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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/2660-h.zip b/2660-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..74a9dba --- /dev/null +++ b/2660-h.zip diff --git a/2660-h/2660-h.htm b/2660-h/2660-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b72e0b5 --- /dev/null +++ b/2660-h/2660-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4555 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" /> +<title>Early Australian Voyages</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + H1, H2 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + } + H3, H4 { + text-align: left; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h2> +<a href="#startoftext">Early Australian Voyages, by John Pinkerton</a> +</h2> +<pre> +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Early Australian Voyages, by John Pinkerton, +et al, Edited by Henry Morley + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Early Australian Voyages + + +Author: John Pinkerton + +Release Date: April 13, 2005 [eBook #2660] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES*** +</pre> +<p><a name="startoftext"></a></p> +<p>Transcribed from the 1886 Cassell & Company edition by David +Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk</p> +<h1>EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES<br /> +BY JOHN PINKERTON</h1> +<p>Contents:</p> +<p>Introduction<br /> +Pelsart<br /> +Tasman<br /> +Dampier</p> +<h2>INTRODUCTION.</h2> +<p>In the days of Plato, imagination found its way, before the mariners, +to a new world across the Atlantic, and fabled an Atlantis where America +now stands. In the days of Francis Bacon, imagination of the English +found its way to the great Southern Continent before the Portuguese +or Dutch sailors had sight of it, and it was the home of those wise +students of God and nature to whom Bacon gave his New Atlantis. +The discoveries of America date from the close of the fifteenth century. +The discoveries of Australia date only from the beginning of the seventeenth. +The discoveries of the Dutch were little known in England before the +time of Dampier’s voyage, at the close of the seventeenth century, +with which this volume ends. The name of New Holland, first given +by the Dutch to the land they discovered on the north-west coast, then +extended to the continent and was since changed to Australia.</p> +<p>During the eighteenth century exploration was continued by the English. +The good report of Captain Cook caused the first British settlement +to be made at Port Jackson, in 1788, not quite a hundred years ago, +and the foundations were then laid of the settlement of New South Wales, +or Sydney. It was at first a penal colony, and its Botany Bay +was a name of terror to offenders. Western Australia, or Swan +River, was first settled as a free colony in 1829, but afterwards used +also as a penal settlement; South Australia, which has Adelaide for +its capital, was first established in 1834, and colonised in 1836; Victoria, +with Melbourne for its capital, known until 1851 as the Port Philip +District, and a dependency of New South Wales, was first colonised in +1835. It received in 1851 its present name. Queensland, +formerly known as the Moreton Bay District, was established as late +as 1859. A settlement of North Australia was tried in 1838, and +has since been abandoned. On the other side of Bass’s Straits, +the island of Van Diemen’s Land, was named Tasmania, and established +as a penal colony in 1803.</p> +<p>Advance, Australia! The scattered handfuls of people have become +a nation, one with us in race, and character, and worthiness of aim. +These little volumes will, in course of time, include many aids to a +knowledge of the shaping of the nations. There will be later records +of Australia than these which tell of the old Dutch explorers, and of +the first real awakening of England to a knowledge of Australia by Dampier’s +voyage.</p> +<p>The great Australian continent is 2,500 miles long from east to west, +and 1,960 miles in its greatest breadth. Its climates are therefore +various. The northern half lies chiefly within the tropics, and +at Melbourne snow is seldom seen except upon the hills. The separation +of Australia by wide seas from Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, gives +it animals and plants peculiarly its own. It has been said that +of 5,710 plants discovered, 5,440 are peculiar to that continent. +The kangaroo also is proper to Australia, and there are other animals +of like kind. Of 58 species of quadruped found in Australia, 46 +were peculiar to it. Sheep and cattle that abound there now were +introduced from Europe. From eight merino sheep introduced in +1793 by a settler named McArthur, there has been multiplication into +millions, and the food-store of the Old World begins to be replenished +by Australian mutton.</p> +<p>The unexplored interior has given a happy hunting-ground to satisfy +the British spirit of adventure and research; but large waterless tracts, +that baffle man’s ingenuity, have put man’s powers of endurance +to sore trial.</p> +<p>The mountains of Australia are all of the oldest rocks, in which +there are either no fossil traces of past life, or the traces are of +life in the most ancient forms. Resemblance of the Australian +cordilleras to the Ural range, which he had especially been studying, +caused Sir Roderick Murchison, in 1844, to predict that gold would be +found in Australia. The first finding of gold—the beginning +of the history of the Australian gold-fields—was in February, +1851, near Bathurst and Wellington, and to-day looks back to the morning +of yesterday in the name of Ophir, given to the Bathurst gold-diggings.</p> +<p>Gold, wool, mutton, wine, fruits, and what more Australia can now +add to the commonwealth of the English-speaking people, Englishmen at +home have been learning this year in the great Indian and Colonial Exhibition, +which is to stand always as evidence of the numerous resources of the +Empire, as aid to the full knowledge of them, and through that to their +wide diffusion. We are a long way now from the wrecked ship of +Captain Francis Pelsart, with which the histories in this volume begin.</p> +<p>John Pinkerton was born at Edinburgh in February, 1758, and died +in Paris in March, 1826, aged sixty-eight. He was the best classical +scholar at the Lanark grammar school; but his father, refusing to send +him to a university, bound him to Scottish law. He had a strong +will, fortified in some respects by a weak judgment. He wrote +clever verse; at the age of twenty-two he went to London to support +himself by literature, began by publishing “Rimes” of his +own, and then Scottish Ballads, all issued as ancient, but of which +he afterwards admitted that fourteen out of the seventy-three were wholly +written by himself. John Pinkerton, whom Sir Walter Scott described +as “a man of considerable learning, and some severity as well +as acuteness of disposition,” made clear conscience on the matter +in 1786, when he published two volumes of genuine old Scottish Poems +from the MS. collections of Sir Richard Maitland. He had added +to his credit as an antiquary by an Essay on Medals, and then applied +his studies to ancient Scottish History, producing learned books, in +which he bitterly abused the Celts. It was in 1802 that Pinkerton +left England for Paris, where he supported himself by indefatigable +industry as a writer during the last twenty-four years of his life. +One of the most useful of his many works was that <i>General Collection +of the best and most interesting Voyages and Travels of the World</i>, +which appeared in seventeen quarto volumes, with maps and engravings, +in the years 1808-1814. Pinkerton abridged and digested most of +the travellers’ records given in this series, but always studied +to retain the travellers’ own words, and his occasional comments +have a value of their own.</p> +<p>H. M.</p> +<h2>VOYAGE OF FRANCIS PELSART TO AUSTRALASIA. 1628-29.</h2> +<p>It has appeared very strange to some very able judges of voyages, +that the Dutch should make so great account of the southern countries +as to cause the map of them to be laid down in the pavement of the Stadt +House at Amsterdam, and yet publish no descriptions of them. This +mystery was a good deal heightened by one of the ships that first touched +on Carpenter’s Land, bringing home a considerable quantity of +gold, spices, and other rich goods; in order to clear up which, it was +said that these were not the product of the country, but were fished +out of the wreck of a large ship that had been lost upon the coast. +But this story did not satisfy the inquisitive, because not attended +with circumstances necessary to establish its credit; and therefore +they suggested that, instead of taking away the obscurity by relating +the truth, this story was invented in order to hide it more effectually. +This suspicion gained ground the more when it was known that the Dutch +East India Company from Batavia had made some attempts to conquer a +part of the Southern continent, and had been repulsed with loss, of +which, however, we have no distinct or perfect relation, and all that +hath hitherto been collected in reference to this subject, may be reduced +to two voyages. All that we know concerning the following piece +is, that it was collected from the Dutch journal of the voyage, and +having said thus much by way of introduction, we now proceed to the +translation of this short history.</p> +<p>The directors of the East India Company, animated by the return of +five ships, under General Carpenter, richly laden, caused, the very +same year, 1628, eleven vessels to be equipped for the same voyage; +amongst which there was one ship called the <i>Batavia</i>, commanded +by Captain Francis Pelsart. They sailed out of the Texel on the +28th of October, 1628; and as it would be tedious and troublesome to +the reader to set down a long account of things perfectly well known, +I shall say nothing of the occurrences that happened in their passage +to the Cape of Good Hope; but content myself with observing that on +the 4th of June, in the following year 1629, this vessel, the <i>Batavia</i>, +being separated from the fleet in a storm, was driven on the Abrollos +or shoals, which lie in the latitude of 28 degrees south, and which +have been since called by the Dutch, the Abrollos of Frederic Houtman. +Captain Pelsart, who was sick in bed when this accident happened, perceiving +that his ship had struck, ran immediately upon deck. It was night +indeed; but the weather was fair, and the moon shone very bright; the +sails were up; the course they steered was north-east by north, and +the sea appeared as far as they could behold it covered with a white +froth. The captain called up the master and charged him with the +loss of the ship, who excused himself by saying he had taken all the +care he could; and that having discerned this froth at a distance, he +asked the steersman what he thought of it, who told him that the sea +appeared white by its reflecting the rays of the moon. The captain +then asked him what was to be done, and in what part of the world he +thought they were. The master replied, that God only knew that; +and that the ship was fast on a bank hitherto undiscovered. Upon +this they began to throw the lead, and found that they had forty-eight +feet of water before, and much less behind the vessel. The crew +immediately agreed to throw their cannon overboard, in hopes that when +the ship was lightened she might be brought to float again. They +let fall an anchor however; and while they were thus employed, a most +dreadful storm arose of wind and rain; which soon convinced them of +the danger they were in; for being surrounded with rocks and shoals, +the ship was continually striking.</p> +<p>They then resolved to cut away the mainmast, which they did, and +this augmented the shock, neither could they get clear of it, though +they cut it close by the board, because it was much entangled within +the rigging; they could see no land except an island which was about +the distance of three leagues, and two smaller islands, or rather rocks, +which lay nearer. They immediately sent the master to examine +them, who returned about nine in the morning, and reported that the +sea at high water did not cover them, but that the coast was so rocky +and full of shoals that it would be very difficult to land upon them; +they resolved, however, to run the risk, and to send most of their company +on shore to pacify the women, children, sick people, and such as were +out of their wits with fear, whose cries and noise served only to disturb +them. About ten o’clock they embarked these in their shallop +and skiff, and, perceiving their vessel began to break, they doubled +their diligence; they likewise endeavoured to get their bread up, but +they did not take the same care of the water, not reflecting in their +fright that they might be much distressed for want of it on shore; and +what hindered them most of all was the brutal behaviour of some of the +crew that made themselves drunk with wine, of which no care was taken. +In short, such was their confusion that they made but three trips that +day, carrying over to the island 180 persons, twenty barrels of bread, +and some small casks of water. The master returned on board towards +evening, and told the captain that it was to no purpose to send more +provisions on shore, since the people only wasted those they had already. +Upon this the captain went in the shallop, to put things in better order, +and was then informed that there was no water to be found upon the island; +he endeavoured to return to the ship in order to bring off a supply, +together with the most valuable part of their cargo, but a storm suddenly +arising, he was forced to return.</p> +<p>The next day was spent in removing their water and most valuable +goods on shore; and afterwards the captain in the skiff, and the master +in the shallop, endeavoured to return to the vessel, but found the sea +run so high that it was impossible to get on board. In this extremity +the carpenter threw himself out of the ship, and swam to them, in order +to inform them to what hardships those left in the vessel were reduced, +and they sent him back with orders for them to make rafts, by tying +the planks together, and endeavour on these to reach the shallop and +skiff; but before this could be done, the weather became so rough that +the captain was obliged to return, leaving, with the utmost grief, his +lieutenant and seventy men on the very point of perishing on board the +vessel. Those who were got on the little island were not in a +much better condition, for, upon taking an account of their water, they +found they had not above 40 gallons for 40 people, and on the larger +island, where there were 120, their stock was still less. Those +on the little island began to murmur, and to complain of their officers, +because they did not go in search of water, in the islands that were +within sight of them, and they represented the necessity of this to +Captain Pelsart, who agreed to their request, but insisted before he +went to communicate his design to the rest of the people; they consented +to this, but not till the captain had declared that, without the consent +of the company on the large is land, he would, rather than leave them, +go and perish on board the ship. When they were got pretty near +the shore, he who commanded the boat told the captain that if he had +anything to say, he must cry out to the people, for that they would +not suffer him to go out of the boat. The captain immediately +attempted to throw himself overboard in order to swim to the island. +Those who were in the boat prevented him; and all that he could obtain +from them was, to throw on shore his table-book, in which line wrote +a line or two to inform them that he was gone in the skiff to look for +water in the adjacent islands.</p> +<p>He accordingly coasted them all with the greatest care, and found +in most of them considerable quantities of water in the holes of the +rocks, but so mixed with the sea-water that it was unfit for use; and +therefore they were obliged to go farther. The first thing they +did was to make a deck to their boat, because they found it was impracticable +to navigate those seas in an open vessel. Some of the crew joined +them by the time the work was finished; and the captain having obtained +a paper, signed by all his men, importing that it was their desire that +he should go in search of water, he immediately put to sea, having first +taken an observation by which he found they were in the latitude of +28 degrees 13 minutes south. They had not been long at sea before +they had sight of the continent, which appeared to them to lie about +sixteen miles north by west from the place they had suffered shipwreck. +They found about twenty-five or thirty fathoms water; and as night drew +on, they kept out to sea; and after midnight stood in for the land, +that they might be near the coast in the morning. On the 9th of +June they found themselves as they reckoned, about three miles from +the shore; on which they plied all that day, sailing sometimes north, +sometimes west; the country appearing low, naked, and the coast excessively +rocky; so that they thought it resembled the country near Dover. +At last they saw a little creek, into which they were willing to put, +because it appeared to have a sandy bottom; but when they attempted +to enter it, the sea ran so high that they were forced to desist.