Chapter XI: Part 11

This point of Van Diemen’s land having been thus explored, they occupied themselves, from the second of April to the twelfth of July, in visiting the bays, head lands, islands, rivers, etc., to the best of their ability according to their instructions. But not being sufficiently provided with fresh provisions for so long a voyage, many men on board began to suffer and also to die, from severe sickness, principally fever, acute pains in the head and eyes, and above all, dropsy, so that they were compelled to resolve upon returning, and to direct their course to Banda; the patsjallang however alone arrived there; the fluit _Vossenbosch_, and the sloop _Waijer_, being forced by unfavourable weather and the weakness of the crew, to pass that government, and to hold on towards Macassar, as your nobilities will have already learnt by the papers from Banda and Macassar. The skipper, upper and under steersman, with most of the petty officers and sailors of the _Vossenbosch_ being already dead, and their incomplete journals alone having reached us, the new maps moreover, made by the direction of the skipper Martin van Delft, having been improperly detained at Macassar, we are not at present in a position to forward the same complete information on the subject, which the arrival of these maps would have enabled us to give, as they contain many new names, which could not possibly be found in the limited compass of the Company’s former charts. According to their own accounts, they have only been able to visit a strip of land of about sixty miles along the coast E. and W., including merely a very small portion of that great bay, which it was recommended to them to sail over and explore as much as possible.

The daily courses, winds, currents, depths, reefs, soundings, variations of the compass, and the like observations, more especially depending upon the art of the steersman, are to be found in the above-mentioned journals, and shall here be passed over as out of place, in a compendious report like the present. We shall here principally follow the logbook of the skipper Martin van Delft, of the _Vossenbosch_, and that of the under steersman Andries Roseboom, of the sloop _Waijer_, as the journals of the captain of the patsjallang, Pieter Fredericks of Hamburg, and of the steersman of the _Vossenbosch_, notwithstanding their general usefulness, do not afford any additional information, as they merely describe the same subject.

Besides the journals, some depositions and other papers of the same kind have reached us, referring to the loss of anchors, ropes, sails, the courses and bearings of the ship as recorded on board the _Vossenbosch_, none of them however of a nature to call for further observation here. At the same time we cannot omit to mention two papers, written by the captain of the patsjallang, and entered in the register of Banda, under the letters D. E., containing brief notes of the ship’s course, the names of, and dates of departure from, the places visited during the voyage, together with the currents encountered, which documents could be forwarded to you, if desired, together with the above-mentioned journals of the skipper of the _Vossenbosch_, and the captain of the _Waijer_, and the new maps, should they arrive here from Macassar, since the maps of the patsjallang have not been drawn up with due regard to the proper soundings, distances and other requisites, and are, therefore, not to be depended upon.

Continuing our summary of the voyage, we would observe, that from the commencement of the exploration of Van Diemen’s land, they noticed at several points on the strand signs of men, such as smoke and the like. The first inlet within the north point of that land, which was visited by them and called the Roseboom’s Bay, runs dead inland, throwing out several branches on both sides. No fresh water is found here. At that time they saw no men, but merely some signs of inhabitants. However, on their leaving the bay, some of the natives were caught sight of, running away with their children and dogs, as soon as they perceived our countrymen; and no opportunity was obtained of getting speech of any of them.

The coast here is level. The names Casuaris and Varckenshoek, were given to the points E. and W. of this bay; of two other projecting points on the W. side, which turned out to be islands, one was named the Goede Hoop, and the other the Kuijle Eijland; they found on the former of them a little water, but brackish, and in small quantity.

Between these two islands or headlands, some natives were met by the men on the thirty-first of April, who did not retire, but ran hastily towards an eminence, and with signs and gestures attempted to drive them away. No one was able to understand their language, which, according to the skipper Martin van Delft, seems to resemble in some respects that of Malabar; but even this is by no means clear. The colour and stature of these men, appears from the description given to resemble most that of the Indians of the east; but they go stark naked, without any regard to age or sex, as was constantly observed by our sailors from the above-mentioned date, until their departure. The only exception to this rule were the women who had children with them, these alone wearing a slight covering of leaves or such-like over their middle. The whole number of these islanders did not exceed fourteen or fifteen men; seeing that our people could not be induced by their grimaces, violent gestures, yelling and flourishing of assegais, and all kinds of weapons, to retreat from the shore, they were imprudent enough to throw some of their assegais, or rather sharpened sticks, at our men, with the intention of wounding and intimidating them; but their chief, or one who at least appeared to be so, being hit by a ball from the single musket which was fired at them in return, the rest began to run quickly away, being very agile and well made.

The women are tall and slim, with very large mouth and small eyes; the head of both sexes is curly, like that of the Papuan islanders, and a yellow or red ointment, prepared with turtle fat, seems to be used as an ornament. The nature of these tribes is foul and treacherous, as was apparent at the last moment, when our people were on the point of departing. Eight islanders attacked and wounded two sailors, with the hope of seizing upon their clothes, and that after having conversed with these men for weeks, eaten and drunk with them, visited them on board, and being allowed to examine everything to their great admiration, after having received presents, and also on their part regaled our people with fish and crabs. Besides this, their bad disposition came to light in the case of the man who had been previously wounded by our party as before mentioned; when he afterwards was assisted and bandaged, and had every possible attention shown him by our men, he tore the linen to pieces and threw it away into a corner; notwithstanding that at other times these natives appeared particularly greedy after linen, knives, beads, and such toys.

They however possess nothing which is of value themselves, and have neither iron nor anything like mineral ore or metal, but only a stone which is ground and made to serve as a hatchet. They have no habitations, either houses or huts; and feed on fish, which they catch with harpoons of wood, and also by means of nets, putting out to sea in small canoes, made of the bark of trees, which are in themselves so fragile, that it is necessary to strengthen them with cross-beams.

Some of them had marks on their body, apparently cut or carved, which, as it seemed to our people, were looked upon by them as a kind of ornament. They eat sparingly and moderately, whereby they grow up always active and nimble; their diet seems to consist of fish, and a few roots and vegetables, but no birds or wild animals of any kind are used as food, for though animal food exists, and was found by our men in abundance, the natives appeared to be indifferent to it.

