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

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On the 19th, the wind being S.E., we remained at anchor, and since the
yachts were very poorly provided with firewood, the skipper of the Pera
went ashore with the two pinnaces duly manned and armed; when the men
were engaged in cutting wood, {Page 37} a large number of blacks upwards
of 200 came upon them, and tried every means to surprise and overcome
them, so that our men were compelled to fire two shots, upon which the
blacks fled, one of their number having been hit and having fallen; our
men then proceeded somewhat farther up the country, where they found
several weapons, of which they took some along with them by way of
curiosities. During their march they observed in various places great
quantities of divers human bones, from which it may be safely concluded
that the blacks along the coast of Nova Guinea are man-eaters who do not
spare each other when driven by hunger.

On the 20th, the wind being S.E., we set sail on a S.S.W. course; at noon
we came to anchor with the ebb-tide running from the South, in 31/2 fathom
clayey bottom, and ordered the skipper to go ashore with the two
pinnaces, duly provided for defence, and diligently inquire into the
state of things on shore, so far as time and place should allow; when he
returned in the evening, he informed us that the surf had prevented them
from getting near the strand, so that there could be not question of
landing.

In the morning of the 21st, the wind being S.E., we set sail; course held
S.S.W. along the land; at noon we were in 15 deg. 38'; in the evening we came
to anchor with the ebb in 31/2 fathom.

In the morning of the 22nd the wind was E.N.E., course held South; at
noon we were in 16 deg. 4'; the wind being W. by N. we dropped anchor towards
the evening in 21/2 fathom, about one mile from the land.

On the 23rd the wind was N.N.E., with a stiff breeze, so that we set sail
on a S.S.W. course along the land in 31/2, 3, 21/2 and 2 fathom, clayey
bottom; at noon we were in 16 deg. 32'; for the rest of the day we tried to
get south with variable winds, and towards the evening came to anchor in
3 fathom close inshore.

On the 24th the wind was E. by S., course held S.S.W. along the land in
21/2, 31/2 and 41/2 fathom, clayey bottom; at noon we were in 17 deg. 8'. This same
day the council having been convened, I submitted to them the question
whether it would be advisable to run further south, and after various
opinions had been expressed, it was agreed that this would involve divers
difficulties, and that the idea had better be given up: we might get into
a vast bay, and it is evident that in these regions in the east-monsoon
north-winds prevail, just as north (?) of the equator south-winds prevail
in the said monsoon: we should thus fall on a lee-shore; for all which
reasons, and in order to act for the best advantage of the Lords
Managers, it has been resolved and determined to turn back, and follow
the coast of Nova Guinea so long to northward as shall be found
practicable; to touch at divers places which shall be examined with the
utmost care, and finally to turn our course from there to Aru and
Quey...it was furthermore proposed by me and ultimately approved of by
the council, to give 10 pieces of eight to the boatmen for every black
they shall get hold of on shore, and carry off to the yachts, to the end
that the men may use greater care and diligence in this matter, and Our
Masters may reap benefit from the capture of the blacks, which may
afterwards redound to certain advantage.

On the 25th the skipper of the Pera got orders to go ashore with the two
pinnaces well-manned and armed, in order to make special search for fresh
water, with which we are very poorly provided by this time; about noon
the skipper having returned, informed us that he had caused pits to be
dug in various places on the coast, but had found no fresh water. _Item_
that on the strand they had seen 7 small huts made of dry hay, and also 7
or 8 blacks, who refused to hold parley with them. In the afternoon I
went up a salt river for the space of about half a mile with the two
pinnaces; {Page 38} we then marched a considerable distance into the
interior, which we found to be submerged in many places, thus somewhat
resembling Waterland in Holland, from which it may be concluded that
there must be large lakes farther inland; we also saw divers footprints
of men and of large dogs, running from the south to the north; and since
by resolution it has been determined to begin the return-voyage at this
point, we have, in default of stone caused a wooden tablet to be nailed
to a tree, the said tablet having the following words carved into it:
"Anno 1623 den 24n April sijn hier aen gecomen twee jachten wegen de
Hooge Mogende Heeren Staten Genl."

[A.D. 1623, on the 24th of April there arrived here two yachts dispatched
by their High Mightinesses the States-General]. We have accordingly named
the river aforesaid Staten revier in the new chart. (The Staten Revier is
in 17 degrees 8 minutes.)

