the land
should extend so far southward; but if the land should fall off before you
have reached the said latitude, and should be found to trend eastward, you
will follow its eastern extension for some time, and finding no further
extension to southward, you will not proceed farther east, but turn back.
You will do the same if you should find the land to turn to westward. In
returning you will run along the coast as far as it extends to northward, next
proceeding on an eastern course or in such wise as you shall find the land to
extend: in which manner you will follow the coast as close inshore and as
long as you shall find practicable, and as you deem your victuals and
provisions to be sufficient for the return-voyage, even if in so doing you
should sail round the whole land and emerge to southward.

The main object for which you are dispatched on this occasion, is, that from
45 or 50 degrees, or from the farthest point to which the land shall be found
to extend southward within these latitudes, up to the northernmost extremity
of the South-land, you will have to discover and survey all capes, forelands,
bights, lands, islands, rocks, reefs, sandbanks, depths, shallows, roads,
winds, currents and all that appertains to the same, so as to be able to map
out and duly mark everything in its true latitude, longitude, bearings and
conformation. You will moreover go ashore in various places and diligently
examine the coast in order to ascertain whether or no it is inhabited, the
nature of the land and the people, their towns and inhabited villages, the
divisions of their kingdoms, their religion and policy, their wars, their
rivers, the shape of their vessels, their fisheries, commodities and
manufactures, but specially to inform yourselves what minerals, such as
gold, silver, tin, iron, lead, and copper, what precious stones, pearls,
vegetables, animals and fruits, these lands yield and produce.

{Page 20}

To all which particulars and whatever else may be worth noting, you will
pay diligent attention, keeping a careful record or daily journal of the same,
that we may get full information of all your doings and experiences, and the
Company obtain due and perfect knowledge of the situation and natural
features of these regions, in return for the heavy expenses to which she is
put by this expedition.

To all the places which you shall touch at, you will give appropriate names
such as in each instance the case shall seem to require, choosing for the
same either the names of the United Provinces or of the towns situated
therein, or any other appellations that you may deem fitting and worthy. Of
all which places, lands and islands, the commander and officers of these
yachts, by order and pursuant to the commission of the Worshipful
Governor-General Jan Pieterszoon Coen, sent out to India by their High
Mightinesses the States-General of the United Netherlands, and by the
Lords Managers of the General Chartered United East India Company
established in the same, will, by solemn declaration signed by the ships'
councils, take formal possession, and in sign thereof, besides, erect a stone
column in such places as shall be taken possession of; the said column

recording in bold, legible characters the year, the month, the day of the
week and the date, the persons by whom and the hour of the day when such
possession has been taken on behalf of the States-General above mentioned.
You will likewise endeavour to enter into friendly relations and make
covenants with all such kings and nations as you shall happen to fall in
with, and try to prevail upon them to place themselves under the protection
of the States of the United Netherlands, of which covenants and alliances
you will likewise cause proper documents to be drawn up and signed.

All such lands, islands, etc. as you shall take possession of in the fashion
aforesaid, you will duly mark in the chart in their true latitude, longitude
and bearings, together with the names newly conferred on the same.

In virtue of the oath of allegiance which each of you generally and
personally has sworn to the Lords States-General, to His Princely Highness
and the Lords Managers, none of you shall be allowed to retain for his
private use or to abstract any written documents, journals, drawings or
observations touching this present expedition, but every one of you shall be
bound on his return hither faithfully to deliver up the same without
exception.

According to the written statements of Jan Huygen [*], and the opinion of
sundry other persons, certain parts of this South-land are likely to yield
gold, a point into which you will inquire as carefully as possible.
[* Scil. Van Linschoten.]

For the purpose of making a trial we have given orders for various articles
to be put on board your ships, such as ironmongery, cloths, coast-stuffs [*]
and linens; which you will show and try to dispose of to such natives as you
may meet with, always diligently noting what articles are found to be most
in demand, what quantities might be disposed of, and what might be
obtained in exchange for them; we furthermore hand you samples of gold,
silver, copper, iron, lead and pearls, that you may inquire whether these
articles are known to the natives, and might be obtained there in any
considerable quantity.
[* i. e. drawn from the Coast of Coromandel.]

In landing anywhere you will use extreme caution, and never go ashore or
into the interior unless well-armed, trusting no one, however innocent the
natives may be {Page 21} in appearance, and with whatever kindness they
may seem to receive you, being always ready to stand on the defensive, in
order to prevent sudden traitorous surprises, the like of which, sad to say,
have but too often been met with in similar cases. And if any natives should
come hear your ships, you will likewise take due care that they suffer no
molestation from our men.

When you get near the northern extremity and the east coast of the South-
land, you will diligently inquire whether it yields anywhere sandal-wood,
nutmegs, cloves or other spices; likewise whether it has any good harbours
and fertile tracts, where it would be possible to establish settlements, which
might be expected to yield satisfactory returns. In a word, you will suffer
nothing to escape your notice, but carefully scrutinise whatever you find,
and give us a full and proper report on your return, by doing which you will
render good service to the United Netherlands and reap special honour for
yourselves.

In places where you meet with natives, you will either by adroit
management or by other means endeavour to get hold of a number of full-
grown persons, or better still, of boys and girls, to the end that the latter
may be brought up here and be turned to useful purpose in the said quarters
when occasion shall serve.

The command of the two yachts has been entrusted to Jan Vos, who during
the voyage will carry the flag, convene the council and take the chair in the
same, in virtue of our special commission granted to the said Vos for the
purpose.

Given in the Fortress of jacatra, this 29th of September, A.D. 1622 [*].
[* Unforeseen circumstances prevented the expedition from setting out (Letter of the G.-G. and
Counc. to the Managers, 1 Febr. 1623).]

XIV. (1623)
VOYAGE OF THE SHIPS PERA AND ARNHEM, UNDER

COMMAND OF JAN CARSTENSZOON OR CARSTENSZ,
DIRK MELISZOON, AND WILLEM JOOSTEN VAN
COLSTER [*] OR VAN COOLSTEERDT.--FURTHER
DISCOVERY OF THE SOUTH-WEST COAST OF NEW
GUINEA. DISCOVERY OF THE GULF OF CARPENTARIA.
[* He replaced Meliszoon after the latter's death in February.]

I.

JOINT VOYAGE OF THE TWO SHIPS.--VOYAGE OF THE
PERA BY HERSELF UNDER CARSTENSZ, AFTER THE
ARNHEM HAD PARTED COMPANY WITH HER [*].
[* This took place on April 27.]

A.

Letter of the G.-G. and Counc. to the Managers of the E.I.C, dated January
3, 1624.

...In the month of January 1623, Governor Van Speult dispatched from
Amboina the yachts Arnhem and Pera, for the purpose of concluding
treaties of friend ship with the natives of Quey, Aroe and Tenimber, and of
further discovering and {Page 22} exploring the land of Nova Guinea; as
Your Worships may gather from the enclosed document, the islanders
aforesaid have of their own free will placed themselves under the obedience
and dominion of their High Mightinesses the States-General of the United
Netherlands, and have promised to come and trade with our fortresses in
Banda and Amboyna. From there the yachts ran over to Nova Guinea and
skirted the said coast as far as 17° 8' Southern Latitude our men landed
in sundry places, but found nothing but wild coasts, barren land and
extremely cruel, savage and barbarous natives, who surprised and murdered
nine of our men, partly owing to their own negligence; according to the
report we have received of the said coast, there would be nothing in
particular to be got there; what winds, currents, shores, rivers, bights, capes,
forelands and other features of the coast have been further met with,

surveyed and explored, Your Worships may gather from the enclosed
journal and minutes, to which we would beg leave to refer you for further
particulars...

B.

Journal kept by JAN CARSTENSZ [*] on his voyage to Nova Guinea...
[* CARSTENSZ got the Instructions originally drawn up for the ships Haringh and Hazewind.
(See VAN DIJK, Carpentaria, pp. 9-10).]

A.D. 1623.

In the name of God Amen.

JANUARY.

On Saturday the 21st we weighed anchor before Amboyna and set sail from
there, together with the yacht Aernem...On Saturday the 28th...about 3
o'clock in the afternoon...we anchored off the east side of the island of
Quey.

The following night...we made for Aro on an East-by-North and Eastern
course.

On Saturday the 29th in the evening we dropped anchor near the northern
island of Aro.

FEBRUARY.

On the 6th...the wind being south-east by east, we set sail again for the
island which in some charts [*] is called Ceram, and in others de Papues;
course held north-east by north; in the evening N.N.E.; about midnight it
fell a calm; sailed 6 miles.
[* Cf. Remarkable Maps II, 2, II, 3. Under date of March 31 the present journal once more
refers to this mistake in the older charts.]

{Page 23}

In the morning of the 6th the wind was N.E. with a tolerable breeze, course
held N.N.W., we saw high land ahead both on the lee and the weather bow--
at noon latitude 4° 57', sailed three miles on the said course; for the rest of
the day we had a calm, towards the evening the wind went round to S.E.,
course held N.E. by E., sailed 4 miles.

On Sunday the 8th the wind was S. by W., with rain; course held N.E. by E.,
at noon latitude 4° 27, sailed 4 miles on the said course. We then went on a
N.E. course, with a variable wind, which at last fell to a calm; towards
evening after sunset the wind turned to S. by E., we sailed with the fore-
and mizen-sails only on an E. course, sailed three miles to E.S.O. [sic] In
the night the two yachts ran foul of each other in tacking, but got no
damage worth mentioning. The latter part of the night we drifted in a calm
without sails until daybreak.

In the morning of the 9th we made sail again and with a weak N.E. wind
held our course for the land: somewhat later in the day the wind turned to
N.W., at noon we were in latitude 4° 17' and had the south-coast of the land
east slightly north of us, course and wind as before; in the evening we were
close inshore in 25 fathom clayey ground, but since there was no shelter
there from sea-winds, we again turned off the land, and skirted along it in
the night with small sail, seeing we had no knowledge of the land and the
shallows thereabouts; variable wind with rain.

NOTE.

The same day the plenary council having been convened, it was determined
and fixed by formal resolution to continue our present course along the
coast, and if we should come upon any capes, bights, or roads, to come to
anchor there for one or two days at the utmost for a landing, in which we
shall run ashore in good order with two well-manned and armed pinnaces,
to endeavour to come to parley with the inhabitants and generally inspect
the state of affairs there; in leaving we shall, if at all practicable, seize one
or two blacks to take along with us; the main reason which has led us to
touch at the island aforesaid being, that certain reports and writings seem to
imply that the land which we are now near to, is the Gouwen-eylandt [*],

which it would be impossible to call at on our return-voyage in the eastern
monsoon, if we are to obey our orders and instructions.
[* An allusion perhaps to the "provincia aurifera", as the so-called Beach was sometimes styled;
VAN LINSCHOTEN, we know, had also surmised the presence of gold in the South-land.]

In the morning of the 10th, the wind being N.W. by north, being close
inshore, we again held our course for the land; somewhat later in the day we
had West wind with a hard gale, with which we sailed along the coast; about
noon we cast anchor in 12 fathom clayey bottom without any shelter from
the W.N.W. wind; when we were at anchor there, the pinnace of the Pera,
in conformity with the above resolution was sent ashore well-manned and
armed, under command of the sub-cargo, but the heavy rolling of the sea
made it impossible to effect a landing. We accordingly made a man swim
ashore through the surf, who deposited a few small pieces of iron on the
beach, where he had observed numerous human footprints; but as nothing
more could be done, the pinnace went back to the yacht, which we could
not get round to eastward owing to the strong current; we were accordingly
forced to weigh the anchor again, and drift with the current, and thus ran on
along the coast till the first watch, when we cast anchor, it being a dead
calm and we having no knowledge of the water.

In the morning of the 11th we took the sun's altitude, which we found to be
8°, we being in 14° 14', which makes a difference of 6° 14'. When we had
sailed along the land for about a mile's distance we cast anchor in 9 fathom
muddy bottom and sent the pinnace ashore in the same fashion as last time,
but earnestly charged the subcargo to use great caution, and to treat with
kindness any natives that he should meet {Page 24} with, trying if possible
to lay hands on some of them, that through them, as soon as they have
become somewhat conversant with the Malay tongue, our Lords and
Masters may obtain reliable knowledge touching the productions of their
land. At noon we were in Latitude 4° 20'; at night when our men returned
with the pinnace, they informed us that the strong surf had prevented them
from landing, and that they had accordingly, for fully two miles' distance,
rowed up a fresh-water river which fell into the sea near the yacht, without,
however, seeing or hearing any human beings, except that in returning they
had seen numerous human footprints near the mouth of the river, and

likewise two or three small huts made of dry grass, in which they saw
banana-leaves and the sword of a sword-fish, all which they left intact in
conformity with their orders; they also reported that the interior is very low-
lying and submerged in many places, but that 5, 6, or 7 miles from the coast
it becomes hilly, much resembling the island of Ceram near Banda.

NOTE.

(The skipper of the Arnem and nine persons along with him, slain by the
savages, in consequence of their want of caution.)

This same day the skipper of the yacht Aernem, Direk Melisz(oon)
without knowledge of myself, of the subcargo or steersman of the said
yacht, unadvisedly went ashore to the open beach in the pinnace, taking
with him 15 persons, both officers and along common sailors, and no more
than four muskets, for the purpose of fishing with a seine-net; there was
great disorder in landing, the men running off in different directions, until at
last a number of black savages came running forth from the wood, who first
seized and tore to pieces an assistant, named Jan Willemsz Van den Briel
who happened to be unarmed, after which they slew with arrows, callaways
(spears) and with the oars which they had snatched from the pinnace, no
less than nine of our men, who were unable to defend themselves, at the
same time wounding the remaining seven (among them the skipper, who
was the first to take to his heels); these last seven men at last returned on
board in very sorry plight with the pinnace and one oar, the skipper loudly
lamenting his great want of prudence, and entreating pardon for the fault he
had committed.

In the evening the wind West with a very stiff breeze, so that we did not sail
in the night, considering our ignorance of these waters and our fear of cliffs
and shallows that might lie off the coast, which in every case we had to
keep near to, if we wanted to get further north.

On Sunday morning the 12th we set sail again with a stiff breeze from the
west; we held our course E. by S. along the land, and sailed 14 miles that
day; in the evening we altered our course to E.S.E., with a N.W. wind; in

the night we had variable wind and weather, so that we kept drifting; in the
day-watch the skipper of the Aernem, Direk Melisz., died of the wounds
received the day before, having suffered grievous pains shortly before his
death.

In the morning of the thirteenth the wind was N.E. with fair weather and
little wind, so that we ran near the land again; at noon we were in Lat. 4°
25'; the wind West with a very stiff breeze, course held East by South, and
by computation sailed 10 miles until the evening; in the night the wind was
variable; towards daybreak it came on to rain; at 2½ miles' distance from
the low-lying land we were in 28 fathom, black sandy bottom, the land
bearing East and West.

In the morning of the 14th the wind was East with a faint breeze, which
continued for the rest of the day; we kept tacking; in the evening the wind
was N.E. by N. with a very strong current setting westward.

{Page 25}

On the 15th before daybreak the wind was N. by W. with a stiff breeze,
course held East by South; in the morning we took the sun's altitude at
sunrise, which we found to be 7 degrees; at night ditto 21° 30'; the
difference being divided by two comes to 7° 15'; somewhat later in the day,
the wind being N.E. by N., we were five miles or upwards from the land in
33 fathom, drifting rapidly to westward; at noon we were in Lat. 4° 51', the
wind W. by N.; course held N.E. by E. towards the land; shortly after the
wind became due North; from the morning to the evening we had sailed 6
miles, and in 36 hours had been driven back, i.e. westward, at least 11
miles.

This same day the plenary council having been convened, it has been
deemed advisable to appoint another skipper in the Aernem in the room of
the deceased, to which place has been appointed a young man, named
Willem Joosten van Colster [*] second mate in the Pera, as being very fit
for the post, while at the same time the second mate Jan Jansz has been
named first mate in the said yacht.
[* Or Van Coolsteerdt, as the Summary (see infra) has at this date.]

(Mountains covered with snow.) <>In the morning of the 16th we took the
sun's altitude at sunrise, which we found to be 5° 6'; the preceding evening
ditto 20° 30'; the difference being divided by two Comes to 7° 42'.
increasing North-easterly variation; the wind N. by E.; we were at about 1½
mile's distance from the low-lying land in 5 or 6 fathom, clayey bottom; at a
distance of about 10 miles by estimation into the interior, we saw a very
high mountain-range in many places white with snow, which we thought a
very singular sight, being so near the line equinoctial. Towards the evening
we held our course E. by S. along half-submerged land in 5, 4, 3 and 2
fathom, at which last point we dropped anchor; we lay there for five hours,
during which time we found the water to have risen 4 or 5 feet; in the first
watch, the wind being N.E., we ran into deeper water, and came to anchor
in 10 fathom, where we remained for the night.

In the morning of the 17th the wind was N.E. with a faint breeze with which
we set sail, course held S.E.; at noon we were in Lat. 5° 24', and by
estimation 5 miles more to eastward than on the 15th last, seeing that a very
strong current had driven us fully 11 miles to westward; in the evening we
found ourselves at 3 miles' distance from the land, and dropped anchor in
15 fathom, having in the course of the day sailed three miles E. by S. and
E.S.E.

In the morning of the 18th the wind was N.E. with a strong breeze and a
strong current setting to the west; in the afternoon the wind went round to
the S.W., so that we meant to set sail with it, but as it fell a dead calm we
had to remain at anchor.

In the morning of the 19th the wind was N.E. by N., so that we made sail,
keeping an E.S.E. course along the coast, with a strong current setting
westward; at noon we were in Lat. 5° 27'; it then fell calm and we had
continual counter-currents, so that we cast anchor in 14 fathom, having
sailed 2½ miles; the land bearing from us E.S.E., slightly South; towards
the evening the wind went round to S.S.W., so that we set sail again and ran
on S.E. 1 mile; when it became dark we cast anchor in 6 fathom.

At noon on the 20th the wind was S. and shortly after S.W., with which we
set sail, keeping our course E. by S. and S.O. along the land in 6 fathom; in

the evening we cast anchor at about 3 miles' distance from the land, having
sailed 5 miles this day.

{Page 26}

On the 21st the wind was N.E. by N. with a weak breeze and the current
running south straight from the land, which is no doubt owing to the
outflow of the rivers which take their source in the high mountains of the
interior. The eastern part of the high land, which we could see, bore from us
N.E. and N.E. by N; in the morning we set sail with a N.W. wind and fair
weather course held S.E. by E. and S.E. for three miles, and then S.S.E. for
five miles; in the evening we dropped anchor in 7 fathom about 3 miles
from the land, the wind blowing hard from the west with violent rains.

In the morning of the 22nd the wind was N., a strong gale with rain and a
strong current setting westward, so that we were compelled to remain at
anchor; towards the evening the wind went round to W.S.W., with dirty
weather, so that we got adrift by our anchor getting loose, upon which we
dropped our large anchor to avoid stranding; in the afternoon the storm
subsided and we had variable winds.

In the morning of the 23rd we set sail, course held S.E. with a S.W. wind
and violent rains; when we had run a mile, the heavy swells forced us to
drop anchor; in the afternoon we lifted anchor with great difficulty and peril
owing to the violent rolling of the yacht, and set sail, but shortly after, the
yacht Aernem making a sign with her flag that she could not manage to
heave her anchor, we cast anchor again.

In the morning of the 24th the weather was unruly, with a W. wind and a
very hollow sea; in the afternoon the weather getting slightly better, both
the yachts set sail again with the wind as before, holding a S. by E. course;
in the evening we dropped anchor in 14 fathom, having sailed 4 miles
S.S.E., and found the land to extend E.S.E. ever since the 20th instant.

In the morning of the 25th we set sail with a N.N.W. wind, sailing 4 miles
on an E.S.E. course, and then 5 miles on a S. by E. and S.S.E. course, after
which the foretop-mast of the Aernem broke, so that we were both
compelled to drop anchor in 10 fathom about 4 miles from the land.

In the morning of the 26th we set sail to get near the Aernem and speak to
her crew, who were engaged in repairing the rigging and replacing the
foremast; we both drifted with the current in the teeth of the wind, and thus
ran 3 miles, when the Aernem cast anchor 1½ mile from us on the weather-
side; in the evening there was a strong current from the W.S.W. with rain,
which lasted the whole night.

NOTE.

(Here end the mountains of the western extremity of Nova Guinea.)

The high-lying interior of Ceram ends here, without showing any opening
or passage (through which we might run north according to our plan), and
passes into low-lying half-submerged land, bearing E.S.E. and S.E. by E.,
extending in all likelihood as far as Nova Guinea, a point which with God's
help we mean to make sure of at any cost; on coming from Aru to the island
of Ceram, the latter is found to have a low-lying foreland dangerous to
touch at, since at 6, 8 and 9 miles' distance from the same, the lofty
mountains of the interior become visible, the low foreland remaining
invisible until one has got within 3 or 4 miles from the land; the high
mountains are seen to extend fully thirty miles to eastward, when you are
north of Aru; as seen from afar, the land seems to have numerous pleasant
valleys and running fresh-water rivers; here and there it is overgrown with
brushwood and in other places covered with high trees; but we are unable to
give any information as to what fruits, metals and animals it contains, and
as to the manner of its cultivation since the natives whom {Page 27} we
found to be savages and man-eaters, refused to hold parley with us, and fell
upon our men who suffered grievous damage; after the report, however, of
some of the men of the yacht Aernem, who being wounded on the 11th
aforementioned, succeeded in making their escape, the natives are tall black
men with curly heads of hair and two large holes through their noses, stark
naked, not covering even their privities; their arms are arrows, bows,
assagays, callaways and the like. They have no vessels either large or small,
nor has the coast any capes or bights that might afford shelter from west-
and south-winds, the whole shore being clear and unencumbered, with a
clayey bottom, forming a good anchoring-ground, the sea being not above

3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 fathom in depth at 1,2 and more miles' distance
from the land, the rise and fall of the water with the tides we found to be
between 1½ and 2 fathom.

In the morning of the 27th the wind was W.N.W. with dirty weather and a
very high sea, so that the Aernem was unable so heave her anchor in order
to get near us, on which account we both of us remained at anchor the
whole day; towards the evening the weather became much worse with
pouring rains, so that we dropped another anchor; in the day-watch the
cable of our large anchor broke without our perceiving it, and the other
anchor getting loose, we drifted slowly to eastward; the land here extended
E.S.E. and W.S.W.

In the morning of the 28th the Aernem was no longer in sight, so that we
resolved to set sail in order to seek her; holding our course S.W., we ran on
for three miles, after which we saw on our lee land bearing S.W. which we
would not sail clear of; we therefore dropped anchor in 9 fathom, the
weather still continuing dirty with rain and wind, and a strong ebb from the
E.S.E. running flat against the wind; the water rising and falling fully two
fathom at every tide.

MARCH.

On the first the wind was W. by N. with rain: we find that in these latitudes
the southern and northern moon makes high water; at noon we weighed
anchor and drifted with the current, which set strongly to westward.

On the second the wind was west with fair weather, with which we found it
impossible to weather the land; in the evening we were in Lat. 6° 45'.

In the morning of the third the wind was W., with a strong gale and rain; at
noon we had fair weather so that myself and the council determined to set
sail on a Northern course in order to seek the yacht Aernem; when we had
run on the said course for the space of 5 glasses, we saw the said yacht
N.W. of us, but since the current ran very strong in our teeth, we dropped
anchor in 10 fathom.

In the morning of the 4th the wind was north, with which we set sail in
order to get near the Aernem; but when we had sailed for an hour, the
headwind and counter-current forced us to drop anchor.

The yacht aforesaid, which was lying above the wind and the current, now
weighed her anchor and dropped the same near the Pera, after which the
skipper of the Aernern came on board of us in the pinnace, and informed me
that they had very nearly lost the yacht in the storm before mentioned, since
all the seas they had shipped had found their way into the hold, which got
so full of water that the greater part of their rice, powder and matches had
become wet through; this same day I sent the skipper and the steersman of
the Pera on board the yacht Aernem in order to inquire into her condition,
and ascertain whether she was so weak and disabled as had been reported to
me; since the persons committed reported that the yacht was very weak and
disabled above the waterline, it has been resolved that the main-topmast,
which they had already taken down by way of precaution, should not be put
up again provisionally.

{Page 28}

The same day we set sail again with the wind as before, course held S.W.,
and after running on for two miles, we cast anchor again in 11 fathom.

In the morning of the 5th we set sail again, with a W. wind; course held
S.S.W. when we had run on for two miles we got change of weather with
variable winds, in the evening we came to anchor in 13 fathom...

On the 6th we set sail again before daybreak, the wind being West; course
held S.S.W., sailed three miles; about noon, the wind blowing straight for
the coast, we cast anchor in 5½ fathom at a mile's distance from the coast,
and, in conformity with the resolution, fetched a light anchor from the yacht
Aernem.

(Keerweer, formerly mistaken for island.)

In the morning of the 7th we set sail again, the wind being N.E., course held
W., in order to get a little farther off the land; when we had run a mile, we

dropped anchor in 5½ fathom, and I went ashore myself with two well-
manned and armed pinnaces, because on the 6th aforesaid we had seen 4 or
5 canoes making from the land for the yachts; when we got near the land we
saw a small canoe with three blacks; when we rowed towards them, they
went back to the land and put one of the three ashore, as we supposed, in
order to give warning for the natives there to come in great numbers and
seize and capture our pinnaces; for as soon as we made towards them, they
tried to draw us on, slowly paddling on towards the land; at last the
"jurebass"(?) swam to them, with some strings of beads, but they refused to
admit him; so we made signs and called out to them, but they paid little or
no attention, upon which we began to pull back to the yacht without having
effected anything; the blacks or savages seeing this, slowly followed us, and
when we showed them beads and iron objects, they cautiously came near
one of our pinnaces; one of the sailors in the pinnace inadvertently touching
the canoe with one of his oars, the blacks forthwith began to attack our
men, and threw several callaways into the pinnace, without, however, doing
any damage owing to the caution used by the men in her; in order to
frighten them the corporal fired a musket, which hit them both, so that they
died on the spot; we then rowed back to the yachts. To the place on the
coast where the aforesaid incident took place, we have given the name of
Keerweer (= Turn again) in the new chart, seeing that the land here trends
to S.W. and West; its latitude being 7°.

On the 8th we had a strong gale from the S.S.W. the whole day, with rain
and unsteady weather, so that we thought it best to remain at anchor.

In the morning of the 9th the weather was fair, and the wind west, so that
we set sail on a N.N.W. course; when we had run one mile we saw two
groups of canoes putting off from shore and making for us, one consisting
of 7, and the other of 8 small canoes; as we were lying close to the wind
and could not weather the land with it, we came to anchor in 3 fathom; one
of the canoes aforesaid came so near us, that we could call out to her, but
the second group aforesaid kept quiet, upon which the canoe which had
been near us, paddled towards this second group; from their various
gestures we saw and understood sufficiently that their intentions had from
the first been anything but peaceable, but God's Providence prevented them
from carrying their wicked plans into effect; in the evening we set sail again

with the current, the wind being west and our course held N.N.W. in the
first watch we turned our course S.W. and S.W. by W., on which we sailed
the whole night, until about daybreak we found the water shallowing and
dropped anchor in 2½ fathom, having sailed 5 miles.
[* Scil. by the men of the ship Duifken (see the extract below).--Princess Marianne Strait and
Prince Frederik Hendrik island. (There is no reference in the text for this footnote--Ed.)]