According to the notes of the captain of the sloop _Waijer_, from the 14th of June, about five hundred people with women and children, were met on one occasion about two miles inland; at night also they were descried sitting round several fires among the bushes; nothing however was seen in their possession of any value. Our men might also easily have taken and brought over to Batavia with them, two or three of the natives who daily came on board, but the skipper of the _Vossenbosch_, following out his instructions to the letter, would not allow them to be taken without their full consent, either by falsehood or fraud, and as no one understood their language, nothing was to be done in the matter; consequently they remained in their own country.

The country here is for the most part level, and no mountains are to be seen, except a remarkable eminence, which at a distance has the appearance of three mountains, as noted in the journal of the skipper, under date May the 25th. The soil seems productive, if cultivated, but the whole extent of the coast is bordered by sands or downs. In no part were any remarkable trees noticed, much less any of an aromatic and spice kind.

The second bay after the Rooseboom’s Bay just described, between Tigers and Wolfs-point, visited by our countrymen, has the appearance of a wide river, but is salt; as however nothing remarkable was found there, we shall let the journal of the skipper, on the date May 12th, speak for itself, it being described in the account of the commander of the _Waijer_, under the name of the Bessia River.

The third inlet visited by the expedition is rather large, its E. point being named Kaijmans, and its W. Oranjes-hoek. The tide flows here with great force, and the _Patsjallang_ sailed between eight and ten miles inland, without finding any diminution in the saltness of the water. As the bottom, and the general aspect still remain the same, it was supposed by our people, that this inlet runs right through to the south side of New Holland, and not only this, but also others both E. and W. of the angle of Van Diemen’s land.

From this it seems to follow, that the South Land in a great measure consists of islands,—a supposition not at all improbable, considering how on its south side, from the point called Leeuwin, or the land visited by the Leeuwin in the year 1622, to Nuyts-land, discovered in 1627, it is entirely girt and surrounded by innumerable islands, although these things had better be left to a more accurate examination of the country, and a more matured judgment. But there is another consideration in favour of this supposition, namely, the rude and barbarous character, and malicious disposition of the above-mentioned islanders, as it has been frequently remarked, that such serious defects are much more generally found among islanders, than among the inhabitants of continents. However, be this as it may, we shall only further remark, that the _Patsjallang_, owing to the strength of the current, was not able to proceed, but was obliged to return to the _Vossenbosch_, having first discovered within this inlet an island, five miles in circumference, on which was found very good drinking-water and a tiger was met with; a number of snipes also were seen on another island, which lay at the entrance of this strait, and of which more is said in the journal of the sloop _Waijer_, under the date of the eighteenth and nineteenth of May. The weather here was observed to become much colder.

The fourth inlet of those visited by the expedition, called Delft Bay, runs five or six miles inland, and demands little further notice than as to its position and depths, both which are to be found clearly stated in the journals and maps, also that it is called on one side of its mouth, Rustenburg, and on the other side in the old maps, it is known under the name of Maria’s land, in which district the inhabitants were so stupid, that they attempted to tow the patsjallang, while lying at anchor, with three little canoes, but seeing that no progress was made, they tried to effect their object by tugging at the anchor. This also proving ineffectual, they returned to the shore. Our men employed themselves daily in fishing, the fish here being plentiful, but of no great size, and attempted to arrest the increasing sickness on board.

The fifth and last inlet E. visited by our people, is bounded on one side by the promontory of Lonton, on the other side by the point of Callemore, (names given to them by the crew), although the last mentioned point may rather be called an island than a promontory, since the inlet runs round it and again joins the sea. In front of the point Lonton, also an island was found, called by them Schildpads island; nothing remarkable is to be recorded of this place, except that at night by moonlight, an immense number of black birds, as large as pigeons, were met by the patsjallang _Hollandia Nova_, which flock continued to pass for half an hour; also that the inhabitants became so much accustomed to our people, that they assisted them in procuring and carrying water; but afterwards they could not conceal their malicious disposition, as we have already narrated.

This last inlet is called Vossenbosch Bay, and also has before the promontory of Calice a small island, where stands a solitary tree, by which it may be recognized.

Thus, thinking we have briefly stated the origin, the adventures, the results, and the return of this expedition, so far as they could be investigated, we shall here conclude.

We are, etc.,
HK. SWAARDECROON,
CS. CHASTELIJN.
(S.) J. S. CRAINE.

Batavia Castle, Oct. 6, 1705.

THE HOUTMAN’S ABROLHOS IN 1727, TRANSLATED FROM A PUBLICATION ENTITLED
“DE HOUTMAN’S ABROLHOS,”
AMSTERDAM, 1857, 8vo. BY P. A. LEUPE, CAPTAIN OF MARINES IN THE DUTCH
NAVY.

The ten years which elapsed between 1720 and 1730 were a period replete with disaster to the East India Company, arising from the losses they experienced of ships and men, both on their passage out to India and on their return.[35] Among the number is the Zeeland ship _Zeewyk_, which, built in 1725, sailed from the roads of Rammekens to Batavia, under command of the skipper Jan Hijns, on the 7th of November, 1726. After peculiar mishaps the _Zeewyk_ came to anchor on the 22nd of March, 1727, before the fort of Good Hope in Table Bay, and, after taking in fresh provisions there, pursued her voyage on the 21st of April, until, on the 9th of June, when by the carelessness of the skipper, she was wrecked on the Houtman’s Abrolhos.

By the instructions[36] for the sailing in the autumn from the Netherlands to Java, amongst other things it is also enjoined: “The Cape of Good Hope being doubled, it is thought good that you sail in an E. direction between 36° and 39° S. lat., until you have reached a point eight hundred miles E. of the Cape of Good Hope; that you then direct your course as much N. as E., in such a manner that, on reaching 30° S. lat., you should find yourself about 950 or 1000 m. from the Cape of Good Hope.

