J. E. Heeres - The Part Borne by the Dutch in the Discovery of Australia 1606 1765

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

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

On the 16th do. in the morning we weighed anchor again with a S.S.E. wind
and a top-gallant gale. We again ran close along the land with small sail
at about a howitzer's shot's distance from the surf. Towards noon we
sighted the inlet which we had meant to run into on the 8th of June last,
when we were seeking water with the pinnace, and {Page 62} where we were
befallen by a storm from the north-west, which would certainly have sent
us to destruction, if God had not miraculously saved us. Here we saw
divers smoke-clouds rising up, which gladdened us all with the hope that
our men might be there. I therefore sent the pinnace ashore directly for
the purpose of getting certain information regarding the place and the
clouds of smoke we had seen; the men in her, after rounding a steep
point, where we had suspected the presence of water, discovered a running
streamlet, of which the water was brackish near the sea, but quite fresh
higher up; they also found a great many human footprints and continuous
footpaths leading to the mountains, and saw numerous clouds of smoke, but
the blacks kept themselves in concealment, and no human being was seen.

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

[* They had been sentenced to being marooned.]

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

* * * * *

XXIV.

(1635). [*] FURTHER SURVEYINGS OF THE WEST-COAST OF AUSTRALIA BY THE
SHIP AMSTERDAM UNDER COMMANDER WOLLEBRAND GELEYNSZOON DE JONGH AND
SKIPPER PIETER DIRCKSZ, ON HER VOYAGE FROM THE NETHERLANDS TO THE EAST
INDIES.

[* In 1629 the west-coast of Australia in the neighbourhood of Dirk
Hartogsz Roads was touched at by Dutch vessels, and in 1632 the Trialls
were passed by Dutch ships on the outward voyage. What we know about
these two points is of no interest as regards our subject.]

_Journal of Commander WOLLEBRAND GELEYNSZOON DE JONGH._ [*]

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

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

We went over to port directly, keeping a N.E. and N.E. by E. course until
noon, when we stood out to sea from the land, on a W. and W. by S. course
with a top-gallant gale. We took the latitude, which we found to be 25 deg.
16' South, but of {Page 63} this we are not quite sure; we were not able
to take the sun's azimuth, either in the morning or in the evening; we
sailed 20 miles until we saw the land, from which we were at 4 or 41/2
miles' distance by estimation, on an E. by N. course, and on various
courses during the day, course N.N.E. for 6 or 7 miles.

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

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

The land which we saw, and from which at noon we were at no more than 11/2
or two miles' distance by estimation, we judged to be the land of
d'Eendracht, and the land which we were near to at noon Dirck
Hartochsz-Roads, for we had before us a large bay or bight between two
capes. In the bay we could see no land from the main-topmast, but so far
as we could discern the surf ran through the whole bay from the one cape
to the other.

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

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

As soon as we got sight of the land, we cast the lead, and took soundings
in 90 fathom whitish sandy bottom with small shells, at about 41/2 or 5
miles' distance from the land; in the middle of the forenoon we cast the
lead again and touched the bottom in 75 fathom coarse and fine sand,
mixed with small shells, at a little under 3 miles' distance from the
land; we saw a good deal of rock-weed float alongside.

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

{Page 64}

About 2 o'clock in the afternoon we sounded in 50 fathom white, clean
sand-bottom, with very small, thin shells, at about i1/2 mile's distance by
estimation from the northern extremity of Dirck Hartochsz. Roads, and two
miles from the southern extremity of the road-stead just mentioned.

Towards the evening after supper, we cast the lead and sounded in 50
fathom grayish sand-bottom, at about 21/2 miles' distance by estimation
from the land, and about 3 miles to northward of Dirck Hartochsz Roads.

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

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

In the second watch when three glasses had run out, we cast the lead
again and sounded in 47 fathom sandy bottom as before; we kept sounding
every two or three glasses during the whole night until sunrise and found
80 fathom sandy bottom; we saw no land, but from our course and rate of
progress we deemed ourselves to be at 91/2 miles' distance from the nearest
land, estimating our latitude, from the observation we took on the 26th
do. at noon, and from our rate of progress, to be 24 deg. South. But we did
not see any land again throughout the day, and left off sounding, since
our skippers and steersmen, judging from their estimations and from the
course we kept (being north, and two points off the land according to the
trend of the coast), were of opinion that we could get no bottom, so that
we thought it needless to go on sounding...

* * * * *

XXV.

(1636). NEW DISCOVERIES ON THE NORTH-COAST OF AUSTRALIA BY THE SHIPS
KLEIN-AMSTERDAM AND WESEL, COMMANDED BY (GERRIT THOMASZOON POOL AND)
PIETER PIETERSZOON.

[* Pool was killed on the South-west coast of New Guinea, April 28, 1636,
and was succeeded in the command of the ships by Pieter Pieterszoon.
Unlike my treatment of Carstensz's voyage in 1623, the present account
will not embrace the further discovery of the South-west coast of New
Guinea. I had to give the route followed along this coast in 1632 because
it throws light on the expedition under Willem Jansz. in 1605/6.]

A.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

{Page 66}

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

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

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

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

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

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

[* See _ante_, p. 62.]

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

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

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

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

{Page 67}

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

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

B.

_Daily Register of Batavia._

October 1636.

The 6th do.

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

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

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

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

{Page 68}

C.

_Journal of the voyage to Nova Guinea, 1636._

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

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

We could take no latitude at noon...

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

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

We estimated ourselves to have sailed 91/2 miles on a generally Southern
course from last night to the present night.

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

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

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

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

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

{Page 69}

On Saturday the 14th do. the current began to set to the S.E. in the
morning, and the wind to blow hard from the E.S.E., so that we could not
carry mainsails then; we weighed anchor and set sail on a South and
South-by-east course. The water gradually shallowed, and seeing that we
could not make the easternmost land, we ran to the westernmost, where we
came to anchor at about a musket-shot's distance from the land in 10
fathom good anchoring-ground. Close along the shore the land is somewhat
rock and reefy here; this land extends here about 3 miles S.E. by S. and
N.W. by N., both slightly more to South and North. In the afternoon we
sent out our small boat to take soundings close inshore; on returning the
men reported that until they came to the reefs they had found no less
than 31/2 fathom good anchoring-ground. Off the point near which we lay at
anchor, a river ran landinward; we hoisted the white flag, and caused the
little boat to paddle close along the shore. We saw smoke, indeed, in
many parts of the inland, but no natives, houses or vessels. This land is
not high, chiefly level, thickly covered with trees, and with a sandy
beach at the seaside. We had taken no latitude at noon; the tide seems to
run from the N.W. here; in the night at the latter end of the first watch
we could take the latitude by the stars and found it to be 12 deg. 8' South.

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