{Page 29}

In the morning of the 10th we set sail again, the wind being W.N.W., on a
S.W. course; at noon we were in Lat. 7° 35'; in the evening we came to
anchor in 3 fathom muddy bottom, at about 1½ mile's distance from the
land.

NOTE

That it is impossible to land here with boats or pinnaces, owing to the
clayey and muddy bottom into which a man will sink up to the waist, the
depth of the water being no more than 3 or 4 fathom at 3 or 4 miles'
distance from the land; the land is low-lying and half-submerged, being
quite under water at high tide; it is covered with wild trees, those on the
beach resembling the fir-trees of our country, and seemingly bearing no
fruit; the natives are coal-black like the Caffres; they go about stark naked,
carrying their privities in a small conch-shell, tied to the body with a bit of
string; they have two holes in the midst of the nose, with fangs of hogs of
swordfishes through them, protruding at least three fingers' breadths on
either side, so that in appearance they are more like monsters than human
beings; they seem to be evil-natured and malignant; their canoes are small
and will not hold above 3 of 4 of them at most; they are made out of one
piece of wood, and the natives stand up in them, paddling them on by
means of long oars; their arms are arrows, bows, assagays and callaways,
which they use with great dexterity and skill; broken iron, parangs and
knives are in special demand with them. The lands which we have up to
now skirted and touched at, not only are barren and inhabited by savages,
but also the sea in these parts yields no other fish than sharks, sword-fishes

and the like unnatural monsters, while the birds too are as as wild and shy
as the men.

In the morning of the 11th, the wind being W.N.W. and the weather fair, we
set sail on a S.S.W. course along the coast in 4, 3½ and 2½ fathom muddy
bottom; towards the evening we saw no more land ahead of us, the farthest
extremity falling off quite to eastward, and extending east by south; we
accordingly ran S.S.E., but it was not long before we got into 2 fathom
water and even less. We therefore went over to the north, and in the evening
dropped anchor in' fathom, having this day sailed eight miles to S.S.W.

In the morning of the 12th the wind blew from the N.W.; in the forenoon I
rowed to the land myself with the two pinnaces well-manned and armed, in
order to see if there was anything worth note there; but when we had got
within a musket-shot of the land, the water became so shallow that we
could not get any farther, whereupon we all of us went through the mud up
to our waists, and with extreme difficulty reached the beach, where we saw
a number of fresh human foot-prints; on going a short distance into the
wood, we also saw twenty or more small huts made of dry grass, the said
huts being so small and cramped that a man could hardly get into them on
all fours, from which we could sufficiently conclude that the natives here
must be of small stature, poor and wretched; we afterwards tried to
penetrate somewhat {Page 30} farther into the wood, in order to ascertain
the nature and situation of the country, when on our coming upon a piece of
brushwood, a number of blacks sprang out of it, and began to let fly their
arrows at us with great fury and loud shouts, by which a carpenter was
wounded in the belly and an assistant in the leg: we were all of us hard
pressed, upon which we fired three or four muskets at them killing one of
the blacks stone-dead, which utterly took away their courage; they dragged
the dead man into the wood, and we, being so far from the pinnaces and
having a very difficult path to go in order to get back to them, resolved to
return and row back to the yachts.

(The Valsch Caep is 8 degrees 15 minutes south of the equator and 70
miles S.E. of Aru.)

The The same day at low tide we saw a large sandbank, S.E., S., and S.W.
of us, where we had been with the yacht on the 11th last, the said sandbank
extending fully 4 miles W., S.W. and W. by S. of the land or foreland; on
which account we have in the new chart given to the same the name of de
Valsch Caep [*]; it is in Lat. 8° 15' South, and about 70 miles east of Aru.
[* The South-west point of Prince Frederik Hendrik island.]

NOTE

That the land which we have touched at as above mentioned, is low-lying
and half-submerged to northward, so that a large part of it is under water at
high tide; to the south it is somewhat higher and inhabited by certain natives
who have built huts there; so far as we could ascertain the land is barren,
covered with tall wild trees; the natives quite black and naked without any
covering to hide their privy parts; their hair curly in the manner of the
Papues: they wear certain fish-bones through the nose, and through their
ears pieces of tree-bark, a span in length, so that they look more like
monsters than like human beings: their weapons are arrows and bows which
they use with great skill.

On the 13th the wind was N., the weather fair, and the current stronger to
west than to northward; we set sail in the forenoon, holding our course
W.N.W. in order to get into deeper water; when we had run some distance,
we got into eight feet of water; upon which we turned back and towards
evening came to anchor in 2 fathom.

On the 14th the weather was fair, the wind N. by W., the current running
strongly to S.W., as before; at noon we sent out the two pinnaces to take
soundings; they rowed as far as 2 miles W.N.W. of the yachts, and nowhere
found more than 1½ and 2 fathom of water; the same day, seeing that the
weather is now getting more constant every day, it was resolved to put up
again the main-topmast in the yacht Aernem, which had been taken down
before on account of bad weather.

On the 15th the wind was N.N.E. with good weather and the current as
strong as before; we set sail at noon with the tide running from the N.W.,
hoping to get into deeper water, but having been tacking about till the
evening, we were by counter-currents forced to come to anchor in three
fathom.

On the 16th the weather was good, the wind being N.E. by N.; we set sail in
the forenoon; in the course of the day we had a calm; towards the evening
the wind went round to W.S.W., course held N.N.W. along the shallows in
2½ and 2 fathom; in the evening we came to anchor in 3 fathom; we find
that in these parts the currents set very strongly to south-west, as before
mentioned, and that the water rises and falls fully 1½ and 2 fathom at each
tide.

{Page 31}

On the 17th the wind was East; we set sail, holding a W.N.W. and W. by N.
course, and thus got into deeper water upwards of 5 fathom; at noon we
were in Lat. 8° 4'; in the evening we cast anchor in 6 fathom, having sailed
4 miles W.S.W.

In the morning of the 18th the weather was good with a W. wind; in the
afternoon we set sail with the rising tide running from the west; course held
S.W. by S. in 6 fathom. when we got into deeper water than 7 and 8 fathom,
we altered our course to S.E. by E. and E.S.E. in 10, 12, 14, 18, 20, 26 and
28 fathom; towards evening we went on an Eastward course, having sailed
5½ miles on the aforesaid course from the morning to the evening, and 9
miles to eastward from the evening till the morning.

On the 19th the wind was W., course held E., with the Valsch Caep N.N.E.
of us at 5 miles' distance, the land extending N. by W.; the water being 24
fathom here, we went over to E.N.E. and sailed 4 miles, when we got into 6
fathom, where we cast anchor about 4 miles from the land.

On the 20th the wind was N.N.E., with good weather; we set sail, holding
our course as before in 6 fathom. at night we dropped anchor in 5½ fathom,
having sailed 7½ miles this day.

On the 21st we set sail again in the morning with a N.N.W. wind, keeping a
N.E. course for 4 miles in 4 fathom; in the afternoon we went over to
eastward sailing 8 miles; in the evening we came to anchor in 7 fathom,
near an island situated a mile or upwards South and North of the mainland;
a quarter of a mile N. by E. and S. by W. of the island there is a rock with
two dry trees on it.

On the 22nd, the council having been convened, it has finally been resolved
to land with two pinnaces properly manned and armed, seeing that the coast
is covered with cocoa-inut trees here, and the land seems to be higher, better
and more fertile than any we have seen before; and since we could not get
ashore on account of the shallowness of the water, the muddy bottom and
other inconveniencies, we rowed to the small island aforementioned; while
we were making inspection of it, the yacht Aernem got adrift owing to the
violent current and the strong gale, and ran foul of the bows of the Pera,
causing grievous damage to both the ships; this accident detained our yachts
for some days, and without God's special providence they would both them
have run aground.

On the 23rd, the weather being good, and the council having once more
been convened, I proposed to try every possible means to get the Aernem
into sailing trim again, in the first place by constructing another rudder. This
we found impossible since there were no new square rudders in either of the
yachts; we were accordingly compelled to try some makeshift, and in order
to be able to continue our voyage and avoid abandoning the yacht, it was
finally resolved that with the available materials there should be constructed
a rudder after the manner of the Chinese and Javanese; for this purpose the
Pera will have to give up her main-top mast, the rest of the required wood
to be cut on the land, and we shall tarry here until the rudder has been
replaced.

On the 24th while our men were engaged on the rudder, the subcargo rowed
to the small island aforesaid with the two pinnaces, in order to get fresh
water for the Aernem, which was very poorly supplied with the same, and
in the evening he returned on board again with four casks of water, which
he had got filled with extreme difficulty.

{Page 32}

On the 25th, the yacht Aernem being in sailing trim again, for which God
be thanked, we set sail again with good weather and a favourable wind,
holding our course along the land in 5½, 6, and 6½ fathom; in the evening
we cast anchor in 2½ fathom about 2 miles from the land, having sailed 10
miles this day.

NOTE

(The Vleermuys-Eylandt is in 8 degrees 8 minutes Lat., 40 miles east of
the Valsch Caep.)

That the island aforesaid is in 8° 8' Southern Latitude, about a mile south
and north of the mainland as before mentioned; it is pretty high, having a
great number of wild trees on the east-side, and being quite bare on the
west-side. It is about a quarter of a mile in circumference, and is surrounded
by numerous cliffs and rocks, overgrown with oysters and mussels, the soil
is excellent and fit to be planted and sown with everything; by estimation it
bears a hundred full-grown cocoanut-trees and a great many younger ones;
we also observed some banana- and oubi-trees; we besides found fresh
water here, which comes trickling through the clay in small rills, and has to
be gathered in pits dug for the purpose; the island also contains large
numbers of bats living in the trees, on which account we have given to it the
name of Vleermuys-Eylant [Bats' Island] in the new chart. We have seen
no huts or human beings in it, but found unmistakable signs that there had
been men here at some previous time.

(Clappes Cust [Cocoanut Coast].)

On the 26th the weather was good, the wind N.N.W., course held S.E. by E.
along the land in 5 fathom. In the forenoon 4 small canoes put off from the
land and followed us; we waited for them to come alongside, and found
they were manned with 25 blacks, who had nothing with them except their
arms; they called out and made signs for us to come ashore; we then threw
out to them some small pieces of iron and strings of beads, at which they
showed great satisfaction; they paid little or no attention to the gold, silver,
copper, nutmegs and cloves which we showed them, though they were quite

ready to accept these articles as presents. Their canoes are very skilfully
made out of one piece of wood, some of them being so large that they will
hold 20 and even more blacks. Their paddles are long, and they use them
standing or sitting; the men are black, tall and well-built, with coarse and
strong limbs, and curly hair, like the Caffres, some of them wearing it tied
to the neck in a knot, and others letting it fall loose down to the waist. They
have hardly any beards; some of them have two, others three holes through
the nose, in which they wear fangs or teeth of hogs or sword-fishes. They
are stark-naked and have their privities enclosed in a conch shell, fastened
to the waist with a bit of string; they wear no rings of gold, silver, copper,
tin, or iron on their persons, but adorn themselves with rings made of
tortoise shell or terturago (Spanish tortuga?), from which it may be inferred
that their land yields no metals or wood of any value, but is all low-lying
and half-submerged, as we have actually found it to be; there were also
among them some not provided with paddles, but wearing two strings of
human teeth round their necks, and excelling all the others in ugliness; these
men carried on the left arm a hammer with a wooden handle and at one end
a black conch-shell, the size of a man's fist, the other end by which they
hold it, being fitted with a three-sided bone, not unlike a piece of stag's
horn; in exchange for one of these hammers they were offered a rug, some
strings of {Page 33} beads and bits of iron, which they refused, though they
were willing to barter the same for one of the boys, whom they seemed to
have a great mind to. Those who carry the hammers aforesaid would seem
to be noblemen or valiant soldiers among them. The people are cunning and
suspicious, and no stratagems on our part availed to draw them near enough
to us to enable us to catch one or two with nooses which we had prepared
for the purpose; their canoes also contained a number of human thigh-
bones, which they repeatedly held up to us, but we were unable to make out
what they meant by this. Finally they asked for a rope to tow the yacht to
shore, but soon got tired of the work, and paddled back to the land in a great
hurry.

In the evening we cast anchor in three fathom about 3 miles from the land,
having sailed 13 miles this day.

In the morning of the 27th the wind was W.N.W. with a stiff breeze, course
held S.E. by S. and S.E., on which we sailed 7 miles, and afterwards E.S.E.

5 miles, in 5½, 5 and 3 fathom; in the evening we came to anchor in 6½
fathom, 3½ miles from the land; a quarter of a mile farther to landward we
saw a sandbank, on which the Aernem struck but got off again, for which
God be praised.

On the 28th we set sail again, with a N.W. wind, on an eastern course
towards the land, in various depths, such as 7, 9, 12, 4 and 5½ fathom; at
noon we were in 9° 6' S. Lat., having sailed 5 miles; from noon till the
evening we ran on an E. by S. course a distance Of 4 miles in 18, 12, 9, 7, 5
and 2 fathom, after which we cast anchor, and sent out the pinnace to take
soundings; the water being found to become deeper nearer the coast, we
again weighed anchor and sailed to the land, casting anchor finally in 4
fathom three miles from the coast.

In the morning of the 29th the wind was N.N.E. with fine weather; in the
forenoon it was deemed advisable to send off the boat of the Pera with
thirteen men and the steersman of the Aernem and victualled for four days,
in order to take soundings and skirt the land, which extended E.N.E., for a
distance of 7 or 8 miles.

On the 30th the wind was N. with good weather, so that we also sent out the
pinnace of the Aernem in order to take soundings in various directions 2 or
3 miles from the yachts; at low water we saw various sandbanks and reefs
lying dry, to wit E.S.E., S.S.W. and W.; in the afternoon the pinnace of the
Aernem returned on board, having found shallows everywhere at 2 miles'
distance. Towards the evening the boat of the Pera also returned, when we
heard from the steersman that they had been E. by S. and E.S.E. of the
yachts, at about 8 miles' distance, where they had found very shallow water,
no more than 7, 8, 9 and 10 feet, which extended a mile or more, and was
succeeded by depths Of 2, 2½, 3, 5 and 7 fathom; they had found the land
to extend E. and E. by N., and to be very low-lying and muddy, and
overgrown with low brushwood and wild trees.

On the 31st the wind was N.N.E. with rain. In the afternoon I rowed with
the two pinnaces to one of the reefs in order to examine the state of things
between the yachts and the land, which space had fallen dry at low tide; in
the afternoon the skipper of the Pera also got orders to row to the land with
the boat duly manned and armed, in order to ascertain whether anything

could be done for the service of our Masters, and to attempt to get a parley
with the inhabitants and to get hold of one or two of them, if practicable;
very late in the evening the boat returned on board, and we were informed
by the skipper that, although it was high water, they could not come nearer
than to a pistol-shot's distance from the land owing to the shallow water and
the soft mud; they also reported the land to be low-lying and half-
submerged, overgrown with brushwood and wild trees.

{Page 34}

NOTE.

(The Drooge Bocht, where we were compelled to leave the western
extremity of Nova Guinea is in 9 degrees 20 minutes S. Lat.)

After hearing the aforesaid reports touching the little depths sounded to
eastward, we are sufficiently assured that it will prove impossible any
longer to follow the coastline which we have so long skirted in an eastward
direction, and that we shall, to our great regret, be compelled to return the
same way we have come, seeing that we have been caught in the shallows
as in a trap; for this purpose we shall have to tack about and take advantage
of the ebb, and as soon as we get into deeper water, to run south to the
sixteenth degree or even farther, if it shall be found advisable; then turn the
ships' heads to the north along the coast of Nova Guinea, according to our
previous resolution taken on the 6th of March last; as mentioned before, we
were here in 9° 6' S. Lat., about 125 miles east of Aru, and according to the
chart we had with us and the estimation of the skippers and steersmen, no
more than 2 miles from Nova Guinea, so that the space between us and
Nova Guinea seems to be a bight to which on account of its shallows we
have given the name of drooge bocht [*] [shallow bight] in the new chart;
to the land which we had run along up to now, we have by resolution given
the name of 't Westeinde van Nova Guinea (Western extremity of N. G.),
seeing that we have in reality found the land to be an unbroken coast, which
in the chart is marked as islands, such as Ceram and the Papues, owing to
misunderstanding and untrustworthy information.
[* Entrance of Torres Strait.]

APRIL.

On the first the wind was W. by S. with good weather; we weighed anchor
and drifted with the ebb running from the N.E. when we had run 1½ mile
with the tide to the S.W., we came to anchor again in 6 fathom.

On the second, the wind being W. by N., we tried to tack about to the W.
with the ebb-tide in 4, 5 and 6 fathom; we had variable winds the whole
day; towards the evening we cast anchor in 4 fathom three miles from the
land, having this day progressed 4 miles to the W. and W. by N.

On the third we set sail again at daybreak, the wind being N., course kept
W.N.W. in 7, 2, and 2½ fathom, the water in these parts being of greatly
varying depths, so that we had to keep sounding continually; in the
afternoon we dropped anchor in 4 fathom, having drifted 2½, miles with the
ebb-tide.

On the 4th, the wind being N.E. by N., we set sail again with good weather:
in the afternoon we ran on with the tide and cast anchor in 7 fathom, having
lost sight of the land, and sailed 8 miles W. and W. by N.

NOTE.

Here we managed with extreme difficulty and great peril to get again out of
the shallows aforesaid, into which we had sailed as into a trap, between
them and the land, for which happy deliverance God be praised; the
shallows extend South and North, from 4 to 9 miles from the mainland, and
are 10 miles in length from East to West.

{Page 35}

On the fifth we set sail again at daybreak, the wind being E.N.E., on courses
varying between S.W. and S., by which we got into deeper water, between
14 and 26 fathom, and sailed 18 miles in the last 24 hours.

On the sixth the wind was S.W. with rain, course held S.E.; at night we
were in Lat. 9° 45', having sailed 11 miles to the E.S.E. in the last 24 hours.

On the 7th, the wind being S.S.E., we ran on an Eastern course in 15 or 16
fathom, and sailed 4 miles till the evening; at nightfall we went over to S.E.,
and cast anchor in 4 fathom, but as the yacht was veering round, we got into
2 fathom, having sailed three miles E.S.E. during the night.

In the morning of the 8th we clearly saw several stones lying on the sea-
bottom, without perceiving any change in the water in which we had
sounded 26 fathom; so that the land here, which we did not see, is highly
dangerous to touch at, but through God's providence the yachts did not get
aground here; at noon we set sail, being in 10° 15' S. Lat., the wind being
W. by S. and afterwards variable; we sailed S.S.W. till the next morning, in
10 and 10½ fathom, and covered 6 miles.

On the 9th the wind was N. with rain, course held S.E.; at night the wind
went round to S.E.; we therefore came to anchor in 11 fathom, having sailed
5 miles this day.

In the morning of the 10th the wind was E.N.E., course held S.E. in 9, 10,
and 11 fathom; at night the wind blew from the S.E., upon which we cast
anchor, having sailed 5 miles this day.

On the 11th the wind was E. by N. with a fair breeze, course kept S.S.E.; at
noon we were in 11° 30'; the whole of this day and night we tried to get
south with variable winds and on different courses, and sailed 22 miles in
the last 24 hours; course kept S.E.

In the morning of the 12th the wind was S.E. with good weather; at sunrise
we saw the land of Nova Guinea [*], showing itself as a low-lying coast
without hills or mountains; we were then in 13½ fathom, clayey bottom;
course held S.S.W.; at noon we were in Lat. 11° 45' South, having sailed 10
miles on a S.E. course in the last 24 hours.
[* York Peninsula.]

In the morning of the 13th the wind was S.E. by E. and we were in 24
fathom; we still saw the land aforementioned and found it to be of the same
shape as before; course held S.W.; at noon we were in 12° 53'; for the rest
of day and night we tried to get south with the winds aforesaid and on

varying courses, having sailed 22 miles in the last 24 hours; course kept
S.W.

On the 14th the wind was E. by S., course held S. by E. along the land in
11, 12, 13, and 14 fathom; at noon we were in Lat. 13° 47', the land being
no longer in sight. The rest of the day and the whole night we tried to get
the land alongside with divers winds and on varying courses in 7, 6, 6, 4, 3,
and 2½ fathom; towards daybreak we were so near the land that one might
have recognised persons on shore.

In the morning of the 15th the wind blew hard from the East; course held S.
by E. in 3 and 2½ fathom along a sandbank, situated about one mile from
the mainland; at noon we were in 14° 36. The land which we have hitherto
seen and followed, extends S. and N.; it is low-lying and without variety,
having a fine sandy beach in various places. In the afternoon we dropped
anchor owing to the calm, having sailed {Page 36} 11 miles South. Great
volumes of smoke becoming visible on the land, the subcargo [*] got orders
to land with the two pinnaces, duly manned and armed, and was specially
enjoined to use his utmost endeavours for the advantage of Our Masters;
when the pinnaces returned at nightfall, the subcargo reported that the
pinnaces could get no farther than a stone's throw from the land, owing to
the muddy bottom into which the men sunk to their waists, but that they had
in various places seen blacks emerging from the wood, while others lay hid
in the coppice; they therefore sent a man ashore with some pieces of iron
and strings of beads tied to a stick, in order to attract the blacks; but as
nothing could be effected and the night was coming on, they had been
forced to return to the yachts.
[* Pieter Lintiens. (Summary).]

In the morning of the 16th, being Easter-day, the wind was East; we set sail,
holding our course S. by E.; at noon we were in 14° 56'; in the evening we
came to anchor in 5 ½fathom, having sailed 10½ miles, course kept South.

In the morning of the 17th the wind was S. by W., with rain and the tide
setting to the south; at noon the wind went round to East, so that we made
sail, course held S. by W., along the land in 4½ fathom; towards the
evening, it fell a calm, so that we dropped anchor with the ebb, after which

I went ashore myself with the two pinnaces duly provided with men and
arms; we went a considerable distance into the interior, which we found to
be a flat, fine country with few trees, and a good soil for planting and
sowing, but so far as we could observe utterly destitute of fresh water. Nor
did we see any human beings or even signs of them; near the strand the
coast was sandy with a fine beach and plenty of excellent fish.

In the morning of the 18th the wind was E.N.E., course held S. by W. along
the land; about noon, as we saw persons on the beach, we cast anchor in 3½
fathom clayey bottom; the skipper of the Pera got orders to row to land with
the two pinnaces, duly provided for defence; in the afternoon when the
pinnaces returned, we were informed by the skipper that as soon as he had
landed with his men, a large number of blacks, some of them armed and
others unarmed, had made up to them; these blacks showed no fear and
were so bold, as to touch the muskets of our men and to try to take the same
off their shoulders, while they wanted to have whatever they could make
use of; our men accordingly diverted their attention by showing them iron
and beads, and espying vantage, seized one of the blacks by a string which
he wore round his neck, and carried him off to the pinnace; the blacks who
remained on the beach, set up dreadful howls and made violent gestures,
but the others who kept concealed in the wood remained there. These
natives are coal-black, with lean bodies and stark naked, having twisted
baskets or nets round their heads; in hair and figure they are like the blacks
of the Coromandel coast, but they seem to be less cunning, bold and evil-
natured than the blacks at the western extremity of Nova Guinea; their
weapons, of which we bring specimens along with us, are less deadly than
those we have seen used by other blacks; the weapons in use with them are
assagays, shields, clubs and sticks about half a fathom in length; as regards
their customs and policy and the nature of the country, Your Worships will
in time be able to get information from the black man we have got hold of,
to whom I would beg leave to refer you...

On the 19th, the wind being S.E., we remained at anchor, and since the
yachts were very poorly provided with firewood, the skipper of the Pera
went ashore with the two pinnaces duly manned and armed; when the men
were engaged in cutting wood, {Page 37} a large number of blacks upwards
of 200 came upon them, and tried every means to surprise and overcome

them, so that our men were compelled to fire two shots, upon which the
blacks fled, one of their number having been hit and having fallen; our men
then proceeded somewhat farther up the country, where they found several
weapons, of which they took some along with them by way of curiosities.
During their march they observed in various places great quantities of
divers human bones, from which it may be safely concluded that the blacks
along the coast of Nova Guinea are man-eaters who do not spare each other
when driven by hunger.

On the 20th, the wind being S.E., we set sail on a S.S.W. course; at noon we
came to anchor with the ebb-tide running from the South, in 3½ fathom
clayey bottom, and ordered the skipper to go ashore with the two pinnaces,
duly provided for defence, and diligently inquire into the state of things on
shore, so far as time and place should allow; when he returned in the
evening, he informed us that the surf had prevented them from getting near
the strand, so that there could be not question of landing.

In the morning of the 21st, the wind being S.E., we set sail; course held
S.S.W. along the land; at noon we were in 15° 38'; in the evening we came
to anchor with the ebb in 3½ fathom.

In the morning of the 22nd the wind was E.N.E., course held South; at noon
we were in 16° 4'; the wind being W. by N. we dropped anchor towards the
evening in 2½ fathom, about one mile from the land.

On the 23rd the wind was N.N.E., with a stiff breeze, so that we set sail on a
S.S.W. course along the land in 3½, 3, 2½ and 2 fathom, clayey bottom; at
noon we were in 16° 32'; for the rest of the day we tried to get south with
variable winds, and towards the evening came to anchor in 3 fathom close
inshore.

On the 24th the wind was E. by S., course held S.S.W. along the land in 2½,
3½ and 4½ fathom, clayey bottom; at noon we were in 17° 8'. This same
day the council having been convened, I submitted to them the question
whether it would be advisable to run further south, and after various
opinions had been expressed, it was agreed that this would involve divers
difficulties, and that the idea had better be given up: we might get into a
vast bay, and it is evident that in these regions in the east-monsoon north-

winds prevail, just as north (?) of the equator south-winds prevail in the said
monsoon: we should thus fall on a lee-shore; for all which reasons, and in
order to act for the best advantage of the Lords Managers, it has been
resolved and determined to turn back, and follow the coast of Nova Guinea
so long to northward as shall be found practicable; to touch at divers places
which shall be examined with the utmost care, and finally to turn our course
from there to Aru and Quey...it was furthermore proposed by me and
ultimately approved of by the council, to give 10 pieces of eight to the
boatmen for every black they shall get hold of on shore, and carry off to the
yachts, to the end that the men may use greater care and diligence in this
matter, and Our Masters may reap benefit from the capture of the blacks,
which may afterwards redound to certain advantage.

On the 25th the skipper of the Pera got orders to go ashore with the two
pinnaces well-manned and armed, in order to make special search for fresh
water, with which we are very poorly provided by this time; about noon the
skipper having returned, informed us that he had caused pits to be dug in
various places on the coast, but had found no fresh water. Item that on the
strand they had seen 7 small huts made of dry hay, and also 7 or 8 blacks,
who refused to hold parley with them. In the afternoon I went up a salt river
for the space of about half a mile with the two pinnaces; {Page 38} we then
marched a considerable distance into the interior, which we found to be
submerged in many places, thus somewhat resembling Waterland in
Holland, from which it may be concluded that there must be large lakes
farther inland; we also saw divers footprints of men and of large dogs,
running from the south to the north; and since by resolution it has been
determined to begin the return-voyage at this point, we have, in default of
stone caused a wooden tablet to be nailed to a tree, the said tablet having
the following words carved into it: "Anno 1623 den 24n April sijn hier aen
gecomen twee jachten wegen de Hooge Mogende Heeren Staten Genl."