“These 950 or 1000 m. from the Cape being attained, it is advisable—wind and weather permitting—that you bear down upon the land Eendraght at 27° S. lat., or more to the N., so as to take thence such a course as will enable you to clear the Tryals Shoals,[37] lying about 20° S. lat., without danger, and to touch at the south coast of Java with ease, in order to have the weather-gage of the Straits of Sunda, and thus reach these straits without loss of time. It must be understood that this is about the time when the east monsoon blows south of the line, and that the said 900 or 1000 miles E. of the Cape may be reached between the beginning of March and the end of September. Observe, that the distance between the Cape and the land of Eendraght is, in reality, much shorter than the chart shows; and it may happen, by the aid of currents, that the route may be found even shorter than it really is, so that the land might be reached in much less time than we are led to expect. Remember, also, that the land of Eendraght has, south of 27° lat., many perilous sandbanks, and that the soundings are of sharp rocks. Consequently extreme caution, and the constant use of the lead at night and in stormy weather is indispensably necessary, as at seven, six, or five miles from the coast the soundings are found to be one hundred, eighty, or seventy fathoms.”

To these “perilous sandbanks and soundings of sharp rocks” belong also the Frederick Houtman Abrolhos, which, according to Horsburgh,[38] lie at 29° 10´ S. lat., and 113° 57´ E. long., and upon which many a ship of the company will have perished; since, in addition to the _Batavia_ in 1629, the _Vergulde Draeck_ in 1656, the _Ridderschap van Holland_ in 1693, and the _Zuysdorp_ in 1711, two others occur in the list here subjoined as lost between the Cape of Good Hope and Batavia.

The Englishmen who visited these sandbanks in 1840 found several remains of wrecked ships; thus writes Mr. Crawford Pako:[39]

“I will relate a few circumstances which were of great interest to us, as marking the position of ancient voyagers, who two hundred years before were similarly engaged to ourselves, and undergoing trial and probation such as we were then exposed to.

“Finding anchorage for our ship at the S.E. part of the southern group, near to a narrow strip of sand on the edge of the reef, which was scarcely large enough to be called an island, we found on it some remains of large timber, evidently a beam of a ship, through it an iron bolt of considerable dimensions; but corrosion had gone on steadily so many years, that the slightest touch reduced it to the size of small wire. Near this were found various other fragments, which most probably had been parts of the same vessel; but the most remarkable item was a copper coin of the East India N. Company, a doit bearing date 1620 (I think), which was good evidence that these were some of the remains of commodore Pelsart, in the ship _Batavia_. So the anchorage which we occupied was named by us Batavia Roads, and that particular group Pelsart’s Group. On another island at the west side of the same group we found many other relics of more recent date, among which another doit, which was dated 1700, which we concluded marked the position of the loss of the _Zeewijk_ in 1720. On this island we found a large number of small glass bottles, about the size and form of Dutch cheeses, very orderly arranged in rows on the ground; a few very large glass bottles of similar form; some large brass buckles, which had been gilded, and much of the gilt still existed. Numerous small clay pipes, which served to solace our crew with the help of tobacco, as doubtless they had done long ago for former owners. And one brass gun, of about three-pounds calibre, with an iron swivel, the iron, however, was diminished by corrosion to nearly nothing; it had a movable chamber for loading it, which was fitted for a square hole, on the upper part of the gun near the breech. But what was most remarkable about it was that vermilion paint was still on the muzzle. The island on which this was found we called Gun Island, and the passage between Pelsart Group and the middle one was called Zeewyk Channel.”

I have had the good fortune to find among the papers of the late East India Company, what was written by the government of Batavia about the loss of the ship _Zeewijk_ to the directors at home, together with a map made by the skipper Jan Steyns, while on these shoals.

“_To the Directors of the Assembly of the Seventeen, etc._

“On the 26th of April a letter[40] unexpectedly came to hand by the patchialang _De Veerman_, from the late skipper and under-merchant of the Zeeland ship _Zeewyk_, Jan Steyns and Jan Nibbens, written from the Straits of Sunda, but without date, communicating the fact that this vessel, after leaving the Cape of Good Hope on the 21st of April, had been wrecked, on the 9th of June, on the reef lying before the islands Frederick Houtman’s Abrolhos, situated near the Southland, in S. lat. 29°, and otherwise called the Tortelduyff’s Islands. The crew had, in favourable weather, succeeded in recovering all kinds of necessaries from the wreck, and had constructed from the fragments of the ship a vessel, on which, setting out on the 22nd of March, they arrived in the above straits on the 21st of April, numbering eighty-two souls, and bringing with them the moneys of the Company contained in ten chests to the value of Fl. 315,836:1:8. All this will more clearly appear from the subjoined copy of the letter (together with a list of the survivors, their names and rank on board before the wreck), to which we respectfully refer you, as also to an extract from the resolution passed on that day. From this will also be seen the care shown by us for the recovery of the money, in our despatching at once to the distressed vessel (which was suffering from want of fresh water) the advocat-fiscal of India, Mr. Jacob Graafland, with two commissioners from the Council of Justice, assisted by the secretary and usher of the court, provided with the necessary vessels, together with one sergeant, two corporals, and twelve private soldiers. There was also found a small slip,[41] without signature, written by the skipper, in which he complains of the outrageous and thievish behaviour of the crew, so that we could not but conclude that some of the company’s chests must have been broken open, and the contents stolen, as it very frequently happens under such unfortunate circumstances. Wherefore the above-mentioned commissioners were duly instructed to take means to prevent the concealment of the company’s moneys. But the precaution proved unnecessary, as they arrived here happily on the 30th, to the great relief of the company’s heavy losses of money, with the above-mentioned vessel and the ten money chests, which were found to be complete according to the invoice. In addition to this was also received a small bag, containing two hundred and seven pieces of Spanish reals, handed over by the Directors of the Chamber, Middelburg, in Zeeland, to the officers of this ship, for the purchase of fresh provisions, which also was saved. Moreover various sums in silver ducats, as specified in the memorial, a copy of which is subjoined, were found upon the crew. On that same day, namely, the 30th April, the advocat-fiscal was instructed to report to the government as to whether an action could be brought by it against the pretended owners, who had fetched that money out of the wreck, the fact of their having it in their possession being in our opinion a violation of the law, which forbids the export of coined money to private persons. His answer is to be found in a copy subjoined. But afterwards he was obliged, as a matter of official duty, to put the law in force, and an indictment was accordingly issued against the claimants before the Council of Justice, whose decision is still pending. We are nevertheless at the same time of opinion that salvage ought to be allowed to the men who, at no inconsiderable danger to themselves, brought the money from the wreck. The journals kept on the voyage, as far as they were saved and brought over, were, in accordance with the resolution of the 30th of April, handed over to the Equipagemeester, Coenrad Mels, and a committee of skippers, under the presidency of the above-mentioned fiscal, as it appeared to us rather doubtful whether the ship had not been wrecked in an inexcusable manner. And, indeed, it was subsequently proved by the report of the committee, that the former skipper, Jan Steyns, had not only run too near the Southland, contrary to his orders, and in opposition to the protests of the steersmen, and thereby caused that disaster; but had also contemplated deceiving the government by altered and falsified journals, in order to hide as much as possible his indefensible conduct. Whereupon, on the 17th of August, it was determined to indict the said Jan Steyns before the Court of Justice, and he has since been placed under arrest.[42]