</p> +<p>On the 10th they remained on the same coast, plying to and again, +as they had done the day before; but the weather growing worse and worse, +they were obliged to abandon their shallop, and even throw part of their +breath overboard, because it hindered them from clearing themselves +of the water, which their vessel began to make very fast. That +night it rained most terribly, which, though it gave them much trouble, +afforded them hopes that it would prove a great relief to the people +they had left behind them on the islands. The wind began to sink +on the 11th; and as it blew from the west-south-west, they continued +their course to the north, the sea running still so high that it was +impossible to approach the shore. On the 12th, they had an observation, +by which they found themselves in the latitude of 27 degrees; they sailed +with a south-east wind all that day along the coast, which they found +so steep that there was no getting on shore, inasmuch as there was no +creek or low land without the rocks, as is commonly observed on seacoasts; +which gave them the more pain because within land the country appeared +very fruitful and pleasant. They found themselves on the 13th +in the latitude of 25 degrees 40 minutes; by which they discovered that +the current set to the north. They were at this time over against +an opening; the coast lying to the north-east, they continued a north +course, but found the coast one continued rock of red colour all of +a height, against which the waves broke with such force that it was +impossible for them to land.</p> +<p>The wind blew very fresh in the morning on the 14th, but towards +noon it fell calm; they were then in the height of 24 degrees, with +a small gale at east, but the tide still carried them further north +than they desired, because their design was to make a descent as soon +as possible; and with this view they sailed slowly along the coast, +till, perceiving a great deal of smoke at a distance, they rowed towards +it as fast as they were able, in hopes of finding men, and water, of +course. When they came near the shore, they found it so steep, +so full of rocks, and the sea beating over them with such fury, that +it was impossible to land. Six of the men, however, trusting to +their skill in swimming, threw themselves into the sea and resolved +to get on shore at any rate, which with great difficulty and danger +they at last effected, the boat remaining at anchor in twenty-five fathoms +water. The men on shore spent the whole day in looking for water; +and while they were thus employed, they saw four men, who came up very +near; but one of the Dutch sailors advancing towards them, they immediately +ran away as fast as they were able, so that they were distinctly seen +by those in the boat. These people were black savages, quite naked, +not having so much as any covering about their middle. The sailors, +finding no hopes of water on all the coast, swam on board again, much +hurt and wounded by their being beat by the waves upon the rocks; and +as soon as they were on board, they weighed anchor, and continued their +course along the shore, in hopes of finding some better landing-place.</p> +<p>On the 25th, in the morning, they discovered a cape, from the point +of which there ran a ridge of rocks a mile into the sea, and behind +it another ridge of rocks. They ventured between them, as the +sea was pretty calm; but finding there was no passage, they soon returned. +About noon they saw another opening, and the sea being still very smooth, +they entered it, though the passage was very dangerous, inasmuch as +they had but two feet water, and the bottom full of stones, the coast +appearing a flat sand for about a mile. As soon as they got on +shore they fell to digging in the sand, but the water that came into +their wells was so brackish that they could not drink it, though they +were on the very point of choking for thirst. At last, in the +hollows of the rocks, they met with considerable quantities of rainwater, +which was a great relief to them, since they had been for some days +at no better allowance than a pint a-piece. They soon furnished +themselves in the night with about eighty gallons, perceiving, in the +place where they landed, that the savages had been there lately, by +a large heap of ashes and the remains of some cray-fish.</p> +<p>On the 16th, in the morning, they returned on shore, in hopes of +getting more water, but were disappointed; and having now time to observe +the country, it gave them no great hopes of better success, even if +they had travelled farther within land, which appeared a thirsty, barren +plain, covered with ant-hills, so high that they looked afar off like +the huts of negroes; and at the same time they were plagued with flies, +and those in such multitudes that they were scarce able to defend themselves. +They saw at a distance eight savages, with each a staff in his hand, +who advanced towards them within musket-shot; but as soon as they perceived +the Dutch sailors moving towards them, they fled as fast as they were +able. It was by this time about noon, and, perceiving no appearance +either of getting water, or entering into any correspondence with the +natives, they resolved to go on board and continue their course towards +the north, in hopes, as they were already in the latitude of 22 degrees +17 minutes, they might be able to find the river of Jacob Remmescens; +but the wind veering about to the north-east, they were not able to +continue longer upon that coast, and therefore reflecting that they +were now above one hundred miles from the place where they were shipwrecked, +and had scarce as much water as would serve them in their passage back, +they came to a settled resolution of making the best of their way to +Batavia, in order to acquaint the Governor-General with their misfortunes, +and to obtain such assistance as was necessary to get their people off +the coast.</p> +<p>On the 17th they continued their course to the north-east, with a +good wind and fair weather; the 18th and 19th it blew hard, and they +had much rain; on the 20th they found themselves in 19 degrees 22 minutes; +on the 22nd they had another observation, and found themselves in the +height of 16 degrees 10 minutes, which surprised them very much, and +was a plain proof that the current carried them northwards at a great +rate; on the 27th it rained very hard, so that they were not able to +take an observation; but towards noon they saw, to their great satisfaction, +the coasts of Java, in the latitude of 8 degrees, at the distance of +about four or five miles. They altered their course to west-north-west, +and towards evening entered the gulf of an island very full of trees, +where they anchored in eight fathoms water, and there passed the night; +on the 28th, in the morning, they weighed, and rowed with all their +force, in order to make the land, that they might search for water, +being now again at the point of perishing for thirst. Very happily +for them, they were no sooner on shore than they discovered a fine rivulet +at a small distance, where, having comfortably quenched their thirst, +and filled all their casks with water, they about noon continued their +course for Batavia.</p> +<p>On the 29th, about midnight, in the second watch, they discovered +an island, which they left on their starboard. About noon they +found themselves in the height of 6 degrees 48 minutes. About +three in the afternoon they passed between two islands, the westernmost +of which appeared full of cocoa trees. In the evening they were +about a mile from the south point of Java, and in the second watch exactly +between Java and the Isle of Princes. The 30th, in the morning, +they found themselves on the coast of the last-mentioned island, not +being able to make above two miles that day. On July 1st the weather +was calm, and about noon they were three leagues from Dwaersindenwegh, +that is, Thwart-the-way Island; but towards the evening they had a pretty +brisk wind at north-west, which enabled them to gain that coast. +On the 2nd, in the morning, they were right against the island of Topershoetien, +and were obliged to lie at anchor till eleven o’clock, waiting +for the sea-breeze, which, however, blew so faintly that they were not +able to make above two miles that day. About sunset they perceived +a vessel between them and Thwart-the-way Island, upon which they resolved +to anchor as near the shore as they could that night, and there wait +the arrival of the ship. In the morning they went on board her, +in hopes of procuring arms for their defence, in case the inhabitants +of Java were at war with the Dutch. They found two other ships +in company, on board one of which was Mr. Ramburg, counsellor of the +Indies. Captain Pelsart went immediately on board his ship, where +he acquainted him with the nature of his misfortune, and went with him +afterwards to Batavia.</p> +<p>We will now leave the captain soliciting succours from the Governor-General, +in order to return to the crew who were left upon the islands, among +whom there happened such transactions as, in their condition, the reader +would little expect, and perhaps will hardly credit! In order +to their being thoroughly understood, it is necessary to observe that +they had for supercargo one Jerom Cornelis, who had been formerly an +apothecary at Harlem. This man, when they were on the coast of +Africa, had plotted with the pilot and some others to run away with +the vessel, and either to carry her into Dunkirk, or to turn pirates +in her on their own account. This supercargo had remained ten +days on board the wreck, not being able in all that time to get on shore. +Two whole days he spent on the mainmast, floating to and fro, till at +last, by the help of one of the yards, he got to land. When he +was once on shore, the command, in the absence of Captain Pelsart, devolved +of course upon him, which immediately revived in his mind his old design, +insomuch that he resolved to lay hold of this opportunity to make himself +master of all that could be saved out of the wreck, conceiving that +it would be easy to surprise the captain on his return, and determining +to go on the account—that is to say, to turn pirate in the captain’s +vessel. In order to carry this design into execution, he thought +necessary to rid themselves of such of the crew as were not like to +come into their scheme; but before he proceeded to dip his hands in +blood, he obliged all the conspirators to sign an instrument, by which +they engaged to stand by each other.</p> +<p>The whole ship’s company were on shore in three islands, the +greatest part of them in that where Cornelis was, which island they +thought fit to call the burying-place of Batavia. One Mr. Weybhays +was sent with another body into an adjacent island to look for water, +which, after twenty days’ search, he found, and made the appointed +signal by lighting three fires, which, however, were not seen nor taken +notice of by those under the command of Cornelis, because they were +busy in butchering their companions, of whom they had murdered between +thirty and forty; but some few, however, got off upon a raft of planks +tied together, and went to the island where Mr. Weybhays was, in order +to acquaint him with the dreadful accident that had happened. +Mr. Weybhays having with him forty-five men, they all resolved to stand +upon their guard, and to defend themselves to the last man, in case +these villains should attack them. This indeed was their design, +for they were apprehensive both of this body, and of those who were +on the third island, giving notice to the captain on his return, and +thereby preventing their intention of running away with his vessel. +But as this third company was by much the weakest, they began with them +first, and cut them all off, except five women and seven children, not +in the least doubting that they should be able to do as much by Weybhays +and his company. In the meantime, having broke open the merchant’s +chests, which had been saved out of the wreck, they converted them to +their own use without ceremony.</p> +<p>The traitor, Jerom Cornelis, was so much elevated with the success +that had hitherto attended his villainy, that he immediately began to +fancy all difficulties were over, and gave a loose to his vicious inclinations +in every respect. He ordered clothes to be made of rich stuffs +that had been saved, for himself and his troop, and having chosen out +of them a company of guards, he ordered them to have scarlet coats, +with a double lace of gold or silver. There were two minister’s +daughters among the women, one of whom he took for his own mistress, +gave the second to a favourite of his, and ordered that the other three +women should be common to the whole troop. He afterwards drew +up a set of regulations, which were to be the laws of his new principality, +taking to himself the style and title of Captain-General, and obliging +his party to sign an act, or instrument, by which they acknowledged +him as such. These points once settled, he resolved to carry on +the war. He first of all embarked on board two shallops twenty-two +men, well armed, with orders to destroy Mr. Weybhays and his company; +and on their miscarrying, he undertook a like expedition with thirty-seven +men, in which, however, he had no better success; for Mr. Weybhays, +with his people, though armed only with staves with nails drove into +their heads, advanced even into the water to meet them, and after a +brisk engagement compelled these murderers to retire.</p> +<p>Cornelis then thought fit to enter into a negotiation, which was +managed by the chaplain, who remained with Mr. Weybhays, and after several +comings and goings from one party to the other, a treaty was concluded +upon the following terms—viz., That Mr. Weybhays and his company +should for the future remain undisturbed, provided they delivered up +a little boat, in which one of the sailors had made his escape from +the island in which Cornelis was with his gang, in order to take shelter +on that where Weybhays was with his company. It was also agreed +that the latter should have a part of the stuffs and silks given them +for clothes, of which they stood in great want. But, while this +affair was in agitation, Cornelis took the opportunity of the correspondence +between them being restored, to write letters to some French soldiers +that were in Weybhays’s company, promising them six thousand livres +apiece if they would comply with his demands, not doubting but by this +artifice he should be able to accomplish his end.</p> +<p>His letters, however, had no effect; on the contrary, the soldiers +to whom they were directed carried them immediately to Mr. Weybhays. +Cornelis, not knowing that this piece of treachery was discovered, went +over the next morning, with three or four of his people, to carry to +Mr. Weybhays the clothes that had been promised him. As soon as +they landed, Weybhays attacked them, killed two or three, and made Cornelis +himself prisoner. One Wonterloss, who was the only man that made +his escape, went immediately back to the conspirators, put himself at +their head, and came the next day to attack Weybhays, but met with the +same fate as before—that is to say, he and the villains that were +with him were soundly beat.</p> +<p>Things were in this situation when Captain Pelsart arrived in the +<i>Sardam</i> frigate. He sailed up to the wreck, and saw with +great joy a cloud of smoke ascending from one of the islands, by which +he knew that all his people were not dead. He came immediately +to an anchor, and having ordered some wine and provisions to be put +into the skiff, resolved to go in person with these refreshments to +one of these islands. He had hardly quitted the ship before he +was boarded by a boat from the island to which he was going. There +were four men in the boat, of whom Weybhays was one, who immediately +ran to the captain, told him what had happened, and begged him to return +to his ship immediately, for that the conspirators intended to surprise +her, that they had already murdered 125 persons, and that they had attacked +him and his company that very morning with two shallops.