George Collingridge - The First Discovery of Australia and New Guinea
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George Collingridge >> The First Discovery of Australia and New Guinea
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7 The First Discovery of Australia and New Guinea
Being The Narrative of Portuguese and Spanish Discoveries in the
Australasian Regions, between the Years 1492-1606, with Descriptions
of their Old Charts.
By George Collingridge De Tourcey, M.C.R.G.S., of Australasia;
Hon. Corr. M.R.G.S., Melbourne, Victoria; Hon. Corr. M.N.G.S., Neuchatel,
Switzerland; Hon. Corr. M. of the Portuguese G.S.; Hon. Corr. M. of the
Spanish G.S.; Founder (with his brother, Arthur Collingridge) and First
Vice-President of the Royal Art Society of N.S.W., Australia; Author of
"The Discovery of Australia," etc., etc.
First published 1906
"Olba a Sunda tao larga que huma banda
Esconde para o Sul difficultuoso."
CAMOENS.--Os Lusiadas.
CONTENTS.
I. In Quest of the Spice Islands
II. Voyages to the Spice Islands and Discovery of Papua
III. The Spice Islands in Ribero's Map
IV. Villalobos' Expedition and Further Discoveries in Papua
V. The First Map of New Guinea
VI. Jave-la-Grande, The First Map of Australia
VII. Pierre Desceliers' Map
VIII. Desliens' Map
IX. Mendana and Sarmiento Discover the Solomons
X. Mendana in Search of the Solomon Islands. An Early Map of the
Solomons
XI. Queiroz's Voyage. A Spanish Map of the Bay of St. Philip and
St. James, in Espiritu-Santo Island (New Hebrides)
XII. Torres' Discoveries
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
1. Prince Henry the Navigator
2. Statue of Prince Henry
3. Portuguese Fleet
4. Magellan
5. The Victoria
6. The _Trinidad_ in a Squall
7. Flying Fish (From an Old Map)
8. Sebastian del Cano
9. Scene in the Spice Islands
10. Tidor Volcano, seen from Ternate
11. The Cassowary
12. Spanish Ships
13. Nutmegs and Cloves, from an Old Chart
14. Banda Volcano
15. Diego do Couto's Pig
16. Malay Press
17. Spanish Ships
18. Guinea Fowl
19. Scene in New Guinea
20. Spanish Caravels
21. The Great Albuquerque
22. Bamboos
23. Guanaco
24. Marco Polo
25. Ant Hills
26. Mendana's Fleet
27. Crescent-shaped canoes
28. Scene in the Solomon Islands
29. Tinacula Volcano, from Santa Cruz
30. Queiroz's Fleet
31. An Atoll Reef
32. Type of Island Woman
33. War Drums
34. Scene in the Solomon Islands
LIST OF MAPS IN TEXT.
1. Portuguese Hemisphere
2. Spanish Hemisphere
3. Timor, from an Old Chart
4. Australia and Jave-la-Grande compared
5. Santa Ysabel Island
6. Guadalcanal Island
7. Santa Cruz Island
8. The Earliest Map of the Solomon Islands
9. Queiroz's Track
10. Tierra Australia del Espiritu Santo
11. New Hebrides
12. The Big Bay of Santo
13. New Holland
14. Torres' Track
LIST OF COLOURED MAPS--ILLUSTRATED.
1. The Earliest Drawing of a Wallaby
2. The Spice Islands, from Ribero's Official Map of the World
3. Nova Guinea--The First Map of New Guinea
4. Jave-la-Grande--The First Map of Australia
5. Don Diego de Prado's Map of the Bay of St Philip and St James
in Espiritu Santo
6. Don Diego de Prado's Map of the Islands at the South-east end
of New Guinea
7. Pierre Desceliers' Map of Australia
8. Desliens' Map of Australia
9. Moresby's Map of the Islands at the South-east end of New Guinea
10. The Great Bay of St Lawrence
11. Bay of St Peter of Arlanza
PREFACE TO GEORGE COLLINGRIDGE'S DISCOVERY OF AUSTRALIA,
PUBLISHED IN 1895.