“The position of the islands against the most outlying reef of which the _Zeewyk_ was wrecked, is shown by the accompanying maps. They lie out of sight of the Southland, and are partly overgrown with some edible wild plants. On them were found not only some excavated wells, but also some signs of a Dutch ship, probably wrecked against the above-mentioned reef, which might have been the _Fortuyn_ or _Aagtekerke_, whose crew may have died or perished at sea on their way hither. This also seems to have been the fate of the boat of the _Zeewyk_, which, under command of the uppersteersman Pieter Langeweg, with eleven common sailors and the papers of the Company, had set out for this port shortly after the wreck of the ship, in order to give information of the mishap and to ask for assistance. Up to this time nothing has been heard of it.

“We cannot without painful feelings think of the heavy misfortunes, from which the company has been a sufferer during the last nine or ten years, especially in the loss of many ships and treasures, which mishaps have to our great concern been considerably increased in number, not only by the disaster which befell the ship _Luchtenberg_, on the Wielingen, on the Zeeland Banks, shortly after leaving port, as communicated to us by the Directors of several Chambers, and particularly by the letter from Amsterdam of the 8th of January; but also by the misfortunes which befell the other ships that had sailed for this country in company with that ship on the 2nd of November, 1727, and were obliged to put into several harbours in a disabled state. Again, by the stranding on the 3rd of July, in Table Bay, of the ships _Middenrack_, _Stabroeck_, and _Haarlem_, of which the _Middenrack_ was dashed to pieces and lost all hands, except the few who were on shore at the time, while the two others were driven so close on shore that all hope of safety was abandoned, but succeeded so far as to run their prow aground, whereby the crew and money were saved, and the remainder of the cargo was recovered from the ship undamaged by the sea water. The cargos of these two stranded ships, together with three boxes containing amber from the _Middenrack_, which had been washed ashore, have already been brought over by the ships _Meyenberg_ and _Nieuwvliet_, they having, through God’s blessing, happily ridden through this awful storm from the N.W., not without extreme danger. The ship _Hillegonde_ also lost its rudder and _goodgings_, and had to be helped into Saldanha Bay. Thus we shall not be able to make use of it here for some time to come, any more than, as we fear, of the ships _Berkenrode_ and _Heenhoven_, which had not yet appeared at the Cape on the 18th of July. This is the more alarming, as the _Heenhoven_, on the 9th of February, in the north, at about 57° L., parted through stress of weather from the consorts _Meyenberg_ and _Haerbroeck_, in whose company it had left Zeeland on the 24th of January. However, we hope soon to welcome the arrival of the above-mentioned two ships, under the blessing of the Most High, who also is besought henceforth to ward off all disasters from the ships and the establishment of the company, and to make them prosperous in all things; so that the crew of the outward-bound ships may not be afflicted so severely by sickness and death, as has been the case of late with several ships, to such an extent, that it has been necessary to reinforce them one from the other at the Cape; whereby, since the departure of the ship _Meerlust_, in sixteen ships from Holland, only 1375 sailors, 575 soldiers, and 40 artisans, in all 1990 paid servants, including the sick, have come over.”

Castle, Batavia, Oct. 30th, 1728.

APPENDIX I

TO HIS EXCELLENCY, AND THE NOBLE COUNCILLORS OF THE NETHERLANDISH INDIA.

We take the liberty of informing you, that, in sailing from the Cape of Good Hope to Batavia with the company’s late ship _Zeewyck_, we were wrecked on a reef on the ninth of June, 1727, at seven o’clock in the evening, in the first watch.

The reef against which the vessel struck, is surrounded by a very high and heavy surf, and runs in the shape of a half moon. On the inner side lie many small islands, called Frederick Houtman’s Ambrollossen (Abrolhos), which we gained on the eighteenth of June, and upon which we remained from that day, until we had fetched from the wreck everything that seemed to us necessary for the preservation of our life, spars, ropes, timber and provisions. As soon as we had got these materials on shore, our carpenter at once set to work with his men, by order of the officers, and by the help of the common people, to build a vessel, so that we might save our lives, if it pleased God. We called it the _Sloepie_, that is, the little sloop, made up from the wreck of the _Zeewyck_. When it was ready for sea, we made sail with a south wind and fair weather on the twenty-sixth of March, having with us the money chests of the company, as well as provisions for the voyage. We continued to enjoy favourable weather throughout the voyage, and so arrived by God’s blessing, on the twenty-first of April, 1728, in the Straits of Sunda, eighty-two souls, of whom, we herewith subjoin a list for the information of your nobility and council. We beg to wish you and the council from the bottom of our heart, every prosperity and happiness, and present respectfully our humble services.

Your etc.,

(S.) JAN. STEYNS,
JAN. NOBBENS.

APPENDIX II.