</p> +<p>While they were talking the two shallops appeared; upon which the +captain rowed to his ship as fast as he could, and was hardly got on +board before they arrived at the ship’s side. The captain +was surprised to see men in red coats laced with gold and silver, with +arms in their hands. He demanded what they meant by coming on +board armed. They told him he should know when they were on board +the ship. The captain replied that they should come on board, +but that they must first throw their arms into the sea, which if they +did not do immediately, he would sink them as they lay. As they +saw that disputes were to no purpose, and that they were entirely in +the captain’s power, they were obliged to obey. They accordingly +threw their arms overboard, and were then taken into the vessel, where +they were instantly put in irons. One of them, whose name was +John Bremen, and who was first examined, owned that he had murdered +with his own hands, or had assisted in murdering, no less than twenty-seven +persons. The same evening Weybhays brought his prisoner Cornelis +on board, where he was put in irons and strictly guarded.</p> +<p>On the 18th of September, Captain Pelsart, with the master, went +to take the rest of the conspirators in Cornelis’s island. +They went in two boats. The villains, as soon as they saw them +land, lost all their courage, and fled from them. They surrendered +without a blow, and were put in irons with the rest. The captain’s +first care was to recover the jewels which Cornelis had dispersed among +his accomplices: they were, however, all of them soon found, except +a gold chain and a diamond ring; the latter was also found at last, +but the former could not be recovered. They went next to examine +the wreck, which they found staved into an hundred pieces; the keel +lay on a bank of sand on one side, the fore part of the vessel stuck +fast on a rock, and the rest of her lay here and there as the pieces +had been driven by the waves, so that Captain Pelsart had very little +hopes of saving any of the merchandise. One of the people belonging +to Weybhays’s company told him that one fair day, which was the +only one they had in a month, as he was fishing near the wreck, he had +struck the pole in his hand against one of the chests of silver, which +revived the captain a little, as it gave him reason to expect that something +might still be saved. They spent all the 19th in examining the +rest of the prisoners, and in confronting them with those who escaped +from the massacre.</p> +<p>On the 20th they sent several kinds of refreshments to Weybhays’s +company, and carried a good quantity of water from the isle. There +was something very singular in finding this water; the people who were +on shore there had subsisted near three weeks on rainwater, and what +lodged in the clefts of the rocks, without thinking that the water of +two wells which were on the island could be of any use, because they +saw them constantly rise and fall with the tide, from whence they fancied +they had a communication within the sea, and consequently that the water +must be brackish; but upon trial they found it to be very good, and +so did the ship’s company, who filled their casks with it.</p> +<p>On the 21st the tide was so low, and an east-south-east wind blew +so hard, that during the whole day the boat could not get out. +On the 22nd they attempted to fish upon the wreck, but the weather was +so bad that even those who could swim very well durst not approach it. +On the 25th the master and the pilot, the weather being fair, went off +again to the wreck, and those who were left on shore, observing that +they wanted hands to get anything out of her, sent off some to assist +them. The captain went also himself to encourage the men, who +soon weighed one chest of silver, and some time after another. +As soon as these were safe ashore they returned to their work, but the +weather grew so bad that they were quickly obliged to desist, though +some of their divers from Guzarat assured them they had found six more, +which might easily be weighed. On the 26th, in the afternoon, +the weather being fair, and the tide low, the master returned to the +place where the chests lay, and weighed three of them, leaving an anchor +with a gun tied to it, and a buoy, to mark the place where the fourth +lay, which, notwithstanding their utmost efforts, they were not able +to recover.</p> +<p>On the 27th, the south wind blew very cold. On the 28th the +same wind blew stronger than the day before; and as there was no possibility +of fishing in the wreck for the present, Captain Pelsart held a council +to consider what they should do with the prisoners: that is to say, +whether it would be best to try them there upon the spot, or to carry +them to Batavia, in order to their being tried by the Company’s +officers. After mature deliberation, reflecting on the number +of prisoners, and the temptation that might arise from the vast quantity +of silver on board the frigate, they at last came to a resolution to +try and execute them there, which was accordingly done; and they embarked +immediately afterwards for Batavia.</p> +<h3>REMARKS.</h3> +<p>This voyage was translated from the original Dutch by Thevenot, and +printed by him in the first volume of his collections. Pelsart’s +route is traced in the map of the globe published by Delisle in the +year 1700.</p> +<p>As this voyage is of itself very short, I shall not detain the reader +with many remarks; but shall confine myself to a very few observations, +in order to show the consequences of the discovery made by Captain Pelsart. +The country upon which he suffered shipwreck was New Holland, the coast +of which had not till then been at all examined, and it was doubtful +how far it extended. There had indeed been some reports spread +with relation to the inhabitants of this country, which Captain Pelsart’s +relation shows to have been false; for it had been reported that when +the Dutch East India Company sent some ships to make discoveries, their +landing was opposed by a race of gigantic people, with whom the Dutch +could by no means contend. But our author says nothing of the +extraordinary size of the savages that were seen by Captain Pelsart’s +people; from whence it is reasonable to conclude that this story was +circulated with no other view than to prevent other nations from venturing +into these seas. It is also remarkable that this is the very coast +surveyed by Captain Dampier, whose account agrees exactly with that +contained in this voyage. Now though it be true, that from all +these accounts there is nothing said which is much to the advantage +either of the country or its inhabitants, yet we are to consider that +it is impossible to represent either in a worse light than that in which +the Cape of Good Hope was placed, before the Dutch took possession of +it; and plainly demonstrated that industry could make a paradise of +what was a perfect purgatory while in the hands of the Hottentots. +If, therefore, the climate of this country be good, and the soil fruitful, +both of which were affirmed in this relation, there could not be a more +proper place for a colony than some part of New Holland, or of the adjacent +country of Carpentaria. I shall give my reasons for asserting +this when I come to make my remarks on a succeeding voyage. At +present I shall confine myself to the reasons that have induced the +Dutch East India Company to leave all these countries unsettled, after +having first shown so strong an inclination to discover them, which +will oblige me to lay before the reader some secrets in commerce that +have hitherto escaped common observation, and which, whenever they are +as thoroughly considered as they deserve, will undoubtedly lead us to +as great discoveries as those of Columbus or Magellan.</p> +<p>In order to make myself perfectly understood, I must observe that +it was the finding out of the Moluccas, or Spice Islands, by the Portuguese, +that raised that spirit of discovery which produced Columbus’s +voyage, which ended in finding America; though in fact Columbus intended +rather to reach this country of New Holland. The assertion is +bold, and at first sight may appear improbable; but a little attention +will make it so plain, that the reader must be convinced of the truth +of what I say. The proposition made by Columbus to the State of +Genoa, the Kings of Portugal, Spain, England, and France, was this, +that he could discover a new route to the East Indies; that is to say, +without going round the Cape of Good Hope. He grounded this proposition +on the spherical figure of the earth, from whence he thought it self-evident +that any given point might be sailed to through the great ocean, either +by steering east or west. In his attempt to go to the East Indies +by a west course, he met with the islands and continent of America; +and finding gold and other commodities, which till then had never been +brought from the Indies, he really thought that this was the west coast +of that country to which the Portuguese sailed by the Cape of Good Hope, +and hence came the name of the West Indies. Magellan, who followed +his steps, and was the only discoverer who reasoned systematically, +and knew what he was doing, proposed to the Emperor Charles V. to complete +what Columbus had begun, and to find a passage to the Moluccas by the +west; which, to his immortal honour, he accomplished.</p> +<p>When the Dutch made their first voyages to the East Indies, which +was not many years before Captain Pelsart’s shipwreck on the coast +of New Holland, for their first fleet arrived in the East Indies in +1596, and Pelsart lost his ship in 1629—I say, when the Dutch +first undertook the East India trade, they had the Spice Islands in +view: and as they are a nation justly famous for the steady pursuit +of whatever they take in hand, it is notorious that they never lost +sight of their design till they had accomplished it, and made themselves +entirely masters of these islands, of which they still continue in possession. +When this was done, and they had effectually driven out the English, +who were likewise settled in them, they fixed the seat of their government +in the island of Amboyna, which lay very convenient for the discovery +of the southern countries; which, therefore, they prosecuted with great +diligence from the year 1619 to the time of Captain Pelsart’s +shipwreck; that is, for the space of twenty years.</p> +<p>But after they removed the seat of their government from Amboyna +to Batavia, they turned their views another way, and never made any +voyage expressly for discoveries on that side, except the single one +of Captain Tasman, of which we are to speak presently. It was +from this period of time that they began to take new measures, and having +made their excellent settlement at the Cape of Good Hope, resolved to +govern their trade to the East Indies by these two capital maxims: 1. +To extend their trade all over the Indies, and to fix themselves so +effectually in the richest countries as to keep all, or at least the +best and most profitable part of, their commerce to themselves; 2. +To make the Moluccas, and the islands dependent on them, their frontier, +and to omit nothing that should appear necessary to prevent strangers, +or even Dutch ships not belonging to the Company, from ever navigating +those seas, and consequently from ever being acquainted with the countries +that lie in them. How well they have prosecuted the first maxim +has been very largely shown in a foregoing article, wherein we have +an ample description of the mighty empire in the hands of their East +India Company. As for the second maxim, the reader, in the perusal +of Funnel’s, Dampier’s, and other voyages, but especially +the first, must be satisfied that it is what they have constantly at +heart, and which, at all events, they are determined to pursue, at least +with regard to strangers; and as to their own countrymen, the usage +they gave to James le Maire and his people is a proof that cannot be +contested.</p> +<p>Those things being considered, it is very plain that the Dutch, or +rather the Dutch East India Company, are fully persuaded that they have +already as munch or more territory in the East Indies than they can +well manage, and therefore they neither do nor ever will think of settling +New Guinea, Carpentaria, New Holland, or any of the adjacent islands, +till either their trade declines in the East Indies, or they are obliged +to exert themselves on this side to prevent other nations from reaping +the benefits that might accrue to them by their planting those countries. +But this is not all; for as the Dutch have no thoughts of settling these +countries themselves, they have taken all imaginable pains to prevent +any relations from being published which might invite or encourage any +other nation to make attempts this way; and I am thoroughly persuaded +that this very account of Captain Pelsart’s shipwreck would never +have come into the world if it had not been thought it would contribute +to this end, or, in other words, would serve to frighten other nations +from approaching such an inhospitable coast, everywhere beset with rocks +absolutely void of water, and inhabited by a race of savages more barbarous, +and, at the same time, more miserable than any other creatures in the +world.</p> +<p>The author of this voyage remarks, for the use of seamen, that in +the little island occupied by Weybhays, after digging two pits, they +were for a considerable time afraid to use the water, having found that +these pits ebbed and flowed with the sea; but necessity at last constraining +them to drink it, they found it did them no hurt. The reason of +the ebbing and flowing of these pits was their nearness to the sea, +the water of which percolated through the sand, lost its saltness, and +so became potable, though it followed the motions of the ocean whence +it came.</p> +<h2>THE VOYAGE OF CAPTAIN ABEL JANSEN TASMAN FOR THE DISCOVERY OF SOUTHERN +COUNTRIES. 1642-43.</h2> +<p>By direction of the Dutch East India Company. [Taken from his +original Journal.]</p> +<h3>CHAPTER I: THE OCCASION AND DESIGN OF THIS VOYAGE.</h3> +<p>The great discoveries that were made by the Dutch in these southern +countries were subsequent to the famous voyage of Jaques le Maire, who +in 1616 passed the straits called by his name; in 1618, that part of +Terra Australia was discovered which the Dutch called Concordia. +The next year, the Land of Edels was found, and received its name from +its discoverer. In 1620, Batavia was built on the ruins of the +old city of Jacatra; but the seat of government was not immediately +removed from Amboyna. In 1622, that part of New Holland which +is called Lewin’s Land was first found; and in 1627, Peter Nuyts +discovered between New Holland and New Guinea a country which bears +his name. There were also some other voyages made, of which, however, +we have no sort of account, except that the Dutch were continually beaten +in all their attempts to land upon this coast. On their settlement, +however, at Batavia, the then general and council of the Indies thought +it requisite to have a more perfect survey made of the new-found countries, +that the memory of them at least might be preserved, in case no further +attempts were made to settle them; and it was very probably a foresight +of few ships going that route any more, which induced such as had then +the direction of the Company’s affairs to wish that some such +survey and description might be made by an able seaman, who was well +acquainted with those coasts, and who might be able to add to the discoveries +already made, as well as furnish a more accurate description, even of +them, than had been hitherto given.</p> +<p>This was faithfully performed by Captain Tasman; and from the lights +afforded by his journal, a very exact and curious map was made of all +these new countries. But his voyage was never published entire; +and it is very probable that the East India Company never intended it +should be published at all. However, Dirk Rembrantz, moved by +the excellency and accuracy of the work, published in Low Dutch an extract +of Captain Tasman’s Journal, which has been ever since considered +as a very great curiosity; and, as such, has been translated into many +languages, particularly into our own, by the care of the learned Professor +of Gresham College, Doctor Hook, an abridgment of which translation +found a place in Doctor Harris’s Collection of Voyages. +But we have made no use of either of these pieces, the following being +a new translation, made with all the care and diligence that is possible.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER II: CAPTAIN TASMAN SAILS FROM BATAVIA, AUGUST 14, 1642.