The Part Borne by the Dutch in the Discovery of Australia 1606-1765 Part 12

On the first the wind was W. by S. with good weather; we weighed anchor and drifted with the ebb running from the N.E. when we had run 1 mile with the tide to the S.W., we came to anchor again in 6 fathom.

On the second, the wind being W. by N., we tried to tack about to the W.

with the ebb-tide in 4, 5 and 6 fathom; we had variable winds the whole day; towards the evening we cast anchor in 4 fathom three miles from the land, having this day progressed 4 miles to the W. and W. by N.

On the third we set sail again at daybreak, the wind being N., course kept W.N.W. in 7, 2, and 2 fathom, the water in these parts being of greatly varying depths, so that we had to keep sounding continually; in the afternoon we dropped anchor in 4 fathom, having drifted 2, miles with the ebb-tide.

On the 4th, the wind being N.E. by N., we set sail again with good weather: in the afternoon we ran on with the tide and cast anchor in 7 fathom, having lost sight of the land, and sailed 8 miles W. and W. by N.

NOTE.

Here we managed with extreme difficulty and great peril to get again out of the shallows aforesaid, into which we had sailed as into a trap, between them and the land, for which happy deliverance G.o.d be praised; the shallows extend South and North, from 4 to 9 miles from the mainland, and are 10 miles in length from East to West.

{Page 35}

On the fifth we set sail again at daybreak, the wind being E.N.E., on courses varying between S.W. and S., by which we got into deeper water, between 14 and 26 fathom, and sailed 18 miles in the last 24 hours.

On the sixth the wind was S.W. with rain, course held S.E.; at night we were in Lat. 9 45', having sailed 11 miles to the E.S.E. in the last 24 hours.

On the 7th, the wind being S.S.E., we ran on an Eastern course in 15 or 16 fathom, and sailed 4 miles till the evening; at nightfall we went over to S.E., and cast anchor in 4 fathom, but as the yacht was veering round, we got into 2 fathom, having sailed three miles E.S.E. during the night.

In the morning of the 8th we clearly saw several stones lying on the sea-bottom, without perceiving any change in the water in which we had sounded 26 fathom; so that the land here, which we did not see, is highly dangerous to touch at, but through G.o.d's providence the yachts did not get aground here; at noon we set sail, being in 10 15' S. Lat., the wind being W. by S. and afterwards variable; we sailed S.S.W. till the next morning, in 10 and 10 fathom, and covered 6 miles.

On the 9th the wind was N. with rain, course held S.E.; at night the wind went round to S.E.; we therefore came to anchor in 11 fathom, having sailed 5 miles this day.

In the morning of the 10th the wind was E.N.E., course held S.E. in 9, 10, and 11 fathom; at night the wind blew from the S.E., upon which we cast anchor, having sailed 5 miles this day.

On the 11th the wind was E. by N. with a fair breeze, course kept S.S.E.; at noon we were in 11 30'; the whole of this day and night we tried to get south with variable winds and on different courses, and sailed 22 miles in the last 24 hours; course kept S.E.

In the morning of the 12th the wind was S.E. with good weather; at sunrise we saw the land of Nova Guinea [*], showing itself as a low-lying coast without hills or mountains; we were then in 13 fathom, clayey bottom; course held S.S.W.; at noon we were in Lat. 11 45' South, having sailed 10 miles on a S.E. course in the last 24 hours.

[* York Peninsula.]

In the morning of the 13th the wind was S.E. by E. and we were in 24 fathom; we still saw the land aforementioned and found it to be of the same shape as before; course held S.W.; at noon we were in 12 53'; for the rest of day and night we tried to get south with the winds aforesaid and on varying courses, having sailed 22 miles in the last 24 hours; course kept S.W.

On the 14th the wind was E. by S., course held S. by E. along the land in 11, 12, 13, and 14 fathom; at noon we were in Lat. 13 47', the land being no longer in sight. The rest of the day and the whole night we tried to get the land alongside with divers winds and on varying courses in 7, 6, 6, 4, 3, and 2 fathom; towards daybreak we were so near the land that one might have recognised persons on sh.o.r.e.