My High Excellency, together with the Council of the Netherlandish India, I pray of you most urgently to send me help and assistance against these robbers of the money and goods from the wreck _Zeewyk_, who have divided the money and goods among themselves. I am stark naked; they have taken every thing from me. O, my God! They have behaved like wild beasts to me, and everyone is master. Worse than beasts do they live; it is impossible that on board a pirate ship things can be worse than here, because every one thinks that he is rich, from the highest to the lowest of my subordinates. They say among themselves, “Let us drink a glass to your health, ye old ducats!” I am ill and prostrate from scurvy.

APPENDIX III.

EXTRACT PROM THE DELIBERATIONS AND RESOLUTIONS IN THE COUNCIL OF INDIA.

Monday, April 26th, 1728.

At five o’clock this afternoon we received a letter by the patchialang _De Veerman_, very unexpectedly and fortunately, from the former skipper and under-merchant of the ship _Zeewyk_, bound for these parts, written in the Straits of Sunda, but undated, reporting the wreck of the ship on the reef lying before the Islands Frederick Houtman’s Abrolhos, near the Southland, at 28° L., on the 9th of June of last year. The crew having afterwards fetched several necessaries from the wreck, made from the timber a sloop or vessel, on board of which eighty-two souls have reached these straits, together with the money taken out by the ship, consisting of three tuns, according to the double invoice received. But, besides that letter, there also came to hand a little card, unsigned, apparently in the handwriting of the skipper, in which he complains in unmistakeable terms of the behaviour and dishonesty of the crew; so that we cannot but suppose that the money chests have been broken open, in order that so splendid a booty might be divided. Therefore on the motion of the Governor-General, it was resolved to send out at once to the assistance of the suffering vessel and crew, who were obliged, in default of fresh water, to put up with salt water for some time. Accordingly the brigantine _De Hoop_, the sloop _De Olyftack_, and the patchialangs _De Snip_ and the before-named _Veerman_, being made ready by order of his excellency, the advocat-fiscal of India, Mr. Jacob Graafland, with two commissioners from the Council of Justice, assisted by the secretary and usher, together with one sergeant, two corporals, and twelve private soldiers, was dispatched, in order that the ready money might be secured without any delay, as much of it, that is, as might still be found. Further; a thorough search was to be made after the remainder, both among the crew and in all the corners and nooks of the sloop, which has been put together by them.

This said sloop no other vessels shall be allowed to approach, with the sole exception of that on board of which the commissioners are; so that all possibility may be removed of any clandestine transfer of the stolen booty to another crew, and of the noble company’s being thus injured by a complot of a gang of expert thieves. The guilty ones shall be seized and subjected to an exemplary punishment, as a warning to all other evil doers in similar lamentable and fatal occurrences.

J. J. HENDRICKS, _Secr._

APPENDIX IV.

The Trials. About two hundred years have elapsed since the instructions here mentioned were drawn up, and still these cliffs belong to the “doubtfuls.” To what is this to be attributed? Do they in reality not exist at all? The Governor-General, Antonio Van Diemen, to whom the science of geography is so deeply indebted, did not doubt their existence. He thus writes to the governor of Mauritius, Adrian van der Hael, on the 2nd of September, 1643.

“The yacht _Cleen Mauritius_ has, like the former ships bound for these parts, not seen anything of the Trials. This, however, proves nothing. Those who would discover those shoals (as they are usually called) in coming from your country, must be ordered to touch at the Southland at about 27° S. L., or Dirk Hartog’s Reede; they must then sail as far north as 20°, when they would find themselves about fifty miles E. of the Trials. They then have to sail W., as there is no doubt that they lie in 20° S. L.”

It may also not be unnecessary to quote in full the following statement, taken from the “Vertooninge van Eylanden, Custen, Havens, en Bayen aº 1757, door den E. Capiteyn D. van Schilde en Schipper P. Hoogendorp (H. S.)”

* * * * *

_Extract from the journal of the skipper Franchoys Buscop, on his
voyage out in the ship ’t Vaderland Getrouw, under date July 21st,
1707,[43] about his falling in with the Trials._

In the morning, at seven o’clock, in the day watch, we saw the little islands of the Trials’ Shoals, at E. by E. well E., about five miles from us, being three in number, the most southerly of them running up to a sharp point and hanging over towards the S.E., being at its top a little rounder than the one in the middle, but lower than the north one, and a little more pointed. We also saw a high pointed cliff south of the islands.

Shortly afterwards we saw the surf breaking E.N.E. ½ N. a short mile from us, and four from the island. We at once turned away towards the S.W., heaved the lead, and found fifty-seven fathoms water, with a bottom of fine sand and rocks.

Shortly afterwards we encountered a storm with rain from the S.W. and S.S.W. by S. Turned again to the W., ran in that direction till noon, then put our course N.W.; heaved the lead and found sixty-five fathoms, bottom as before. Took the bearings of the pointed island, lying E.N.E., at five and a half to six miles distance from us, and found the longitude to be 124° 34´; I had calculated it at 123° 6´, so that by the position of these islands we were 1° 28´ more to the E. than we imagined. S. L. 20° 34´. I then corrected my reckonings. Afternoon wind S. and S.S.E., blowing at top-sail and top-gallant-sail breeze, with fog and drizzle. In the evening again heaved the lead, but found no bottom. Shortened sail in order to heave the lead during the night. First watch, water of a pale tint. Heaved the lead several times, but no bottom found. Held on at N.W. to the beginning of the day-watch; steered N.; wind at night S.S.E. and S.E., top-sail and top-gallant-sail breeze.[44]

According to a letter in the _Nautical Magazine_ of the year 1843, p. 392, the Trials were also seen by the Dutch ship _Jacobus_, captain Louwerens. It is worthy of remark, that this observer places them in the same longitude, whilst the latitude differs by about 1°.

The late veteran captain C. Brandligt has assured me that he saw them; but he could not find the journals by which he wished to prove the statement to me.

“Rocks and shoals in the ocean have been frequently seen and their true positions given, but on further search could not be found. Now, scientific men may dream, but I am under a strong impression that they do exist; but, from some unknown causes, the ocean has its rise and fall, and they are seen at the lowest ebb only.”