Of the many books which have been published on subjects relating to
Australia and Australian History, I am not aware of any, since my late
friend, Mr. R. H. Major's introduction to his valuable work, "Early
Voyages to Terra Australis," which has attempted a systematic
investigation into the earliest discoveries of the great Southern
Island-Continent, and the first faint indications of knowledge that such
a land existed. Mr. Major's work was published in 1859, at a time when
the materials for such an enquiry were much smaller than at present. The
means of reproducing and distributing copies of the many ancient maps
which are scattered among the various libraries of Europe were then very
imperfect, and the science of Comparative Cartography, of which the
importance is now well recognised, was in its infancy. For these reasons
his discussion, useful though it still is, cannot be regarded as abreast
of modern opportunities. It is, indeed, after the lapse of more than a
third of a century, somewhat out of date. Having, therefore, been led to
give close attention during several years to the whole subject, I have
thought the time ripe for the present work.
The distance from the great centres and stores of knowledge at which I
have been compelled to labour will excuse to the candid critic the errors
which will no doubt be discovered; yet I feel some confidence that these
will prove to be omissions rather than positive mistakes. No pains have
been spared in investigating the full body of documents now available.
Though unable to examine personally some manuscripts of interest and
value, I believe I can truly say that I have read every book and examined
every map of real importance to the question which has been produced in
English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Dutch. I have
corresponded also largely during the past four years with many of the
most eminent members of the Geographical Societies of London, Paris,
Madrid, Lisbon, Rome, Amsterdam and Neuchatel. To these gentlemen I am
deeply indebted for searches which they have made for me in the libraries
and museums within their reach, for much information readily and kindly
afforded, and for the interest and sympathy which they had at all times
manifested in my labours. My thanks are due also to the gentlemen in
charge of the Sydney Free Public Library who kindly enriched their
collection with many rare, and very useful volumes of permanent
importance which I was unable to procure myself, and who aided my
researches by every means in their power.
I cannot hope that in a subject so vast and interesting, I shall be found
to have said the last word, yet I trust that my book may prove to be of
value, both in itself, and as directing the attention of others to a
field which should be mainly explored by residents of Australia. Such as
it is, I now send it forth, with the natural solicitude of a parent, and
commend it to the indulgence of the reader, and the kindly justice of the
critic.
GEORGE COLLINGRIDGE,
"Jave-la-Grande,"
Hornsby Junction,
July, 1895.
PUBLISHERS' NOTE.
Ten years ago, Mr. George Collingridge published "The Discovery of
Australia."--a large quarto volume, bulky, erudite and expensive. It took
its place as a valuable contribution to the literature of the country,
and remains the world-accepted authority on the important and interesting
subject with which it deals. But it was in nowise suited to the general
reader--being designed more for the scholar than for the person who
desired to conveniently possess himself of authentic information relating
to the earliest annals of Australian discovery.
To meet the requirements of the general reader, and to serve as a text
book of Australian History, the present publication has been issued as a
handy compendium of the original volume.
From this book, all controversial matter has been omitted as irrelevant
to a work intended as a handbook for either scholar or student.
The valuable facsimiles of rare and ancient maps have been retained, many
illustrations have been included in the text, and the story of the
explorers has been dealt with at greater length by the author, whose
patient antiquarian research, his knowledge of European and Oriental
Languages, and his opportunities as a member of several Geographical
Societies, have given him unusual facilities for the compilation of a
work which may confidently be expected to find its way into every
scholastic, public and private library in the Commonwealth.
--The Publishers.
INTRODUCTION.
The discovery of a continental island like Australia was not a deed that
could be performed in a day. Many years passed away, and many voyages to
these shores of ours were undertaken by the leading maritime nations of
Europe, before the problematic and mysterious TERRA AUSTRALIS INCOGNITA
of the ancients became known, even in a summary way, and its insularity
and separation from other lands positively established.
We must not be astonished, therefore, at the strange discrepancies that
occur in early charts and narratives, for it took time to realize how
different portions of our coast lines, which had been sighted from time
to time might be connected, and how the gaps might be filled in by fresh
discoveries and approximate surveys.
The question as to who first sighted Australia, and placed on record such
discovery, either in the shape of map or narrative, will, in all
probability, ever remain a mystery.
However, that such a record was made appears evident when we consider
certain early charts, follow carefully the testimony which the evolution
of Australian cartography affords, and take cognisance of various
descriptive passages to be found in old authors.
These passages will be given here in connection with the old charts, and
followed up by the narratives of voyages in search of the "Great South
Land."
The numerous maps and illustrations have been carefully selected; they
will greatly help the student towards understanding these first pages of
the history of Australia.
GEORGE COLLINGRIDGE.
THE FIRST DISCOVERY OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW GUINEA.
CHAPTER I.
IN QUEST OF THE SPICE ISLANDS.