</h3> +<p>On August 14, 1642, I sailed from Batavia with two vessels; the one +called the <i>Heemskirk</i>, and the other the <i>Zee-Haan</i>. +On September 5 I anchored at Maurice Island, in the latitude of 20 degrees +south, and in the longitude of 83 degrees 48 minutes. I found +this island fifty German miles more to the east than I expected; that +is to say, 3 degrees 33 minutes of longitude. This island was +so called from Prince Maurice, being before known by the name of Cerne. +It is about fifteen leagues in circumference, and has a very fine harbour, +at the entrance of which there is one hundred fathoms water. The +country is mountainous; but the mountains are covered with green trees. +The tops of these mountains are so high that they are lost in the clouds, +and are frequently covered by thick exhalations or smoke that ascends +from them. The air of this island is extremely wholesome. +It is well furnished with flesh and fowl; and the sea on its coasts +abounds with all sorts of fish. The finest ebony in the world +grows here. It is a tall, straight tree of a moderate thickness, +covered with a green bark, very thick, under which the wood is as black +as pitch, and as close as ivory. There are other trees on the +island, which are of a bright red, and a third sort as yellow as wax. +The ships belonging to the East India Company commonly touch at this +island for refreshments on their passage to Batavia.</p> +<p>I left this island on the 8th of October, and continued my course +to the south to the latitude of 40 degrees or 41 degrees, having a strong +north-west wind; and finding the needle vary 23, 24, and 25 degrees +to the 22nd of October, I sailed from that time to the 29th to the east, +inclining a little to the south, till I arrived in the latitude of 45 +degrees 47 minutes south, and in the longitude of 89 degrees 44 minutes; +and then observed the variation of the needle to be 26 degrees 45 minutes +towards the west.</p> +<p>As our author was extremely careful in this particular, and observed +the variation of the needle with the utmost diligence, it may not be +amiss to take this opportunity of explaining this point, so that the +importance of his remarks may sufficiently appear. The needle +points exactly north only in a few places, and perhaps not constantly +in them; but in most it declines a little to the east, or to the west, +whence arises eastern and western declination: when this was first observed, +it was attributed to certain excavations or hollows in the earth, to +veins of lead, stone, and other such-like causes. But when it +was found by repeated experiments that this variation varied, it appeared +plainly that none of those causes could take place; since if they had, +the variation in the same place must always have been the same, whereas +the fact is otherwise.</p> +<p>Here at London, for instance, in the year 1580, the variation was +observed to be 11 degrees 17 minutes to the east; in the year 1666, +the variation was here 34 minutes to the west; and in the year 1734, +the variation was somewhat more than 1 degree west. In order to +find the variation of the needle with the least error possible, the +seamen take this method: they observe the point the sun is in by the +compass, any time after its rising, and then take the altitude of the +sun; and in the afternoon they observe when the sun comes to the same +altitude, and observe the point the sun is then in by the compass; for +the middle, between these two, is the true north or south point of the +compass; and the difference between that and the north or south upon +the card, which is pointed out by the needle, is the variation of the +compass, and shows how much the north and south, given by the compass, +deviates from the true north and south points of the horizon. +It appears clearly, from what has been said, that in order to arrive +at the certain knowledge of the variation, and of the variation of that +variation of the compass, it is absolutely requisite to have from time +to time distinct accounts of the variation as it is observed in different +places: whence the importance of Captain Tasman’s remarks, in +this respect, sufficiently appears. It is true that the learned +and ingenious Dr. Halley has given a very probable account of this matter; +but as the probability of that account arises only from its agreement +with observations, it follows those are as necessary and as important +as ever, in order to strengthen and confirm it.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER III: REMARKS ON THE VARIATION OF THE NEEDLE.</h3> +<p>On the 6th of November, I was in 49 degrees 4 minutes south latitude, +and in the longitude of 114 degrees 56 minutes; the variation was at +this time 26 degrees westward; and, as the weather was foggy, with hard +gales, and a rolling sea from the south-west and from the south, I concluded +from thence that it was not at all probable there should be any land +between those two points. On November 15th I was in the latitude +of 44 degrees 33 minutes south, and in the longitude of 140 degrees +32 minutes. The variation was then 18 degrees 30 minutes west, +which variation decreased every day, in such a manner, that, on the +21st of the same month, being in the longitude of 158 degrees, I observed +the variation to be no more than 4 degrees. On the 22nd of that +month, the needle was in continual agitation, without resting in any +of the eight points; which led me to conjecture that we were near some +mine of loadstone.</p> +<p>This may, at first sight, seem to contradict what has been before +laid down, as to the variation, and the causes of it: but, when strictly +considered, they will be found to agree very well; for when it is asserted +that veins of loadstone have nothing to do with the variation of the +compass, it is to be understood of the constant variation of a few degrees +to the east, or to the west: but in cases of this nature, where the +variation is absolutely irregular, and the needle plays quite round +the compass, our author’s conjecture may very well find place: +yet it must be owned that it is a point far enough from being clear, +that mines of loadstone affect the compass at a distance; which, however, +might be very easily determined, since there are large mines of loadstone +in the island of Elba, on the coast of Tuscany.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER IV: HE DISCOVERS A NEW COUNTRY TO WHICH HE GIVES THE NAME +OF VAN DIEMEN’S LAND.</h3> +<p>On the 24th of the same month, being in the latitude of 42 degrees +25 minutes south, and in the longitude of 163 degrees 50 minutes, I +discovered land, which lay east-south-east at the distance of ten miles, +which I called Van Diemen’s Land. The compass pointed right +towards this land. The weather being bad, I steered south and +by east along the coast, to the height of 44 degrees south, where the +land runs away east, and afterwards north-east and by north. In +the latitude of 43 degrees 10 minutes south, and in the longitude of +167 degrees 55 minutes, I anchored on the 1st of December, in a bay, +which I called the Bay of Frederic Henry. I heard, or at least +fancied I heard, the sound of people upon the shore; but I saw nobody. +All I met with worth observing was two trees, which were two fathoms +or two fathoms and a half in girth, and sixty or sixty-five feet high +from the root to the branches: they had cut with a flint a kind of steps +in the bark, in order to climb up to the birds’ nests: these steps +were the distance of five feet from each other; so that we must conclude +that either these people are of a prodigious size, or that they have +some way of climbing trees that we are not used to; in one of the trees +the steps were so fresh, that we judged they could not have been cut +above four days.</p> +<p>The noise we heard resembled the noise of some sort of trumpet; it +seemed to be at no great distance, but we saw no living creature notwithstanding. +I perceived also in the sand the marks of wild beasts’ feet, resembling +those of a tiger, or some such creature; I gathered also some gum from +the trees, and likewise some lack. The tide ebbs and flows there +about three feet. The trees in this country do not grow very close, +nor are they encumbered with bushes or underwood. I observed smoke +in several places; however, we did nothing more than set up a post, +on which every one cut his name, or his mark, and upon which I hoisted +a flag. I observed that in this place the variation was changed +to 3 degrees eastward. On December 5th, being then, by observation, +in the latitude of 41 degrees 34 minutes, and in the longitude 169 degrees, +I quitted Van Diemen’s Land, and resolved to steer east to the +longitude of 195 degrees, in hopes of discovering the Islands of Solomon.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER V: SAILS FROM THENCE FOR NEW ZEALAND.</h3> +<p>On September 9th I was in the latitude of 42 degrees 37 minutes south, +and in the longitude of 176 degrees 29 minutes; the variation being +there 5 degrees to the east. On the 12th of the same month, finding +a great rolling sea coming in on the south-west, I judged there was +no land to be hoped for on that point. On the 13th, being in the +latitude of 42 degrees 10 minutes south, and in the longitude of 188 +degrees 28 minutes, I found the variation 7 degrees 30 minutes eastward. +In this situation I discovered a high mountainous country, which is +at present marked in the charts under the name of New Zealand. +I coasted along the shore of this country to the north-north-east till +the 18th; and being then in the latitude of 40 degrees 50 minutes south, +and in the longitude of 191 degrees 41 minutes, I anchored in a fine +bay, where I observed the variation to be 9 degrees towards the east.</p> +<p>We found here abundance of the inhabitants: they had very hoarse +voices, and were very large-made people. They durst not approach +the ship nearer than a stone’s throw; and we often observed them +playing on a kind of trumpet, to which we answered with the instruments +that were on board our vessel. These people were of a colour between +brown and yellow, their hair long, and almost as thick as that of the +Japanese, combed up, and fixed on the top of their heads with a quill, +or some such thing, that was thickest in the middle, in the very same +manner that Japanese fastened their hair behind their heads. These +people cover the middle of their bodies, some with a kind of mat, others +with a sort of woollen cloth, but, as for their upper and lower parts, +they leave them altogether naked.</p> +<p>On the 19th of December, these savages began to grow a little bolder, +and more familiar, insomuch that at last they ventured on board the +<i>Heemskirk</i> in order to trade with those in the vessel. As +soon as I perceived it, being apprehensive that they might attempt to +surprise that ship, I sent my shallop, with seven men, to put the people +in the <i>Heemskirk</i> upon their guard, and to direct them not to +place any confidence in those people. My seven men, being without +arms, were attacked by these savages, who killed three of the seven, +and forced the other four to swim for their lives, which occasioned +my giving that place the name of the Bay of Murderers. Our ship’s +company would, undoubtedly, have taken a severe revenge, if the rough +weather had not hindered them. From this bay we bore away east, +having the land in a manner all round us. This country appeared +to us rich, fertile, and very well situated, but as the weather was +very foul, and we had at this time a very strong west wind, we found +it very difficult to get clear of the land.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER VI: VISITS THE ISLAND OF THE THREE KINGS, AND GOES IN SEARCH +OF OTHER ISLANDS DISCOVERED BY SCHOVTEN.</h3> +<p>On the 24th of December, as the wind would not permit us to continue +our way to the north, as we knew not whether we should be able to find +a passage on that side, and as the flood came in from the south-east, +we concluded that it would be the best to return into the bay, and seek +some other way out, but on the 26th, the wind becoming more favourable, +we continued our route to the north, turning a little to the west. +On the 4th of January, 1643, being then in the latitude of 34 degrees +35 minutes south, and in the longitude of 191 degrees 9 minutes, we +sailed quite to the cape, which lies north-west, where we found the +sea rolling in from the north-east, whence we concluded that we had +at last found a passage, which gave us no small joy. There was +in this strait an island, which we called the island of the Three Kings; +the cape of which we doubled, with a design to have refreshed ourselves; +but, as we approached it, we perceived on the mountain thirty or five-and-thirty +persons, who, as far as we could discern at such a distance, were men +of very large size, and had each of them a large club in his hand: they +called out to us in a rough strong voice, but we could meet understand +anything of what they said. We observed that these people walked +at a very great rate, and that they took prodigious large strides. +We made the tour of the island, in doing which we saw but very few inhabitants; +nor did any of the country seem to be cultivated; we found, indeed, +a fresh-water river, and then we resolved to sail east, as far as 220 +degrees of longitude; and from thence north, as far as the latitude +of 17 degrees south; and thence to the west, till we arrived at the +isles of Cocos and Horne, which were discovered by William Schovten, +where we intended to refresh ourselves, in case we found no opportunity +of doing it before, for though we had actually landed on Van Diemen’s +Land, we met with nothing there; and, as for New Zealand, we never set +foot on it.</p> +<p>In order to render this passage perfectly intelligible it is necessary +to observe that the island of Cocos lies in the latitude of 15 degrees +10 minutes south; and, according to Schovten’s account, is well +inhabited, and well cultivated, abounding with all sorts of refreshments; +but, at the same time, he describes the people as treacherous and base +to the last degree. As for the islands of Horne, they lie nearly +in the latitude of 15 degrees, are extremely fruitful, and inhabited +by people of a kind and gentle disposition, who readily bestowed on +the Hollanders whatever refreshments they could ask. It was no +wonder, therefore, that, finding themselves thus distressed, Captain +Tasman thought of repairing to these islands, where he was sure of obtaining +refreshments, either by fair means or otherwise, which design, however, +he did not think fit to put in execution.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER VII: REMARKABLE OCCURRENCES IN THE VOYAGE.</h3> +<p>On the 8th of January, being in the latitude of 30 degrees 25 minutes +south, and in the longitude of 192 degrees 20 minutes, we observed the +variation of the needle to be 90 degrees towards the east, and as we +had a high rolling sea from the south-west, I conjectured there could +not be any land hoped for on that side. On the 12th we found ourselves +in 30 degrees 5 minutes south latitude, and in 195 degrees 27 minutes +of longitude, where we found the variation 9 degrees 30 minutes to the +east, a rolling sea from the south-east and from the south-west. +It is very plain, from these observations, that the position laid down +by Dr. Halley, that the motion of the needle is not governed by the +poles of the world, but by other poles, which move round them, is highly +probable, for otherwise it is not easy to understand how the needle +came to have, as our author affirms it had, a variation of near 27 degrees +to the west, in the latitude of 45 degrees 47 minutes, and then gradually +decreasing till it had no variation at all; after which it turned east, +in the latitude of 42 degrees 37 minutes, and so continued increasing +its variation eastwardly to this time.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER VIII: OBSERVATIONS ON, AND EXPLANATION OF, THE VARIATION +OF THE COMPASS.</h3> +<p>On the 16th we were in the latitude of 26 degrees 29 minutes south, +and in the longitude of 199 degrees 32 minutes, the variation of the +needle being 8 degrees. Here we are to observe that the eastern +variation decreases, which is likewise very agreeable to Doctor Halley’s +hypothesis; which, in few words, is this: that a certain large solid +body contained within, and every way separated from the earth (as having +its own proper motion), and being included like a kernel in its shell, +revolves circularly from east to west, as the exterior earth revolves +the contrary way in the diurnal motion, whence it is easy to explain +the position of the four magnetical poles which he attributes to the +earth, by allowing two to the nucleus, and two to the exterior earth. +And, as the two former perpetually alter the situation by their circular +motion, their virtue, compared with the exterior poles, must be different +at different times, and consequently the variation of the needle will +perpetually change. The doctor attributes to the nucleus an European +north pole and an American south one, on account of the variation of +variations observed near these places, as being much greater than those +found near the two other poles. And he conjectures that these +poles will finish their revolution in about seven hundred years, and +after that time the same situation of the poles obtain again as at present, +and, consequently, the variations will be the same again over all the +globe; so that it requires several ages before this theory can be thoroughly +adjusted. He assigns this probable cause of the circular revolution +of the nucleus that the diurnal motion, being impressed from without, +was not so exactly communicated to the internal parts as to give them +the same precise velocity of rotation as the external, whence the nucleus, +being left behind by the exterior earth, seems to move slowly in a contrary +direction, as from east to west, with regard to the external earth, +considered as at rest in respect of the other. But to return to +our voyage.