INDEX.

Aagtekerke, perhaps wrecked off the Houtman’s Abrolhos, 182

Aberts, Pieter, skipper, one of the survivors of the “Vergulde Draeck,”
77

Abrolhos, _v._ Houtman’s Abrolhos

Albuquerque, in 1511 sent A. de Breu and F. Serrano, with three ships
to Banda and Malacca, lx

Alexander VI, Pope, Bull on the discoveries, xxxvii

Alvaro de Mendana, discovers the Solomon Islands, the Marquesas, Queen
Charlotte’s Islands, attempts to establish a Colony on Santa Cruz,
lxx

Ambrollossen, Frederic Houtman, _v._ Houtman’s Abrolhos

Amsterdam, island, drawing of, brought back by Vlamingh, in 1696, 113

Amsterdam, shallop, expedition to the South Land under the command of
G. T. Pool, 75

Antelope, of London, under the command of Captain Hammond, met by
Dampier, 13

Ant-hills, taken for habitations, 65

Aratus, speaks of a southern continent, xiii

Arias, Dr. Juan Luis, memorial to Philip III, urges the necessity of
the discovery of the southern hemisphere, for the sake of converting
the natives before the English and Dutch heretics might do it, 1;
extract from De Silva’s treatise, 3;
prophecies, 4;
the southern hemisphere not all water, 12;
fertile, habitable, 15;
rich in metals, pearls, animals, fruits, 16;
A. Mendana de Meyra’s discoveries, 17;
P. F. de Quiros, 18;
J. Fernandez, 20;
Indians of Taumaco indicate a continent southwards, 23;
portion of the South Land already visited, larger than Europe, 24;
the decline of Spain, caused by the neglect of exploration, 25;
final loss of the crown threatened, 28

Arms of Amsterdam, ship, touched at the south coast of New Guinea, in
1619, part of the crew murdered by the natives, 44

Aristotle, speaks of a southern continent, xiii

Arnhem, island, discovery, 45

Arnhem, yacht, voyage to New Guinea, 44;
skipper and eight of the crew murdered, 45

Atlantis, island of, described by Plato, ii

Aucke, Pietersz Jonck, _v._ Jonck

AUSTRALIA.
Regarded as forming part of New Guinea and the great southern
continent, iv-xi;
indications on maps in the sixteenth century, iv, xii, lxv;
its coasts touched by the Dutch in the seventeenth, v;
secrecy of the Portuguese, _ib._;
of the Dutch East India Company vi;
statement of Sir W. Temple, _ib._;
quotations from early writers, xii;
early maps with indications, xiv;
assertion of the discovery by the Chinese, _ib._;
Binot Paulmier de Gonneville the supposed first discoverer, xx;
the Portuguese claim to the discovery, xxi;
the Spanish claim, xxii;
Magalhaens’ claim, xxii;
Dr. Martin on the map of Dourado, xxiii;
the tract laid down is either Tierra del Fuego or New Guinea, xxvi;
other indications on maps of its discovery by the Portuguese, _ib._;
Dalrymple’s disparagement of Captain Cook, xxxi;
its refutation by Metz, xxxii;
account, by Barbié de Bocage, of a hydrographic atlas which he
supposed to be drawn by N. Vallard, of Dieppe, in 1547, xxxv;
Gomez de Sequeira, xliii, xlvi;
Barros’ narrative, xlvi;
Sequeira driven to Tobi or Lord North’s Island, xlviii;
account of the island, xlix;
Australia shown to be the country described in those maps, li;
the “Londe of Java,” lii;
P. Crignon on J. Parmentier’s voyage, lix;
the Portuguese, not the French, the real discoverers, lx;
the quoted French maps copied after Parmentier, lxi;
Parmentier’s information derived from the Portuguese, lxii;
the discovery before 1542, lxiv;
explorations by the Spanish in the sixteenth century, lxx;
P. Fernandez de Quiros, lxx;
Australia del Espirito Santo, lxxiv;
first authenticated discovery made by a vessel from Holland in 1606,
lxxviii;
the Duyfhen, lxxix;
the Eendraght, under Dirk Hartog, lxxx;
plates on Dirk Hartog’s Island, lxxxii;
Bishop Hall’s “Terra Australis,” lxxxiv;
Zeachen, erroneously described as “the discoverer of Arnheim’s Land”,
lxxxv;
the Land of Edel, lxxxvi;
Houtman’s Abrolhos, _ib._;
Eendraght Land, lxxxvii;
the Pera and Arnhem, _ib._;
the south discovered in 1627 by the Gulde Zeepard, lxxxviii;
De Witt’s Land, lxxxix;
a foul and barren shore, inhabitants wild, black, _ib._;
wreck of the Batavia on the Houtman’s Abrolhos, _ib._;
account of the natives, xci;
G. T. Pool’s, P. Pietersen’s expedition, xciii;
A. J. Tasman’s expedition and instructions, _ib._;
narrative missing, xciv;
outline of Tasman’s voyage inlaid in the floor at the Stadhuis at
Amsterdam, xcv;
on maps, cxvi;
fragment of the account in Witsen’s notes, xcviii;
description of the natives, xcix;
Carpentaria not discovered by Carpenter, Van Diemen’s Land not
discovered by Van Diemen, c;
the great south land called New Holland, ciii;
wreck of the Vergulde Draeck, cv;
Waeckende Boey and Emeloort sent to the rescue, description and chart
of the west coast, cvi;
J. Sadeur’s “Terre Australe,” cvii;
W. de Vlamingh’s voyage, cviii;
Dampier’s description of the natives, _ib._;
expedition in the Roebuck, cx;
last Dutch voyage under Martin v. Delft, cxiii;
accounts of the discoveries of the eastern coast entirely wanting
before Cook, cxvii;
name Australia given by Flinders, _ib._;
memorial of Arias to Philip III respecting the exploration of the
Southern Land, 1;
treatise of Fray Juan da Silva, _ib._;
necessity proved from the scripture, obligation from the agreement
with the Catholic Church, 4;
physical proofs of the existence and habitability, 14;
richness in metals and stones, 16;
discoveries already made, 17;
all tends to prove the greatness, populousness, and richness of the
southern continent, 24;
Luis Vaez de Torres on Quiros’ discoveries, 31;
San Valerio, las Virgines, Santa Polonia, 32;
Matanza, skirmish with the natives, 34;
Taomaco, inhabitants white and red, some coloured, others black and
mulattoes, agreeable people, slavery in use amongst them; they
name more than forty islands, 36;
Chucupia islands, _ib._;
Santa Maria island, 37;
possession taken of the Ray San Felipe y Santiago, and the land del
Espirito Santo, _ib._;
people black and naked, _ib._;
departure of the Capitana, 38;
pass an archipelago of islands, 39;
description of the inhabitants, 40;
find Mahometans at the termination of this land, _ib._;
instructions for the new expedition by the yachts Limmen, Zeemeuw,
and Brak under Tasman, 43;
former voyages towards New Guinea and the South Land undertaken for
the Dutch East India Company, 44;
Staten and Van Diemen’s Land found, also the passage to the South
Sea, 47;
Voyage and shipwreck of F. Pelsart in the Batavia, 59;
people on shore savages, black, and quite naked, 64;
country flat without vegetation, very large ant-hills only in view,
65;
quantities of flies, _ib._;
see eight savages with clubs, _ib._
T. G. Pool’s voyage, 75;
description of the natives, their weapons, etc., 76–88;
wreck of the Vergulde Draeck and expeditions undertaken, 67;
seen by the “Pinck,” 85;
headdress of the natives a kind of crown, 87;
a wild cat and two seals seen, 84;
natives use small hammers with wooden handles, and heads of hard
stone, 88;
description of the west coast by Volkersen, 89;
the natives believe in some divinity in the serpent, 95;
Australia supposed to be divided from New Guinea by a strait
terminating in the South Sea, 97;
sea between N. and Banda, called “Milk Sea,” on account, of its
turning white, 97;
Dampier’s account, 99;
in his time unknown whether an island or a continent, 101;
dry soil, yet producing trees, mostly dragon trees, 101;
no animals, or beasts, few birds, few fish, but manatee and turtle;
description of inhabitants, 102;
their habits, etc., 103;
no particular worship; weapons; no metal; language not known, 104;
unsuccessful attempt to make them carry water; indifferent to cloth,
106;
Dampier took several of them, 107;
W. Dampier’s adventures, from a Sloan MS., 108;
W. de Vlamingh’s voyage, 112;
a kind of scented wood found, 113;
description of country and natives, 114;
the inscription plate of the Eendraght, 115;
expedition by the Nijptang, Geelvinck and Wesel, 120;
a remarkable fish with a kind of arms and legs, 121;
aromatic trees, rats as big as cats, 121;
coast like that of Holland, easily approachable; smoke and fires seen
on the main land, 122;
nut of a certain tree causing vomiting; two black swans, 123;
swans, rotganzen, geese, divers, 125;
no trees, but briars and thorns, 126;
two nests three fathoms in circumference, 129;
Dampier’s voyage in 1699, 134;
first signs of the land, 138;
curious birds, scuttle-bones, sea-weeds, 139;
soundings show coral ground, 140;
landing attempted, 141;
trees very short, 143;
birds, animals, raccoons, curious guanos, 144;
fish, 145;
turtle weighing two hundred pounds, water serpents, 148;
sea snakes, 151;
Bluff-point, Rosemary Island, 154;
fight with some natives, 158;
account of them, 160;
further description of the coast and its produce, 163;
want of water, 164;
discoveries of the Vossenbosch, D’ Waijer and Nova Hollandia, 165;
description of the islanders, 169;
about five hundred met with, 170;
the supposition of Australia being an island, strengthened by the
natives’ rude and barbarous character, 171;
natives of Maria’s Land try to tow the patsjallang, 172;
the Houtman’s Abrolhos, 176