On the 26th, seeing that there was no fresh water here, of which we stood
in great need, that we could hold no parley with the natives, and that
nothing of importance could be effected, we set sail again, the wind
being E.N.E., with a stiff breeze, course held N. along the land; at noon
we were in Lat. 16 deg. 44'; at night we came to anchor in 4 fathom close
inshore.

* * *

NOTE

That the yacht Aernem, owing to bad sailing, and to the small liking and
desire which the skipper and the steersman have shown towards the voyage,
has on various occasions and at different times been the cause of serious
delay, seeing that the Pera (which had sprung a bad leak and had to be
kept above water by more than 8000 strokes of the pump every 24 hours)
was every day obliged to seek and follow the Aernem for one, two or even
more miles to leeward.

* * *

(The yacht Aernem left the Pera.)

On the 27th, the wind being E. by S. with good weather, the skipper of
the Pera rowed ashore with the two pinnaces duly provided for defence, in
order to seek fresh water, but when he had caused several pits to be dug,
no water was found; we therefore set sail forthwith, holding a S.E. by E.
course along the land; at noon we were in Lat. 16 deg. 30', and with a W. by
N. wind made for the land, sailing with our foresail only fully two hours
before sunset, in order to wait for the Aernem which was a howitzer's
shot astern of us; in the evening, having come to anchor in 31/2 fathom 11/2
mile from the land, we hung out a lantern, that the Aernem might keep
clear of us in dropping anchor, but this proved to be useless, for on
purpose and with malice prepense she away from us against her
instructions and our resolution, and seems to have set her course for Aru
(to have a good time of it there), but we shall learn in time whether she
has managed to reach it.

In the morning of the 28th the wind was E. by S. and the weather very
fine; the skipper once more went ashore with the pinnace in order to seek
water, but when several pits had been dug in the sand, they found none;
we therefore set sail again on a N.E. by N. course along the land in 2,
3, 4 and 5 fathom, but when we had run a distance Of 21/2 Miles, a violent
landwind drove us off the land, so that we had to drop anchor in 3
fathom, the blacks on shore sending up such huge clouds of smoke from
their fires that the land was hardly visible; at night in the first watch
we set sail again and after running N.N.E. for 31/2 miles, we came to
anchor in 2 fathom.

In the morning of the 29th the wind was S.E., with good weather; course
held N.E. by E. along the land in 21/2 and 3 fathom; when we had run 11/2
mile we came {Page 39} to anchor in 2 fathom, and landed here as before
in order to seek freshwater; we had some pits dug a long way from the
strand, but found no fresh water; the blacks showed themselves from afar,
but refused to come to parley, nor did we succeed in luring any towards
us by stratagem; at noon we were in 16 deg. 10' near a river which in the
chart is marked Nassauw revier: when we saw that we could do nothing
profitable here, we set sail with an E. wind on a N.N.E. course along the
land, and came to anchor in the evening in 21/2 fathom. (The Nassauw revier
is in 16 degrees 10 minutes Lat.)

In the morning of the 30th the wind was S.E. with steady weather; course
held N.N.E. along the land in 3 fathom; at noon we were in 15 deg. 39', and
came to anchor in 21/2 fathom; we landed also here as before with the
pinnace in order to look for water, and to see if we could meet with any
natives; after digging a number of pits we found no water, so that we set
sail again and came to anchor in the evening in 21/2 fathom.

MAY.

In the morning of the 1st the wind was E.; the skipper once more rowed
ashore with the pinnace, and having caused three pits to be dug he at
last found fresh water forcing its way through the sand; we used our best
endeavours to take in a stock of the same; about 400 paces north of the
farthest of the pits that had been dug, they also found a small
fresh-water lake, but the water that collected in the pits was found to
be a good deal better.

In the morning of the 2nd the wind was E.N.E., and went round to S.W.
later in the day; we continued taking in water.

On the 3rd we went on taking in water as before; the wind was N.E., and
about noon turned to S.W.. I went ashore myself with 10 musketeers, and
we advanced a long way into the wood without seeing any human beings; the
land here is low-lying and without hills as before, in Lat. 15 deg. 20' it is
very dry and barren, for during all the time we have searched and
examined this part of the coast to our best ability, we have not seen one
fruit-bearing tree, nor anything that man could make use of; there are no
mountains or even hills, so that it may be safely concluded that the land
contains no metals, nor yields any precious woods, such as sandal-wood,
aloes or columba; in our judgment this is the most arid and barren region
that could be found anywhere on the earth; the inhabitants, too, are the
most wretched and poorest creatures that I have ever seen in my age or
time; as there are no large trees anywhere on this coast, they have no
boats or canoes whether large or small; this is near the place which we
touched at on the voyage out on Easter-day, April the 16th; in the new
chart we gave given to this spot the name of Waterplaets [*]; at his
place the beach is very fine, with excellent gravelly sand and plenty of
delicious fish.(Waterplaats is in 15 degrees 13 minutes Lat.)