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER IX: DISCOVERS A NEW ISLAND, WHICH HE CALLS PYLSTAART ISLAND.</h3> +<p>On the 19th of January, being in the latitude of 22 degrees 35 minutes +south, and in the longitude of 204 degrees 15 minutes, we had 7 degrees +30 minutes east variation. In this situation we discovered an +island about two or three miles in circumference, which was, as far +as we could discern, very high, steep, and barren. We were very +desirous of coming nearer it, but were hindered by south-east and south-south-east +winds. We called it the Isle of Pylstaart, because of the great +number of that sort of birds we saw flying about it, and the next day +we saw two other islands.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER X: AND TWO ISLANDS, TO WHICH HE GIVES THE NAME OF AMSTERDAM +AND ROTTERDAM</h3> +<p>On the 21st, being in the latitude of 21 degrees 20 minutes south, +and in the longitude of 205 degrees 29 minutes, we found our variation +7 degrees to the north-east. We drew near to the coast of the +most northern island, which, though not very high, yet was the larger +of the two: we called one of these islands Amsterdam, and the other +Rotterdam. Upon that of Rotterdam we found great plenty of hogs, +fowls, and all sorts of fruits, and other refreshments. These +islanders did not seem to have the use of arms, inasmuch as we saw nothing +like them in any of their hands while we were upon the island; the usage +they gave us was fair and friendly, except that they would steal a little. +The current is not very considerable in this place, where it ebbs north-east, +and flows south-west. A south-west moon causes a spring-tide, +which rises seven or eight feet at least. The wind blows there +continually south-east, or south-south-east, which occasioned the <i>Heemskirk’s</i> +being carried out of the road, but, however, without any damage. +We did not fill any water here because it was extremely hard to get +it to the ship.</p> +<p>On the 25th we were in the latitude 20 degrees 15 minutes south, +and in the longitude of 206 degrees 19 minutes. The variation +here was 6 degrees 20 minutes to the east; and, after leaving had sight +of several other islands, we made that of Rotterdam: the islanders here +resemble those on the island of Amsterdam. The people were very +good-natured, parted readily with what they had, did not seem to be +acquainted with the use of arms, but were given to thieving like the +natives of Amsterdam Island. Here we took in water, and other +refreshments, with all the conveniency imaginable. We made the +whole circuit of the island, which we found well-stocked with cocoa-trees, +very regularly planted; we likewise saw abundance of gardens, extremely +well laid out, plentifully stocked with all kinds of fruit-trees, all +planted in straight lines, and the whole kept in such excellent order, +that nothing could have a better effect upon the eye. After quitting +the island of Rotterdam, we had sight of several other islands; which, +however, did not engage us to alter the resolution we had taken of sailing +north, to the height of 17 degrees south latitude, and from thence to +shape a west course, without going near either Traitor’s Island, +or those of Horne, we having then a very brisk wind from the south-east, +or east-south-east.</p> +<p>I cannot help remarking upon this part of Captain Tasman’s +journal, that it is not easy to conceive, unless he was bound up by +leis instructions, why he did not remain some time either at Rotterdam +or at Amsterdam Island, but especially at the former; since, perhaps, +there is not a place in the world so happily seated, for making new +discoveries with ease and safety. He owns that he traversed the +whole island, that he found it a perfect paradise, and that the people +gave him not the least cause of being diffident in point of security; +so that if his men had thrown up ever so slight a fortification, a part +of them might have remained there in safety, while the rest had attempted +the discovery of the Islands of Solomon on the one hand, or the continent +of De Quiros on the other, from neither of which they were at any great +distance, and, from his neglecting this opportunity, I take it for granted +that he was circumscribed, both as to his course and to the time he +was to employ in these discoveries, by his instructions, for otherwise +so able a seaman and so curious a man as his journal shows him to have +been, would not certainly have neglected so fair an opportunity.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER XI: AND AN ARCHIPELAGO OF TWENTY SMALL ISLANDS.</h3> +<p>On February 6th, being in 17 degrees 19 minutes of south latitude, +and in the longitude of 201 degrees 35 minutes, we found ourselves embarrassed +by nineteen or twenty small islands, every one of which was surrounded +with sands, shoals, and rocks. These are marked in the charts +by the name of Prince William’s Islands, or Heemskirk’s +Shallows. On the 8th we were in the latitude of 15 degrees 29 +minutes, and in the longitude of 199 degrees 31 minutes. We had +abundance of rain, a strong wind from the north-east, or the north-north-east, +with dark cold weather. Fearing, therefore, that we were run farther +to the west than we thought ourselves by our reckoning, and dreading +that we should fall to the south of New Guinea, or be thrown upon some +unknown coast in such blowing misty weather, we resolved to stand away +to the north, or to the north-north-west, till we should arrive in the +latitude of 4, 5, or 6 degrees south, and then to bear away west for +the coast of New Guinea, as the least dangerous way that we could take.</p> +<p>It is very plain from hence, that Captain Tasman had now laid aside +all thoughts of discovering farther, and I think it is not difficult +to guess at the reason; when he was in this latitude, he was morally +certain that he could, without further difficulty, sail round by the +coast of New Guinea, and so back again to the East Indies. It +is therefore extremely probable that he was directed by his instructions +to coast round that great southern continent already discovered, in +order to arrive at a certainty whether it was joined to any other part +of the world, or whether, notwithstanding its vast extent, viz., from +the equator to 43 degrees of south latitude, and from the longitude +of 123 degrees to near 190 degrees, it was, notwithstanding, an island. +This, I say, was in all appearance the true design of his voyage, and +the reason of it seems to be this: that an exact chart being drawn from +his discoveries, the East India Company might have perfect intelligence +of the extent and situation of this now-found country before they executed +the plan they were then contriving for preventing its being visited +or farther discovered by their own or any other nation; and this too +accounts for the care taken in laying down the map of this country on +the pavement of the new stadthouse at Amsterdam; for as this county +was henceforward to remain as a kind of deposit or land of reserve in +the hands of the East India Company, they took this method of intimating +as much to their countrymen, so that, while strangers are gaping at +this map as a curiosity, every intelligent Dutchman may say to himself, +“Behold the wisdom of the East India Company. By their present +empire they support the authority of this republic abroad, and by their +extensive commerce enrich its subjects at home, and at the same time +show us here what a reserve they have made for the benefit of posterity, +whenever, through the vicissitudes to which all sublunary things are +liable, their present sources of power and grandeur shall fail.”</p> +<p>I cannot help supporting my opinion in this respect, by putting the +reader in mind of a very curious piece of ancient history, which furnishes +us with the like instance in the conduct of another republic. +Diodorus Siculus, in the fifth book of his Historical Library, informs +us that in the African Ocean, some days’ sail west from Libya, +there had been discovered an island, the soil of which was exceedingly +fertile and the country no less pleasant, all the land being finely +diversified by mountains and plains, the former thick clothed with trees, +the latter abounding with fruits and flowers, the whole watered by innumerable +rivulets, and affording so pleasant an habitation that a finer or more +delightful country fancy itself could not feign; yet he assures us, +the Carthagenians, those great masters of maritime power and commerce, +though they had discovered this admirable island, would never suffer +it to be planted, but reserved it as a sanctuary to which they might +fly, whenever the ruin of their own republic left them no other resource. +This tallies exactly with the policy of the Dutch East India Company, +who, if they should at any time be driven from their possessions in +Java, Ceylon, and other places in that neighbourhood, would without +doubt retire back into the Moluccas, and avail themselves effectually +of this noble discovery, which lies open to them, and has been hitherto +close shut up to all the world beside. But to proceed.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER XII: OCCURRENCES IN THE VOYAGE.</h3> +<p>On February 14th we were in the latitude of 16 degrees 30 minutes +south, and in the longitude of 193 degrees 35 minutes. We had +hitherto had much rain and bad weather, but this day the wind sinking, +we hailed our consort the <i>Zee-Haan</i>, and found to our great satisfaction +that our reckonings agreed. On the 20th, in the latitude of 13 +degrees 45 minutes, and in the longitude of 193 degrees 35 minutes, +we had dark, cloudy weather, much rain, thick fogs, and a rolling sea, +on all sides the wind variable. On the 26th, in the latitude of +9 degrees 48 minutes south, and in the longitude of 193 degrees 43 minutes, +we had a north-west wind, having every day, for the space of twenty-one +days, rained more or less. On March 2nd, in the latitude of 9 +degrees 11 minutes south, and in the longitude of 192 degrees 46 minutes, +the variation was 10 degrees to the east, the wind and weather still +varying. On March 8th, in the latitude of 7 degrees 46 minutes +south, and in the longitude of 190 degrees 47 minutes, the wind was +still variable.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER XIII: HE ARRIVES AT THE ARCHIPELAGO OF ANTHONG JAVA.</h3> +<p>On the 14th, in the latitude of 10 degrees 12 minutes south, and +in the longitude of 186 degrees 14 minutes, we found the variation 8 +degrees 45 minutes to the east. We passed some days without being +able to take any observation, because the weather was all that time +dark and rainy. On March 20th, in the latitude of 5 degrees 15 +minutes south, and in the longitude of 181 degrees 16 minutes, the weather +being then fair, we found the variation 9 degrees eastward. On +the 22nd, in the latitude of 5 degrees 2 minutes south, and in the longitude +of 178 degrees 32 minutes, we had fine fair weather, and the benefit +of the east trade wind. This day we had sight of land, which lay +four miles west. This land proved to be a cluster of twenty islands, +which in the maps are called Anthong Java. They lie ninety miles +or thereabouts from the coast of New Guinea. It may not be amiss +to observe here, that what Captain Tasman calls the coast of New Guinea, +is in reality the coast of New Britain, which Captain Dampier first +discovered to be a large island separated from the coast of New Guinea.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER XIV: HIS ARRIVAL ON THE COAST OF NEW GUINEA.</h3> +<p>On the 25th, in the latitude of 4 degrees 35 minutes south, and in +the longitude of 175 degrees 10 minutes, we found the variation 9 degrees +30 minutes east. We were then in the height of the islands of +Mark, which were discovered by William Schovten and James le Maire. +They are fourteen or fifteen in number, inhabited by savages, with black +hair, dressed and trimmed in the same manner as those we saw before +at the Bay of Murderers in New Zealand. On the 29th we passed +the Green Islands, and on the 30th that of St. John, which were likewise +discovered by Schovten and Le Maire. This island they found to +be of a considerable extent, and judged it to lie at the distance of +one thousand eight hundred and forty leagues from the coast of Peru. +It appeared to them well inhabited and well cultivated, abounding with +flesh, fowl, fish, fruit, and other refreshments. The inhabitants +made use of canoes of all sizes, were armed with slings, darts, and +wooden swords, wore necklaces and bracelets of pearl, and rings in their +noses. They were, however, very intractable, notwithstanding all +the pains that could be taken to engage them in a fair correspondence, +so that Captain Schovten was at last obliged to fire upon them to prevent +them from making themselves masters of his vessel, which they attacked +with a great deal of vigour; and very probably this was the reason that +Captain Tasman did not attempt to land or make any farther discovery. +On April 1st, we were in the latitude of 4 degrees 30 minutes south, +and in the longitude of 171 degrees 2 minutes, the variation being 8 +degrees 45 minutes to the east, having now sight of the coast of New +Guinea; and endeavouring to double the cape which the Spaniards call +Cobo Santa Maria, we continued to sail along the coast which lies north-west. +We afterwards passed the islands of Antony Caens, Gardeners Island, +and Fishers Island, advancing towards the promontory called Struis Hoek, +where the coast runs south and south-east. We resolved to pursue +the same route, and to continue steering south till we should either +discover land or a passage on that side.</p> +<p>It is necessary to observe, that all this time they continued on +the coast, not of New Guinea but of New Britain, for that cape which +the Spaniards called Santa Maria is the very same that Captain Dampier +called Cape St. George, and Caens, Gardeners, and Fishers Islands all +lie upon the same coast. They had been discovered by Schovten +and Le Maire, who found them to be well inhabited, but by a very base +and treacherous people, who, after making signs of peace, attempted +to surprise their ships; and these islanders managed their slings with +such force and dexterity, as to drive the Dutch sailors from their decks; +which account of Le Maire’s agree perfectly well with what Captain +Dampier tells us of the same people. As for the continent of New +Guinea, it lies quite behind the island of New Britain, and was therefore +laid down in all the charts before Dampier’s discovery, at least +four degrees more to the east than it should have been.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER XV: CONTINUES HIS VOYAGE ALONG THAT COAST.</h3> +<p>On April 12th, in the latitude of 3 degrees 45 minutes south, and +in the longitude of 167 degrees, we found the variation 10 degrees towards +the east. That night part of the crew were wakened out of their +sleep by an earthquake. They immediately ran upon deck, supposing +that the ship had struck. On heaving the lead, however, there +was no bottom to be found. We had afterwards several shocks, but +none of them so violent as the first. We had then doubled the +Struis Hoek, and were at that time in the Bay of Good Hope. On +the 14th, in the latitude of 5 degrees 27 minutes south, and in the +longitude of 166 degrees 57 minutes, we observed the variation to be +9 degrees 15 minutes to the east. The land lay then north-east, +east-north-east, and again south-south-west, so that we imagined there +had been a passage between those two points; but we were soon convinced +of our mistake, and that it was all one coast, so that we were obliged +to double the West Cape and to continue creeping along shore, and were +much hindered in our passage by calms. This description agrees +very well with that of Schovten and Le Maire, so that probably they +had now sight again of the coast of New Guinea.</p> +<p>It is very probable, from the accident that happened to Captain Tasman, +and which also happened to others upon that coast, and from the burning +mountains that will be hereafter mentioned, that this country is very +subject to earthquakes, and if so, without doubt it abounds with metals +and minerals, of which we have also another proof from a point in which +all these writers agree, viz., that the people they saw had rings on +their noses and ears, though none of them tell us of what metal these +rings were made, which Le Maire might easily have done, since he carried +off a man from one of the islands whose name was Moses, from whom he +learned that almost every nation on this coast speaks a different language.