Bachian islands, king of, assisted by Quiros’ force, 41

Bandeira, Viscount Sa’ de, claim for the discovery of Australia by
Magalhaens, xxii

Barbié de Bocage, notice of a hydrographical atlas of New Holland,
drawn by N. Vallard, xxxv

Barros, on Gomez de Sequeira’s voyage, xlvi

Bass’s Straits, “Baye neufve,” in the old maps, lviii

Batavia, book of dispatches, _v._ Book

Batavia, under Francis Pelsart, wrecked on the coast of New Holland,
59;
a chest with money to be recovered, 50;
remains found 178;
account of the wreck, and in Thevenot, lxxxix;
in Harris, xc

Bay perdue, on the old maps, lvii

Baye neufve, perhaps Bass’s Straits, lviii

Beach _v._ Boeach

Berkenrode, ship, uncertainty about her fate, 183

Bessia river, name given to the second bay after Rooseboom’s Bay, 171

Binot Paulmier de Gonneville, supposed discovery of Australia, xviii;
journals lost, xix

Bocage, Barbié de _v._ Barbié

Boeach, misspelt for Lucach or Lochac, xvii

Book of dispatches, from Batavia, extract; instructions for the
expedition for the discovery of New Guinea, 43

Bosphorus (Sepharat), meaning Spain, 10

Botany Bay, originally called Stingray, afterwards from the variety of
plants, Botany Bay; not the Coste des Herbaiges on the early maps,
xxxiv

Bowrey, captain, a copy of Tasman’s map in his handwriting, xcvi

Brak, equipped for the expedition to New Guinea, 47

Breu, Antonio, going to Banda, in 1511, lx

Brosses, de, correcting Prévost’s misstatement on the discovery of
Carpentaria, c

Brazil, discovery by the Portuguese, xxxviii

Buscop, Franchoys, skipper, extract from his journal, on the “Trials,”
187

Cabral, discovery of Brazil, xxxviii

Callemore, point of, on the South Land, 172

Calice, promontory, on the South Land, 172

Cambodia, the Lochac of Marco Polo, xvi

Cano, Sebastian de, one of the commissioners appointed to decide about
the right of possession of the Moluccas, xl