[* Mitchell River.]

(Vereenichde revier.)

In the morning of the 4th the wind was E.N.E. with good weather, course
held N. in 71/2 fathom. we could just see the land; at noon we were in 15 deg.
12' Lat.; slightly to northward we saw a river to which we have given the
name of Vereenichde revier: all through the night the wind was W., course
held N.N.E. towards the land.

In the morning of the 5th the wind was E., course held N.; at noon we
were in 14 deg. 5' Lat.; shortly after the wind went over to W., upon which
we made for the land {Page 40} and cast anchor in 2 fathom; I went ashore
myself in the pinnace which was duly armed; the blacks here attacked us
with their weapons, but afterwards took to flight; upon which we went
landinward for some distance, and found divers of their weapons, such as
assagays and callaways, leaning against the trees; we took care not to
damage these weapons, but tied pieces of iron and strings of beads to
some of them, in order to attract the blacks, who, however, seemed quite
indifferent to these things, and repeatedly held up their shields with
great boldness and threw them at the muskets; these men are, like all the
others we have lately seen, of tall stature and very lean to look at, but
malignant and evil-natured.

In the morning of the 6th, the wind being East, we set sail on a N.
course along the land in 3 and 4 fathom; at noon when we were in 13 deg. 29'
Lat., the wind was W.; in the evening it went round to East, upon which
we dropped anchor in 3 fathom.

In the morning of the 7th the wind was S.E. with fine weather; the
skipper went ashore with the pinnace, with strict orders to treat the
blacks kindly, and try to attract them with pieces of iron and strings of
beads; if practicable, also to capture one or more; when at noon the men
returned they reported that on their landing more than 100 blacks had
collected on the beach with their weapons, and had with the strong arm
tried to prevent them from coming ashore; in order to frighten them, a
musket was accordingly fired, upon which the blacks fled and retreated
into the wood, from where they tried every means in their power to
surprise and attack our men; these natives resemble the others in shape
and figure; they are quite black and stark naked, some of them having
their faces painted red and others white, with feathers stuck through the
lower part of the nose; at noon, the wind being E., we set sail on a N.
course along the land, being then in 13 deg. 26 Lat.; towards the evening the
wind went round to W. and we dropped anchor in 31/2 fathom.

(The River Coen is 13 degrees 7 minutes Lat.)

In the morning of the 8th, the wind being E.S.E. with good weather, I
went ashore myself with 10 musketeers; we saw numerous footprints of men
and dogs (running from south to north); we accordingly spent some time
there, following the footprints aforesaid to a river, where we gathered
excellent vegetables or pot-herbs; when we had got into the pinnace
again, the blacks emerged with their arms from the wood at two different
points; by showing them bits of iron and strings of beads we kept them on
the beach, until we had come near them, upon which one of them who had
lost his weapon, was by the skipper seized round the waist, while at the
same time the quartermaster put a noose round his neck, by which he was
dragged to the pinnace; the other blacks seeing this, tried to rescue
their captured brother by furiously assailing us with their assagays; in
defending ourselves we shot one of them, after which the others took to
flight, upon which we returned on board without further delay; these
natives resemble all the others in outward appearance; they are
coal-black and stark naked with twisted nets round their heads; their
weapons are assagays, callaways and shields; we cannot, however, give any
account of their customs and ceremonies, nor did we learn anything about
the thickness of the population, since we had few or no opportunities for
inquiring into these matters; meanwhile I hope that with God's help Your
Worships will in time get information touching these points from the
black we have captured, to whose utterances I would beg leave to refer
you; the river aforesaid is in 13 deg. 7' Lat., and has in the new chart got
name of Coen river, in the afternoon the wind being W., we set sail on a
N. course along the land, and in the evening came to anchor in 3 fathom.