"And the New South rose with her forehead bare--
Her forehead hare to meet the smiling sun--
Australia in her golden panoply;
And far off Empires see her work begun,
And her large hope has compassed every sea."
--SIR GILBERT PARKER.
What was the relative position of European nations in the arena of
maritime discovery at the beginning of the sixteenth century?
Portugal was then mistress of the sea.
Spain, too, indulging in an awakening yawn, was clutching with her
outstretched hands at the shadowy treasure-islands of an unfinished
dream.
England had not yet launched her navy; Holland had not built hers.
Portugal had already buried a king--the great grandson of Edward III. of
England--whose enterprise had won for him the name of Henry the
Navigator.
Slowly and sadly--slowly always, sadly often--his vessels had crept down
the west coast of Africa; little by little one captain had overstepped
the distance traversed by his predecessor, until at last in 1497 a
successful voyager actually rounded the Cape.
Then Portugal, clear of the long wall that had fenced her in on one side
for so many thousands of miles, trod the vast expanse of waters to the
east, and soon began to plant her flag in various ports of the Indian
Ocean. [See Portuguese flags on Desliens' Map.]
Pushing on further east in search of the Spice Islands, she found
Sumatra, Borneo, the Celebes, Java, Timor, Ceram, the Aru Islands and
Gilolo; she had reached the famous and much coveted Moluccas, or Spice
Islands, and set to work building forts and establishing trading stations
in the same way as England is doing nowadays in South Africa and
elsewhere.*
[* In a chart of the East Indian Archipelago, drawn probably during the
first Portuguese voyages to the Spice Islands (1511-1513), the island of
Gilolo is called Papoia. Many of the islands situated on the west and
north-west coast of New Guinea became known to the Portuguese at an early
date, and were named collectively OS PAPUAS. The name was subsequently
given to the western parts of New Guinea. Menezes, a Portuguese
navigator, is said to have been driven by a storm to some of these
islands, where he remained awaiting the monsoonal change.]
Meanwhile the Spaniards, after the discovery of America by Columbus, were
pursuing their navigations and explorations westward with the same object
in view, and it soon dawned upon them that a vast ocean separated them
from the islands discovered by the Portuguese.
Magellan was then sent out in search of a westerly passage; he reached
the regions where the Portuguese had established themselves, and disputes
arose as to the limits of the Portuguese and Spanish boundaries.
Pope Alexander VI. had generously bestowed one-half of the undiscovered
world upon the Spanish, and the other half upon the Portuguese, charging
each nation with the conversion of the heathen within its prospective
domains.
Merely as a fact this is interesting enough, but viewed in the light of
subsequent events it assumes a specific importance.
The actual size of the earth was not known at the time, and this division
of Pope Alexander's, measured from the other side of the world, resulted
in an overlapping and duplicate charting of the Portuguese and Spanish
boundaries in the longitudes of the Spice Islands,* an overlapping due,
no doubt, principally to the desire of each contending party to include
the Spice Islands within its own hemisphere, but also to the fact that
the point of departure which had been fixed in the vicinity of the
Azores, was subsequently removed westward as far as the mouth of the
Amazons.
If Portugal and Spain had remained to the present day in possession of
their respective hemispheres, the first arrangement would have given
Australia and New Guinea to Portugal; whereas the second arrangement
would have limited her possessions at the longitude that separates
Western Australia from her sister States to the east, which States would
have fallen to the lot of Spain. Strange to say, this line of demarcation
still separates Western Australia from South Australia so that those two
States derive their boundary demarcation from Pope Alexander's line.
A few years after the discovery of the New World the Spanish Government
found it necessary, in order to regulate her navigations, and ascertain
what new discoveries were being made, to order the creation of an
official map of the world, in the composition of which the skill and
knowledge of all her pilots and captains were sought.
Curiously enough, as it may appear, there is an open sea where the
Australian continent should be marked on this official map.
Are we to infer that no land had been sighted in that region?
Such a conclusion may be correct, but we must bear in mind that prior to
the year 1529, when this map was made,* the Spaniards had sailed along
250 leagues of the northern shores of an island which they called the
_Island of Gold_, afterwards named New Guinea, and yet there are no signs
of that discovery to be found on the Spanish official map. It is evident,
therefore, that this part of the world could not have been charted up to
date. This is not extraordinary, for it was not uncommon in those days,
nor was it deemed strange that many years should elapse before the
results of an expedition could be known at head-quarters. In order to
realise the nature of the delays and difficulties to be encountered, nay,
the disasters and sufferings to be endured and the determination required
for the distant voyages of the period, we have but to recall the fate of
Magellan's and Loaysa's expeditions.