[A.D. 1623, on the 24th of April there arrived here two yachts
dispatched by their High Mightinesses the States-General]. We have
accordingly named the river aforesaid Staten revier in the new chart. (The
Staten Revier is in 17 degrees 8 minutes.)

On the 26th, seeing that there was no fresh water here, of which we stood in
great need, that we could hold no parley with the natives, and that nothing
of importance could be effected, we set sail again, the wind being E.N.E.,
with a stiff breeze, course held N. along the land; at noon we were in Lat.
16° 44'; at night we came to anchor in 4 fathom close inshore.

NOTE

That the yacht Aernem, owing to bad sailing, and to the small liking and
desire which the skipper and the steersman have shown towards the voyage,
has on various occasions and at different times been the cause of serious
delay, seeing that the Pera (which had sprung a bad leak and had to be kept
above water by more than 8000 strokes of the pump every 24 hours) was
every day obliged to seek and follow the Aernem for one, two or even more
miles to leeward.

(The yacht Aernem left the Pera.)

On the 27th, the wind being E. by S. with good weather, the skipper of the
Pera rowed ashore with the two pinnaces duly provided for defence, in
order to seek fresh water, but when he had caused several pits to be dug, no
water was found; we therefore set sail forthwith, holding a S.E. by E. course
along the land; at noon we were in Lat. 16° 30', and with a W. by N. wind
made for the land, sailing with our foresail only fully two hours before
sunset, in order to wait for the Aernem which was a howitzer's shot astern
of us; in the evening, having come to anchor in 3½ fathom 1½ mile from
the land, we hung out a lantern, that the Aernem might keep clear of us in
dropping anchor, but this proved to be useless, for on purpose and with
malice prepense she away from us against her instructions and our
resolution, and seems to have set her course for Aru (to have a good time of
it there), but we shall learn in time whether she has managed to reach it.

In the morning of the 28th the wind was E. by S. and the weather very fine;
the skipper once more went ashore with the pinnace in order to seek water,
but when several pits had been dug in the sand, they found none; we
therefore set sail again on a N.E. by N. course along the land in 2, 3, 4 and 5

fathom, but when we had run a distance Of 2½ Miles, a violent landwind
drove us off the land, so that we had to drop anchor in 3 fathom, the blacks
on shore sending up such huge clouds of smoke from their fires that the
land was hardly visible; at night in the first watch we set sail again and after
running N.N.E. for 3½ miles, we came to anchor in 2 fathom.

In the morning of the 29th the wind was S.E., with good weather; course
held N.E. by E. along the land in 2½ and 3 fathom; when we had run 1½
mile we came {Page 39} to anchor in 2 fathom, and landed here as before
in order to seek freshwater; we had some pits dug a long way from the
strand, but found no fresh water; the blacks showed themselves from afar,
but refused to come to parley, nor did we succeed in luring any towards us
by stratagem; at noon we were in 16° 10' near a river which in the chart is
marked Nassauw revier: when we saw that we could do nothing profitable
here, we set sail with an E. wind on a N.N.E. course along the land, and
came to anchor in the evening in 2½ fathom. (The Nassauw revier is in 16
degrees 10 minutes Lat.)

In the morning of the 30th the wind was S.E. with steady weather; course
held N.N.E. along the land in 3 fathom; at noon we were in 15° 39', and
came to anchor in 2½ fathom; we landed also here as before with the
pinnace in order to look for water, and to see if we could meet with any
natives; after digging a number of pits we found no water, so that we set sail
again and came to anchor in the evening in 2½ fathom.

MAY.

In the morning of the 1st the wind was E.; the skipper once more rowed
ashore with the pinnace, and having caused three pits to be dug he at last
found fresh water forcing its way through the sand; we used our best
endeavours to take in a stock of the same; about 400 paces north of the
farthest of the pits that had been dug, they also found a small fresh-water
lake, but the water that collected in the pits was found to be a good deal
better.

In the morning of the 2nd the wind was E.N.E., and went round to S.W.
later in the day; we continued taking in water.

On the 3rd we went on taking in water as before; the wind was N.E., and
about noon turned to S.W.. I went ashore myself with 10 musketeers, and
we advanced a long way into the wood without seeing any human beings;
the land here is low-lying and without hills as before, in Lat. 15° 20' it is
very dry and barren, for during all the time we have searched and examined
this part of the coast to our best ability, we have not seen one fruit-bearing
tree, nor anything that man could make use of; there are no mountains or
even hills, so that it may be safely concluded that the land contains no
metals, nor yields any precious woods, such as sandal-wood, aloes or
columba; in our judgment this is the most arid and barren region that could
be found anywhere on the earth; the inhabitants, too, are the most wretched
and poorest creatures that I have ever seen in my age or time; as there are
no large trees anywhere on this coast, they have no boats or canoes whether
large or small; this is near the place which we touched at on the voyage out
on Easter-day, April the 16th; in the new chart we gave given to this spot
the name of Waterplaets [*]; at his place the beach is very fine, with
excellent gravelly sand and plenty of delicious fish.(Waterplaats is in 15
degrees 13 minutes Lat.)
[* Mitchell River.]

(Vereenichde revier.)

In the morning of the 4th the wind was E.N.E. with good weather, course
held N. in 7½ fathom. we could just see the land; at noon we were in 15°
12' Lat.; slightly to northward we saw a river to which we have given the
name of Vereenichde revier: all through the night the wind was W., course
held N.N.E. towards the land.

In the morning of the 5th the wind was E., course held N.; at noon we were
in 14° 5' Lat.; shortly after the wind went over to W., upon which we made
for the land {Page 40} and cast anchor in 2 fathom; I went ashore myself in
the pinnace which was duly armed; the blacks here attacked us with their
weapons, but afterwards took to flight; upon which we went landinward for
some distance, and found divers of their weapons, such as assagays and
callaways, leaning against the trees; we took care not to damage these
weapons, but tied pieces of iron and strings of beads to some of them, in
order to attract the blacks, who, however, seemed quite indifferent to these

things, and repeatedly held up their shields with great boldness and threw
them at the muskets; these men are, like all the others we have lately seen,
of tall stature and very lean to look at, but malignant and evil-natured.

In the morning of the 6th, the wind being East, we set sail on a N. course
along the land in 3 and 4 fathom; at noon when we were in 13° 29' Lat., the
wind was W.; in the evening it went round to East, upon which we dropped
anchor in 3 fathom.

In the morning of the 7th the wind was S.E. with fine weather; the skipper
went ashore with the pinnace, with strict orders to treat the blacks kindly,
and try to attract them with pieces of iron and strings of beads; if
practicable, also to capture one or more; when at noon the men returned
they reported that on their landing more than 100 blacks had collected on
the beach with their weapons, and had with the strong arm tried to prevent
them from coming ashore; in order to frighten them, a musket was
accordingly fired, upon which the blacks fled and retreated into the wood,
from where they tried every means in their power to surprise and attack our
men; these natives resemble the others in shape and figure; they are quite
black and stark naked, some of them having their faces painted red and
others white, with feathers stuck through the lower part of the nose; at noon,
the wind being E., we set sail on a N. course along the land, being then in
13° 26 Lat.; towards the evening the wind went round to W. and we
dropped anchor in 3½ fathom.

(The River Coen is 13 degrees 7 minutes Lat.)

In the morning of the 8th, the wind being E.S.E. with good weather, I went
ashore myself with 10 musketeers; we saw numerous footprints of men and
dogs (running from south to north); we accordingly spent some time there,
following the footprints aforesaid to a river, where we gathered excellent
vegetables or pot-herbs; when we had got into the pinnace again, the blacks
emerged with their arms from the wood at two different points; by showing
them bits of iron and strings of beads we kept them on the beach, until we
had come near them, upon which one of them who had lost his weapon, was
by the skipper seized round the waist, while at the same time the
quartermaster put a noose round his neck, by which he was dragged to the
pinnace; the other blacks seeing this, tried to rescue their captured brother

by furiously assailing us with their assagays; in defending ourselves we shot
one of them, after which the others took to flight, upon which we returned
on board without further delay; these natives resemble all the others in
outward appearance; they are coal-black and stark naked with twisted nets
round their heads; their weapons are assagays, callaways and shields; we
cannot, however, give any account of their customs and ceremonies, nor did
we learn anything about the thickness of the population, since we had few
or no opportunities for inquiring into these matters; meanwhile I hope that
with God's help Your Worships will in time get information touching these
points from the black we have captured, to whose utterances I would beg
leave to refer you; the river aforesaid is in 13° 7' Lat., and has in the new
chart got name of Coen river, in the afternoon the wind being W., we set
sail on a N. course along the land, and in the evening came to anchor in 3
fathom.

{Page 41}

NOTE

That in all places where we landed, we have treated the blacks or savages
with especial kindness, offering them pieces of iron, strings of beads and
pieces of cloth, hoping by so doing to get their friendship and be allowed to
penetrate to some considerable distance landinward, that we might be able
to give a full account and description of the same; but in spite of all our
kindness and our fair semblance [*] the blacks received us as enemies
everywhere, so that in most places our landings were attended with great
peril; on this account, and for various other reasons afterwards to be
mentioned, we have not been able to learn anything about the population of
Nova Guinea, and the nature of its inhabitants and its soil; nor did we get
any information touching its towns and villages, about the division of the
land, the religion of the natives, their policy, wars, rivers, vessels, or
fisheries; what commodities they have, what manufactures, what minerals
whether gold, silver, tin, iron, lead, copper or quicksilver. In the first place,
in making further landings we should have been troubled by the rainy
season, which might have seriously interfered with the use of our muskets,
whereas it does no harm to the weapons of the savages; secondly, we should

first have been obliged to seek practicable paths or roads of which we knew
nothing; thirdly, we might easily have been surrounded by the crowds of
blacks, and been cut off from the boats, which would entail serious peril to
the sailors with whom we always effected the landings, and who are
imperfectly versed in the use of muskets; if on the contrary we had had
well-drilled and experienced soldiers (the men best fitted to undertake such
expeditions), we might have done a good deal of useful work; still, in spite
of all these difficulties and obstacles, we have shunned neither hard work,
trouble, nor peril, to make a thorough examination of everything with the
means at our disposal, and to do whatever our good name and our honour
demanded; the result of our investigation being as follows:
[* A curiously subjective way of looking at things!]

The land between 13° and 17° 8' is a barren and arid tract, without any
fruit-trees, and producing nothing fit for the use of man; it is low-lying and
flat without hills or mountains; in many places overgrown with brushwood
and stunted wild trees; it has not much fresh water, and what little there is,
has to be collected in pits dug for the purpose; there is an utter absence of
bays or inlets, with the exception of a few bights not sheltered from the sea-
wind; it extends mainly N. by E. and S. by W., with shallows all along the
coast, with a clayey and sandy bottom; it has numerous salt rivers extending
into the interior, across which the natives drag their wives and children by
means of dry sticks or boughs of trees. The natives are in general utter
barbarians, all resembling each other in shape and features, coal-black, and
with twisted nets wound round their heads and necks for keeping their food
in; so far as we could make out, they chiefly live on certain ill-smelling roots
which they dig out of the earth. We infer that during the eastern monsoon
they live mainly on the beach, since we have there seen numerous small huts
made of dry grass; we also saw great numbers of dogs, herons and curlews,
and other wild fowl, together with plenty of excellent fish, easily caught with
a seine-net; they are utterly unacquainted with gold, silver, tin, iron, lead and
copper, nor do they know anything about nutmegs, cloves and pepper, all of
which spices we repeatedly showed them without their evincing any signs of
{Page 42} recognising or valuing the same; from all which together with the
rest of our observations it may safely be concluded that they are poor and
abject wretches, caring mainly for bits of iron and strings of beads. Their
weapons are shields, assagays, and callaways of the length of 1½ fathom,
made of light wood and cane, some with fish-bones and others with human
bones fastened to their tops; they are very expert in throwing the said
weapons by means of a piece of wood, half a fathom in length, with a small
hook tied to it in front, which they place upon the top of the callaway or
assagay.

(The Waterplaets is in 12 degrees 33 minutes Lat.)

In the morning of the 9th, the wind being E.S.E., with good weather, we set
sail on a N.N.E. course along the land, and when we had run on for 2 miles,
came to anchor in 9 fathom close inshore; I went ashore in person with ten
musketeers, and found many footprints of men and of large dogs, going in a

southerly direction., we also came upon fresh water flowing into the sea, and
named the place de Waeterplaets. The land here is higher than what we
have seen to southward, and there are numerous reefs close to the sandy
beach; the place is in 12° 33'; in the afternoon the wind was S.W., course
held as before; from the Waterplaets aforesaid to a high cape there is a large
bay, extending N.E. by N. and S.W. by S. for 7 miles; in the evening we
dropped anchor in 4½ fathom.

In the morning of the 10th the wind being E.S.E., with steady weather, we
set sail on a W.N.W. course; at noon we were in 12° 5'. I went ashore myself
with the skipper, and as before found many footprints of men and dogs,
going to the south. The land here is high and hilly, with reefs near the sandy
beach; as we were pulling back to the yacht, some armed savages showed
themselves, upon which we landed again and threw out some pieces of iron
to them, which they picked up, refusing, however, to come to parley with us;
after which we took to the pinnace again.

In the morning of the 11th, the wind being E.S.E. with good weather, we set
sail again on a N.N.E. course along the land; in the afternoon we sailed past
a large river (which the men of the Duifken went up with a boat in 1606, and
where one of them was killed by the arrows of the blacks); to this river,
which is in 11° 48' Lat., we have given the name of revier de Carpentier in
the new chart.
[* Rivier Batavia in DE LEEUW'S chart.]

In the morning of the 12th the wind was E.S.E., with pleasant weather; I
went ashore myself with the skipper, and found upwards of 200 savages
standing on the beach, making a violent noise, threatening to throw their
arrows at us, and evidently full of suspicion; for, though we threw out to
them pieces of iron and other things, they refused to come to parley, and
used every possible means to wound one of our men and get him into their
power; we were accordingly compelled to frighten them by firing one or two
shots at them, by which one of the blacks was hit in the breast and carried to
the pinnace by our men, upon which all the others retired to the hills or
dunes; in their wretched huts on the beach we found nothing but a square-cut
assagay, two or three small pebbles, and some human bones, which they use
in constructing their weapons and scraping the same; we also found a

quantity of black resin and a piece of metal, which the wounded man had in
his net, and which he had most probably got from the men of the Duyfken;
since there was nothing further to be done here, we rowed back to the yacht,
the wounded man dying before we had reached her; at noon we set sail with
a S.W. wind on a N.N.E. course along the land, and as it fell calm, came to
anchor after having run on for 2 miles.

{Page 43}

In the morning of the 13th, the wind being S.E. with good weather, we set
sail on a N.E. by N. course in upwards Of 7 fathom about 2 miles from the
land; at noon we were in 11° 16' Lat., the wind being E.; in the evening we
came to anchor in 2 fathom near a river, which we have named Revier van
Spult in the chart.

(The Waterplaets in 10 degrees 50 minutes Lat.)

On the 14th we made sail again before daybreak, with a S.E. wind and
steady weather; from the 9th of this month up to now we have found the land
of Nova Guinea to extend N.N.E. and S.S.W., and from this point continuing
N. and S. I went ashore here myself with the skipper and 10 musketeers and
found a large number of footprints of men and dogs going south; we also
came upon a very fine fresh-water river, flowing into the sea, whence fresh
water can easily be obtained by means of boats or pinnaces; the river is in
10° 50', and is marked Waterplaets in the chart. The land here is high, hilly,
and reefy near the sandy beach; seeing that nothing profitable could be
effected here, we returned to the yacht, which was lying-by under small sail;
towards the evening we were at about 1 mile's distance from three islets, of
which the southernmost was the largest; five miles by estimation farther to
northward we saw a mountainous country, but the shallows rendered (or
render) it impossible for us to get near it; in almost every direction in which
soundings were taken, we found very shallow water, so that we sailed for a
long time in 5, 4, 3, 2½, 2, 1½ fathom and even less, so that at last we were
forced to drop anchor in 1½ fathom, without knowing where to look for
greater or less depths; after sunset we therefore sent out the pinnace to take
soundings, which found deeper water a long way S.W. of the pinnace, viz. 2,
3, and 4½ fathom; we were very glad to sail thither with the yacht, and cast

anchor in 8½ fathom, fervently thanking God Almighty for his inexpressible
mercy and clemency, shown us in this emergency as in all others.

In the morning of the 15th, the wind being S.E. with good weather, we set
sail on a W. course, which took us into shallower water of 2, 2½ and 3
fathom; we therefore went over to S.W., when we came into 3½, 4, 5, 6
fathom and upwards; we had lost sight of the land here, and found it
impossible to touch at it or follow it any longer, owing to the shallows, reefs
and sandbanks and also to the E. winds blowing here; on which account it
was resolved and determined--in order to avoid such imminent perils as
might ultimately arise if we continued to coast along the land any longer--to
turn back and hold our course first for the Vleermuijs Eijlant; we therefore
stood out to sea on a W. course in 9½ fathom and upwards, having sailed 17
miles in 24 hours, kept west, and finding no bottom in 27 fathom.

NOTE That in our landings between 13° and 11° we have but two times seen
black men or savages, who received us much more hostilely than those more
to southward; they are also acquainted with muskets, of which they would
seem to have experienced the fatal effect when in 1606 the men of the
Duyffken made a landing here.

In the morning of the 16th, the wind was E.S.E. with good weather, the
Eastern monsoon having set in; course held N.N.W., at noon we were in 10°
27', having sailed 30 miles in 24 hours.

{Page 44}

In the morning of the 17th the weather was good with a strong wind; course
held as before; at noon we were in 8° 43'; towards the evening, in 18 and 19
fathom, we saw from the main-topmast land N.E. of us, when we were in 8°
19'; towards daybreak we passed a shallow Of 4 and 4½ fathom, on which
we changed our course to S.W., having sailed 30 miles in 24 hours.

In the morning of the 18th, sailing in 5½ fathom, we saw land, being the
western extremity of Nova Guinea; course held W., with a strong wind; at

noon latitude as before; during the night we sailed with small sail along the
land on the course aforesaid, having run 27 miles in 24 hours.

On the 19th, the wind as before, course held N.; at noon we were in 7° 57'
Lat.; we ran on the same course for the rest of the day and night.

In the morning of the 20th there was a strong wind; we were in 18 fathom
and by estimation in 7° Lat., we therefore ran on a W. course towards the
islands which are said to lie in this latitude; sailed 24 miles in 24 hours.

On the 21st the wind was as before, and since we saw no land or signs of
land, which by the ships' reckoning and by estimation we ought to have seen,
if there had been any here, we changed our course to northward, in order to
run to the latitude of 5°, in which Aru is situated.

In the morning of the 22nd we were in 5° 38' Lat., with the wind as before,
and since we estimated ourselves to be in the latitude of Aru, we turned our
course westward; about noon we saw the island of Aru ahead of us...without
seeing any signs of the yacht Aernem, which on the 17th of April last, in
17°, near the coast of Nova Guinea, had with malice prepense sailed away
from the Pera, while the Aruese, who came forthwith alongside with their
prows, also declared not to have seen the said yacht...

JUNE.

In the evening of the 8th we came to anchor before the castle of Amboyna,
having therewith brought our voyage to a safe conclusion by the merciful
protection of God Almighty, who may vouchsafe to grant prosperity and
success in all their good undertakings to their High Mightinesses the States-
General, to his Excellency the Prince of Orange etc., to the Lords Managers
of the United East India Company and to the Worshipful Lord General and
his Governors.

Continuing for ever
Their High Mightinesses' etc. obedient and affectionate servant
(signed)
JAN CARSTENSZOON.

{Page 45}

C.

A SUMMARY ABSTRACT [*] OF THE JOURNAL OF THE MAIN
INCIDENTS BEFALLEN IN THE VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY TO
EASTWARD WITH THE YACHTS PERA AND AERNEM. BEGUN THIS
21ST OF JANUARY A.D. 1623.
[* In a great number of passages this abstract merely copies the authentic journal verbatim; I
accordingly transcribe such parts only as would seem to have a certain supplementary value.]

A.D. 1623.

In the name of God Amen.

JANUARY.

In the morning of Saturday the 21st we weighed anchor before Amboyna and
set sail with the western monsoon together with the yacht Arnem...

MARCH.

On the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th we skirted the land with the wind
and course aforesaid, and came to anchor at about a mile's distance from the
land. I went ashore in person with the pinnaces duly manned and armed...[*]
[* What follows in the original is an almost verbatim transcript of the corresponding passages in
the authentic journal.]

(Keerweer formerly mistaken for islands)

To this place or part of the land where the aforesaid happened, we have in
the new chart given the name of Keer-Weer [Turn-again], seeing that the
land here bends to S.W. and West, in 7° Latitude; the place, which has
formerly been mistaken for a group of islands by the men of the yacht
Duijfken in the year 1606 [*], lies about 50 miles S.E. by East of Aro...
[* The passage in the text furnishes interesting evidence respecting the voyage of the yacht
Duifken in 1606; a fact that has so often been called in question, or even flatly denied.]

On the 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st [of March] [*]
with a W.N.W. wind in 2, 2½, 3 and 4 fathom, we got clear of the shallows

which we had previously run into as into a trap; we managed to do so by
tacking and taking advantage of the current, so that in the evening of the 21st
aforesaid we came to anchor in 7 fathom near an islet situated one mile or
upwards S. and N. of the mainland...
[* A comparison with the authentic journal at the dates given, will enable the reader to ascertain
the points which the yachts had then reached.]

On the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th [of April] we tried on
divers courses, such as S.E. and S.E. by E., to make the land of Nova
Guinea, until on the 8th aforesaid in the night-time we ran in between certain
reefs, where by God's providence the yachts were preserved from taking
harm; after which on the 12th aforesaid we sighted the land of Nova Guinea
in 11° 45', our yachts being in 13½ fathom, clayey bottom.

On the 18th [of April], after running southward between 5 and 6 miles, we
saw a large number of blacks on the beach; we therefore dropped anchor and
sent the skipper ashore with the two pinnaces; who, by offering them pieces
of iron and strings of beads, caused some of the blacks to draw near, so that
he could lay hold of one of them, whom with the help of his men (who met
with little resistance) he carried on board...

On the 5th, 6th and 7th [of May] we skirted the coast as before on a
northward course, and repeatedly endeavoured to effect a landing, but were
in every case treated by the savages in hostile fashion, and forced to return to
the yachts...

On the 11th [of May] we sailed close inshore past a large river (which in
1606 the men of the yacht Duijfken went up with the boat, on which
occasion one of them was killed by the arrows of the natives), situated in 11°
48' Lat., to which river we have in the new map given the name of...[*]

Always continuing
Their High Mightinesses' etc. obedient and affectionate servant
J. CARSTENSZOON.
[* Carpentier, erased in the original MS. Cf. my Life of Tasman, p. 100, note 4.]

{Page 46}

D.

CHART MADE BY THE UPPER STEERSMAN AREND MARTENSZ.
DE LEEUW, WHO TOOK PART IN THE EXPEDITION [*].
[* The original of this chart, of which a full-sized reproduction is given in Remarkable Maps, II,
5, is preserved in the State Archives at the Hague. There would seem to have been still more
charts of this voyage: see VAN DIJK Carpentaria, p. 37, note 3.]

No. 7. Kaart van den opperstuurman AREND MARTENSZ. DE
LEEUW, der Zuidwestkust van Nieuw Guinea en der Oostkust van de
Golf van Carpentaria (Chart, made by the upper steersman Arend
Martensz. De Leeuw, of the Southwest coast of New-Guinea and the
East-coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria)

{Page 47}

2.

VOYAGE OF THE ARNHEM ALONE UNDER THE COMMAND OF
VAN COOLSTEERDT, AFTER THE SHIP PERA AND HERSELF HAD
PARTED COMPANY ON THE 27TH OF APRIL, 1623.

A.

Letter from the Governor of Banda to the Governor-General Pieter De
Carpentier, May 16, 1623.

Noble, Worshipful, Wise, Valiant and very Discreet Sir,

The day before yesterday...we sighted...a ship. We forthwith presumed it to
be Mr. Carstens, or perhaps one of the Yachts Pera or Arnehem...The ship
turned out to be the Arnehem, which during the preceding night had lost her
rudder...

(They) have not done much worth mentioning, for at the place where the
chart [*] they had with them, led them to expect an open passage, they did
not find any such, so that they could not get to the island they wished to
reach...[**]
[* It is highly probable that this is another allusion to a chart of the voyage of Willem Janszoon
with the Duifken in 1605-1606, because other documents concerning this expedition of the
Arnhem and the Pera put it beyond a doubt that they had on board a chart of the voyage of the
ship Duifken. In that case the passage in the text proves that Willem Janszoon already suspected
the existence of Torres Strait, since the "open passage" can hardly refer to anything else.]

[** The remaining part of the letter refers to the time when the two ships were still together, and
contains nothing new.]

Done in the Castle of Nassauw at Nera in the island of Banda, this 16th of
May, A.D. 1623.
(signed) ISACK De BRUNE.

B.

Letter from the Governor-General Antonio Van Diemen to "Commander"
Gerrit Thomaszoon Pool, February 19, 1636.

Worshipful, Provident, very Discreet Sir,

With the present we also [*] send you a chart of the coasts made A.D. 1623
by the Yachts Pera and Arnhem, together with a small map of the South-
land as surveyed by divers ships coming from the Netherlands, both of
which may be of use to Your Worship [**]...

Done in the Castle of Batavia, February 19, A.D. 1636.

(signed) ANTONIO VAN DIEMEN
[* Vis. together with the Instructions of Febr. 19 for Pool's expedition to the Southland; see infra.]

[** To wit, with a view to the voyage just referred to.]

C.

Instructions for Pool, Febr. 19, 1636.

...Failing ulterior instructions, we desire you to sail as quickly as possible
from Banda to Arnhems and Speultsland, situated between 9 and 13
degrees Southern Latitude, discovered A.D., 1623, as you may further see
from the annexed chart [*]...
[* This, then, is the chart of the "coasts made A.D. 1623 by the yachts Pera and Arnhem"; for the
"small map" handed to Pool, in the second place referred to in the above letter of Febr. 19, 1636,
refers to surveyings of the west-coast of Australia by ships going from the Netherlands to India,
and can therefore have nothing to do with the expedition of 1623. Arnhems- and Van Speults
Land were accordingly discovered on the voyage of the Pera and the Arnhem. Now the journal
of the Pera shows that she did not discover them, so that we are led to the conclusion that
Arnhems- and Van Speults Land were discovered by the ship Arnhem.]

{Page 48}

D.

Letter from the Governor-General and Councillors to the Managers of the
E.I.C., December 28, 1636.

...[The ships of Pool's expedition touched at] the native village of Taranga,
situated at the south-western extremity of Arouw, and then sailed southward,
hoping to be able to run on an easterly course in order to execute their
orders; they, however, met with strong south-east winds and very high seas

besides; in 11 degrees S.L. they discovered vast lands, to which they gave
the names of Van Diemen's and Maria's Land, and which we suspect to be
Arnhems or Speults's islands, though they extend in another direction than
the latter [*].
[* Cf. as regards the situation of Arnhem's and Van Speult's Lands my Lite of Tasman, pp. 101
and 102, and the charts there referred to. Of the Nolpe-Dozy chart, of which there is question in
note 4 on p. 102 of the book just mentioned, a reproduction will be found in Remarkable Maps,
with a note by myself.]