* * *

{Page 41}

NOTE

That in all places where we landed, we have treated the blacks or savages
with especial kindness, offering them pieces of iron, strings of beads
and pieces of cloth, hoping by so doing to get their friendship and be
allowed to penetrate to some considerable distance landinward, that we
might be able to give a full account and description of the same; but in
spite of all our kindness and our fair semblance [*] the blacks received
us as enemies everywhere, so that in most places our landings were
attended with great peril; on this account, and for various other reasons
afterwards to be mentioned, we have not been able to learn anything about
the population of Nova Guinea, and the nature of its inhabitants and its
soil; nor did we get any information touching its towns and villages,
about the division of the land, the religion of the natives, their
policy, wars, rivers, vessels, or fisheries; what commodities they have,
what manufactures, what minerals whether gold, silver, tin, iron, lead,
copper or quicksilver. In the first place, in making further landings we
should have been troubled by the rainy season, which might have seriously
interfered with the use of our muskets, whereas it does no harm to the
weapons of the savages; secondly, we should first have been obliged to
seek practicable paths or roads of which we knew nothing; thirdly, we
might easily have been surrounded by the crowds of blacks, and been cut
off from the boats, which would entail serious peril to the sailors with
whom we always effected the landings, and who are imperfectly versed in
the use of muskets; if on the contrary we had had well-drilled and
experienced soldiers (the men best fitted to undertake such expeditions),
we might have done a good deal of useful work; still, in spite of all
these difficulties and obstacles, we have shunned neither hard work,
trouble, nor peril, to make a thorough examination of everything with the
means at our disposal, and to do whatever our good name and our honour
demanded; the result of our investigation being as follows:

[* A curiously subjective way of looking at things!]

The land between 13 deg. and 17 deg. 8' is a barren and arid tract, without any
fruit-trees, and producing nothing fit for the use of man; it is
low-lying and flat without hills or mountains; in many places overgrown
with brushwood and stunted wild trees; it has not much fresh water, and
what little there is, has to be collected in pits dug for the purpose;
there is an utter absence of bays or inlets, with the exception of a few
bights not sheltered from the sea-wind; it extends mainly N. by E. and S.
by W., with shallows all along the coast, with a clayey and sandy bottom;
it has numerous salt rivers extending into the interior, across which the
natives drag their wives and children by means of dry sticks or boughs of
trees. The natives are in general utter barbarians, all resembling each
other in shape and features, coal-black, and with twisted nets wound
round their heads and necks for keeping their food in; so far as we could
make out, they chiefly live on certain ill-smelling roots which they dig
out of the earth. We infer that during the eastern monsoon they live
mainly on the beach, since we have there seen numerous small huts made of
dry grass; we also saw great numbers of dogs, herons and curlews, and
other wild fowl, together with plenty of excellent fish, easily caught
with a seine-net; they are utterly unacquainted with gold, silver, tin,
iron, lead and copper, nor do they know anything about nutmegs, cloves
and pepper, all of which spices we repeatedly showed them without their
evincing any signs of {Page 42} recognising or valuing the same; from all
which together with the rest of our observations it may safely be
concluded that they are poor and abject wretches, caring mainly for bits
of iron and strings of beads. Their weapons are shields, assagays, and
callaways of the length of 11/2 fathom, made of light wood and cane, some
with fish-bones and others with human bones fastened to their tops; they
are very expert in throwing the said weapons by means of a piece of wood,
half a fathom in length, with a small hook tied to it in front, which
they place upon the top of the callaway or assagay.

* * *

(The Waterplaets is in 12 degrees 33 minutes Lat.)

In the morning of the 9th, the wind being E.S.E., with good weather, we
set sail on a N.N.E. course along the land, and when we had run on for 2
miles, came to anchor in 9 fathom close inshore; I went ashore in person
with ten musketeers, and found many footprints of men and of large dogs,
going in a southerly direction., we also came upon fresh water flowing
into the sea, and named the place de Waeterplaets. The land here is
higher than what we have seen to southward, and there are numerous reefs
close to the sandy beach; the place is in 12 deg. 33'; in the afternoon the
wind was S.W., course held as before; from the Waterplaets aforesaid to a
high cape there is a large bay, extending N.E. by N. and S.W. by S. for 7
miles; in the evening we dropped anchor in 41/2 fathom.