[* See the Ribero Map.]
Those navigators were sent out in search of a western passage to the
Spice Islands, and with the object of determining their situation.
Of the five vessels which composed Magellan's squadron, one alone, the
_Victoria_, performed the voyage round the world.
The _S. Antonio_ deserted in the Straits which received Magellan's name,
seventy odd of the crew returning to Spain with her.
The _Santiago_ was lost on the coast of Patagonia.
The _Concepcion_, becoming unfit for navigation, was abandoned and burnt
off the island of Bohol, in the St. Lazarus Group, afterwards called the
Philippines.
The _Trinidad_ was lost in a heavy squall in Ternate Roads, and all hands
made prisoners by the Portuguese. Many of them died, and, years after,
only four of the survivors reached their native shores.
The _Victoria_, after an absence of three years all but twelve days,
returned to Spain with thirty-one survivors out of a total crew of two
hundred and eighty. The remaining one hundred and sixty or seventy had
perished. It is true that some of those shared the fate of Magellan, and
were killed in the war undertaken in the Philippines to help their
allies.
The fate of Loaysa's armada was still more disastrous. A short
description of it will be given in the next chapter.
Notwithstanding all these drawbacks, the period was one of great maritime
activity, and many unauthorised and clandestine voyages were also
performed, in the course of which Australia may have been discovered, for
the western and eastern coasts were charted before the year 1530, as we
shall see by and by.
CHAPTER II.
VOYAGES TO THE SPICE ISLANDS AND DISCOVERY OF PAPUA.
Whilst the Portuguese and Spaniards were fighting for the possession of
the "Spicery," as they sometimes called the Moluccas, the old dispute
about the line of demarcation was resumed in Spain and Portugal. It was
referred to a convocation of learned geographers and pilots, held at
Badajoz, on the shores of the Guadiana.
Those learned men talked and argued, and their animated discussions
extended over many months; but no decision was arrived at.
Sebastian del Cano, who had been appointed commander after Magellan's
death at the Philippines, and had returned to Spain with the remnant of
the expedition, had been called upon to report his views at the meetings,
but he, also, had not been able to prove under what longitude the Spice
Islands were situated; and now another fleet was ordered to be fitted out
to make further investigations.
It was entrusted to Garcia Jofre de Loaysa, with del Cano as pilot-major,
and other survivors of Magellan's armada.
They sailed from Coruna in July, 1525, with an armament of seven ships.
Every precaution was taken to ensure the success of the voyage, but the
expedition proved a most disastrous one notwithstanding. During a fearful
storm del Cano's vessel was wrecked at the entrance to Magellan's
Straits, and the captain-general was separated from the fleet.
Francisco de Hoces, who commanded one of the ships, is reported to have
been driven by the same storm to 55 deg. of south latitude, where he
sighted the group of islands which became known at a later date under the
name of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands.
It was April before the rest of the fleet entered Magellan's Straits, and
the passage was tedious and dismal, several of the sailors dying from the
extreme cold. At last, on the 25th of May, 1526, they entered the Pacific
Ocean, where they were met by another storm, which dispersed the fleet
right and left.
On this occasion an extraordinary piece of good luck befel one of the
small vessels of the fleet--a pinnace or row boat, of the kind called
_pataca_, in command of Joam de Resaga, who steered it along the coast of
Peru, unknown at the time, and reached New Spain, where they gave an
account to the famous conquerer of Mexico, Fernand Cortez, telling him
that Loaysa was on his way to the islands of cloves.*
[* It is strange that this voyage, along the coasts of an hitherto
unexplored country, preceding as it did, not only the conquest of Peru by
Pizarro, but even the arrival of that _conquistadore_ in the South
Pacific Ocean, should have remained unknown by Prescott and all other
historians of the conquest of the _Land of the Incas_.]
The remnant of the fleet steered a north-westerly course when once in the
Pacific Ocean.
They were in a sore plight. Both commanders were sick, and, nearing the
Line, on the 30th of July, Loaysa died. Four days after, Sebastian del
Cano, who had escaped and weathered so many storms and dangers, expired
also, leaving the command of the expedition to Alonzo de Salazar.
Salazar steered for the Ladrones. On the 4th of September he arrived at
that group, where he met Gonzalo de Vigo, one of the seamen of the
_Trinidad_.
From the Ladrones the expedition sailed for the Philippines, and on the
way Alonzo de Salazar, the third commander, died.