The council of the said yachts, finding they could not run on an eastern
course, after discovering and surveying Arnhem's Land twenty miles to
westward, resolved to steer their course northward again past the islands of
Timor and Tenember, and thus return to Banda, where they arrived on July
7...

E.

Instructions for Tasman, 1644.

...The third voyage was undertaken from Amboyna in the month of January
1623 with the Yachts Pera and Arnhem, commanded by Commander JAN
CARSTENS, for the purpose of entering into friendly relations with the
inhabitants of the islands of Key, Arou and Tenimber, and of exploring Nova
Guinea and the South-lands, on which occasion alliances were made with the
islands aforesaid and the south-coast of Nova Guinea was further
discovered...but owing to untimely separation the Yacht Arnhem, after
discovering the large islands of Arnhem and Speult, returned to Amboyna
unsuccessfully enough, while the Yacht Pera, continuing her voyage,
navigated along the south coast of Nova Guinea as far as a shallow bay in 10
degrees, and afterwards along the west coast of the same land as far as Cape
Keer-Weer, whence she further explored the coast to southward as far as 17
degrees near the Staten river, where she saw the land stretching farther to
westward, after which she returned again to Amboyna...

{Page 49}

XV. (1623)
VOYAGE OF THE SHIP LEYDEN COMMANDED BY
SKIPPER KLAAS HERMANSZ(OON) FROM THE
NETHERLANDS TO JAVA.--FURTHER DISCOVERY OF
THE WEST-COAST OF AUSTRALIA.

Journal kept on board the ship Leyden from the Texel to Batavia, 1623.

Laus Deo. This 9th day of July, A.D. 1623 in the ship Leyden...

On the 15th do. Latitude 27° 15'; during the last twenty-four hours we sailed
16 miles East by North and East-north-east...At noon we saw a large dead
fish floating near our ship, with a great many birds perched on its carcase.

On the 16th do. Latitude 26° 27'; sailed 16 miles in 24 hours North by east...

On the 17th do. Latitude 27° 23'; from last night sailed 16 miles East-south-
east...

On the 18th do. Latitude 27° 25'; sailed 24 miles East-south-east, East by
South and East-north-east, on the whole keeping an eastward course...

On the 19th do. Latitude 27' 20'. sailed due east 20 Miles in 24 hours...

On the 20th do. Latitude 27° 20' sailed 20 miles these 24 hours North-east,
East-north-east and East, with a light breeze, fair weather, and a West-south-
west wind; course held east.

On the 21st do. in the morning we sighted Eendrachtsland in Latitude 27°
at about 6 miles' distance South-west by west; we sounded off it in 61
fathom fine gravel bottom, the land showing outwardly like Robben Island
in the Taffel Bay; at noon in Latitude 26° 43' we shaped our course to
northward, and afterwards drifted in a calm.

On the 22nd do. Latitude 26` 36, sailed and drifted about 4 miles, at about 8
miles' distance North~north-west from the land. We sighted everywhere a
hilly coast with large bays, with low-lying land in between, the whole

covered with dunes; we drifted in a calm, our course being North-west by
West.

On the 23rd do. Latitude 26° 3'; during the last twenty-four hours we mostly
drifted in a calm at about 3 or 4 miles' distance from the coast; here we
sighted a large inlet, looking like a river or bay. We sounded in 80 fathom,
good sandy bottom; in the afternoon there was a light breeze from the South-
south-west, our course being North-west by West. In the evening we saw the
farthest extremity of the land north by east at six miles' distance from us.

On the 26th do. Latitude 25° 48', we did our best to keep off the land, which
extended North-north-west and East-south-east. The land looked like the
west-coast of England with many reddish rocks; out at sea there were plenty
of cliffs and sunken rocks; at noon the wind went round to South-west
afterwards to the south; we held our course North-west by North. In the
evening the endmost land lay North by east of us at about 7 miles' distance.

On the 27th do. WILLEMTGEN JANSZ., wedded wife Of WILLEM
JANSZ. of Amsterdam, midshipman, was delivered of a son, who got the
name of SEEBAER VAN NIEMELANT. At noon Latitude 24° 15', sailed
northward both in a calm and with variable winds, generally on a North-by-
west course...[*] miles, our course being north, and the wind south with a
fine breeze.
[* Left blank.]

On the 29th do. Latitude 20° 56'.

On the 30th do. Latitude 18° 56'; the wind being east, we could not get
higher than north. We saw a good deal of rock-weed floating about, and
plenty of fish near the ship...

{Page 50}

XVI. (1624)
DISCOVERY OF THE TORTELDUIF ISLAND (ROCK).

A.

Daily Register [*] of what has happened here at Batavia from the first of
January, A.D. 1627.
[* This Daily Register has been edited by me ('s Gravenhage, Nijhoff, 1896).]

...On the 21st [of June] there arrived here from the Netherlands the advice-
yacht Tortelduiff...which had left the Texel...on the 16th of November,
1623...

B.

Hessel Gerritsz Charts, 1627 [*] (Nos. 4 and 5.--VII, C, D).
[* The situation of Tortelduif island was accordingly known as early as 1677. The voyage Of
1623-1624 is the only one made to India by the ship of that name (see LEUPE, Zuidland, p. 48).
If we take for granted that this ship gave its name to the island (rock), which is highly probable,
then the name must have been conferred in 1624. The note of interrogation in the text is only
meant to ward off the charge of over-hasty inference on my part.]

XVII. (1626)
VOYAGE OF THE SHIP LEIJDEN, COMMANDED BY
SKIPPER DANIEL JANSSEN COCK, FROM THE
NETHERLANDS TO JAVA.--FURTHER DISCOVERY OF
THE WEST-COAST OF AUSTRALIA.

Copy of the Journal kept by me DANIEL JANSSEN COCK, Captain and
Skipper of the ship LEIJDEN, which set sail on the 17th of May 1625, of all
that has occurred during the voyage.

Praise God. April 1626.

26 do. Latitude 29½ degrees, sailed 36 miles...

27 do. Latitude 27 2/3 degrees, sailed 28 miles; course held north-east; the
wind being south and south-west, I had the top-gallants set. God grant what
is best for us. Amen. Course kept North-north-east.

28 do. In the morning we took the sun's azimuth: between 7 and 8 degrees to
northward, the rise being 16 degrees. We sighted land, being the Southland,
at 10 miles' distance. We found a strong current here, with a depth Of 40
fathom. The current set to eastward or straight against the land. In the
evening we shaped our course to North-west.

29 do. Latitude slightly under 26°. the weather was calm, so that we ran
along the coast, North and at times North-north-west. In the evening I saw
the endmost (?) land north-east of me; the wind blowing from the south.

30 do. In the morning I took the sun's azimuth: between 9 and 10 degrees to
northward, the rise being 16½ degrees, remains 7½ degrees. At noon
Latitude 24° 47'. Course held North by west, with a southerly wind; sailed
18 miles; in the evening it fell calm...

{Page 51}

XVIII. (1627)
DISCOVERY OF THE SOUTH-WEST COAST OF
AUSTRALIA BY THE SHIP HET GULDEN ZEEPAARD,
COMMANDED BY PIETER NUIJTS, MEMBER OF THE
COUNCIL OF INDIA, AND BY SKIPPER FRANÇOIS
THIJSSEN OR THIJSZOON.

A.

Dail Register of what has happened here at Batavia from the first of
January, 1627 [*].
[* On p. 307 of my edition of the Daily Register of 1624-1629.]

...On the 10th [of April] there arrived here from the Netherlands the ship t'
Gulden Seepaart fitted out by the Zealand Chamber [*], having on board
the Hon. Pieter Nuyts, extraordinary Councillor of India, having sailed from
there on the 22nd of May, 1626...

[* The Register of outgoing vessels of the E.I.C. shows that the skipper's name was François
Thijssen or Thijszoon.]

B.

Hessel Gerritsz-Huydecoper Chart (No. 5.--VII D).

This chart has 't land van Pieter Nuijts (discovered January 26 [*], 1627)
and the islands of Sint François and Sint Pieter.
[* Some of the charts have February, but most of them January. This month is also mentioned as
the time of the discovery in the instructions for Pool (1636, see infra) and for Tasman (1644). Cf.
my Life of Tasman, pp. 97f.]

XIX. (1627)
VOYAGE OF THE SHIPS GALIAS, UTRECHT AND TEXEL,
COMMANDED BY GOVERNOR-GENERAL JAN
PIETERSZOON COEN.
FURTHER DISCOVERY OF THE WEST-COAST OF
AUSTRALIA.

A.

Letter of Jan Pieterszoon Coen to the Directors of the E.I.C.

Most Noble Wise Provident Very Discreet Gentlemen,

The present is a copy of our letter written from Illa de Mayo on the 15th of
April last...On July the 22nd we sailed from the Tafelbay with the ships
Galias, Utrecht and Texel. When coming out to sea we got the wind from the
south, so that we could not sail higher than the Cape, and lost eight days
during which we made no progress. Then getting a favourable wind we
remained together in 37½ degrees Southern Latitude up to the 10th of
August; the following night, however, the rudder of the Galias broke in a
strong wind, so that the ship became ungovernable, and the sails were
dashed to pieces, in consequence of which she got separated from the other
two ships, who had failed to observe the accident of the Galias owing to the
darkness; {Page 52} the next day, the rudder having been repaired, we

continued our voyage with the Galias, and in the afternoon of the 5th of
September in 28½ degrees S. Lat. came upon the land of d'Eendracht. We
were at less than half a mile's distance from the breakers before perceiving
the same, without being able to see land. If we had come upon this place in
the night-time, we should have been in a thousand perils with our ship and
crew. In the plane charts the reckonings of our steersmen were still between
300 and 350 miles from any land, so that there was not the slightest
suspicion of our being near any, although the reckoning of the chart with
increasing degrees showed only 120 miles, and the reckoning by the
terrestrial globe only 50 miles distance from the land. But to this little
attention had been paid. It seems certain now that the miscalculation
involved in the plane chart from Cabo de bon' Esperança to the Southland in
35 degrees latitude gives an overplus of more than 270 miles of sea, a matter
to which most steersmen pay little attention, and which has brought, and is
still daily bringing, many vessels into great perils. It would be highly
expedient if in the plane charts most in use, between Cabo de bon' Esperança
and the South-land south of Java, so much space were added and passed over
in drawing up the reckonings, as is deducible from the correct longitude
according to the globosity of earth and sea. We would request Your Worships
to direct attention to this point, and have such indications made in the plane
chart as experts shall find to be advisable; a matter of the highest
importance, which if not properly attended to involves grievous peril to ships
and crews (which God in his mercy avert).

In this plane chart the South-land also lies fully 40 miles more to eastward
than it should be, which should also be rectified.

On the 20th of September we struck the South-coast of Java about 50 or 60
miles eastward of its western extremity...

Your Worships' obedt. servant
J.P. COEN.

At Batavia, October 30, 1627.

XX. (1627)
VOYAGE OF THE SHIP HET WAPEN VAN HOORN,

COMMANDED BY SUPER CARGO J. VAN
ROOSENBERGH.
FURTHER DISCOVERY OF THE WEST-COAST OF
AUSTRALIA.

Letter Of Supercargo J. Van Roosenbergh to the Directors of the E.I.C.,
November 8, 1627.

Worshipful Wise Provident Very Discreet Gentlemen,

You have no doubt received my letter from Illa de Mayo...

On the 7th of September we resolved to run for the South-land, that we
might be near Java before the middle of October. On the 17th do. we sighted
the land of d'Eendracht near Dirck Hartochs reede [road-stead], at about
7 miles' distance from us; the land was of middle height, something like
D'overen [Dover] in England; it is less low than has been asserted by some,
and of a whitish hue, so that at night it cannot be seen before one is quite
close to it. When by estimation we were at two miles' distance from the land,
the coast seemed to have a foreshore consisting of small hills here and there.
According to our observations the land lay quite differently from what the
chart would have us believe, to wit, North by West and North-north-west,
from a point three miles south of the aforesaid height to a point 8 or 9 miles
north of it; which were the farthest points seen by us; this constituting a
difference Of 3½ {Page 53} points with the chart, which makes it North-
north-east and South-south-west. We cast the lead five miles off the shore in
75 fathom, muddy bottom mixed with small red pebbles, and five glasses
afterwards, two miles off shore, in 55 fathom sandy bottom, for hardly
anything was found sticking to the lead when heaved. We had seen no other
signs of land beyond gulf-weed floating about in small quantities just as in
the Sargasso Sea, and some land-birds flying high overhead. The many-
coloured birds which we met near the islands of Tristan de Aconcha, left us
two days before, just as they did when we got near Cabo de bone Esperança,
so that they would seem to dislike the land. Instead of them, we saw a black
bird with a white tail, having white streaks here and there under its wings; a
bird, it seems, of rare occurrence. Three or four days before we also saw a
number of sanderlings. Close inshore we also saw a quantity of cuttlebone,

but the pieces were very small and scattered, so that they could hardly be
seen in hollow water, except by paying very close attention to them and only
6 or 8 miles off shore, seeing that the steady west-wind prevents their getting
out to sea, which they would certainly do, if now and then the wind blew
from the east for a few days in succession. Careful estimations based on the
globosity of the earth will give the best signs after all. By estimation we
have got into...[*] Longitude, some of our steersmen having got one or two
degrees more, some less, which in the plane charts makes a considerable
difference, about 217 miles by calculation. I repeat that since I have seen the
land a good deal earlier, it will be expedient in the plane chart to mark out a
distance of about 200 miles, to westward of St. Paulo island and to eastward
of Madagascar, the said distance to be passed over in drawing up reckonings,
seeing that the plane chart involves serious drawbacks; the same might well
be done to eastward of the Cape, in such fashion as Your Worships'
cartographers and other experts, such as Master C. J. Lastman, shall find to
be most expedient for the Company's service. Seeing that we had nothing to
do near the coast, and there was a fair wind blowing for us to make use of,
we deemed it advisable that night to run north-west, and the next morning,
having got north into 20 degrees S. Lat., from there to hold a north by-west
course for Java, whither God Almighty may in safety conduct ourselves and
those who shall come after us.
[* Left blank.]

On the 27th do. in the evening, when it had got dark, the water suddenly
turned as white as butter-milk, a thing that none of those on board of us had
ever seen in their lives, and which greatly surprised us all, so that,
concluding it to be caused by a shallow of the sea, we set the foresail and
cast the lead, but since we got no bottom, and with the rising moon the water
again resumed its usual colour, we made all sail and ran on full speed,
satisfied that the strange colour had been caused by the sky, which was very
pale at the time. On the 28th in the morning very early, the water became
thick, and shortly after we sighted land, being two islands, each of them
about 2 miles in length; at 4 miles' distance from the land we cast the lead in
65 fathom sandy bottom. At noon in Latitude 8°, three miles off shore, we
found ourselves to have run too far to eastward, wherefore we held our
course to westward up to the 2nd of October, when by God's grace we
passed the Princen islands, and arrived off Bantham on the 9th do. By

estimation the land of d'Eendracht is marked in the chart fifty miles too far
to eastward, which should also be rectified...

Done in the ship 't Wapen van Hoorn, November 8, A.D. 1627, lying at
anchor before Batavia.

Your Worships' obedt. Servant

J. V. ROOSENBERGH.

{Page 54}

XXI. (1628)
DISCOVERY OF THE NORTH-WEST COAST OF
AUSTRALIA BY THE SHIP VIANEN (VIANE, VIANA),
COMMANDED BY GERRIT FREDERIKSZOON DE WITT.--
DE WITT'S LAND.

A.

Letter of the Governor-General and Councillors to the Managers of the
E.I.C. November 3, 1628.

...[We] thought fit to give orders for the ship Vyanen [*] to sail to the strait
of Balamboan. [She] sailed [from Batavia] thither on the 14th of January,
and from there stood out to sea on the 25th do. She was by head-winds
driven so far to south-ward that she came upon the South-land beyond Java
where she ran aground, so that she was forced to throw overboard 8 or 10
lasts of pepper and a quantity of copper, upon which through God's mercy
she got off again without further damage...
[* That commander Gerrit Frederikszoon De Witt, was on board this ship, is proved by an
original letter of his, dated August 6, 1628 (Hague State Archives).]

B.

See the Hessel Gerritsz--Huydecoper Chart (No 5.--VII D), which has G. F.
De Witts-land.

C.

Instructions for Tasman, 1644 [*].
[* The well-known chart of TASMAN, 1644 (see my Life of, Tasman, PP. 71-73) also has the
name G. F. De Witt's Land.]

...Meanwhile in the year 1627 the ship t' Gulde Zeepaert,...discovered...the
south coast of the great Southland, and in the following year 1628 the ship
Viana, homeward bound from Batavia, equally unexpectedly discovered the
coast of the same land on the north side in the Southern Latitude of 21
degrees, and sailed along it a distance of about 50 miles; none of these
discoveries, however, resulting in the obtaining of any considerable
information respecting the situation and condition of this vast land, it only
having been found that it has barren and dangerous coasts, green, fertile
fields and exceedingly savage, black, barbarian inhabitants...

XXII. (before 1629)
DISCOVERY OF JACOB REMESSENS-, REMENS-, OR
ROMMER-RIVER, SOUTH OF WILLEMS RIVER [*].
[* I do not know the date of this discovery. Since Pelsaert was acquainted with it, it must have
taken place before 1629 or 1628. It cannot have been much earlier, as the name is not found in
Hessel Gerritsz's charts. I must mention, however, that Leupe has found a steersman of the name
of Jacob Remmetsz referred to in the archives of the E.I.C. about the year 1619.]

A.

Daily annotations of Pelsaert, 1629 (See infra).

...This 16th [of June]...we were in Latitude 22 degrees 17 minutes. I intended
to sail to Jacop Remmessens river.

{Page 55}

B.

Keppler Map (No. 6.--VII E).

XXIII. (1629) [*].
SHIPWRECK OF THE SHIP BATAVIA UNDER
COMMANDER FRANÇOIS PELSAERT ON HOUTMANS
ABROLHOS [**].--FURTHER DISCOVERY OF THE WEST-
COAST OF AUSTRALIA.
[* In the year 1628 certain other Dutch vessels sighted or touched at the west-coast of Australia
on their outward voyage to India (see LEUPE, Zuidland, p. 58; my edition of the Daily Register
of Batavia, p. 341). What we know on this point is without interest. I merely mention the fact
here, without entering into particulars.]

[** The fact and the particulars of this shipwreck have become sufficiently known, the narrative
of it having been published repeatedly and in different languages (see TIELE, Mémoires
bibliographiques, pp. 262-268; Id. Bibliographie Land- en Volkenkunde, pp. 172, 190-191, 258f.-
-Cf. e.g. also MAJOR, Early Voyages, pp. LXXXIX--XCII; 59-74). I accordingly print in the text
only what is strictly necessary; but I give almost in extenso Pelsaert's journal of his exploratory
voyage along the west-coast of Australia.]

A.

Woeful diurnal annotations [of Commander PELSAERT] touching the loss of
our ship Batavia, run aground on the Abrolhos, or rocks of Fredrick
Houtman, situated in 28½ degrees S. Lat., at 9 miles' distance from the
Southland.

On the fourth of June [1619], it being Whitmonday, with a light, clear full
moon, about two hours before daybreak...I felt the ship's rudder strike the
rocks with a violent horrible shock. Upon which the ship's course was
forthwith checked by the rocks...I rushed on deck, and found all the sails
atop; the wind south-west; our course during the night had been north-east
by north, and we were now lying amidst thick foam. Still, at the moment, the
breakers round the ship were not violent, but shortly after the sea was heard
to run upon us with great vehemence on all sides...

[When] day broke, we found ourselves surrounded by cliffs and shoals...

I saw no land that I thought would remain above water at high tide, except
an island, which by estimation was fully three miles from the ship. I
therefore sent the skipper to two small islets or cliffs, in order to ascertain
whether our men and part of our cargo could be landed there. About 9
o'clock the skipper returned, informing me that it was well-nigh impossible
to get through the rocks and cliffs, the pinnace running aground in one place,
and the water being several fathom deep in another. As far as he could judge,
the islands would remain above water at high tide. Therefore, moved by the
loud lamentations raised on board by women, children, sick people, and
faint-hearted men, we thought it best first to land the greater part of our
people...

[On June 5] at their earnest instances to move me, it was determined, as
shown by the resolution, that we should try to find fresh water in the
neighbouring islands, or on the mainland coast in order to save their lives
and our own; and that, if no water should be found, we should in that case at
the mercy of God with the pinnace continue our voyage to Batavia, there to
make known our calamitous and unheard-of disasters...

{Page 56}

This day the 6th do...[we] set sail in the pinnace, and on this day touched at
two separate islands, where we found at best some brackish water, which
had collected in the cavities of the rocks on the beach after the rain, but it
was largely mixed with seawater. On the 7th do. we remained here, in order
to repair our pinnace with a plank, for we found that without this it would
have been impossible to reach the mainland...

On the 8th do. in the morning we set sail from this island for the mainland...

At noon we were in 28° 13' Lat., and shortly after sighted the mainland,
which we estimated to lie 6 miles north by west of our ship. The wind blew
from the west, and we sounded 25 and 30 fathom about 3 o'clock in the
afternoon. During the night we kept off the land, and after midnight shaped
our course for it again.

In the morning of the 9th we were still about 3 miles from the land, the wind
being mainly north-west with some rain; in the last 24 hours we covered 4 or

5 miles by estimation, course held north by west. The land here extends
chiefly north by west and south by east. It is a barren, rocky coast without
trees, about the height of Dover in England.

We here saw a small inlet, and some low land with dunes, which we meant
to touch at, but on nearer approach we found a heavy sea and violent
breakers on the shore, while at the same time the swell from the west
suddenly began to run towards the land so strongly and so high, that we
could hardly keep off it, the less so as the storm always rose in violence.

On the 10th do. we kept holding off and on for twenty-four hours owing to
the strong wind, while the storm from the north-west, which stood on the
boat we had taken with us, forced us to cut the same adrift and to throw
overboard a part of the bread we had with us, together with other things that
were in the way, since we could not keep the water out of our pinnace.

During the night we were in great peril of foundering owing to the violent
gale and the hollow seas. We could not keep off the land, because we did not
venture to carry sail, and so were wholly at the mercy of wind and waves,
while it kept raining the whole night.

On the 1lth do. in the morning the weather began somewhat to abate, the
wind turning to west-south-west, upon which we held our course to
northward, but the sea was still very rough.

On the 12th do. at noon we were in Lat. 27°; we ran close along the land
with a south-east wind, but could find no means to get near the land with the
pinnace, owing to the violent surf; we found the coast falling off very
steeply, without any foreland or inlets, such as other lands are found to have:
in short it seemed to us a barren, accursed earth without leafage or grass.

On the 13th do. at noon we were in Lat. 25° 40'; we found ourselves drifting
very rapidly northward, having rounded the point where the land extends
mainly N.N.E. and S.S.W. During the last 24 hours our course was chiefly
north. The coast was steep, consisting of red rock, without foreland, of the
same height almost everywhere, and impossible to touch at owing to the
breakers.

On the 14th do. in the morning there was a faint breeze, but during the day it
fell a dead calm. At noon we were in Lat. 24°; course held N., with a S.E.
wind; during the whole of the day the current carried us northward against
our will, for we {Page 57} were running along the land with small sail. In
the afternoon we saw smoke rising up from the land; we accordingly rowed
to shore in order to land if possible, with our spirits somewhat raised, for I
concluded that if there were men, there must be water too. Coming near the
shore, I found it to be a steeply rising coast, full of rocks and stones, with the
surf running violently; nevertheless 6 of our men swam ashore, and we
remained at anchor with the pinnace in 25 fathom outside the surf. The men
now searched for water everywhere until nightfall, without, however, finding
any; they also saw four men coming up to them, creeping on all fours, but
when our men all of a sudden emerged from a depression of the ground, and
approached them, they sprang to their feet, and ran off in full career, all
which we could distinctly see from the pinnace. They were black men, stark
naked, without the least covering. In the evening our men swam on board
again, all of them grievously wounded by the rocks on which they been
dashed by the breakers. We therefore weighed anchor again to seek a better
place for landing, and ran on during the night with small sail close along the
shore, but out of the reach of the surf.

On the 15th do. in the morning we were near a point of the coast off which a
large reef extended about a mile in length, we ran in between the land and
this reef, which we estimated to be in 23° Lat., and thus sailed along the
coast, along which there was another reef, inside which the water seemed to
be very smooth and still; we did our best to get inside this second reef, but
did not find an opening before noon, when we saw a passage where there
was no surf, we ran into it, but found it to be full of stones, and sometimes
no more than one or two feet deep.

This coast had a foreshore covered with dunes about a mile in width, before
you come to the higher part. We therefore began to dig in divers places, but
the water proved to be salt; some of us went to the higher land, where by
good luck we found in a rock a number of cavities, in which a quantity of
rain-water had collected. It also seemed that a short time before there had
been natives there, for we found some crab-shells lying about and here and
there fire-ashes. Here we somewhat quenched our cruel thirst, which almost
prevented us from dragging ourselves along, for since the loss of our ship we

had had no more than one or two mutchkins daily, without any wine or other
drink. Besides quenching our own thirst, we here gathered about 80 cans of
water, and remained there for the night.

On the 16th do. in the morning we continued our exploration in order to find
out whether there were more water-pits in the mountains, but our search was
fruitless, for it seemed not to have rained there for a long time past, and we
found no traces of running water, the higher ground being again very barren
and unpromising, without any trees, shrubs or grass, but with plenty of high
ant-hills in all directions. These ant~hills consisted of earth thrown up, and
from afar somewhat resembled huts for the abode of men.

We also found such multitudes of flies here, which perched on our mouths
and crept into our eyes, that we could not keep them off our persons. We
likewise saw 8 blacks here, each of them carrying a stick in his hand; they
came within a musketshot's distance of us, but when we went up to them,
they ran off, and we could not get them to stop, that we might come near
them. Towards noon, when we found there was no more water to be had, we
set sail again, and passed through another opening of the reef a little more to
northward. We were here in 22° 17' Lat. I intended to run on to Jacop
Remessens river, but the wind went round to North-east, so that we could
not keep near the land, and seeing that we were now more than {Page 58}
100 miles from those we had left behind on the island-rocks, and that up to
now we had not found water enough to assist them all, but only so much as
would afford two mutchkins daily to ourselves, we were compelled to
resolve to do our best in order with God's help to continue our voyage to
Batavia as expeditiously as possible, that the Hon. Lord Governor-general
might order measures to be taken for the succour of those we had left
behind...

On the 7 th do. [of July] we arrived in the road-stead of Batavia at nightfall.

God be thanked and praised.

B.

Diurnal anotations on my [PELSAERT'S] second voyage to the South-land,
by order of the Hon. Lord Governor-general Jan Pietersen Coen, with the

Yacht Sardam, for the purpose of rescuing and bringing hither the men
belonging to our lost ship Batavia, together with the ready money and the
goods that it shall be found possible to salve.

This day the 15th Of July We set sail in the morning with the land-wind...

This day the 1st of September at noon we were in 29° 16' Southern Latitude
[*], with a variable wind, so that we found it impossible to get to eastward.
[* The ship had already sailed farther south than Houtman's Abrolhos.]

On the 2nd do. the wind went round to the north with a top-gallant gale; at
noon we were in 30° 16' S.L. and found we had drifted a long way to
southward; in the evening the wind turned to the north-west; course held
N.E. by north.