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER XVI: ARRIVES IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF BURNING ISLAND, AND +SURVEYS THE WHOLE COAST OF NEW GUINEA.</h3> +<p>On the 20th, in the latitude of 5 degrees 4 minutes south, and in +the longitude 164 degrees 27 minutes, we found the variation 8 degrees +30 minutes east. We that night drew near the Brandande Yland, +<i>i.e</i>., burning island, which William Schovten mentions, and we +perceived a great flame issuing, as he says, from the top of a high +mountain. When we were between that island and the continent, +we saw a vast number of fires along the shore and half-way up the mountain, +from whence we concluded that the country must be very populous. +We were often detained on this coast by calms, and frequently observed +small trees, bamboos, and shrubs, which the rivers on that coast carried +into the sea; from which we inferred that this part of the country was +extremely well watered, and that the land must be very good. The +next morning we passed the burning mountain, and continued a west-north-west +course along that coast.</p> +<p>It is remarkable that Schovten had made the same observation with +respect to the driftwood forced by the rivers into the sea. He +likewise observed that there was so copious a discharge of fresh water, +that it altered the colour and the taste of the sea. He likewise +says that the burning island is extremely well peopled, and also well +cultivated. He afterwards anchored on the coast of the continent, +and endeavoured to trade with the natives, who made him pay very dear +for hogs and cocoa-nuts, and likewise showed him some ginger. +It appears from Captain Tasman’s account that he was now in haste +to return to Batavia, and did not give himself so much trouble as at +the beginning about discoveries, and to say the truth, there was no +great occasion, if, as I observed, his commission was no more than to +sail round the new discovered coasts, in order to lay them down with +greater certainty in the Dutch charts.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER XVII: COMES TO THE ISLANDS OF JAMA AND MOA.</h3> +<p>On the 27th, being in the latitude of 2 degrees 10 minutes south, +and in the longitude of 146 degrees 57 minutes, we fancied that we had +a sight of the island of Moa, but it proved to be that of Jama, which +lies a little to the east of Moa. We found here great plenty of +cocoa-nuts and other refreshments. The inhabitants were absolutely +black, and could easily repeat the words that they heard others speak, +which shows their own to be a very copious language. It is, however, +exceedingly difficult to pronounce, because they make frequent use of +the letter R, and sometimes to such a degree that it occurs twice or +thrice in the same word. The next day we anchored on the coast +of the island of Moa, where we likewise found abundance of refreshments, +and where we were obliged by bad weather to stay till May 9th. +We purchased there, by way of exchange, six thousand cocoa-nuts, and +a hundred bags of pysanghs or Indian figs. When we first began +to trade with these people, one of our seamen was wounded by an arrow +that one of the natives let fly, either through malice or inadvertency. +We were at that very juncture endeavouring to bring our ships close +to the shore, which so terrified these islanders, that they brought +of their own accord on board us, the man who had shot the arrow and +left him at our mercy. We found them after this accident much +more tractable than before in every respect. Our sailors, therefore, +pulled off the iron hoops from some of the old water-casks, stuck them +into wooden handles, and filing them to an edge, sold these awkward +knives to the inhabitants for their fruits.</p> +<p>In all probability they had not forgot what happened to our people +on July 16th, 1616, in the days of William Schovten: these people, it +seems, treated him very ill; upon which James le Maire brought his ship +close to the shore, and fired a broadside through the woods; the bullets, +flying through the trees, struck the negroes with such a panic, that +they fled in an instant up into the country, and durst not show their +heads again till they had made full satisfaction for what was past, +and thereby secured their safety for the time to come; and he traded +with them afterwards very peaceably, and with mutual satisfaction.</p> +<p>This account of our author’s seems to have been taken upon +memory, and is not very exact. Schovten’s seamen, or rather +the petty officer who commanded his long boat, insulted the natives +grossly before they offered any injury to his people; and then, notwithstanding +they fired upon them with small arms, the islanders obliged them to +retreat; so that they were forced to bring the great guns to bear upon +the island before they could reduce them. These people do not +deserve to be treated as savages, because Schovten acknowledges that +they had been engaged in commerce with the Spaniards; as appeared by +their having iron pots, glass beads, and pendants, with other European +commodities, before he came thither. He also tells us that they +were a very civilised people, their country well cultivated and very +fruitful; that they had a great many boats, and other small craft, which +they navigated with great dexterity. He adds also, that they gave +him a very distinct account of the neighbouring islands, and that they +solicited him to fire upon the Arimoans, with whom it seems they are +always at war; which, however, he refused to do, unless provoked to +it by some injury offered by those people. It is therefore very +apparent that the inhabitants of Moa are a people with whom any Europeans, +settled in their neighbourhood, might without any difficulty settle +a commerce, and receive considerable assistance from them in making +discoveries. But perhaps some nations are fitter for these kind +of expeditions than others, as being less apt to make use of their artillery +and small arms upon every little dispute; for as the inhabitants of +Moa are well enough acquainted with the superiority which the Europeans +have over them, it cannot be supposed that they will ever hazard their +total destruction by committing any gross act of cruelty upon strangers +who visit their coast; and it is certainly very unfair to treat people +as savages and barbarians, merely for defending themselves when insulted +or attacked without cause. The instance Captain Tasman gives us +of their delivering up the man who wounded his sailor is a plain proof +of this; and as to the diffidence and suspicion which some later voyagers +have complained of with respect to the inhabitants of this island, they +must certainly be the effects of the bad behaviour of such Europeans +as this nation have hitherto dealt with, and would be effectually removed, +if ever they had a settled experience of a contrary conduct. The +surest method of teaching people to behave honestly towards us is to +behave friendly and honestly towards them, and then there is no great +reason to fear, that such as give evident proofs of capacity and civility +in the common affairs of life should be guilty of treachery that must +turn to their own disadvantage.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER XVIII: PROSECUTES HIS VOYAGE TO CERAM.</h3> +<p>On the 12th of May, being then in the latitude of 54 minutes south, +and in the longitude of 153 degrees 17 minutes, we found the variation +6 degrees 30 minutes to the east. We continued coasting the north +side of the island of William Schovten, which is about eighteen or nineteen +miles long, very populous, and the people very brisk and active. +It was with great caution that Schovten gave his name to this island, +for having observed that there were abundance of small islands laid +down in the charts on the coast of New Guinea, he was suspicious that +this might be of the number. But since that time it seems a point +generally agreed, that this island had not before any particular name; +and therefore, in all subsequent voyages, we find it constantly mentioned +by the name of Schovten’s Island.</p> +<p>He describes it as a very fertile and well-peopled island; the inhabitants +of which were so far from discovering anything of a savage nature, that +they gave apparent testimonies of their having had an extensive commerce +before he touched there, since they not only showed him various commodities +from the Spaniards, but also several samples of China ware; he observes +that they are very unlike the nations he had seen before, being rather +of an olive colour than black; some having short, others long hair, +dressed after different fashions; they were also a taller, stronger, +and stouter people than their neighbours. These little circumstances, +which may seem tedious or trifling to such as read only for amusement, +are, however, of very great importance to such as have discoveries in +view; because they argue that these people have a general correspondence; +the difference of their complexion must arise from a mixed descent; +and the different manner of wearing their hair is undoubtedly owing +to their following the fashion of different nations, as their fancies +lead them. He farther observes that their vessels were larger +and better contrived than their neighbours; that they readily parted +with their bows and arrows in exchange for goods, and that they were +particularly fond of glass and ironware, which, perhaps, they not only +used themselves, but employed likewise in their commerce. The +most western point of the island he called the Cape of Good Hope, because +by doubling that cape he expected to reach the island of Banda; and +that we may not wonder that he was in doubts and difficulties as to +the situation on of these places, we ought to reflect that Schovten +was the first who sailed round the world by this course, and the last +too, except Commodore Roggewein, other navigators choosing rather to +run as high as California, and from thence to the Ladrone Islands, merely +because it is the ordinary route.</p> +<p>In the neighbourhood of this island Schovten also met with an earthquake, +which alarmed the ship’s company excessively, from an apprehension +that they had struck upon a rock. There are some other islands +in the neighbourhood of this, well peopled, and well planted, abounding +with excellent fruits, especially of the melon kind. These islands +lie, as it were, on the confines of the southern continent, and the +East Indies, so that the inhabitants enjoy all the advantages resulting +from their own happy climate, and from their traffic with their neighbours, +especially with those of Ternate and Amboyna, who come thither yearly +to purchase their commodities, and who are likewise visited at certain +seasons by the people of these islands in their turn.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER XIX: ARRIVES SAFELY AT BATAVIA, JUNE 15, 1643.</h3> +<p>On the 18th of May, in the latitude of 26 minutes south and in the +longitude of 147 degrees 55 minutes, we observed the variation to be +5 degrees 30 minutes east. We were now arrived at the western +extremity of New Guinea, which is a detached point or promontory (though +it is not marked so even in the latest maps); here we met with calms, +variable and contrary winds, with much rain; from thence we steered +for Ceram, leaving the Cape on the north, and arrived safely on that +island; by this time Captain Tasman had fairly surrounded the continent +he was instructed to discover, and had therefore nothing now farther +in view than to return to Batavia, in order to report the discoveries +he had made.</p> +<p>On the 27th of May we passed through the straits of Boura, or Bouton, +and continued our passage to Batavia, where we arrived on the 15th of +June, in the latitude of 6 degrees 12 minutes south, and in the longitude +of 127 degrees 18 minutes. This voyage was made in the space of +ten months. Such was the end of this expedition, which has been +always considered as the clearest and most exact that was ever made +for the discovery of the Terra Australis Incognita, from whence that +chart and map was laid down in the pavement of the stadt-house at Amsterdam, +as is before mentioned. We have now nothing to do but to shut +up this voyage and our history of circumnavigators, with a few remarks, +previous to which it will be requisite to state clearly and succinctly +the discoveries, either made or confirmed by Captain Tasman’s +voyage, that the importance of it may fully appear, as well as the probability +of our conjectures with regard to the motives that induced the Dutch +East India Company to be at so much pains about these discoveries.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER XX: CONSEQUENCES OF CAPTAIN TASMAN’S DISCOVERIES.</h3> +<p>In the first place, then, it is most evident, from Captain Tasman’s +voyage, that New Guinea, Carpentaria, New Holland, Antony van Diemen’s +Land, and the countries discovered by De Quiros, make all one continent, +from which New Zealand seems to be separated by a strait; and, perhaps, +is part of another continent, answering to Africa, as this, of which +we are now speaking, plainly does to America. This continent reaches +from the equinoctial to 44 degrees of south latitude, and extends from +122 degrees to 188 degrees of longitude, making indeed a very large +country, but nothing like what De Quiros imagined; which shows how dangerous +a thing it is to trust too much to conjecture in such points as these. +It is, secondly, observable, that as New Guinea, Carpentaria, and New +Holland, had been already pretty well examined, Captain Tasman fell +directly to the south of these; so that his first discovery was Van +Diemen’s Land, the most southern part of the continent on this +side the globe, and then passing round by New Zealand, he plainly discovered +the opposite side of that country towards America, though he visited +the islands only, and never fell in again with the continent till he +arrived on the coast of New Britain, which he mistook for that of New +Guinea, as he very well might; that country having never been suspected +to be an island, till Dampier discovered it to be such in the beginning +of the present century. Thirdly, by this survey, these countries +are for ever marked out, so long as the map or memory of this voyage, +shall remain. The Dutch East India Company have it always in their +power to direct settlements, or new discoveries, either in New Guinea, +from the Moluccas, or in New Holland, from Batavia directly. The +prudence shown in the conduct of this affair deserves the highest praise. +To have attempted heretofore, or even now, the establishing colonies +in those countries, would be impolitic, because it would be grasping +more than the East India Company, or than even the republic of Holland, +could manage; for, in the first place, to reduce a continent between +three and four thousand miles broad is a prodigious undertaking, and +to settle it by degrees would be to open to all the world the importance +of that country which, for anything we can tell, may be much superior +to any country yet known: the only choice, therefore, that the Dutch +had left, was to reserve this mighty discovery till the season arrived, +in which they should be either obliged by necessity or invited by occasion +to make use of it; but though this country be reserved, it is no longer +either unknown or neglected by the Dutch, which is a point of very great +consequence. To the other nations of Europe, the southern continent +is a chimera, a thing in the clouds, or at least a country about which +there are a thousand doubts and suspicions, so that to talk of discovering +or settling it must be regarded as an idle and empty project: but, with +respect to them, it is a thing perfectly well known; its extent, its +boundaries, its situation, the genius of its several nations, and the +commodities of which they are possessed, are absolutely within their +cognisance, so that they are at liberty to take such measures as appear +to them best, for securing the eventual possession of this country, +whenever they think fit. This account explains at once all the +mysteries which the best writers upon this subject have found in the +Dutch proceedings. It shows why they have been at so much pains +to obtain a clear and distinct survey of these distant countries; why +they have hitherto forborne settling, and why they take so much pains +to prevent other nations from coming at a distinct knowledge of them: +and I may add to this another particular, which is that it accounts +for their permitting the natives of Amboyna, who are their subjects, +to carry on a trade to New Guinea, and the adjacent countries, since, +by this very method, it is apparent that they gain daily fresh intelligence +as to the product and commodities of those countries. Having thus +explained the consequence of Captain Tasman’s voyage, and thereby +fully justified my giving it a place in this part of my work, I am now +at liberty to pursue the reflections with which I promised to close +this section, and the history of circumnavigators, and in doing which, +I shall endeavour to make the reader sensible of the advantages that +arise from publishing these voyages in their proper order, so as to +show what is, and what is yet to be discovered of the globe on which +we live.