Martin de Iniquez was now appointed to the command, and it was November
before they came to anchor at Zamofo, a port in an island belonging to
the King of Tidor, who had become their ally during their previous
voyage.
Disputes immediately arose between the Spaniards and the Portuguese
commander settled at Ternate. A war ensued, which lasted for several
years, with various degrees of success and activity, the people of Tidor
supporting the Spaniards and those of Ternate the Portuguese settlers.
Galvano, the Portuguese historian of the Moluccas, and a resident there
for many years, informs us that only one vessel of Loaysa's fleet reached
the Spice Islands. The fourth commander, Martin de Iniquez, died some
time after, poisoned, it is said, and the command of the remnant of the
expedition was entrusted to Hernando de la Torre. But the only vessel
left was found to be so much damaged in repeated actions with the
Portuguese that it had become unfit for the homeward voyage.
About this time, 1527, Fernand Cortez, the conqueror of Mexico, sent from
New Spain his kinsman, Alvaro de Saavedra, in search of Loaysa's
expedition.
Saavedra set out from the Pacific coast with three armed vessels and one
hundred and ten men.
Two of the vessels were almost immediately separated from the commander,
and their destiny remains a mystery to the present day.
Saavedra, however, in command of the _Santiago_ pursued his course alone
and reached the Spice Islands, after a voyage of a little over two
months.
His countrymen were delighted to see him, but remembering their own sad
experiences, would hardly credit that he had come from New Spain in so
short a time.
He was immediately attacked by the Portuguese, and various engagements
took place in which he was supported by the survivors of Loaysa's armada,
who had now built a brigantine out of the planks of their famous fleet of
seven vessels.
Meanwhile Saavedra, during the intervals of peace, did not neglect to
load up his good ship with spices, and, in the beginning of June, 1528,
he set sail for New Spain. The prevailing winds that had favored his
outward passage were now against him. He tried to avoid them by taking a
southerly course, and, in doing so, he fell in with the northern coast of
New Guinea, the shores of which, as I have intimated, he followed for no
less than 250 leagues.
The Spaniards found traces of gold all along this part of the country,
and Saavedra named the island _Isla del Oro_, the Island of Gold; but his
description of the natives, whom he found to be black, with short crisped
hair or wool, similar to those of the coast of Guinea in Africa, gave
rise, no doubt, to the alteration in the name, for at a later date the
island became known as _Nova Guinea_, or New Guinea.
Upon leaving the shores of New Guinea, Saavedra hoped to be able to reach
New Spain, but the head winds which still prevailed compelled him to
return to the Spice Islands.
The following year, in May, 1529, in another attempt to reach New Spain,
he again coasted along the northern shores of New Guinea; he then sailed
to the north-east, as in his previous voyage, and discovered some islands
which he called _Los Pintados_, from the natives being painted or
tattooed.
The people were fierce and warlike, and from a canoe boldly attacked the
ships with showers of stones thrown from slings.
To the north-east of Los Pintados several low inhabited islands or atolls
were discovered, and named _Los Buenos Jardines_, "The Good Gardens."
Saavedra cast anchor here, and the natives came to the shore, waving a
flag of peace; they were light-complexioned and tattooed. The females
were beautiful, with agreeable features and long black hair; they wore
dresses of fine matting. When the Spaniards landed, they were met by men
and women in procession, with tambourines and festal songs. These islands
abounded in cocoanuts and other vegetable productions.
From the Good Gardens Islands they set out again towards New Spain.
On the 9th of October, 1529, Saavedra died; and the next in command,
vainly attempting to make headway in an easterly direction, returned once
more to the Spice Islands.
The remnant of Saavedra's expedition reached Spain, by way of the Cape of
Good Hope and Lisbon, seven years later, in 1536.
According to Galvano, the Portuguese historian, Saavedra's discoveries in
1529 were more extensive than in 1528. He says the Spaniards coasted
along the country of the _Papuas_ for five hundred leagues, and found the
coast clean and of good anchorage.
The year that witnessed the return from the Spice Islands of the
survivors of Saavedra's expedition, 1536, witnessed also the sailing of
another fleet sent out from New Spain by Fernand Cortez to discover in
the same waters.
It consisted of two ships commanded by Grijalva and Alvarado.
The account of this voyage of discovery is very vague, and the various
writers on the subject do not entirely agree. This is due, perhaps, to
the fact that Alvarado abandoned the enterprise from the start, and went
to the conquest of Quito, in Peru, leaving the sole command to Grijalva.
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