In the morning of the 15th the wind blew hard from the East; course held S. by E. in 3 and 2 fathom along a sandbank, situated about one mile from the mainland; at noon we were in 14 36. The land which we have hitherto seen and followed, extends S. and N.; it is low-lying and without variety, having a fine sandy beach in various places. In the afternoon we dropped anchor owing to the calm, having sailed {Page 36} 11 miles South. Great volumes of smoke becoming visible on the land, the subcargo [*] got orders to land with the two pinnaces, duly manned and armed, and was specially enjoined to use his utmost endeavours for the advantage of Our Masters; when the pinnaces returned at nightfall, the subcargo reported that the pinnaces could get no farther than a stone's throw from the land, owing to the muddy bottom into which the men sunk to their waists, but that they had in various places seen blacks emerging from the wood, while others lay hid in the coppice; they therefore sent a man ash.o.r.e with some pieces of iron and strings of beads tied to a stick, in order to attract the blacks; but as nothing could be effected and the night was coming on, they had been forced to return to the yachts.

[* Pieter Lintiens. (Summary).]

In the morning of the 16th, being Easter-day, the wind was East; we set sail, holding our course S. by E.; at noon we were in 14 56'; in the evening we came to anchor in 5 fathom, having sailed 10 miles, course kept South.

In the morning of the 17th the wind was S. by W., with rain and the tide setting to the south; at noon the wind went round to East, so that we made sail, course held S. by W., along the land in 4 fathom; towards the evening, it fell a calm, so that we dropped anchor with the ebb, after which I went ash.o.r.e myself with the two pinnaces duly provided with men and arms; we went a considerable distance into the interior, which we found to be a flat, fine country with few trees, and a good soil for planting and sowing, but so far as we could observe utterly dest.i.tute of fresh water. Nor did we see any human beings or even signs of them; near the strand the coast was sandy with a fine beach and plenty of excellent fish.

In the morning of the 18th the wind was E.N.E., course held S. by W.

along the land; about noon, as we saw persons on the beach, we cast anchor in 3 fathom clayey bottom; the skipper of the Pera got orders to row to land with the two pinnaces, duly provided for defence; in the afternoon when the pinnaces returned, we were informed by the skipper that as soon as he had landed with his men, a large number of blacks, some of them armed and others unarmed, had made up to them; these blacks showed no fear and were so bold, as to touch the muskets of our men and to try to take the same off their shoulders, while they wanted to have whatever they could make use of; our men accordingly diverted their attention by showing them iron and beads, and espying vantage, seized one of the blacks by a string which he wore round his neck, and carried him off to the pinnace; the blacks who remained on the beach, set up dreadful howls and made violent gestures, but the others who kept concealed in the wood remained there. These natives are coal-black, with lean bodies and stark naked, having twisted baskets or nets round their heads; in hair and figure they are like the blacks of the Coromandel coast, but they seem to be less cunning, bold and evil-natured than the blacks at the western extremity of Nova Guinea; their weapons, of which we bring specimens along with us, are less deadly than those we have seen used by other blacks; the weapons in use with them are a.s.sagays, s.h.i.+elds, clubs and sticks about half a fathom in length; as regards their customs and policy and the nature of the country, Your Wors.h.i.+ps will in time be able to get information from the black man we have got hold of, to whom I would beg leave to refer you...

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 ash.o.r.e 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 quant.i.ties 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 3 fathom clayey bottom, and ordered the skipper to go ash.o.r.e with the two pinnaces, duly provided for defence, and diligently inquire into the state of things on sh.o.r.e, 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 38'; in the evening we came to anchor with the ebb in 3 fathom.

In the morning of the 22nd the wind was E.N.E., course held South; at noon we were in 16 4'; the wind being W. by N. we dropped anchor towards the evening in 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 3, 3, 2 and 2 fathom, clayey bottom; at noon we were in 16 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 insh.o.r.e.

On the 24th the wind was E. by S., course held S.S.W. along the land in 2, 3 and 4 fathom, clayey bottom; at noon we were in 17 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-sh.o.r.e; 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 sh.o.r.e, 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 ash.o.r.e 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 s.p.a.ce 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 44'; at night we came to anchor in 4 fathom close insh.o.r.e.

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 ash.o.r.e 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 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 3 fathom 1 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 ash.o.r.e 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 2 Miles, a violent landwind drove us off the land, so that we had to drop anchor in 3 fathom, the blacks on sh.o.r.e 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 3 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 2 and 3 fathom; when we had run 1 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 10' near a river which in the chart is marked Na.s.sauw 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 2 fathom. (The Na.s.sauw 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 39', and came to anchor in 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 2 fathom.

MAY.

In the morning of the 1st the wind was E.; the skipper once more rowed ash.o.r.e 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 ash.o.r.e 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 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.)

[* Mitch.e.l.l River.]

(Vereenichde revier.)