On the 3rd do. in the morning the wind was blowing from the west; we saw
a good deal of rock-weed floating about and also a number of cuttle-bones.
We therefore turned our course to eastward, and at noon we saw the
mainland of the South-land, extending N.N.W. and S.S.E.; we were at
about 3 miles' distance from it and saw the land extending southward for 4
miles by estimation, where it was bounded by the horizon. We sounded here
in 25 fathom, fine sandy bottom. It is a treeless, barren coast with a few
sandy dunes, the same as to northward; we were in 29° 16' Southern
Latitude, turned our course to north-west, the wind being W.S.W., but the
hollow seas threw us close to the land, so that in the evening we had to drop
anchor at one mile's distance from it; at two glasses in the first watch our
anchor was broken in two, so that we had to bring out another in great haste.

On the 4th do. in the morning the wind was S.W. by S., still with a very
hollow swell. During the day the wind went round to S.S.W., upon which we
weighed anchor and got under sail before noon. We stood out to sea on a
W.N.W. course in order to get off the lee-shore. At noon we were in 28° 50'
S.L., where the land began to fall off one point, to wit North by west and
South by east. In the afternoon the wind went round to the south, and we
shaped our course westward. Towards evening we became aware of a shoal
straight ahead or west of us, at only a musket-shot's distance, we being in 25
fathom fine sandy bottom. We turned the rudder and ran off it half a mile to
E.S.E., where we came to anchor in 27 fathom fine bottom; from noon till

the evening we had been sailing on a W.N.W. course, and we were now at 5
miles' distance from the mainland. In the night it fell a dead calm with fine
weather and a south-by-east wind.

{Page 59}

On the 5th do. in the morning the wind being S.S.E. with lovely weather, we
weighed anchor and sailed S.S.W. for an hour, at the end of which we
observed more breakers, shallows and islets ahead of us and alongside our
course; the wind then turned more to eastward, so that we could run to the
south and S.S.E. This reef or shoal extended S.S.W. and N.N.E.; along it we
sounded in 27, 28 and 29 fathom sandy bottom; at 11 o'clock in the forenoon
we had lost sight of the mainland; at noon we were in 28° 59' S. Lat., the
extremity of the reef lying W.S.W. of us, and we being in 50 or 60 fathom,
foul steep bottom. In the afternoon the wind began to abate, but the current
carried us to the west, while the rocks here fell off far to westward, we being
at about 87 miles' distance from the mainland by estimation. We had a dead
calm the whole night and drifted along the rock, on which we heard the
waves break the whole time.

On the 6th do. in the morning we had lost sight of the rocks; about 10
o'clock the wind began to blow from the W.N.W., so that we ran nearly in
the direction of the rocks. At noon we were in 28° 44' S. Lat.; it began to
blow hard from the N.W., so that in the afternoon we kept tacking off and
on, and found ourselves carried northward by the current. In the evening we
stood out to sea away from the rocks again, and sounded in 40 fathom foul
rocky bottom; this shallow here extends seaward S.E. and N.W. In the
evening it began to blow very hard, so that we had to run on with shortened
mainsails, the wind being variable.

On the 7th do. in the morning the wind abated, so that we made sail again; at
noon we found our latitude to be 29° 30'; we went over to northward to get
sight of the mainland again, but the wind suddenly turned sharply to
W.N.W., so that we had to stand out to sea again.

On the 8th do. at noon we were in 29° 7' S. Lat., course held N.E. In the
evening we saw the breakers again. We therefore stood out to sea on a west-

south-west course the whole night with a north-west-wind; and it began to
blow so hard that we had again to take in the topsails.

On the 9th do. in the morning we shaped our course to the land again; at
noon we were in Lat. 29° and for the rest of the day we kept tacking off and
on; towards the evening there blew a storm from the N.W., so that we could
hardly keep our main-sails set.

On the 10th do. we made sail again in the morning; at noon we were in 29°
30' S. Lat., with a westerly wind and a top-gallant gale.

On the 11th do. it was calm in the morning, but with a very hollow sea,
while the wind blew from the W.N.W., so that we could not get to the north,
if we did not wish to come upon or near the rocks. At noon we were in 28°
48' S. Lat. The wind continued variable, so that in the night we had to drift
with our foresail set until daybreak.

On the 12th do. we made sail again at daybreak, shaping our course to the
east. We ran on till noon, when we found ourselves to be in in 28° 13' S. Lat.
We therefore ran somewhat more to the south again, in order to reach the
latitude Of 28° 20' exactly; the wind was south-west with a heavy swell of
the sea. In the afternoon, two hours before sunset we again sighted the rocks,
which we estimated to be still two miles from us. We cast the lead in 100
fathom fine sandy bottom, but when we had come to half a mile's distance,
we sounded 30 fathom foul rocky bottom. In the night we shaped our course
two points more to seaward, and in the daywatch made for the land again.

{Page 60}

On the 13th do., three hours after sunrise we again sighted breakers ahead,
and having made up our reckoning, we found we had lost a mile north, since
the wind had been S.S.E. This proved to be the northernmost extremity of
the Abrolhos. Therefore, since I found we always came too high or too low,
and it was very dangerous to touch at them from the outside owing to the
high swells and foul bottom, I resolved to keep tacking off the outermost
shoal. After this we went over again nearly to weatherward with a S.S.E.
wind, keeping an eastern course. When we had got inside a small distance,
we directly had a fine sandy bottom in from 30 to 35 fathom; at noon we

were in 28° S. Lat., shortly after we again saw the mainland of the
Southland. In the evening, as it began to blow hard, we came to anchor at
about 2 miles' distance from the land in 30 fathom, fine bottom.

On the 14th do. there was a stiff gale from the S.S.E., so that we could not
get in our anchor, and remained here all day.

On the 15th do. the wind was still equally strong, but towards noon it got
somewhat calmer, so that we could get in our anchor. At noon we were in
27° 54' S. Lat. We kept tacking the whole day with a S.S.E. wind, in order to
gain the south, and at night found we had gained two miles. When it got
dark, we again came to anchor in 30 fathom fine bottom.

On the 16th do. at daybreak we again weighed anchor; the wind being
W.S.W., we went over nearly to southward. At noon we were in
Latitude...degrees...minutes [*]. The wind then turned first to the west and
afterwards to the north, so that we could sail on a south-west course; towards
the evening we saw the rocks on which our good ship Batavia had
miscarried, and I was sure I saw the high Island, but our steersmen
contended that it was other land. Two hours after sunset we again came to
anchor in 26 fathom fine sandy bottom.
[* Left blank.]

On the 17th do. at daybreak we again weighed anchor with a northerly wind;
we were now still about 2 miles from the high island and made for it. When
at noon we had got near the island we saw smoke rising up from a long
island, two miles to westward of the wreck, and also from another islet [*],
close to the wreck, at which we were all of us greatly rejoiced, hoping to
find the greater part [**] or almost all the people alive. Therefore, when we
had come to anchor, I went in a boat to the highest island, which was quite
close to us, taking with me a cask of water, a cask of bread, and a small keg
of wine; when I had got there I did not see any one, at which we were greatly
astonished. I sprang ashore...
[* This islet was named Batavia's Kerkhof [Churchyard] by the survivors; another of the rocks
got the name of Robben-eiland [Seals' island].]

[* This proved actually to be the case. I have thought it needless to print those parts of the journal
which tell the adventures of the castaways, since they have repeatedly been narrated in other

works.]

On the 15th [of November, 1629] the wind was S.S.W., with seemingly fine
weather. Therefore, in the name of God, we weighed anchor and set sail
from these luckless Abrolhos for the mainland on an East-north-east course,
for the purpose of seeking there the skipper and four other men, who on the
14th last were with their boat cut off from ship by a storm, after which we
had resolved to continue our return-voyage to Batavia with the utmost
expedition. The spot where the ship or wreck lies, is in 28° 36' or 40', and the
place near the high Island where we have been at anchor with the Yacht, in
30 or 32 minutes, north-north-west of the wreck. But after the shipwreck the
steersmen had in one of the islands taken the latitude Of 28 degrees 8
minutes, and 28 degrees 20 minutes, which mistake has caused no little loss
of time and misunderstanding on our part in seeking out these places...

{Page 61}

The sea abounds in fish in these parts; they are mainly of three kinds, but
very different in shape and taste from those caught on other coasts. All the
islands about here are low-lying atolls or coral-islets and rocks, except two
or three large islands, in one of which, a long time before we came here, they
had found two pits filled with water, but during the time we were here, the
water in these pits became very brackish or salt, so as to be unfit for human
consumption. In the other island, near which the Yacht lay at anchor, after
burning away the brushwood or thicket, we also came upon two pits filled
with water, which were discovered quite by accident...since they had only a
small hole at top, that would admit a man's arm, but below we found a large
cistern or water-tank under the earth; after which with mattocks and sledge-
hammers we widened the hole so as to be able to take out the water
conveniently. Besides, we found in these islands large numbers of a species
of cats, which are very strange creatures; they are about the size of a hare,
their head resembling the head of a civet-cat; the forepaws are very short,
about the length of a finger, on which the animal has five small nails or
fingers, resembling those of a monkey's forepaw. Its two hind-legs, on the
contrary, are upwards of half an ell in length, and it walks on these only, on
the flat of the heavy part of the leg, so that it does not run fast. Its tail is very
long, like that of a long-tailed monkey; if it eats, it sits on its hind-legs, and
clutches its food with its forepaws, just like a squirrel or monkey. Their

manner of generation or procreation is exceedingly strange and highly worth
observing. Below the belly the female carries a pouch, into which you may
put your hand; inside this pouch are her nipples, and we have found that the
young ones grow up in this pouch with the nipples in their mouths. We have
seen some young ones lying there, which were only the size of a bean,
though at the same time perfectly proportioned, so that it seems certain that
they grow there out of the nipples of the mammae, from which they draw
their food, until they are grown up and are able to walk. Still, they keep
creeping into the pouch even when they have become very large, and the
dam runs off with them, when they are hunted.

In these two islands we also found a number of grey turtle-doves, but no
other animals. Nor is there any vegetation beyond brushwood, and little or
no grass. This and what has hereinbefore been related is all that we have
experienced and met with about these Abrolhos.

We shall therefore now shape our course for the mainland of the
Southland, to which we are navigating. About noon we were close inshore,
running along the coast with small sail at about half a mile's distance from it,
in order to see if we could not descry any men or signs of men, until the
afternoon, when we saw a small column of smoke rise up from the higher
land, but it soon vanished. Nevertheless we anchored there in 21 fathom fine
sandy bottom, in order to look for the skipper with his men, but the smoke
did not appear again, and no one showed on the beach, from which we
concluded that the smoke had been made by the natives, who now did not
venture to show themselves. As it blew very hard, we remained at anchor
here for the night.

On the 16th do. in the morning we weighed anchor again with a S.S.E. wind
and a top-gallant gale. We again ran close along the land with small sail at
about a howitzer's shot's distance from the surf. Towards noon we sighted
the inlet which we had meant to run into on the 8th of June last, when we
were seeking water with the pinnace, and {Page 62} where we were befallen
by a storm from the north-west, which would certainly have sent us to
destruction, if God had not miraculously saved us. Here we saw divers
smoke-clouds rising up, which gladdened us all with the hope that our men
might be there. I therefore sent the pinnace ashore directly for the purpose of
getting certain information regarding the place and the clouds of smoke we

had seen; the men in her, after rounding a steep point, where we had
suspected the presence of water, discovered a running streamlet, of which
the water was brackish near the sea, but quite fresh higher up; they also
found a great many human footprints and continuous footpaths leading to the
mountains, and saw numerous clouds of smoke, but the blacks kept
themselves in concealment, and no human being was seen.

Formerly, when we were sailing about here with the pinnace, we had also
been close inshore, but did not then see any men or smoke-clouds at this
place. Thinking this a fitting opportunity, I have here sent on shore the two
condemned delinquents [*] Wouter Loos and Jan Pelgrom de By, of
Bemmel, in a sampan provided with all necessaries. God grant that this
punishment may ultimately redound to the service of the Company, and that
the two delinquents may come off with their lives, so as to be able to give
trustworthy information about these parts. This inlet is in 27° 51'. In the
afternoon, seeing there was no hope or chance of finding the skipper, we
made sail and shaped our course to north-west, two points off the land,
because it began to blow hard, and in the evening we turned to west-north-
west...[**].
[* They had been sentenced to being marooned.]

[* The ship returned to Batavia on the 5th of December.]

XXIV. (1635) [*].
FURTHER SURVEYINGS OF THE WEST-COAST OF
AUSTRALIA BY THE SHIP AMSTERDAM UNDER
COMMANDER WOLLEBRAND GELEYNSZOON DE
JONGH AND SKIPPER PIETER DIRCKSZ, ON HER
VOYAGE FROM THE NETHERLANDS TO THE EAST
INDIES.
[* In 1629 the west-coast of Australia in the neighbourhood of Dirk Hartogsz Roads was touched
at by Dutch vessels, and in 1632 the Trialls were passed by Dutch ships on the outward voyage.
What we know about these two points is of no interest as regards our subject.]

Journal of Commander WOLLEBRAND GELEYNSZOON DE JONGH. [*]

[* I know this journal only from what LEUPE extracts from it in his "Zuidland", pp. 62 ff. (the
passages in question being given above), and from certain written notes from Leupe's hand. From
the latter I have learned inter alia, the name of the skipper, the date of departure from the Texel
(December 26, 1634), and the date of arrival at Batavia (June 24, 1635).]

...[May 25] Last night when two glasses of the first watch were out, we got a
slight breeze from the N.W., which gradually stiffened, so that there was a
fair breeze at the latter end of this watch, which kept blowing through the
night till the following forenoon, when the wind turned to W. by N. and
W.N.W. with a squall of rain, it blowing a strong top-gallant gale until the
evening, course kept E. by N. until one hour after daybreak when we sighted
the South-land.

We went over to port directly, keeping a N.E. and N.E. by E. course until
noon, when we stood out to sea from the land, on a W. and W. by S. course
with a top-gallant gale. We took the latitude, which we found to be 25° 16'
South, but of {Page 63} this we are not quite sure; we were not able to take
the sun's azimuth, either in the morning or in the evening; we sailed 20 miles
until we saw the land, from which we were at 4 or 4½ miles' distance by
estimation, on an E. by N. course, and on various courses during the day,
course N.N.E. for 6 or 7 miles.

We had made this land in 4 months and 20 days. We saw a good deal of
rock-weed floating past our ship, and also a small Saturn-gull, and not above
6 or 7 other gulls; the swell ran strongly from the south-west and afterwards
more from the south; along the land the sea was tolerably smooth.

We adjusted our compasses at 4° north-westerly variation. In the morning of
the same day about two hours after sunrise, when prayers were over, we saw
the south-land straight ahead to the great joy of all of us; it was east of us, at
about 3 or 5 miles' distance by estimation, when we got sight of it; it was a
low-lying coast extending mainly N.N.E. and S.S.W. as given in the chart, so
far as we could see. We immediately began to sail close-hauled to port on a
N.E. and N.E. by E. course, sometimes a little higher and at other times a
little lower, until three glasses in the afternoon had run out, when we got a
squall of rain with the wind going over to W.N.W., upon which we ran north
again, since at noon owing to the nearly contrary wind we had gone over to
W. in order to keep off the land. We now shaped our course to north, at times
to N. by W. nearly as high as we could sail and the wind would allow us.

The land which we saw, and from which at noon we were at no more than
1½ or two miles' distance by estimation, we judged to be the land of
d'Eendracht, and the land which we were near to at noon Dirck
Hartochsz-Roads, for we had before us a large bay or bight between two
capes. In the bay we could see no land from the main-topmast, but so far as
we could discern the surf ran through the whole bay from the one cape to the
other.

The land shows various white plots near the seaside, and in many places
rises very steeply so far as we could see.

The breakers on the coast were very strong, but there were no rocks or
shallows near the coast on which we could see the surf break, except at the
cape north of Dirck Hartochs Roads, off which there seemed to be a small
shoal or rock on which the surf broke, but it may as well have been a
landspit running southward out to sea from the cape.

As soon as we got sight of the land, we cast the lead, and took soundings in
90 fathom whitish sandy bottom with small shells, at about 4½ or 5 miles'
distance from the land; in the middle of the forenoon we cast the lead again
and touched the bottom in 75 fathom coarse and fine sand, mixed with small
shells, at a little under 3 miles' distance from the land; we saw a good deal of
rock-weed float alongside.

At noon we sounded in 55 fathom, at about two miles' distance from the
shore, straight in front of Dirck Hartochsz Roads, greyish sand.

{Page 64}

About 2 o'clock in the afternoon we sounded in 50 fathom white, clean sand-
bottom, with very small, thin shells, at about i½ mile's distance by
estimation from the northern extremity of Dirck Hartochsz. Roads, and two
miles from the southern extremity of the road-stead just mentioned.

Towards the evening after supper, we cast the lead and sounded in 50 fathom
grayish sand-bottom, at about 2½ miles' distance by estimation from the
land, and about 3 miles to northward of Dirck Hartochsz Roads.

At night when 4 glasses of the first watch were out, we cast the lead and
sounded in 50 fathom grayish sand with small shells, estimating ourselves to
be about 3 miles off the land, and about 7 miles to northward of Dirck
Hartochsz. Roads.

At the latter end of the first watch when seven glasses were out, we cast the
lead and touched the bottom in 48 fathom, but could not make out how far
we were from the land (since it was night, and we could not see the coast),
except from our course, by which we estimated the distance to be 4 miles.

In the second watch when three glasses had run out, we cast the lead again
and sounded in 47 fathom sandy bottom as before; we kept sounding every
two or three glasses during the whole night until sunrise and found 80
fathom sandy bottom; we saw no land, but from our course and rate of
progress we deemed ourselves to be at 9½ miles' distance from the nearest
land, estimating our latitude, from the observation we took on the 26th do. at
noon, and from our rate of progress, to be 24° South. But we did not see any
land again throughout the day, and left off sounding, since our skippers and
steersmen, judging from their estimations and from the course we kept
(being north, and two points off the land according to the trend of the coast),
were of opinion that we could get no bottom, so that we thought it needless
to go on sounding...

XXV. (1636).
NEW DISCOVERIES ON THE NORTH-COAST OF
AUSTRALIA BY THE SHIPS KLEIN-AMSTERDAM AND
WESEL, COMMANDED BY (GERRIT THOMASZOON
POOL AND) PIETER PIETERSZOON.
[* Pool was killed on the South-west coast of New Guinea, April 28, 1636, and was succeeded in
the command of the ships by Pieter Pieterszoon. Unlike my treatment of Carstensz's voyage in
1623, the present account will not embrace the further discovery of the South-west coast of New
Guinea. I had to give the route followed along this coast in 1632 because it throws light on the
expedition under Willem Jansz. in 1605/6.]

A.

Instructions for Commander Gerrit Thomasz Pool and the Council of the
Yachts Cleen Amsterdam and Wesel, destined for the discovery of the lands
situated east of Banda, and furthermore of the South-land, thence extending
to the South-west.

Inasmuch as for a long time past the "Heeren Majores" have been very
instantly recommending to us the discovery of the South-land, and still
continue to do so, and we have frequently discussed the matter with...even
before his departure, therefore it has been resolved and determined in the
Council of India that you shall be employed with the Yachts Cleen
Amsterdam and Wesel in the said discovery of the lands east of Banda and
of the South-land extending to westward.

You will set sail from Amboyna for Banda, in the name of God, With the
said yachts Cleen Amsterdam and Wesel on the first of April next, and when
you shall have arrived there, you will communicate these Orders and
Instructions to the Lord Governor Acoley.

Whom by these presents we enjoin to hand you in writing all such ampler
information as during his residence at Banda His Worship shall have
collected touching the {Page 65} lands and islands situated east of Banda, at
the same time letting you know where and in what islands His Worship
thinks some profit to be obtainable for the Company, or how massoye bark
and fitting men may be got, which order will in that case have to be first
executed.

And in case you should obtain no additional information, we would have
you set sail from Banda as speedily as possible for Arnhems- and Speults
land, situated between 9 and 13 degrees Southern Latitude, discovered
A.D. 1623, as you will more fully see from the appended chart; these are the
large lands; you will endeavour to ascertain what may be obtained from
there, whether these lands are peopled, and what the natives subsist on.

After touching at the said islands you will cross over in order to strike the
land of Nova Guinea likewise discovered A.D. 1623, by the Yachts Pera
and Arnhem as far as 17° 8' Southern Latitude, which we surmise to be
the South-land extending to westward from the said latitude as far as 26
degrees or as far as the land of de Eendracht.

The men of the Yachts Pera and Arnhem have, as before mentioned, sailed
along this coast from about 4 degrees to 17 degrees 8 minutes, and have
landed at various places, where they found nothing but barren coasts and
lands, and utterly barbarian, cruel, wild natives, who surprised nine of our
men fishing, and assassinated the same. The various strands, rivers, bays,
points and the trend of this coast you will gather from the chart aforesaid.

From the farthest point discovered, which as before mentioned, is in Lat. 17°
8' South, you will skirt the coast as far as Houtmans Abrolhos in 28 and 29
degrees, and farther still, if your provisions hold out, if the condition of your
crews will allow of it, and if your Yachts are proof against the rough seas
that prevail in the Southern Ocean in 33 and 34 degrees; after which you will
return to Batavia through Sunda Strait, trying in passing to touch at the
Trials, that further information about this rock and its situation may in this
way be obtained.

In sailing along the coast you will have all bays and inlets you may meet
with, diligently examined, and keep a sharp look-out for the discovery of
channels or openings that might afford a passage into the South Sea, since
we surmise that such passage must be looked for to northward rather than to
southward, considering the breadth of the South-land between 28 and 32 or
33 degrees.

In case you should discover channels leading to the South Sea, or should
find the South-land to consist of islands, you will endeavour to pass through
or between the same, diligently observing the mouths and outlets, and then
returning again through the same passage in order to proceed with your
discovery along the north-side.

In landing with small craft you will use great circumspection, and your
treatment of the natives that should allow you to come to parley, must and
ought to be marked by great kindness, wary caution, and skilful judgment;
slight misdemeanours on the part of such natives, such as petty thefts and the
like, which they should commit against you, you will suffer to pass
unnoticed, that by so doing you may draw them unto you, and not inspire
them with aversion to our nation. Whoever endeavours to discover unknown
lands and tribes, had need to be patient and long-suffering, noways quick to
fly out, but always bent on ingratiating himself.

We have put on board your ships various kinds of merchandise and minerals,
which you will show to the people whom you should come to parley with,
partly that by so doing you may come to know whether any of these goods
are produced by their country, partly in order to see what desire and
inclination they evince to our mercantile commodities, and what goods they
might be ready to offer in exchange for the same.

{Page 66}

Close attention should be paid to the disposition of the people, their
character, condition and humours; to the religion they profess and to their
manner of government; their wars, their arms and weapons; the food they eat
and the clothes they wear, and what they mainly subsist on.

Careful observation should be made, and exact records kept, of the winds
and currents, the rains and tides etc. which you shall meet with in this your
intended voyage.

You will make due observation also of all lands, islands, strands, rivers,
bays, points, rocks, reefs, cliffs, shallows and whatever else appertains to the
same; of all which you will have accurate surveyings made, showing the true
bearings, longitude and latitude, in accordance with the circumstances under
which you shall get sight and knowledge of the same.

For this purpose availing yourselves of the services of Subcargo Pieter
Pietersen...

You will not carry off with you any natives against their will, but if a small
number of them should be found willing to come hither of their own accord,
you will grant them passage...

Commander Francisco Pelsert, having A.D. 1629 put ashore there two Dutch
delinquents, who had in due form of justice been sentenced to forfeit their
lives [*], you will grant passage to the said persons, if they should be alive to
show themselves, and should request you to be brought hither.
[* See ante, p. 62.]

It would be a thing highly desirable for ships bound from the Netherlands to
India, if on the coast of the South-land between 26 and 28 degrees a fitting
place for obtaining refreshments and fresh water could be discovered, seeing
that mainly about that latitude scorbut and other disorders begin to show
themselves, at times carrying off numbers of men even before they reach
Batavia.

Finally, as hereinbefore mentioned, we shall expect you back here through
Sunda Strait, if no obstacles come in your way to prevent this, and if the land
is found to extend in one unbroken coast~line, as we surmise it to do, of
which your experience will be our teacher.

It should furthermore be noted that we are convinced that the west-coast of
Nova Guinea, or the land discovered as far as Lat. 17° 8' South by the Yachts
Pera and Arnhem, forms one whole with the South-land, a point which in
drawing up these Instructions we have taken for granted.

Therefore, if you should find the contrary to be the case, a matter of which
we will by no means deny the possibility, and if the South-land should by
you be found to be an island, you will sail southward along the coast of
Nova Guinea, as far as the 32nd degree S.L., and thence on a westerly course
touch at the eastern extremity of the South-land, which in January 1627
was discovered by the ship t'Zeepaart. When you shall have made the
South-land on this course, you will run one degree more to southward near
the islands of St. Pieter and François, that by so doing you may obtain full
certainty that from that point the coast-line trends to westward. After which
you will run northward again, skirting the Southland, past de Witsland, as
far as Houtman's shoal and furthermore to 33 or 34 degrees, if wind and
weather shall permit, returning thence to Batavia, as hereinbefore mentioned.

{Page 67}

In conclusion, we wish you all the blessin of the Lord, a prosperous voyage
and safe return, hoping at the same time that this voyage may redound to the
advantage of the Company, to the glory of our country, and to your especial
honour. Amen.

Done in the Castle of Batavia, this 19th of February, A.D. 1636.
(Signed)
ANTHONIO VAN DIEMEN, PHILIP LUCASZ, ARTUS GYSELS and JAN
VAN DER BURCH.

B.

Daily Register of Batavia.

October 1636.

The 6th do.

This day in the afternoon there arrived here from Amboyna the Yacht Cleyn
Wesel, having on board the subcargo Pieter Pietersen, who...after the
lamentable assassination of Commander Gerrit Thomasz Pool on the coast of
Nova Guinea, had succeeded to the latter's office, and with the Yachts Cleen
Amsterdam and Wesel had returned to Amboyna by way of Banda,
reporting in substance as follows, both by word of mouth and by the journal
kept during the voyage and the Resolutions duly registered, touching what
happened in the course of the expedition, to wit...

On the 6th of June [they came to anchor] before the native village of Taranga
at the south-western extremity of Arouw, in order...to provide themselves
with certain necessaries...

On the 9th of June, being duly revictualled, he had set sail again from the
said native village of Taranga, shaping his course to southward in order to
endeavour to get to eastward by some means or other, so as to accomplish
his ordained voyage; but when he had got to southward as far as the 11th
degree of latitude, he had not only found and met with the east- and south-
east-winds blowing constantly with great vehemence and hollow seas, but
had also come upon a new land; in such fashion that, seeing no chance of
getting to eastward for the accomplishment of his voyage, since such voyage
will have to take place in the beginning of the western monsoon, he resolved
with his council to give up further investigations to eastward, to explore and
survey the situation of the newly discovered Van Diemensland, also called
Arnhems or Speultsland, and, having gathered the required information, to

run northward again for the purpose of obtaining perfect knowledge of the
islands of Timor and Tenember; and all this having been duly effected, to
return to Banda etc.