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER XXI: REMARKS UPON THE VOYAGE.</h3> +<p>In speaking of the consequences of Captain Tasman’s voyage, +it has been very amply shown that this part of Terra Australis, or southern +country, has been fully and certainly discovered. To prevent, +however, the reader’s making any mistake, I will take this opportunity +of laying before him some remarks on the whole southern hemisphere, +which will enable him immediately to comprehend all that I have afterwards +to say on this subject.</p> +<p>If we suppose the south pole to be the centre of a chart of which +the equinoctial is the circumference, we shall then discern four quarters, +of the contents of which, if we could give a full account, this part +of the world would be perfectly discovered. To begin then with +the first of these, that is, from the first meridian, placed in the +island of Fero. Within this division, that is to say, from the +first to the nineteenth degree of longitude, there lies the great continent +of Africa, the most southern point of which is the Cape of Good Hope, +lying in the latitude of 34 degrees 15 minutes south. Between +that and the pole, several small but very inconsiderable islands have +been discovered, affording us only this degree of certainty, that to +the latitude of 50 degrees there is no land to be found of any consequence; +there was, indeed, a voyage made by Mr. Bovet in the year 1738, on purpose +to discover whether there were any lands to the south in that quarter +or not. This gentleman sailed from Port l’Orient July the +18th, 1738, and on the 1st of January, 1739, discovered a country, the +coasts of which were covered with ice, in the latitude of 54 degrees +south, and in the longitude of 28 degrees 30 minutes, the variation +of the compass being there 6 degrees 45 minutes, to the west.</p> +<p>In the next quarter, that is to say, from 90 degrees longitude to +180 degrees, lie the countries of which we have been speaking, or that +large southern island, extending from the equinoctial to the latitude +of 43 degrees 10 minutes, and the longitude of 167 degrees 55 minutes, +which is the extremity of Van Diemen’s Land.</p> +<p>In the third quarter, that is, from the longitude of 150 degrees +to 170 degrees, there is very little discovered with any certainty. +Captain Tasman, indeed, visited the coast of New Zealand, in the latitude +of 42 degrees 10 minutes south, and in the longitude of 188 degrees +28 minutes; but besides this, and the islands of Amsterdam and Rotterdam, +we know very little; and therefore, if there be any doubts about the +reality of Terra Australis, it must be with respect to that part of +it which lies within this quarter, through which Schovten and Le Maire +sailed, but without discovering anything more than a few small islands.</p> +<p>The fourth and last quarter is from 270 degrees of longitude to the +first meridian, within which lies the continent of South America, and +the island of Terra del Fuego, the most southern promontory of which +is supposed to be Cape Horn, which, according to the best of observations, +is in the latitude of 56 degrees, beyond which there has been nothing +with any degree of certainty discovered on this side.</p> +<p>On the whole, therefore, it appears there are three continents already +tolerably discovered which point towards the south pole, and therefore +it is very probable there is a fourth, which if there be, it must lie +between the country of New Zealand, discovered by Captain Tasman, and +that country which was seen by Captain Sharpe and Mr. Wafer in the South +Seas, to which land therefore, and no other, the title of Terra Australis +Incognita properly belongs. Leaving this, therefore, to the industry +of future ages to discover, we will now return to that great southern +island which Captain Tasman actually surrounded, and the bounds of which +are tolerably well known.</p> +<p>In order to give the reader a proper idea of the importance of this +country, it will be requisite to say something of the climates in which +it is situated. As it lies from the equinoctial to near the latitude +of 44 degrees, the longest day in the most northern parts must be twelve +hours, and in the southern about fifteen hours, or somewhat more, so +that it extends from the first to the seventh climate, which shows its +situation to be the happiest in the world, the country called Van Diemen’s +Land resembling in all respects the south of France. As there +are in all countries some parts more pleasant than others, so there +seems good reason to believe that within two or three degrees of the +tropic of Capricorn, which passes through the midst of New Holland, +is the most unwholesome and disagreeable part of this country; the reason +of which is very plain, for in those parts it must be excessively hot, +much more so than under the line itself, since the days and nights are +there always equal, whereas within three or four degrees of the tropic +of Capricorn, that is to say, in the latitude 27 degrees south, the +days are thirteen hours and a half long, and the sun is twice in their +zenith, first in the beginning of December, or rather in the latter +end of November, and again when it returns back, which occasions a burning +heat for about two months, or something more; whereas, either farther +to the south or nearer to the line, the climate must be equally wholesome +and pleasant.</p> +<p>As to the product and commodities of this country in general, there +is the greatest reason in the world to believe that they are extremely +rich and valuable, because the richest and finest countries in the known +world lie all of them within the same latitude; but to return from conjectures +to facts, the country discovered by De Quiros makes a part of this great +island, and is the opposite coast to that of Carpentaria. This +country, the discoverer called La Australia del Espiritu Santo, in the +latitude of 15 degrees 40 minutes south, and, as he reports, it abounds +with gold, silver, pearl, nutmegs, mace, ginger, and sugar-canes, of +an extraordinary size. I do not wonder that formerly the fact +might be doubted, but at present I think there is sufficient reason +to induce us to believe it, for Captain Dampier describes the country +about Cape St. George and Port Mountague, which are within 9 degrees +of the country described by De Quiros. I say Captain Dampier describes +what he saw in the following words: “The country hereabouts is +mountainous and woody, full of rich valleys and pleasant fresh-water +brooks; the mould in the valleys is deep and yellowish, that on the +sides of the hills of a very brown colour, and not very deep, but rocky +underneath, yet excellent planting land; the trees in general are neither +very straight, thick, nor tall, yet appear green and pleasant enough; +some of them bear flowers, some berries, and others big fruits, but +all unknown to any of us; cocoa-nut trees thrive very well here, as +well on the bays by the sea-side, as more remote among the plantations; +the nuts are of an indifferent size, the milk and kernel very thick +and pleasant; here are ginger, yams, and other very good roots for the +pot, that our men saw and tasted; what other fruits or roots the country +affords I know not; here are hogs and dogs, other land animals we saw +none; the fowls we saw and knew were pigeons, parrots, cocadores, and +crows, like those in England; a sort of birds about the bigness of a +blackbird, and smaller birds many. The sea and rivers have plenty +of fish; we saw abundance, though we catched but few, and these were +cavallies, yellow-tails, and whip-wreys.”</p> +<p>This account is grounded only on a very slight view, whereas De Quiros +resided for some time in the place he has mentioned. In another +place Captain Dampier observes that he saw nutmegs amongst them, which +seemed to be fresh-gathered, all which agrees perfectly with the account +given by De Quiros; add to this, that Schovten had likewise observed, +that they had ginger upon this coast, and some other spices, so that +on the whole there seems not the least reason to doubt that if any part +of this country was settled, it must be attended with a very rich commerce; +for it cannot be supposed that all these writers should be either mistaken, +or that they should concur in a design to impose upon their readers; +which is the less to be suspected, if we consider how well their reports +agree with the situation of the country, and that the trees on the land, +and the fish on the coast, corresponding exactly with the trees of those +countries, and the fish on the coasts, where these commodities are known +to abound within land, seem to intimate a perfect conformity throughout.</p> +<p>The next thing to be considered is, the possibility of planting in +this part of the world, which at first sight, I must confess, seems +to be attended with considerable difficulties with respect to every +other nation except the Dutch, who either from Batavia, the Moluccas, +or even from the Cape of Good Hope, might with ease settle themselves +wherever they thought fit; as, however, they have neglected this for +above a century, there seems to be no reason why their conduct in this +respect should become the rule of other nations, or why any other nation +should be apprehensive of drawing on herself the displeasure of the +Dutch, by endeavouring to turn to their benefit countries the Dutch +have so long suffered to lie, with respect to Europe, waste and desert.</p> +<p>The first point, with respect to a discovery, would be to send a +small squadron on the coast of Van Diemen’s Land, and from thence +round, in the same course taken by Captain Tasman, by the coast of New +Guinea, which might enable the nations that attempted it to come to +an absolute certainty with regard to its commodities and commerce. +Such a voyage as this might be performed with very great ease, and at +a small expense, by our East India Company; and this in the space of +eight or nine months’ time; and considering what mighty advantages +might accrue to the nation, there seems to be nothing harsh or improbable +in supposing that some time or other, when the legislature is more than +usually intent on affairs of commerce, they may be directed to make +such an expedition at the expense of the public. By this means +all the back coast of New Holland and New Guinea might be thoroughly +examined, and we might know as well, and as certainly as the Dutch, +how far a colony settled there might answer our expectations; one thing +is certain, that to persons used to the navigation of the Indies, such +an expedition could not be thought either dangerous or difficult, because +it is already sufficiently known that there are everywhere islands upon +the coast, where ships upon such a discovery might be sure to meet with +refreshments, as is plain from Commodore Roggewein’s voyage, made +little more than twenty years ago.</p> +<p>The only difficulty that I can see would be the getting a fair and +honest account of this expedition when made; for private interest is +so apt to interfere, and get the better of the public service, that +it is very hard to be sure of anything of this sort. That I may +not be suspected of any intent to calumniate, I shall put the reader +in mind of two instances; the first is, as to the new trade from Russia, +for establishing of which an Act of Parliament was with great difficulty +obtained, though visibly for the advantage of the nation; the other +instance is, the voyage of Captain Middleton, for the discovery of a +north-west passage into the south seas, which is ended by a very warm +dispute, whether that passage be found or not, the person supposed to +have found it maintaining the negative.</p> +<p>Whenever, therefore, such an expedition is undertaken, it ought to +be under the direction, not only of a person of parts and experience, +but of unspotted character, who, on his return, should be obliged to +deliver his journal upon oath, and the principal officers under him +should likewise be directed to keep their journals distinctly, and without +their being inspected by the principal officer; all which journals ought +to be published by authority as soon as received, that every man might +be at liberty to examine them, and deliver his thoughts as to the discoveries +made, or the impediments suggested to have hindered or prevented such +discoveries, by which means the public would be sure to obtain a full +and distinct account of the matter; and it would thence immediately +appear whether it would be expedient to prosecute the design or not.</p> +<p>But if it should be thought too burdensome for a company in so flourishing +a condition, and consequently engaged in so extensive a commerce as +the East India Company is, to undertake such an expedition, merely to +serve the public, promote the exportation of our manufactures, and increase +the number of industrious persons who are maintained by foreign trade; +if this, I say, should be thought too grievous for a company that has +purchased her privileges from the public by a large loan at low interest, +there can certainly be no objection to the putting this project into +the hands of the Royal African Company, who are not quite in so flourishing +a condition; they have equal opportunities for undertaking it, since +the voyage might be with great ease performed from their settlements +in ten months, and if the trade was found to answer, it might encourage +the settling a colony at Madagascar to and from which ships might, with +the greatest conveniency, carry on the trade to New Guinea. I +cannot say how far such a trade might be consistent with their present +charter; but if it should be found advantageous to the public, and beneficial +to the company, I think there can be no reason assigned why it should +not be secured to them, and that too in the most effectual manner.</p> +<p>A very small progress in it would restore the reputation of the company, +and in time, perhaps, free the nation from the annual expense she is +now at, for the support of the forts and garrisons belonging to that +company on the coasts of Africa; which would alone prove of great and +immediate service, both to the public and to the company. To say +the truth, something of this sort is absolutely necessary to vindicate +the expense the nation is at; for if the trade, for the carrying on +of which a company is established, proves, by a change of circumstances, +incapable of supporting that company, and thereby brings a load upon +the public, this ought to be a motive, it ought, indeed, to be the strongest +motive, for that company to endeavour the extension of its commerce, +or the striking out, if possible, some new branch of trade, which may +restore it to its former splendour; and in this as it hath an apparent +right, so there is not the least reason to doubt that it would meet +with all the countenance and assistance from the government that it +could reasonably expect or desire.</p> +<p>If such a design should ever be attempted, perhaps the island of +New Britain might be the properest place for them to settle. As +to the situation, extent, and present condition of that island, all +that can be said of it must be taken from the account given by its discoverer +Captain Dampier, which, in few words, amounts to this: “The island +which I call Nova Britannia has about 4 degrees of latitude, the body +of it lying in 4 degrees, the northernmost part in 2 degrees 30 minutes, +and the southernmost in 6 degrees 30 minutes. It has about 5 degrees +18 minutes longitude from east to west; it is generally high mountainous +land, mixed with large valleys, which, as well as the mountains, appeared +very fertile; and in most places that we saw the trees are very large, +tall, and thick. It is also very well inhabited with strong, well-limbed +negroes, whom we found very daring and bold at several places: as to +the product of it, it is very probable this island may afford as many +rich commodities as any in the world; and the natives may be easily +brought to commerce, though I could not pretend to it in my circumstances.” +If any objections should be raised from Dampier’s misfortune in +that voyage, it is easy to show that it ought to have no manner of weight +whatever, since, though he was an excellent pilot, he is allowed to +have been but a bad commander; besides, the <i>Roebuck</i>, in which +he sailed, was a worn-out frigate that would hardly swim; and it is +no great wonder that in so crazy a vessel the people were a little impatient +at being abroad on discoveries; yet, after all, he performed what he +was sent for; and, by the discovery of this island of New Britain, secured +us an indisputable right to a country, that is, or might be made, very +valuable.