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.

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.

[* 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.

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).

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.]

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).

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...

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.]

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).]

[* 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.