In conformity with this resolution the said Pieter Pietersen has surveyed the
newly discovered land for the space Of 20 miles from East to West; he has
seen many fires and frequent clouds of smoke, but no natives, houses, prows
or fruit-trees, although he has paddled close along the shore with an
orangbay, and gone ashore in sundry places, finding the land wild and
barren; wherefore, not having been able to come to parley with any of the
inhabitants, on the 20th of June, as previously resolved upon, he ran to the
north from a certain Red point jutting out into the sea to northward, where
the land falls off abruptly to the west, for the purpose of making the islands
of Timor and Tenember...

{Page 68}

C.

Journal of the voyage to Nova Guinea, 1636.

...In the early morning of Friday [June 6]...we arrived before the native
village of Taranga...

On Monday the 9th do. At daybreak the wind was S.E...we set sail from
Taranga...shaping our course to the S.S.W.

We could take no latitude at noon...

In the first watch we sailed S.S.W. the space of about 3 glasses; the wind
was S.E. with a fair breeze, and afterwards E.S.E.; we sailed to southward
for the time of 12 glasses; at the beginning of the day-watch the wind was
E.N.E. with a fresh breeze; we sailed S.E. for about eight glasses...

On Tuesday the 10th do. In the morning about breakfast-time the wind blew
from the E.N.E. as before...

We estimated ourselves to have sailed 9½ miles on a generally Southern
course from last night to the present night.

On Wednesday the 11th do. Course held S.S.E...We had sailed on a Southern
and S. by E. course about 11 miles by estimation during the last 24 hours...

On Thursday the 12th do. The wind E.S.E. as before...At noon we were in
Lat. 10° 2', so that I find we are farther to southward as would accord with
our estimation and our courses kept, on which account I believe the current
must have driven us a good deal to S.S.E.. In the afternoon the sky was
overcast, the wind E.S.E. and S.E. by E. with a light breeze; we sailed to S.
by W. with our mainsails set. Towards the evening the water became all of a
sudden very smooth and of a pale colour; after sunset we cast the lead in 40
fathom good anchoring ground, fine sand, but could see no land: we took in
our foresail and sailed in the night with the mainsail only to avoid press of
sail. We estimated ourselves to have sailed about 12 miles on a general S.W.
by S. course during the last 24 hours. In the night the wind was E. by S.,
E.S.E. and S.E. by E. with fine, lovely, clear weather and a top-gallant gale;
throughout the night our average course was S., we cast the lead now and
then in 42, 39, 38, 36 and 25 fathom good anchoring-ground.

On Friday the 13th do., the wind was nearly S.E., with a top-gallant gale and
smooth water; course S.S.W. and S. by W.; the water was very pale in colour,
but we could see no land; the weather was lovely and clear; at noon we
found ourselves to be in 10° 50' S.L.

Shortly after noon we cast the lead in 32 fathom good anchoring-ground; at
four glasses in the afternoon we saw the land S.E. by S. of us, at about 6
miles' distance from us it was a low-lying coast with small hills; about 6
miles farther to westward we also saw land, not connected with the first
land, but upwards of three miles distant from the same.

Towards the evening it fell a calm; at sunset there was a faint breeze from
the S.S.E.; we made out the extremity of the land to be at about 3 miles'
distance S.E. by S. of us; we were still in 32 fathom good anchoring-ground;
we accordingly went over to eastward, but when shortly before the setting of
the watch, the wind went down still more and began to turn to the N.W., we
dropped anchor in 29 fathom good anchoring-ground.

{Page 69}

On Saturday the 14th do. the current began to set to the S.E. in the morning,
and the wind to blow hard from the E.S.E., so that we could not carry
mainsails then; we weighed anchor and set sail on a South and South-by-east
course. The water gradually shallowed, and seeing that we could not make
the easternmost land, we ran to the westernmost, where we came to anchor
at about a musket-shot's distance from the land in 10 fathom good
anchoring-ground. Close along the shore the land is somewhat rock and
reefy here; this land extends here about 3 miles S.E. by S. and N.W. by N.,
both slightly more to South and North. In the afternoon we sent out our
small boat to take soundings close inshore; on returning the men reported
that until they came to the reefs they had found no less than 3½ fathom good
anchoring-ground. Off the point near which we lay at anchor, a river ran
landinward; we hoisted the white flag, and caused the little boat to paddle
close along the shore. We saw smoke, indeed, in many parts of the inland,
but no natives, houses or vessels. This land is not high, chiefly level, thickly
covered with trees, and with a sandy beach at the seaside. We had taken no
latitude at noon; the tide seems to run from the N.W. here; in the night at the
latter end of the first watch we could take the latitude by the stars and found
it to be 12° 8' South.

On Sunday the 15th do. at daybreak the wind blew hard from the E.S.E.; it
was mainsail weather; we convened the Plenary Council and resolved with
the same further to explore this land to the north-west and to use all possible
diligence to get knowledge touching the island of Timor, as will be found
more amply set forth in this day's Resolution.

As we were weighing our anchor, a lanyard and a pulley got broken; we
shaped our course to N.W. by N. and N.N.W. Having sailed the space of
about 2 miles, we came to a point, between which point and another point, a
distance of about 4 miles, the land extends W.N.W. and E.S.E. with hardly
any curve, and with rocks and reefs along the shore. Off this point the surf
and the breakers ran very strongly, as if there were a shoal there, seeing that
the wind and the current were opposed to each other. We therefore sailed
along the coast at less than a mile's distance from the same in 12, 11 and 10
fathom good anchoring-ground. In many places we saw great clouds of
smoke landinward, but no fruit-trees, houses, vessels or natives; the land
seems to be quite wild. Towards the evening we cast anchor in 9 fathom
good anchoring-ground at about half a cannonshot's distance from the land;

the aforesaid point was E. by N. of us at upwards of half a mile's distance;
during the night we had violent squalls from the E.S.E. with a thick, foggy
sky; landinward we observed a number of fires.

On Monday the 16th do. in the early morning the wind blew from the E.S.E.
as before with sudden violent squalls. As we were weighing our anchor, the
lanyard-pulley broke, and shortly after our anchor-cable snapped off at about
three fathom's distance from the anchor, so that we lost the latter. As we
were setting our foresail, a musket-shot was fired from the Yacht Wesel,
upon which we dropped our other anchor again; when towards the evening
the weather had somewhat improved, we sent our orangbay to the Wesel, to
learn the meaning of the musket-shot; when the men returned, they informed
us that the Wesel had also lost an anchor, but that the buoyrope had remained
entire, so that we remained here till the following day in order to recover the
same.

On Tuesday the 17th do. towards noon we were informed that the buoy-rope
of the Wesel had broken of its own accord close to the anchor, so that they
had also lost their anchor, upon which forthwith weighing the anchors of
both the Yachts, we found that the cables had also been damaged through
rubbing against hidden stones and rocks.

{Page 70}

As beforementioned, the coast here extends W.S.W. for the space of about 4
miles, with hardly any curve; at 3/8 of a mile's distance from the land there
is already 8 and 7 fathom, good clayey bottom; the wind still blew from the
S.E. and E.S.E. with a steady stiff gale; towards the evening we came to
anchor in 7 fathom good anchoring-ground, at about half a mile's distance
from the land, having the point E.S.E. of us at less than a mile's distance.

Up to now we have seen no men, vessels or houses; we should certainly
have landed with the boats here and there, but that they were both of them
stove in, and had first to be thoroughly overhauled before they could be
used. During the night the weather was lovely and calm.

On Wednesday the 18th do., the wind blowing from the E.S.E., the weather
was calmer, fairer and steadier than before. We gave a coat of tar to both our

yachts, and remained at anchor the whole of this day, chiefly in order to see
if we could not get sight of natives here or there and come to parley with the
same, but we waited in vain for them. During the night the weather was
bright, fair and clear, the wind blowing from the S.S.E., S.E., and E.S.E.

On Thursday the 19th do. at daybreak, the wind being E.S.E. with fair
weather and a weak breeze, we weighed anchor and shaped our course to
W.S.W., slightly more to westward. (The land here extends with a great
curve and river as far as the Witte Hoeck [White point], known by the white
sand-hill near the strand when you come from the east).

At 4 glasses after breakfast we came near a stony, rocky reef, which we kept
outside or to seaward of in 8 and 9 fathom. The eastern extremity of it is less
than a mile to the S.W., slightly more southerly, of the Witte Hoeck, and the
western extremity upwards of mile to the S.W. by S., slightly more southerly,
of the same; the reef extends S.E. by S. and N.W. by N.; it is not very long or
broad, and there were violent breakers upon it.

When we had weathered the reef, we again ran W.S.W. at less than a mile's
distance from the land, in 8, 9, 7 and 5 fathom good anchoring-ground. From
the Witte Hoeck the land trends nearly to W.S.W. with a slight curve, as far
as one can see; close to the sea the beach is chiefly sandy, with small, low
sand-hills here and there.

The whole day we saw a good deal of smoke landinward; at noon we were in
exactly 11° S.L. From this Witte Hoeck the land trends to W.S.W., slightly
westerly, with a slight curve for the space of upwards of 3 miles; from there
to W.N.W. with a strong curve the space of upwards of two miles, as far as a
point, off which point, at less than half a mile's distance to N.E. by E., there
is a small island on all sides surrounded by shoals and reefs; beyond this
island the land falls off to the S.W., making a curve of 2 miles at least but
afterwards it trends to the N.W. again. This island bears from the land about
N.W. and S.E.; the beach is sandy with reefs here, and there.

At sunset it fell a calm, and we came to anchor in 8 fathom good anchoring-
ground at about a mile's distance from the land, having the island S.S.E. of
us at upwards of a mile's distance. Shortly after we saw two fires on the
beach beyond the island. We estimated ourselves to have sailed about 8

miles this day; during the night the wind blew from the S. and S.S.W. with
lovely weather. We found little or no current running here.

{Page 71}

On Friday the 20th do. we set sail at daybreak with a weak breeze from the
S.; we kept mainly at a mile's distance from the land in 7 and 7½ fathom
good anchoring-ground. In the course of the day the wind went over to N.E.,
after which we ran N.W.; at noon we got near the Roode Hoeck [red point],
situated N.W. of the island aforesaid at about 5 miles' distance; upwards of
half a mile's distance from here the land falls off to W. by W.; from this point
a large reef was seen running out to sea the length of upwards of 1½ mile,
which reef being unable to weather because we sailed so close to the wind,
we came to anchor in 7½ fathom good anchoring-ground, at half a mile's
distance from the land; the Roode Hoeck was S.W. and S.W. by S. of us at
upwards of half a mile's distance; we saw smoke rising in various places.

On Saturday the 21st do. we set sail with a S.S.E. and S.E. by S. wind, a
weak breeze and lovely weather. Here, from the point, the land extended to
S. by W. and S.S.W. as far as one could see, with a slight curve only. The
reef above referred to runs out to sea in a northward direction from the
Roode Hoeck upwards of two miles, and from there very far to westward,
upwards of 1½ mile from the land. It consists of sandy shoals, having a
small hill or rock above water; alongside it the depth was 7, 6, 5 and 4
fathom, uneven bottom. And since the wind blew from the S.E. by S. as
before, so that we could not make the land again, we resolved to run N.E.
We accordingly shaped our course to the N.N.E. for the purpose of touching
at Timor with the help of Almighty God, and take surveyings of the same.

In or near this land, which in our chart [*] we have named Van
Diemensland, we have seen no men, houses, fruit-trees or prows, although
we ventured to inspect it paddling with our orangbay close along the shore;
the boats of both the yachts being unfit for use, stove in, and under repair.
About 2 glasses after noon, the wind was N.E., N.N.E., and N.E. by N. with
calm and steady weather. At sunset we estimated ourselves to have the
Roode Hoeck S.S.E. of us at 6 miles' distance; during the night there was a
weak breeze from the E.S.E., N.E. by E. and also N.E.; course held N.N.W.,
N. by W. and also N., with bright, lovely and clear weather.

[* This chart is wanting.]

On Sunday the 22nd do. in the morning the wind was E.S.E. with a lovely
breeze and top-gallant weather; course held N.E. At noon we took the
latitude and found it to be 10° 10' South...[*]
[* The further progress of the voyage has no interest connected with our present subject.]

{Page 72}

XXVI. (1642-1643).
DISCOVERY OF TASMANIA (VAN DIEMENS LAND), NEW
ZEALAND (STATENLAND), ISLANDS OF THE TONGA
AND FIJI GROUPS, ETC. BY THE SHIPS HEEMSKERK
AND DE ZEEHAEN UNDER THE COMMAND OF ABEL
JANSZOON TASMAN, FRANS JACOBSZOON VISSCHER,
YDE TJERKSZOON HOLMAN OR HOLLEMAN, AND
GERRIT JANSZ(OON).

See Frederik Muller and Co's Tasman Folio.

XXVII. (1644).
FURTHER DISCOVERY OF THE GULF OF CARPENTARIA,
THE NORTH- AND NORTH-WEST-COAST OF AUSTRALIA
BY THE SHIPS LIMMEN, ZEE MEEUW AND DE BRACQ
UNDER THE COMMAND OF TASMAN, VISSCHER, DIRK
CORNELISZOON HAEN AND JASPER JANSZOON KOOS.

A.

See Frederik Muller and Co's Tasman Folio.

B.

Letter of the Governor-General and Councillors to the Governor of Banda,
November 29, 1644.

...We shall not recount here how...Tasman had coasted along the land of
Nova Guinea and the South-land without finding any channel or opening up
to Willems River, from where he has returned hither through Sunda Strait,
but would refer Your Worship to the annexed extract from their journals,
which we request you to peruse with attention, and to order...Dortsman [*] or
any other person whom you shall charge with the voyage to Timorlaut, in
case their plans touching these islands should succeed speedily and
prosperously, and they should still have time at their disposal, to make for
the great river which our men have christened Waterplaets, in 12 degrees
Southern Latitude and 160¼ degrees Longitude, to sail up the same river
landinward, in which there is the less difficulty, since the river, being deep
and wide, can be sailed up by the yacht, which can conveniently turn, veer
and tack in it...
[* Adriaan Dortsman had been ordered on a voyage of discovery east and south of Banda. This
voyage took place in 1645 and 1646, but Australia was not visited on that occasion.]

{Page 73}

XXVIII. (1648).
EXPLORATORY VOYAGE TO THE WEST-COAST OF
AUSTRALIA ROUND BY THE SOUTH OF JAVA, BY THE
SHIP LEEUWERIK, COMMANDED BY JAN JANSZOON
ZEEUW.

A.

A.

Instructions for the officers of the Yacht den Leeuwerik...June 27, 1648.

Having learned by the ships last arrived here from Banda, what poor rice-
crops they had in those quarters last year, so that, had not they received some
timely supplies of this grain from Amboyna, they would have been put to

exceeding inconvenience; and having besides seen from the letter of
Governor Cornelis Willemse van Outhoorn that also this year they are under
serious apprehensions of the like scarcity, in case supplies from Batavia
should be long in coming.

Therefore we have lately resolved in our Council to make an express
shipment thither at this time of year...chiefly and principally that, if this
voyage should have the expected success, which may the Almighty grant in
His mercy, we may in future be sure that such voyage could be made every
year after the arrival of the first ships from there, and the said important
Government be by us duly assisted...as regards rice and other necessaries.

This Yacht, which we consider to be of strong build and a good sailer, having
by us been assigned for this purpose...you will weigh anchor in the name of
God early to-morrow, set sail, and use your utmost endeavours to get clear of
Sunda Strait as soon as possible, and thus gain the open...

As soon as you shall have got clear of the Prince islands...you will from
there shape your course directly to the south, straight across the sea, thus
sailing by the wind without looking right or left, until you shall have come to
32 or 33 degrees S.L., where with the help of God you will meet with the
westerly trade-winds; and when you are quite sure of having got the same,
without the least doubt on your part, you will direct your course to the
South-land, trying to make it and get it alongside in 25 or 26 degrees
Southern Latitude, where the coast is generally of easy access, the land being
of moderate height and somewhat resembling the coast of England.

Having reached the South-land in such fashion as we have just indicated,
you will keep the coast alongside, and not leave the same, but use your best
endeavours to skirt it, not parting with it until you have weathered the
Vuylen hoecq (Foul Point); after which you may leave the coast, and cross
over from there, next using the easterly and south-easterly winds which you
will meet with in those waters, for running in sight of the islands of Arou,
Tenember and Damme or any of these, and then making straight for Banda
with the utmost expedition, which port you will with God's help
conveniently reach in the manner hereinbefore described.

As we have already said, the accomplishment of this voyage at this season of
the year (in which only strong headwinds are blowing along the ordinary
route to Banda and other quarters nearer home) is of very great importance
to the Honourable Company...

We herewith hand you a new chart of the South-land, which you may avail
yourselves of in due time, and we noways doubt you will find the same of
great use to {Page 74} you, of which we hope afterwards to receive your
report. Seeing that the waters you are going to navigate are for the greater
part little known as yet, and that accordingly many noteworthy things are not
unlikely to occur in your voyage, we hereby likewise earnestly enjoin you,
not only to keep a complete and elaborate journal of this voyage, but also to
make due observation of the direction of the winds, the trend of the coasts,
the situation of bays, inlets and capes, and properly to note and make
drawings of the same, that on your return you may be able to hand us a full
and perfect report of the whole undertaking, thus furnishing fresh material
for the correction of the charts now in use, and perhaps also of the courses to
be kept...

Given in the Castle of Batavia, June 27, A.D. 1648.

(Signed) CORNELIS VAN DER LIJN, FRANÇOIS CARON, CAREL
RENIERSZ, JOCHUM R. VAN DEUTECOM, and GERARD DEMMER.

B.

Letter of the G.-G. and Councillors to the Managers of the E.I.C., January
18, 1649.

...[We have dispatched to Banda] the yacht den Leeuwerck on the 28th of
June of last year...through Sunda Strait, in order, if possible, to make the
voyage to Banda along this route north of the South-land. Which
undertaking has succeeded to our complete satisfaction but especially to the
great joy of our Banda people, for which the Almighty be praised...since this
success is undoubtedly of great advantage to the General Company, and
makes it quite sure that in cases of shipwreck or other accidents we shall
always be able to send succour and supplies to Banda and the quarters on
this side of it along this newly discovered route...which, on receipt of the

first advices in May next, may be done by the route abovementioned along
the South-land. How this voyage was undertaken and successfully
accomplished as far as Banda in the space of two months and 23 days, your
Worships may be pleased to gather from the annexed daily journal and Chart
[*] of Skipper Jan Jansz Zeeuw.
[* Journal and chart are both of them wanting.]

Written in Your Worships' Castle of Batavia, this 18th of January, A.D. 1649.

Your Worships' faithful servants the Governor-General and Councillors of
India:

CORNELIS VAN DER LIJN, F. CARON, CAREL REINIERS, J. P. VAN
DUTECUM, GERARD DEMMER.

{Page 75}

XXIX. (1656-1658).
SHIPWRECK OF THE GULDEN OR VERGULDEN DRAAK
ON THE WEST-COAST OF AUSTRALIA, 1656.--ATTEMPTS
TO RESCUE THE SURVIVORS, 1656-1658.--FURTHER
SURVEYINGS OF THE WEST-COAST BY THE SHIP DE
WAKENDE BOEI, COMMANDED BY SAMUEL
VOLCKERTS(ZOON), AND BY THE SHIP EMELOORD,
COMMANDED BY AUCKE PIETERSZOON JONCK, 1658.

A.

Letter of the G.-G. and Counc. to the Managers of the E.I.C, December 4,
1656.

...On the 7th June there arrived here...from the South-land the cock-boat of
the yacht den Vergulden Draeck with 7 men, to our great regret reporting
that the said yacht had run aground on the said South-land in 30 2/3 degrees,
on April the 28th, that besides the loss of her cargo, of which nothing was

saved, 118 men of her crew had perished, and that 69 men who had
succeeded in getting ashore, were still left there. For the purpose of rescuing
these men, and of attempting to get back by divers or other means any part
of the money or the merchandises that might still be recoverable, we
dispatched thither on the said errand on the 8th of the said month of June [*],
the flute de Witte Valeq, together with the yacht de Goede Hoop, which after
staying away for some time were by violent storms forced to return without
having effected anything, and without having seen any men or any signs of
the wreck, although the said Goede Hoop has been on the very spot where
the ship was said to have miscarried...[**]
[* The day following that on which the report regarding the Vergulde Draak had reached
Batavia.]

[** Some of the men of the Goede Hoop had gone ashore, but had not returned.--The Witte Valk
had touched at the Southland, but by "bad weather and the hollow sea" had been compelled to
return without having effected anything.]

In the Castle of Batavia, December 4, A.D. 1656.
Your Worships' Obedt. Servts. the Governor-General and Councillors of
India
JOAN MAETSUYKER, CAREL HARTZINCK, JOAN CUNAEUS,
NICOLAES VERBURCH, D. STEUR.

B.

Daily Register of Batavia, 1657.

[July] the 8th. Late in the evening there arrived in the road-stead here, and
came to anchor, the small flute de Vinck of the Zealand Chamber, which had
sailed [from the Netherlands] on December 24, 1656...she came hither via
the Cape of Good Hope and the South-land...

The skipper further reports that, according to the order and instructions
handed him by Commander [*] Riebeeck, he had touched at the South-land,
but it being the bad monsoon on the said coast, they had found it impossible
to sail along the coast so far {Page 76} as to look after the wreck and the
men of the lost ship den Draeck; for in the night of June 8 (having the
previous day seen all signs of land, and the weather being very favourable)
they had come to anchor in 29° 7' S.L., and the estimated Longitude of 130°

43', in 25 fathom coarse sandy bottom mixed with coral; the following
morning at daybreak they saw the breakers on the reef at the end of which
they were lying at anchor, and on one side ahead of them, the South-land,
which there showed as a low-lying coast with dunes; upon which they
weighed anchor and continued sailing along the coast in order to keep near
the land, which was still in sight the day following; but the weather began to
become so much worse and the breakers on the coast were so violent, that it
was a fearful sight to behold, upon which they shaped their course a little
more to seaward. On the 10th and 11th they kept sailing along the coast in
40 or 50 fathom, but seeing their chances of touching at the coast this time
get less and less, and the weather continuing very unruly with violent storms
of thunder and lightning, they resolved to keep off the coast, and drifted on
without sail. On the 12th they made small sail, the wind continuing to blow
from the S. and S.S.W., and also from the S.S.E., and shaped their course for
Batavia...
[* Of the Cape of Good Hope.]

C.

Letter of the G.-G. and Counc. to the Managers of the E. I. C., December 14,
1658.

...By our previous letters we informed Your Worships that on the first of
January last we dispatched from here to the...Southland the galiots De
Waeckende Boeij and Emeloort, for the purpose of making search for the
crew of the lost ship de Vergulden Draecq, and of ascertaining whether they
were still alive. The said ships returned to this place on the 19th of April
following, after exploring the coast about the place of the disaster each of
them for herself, since they had got separated; having in different places sent
manned boats ashore, and fired many cannon shots time after time both by
day and night, without, however, discovering any Netherlanders or any
traces of the wreck, excepting a few planks [etc.]...which must undoubtedly
be looked upon as remnants of the said ship...We herewith hand you the
journals of the galiots [*] aforesaid...together with the small charts of the
coast drawn up on board each of them[**]...
[* See D and H infra]

[* See E, F and I infra.]

Written in Your Worships' Castle of Batavia, December 14, 1658.

JOAN MAETSUYKER, CAREL HARTSINCK, A.D. V. v.
OULDTSHOORN, N. VERBURCH, D. STEUR, PIETER STERTHEMIUS.

{Page 77}

D.

Daily Journal kept by skipper SAMUEL VOLKERSENN on board the flute
de Waeckende Boeij, sailing in the same from Battavia to the Southland.
A.D. 1658 [*].
[* On December 21, 1657 the G.-G. and Counc. resolved to dispatch to the South-land the ships
de Wakende Boei and Emeloord, for the purpose of making another attempt at rescuing what
might still be rescued of the men, the cargo, etc. of the Vergulde Draak; "and also to get perfect
knowledge, once for all, of the situation and trend of the said coast, with its shoals, reefs and
shallows." The journals of the skippers of both vessels are preserved in the Hague State Archives.
After mature consideration I have deemed it needless to print the said journals here, seeing that
MAJOR, Terra Australis, refers to them on pp. 77-90, and gives the substance of the information
contained in them (LEUPE, Zuidland, pp. 105 ff. has printed certain parts of the two journals).
But above all, the charts made on this expedition, which are here carefully reproduced, give a
more convenient survey of the results of it than could be done by the journals themselves, which
for the rest contain little that is of interest for our present purpose.]

E.

Chart of Eendrachisland, 1658, on a small scale.

No. 8. Kaart van (Chart of) Eendrachtsland, 1658

{Page 78}

F.

Chart of Eendrachisland, 1658, on a larger scale.

No. 9. Kaart van (Chart of) Eendrachtsland, 1658

{Page 79}

G.

A brief account of the west-coast of the South-land.

The South-land has sandy dunes forming many points on the sea-side; the
dunes all consist of loose sand overgrown with grass into which a man will
sink up to his ankles, and leave deep footprints on withdrawing his feet.

About a mile more or less off shore, there is as a rule a rocky reef, on which
the breakers may be seen to dash violently in many places, the depth above
the reef being in several places, 1, 1½ and even 2 fathom, so that pinnaces
and boats may get over it for the purpose of landing, there being deeper
water close inshore, but all of it with a rocky, sharp coral-bottom, so that it is
difficult to land there, and much harder still to keep a pinnace at anchor with
a drag; except in a place about 9 miles north of the island, where there are
three rocks close to the shore, which are connected by a rocky reef, behind
which you may conveniently lie at anchor and effect a landing with pinnaces
or boats; but the bottom is foul and rocky everywhere.

Inward, the land is pretty high, with hills of even height, but barren and wild
to look at, except near the island where a great many trees are seen.

In slightly under 32° S. Lat. there is a large island, at about 3 miles'
distance from the mainland of the South-land; this island has high
mountains, with a good deal of brushwood and many thornbushes, so that it
is hard to go over; here certain animals are found, since we saw many
excrements, and besides two seals and a wild cat, resembling a civet-cat, but
with browner hair. This island is dangerous to touch at, owing to the rocky
reefs which are level with the water and below the surface, almost along the
whole length of the shore; between it and the mainland there are also
numerous rocks and reefs, and slightly more to southward there is another
small island.

This large island to which we have been unwilling to give a name, leaving
this matter to the Honourable Lord Governor-General's pleasure, may be
seen at 7 or 8 miles' distance out at sea in fine weather. I surmise that

brackish or fresh water might be obtainable there, and likewise good
firewood, but not without great trouble.

Two good and certain landmarks of the West-coast of the Southland:

Firstly: If in these regions you observe about 11 degrees variation of the
compass, you may be sure of not being at more than 18 or 20 miles' distance
from the land.

Secondly: If you see rock-weed floating about, you may be assured that you
will sound the bottom in 70, 60, 50, 40, 30 fathom or less.

At foot:

Your obedient Servant
(signed)
SAMUEL VOLCKERSEN.

H.

Daily Journal kept by Skipper AUCKE PIETERS JONCK, skipper of the
galiot Emeloordt, on her voyage from Battavia to the South-land, A.D. 1658
[*]
[* See preceding note.]

{Page 80}

I.

Chart of Eendrachisland, 1658

No. 10. Kaart van (Chart of) Eendrachtsland, 1658

{Page 81}

XXX. (1658).
THE SHIP ELBURG, COMMANDED BY JACOB
PIETERSZOON PEEREBOOM, TOUCHES AT THE SOUTH-
WEST COAST OF AUSTRALIA AND AT CAPE LEEUWIN,
ON HER VOYAGE FROM THE NETHERLANDS TO
BATAVIA [*].
[* The ship Elburg arrived at Batavia on July 16, 1658.]

