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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 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, 21/2, 2, 11/2 fathom and even less, so that at last we were forced to drop anchor in 11/2 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 41/2 fathom; we were very glad to sail thither with the yacht, and cast anchor in 81/2 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, 21/2 and 3 fathom; we therefore went over to S.W., when we came into 31/2, 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 91/2 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 deg. and 11 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 19'; towards daybreak we passed a shallow Of 4 and 41/2 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 51/2 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg., in which Aru is situated.

In the morning of the 22nd we were in 5 deg. 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 deg., 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 deg. 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, 21/2, 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 deg. 45', our yachts being in 131/2 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 deg. 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.]

[Map 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 deg. 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 deg. 27'; sailed 16 miles in 24 hours North by east...

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

On the 18th do. Latitude 27 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 56'.

On the 30th do. Latitude 18 deg. 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 291/2 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 deg.. 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 161/2 degrees, remains 71/2 degrees. At noon Latitude 24 deg. 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 FRANCOIS 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 Francois 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 Francois 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 371/2 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 281/2 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' Esperanca 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' Esperanca 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 31/2 {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 Esperanca, 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 deg., 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 FRANCOIS 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, Memoires 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 281/2 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 deg. 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 deg.; 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 deg. 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 deg.; 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 13' S. Lat. We therefore ran somewhat more to the south again, in order to reach the latitude Of 28 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 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.]

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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 deg. 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 41/2 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 deg. 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 11/2 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 41/2 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 i1/2 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 21/2 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 91/2 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 Francois, 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 91/2 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 deg. 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 deg. 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 31/2 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 deg. 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.