Cape Keer Weer, (turn again), the furthest point of New Guinea reached
by the Duyfhen, lxxx

Cape York, the very large islands, seen by Torres, in 11° S. L., lxxv

Capitana, expedition under Quiros, 31;
crew mutinous, 34;
departs suddenly and treacherously, 38

Carpentaria, discovery falsely attributed to Carpenter, xcix;
misstatement corrected, c;
Dubois on Carpenter, cii

Carpenter, the supposed discoverer of Carpentaria, c

Carstens, Jan, despatched by J. P. Coen with the Pera and Arnhem from
Amboina, murdered by the natives of New Guinea, lxxxvii, 44

Castanheda, narrative of the discovery of New Guinea, xlii

Casuaris, name of the east point in the Roseboom’s Bay, 168

Cecco d’Ascoli, map of, xiv

Ceira, name of New Guinea on the old Portuguese maps; mistake for
Ceram, 97

Ceram Lauers, trade with the natives of New Guinea, 96

Ceramers _v._ Ceram Lauers

Charles V. sells his right to the Moluccas to John II, xli

Chastelijn, Cornelis, account of the discoveries, 165

Chinese, supposed to have been acquainted with Australia before the
Europeans, xiv

Chucupia, island, 36

Clyn Amsterdam, expedition to New Guinea, 46

Coen, Jan Pietersz, dispatches the Pera and Arnhem, lxxxvii

Collaert, Gerrit, captain of the Nijptang, 113

Cook, captain Dalrymple’s insinuations, xxxi:
established the separation between New Holland and New Guinea, xciv

Cornelis, Jerome, super cargo of the Batavia, conspiracy, 69;
taken prisoner, 71;
executed, 74

Côte dangereuse, in the old maps, xxxii, lvii

Côte des Herbaiges, in the old maps, xxxiv, lviii

Crawford, Pako, _v._ Pako

Crignon, Pierre, on Parmentier, lix, lxii

Dalrymple, Alexander, on Thevenot’s map, xxxi;
translation of Torres relation of Quiros’ discoveries, 31

Dangerous coast, so called by Captain Cook, supposed to be the Côte
dangereuse of the maps, xxxii, lvii

Dampier’s voyage, cviii, cix, 99, 108, 134

De Brosses, _v._ Brosses

De Breu, Antonio, _v._ Breu

De Bandeira, Sa’, Viscount, _v._ Bandeira

De Gonneville, B. Paulmier, _v._ Gonneville

De Legaspi, Lopez, _v._ Legaspi

Del Espiritu Santo, discovery, 37

Delft Bay, on the coast of New Holland, 172

Delft, Martin van, voyage, cxiii;
extract from his logbook, 167

De Mendana, _v._ Mendana

De Meneses, _v._ Meneses

De Metz, Gauthier, _v._ Metz

De Saavedra, _v._ Saavedra

De Santarem, Vicomte, _v._ Santarem

De Silva, Fray Juan, _v._ Silva

De Sequeira, Gomez, _v._ Sequeira

De Torres, Luis Vaez, _v._ Torres

De Villalobos, Ruy Lopez, _v._ Villalobos

De Vlamingh, _v._ Vlamingh

De Witt’s Land, coasted by the Vianen, lxxxix

Dirk Hartog’s Island, plate, lxxxi

Dirk Hartog’s Roads, lxxxi

Dispatches, Book of, from Batavia, _v._ Book of Dispatches

Doriados, sloop, destined for the expedition to New Holland, disabled,
165

Dourado’s map, xxiii

Draeck, _v._ Vergulde Draeck

Du Bocage, Barbié, _v._ Barbié

Dubois, “Vies des Gouverneurs Généraux,” on Carpentaria, cii

Dutch discoveries on the coast of Australia, lxxvii

Dutch East India Company, charged with exclusiveness, vi;
defended, ix

Dutchmen, two, exposed by Pelsart, to be looked after, 50

Duyfhen, yacht, expedition to New Guinea; first authenticated discovery
of the South Land, lxxix;
discovery of the south and west coast of New Guinea, 43

Dwaers-inden-wegh, island, 68

D’Waijer, sloop, discoveries, 165

Edel, commander of a ship visiting the coast of New Holland; discovery
of Edel’s Land on the west coast, lxxxvi

Eendraght, ship, discoveries, lxxxi, 44;
pole with tin plate of the Eendraght, found by Vlamingh, 115

Eendraght, land, 177

Elburgh, flyboat, touches the South Land, 87

Emeloort, galiot, sent in search of the Vergulde Draeck, 80;
separated from the Waeckende Boey, 85

Esquivel, Juan de, assisted by Quiros and his force on one of the
Ternate islands, 41

Ferdinand and Isabella, of Spain, agreement with Don John II, about the
line of demarcation, xxxviii

Fernandez, Juan, said to have discovered the southern continent, lxvi;
discovers the track from Lima to Chili, 20

Fish, a remarkable, with a sort of arms and legs, 121

Flinders, Matthew, suggested the name of Australia, lxxviii, xcvii;
on the account of Delft’s voyage, cxv

Fortuyn, perhaps wrecked on the Abrolhos, 182

Four Hollanders’ ships voyage; first voyage of the Dutch to the East
Indies, lv

Franciscan order, undertakes the conversion of the southern hemisphere,
7

Franciscus, Monachus, Mappemonde, lxiii

Frederick Houtman’s Abrolhos, _v._ Houtman’s Abrolhos

French merchants send a ship to the Indies, xix

Geminus, speaks of a southern continent, xiii

Goede Hoop, yacht, joins the Witte Valck for the rescue of the wreck of
the Vergulde Draeck, 78

Gonneville, Binot Paulmier de, the supposed first discoverer of New
Holland, xx

Gouffre in the old maps, perhaps Oyster Bay in Tasmania, lviii

Guanos with apparently two heads, 144

Gulde Zeepard, ship, discovery, 45

Gun island, off the Houtman’s Abrolhos, 179.

Haarlem, wreck of, in Table Bay, 182

Hale, H. on Tobi island, xlviii

Hall, Bishop, Mundus alter and idem, lxxxiv