In the morning of the 10th the wind being E.S.E., with steady weather, we
set sail on a W.N.W. course; at noon we were in 12 deg. 5'. I went ashore
myself with the skipper, and as before found many footprints of men and
dogs, going to the south. The land here is high and hilly, with reefs
near the sandy beach; as we were pulling back to the yacht, some armed
savages showed themselves, upon which we landed again and threw out some
pieces of iron to them, which they picked up, refusing, however, to come
to parley with us; after which we took to the pinnace again.

In the morning of the 11th, the wind being E.S.E. with good weather, we
set sail again on a N.N.E. course along the land; in the afternoon we
sailed past a large river (which the men of the Duifken went up with a
boat in 1606, and where one of them was killed by the arrows of the
blacks); to this river, which is in 11 deg. 48' Lat., we have given the name
of revier de Carpentier in the new chart.

[* Rivier Batavia in DE LEEUW'S chart.]

In the morning of the 12th the wind was E.S.E., with pleasant weather; I
went ashore myself with the skipper, and found upwards of 200 savages
standing on the beach, making a violent noise, threatening to throw their
arrows at us, and evidently full of suspicion; for, though we threw out
to them pieces of iron and other things, they refused to come to parley,
and used every possible means to wound one of our men and get him into
their power; we were accordingly compelled to frighten them by firing one
or two shots at them, by which one of the blacks was hit in the breast
and carried to the pinnace by our men, upon which all the others retired
to the hills or dunes; in their wretched huts on the beach we found
nothing but a square-cut assagay, two or three small pebbles, and some
human bones, which they use in constructing their weapons and scraping
the same; we also found a quantity of black resin and a piece of metal,
which the wounded man had in his net, and which he had most probably got
from the men of the Duyfken; since there was nothing further to be done
here, we rowed back to the yacht, the wounded man dying before we had
reached her; at noon we set sail with a S.W. wind on a N.N.E. course
along the land, and as it fell calm, came to anchor after having run on
for 2 miles.

{Page 43}

In the morning of the 13th, the wind being S.E. with good weather, we set
sail on a N.E. by N. course in upwards Of 7 fathom about 2 miles from the
land; at noon we were in 11 deg. 16' Lat., the wind being E.; in the evening
we came to anchor in 2 fathom near a river, which we have named Revier
van Spult in the chart.

(The Waterplaets in 10 degrees 50 minutes Lat.)

On the 14th we made sail again before daybreak, with a S.E. wind and
steady weather; from the 9th of this month up to now we have found the
land of Nova Guinea to extend N.N.E. and S.S.W., and from this point
continuing N. and S. I went ashore here myself with the skipper and 10
musketeers and found a large number of footprints of men and dogs going
south; we also came upon a very fine fresh-water river, flowing into the
sea, whence fresh water can easily be obtained by means of boats or
pinnaces; the river is in 10 deg. 50', and is marked Waterplaets in the
chart. The land here is high, hilly, and reefy near the sandy beach;
seeing that nothing profitable could be effected here, we returned to the
yacht, which was lying-by under small sail; towards the evening we were
at about 1 mile's distance from three islets, of which the southernmost
was the largest; five miles by estimation farther to northward we saw a
mountainous country, but the shallows rendered (or render) it impossible
for us to get near it; in almost every direction in which soundings were
taken, we found very shallow water, so that we sailed for a long time in
5, 4, 3, 21/2, 2, 11/2 fathom and even less, so that at last we were forced
to drop anchor in 11/2 fathom, without knowing where to look for greater or
less depths; after sunset we therefore sent out the pinnace to take
soundings, which found deeper water a long way S.W. of the pinnace, viz.
2, 3, and 41/2 fathom; we were very glad to sail thither with the yacht,
and cast anchor in 81/2 fathom, fervently thanking God Almighty for his
inexpressible mercy and clemency, shown us in this emergency as in all
others.

In the morning of the 15th, the wind being S.E. with good weather, we set
sail on a W. course, which took us into shallower water of 2, 21/2 and 3
fathom; we therefore went over to S.W., when we came into 31/2, 4, 5, 6
fathom and upwards; we had lost sight of the land here, and found it
impossible to touch at it or follow it any longer, owing to the shallows,
reefs and sandbanks and also to the E. winds blowing here; on which
account it was resolved and determined--in order to avoid such imminent
perils as might ultimately arise if we continued to coast along the land
any longer--to turn back and hold our course first for the Vleermuijs
Eijlant; we therefore stood out to sea on a W. course in 91/2 fathom and
upwards, having sailed 17 miles in 24 hours, kept west, and finding no
bottom in 27 fathom.

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