* Refer to the note at the end of
this ebook for an explanation, by Peter Reynders, of usage regarding 17th Century
Dutch Surnames.
![[Illustration]](http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17450/images/cover.jpg)
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
![[Illustration: ]](http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17450/images/heeres-19.jpg)
LONDON
LUZAC & CO, 46 GREAT RUSSELL STREET W. C.
1899
CONTENTS.
List of books, discussed or referred to in
the work
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 [***].
[** 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. [*]
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.]
{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. [**]
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 [**].
[** 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).]
![[Illustration: ]](http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17450/images/heeres-18.jpg)
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?).
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.
![[Illustration: ]](http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17450/images/heeres-01.jpg)
{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…
![[Illustration: ]](http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17450/images/heeres-02.jpg)
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.]
![[Illustration: ]](http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17450/images/heeres-03.jpg)
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.]
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.
![[Illustration: ]](http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17450/images/heeres-04.jpg)
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.]
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.
![[Illustration: ]](http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17450/images/heeres-06.jpg)
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.
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.]
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.]
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.]
![[Illustration: ]](http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17450/images/heeres-07.jpg)
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)
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…
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…
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.]
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.
![[Illustration: ]](http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17450/images/heeres-08.jpg)
{Page 78}
F.
Chart of Eendrachisland, 1658, on a
larger scale.
![[Illustration: ]](http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17450/images/heeres-09.jpg)
{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
![[Illustration: ]](http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17450/images/heeres-10.jpg)
{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}
![[Illustration: ]](http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17450/images/heeres-11.jpg)
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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.]
![[Illustration: ]](http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17450/images/heeres-12.jpg)
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.]
![[Illustration: ]](http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17450/images/heeres-13.jpg)
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.)
![[Illustration: ]](http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17450/images/heeres-14.jpg)
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}
![[Illustration: ]](http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17450/images/heeres-15.jpg)
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).]
![[Illustration: ]](http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17450/images/heeres-16.jpg)
No. 16. Kaarte betreffende de schipbreuk der Zeewijk
(Chart, concerning the shipwreck of the Zeewijk) 1727.
![[Illustration: ]](http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17450/images/heeres-17.jpg)
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.
![[Illustration: ]](http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17450/images/heeres-05.jpg)
{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.