Letter of the G.-G. and Counc. to the Managers of the E.I.C., December 14,
1658.

...The flute Elburgh, Jacob Pietersz. Peereboom master, in coming hither
struck the South-land in 31½ degrees S.L., and the estimated longitude of
117°, where, at about 2½ miles' distance from the land, she was by the strong
wind and the hollow sea forced to come to anchor in 22 fathom, not without

great peril of being lost; but after 12 days' hard trying they at length got off
again and into the open, for which God's name be praised. Meanwhile, in
33° 14' S.L., round a projecting point, they have found a good anchoring-
place, where they have been at anchor in 20 fathom, and where the skipper,
together with one of the steersmen, the sergeant and 6 soldiers landed round
Leeuwinnen cape, finding there three black men, hung with skins like those
at Cape de Bonne Esperance, with whom, however, they could not come to
parley.

On the spot where the blacks had been sitting, our men found a burning fire,
near which there lay a number of assagays, together with three small
hammers, consisting of a wooden handle to one end of which a hard pebble
was fastened by means of a kind of wax or gum, the whole strong and heavy
enough to knock out a man's brains.

A little farther inward they came upon a number of huts, without any persons
in them, and in various spots they found rills of fresh water, and here and
there large quantities of the wax or gum aforesaid, of which we beg leave to
hand you a small sample herewith, together with one of the said hammers,
the wax or gum being of a red colour, and emitting an agreeable smell after
being rubbed for some time...

XXXI. (1678).
FURTHER DISCOVERY OF THE NORTH COAST OF
AUSTRALIA BY THE VLIEGENDE ZWAAN, COMMANDER
VAN DER WALL, ON HER VOYAGE TERNATE TO
BATAVIA, IN FEBRUARY 1678.[*]
[* The ship sailed from Ternate in December, 1677, and arrived at Batavia "by way of Timor and
thus along Nova Guinea, without passing through Sunda Strait" (Letter of the G.-G. and Counc.
to the Managers of the E.I.C. May 8, 1678).]

Chart of "the north side of the Southland and surveyed with the flute de
Vliegende Zwaan in the month of February, by Jan Van Der Wall," A.D.
1678 [*].

[* This chart is the only evidence of this voyage known to me. LEUPE, Zuidland, also, has not
found anything else concerning it.]

{Page 82}

No. 11. Kaart van de Noordzijde van 't Zuidland (Chart of the North
side of the Southland), 1678

{Page 83}

XXXII. (1696-1697).
FURTHER SURVEYINGS OF THE WEST-COAST OF
AUSTRALIA BY THE SHIP GEELVINK, COMMANDED BY
THE SKIPPER-COMMANDER OF THE EXPEDITION,
WILLEM DE VLAMINGH, THE SHIP NIJPTANG UNDER

GERRIT COLLAERT, AND THE SHIP HET WESELTJE,
COMMANDED BY CORNELIS DE VLAMINGH. [*]
[* In November and December 1695 the Managers of the E.I. Company (Resolutions of the
Heeren XVII of November 10, December 8 and 10, 1695) resolved to dispatch a flotilla to the
South-land or the land of d'Eendracht, this time starting from the Cape of Good Hope. Willem De
Vlamingh was appointed commander-in-chief of the expedition. He was also instructed to inquire
into the fate of the ship de Ridderschap van Holland, which had miscarried on her voyage from
the Cape to Batavia in 1694.]

A.

Letter of the Governor-General and Councillors to the Managers of the
E.I.C. at the Amsterdam Chamber, November 30, 1697.

...As regards the results of the voyage of the three...vessels aforesaid [de
Geelvink, de Nijptang and het Wezeltje], which, pursuant to the letters of
the "Heeren XVII" of November 10, 1695, and March 16, 1696, and in
accordance with Your Worships' Instructions of April 23 of the same year,
have successfully accomplished their voyage by way of the Tristan de Cunha
Islands and the Cape of Good Hope, furthermore via the islands of
Amsterdam and St. Paulo, and along the land of d'Eendragt or the South-
land, and have arrived here in good condition as regards ships and crews, we
shall in the main beg leave to refer you to the journals kept on board the said
ships, and to their annotations, together with the charts and a number of
drawings of the said places, all which will be handed to Your Worships by
the bearer of the same, Almoner Victor Victorszoon, who is now homeward
bound in the ship Slants Welvaren. The drawings are packed in a case to the
number of 11, to wit:

7 of divers places in the South-land,
1 of the island of Tristan de Cunha,
1 of the island of Amsterdam,
1 of the island of St. Paulo, and 1 of the island of Mony [*].
[* I have not found these drawings.--In the seventeenth-century charts Mony is South-west of
Java.]

{Page 84}

We besides beg to forward to you a number of larger and smaller disks of
wood, brought over from the said South-land by skipper Willem de
Vlamingh, concerning which wood he had noted in his journal at the dates
December 30 and 31, 1696, and January 2, 1697, that it was odoriferous, a
point which we have not been able to verify here, although we have directly
ordered a small portion of it to be distilled, and beg to hand you with the rest
a small bottle of the oil thus gained for Your Worships'
examination...together with a box containing shells collected on the beach,
fruits, plants, etc., the whole, however, of little value and decidedly inferior
to what elsewhere in India may be found of the same description; so that in
general in this part of the South-land, which in conformity with their
instructions they have diligently skirted, surveyed and observed, they have
found little beyond an arid, barren and wild land, both near the shore and so
far as they have been inland, without meeting with any human beings,
though now and then they have seen fires from afar, some of the men
fancying that two or three times they have seen a number of naked blacks,
whom however they have never been able to come near to, or to come to
parley with; nor have they found there any peculiar animals or birds,
excepting that especially in the Swaene-revier [*] they have seen a species
of black swans, three of which they have brought to Batavia alive, which we
should have been glad to send over to Your Worships, but that shortly after
their arrival here they all of them died one after another. Nor, so far as we
know, have they met with any vestiges of the lost ship de Ridderschap van
Hollant or of any other bottoms, either in those parts or near the islands of
Amsterdam and St. Paulo, so that in sum nothing of any importance has been
discovered in this exploratory voyage. Only, we must not omit to mention
that in an island situated in 25° S.L. near or before the South-land, they
have found fastened to a pole, which though half-rotten stood still erect, a
common pewter dish of medium size, which had been flattened and nailed to
the pole aforesaid, where they found it still hanging; the said dish bearing the
following words engraved on it, still distinctly legible:
[* Opposite to the Rottenest island.]

"A.D. 1616, on the 25th of October there arrived here the ship den
Eendragt, of Amsterdam; supercargo Gillis Miebais, of Liege; skipper
Dirck Hartog, of Amsterdam; she set sail again for Bantam, on the 27th do.;
subcargo Jan Steyn, upper-steersman Pieter Ledocker van Bil."

This old dish which skipper Willem de Vlaming brought us, has now
likewise been handed to the Commander [*] in order to be delivered to Your
Worships, who with us will no doubt stand amazed that the same has for so
long a series of years been preserved in spite of its being exposed to the
influence of sky, rain and sun [**].
[* Viz. of the fleet with which this letter was sent to the Netherlands.]

[* The dish would seem to be no longer extant.]

In the same spot they have again erected a new pole with a flattened pewter
dish nailed to it in commemoration of their visit, having first had the
following inscription engraved on the dish, as is more amply set forth in the
Journals:

"A.D. 1697, on the 4th of Febr. there arrived here the ship de Geelvinck,
skipper Willem de Vlaming, of Vlieland; assistant Joannes van Bremen, of
Copenhaguen; upper-steersman Michiel Blom, of Bremen; the hooker de
Nijptang, skipper Gerrit Collart, of Amsterdam; assistant Theodorus
Heermans, of do.; upper-steersman Gerrit Gerrits, of Bremen; the galiot 't
Weseltje, master Cornelis de Vlaming, of Vlieland; steersman Coert
Gerrits, of Bremen; the whole of our flotilla sailed from here on the 12th
do., in order to explore the South-land with destination for Batavia" [*]
[* This dish was afterwards brought to Paris by the French expedition, with the ships l'Uranie and
la Physicienne (1817-1820), (see L. DE FREYCINET, Voyage autour du monde, sur les corvettus
l'Uranie et la Physicienne, Historique, Paris, 1825. pp. 449, 482-486) and would seem to be no
longer extant there. An evidently inaccurate copy of the inscription engraved on the dish, is here
reproduced on a reduced scale from Planche 14 of the Atlas Historique accompanying De
Freycinet's work.]

No. 12. Opschrift op den schotel, door Willem De Vlamingh op het
Zuidland achtergelaten (Inscription on the dish, left by Willem De
Vlamingh at the Southland), 1697.

{Page 85}

And since it is our intention, in order to let Your Worships have the more
information and satisfaction touching this voyage, to dispatch to the
Netherlands again in the last return-ships sailing from here, the ex-leader of
the expedition, Skipper Willem de Vlaming Senior, together with his upper-
steersman Michiel Blom, they having not yet returned from Bengal with
their ships Geelvinck and Nijptang, but being expected every day, therefore
we shall not trouble Your Worships with further particulars, but would beg
leave to refer you to their verbal reports for ampler information touching
their experiences in the said expedition...

In the Castle of Batavia, on the last day of November, 1697.

B.

Journal kept by Skipper WILLEM DE VLAMINGH on his voyage with the
ships de Geelvinck, Nijptang and T'Weseltje via Trestan da Cunha, the Cape,
the islands of Peter and Paul, and the South-land to Batavia, begun on May
3, 1696, and ended March 20, 1697. [*]
[* This is the only journal of this voyage that I have found in the Old Colonial Archives at the
Hague. I have not printed it here--so far as the South-land is concerned, it wil be found printed in
LEUPE, Zuidland, pp. 153-184--for two reasons: 1st because it differs only slightly from a
journal of the voyage printed in 1701, of which MAJOR, Terra Australis, pp 120-133 gives a
translation; and 2nd, because the two charts immediately following in the text (Nos. 13 and 14)
give an excellent survey of the results of this voyage of discovery.]

{Page 86}

C.

Chart of the South-land, made and surveyed by Willem De Vlamingh in
1696-1697. [*]
[* This chart was not made on the voyage, but is the work of ISAAC DE GRAAFF, cartographer
to the E.I.C. from 1690 to 1714.]

No. 13. Kaart van het Zuidland, bezeild door Willem De Vlamingh. in
1696-1697 door ISAAC DE GRAAFF (Chart of the South-land, made
and surveyed by Willem De Vlamingh in 1696-1697)

{Page 87}

D.

Chart of the Malay Archipelago, the north- and west-coasts of Australia, etc.
[*]
[* This chart is likewise the work of ISAAC DE GRAAFF (1690-1714). It gives a survey of the
results of De Vlamingh's voyage, and may also do duty as a general record of the Dutch
discoveries on the north- and west-coast of Australia in the 17th century. The dotted (uncertain)
line on the N.W. coast is supplemented by the chart of Van der Wall's discovery in 1678 (No.
11).]

(See folding Chart, marked No. 14.)

No. 14. Uitslaande kaart van den Maleischen Archipel, de Noord- en
West-kusten van Australië door ISAAC DE GRAAFF (Folding chart of
the Malay Archipelago, the North- and West-coast of Australia) 1690-
1714

XXXIII. (1705).
FURTHER DISCOVERY OF THE NORTH-COAST OF
AUSTRALIA BY THE SHIPS VOSSENBOSCH,
COMMANDED BY MAARTEN VAN DELFT, DE WAIJER
UNDER ANDRIES ROOSEBOOM, OF HAMBURG, AND
NIEUW-HOLLAND OR NOVA-HOLLANDIA,
COMMANDED BY PIETER HENDRIKSZOON, OF
HAMBURG.

A.

Instructions (by the G.-G. and Counc., dated January 20, 1705) for the
officers of the Frigate de Geelvink, along with the Pinnace de Kraanvogel
and the Patchiallang Nova Guinea, destined to set out for the outside coast
of the said Nova Guinea; as also for the Flute Vossenbos, together with the
Pinnace de Doradus [*] and the Patchiallang Nieuw Holland, having
destination for the bay of Hollandia Nova.
[* Afterwards replaced by the pinnace de Waijer.]

[Various] considerations have determined us to dispatch you from here on a
cruise, in such fashion that the frigate Geelvinck together with the pinnace
Craanvogel and the patchiallang Nova Guinea, mentioned in the heading of
the present, will first run from here directly for Banda...and from Banda
continue their voyage to the coast of Nova Guinea.

In the same manner we annex sailing instructions for the officers of the ship
Vossenbosch, which together with the pinnace de Doratus and the
patchiallang Nieuw Holland, likewise above mentioned, will first run for
our Castle of Concordia in Timor, and then continue her voyage to Hollandia
Nova, in such fashion as you will for your guidance find further amplified
below...

You will in the first place have diligently to observe, whether there is
anywhere a passage from the outside to the inside, and this not only as
regards Nova Guinea, but also as concerns Hollandia Nova, so that these

orders...will have to be acted up to not only by the officers of the Geelvinck,
but also by those of the Vossenbosch; and you should take special care, in
case you should find such real or seeming passage, not to run too far into it,
lest you should be carried away by currents in the same, and run the risk of
accidents; on which account the examination of such passages should nowise
be undertaken by the frigate or by the flute, but only by a pinnace or
patchiallang; never to any farther distance than the experienced sailors in the
same shall deem advisable to enable a safe return out of the said passages,
and in no case so far as to get out of anchoring depth...

{Page 88}

And furthermore, as sailing instructions for the officers of the flute
[Vossenbosch], over and above that which should be applicable to them in
the instructions given up to now, it has been resolved to enjoin them that
having reached Timor...they will thence set sail from the north-eastern
extremity of the said island, and shape their course south-eastward as far as
11° S. Lat. and 148½° Longitude, whence on an eastward course they will
run in sight of Van Diemensland in Hollandia Nova, which point is said to
consist altogether of islands, a matter that will thus be cleared up. From there
this coast will have to be further followed to eastward as far as
Aarnemsland and the Drooge eyland, which will have to be skirted and
surveyed both on the inside and outside; next, the coast aforesaid will have
to be followed as far as Van der Lijns eiland, which you will examine in
the same way as you have done the Drooge eyland. You will then continue
your voyage as far as Lemmens bogt and Abel Tasmans baay and
Waterplaats, and from there run for Cape Van Diemen, which having
rounded you will follow the coast of Carpentaria in a northward direction
along Sweeris, Van der Ljns, Van Diemens and Staten rivers, until you
have passed the Nassauw river, which according to the chart has its mouth
beset with numerous sand-banks and shallows. Next, running past Cape
Keerweer, the Carpentier river, the Hooge eyland and the Groote vuyle
imbocht, together with the Oranjen river, and having rounded the great
projecting point of the Meeuen river, you will run along the bay of
Keerweer then following, always along the coast in a westerly direction,
past the Doodslagers revier, de Waterplaets, until you have got beyond
Goening Apy, Moordenaers revier and the Wesels eyland, and also
beyond Speelmans river and Rijkloffs bays, after which you will make the

point of Ony, whence you will cross over along Keffing in Banda, as has
already been noted in passing...

The commander of the flute Vossenbosch aforesaid, in case the whole bight
of Nova Hollandia, owing to adverse weather or defects of the ship, cannot
be made according to these our instructions so as to enable her to be back in
Banda at the end of September, will be empowered with the advice of the
ship's council, from the Drooge eylant aforesaid to cross over to the Meeuen
river, situated nearly N.W. and S.E. of each other, and thereby to shorten the
voyage to that extent, always provided that no other means can be found...

If in...Nova Hollandia you should happen to come upon unknown Indians, of
whom you might without violence or risk, and of their own free will, bring
two or three with you hither, such men might possibly prove of great use in
subsequent voyages, but this point we leave to your own judgment and
discretion, as you shall find circumstances to shape themselves.

Victuals and provisions for all your ships for the space of 10 months have
been ordered on board here...

In the Castle of Batavia, January 20, 1705.

{Page 89}

B.

A Report and account [dated October 6, 1705] of what has been discovered
and found noteworthy in the voyage of the flute Fossenbosch, the pinnace
d'Waijer and the patsjallang Nova Hollandia, dispatched from Batavia to
Hollandia Nova aforesaid by way of Timor, by the Supreme Government of
India, A.D. 1705; as collected and digested from the written journals [*] and
verbal narratives of the officers returned, by the Councillors-Extraordinary
HENRICK SWAARDECROOM and CORNELIS CHASTELIJN,
commissioned for this purpose; the whole to serve as a report to be delivered
to His Worship Governor-General JOAN VAN HOORN and the Lords
Councillors of India. [**]
[* I have not found these journals.]

[* I have not printed this Report, 1st because it has been edited by LEUPE in Bijdragen tot de
taal-, land- en volkenkunde van Nederlandsck-Indie, Nieuwe Volgreeks, I, pp. 193-201; 2nd
because an English translation of it is given in MAJOR, Terra Australis, pp. 165-173; 3rd because
chart No. 15 excellently represents the results of this voyage. The reproduction being on a
reduced scale, some names of places are not so clearly legible as could be wished, but they will
be found referred to in my Introduction.]

C.

Chart of Hollandia Nova, further discovered A.D. 1705 by the ships
Vossenbosch, de Wajer and Nova Hollandia, which left Timor on March 2
[*].
[* On July 12 the ships discontinued their voyage of discovery, and returned to Banda, where
they arrived about a fortnight later.]

{Page 90}

No. 15. Kaart van (Chart of) Hollandia Nova, nader ontdekt anno 1705
door (more exactly discovered by) de Vossenbosch, de Waijer en de
Nova Hollandia

XXXIV. (1721-1722).
EXPLORATORY VOYAGE BY ORDER OF THE WEST-
INDIA COMPANY "TO THE UNKNOWN PART OF THE
WORLD, SITUATED IN THE SOUTH SEA TO WESTWARD
OF AMERICA", BY THE SHIPS AREND AND TIENHOVEN,
AND THE AFRICAN GALLEY, COMMANDED BY MR.
JACOB ROGGEVEEN, JAN KOSTER (IN THE SHIP
AREND), CORNELIS BOUMAN (IN THE SHIP
TIENHOVEN), AND ROELOF ROSENDAAL (IN THE
AFRICAN GALLEY).

Although the history of this voyage, begun from the Texel on August 1,
1721, does not form part of the subject here treated, I mention it in passing

merely to note that among other places the ships touched at Paasch-eiland,
and at the Paumatos and Samoa island-groups, and reached Java along the
north-coast of New Guinea. The journal of this voyage is preserved in the
Hague State Archives and has been edited by the Zealand Genootschap der
Wetenschappen. (Middelburg, 1838).

{Page 91}

XXXV. (1727).
THE SHIP ZEEWIJK, COMMANDED BY JAN STEIJNS,
LOST ON THE TORTELDUIF ROCK.

A.

Letter of the G.-G. and Counc. to the Managers of the E.I.C., October 31,
1728.

...On the 26th of April there arrived here quite unexpectedly with the
patchiallang de Veerman a note from the ex-skipper and the subcargo of the
Zealand ship Zeewijk, Jan Steijns and Jan Nebbens, written from Sunda
Strait...informing us that the said ship, after sailing from the Cape of Good
Hope [*] on April 21 [1727], had on June 9 following run aground on the
reef situated before the islands called Fredrik Houtmans Abriolhos near the
South-land in 29° S.L., also known as the Tortelduijf islands; that favoured
by good weather the men had saved from the wreck all kinds of necessaries,
and with the loosened woodwork had constructed a kind of vessel, with
which they had set out from there on the 26th of March, and arrived in the
aforesaid strait on the 21st of April last...
[* The ship had sailed from the Netherlands, November 7, 1726.]

[We] have found...not only that the ex-skipper Jan Steijns has, against his
positive instructions and against the protests of the steersmen, too recklessly
sailed near the South-land, and thereby been the cause of this disaster, but
also that he has attempted to impose upon his superiors by falsified
journals, hoping thereby, if possible, to conceal his grievous mistake...

The situation of the islands on whose outermost reef the ship Zeewijk has
run aground, is shown by the annexed small chart [*]. They lie out of sight
of the South-land, and are partly overgrown with brushwood, edible
vegetables, etc...here have been discovered not only a number of wells dug
by human hands, but also certain vestiges of a Dutch ship, presumably also
lost on the reef aforesaid...
[* To the Netherlands were sent "two charts of the situation of the Reef, and of the islands
aforementioned" (charts 16 and 17 below).]

No. 16. Kaarte betreffende de schipbreuk der Zeewijk (Chart,
concerning the shipwreck of the Zeewijk) 1727.

No. 17. Kaarte betreffende de schipbreuk der Zeewijk (Chart,
concerning the shipwreck of the Zeewijk) 1727.

B.

Journal or daily register, kept [by the second steersman Adriaan (Van) de
Graeff] on board the sho Zeewijk; after the miscarriage of the same, on the
wreck stuck fast on a rocky reef near the unknown Southland; and a few
days after, in the island [*].
[* This journal is of no interest for our purpose, and I mention it pro memoria only. The charts
sufficiently record the results.]

C.

Chart drawn by JAN STEIJNS. (No. 16).

D.

Chart drawn by ADRIAAN (VAN) DE GRAAF [*]. (No. 17.)
[* Later in the XVIII century (inter alia in 1755 and 1765) the West-coast of Australia was again
visited by Dutch ships, but what we know about this point is of no significance.]

{Page 92}

XXXVI. (1756).
EXPLORATORY VOYAGE OF THE SHIPS RIJDER. AND
BUIS, COMMANDED BY LIEUTENANT JEAN ETIENNE
GONZAL AND FIRST LAVIENNE LODEWIJK VAN
ASSCHENS, TO THE GULF OF CARPENTARIA.

Report of the "Master Cartographer" at Batavia, GERRIT DE HAAN, to the
G.-G., and Counc. September 30, 1756.

Pursuant to Your Honourable Worships' highly honoured orders, the
undersigned has the honour to submit to Your Honourable Worships a report
concerning the voyage made by the small bark-ships de Rijder and de
Buijs to the South-land, so far as the same has been touched at by them, as
Your Honourable Worships may be pleased further to gather from the
annexed charts [*].
[* I have not found either these charts or any journals of this expedition.]

On the 8th of February, 1756 the two ships set sail together from this
roadstead...

On March 26 they were overtaken by a violent storm off the Banda islands,
so that they got separated, and the ship Buijs, finding it impossible to stand
out to sea, entered the port of Banda on March 28; the ship Rijder held out
with fore- and mizen-sails struck until the weather got better, and not
knowing that the ship Buys had returned to port, continued her voyage. On
April 4 those on board the ship Rijder sighted Cape Falso in Lat. 7° 54' S.,
in 5 and 4½ fathom; they then shaped their course to the S.E. and
afterwards to the S.S.E., until on April 10 they saw the high land of
Carpentaria, known by the name of hoog Eijland, near which they found

an island not known to the chart, to which island they gave the name of
Rijders Eijland. From the hooge Eyland a reef runs out to sea a distance of
nearly three miles coming close to the Rijders Eyland...They then shaped
their course along the land in order to get into the bay, in depths Of 8, 7,
7½, 6½ fathom sandy bottom, at which last depth they came to anchor on
April the 16th, where they estimated themselves to be about two miles off
shore. On the 17th do. they went ashore with the boat for the first time in
order to ascertain the nature of the coast. On landing they found a number
of cabins constructed of the bark of trees; they also saw a man who fled into
the wood at their approach, and a small prow or species of vessel also made
of bark, together with some fishing-tackle and a kind of assagays made of
branches of trees, from 4 to 9 feet long, tipped at one end with a small piece
of bone ground to a sharp point. The fishing-lines seemed to be twisted out
of fibrous bark, and, instead of hooks, had pointed claws of beasts fastened
to them. The land was overgrown with tall grass, and they saw a number of
fine dells or valleys, through which flowed various small rills of fresh
water; the trees were very tall and straight, of regular growth and of
different kinds, some of which would, as they presumed, furnish excellent
timber for ships' masts, yards, etc. The soil was very rich, and on the whole
the country looked very promising. They remained there, making various
landings, and taking in firewood and water, till the 26th of April, when they
put to sea again...shaping their course E.N.E. close to the wind in depths Of
5, 6 or 7 fathom, following the trend of the coast till they had got into 10°
30' S. Lat., where they cast anchor on April 28, in order to explore the land
also in this latitude. They found nothing worth mentioning, however, {Page
93} except a few more cabins or huts of the kind before described, the
inmates of which took to the wood as soon as our men appeared. They
dragged the boat on the {Page 94} beach here, and repaired the same,
remaining there till the 13th of May, waiting for the ship de Buys. On that
day they resolved to continue their voyage, shaping their course along the
land as high as they could in order to keep the same alongside; but they lost
sight of the land all the same, and became aware that the said land lay at
least one degree more to southward than the chart had led them to believe.
On the 24th of May they again sighted the land in 12° 18' S. Lat.; it showed
as a very low-lying coast, whose trend they followed close inshore. In Lat.
12° 26' South they cast anchor in 10 fathom good anchoring-ground. As
they were lying at anchor at about 1 or 1½ mile's distance from the shore,

they saw two of the prows above described paddle up to the ship, each of
them containing two men, who, when they had got near the ship, by signs
and cries began to signify to our men that they wished them to come ashore.
The following day, being the 26th of May, our men went ashore at
daybreak, and on landing found several persons there, who, however, all
took to flight directly. They also saw two dogs, not unlike so-called Bengal
jackals. The persons who had fled, shortly after returned to them, when they
found them armed with the assagays above described. They were
accompanied by a number of females who had their privities covered with a
kind of small mats. The natives then all of them sat down on the beach near
our men, who made signs to them that they were seeking fresh water; upon
which the natives got up and signified to our men their willingness to show
them the places where water was obtainable. Nor were our men deceived,
for after walking on along the beach for some time, they were conducted to
a pleasant valley with fine trees such as those above described. This seemed
to be the dwelling-place of the natives, for our men saw here more women
and children and also a number of primitive dwellings, merely consisting of
sheltered places under the trees partly covered in with bark. The water
which they found here, welled up out of the earth in pits dug by human
hands. After having inspected the whole place, they went back to the beach,
where they found the two prows in which the natives had previously
approached the ship. As our men were seated on the beach, nineteen natives
came up to them, all of them with bodies daubed over with red; when the
said natives were by our men treated to some arrack with sugar, they began
to make merry and even struck up a kind of chant, at the conclusion of
which they retired to the wood again.

In the morning of the 27th our men went ashore again for the purpose of
attempting to get hold of one or two natives, but did not succeed in doing so
that day, because they landed too late to lure the natives to the beach. Early
in the morning of the 28th they again landed in order to execute their plan;
on their arrival the natives came up to them dancing and singing, sat down
close to them, laid aside their so-called assagays or weapons, and again
enjoyed the liquor with which our men plied them. While they were thus
making merry, our men seized hold of two of them [*], upon which the
others jumped to their feet, snatched up their assagays and began to throw
them at our people without, however, wounding any one; except that the

ship's clerk, who in flying tried to seize one of the natives round the body,
was in the scuffle slightly wounded in the hand; upon this, our men fired a
volley, wounding one of the natives, who thereupon all of them fled into the
bush. Our people then tried to drag to the boat the two men they had got
hold of, but as they were tying their {Page 95} arms and legs together, one
of them by frantic biting and tearing contrived to get loose and effect his
escape. Shortly after upwards of fifty natives again made their appearance,
throwing assagays, but they also took to their heels, when our people let off
another volley of musketry, after which our men succeeded in carrying off
their one prisoner to the boat.
[* A sorry return for kindness received!]

{Page 96}

On the 29th of May, the wind being S.E. and S.E. by E. with a top-gallant
gale, they put to sea again, running S.S.W. close by the wind in from 10 to
11 fathom good anchoring-ground. At noon they found their latitude to be
12° 31' South, and dropped anchor in 10 fathom good anchoring-ground, at
about 1 or 1½ mile's distance from the land, their compasses showing 3° 49'
north-easterly variation.

On the 30th of May, as they were lying at anchor, two small prows came to
within half a mile of the ship and then paddled back to shore.

On the 31st of May, the wind being East and E.S.E., with a top-gallant gale,
they set sail close to the wind on a southerly course. At noon they took the
latitude of 12° 44' South, having passed depths of 10 and 10½ fathom. At
sunset the countercurrent forced them to drop anchor before the
Mosselbaaij.

On the 1st of June, the wind being E.S.E. and S.E. by E. with a weak top-
gallant gale, they set sail over depths of 10½, 11, 12 and latterly 10½
fathom again, good anchoring ground, upon which they dropped anchor in
the forenoon. At noon it fell a calm, and they took the latitude of 12° 51'
South, the compasses showing 3° 3' north-easterly variation.

In the morning of June 2 the wind varied between East, E.S.E., and S.E.,
and then went round to S.W. by S.; they sent the boat ashore in search of
fresh water, since in the latitude they had now reached the chart showed a
fresh-water river. When the boat returned alongside, they were informed
that there was an excellent watering-place close by, where the water came
rushing down the rocks, and also a fine inland lake, near which the men had
seen a great number of birds of various kinds, together with certain foot-
prints of large animals. In the drawing or chart this spot has been named
Rijders waterplaats situated in 12° 57' S. Lat.

On the 3rd of June, the wind blowing from the East to E.S.E. with a fresh
breeze, they set sail for the watering-place aforesaid in 11, 10, 11½, 9½, 9
and 8 fathom, good anchoring ground and muddy sand, in which they
dropped anchor at two glasses in the afternoon.

From the 4th to the 12th of June they overhauled the ship, took in water and
firewood, and repaired the boat. During this time no natives were seen by
them.

On the 13th of June, the wind being E.S.E. and S.E. by E. with a weak top-
gallant gale, they put to sea again, following the trend of the coast on a
course between W.S.W. and S. by E...over depths of 8, 8½, 9, and 10
fathom, good anchoring-ground with pebbles and small shells. At noon they
took the latitude of 12° 2' South, and in the afternoon the head-current
forced them to come to anchor.

On the 14th of June, the wind varying between S.E. by E. and South, they
set sail running close by the wind on a southerly and S. by E. course in 9,
9½, 10 and 11 fathom sandy bottom. At noon their estimated course and
distance performed since sunrise were S.S.W. half a point westerly, and 2½
miles, the latitude taken being 13° 8' South. In the afternoon the wind was
S.S.W. by W. with a weak breeze and occasional calms; they sounded from
11 to 8 fathom sandy bottom with black spots and pebbles; at the depth last
mentioned they came to anchor at the first glass of the dog-watch, slightly
to southward of de Rijdershoek, about 1 or 1¼ mile off shore, the
compasses showing 3° 45' north-easterly variation.

{Page 97}

On the 15th of June the wind blew from the S.E. to the E.S.E. in the
morning and during the day, with a moderate and fresh breeze. At sunrise
they went ashore with the boat in search of whatever might be worth noting.
At noon they took the latitude of 13° South. Towards sunset the boat
returned alongside, reporting that, as they were pulling ashore, and were at
about a quarter of a mile's distance from the land, a canoe in shape like
those before described came paddling up to them, containing two men who
made signs for them to come ashore; and when with great difficulty they
had got ashore through the surf, the two natives of the canoe had already
fled into the bush; shortly after, however, eleven men and five females
again came running up to them, armed with the assagays hereinbefore
described, who directly tried to take our men's hats off their heads, and on
being prevented from doing so, forthwith prepared to throw their weapons;
but when our men fired a shot, they all fled except a youth, whom our
people carried on board along with the canoe aforesaid, this man being the
younger of the two natives brought hither. Our men had also come upon a
large pond containing fresh water, which, however, was difficult to get to
the ship. On the whole the country looked promising enough, and when
cultivated would probably prove very fertile. The natives mainly subsist on
the roots of trees and wild fruits such as batatas or oubis, together with
small quantities of fish which they catch in their canoes. They also seemed
to have some knowledge of gold, when lumps of the same were shown
them. Round by the south the natives are somewhat more tractable than
those farther to northward. Between the 11th and 12th degrees the trend of
the coast is S.W. by S. and N.E. by N., next S.S.W. and N.N.E. down to the
13th degree; then running on due south as far as the eye reaches. The coast
is mainly level without any reefs, and may be approached sounding.

On the 16th of June...they resolved to depart from there, since the season
was passing, and they could only with great difficulty make any headway or
run higher, while, besides, they had only two anchors and cables left. They
then shaped their course to westward for Aarnems land. At noon they took
the latitude of 13° 3' South course held as before.

On the 17th of June in the forenoon the wind was E. by S. and E.S.E. with a
moderate and fresh top-gallant gale, stiffening to a reefed topsail gale. At
noon their estimated course and distance performed in the last 24 hours

were W. by N. 25½ miles; estimated Latitude 12° 44' South; Latitude taken
12° 36' South; course held as before; no land in sight.

From the 18th to the 23rd their course was mainly westerly, with variable
winds and good weather.

On the 24th of June the wind was S.E. by S., E.S.E. and S.E. by E. in the
morning and forenoon, with a stiff reefed topsail-gale. Shortly after noon
they sighted the mainland of Nova Hollandia, S.S.W. of them, showing as
a very low-lying coast; they passed over depths of 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9,
and 8½ fathom, good anchoring ground and muddy sand, keeping a N.W.
by W. course, since the shallows prevented them from running nearer to the
land than where they could just sight it from the ship's deck; they next got
into 9, 10 and 11 fathom again as before, and dropped anchor at sunset.

On the 25th of June the wind was S.S.E. to S.E. in the morning and
forenoon with a moderate top-gallant gale, a brightening sky and good
weather. At daybreak, as they were weighing anchor, the cable snapped off,
and the buoy having disappeared, they thus lost their third anchor, so that
they had only one left. They therefore resolved to call at the island of
Timor, and shaped their course to N.W. by W. over {Page 98} depths of 11,
10, 10½ and 8 fathom; they next steered higher in order to get into deeper
water, and thus passed over 12, 7, 8, 15, 9, 10, 12, 14, 13, 7, 5, 3½, 4, 5, 6,
afterwards running up to 20 fathom, muddy bottom. At noon their estimated
course and distance performed were N.W. by W. slightly Northerly, 5½
Miles; their estimated latitude 11° 30' South; Latitude taken 11° 37' South;
estimated distance from the land 9 or 9½ miles.

They next shaped their course to north-west in these known waters, and on
the 3rd of July following sighted the island of Rottie to westward of them...

The ship de Buys, having, as hereinbefore mentioned, put into the port of
Banda on the 28th of March, and having there again been provided with all
necessaries, set sail from there again on April 1, shaping her course to
eastward. On April 23 she sighted the land of Carpentaria, and the so-
called Cape Keerweer, when she was in the observed latitude Of 12° 58'
South, so that the land was found to be at least 12 miles more to eastward
than it was believed to be. They had sounded depths of 20, 18, 15, 13, 12,

and 11½ fathom, sandy bottom, at which last depth they came to anchor
shortly after sunset.

On the 24th of April the wind was E.S.E. by S. in the morning and forenoon
with a weak top-gallant gale and fine weather; at daybreak they got their
boat ready and made her sail ahead of them in order to take soundings; they
then weighed anchor and set sail, keeping an E.N.E. and N.E. course close
to the wind in 11½, 12, 13, 12, and 11½ fathom, sharp sandy bottom with
small pebbles. At noon their estimated latitude was 12° 54' South, and their
estimated distance from the land 4 or 4½ miles. At sunset they observed
Cape Keerweer E. ¼ point N. of them, and the interior point looking to the
river E.N.E. They had sounded depths of 11½, 10½, 11, and 12 fathom
sandy bottom, at which last depth they came to anchor just after sunset. In
the course of the day they had seen a good deal of smoke ascend from the
land.

On April the 25th the wind was E., E.N.E., and N.N.E. in the morning and
forenoon, with a weak breeze and fine weather. They weighed anchor at
daybreak and set sail on a northern course close by the wind over depths of
12, 14, 15 and 17 fathom sandy bottom. At noon their estimated latitude
was 12° 42' South; the wind continued variable with occasional calms; the
land here showed level with a red and white beach; the interior seemed to
be covered with straight, tall trees as far as the eye reached. At sunset they
came to anchor and during the night had a moderate top-gallant gale with
good weather.

On the 26th of April the wind was E. and E. by S. in the morning and
forenoon, with a fresh breeze and fine weather. At daybreak they weighed
anchor and set sail, shaping their course between N.N.W. and N.N.E.; in the
forenoon they observed a pretty high hill N.E. by N. ¼ point N. and a red
point N.N.E. ½ point E. of them. They also came upon a deep bay or bight
named Vliegenbaay, in which the trees on shore were hardly visible from
the top-mast. The N. corner of the said bay is here known by the name of
Aschens hoek. At noon their estimated latitude was 12° 16' South. They
also saw columns of smoke rising up, and thought they could discern men
and cabins. At sunset they came to anchor in 12½ fathom. During the night
the wind was variable.

On the 27 th of April the wind was E. by S.E. in the morning and forenoon
with a fresh topsail breeze, a covered sky and dry weather. At daybreak they
weighed anchor and set sail on a N.N.E. course over depths between 12½
and 14 fathom good anchoring-ground. The land here begins to fall off to
eastward. They here saw a {Page 99} river with an island lying off its
mouth, the river being known as Batavia River, and the island as Buys
Eijland. At noon they took the approximate latitude of 11° 38' South. They
repeatedly saw columns of smoke rising up from the land; in the afternoon
they came to anchor in 11 fathom coarse sand, about 4 miles Off the shore.

On the 28th of April the wind was E. and E.S.E. in the morning and
forenoon; they weighed anchor and set sail on a N.E. course. At noon they
took the latitude of 11° 29' South, being then 3½ miles off shore, and
having passed depths of 11 and 10 fathom, coarse sand and good anchoring-
ground. In the afternoon the wind blew from the E.S.E., S.E., S., S.S.W.,
with a moderate top-gallant gale and fine weather; course held N.E. by E.
and N.E.½% point N.; they still kept sailing along low-lying land only.

On the 29th of April the wind was S.S.E. and S.E. in the morning and
forenoon, with a fresh topsail breeze; at daybreak they weighed anchor and
set sail on courses between N.N.E. and N.N.W. over depths of 10, 12, 10, 9,
8, 7, 6, 7, 8, 9 fathom, hard foul bottom; they estimated themselves to be at
3 miles' distance off the land. At noon their estimated latitude was 11° 3'
South; in the afternoon the wind blew from the S.E. with a fresh topsail
breeze. At 2 o'clock they came to anchor, since they estimated themselves to
be close to Van Spults river; at 3 miles' distance from the land they were in
8 fathom.

On the 30th of April the wind was S.E. by E. and S.E. in the morning and
forenoon, with a fresh breeze. They got the boat ready for the purpose of
taking soundings ahead. At noon their estimated latitude was 10° 56'; at 4
o'clock they had nearly lost sight of the boat, and fired a gun charged with
ball in order to recall the same, but the boat not returning, they kept a light
burning at the top-mast, and during the night fired a gun now and then. In
this way they waited for the boat until the 12th of May, when they finally
resolved to depart from there, since their stock of water and firewood would
not allow of their waiting longer. On board the missing boat were two

steersmen, to wit, Hendrick Snijders and Pieter van der Meulen, one
quartermaster and five common sailors.

On the 12th of May the wind was E.S.E. and S.E. in the morning and
forenoon, with a moderate top-gallant gale and good weather. At daybreak
they weighed anchor and set sail on a western course from the shallows,
passing over depths of 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 fathom fine grey sand. At noon
their estimated latitude was 10° 55' South. In the afternoon and during the
night they had good weather with occasional showers of rain; next running
W.N.W., they sighted the island of Timoor Laudt on the 20th of May.

...From the above Your Honourable Worships will gather that Lieutenant
Jean Etienne Gonzal, in command of the small bark de Rijder, has
executed Your Honourable Worships' honoured orders, so far as the shores
of the Land of Carpentaria are concerned; but that no exploration of the
interior has been undertaken as enjoined by Your Honourable Worships'
instructions [*] and no landing has been effected on the coast of Nova
Hollandia, because they had only one anchor left, so that such landing was
judged too hazardous to be undertaken. Of the part borne in this expedition
by the first mate Lavienne Lodewijk Aschens who was in command of the
small bark de Buys, the undersigned can make Your Honourable Worships
no report worth any serious consideration, since his statements and
annotations are so misleading that it is evident {Page 100} at first sight that
he can never have had any first-hand knowledge or ocular view of the
matters referred to by him, seeing that he has hardly ever been nearer to the
land than 3 miles off it, at which distance, however, he pretends to have
seen a river with a small island before its mouth, together with natives,
cabins, etc.; all which seems impossible to the undersigned on a level coast
such as this, nor has he made any landing on the said coast, although,
contrary to Your Honourable Worships' orders, he has sailed along it from
the south to the north a distance Of 40 miles, before the mishap of the loss
of the boat came to pass, as Your Honourable Worships may further gather
from the annexed rough sketch of a chart [**] of the coast sent in by him...
[* I have not printed these instructions, as they are not of sufficient interest for our purpose.]

[* I have not found this chart.]

[At foot:]
Your Honourable Worships' Obedient Servant
[signed]
W. G. DE HAAN.
[in margine:] Batavia, September 30, 1756.

No. 5. Uitslaande Kaart van het Zuidland door HESSEL GERRITSZ
(Folding chart of the Southland).

{Page 101}

Index of Persons.

Asschens, (Lavienne Lodewijk Van)
Bewindhebbers der Nederlandsche Oost-Indische Compagnie, (Heeren
Majores)
Blom, (Michiel)
Bounian, (Cornelis)
Bremen, (Joannes Van)
Brouwer, (Hendrik)
Buysero, (Cornelis)

Carstensz (oon), Jan
Chastelijn, (Cornelis)
Claeszoon van Hillegom, (Haevick)
Cock, (Daniel Janssen)
Coen, (Jan Pieterszoon)
Collaert, (Gerrit)
Cook, (James)
Coolsteerdt of Colster, (Willem Joosten Van)
Corneliszoon, (Maarten)

Dampier, (William)
Dedel, (Cornelis)
Dedel, (Jacob)
Delft, (Maarten Van)
Diemen, (Antonio Van)
Dircksz, (Pieter)
Dirkszoon, (Pieter)
Dortsman, (Adriaan)

Eckebrecht, (Philippus)
Engelschen

Gerrits, (Coert)
Gerrits, (Gerrit)

Gerritsz, (Hessel)
Gonzal (Jean Etienne)
Gouverneur-Generaal en Raden (Hooge Regeering) te Batavia
Graaff, (Isaac De)
Graeff, (Adriaan Van de)

Haan, (W. Gerrit De)
Haen, (Dirk Corneliszoon)
Haghen, (Steven Van der)
Hartogs(zoon), (Dirk)
Heermans, (Theodorus)
Hendrikszoon, (Pieter)
Hermansz(oon), Klaes
Holman, (Yde Tjerkszoon)
Hoorn, (Joan Van)
Houtman, (Frederik De)

Jacobsz(oon), Lenaert
Jansz., (Jan)
Jansz(oon), Gerrit
Janszoon van Buiksloot, (Reyer)
Jansz(oon), Willem, Koopman
Jansz(oon), Willem, schipper
Jansz., (Willemtje)
Jonck, (Aucke Pieterszoon)
Jongh, (Wollebrand Geleynszoon De)

Keppler, (Joannes)
Koos, (Jasper Janszoon),
Koster, (Jan)

Lastman, (C. I.)
Ledoecker van Bil(?), (Pieter)
Leeuw (Arend Martensz. De)
Le Maire, (Jacques)
Linschoten, (Jan Huygen van)
Lintiens (Pieter)

Lijn, (Cornelis Van der)

Maetsuyker, (Joan)
Melisz(oon), Dirk
Meulen, (Pieter Van der)
Miebaise, (Gilles)

Nebbens, (Jan)
Nuijts, (Pieter)

Peereboom, (Jacob Pieterszoon)
Pelsaert, (François)
Pieterszoon, (Pieter)
Pool, (Gerrit Thomaszoon)
Portugeezen,
Purry, (J. P.)

Reael, (Laurens)
Roggeveen, (Jacob)
Rooseboom, (Andries)
Roosenbergh, (J. Van)
Roosendaal, (Roelof)
Rosingeyn, (Jan Lodewijkszoon)
Rumphius, (G. E.)

Schouten, (Willem Corneliszoon)
Seebaer van Nieuwelant
Snijders, (Hendrik)
Spanjaarden
Speult, (Herman Van)
Staten-Generaal der Vereenigde Nederlanden
Steyn, (Jan)
Steyns, (Jan)
Swaardecroon, (Hendrik)

Tasman, (Abel Janszoon)
Thijssen of Thijszoon, (François,)

Torres, (Luis Vaez de)

Verschoor, (Jan Willemsen)
Victorszoon, (Victor)
Visscher, (Frans Jacobszoon)
Vlamingh, (Cornelis De)
Vlamingh, (Willem De)
Volckertsz(oon) (Samuel)
Voss, (Jan)

Wall, (Jan Van der)
West-Indische Compagnie
Willemsz. van den Briel, (Jan)
Witsen, (Nicolaas Corneliszoon)
Witt, (Gerrit Frederikszoon De)
Wytfliet, (Cornelis)

Zeeuw, (Jan Janszoon), 73-74.

{Page 103}

Index of Ships.

Afrikaansche Galei, (De)
Amsterdam, (De)
Arend, (De)
Arnhem, (De)

Batavia, (De)
Bracq, (De)
Buys, (De)

Doradus, (De)
Dordrecht, (De)
Duifken (Het)

Eendracht, (De), onder Dirk Hartogs

Eendracht, (De), onder Le Maire en Schouten
Elburg, (De)
Emeloord, (De)

Galias, (De)
Geelvink, (De)
Goede Hoop, (De)
Gulden of Vergulden Draak, (De)
Gulden Zeepaard (Het)

Haring, (De)
Hazewind, (De)
Heemskerk, (De)
Hoorn, (De)

Klein-Amsterdam, (De)

Leeuwerik, (De)
Leeuwin, (De)
Leiden, (De)
Limmen, (De)

Mauritius, (De)

Nova-Hollandia, (De)
Nijptang, (De)

Pera, (De)

Ridderschap van Holland
Rijder, (De)

Texel (De)
Tienhoven, (De)

Utrecht (De)

Vianen, (Viane, Viana), De
Vink, (De)
Vliegende Zwaan, (De)
Vossenbosch, (De)

Wakende Boei, (De)
Wapen van Amsterdam, (Het)
Wapen van Hoorn, (Het)
Waijer, (De)
Wezel, (De)
Wezeltje, (Het)
Witte Valk, (De)

Zeehaen, (De)
Zeemeeuw, (De)
Zeewolf, ( De)
Zeewijk, (De)

{Page 104}

Index of localities.
Abel Tasmans baai
Abel Tasman's passagie
Alofi
Alhier liggen, bergen
Arnhemsland
Asschenshoek

Barrom-eilanden
Bass-Straat
Batavia's kerkhof
Batavia (Rivier)
Bathurst-eiland
Beach
Bedriegershoek
Boompjeshoek
Boscawen, zie Tafahi
Buyseiland

Caap Falso, zie Valsche Kaap
Carpentaria (Golf van)
Carpentaria ('t Land van)
Carpentier, (Rivier De)
Ceram of de Papues (onzeker, uncertain)
Clappes Cust, zie Klapperkust
Coburg-schiereiland
Coen (Rivier)

Dampier-archipel
Dedelsland
De Witt's land
Dirk Hartogseiland

Dirk Hartogsreede
Drie Bergen's bocht
Drooge bocht
Drooge eiland
Droge Hoek
Duivelsklip
Dundas-straat

Eendrachtsland
Exmouth Gulf

Fidji-groep
Fortuynshoek
Fotuna
Frederik Houtman (Klippen van), zie Houtmans Abrolhos

Garden-island
Geographe Bay
Groote eiland (Het)
Groote vuile inbocht

Hoefijzer-hoek
Hoek van Calmoerie
Hoek van Canthier
Hoek van Goede Hoop
Hoek van Onier
Hooge eiland (Het), aan Australië's Westkust. (High-island)
Hooge land van Carpentaria of Hoog eiland
Hoop (de Goede), zie Nino-fa.
Hoornsche eilanden, zie Fotuna en Alofi.
Houtmans Abrolhos (Houtman's Rocks)

I. d'Edels landt, zie Dedelsland.

Jacob Remessens (Remens- of Rommerrivier)
Jan Melcher's Hoek
Java (Mayor of Groot-)

Java (Zuidkust van)

Kaap Van Diemen
Keerweer (Kaap) aan de Golf van Carpentaria
Keerweer (aan de Zuidwestkust van Nieuw-Guinea,)
Keppel, zie Niutabutabu.
Klapperkust
Kliphoek
Kokoseiland; zie Tafahi.
Konijnenberg

Land van de Eendracht, zie Eendrachtsland.
Land van de Leeuwin
't Land van Nova-Guinea
Land van Pieter Nuijts; zie Nuijtsland.
Leeuwin (Kaap)
Leeminnenhoek, zie Kaap Leeuwin.
Limmensbocht
Lucach

Maarten Van Delft's baai
Maletur
Maria-eiland
Maria's Hoek
Maria's Land
Meeuwenrivier
Melville-baai
Melville-eiland
Mitchell River
Monte Bello-eilanden
Mornington-eiland
Mosselbaai

Nassau (Rivier)
Nieuw-Guinea (Noordkust van)
Nieuw-Guinea of Nova Guinea (Zuidwestkust van)
Nieuw-Holland

Nieuw-Nederland
Nieuw-Zeeland
Nino-fa
Niutabutabu
Noordcust van Australië
Noordwestkust van Australië
Northwest Cape
Nova Hollandia
Nuijtsland

Oostkust van Australië
Oranjehoek
Oranjerivier

Paasch-eiland
Pantjallingshoek
Paumotoe-groep
Perth
Pieter Frederik's Hoek
Pieter Frederik's rivier
Prinses Marianne-straat
Prins Frederik Hendrik-eiland
Prins Wales-eiland

Robben-eiland
Roode Hoek
Rooseboomshoek
Rottenest (Eiland)
Rustenburg
Rijders-eiland
Rijdershoek
Rijders Waterplaats

Sarnoa-groep
Scherpe Hoek
Schrale Hoek
Sharks Bay

Sint François (Eiland)
Sint Pieter (Eiland)
Sneeuwbergen, (Mountains covered with snow)
Southland (see Zuidland).
Sp(e)ult, (Rivier Van)
Speultsland or -eiland (Van)
Statenland, zie Nieuw-Zeeland.
Staten-rivier
Steenbokskeerkring
Sweers-rivier

Tafahi
Tasmanië
Terra Australis
Terra incognita
Tonga-groep
Toppershoedje
Torres-straat
Tortelduif-eiland (Turtle Dove island)
Triall (De)

Valsche Bocht
Valsche Kaap
Valsche Westhoek
Van der Lijns-eiland, zie Groote eiland.
Van der Lijn's rivier
Van Diemens-golf
Van Diemensland
Van Diemens-land, zie Tasmanië
Van Diemen's rivier
Vereenigde rivier
Verraders-eiland, zie Niutabutabu.
Vlakke hoek
Vlaming-head
Vleermuis-eiland, (Het)
Vossenbos' ruige hoek
Vuile Bocht

Vuil eiland, viii.
Vuile Hoek (Foul point)

Waterplaats
Waterplaats bij Van Diemensland, (Noordkust van Australië)
Waterplaats (10° 50')
Waterplaats (12° Z.B. en 160 1/3° O.L.)
Waterplaats (12° 33')
Waterplaats (15° 30')
Waijershoek
Wessel-eiland
Westeinde van Nova Guinea
Westkust van Australië
Willems-rivier
Witte Hoek
W. Sweers'hoek

York, (Schiereiland, Peninsula)

Zuidland, (Het)
Zuidwestkust van Australië
Zuidzee, (De)
Zwanerivier

THE END

17th Century Dutch Surnames
by
Peter Reynders,
September 2004.

Surnames, in the meaning of family names, were relatively uncommon in the United Provinces
(Holland) in the sixteenth and early seventeenth century. Most people identified themselves
using patronymics--a reference to the first name of their father--as a second name. They were
registered as such at birth. Willem Janszoon would have been the son of Jan (i.e. Jan's zoon). If
Willem J. had a son called Thomas he would have been registered as Thomas Willemszoon.
Because it was unwieldy to spell the full patronymic, it was common practice to abbreviate

written names by omitting the 'oon' and adding an abbreviation point, Jansz., or by using the so
called internal abbreviation Janszn without such point. The name was however always
pronounced in full and generally still is in the Netherlands where this bit of common knowledge
is taught at school.

Therefore when writing for readers in the English speaking world where this kind of
abbreviation is not recognized as such, we should always write the name in full, Janszoon,
Jacobszoon, Bastiaenszoon, etc., when referring to people of that period. If we do not, we cause
the person to be known by another name one syllable shorter in the English speaking world. We
inadvertently mislead.

Jansz, Jansen, Janssen, Janzen etc are known as petrified (or frozen) patronymics and were
derived from Janszoon when it became more common (and under Napoleon legally compulsory)
to have a family name. These are the surnames that still exist today; Janszoon is not in use any
more, but for one family. The shorter unabbreviated name Jansz therefore is typically NOT a
name from the early 17th century.

Historians in Australia, unaware of this bit of linguistic inside information, have faithfully
copied abbreviated names from 17th century documents and subsequent publications, often
without the abbreviation point and as a result the family names such as Jansz, Jansen, Jantsen,
etc. were widely used to indicate Australia's first recorded European mariner. There seems to be
an effort being made today by those in the know, including by people of the State Library of
NSW, the Duyfken Replica Foundation, the VOC Historical Society, Australia on the Map 1606-
2006, etc., to call the gentleman in question (Willem) Janszoon with two syllables including in
writing. And it is catching on as it is not hard to understand how this 'Jansz error' crept into
Australian history.

Some publishers of English historical literature when correctly presented by authors with text
containing these patronymics with the abbreviation point added, have simply removed the points
arguing that this 'full stop' in the middle of sentences is confusing for the English reader, thereby
wrongly embedding the abbreviated name as the real one in the readers' minds. This happened
for example with the text of "Batavia's Graveyard" according the Cambridge educated historian
Mike Dash, its author. This is the more reason to write the full name in the first place.

The message therefore is simple: do not use abbreviated patronymics when writing, in English,
about 16th and 17th century Dutchmen and nobody will be confused.

*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PART BORNE
BY THE DUTCH IN THE DISCOVERY OF AUSTRALIA 1606-1765 ***

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