</p> +<p>It is so situated, that a great trade might be carried on from thence +through the whole Terra Australis on one side, and the most valuable +islands of the East Indies on the other. In short, all, or at +least most, of the advantages proposed by the Dutch West India Company’s +joining with their East India Company, of which a large account has +already been given, might be procured for this nation, by the establishing +a colony in this island of New Britain, and securing the trade of that +colony to the African Company by law; the very passing of which law +would give the company more than sufficient credit, to fit out a squadron +at once capable of securing the possession of that island, and of giving +the public such satisfaction as to its importance, as might be requisite +to obtain further power and assistance from the State, if that should +be found necessary. It would be very easy to point out some advantages +peculiarly convenient for that company; but it will be time enough to +think of these whenever the African Company shall discover an inclination +to prosecute this design. At present I have done what I proposed, +and have shown that such a collection of voyages as this ought not to +be considered as a work of mere amusement, but as a work calculated +for the benefit of mankind in general, and of this nation in particular, +which it is the duty of every man to promote in his station; and whatever +fate these reflections may meet with, I shall always have the satisfaction +of remembering that I have not neglected it in mine, but have taken +the utmost pains to turn a course of laborious reading to the advantage +of my country.</p> +<p>But, supposing that neither of these companies should think it expedient, +or, in other words, should not think it consistent with their interest +to attempt this discovery, there is yet a third company, within the +spirit of whose charter, I humbly conceive, the prosecution of such +a scheme immediately lies. The reader will easily discern that +I mean the company for carrying on a trade to the South Seas, who, notwithstanding +the extensiveness of their charter, confirmed and supported by authority +of parliament, have not, so far as my information reaches, ever attempted +to send so much as a single ship for the sake of discoveries into the +South Seas, which, however, was the great point proposed when this company +was first established. In order to prove this, I need only lay +before the reader the limits assigned that company by their charter, +the substance of which is contained in the following words:—</p> +<p>“The corporation, and their successors, shall, for ever, be +vested in the sole trade into and from all the kingdoms and lands on +the east side of America, from the River Oroonoco, to the southernmost +part of Terra del Fuego, and on the west side thereof from the said +southernmost part of Terra del Fuego, through the South Sea, to the +northernmost part of America, and into and through all the countries, +islands, and places within the said limits, which are reputed to belong +to Spain, or which shall hereafter be found out and discovered within +the limits aforesaid, not exceeding 300 leagues from the continent of +America, between the southernmost part of the Terra del Fuego and the +northernmost part of America, on the said west side thereof, except +the Kingdom of Brazil, and such other places on the east side of America, +as are now in the possession of the King of Portugal, and the country +of Surinam, in the possession of the States-general. The said +company, and none else, are to trade within the said limits; and, if +any other persons shall trade to the South Seas, they shall forfeit +the ship and goods, and double value, one-fourth part to the crown, +and another fourth part to the prosecutor, and the other two-fourths +to the use of the company. And the company shall be the sole owners +of the islands, forts, etc., which they shall discover within the said +limits, to be held of the crown, under an annual rent of an ounce of +gold, and of all ships taken as prizes by the ships of the said company; +and the company may seize, by force of arms, all other British ships +trading in those seas.”</p> +<p>It is, I think, impossible for any man to imagine that either these +limits should be secured to the company for no purpose in the world; +or that these prohibitions and penalties should take place, notwithstanding +the company’s never attempting to make any use of these powers; +from whence I infer that it was the intent of the legislature that new +discoveries should be made, new plantations settled, and a new trade +carried on by this new corporation, agreeable to the rules prescribed, +and for the general benefit of this nation; which I apprehend was chiefly +considered in the providing that this new commerce should be put under +the management of a particular company. But I am very well aware +of an objection that may be made to what I have advanced; <i>viz</i>., +that, from my own showing, this southern continent lies absolutely without +their limits; and that there is also a proviso in the charter of that +company that seems particularly calculated to exclude it, since it recites +that.</p> +<p>“The agents of the company shall not sail beyond the southernmost +parts of Terra del Fuego, except through the Straits of Magellan, or +round Terra del Fuego; nor go from thence to any part of the East Indies, +nor return to Great Britain, or any port or place, unless through the +said straits, or by Terra del Fuego: nor shall they trade in East India +goods, or in any places within the limits granted to the united company +of merchants of England trading to East India (such India goods excepted +as shall be actually exported from Great Britain, and also such gold, +silver, wrought plate, and other goods and commodities, which are the +produce, growth, or manufactures of the West Indies, or continent of +America): neither shall they send ships, or use them or any vessel, +within the South Seas, from Terra del Fuego to the northernmost parts +of America, above three hundred leagues to the westward of, and distant +from the land of Chili, Peru, Mexico, California, or any other the lands +or shores of Southern or Northern America, between Terra del Fuego and +the northernmost part of America, on pain of the forfeiture of the ships +and goods; one-third to the crown, and the other two-thirds to the East +India Company.”</p> +<p>But the reader will observe that I mentioned the East India and African +Companies before; and that I now mention the South Sea Company, on a +supposition that the two former may refuse it. In that case, I +presume, the legislature will make the same distinction that the States +of Holland did, and not suffer the private advantage of any particular +company to stand in competition with the good of a whole people. +It was upon this principle that I laid it down as a thing certain, that +the African company would be allowed to settle the island of Madagascar, +though it lies within the limits of the East India Company’s charter, +in case it should be found necessary for the better carrying on of this +trade. It is upon the same principle I say this southern continent +lies within the intention of the South Sea Company’s charter, +because, I presume, the intent of that charter was to grant them all +the commerce in those seas, not occupied before by British subjects; +for, if it were otherwise, what a condition should we be in as a maritime +power? If a grant does not oblige a company to carry on a trade +within the limits granted to that company, and is, at the same time, +of force to preclude all the subjects of this nation from the right +they before had to carry on a trade within those limits, such a law +is plainly destructive to the nation’s interest and to commerce +in general. I therefore suppose, that, if the South Sea Company +should think proper to revive their trade in the manner I propose, this +proviso would be explained by Parliament to mean no more than excluding +the South Sea Company from settling or trading in or to any place at +present settled in or traded to by the East India Company: for, as this +interpretation would secure the just rights of both companies, and, +at the same time reconcile the laws for establishing them to the general +interest of trade and the nation, there is the greatest reason to believe +this to be the intention of the legislature. I have been obliged +to insist fully upon this matter, because it is a point hitherto untouched, +and a point of such high importance, that, unless it be understood according +to my sense of the matter, there is an end of all hopes of extending +our trade on this side, which is perhaps the only side on which there +is the least probability that it ever can be extended; for, as to the +north-west passage into the South Seas, that seems to be blocked up +by the rights of another company; so that, according to the letter of +our laws, each company is to have its rights, and the nation in general +no right at all.</p> +<p>If, therefore, the settling of this part of Terra Australis should +devolve on the South Sea Company, by way of equivalent for the loss +of their Assiento contract, there is no sort of question but it might +be as well performed by them as by any other, and the trade carried +on without interfering with that which is at present carried on, either +by the East India or African Companies. It would indeed, in this +case, be absolutely necessary to settle Juan Fernandez, the settlement +of which place, under the direction of that company, if they could, +as very probably they might, fall into some share of the slave-trade +from New Guinea, must prove wonderfully advantageous, considering the +opportunity they would have of vending those slaves to the Spaniards +in Chili and Peru. The settling of this island ought to be performed +at once, and with a competent force, since, without doubt, the Spaniards +would leave no means unattempted to dispossess them: yet, if a good +fortification was once raised, the passes properly retrenched, and a +garrison left there of between three and five hundred men, it would +be simply impossible for the Spaniards to force them out of it before +the arrival of another squadron from hence. Neither do I see any +reason why, in the space of a very few years, the plantation of this +island should not prove of as great consequence to the South Sea Company +as that of Curacao to the Dutch West India Company, who raise no less +than sixty thousand florins per annum for licensing ships to trade there.</p> +<p>From Juan Fernandez to Van Diemen’s Land is not above two months’ +sail; and a voyage for discovery might be very conveniently made between +the time that a squadron returned from Juan Fernandez, and another squadron’s +arrival there from hence. It is true that, if once a considerable +settlement was made in the most southern part of Terra Australis, the +company might then fall into a large commerce in the most valuable East +India goods, very probably gold, and spices of all sorts: yet I cannot +think that even these would fall within the exclusive proviso of their +charter; for that was certainly intended to hinder their trading in +such goods as are brought hither by our East India Company; and I must +confess I see no difference, with respect to the interest of that company, +between our having cloves, cinnamon, and mace, by the South Sea Company’s +ships from Juan Fernandez, and our receiving them from Holland, after +the Dutch East India Company’s ships have brought them thither +by the way of the Cape of Good Hope. Sure I am they would come +to us sooner by some months by the way of Cape Horn. If this reasoning +does not satisfy people, but they still remain persuaded that the South +Sea Company ought not to intermeddle with the East India trade at all, +I desire to know why the West India merchants are allowed to import +coffee from Jamaica, when it is well known that the East India Company +can supply the whole demand of this kingdom from Mocha? If it +be answered that the Jamaica coffee comes cheaper, and is the growth +of our own plantations, I reply, that these spices will not only be +cheaper, but better, and be purchased by our own manufacturers; and +these, I think, are the strongest reasons that can be given.</p> +<p>If it be demanded what certainty I have that spices can be had from +thence, I answer, all the certainty that in a thing of this nature can +be reasonably expected: Ferdinand de Quiros met with all sorts of spices +in the country he discovered; William Schovten, and Jacques le Maire, +saw ginger and nutmegs; so did Dampier; and the author of Commodore +Roggewein’s Voyage asserts, that the free burgesses of Amboyna +purchase nutmegs from the natives of New Guinea for bits of iron. +All, therefore, I contend for, is that these bits of iron may be sent +them from Old England.</p> +<p>The reason I recommend settling on the south coast of Terra Australis, +if this design should be prosecuted, from Juan Fernandez, rather than +the island of New Britain, which I mentioned before, is, because that +coast is nearer, and is situated in a better and pleasanter climate. +Besides all which advantages, as it was never hitherto visited by the +Dutch, they cannot, with any colour of justice, take umbrage at our +attempting such a settlement. To close then this subject, the +importance of which alone inclined me to spend so much of mine and the +reader’s time about it:</p> +<p>It is most evident, that, if such a settlement was made at Juan Fernandez, +proper magazines erected, and a constant correspondence established +between that island and the Terra Australis, these three consequences +must absolutely follow from thence: 1. That a new trade would +be opened, which must carry off a great quantity of our goods and manufactures, +that cannot, at present, be brought to any market, or at least, not +to so good a market as if there was a greater demand for them. +2. It would render this navigation, which is at present so strange, +and consequently so terrible, to us, easy and familiar; which might +be attended with advantages that cannot be foreseen, especially since +there is, as I before observed, in all probability another southern +continent, which is still to be discovered. 3. It would +greatly increase our shipping and our seamen, which are the true and +natural strength of this country, extend our naval power, and raise +the reputation of this nation; the most distant prospect of which is +sufficient to warm the soul of any man who has the least regard for +his country, with courage sufficient to despise the imputations that +may be thrown upon him as a visionary projector, for taking so much +pains about an affair that can tend so little to his private advantage. +We will now add a few words with respect to the advantages arising from +having thus digested the history of circumnavigators, from the earliest +account of time to the present, and then shut up the whole with another +section, containing the last circumnavigation by Rear-Admiral Anson, +whose voyage has at least shown that, under a proper officer, English +seamen are able to achieve as much as they ever did; and that is as +much as was ever done by any nation in the world.</p> +<p>It is a point that has always admitted some debate, whether science +stands more indebted to speculation or practice; or, in other words, +whether the greater discoveries have been made by men of deep study, +or persons of great experience in the most useful parts of knowledge. +But this, I think, is a proposition that admits of no dispute at all, +that the noblest discoveries have been the result of a just mixture +of theory with practice. It was from hence that the very notion +of sailing round the earth took rise; and the ingenious Genoese first +laid down this system of the world, according to his conception, and +then added the proofs derived from experience. It is much to be +deplored that we have not that plan of discovery which the great Christopher +Columbus sent over thither by his brother Bartholomew to King Henry +VII., for if we had we should certainly find abundance of very curious +observations, which might still be useful to mariners: for it appears +clearly, from many little circumstances, that he was a person of universal +genius, and, until bad usage obliged him to take many precautions, very +communicative.</p> +<p>It was from this plan, as it had been communicated to the Portuguese +court, that the famous Magellan came to have so just notions of the +possibility of sailing by the West to the East Indies; and there was +a great deal of theory in the proposal made by that great man to the +Emperor Charles V. Sir Francis Drake was a person of the same +genius, and of a like general knowledge; and it is very remarkable that +these three great seamen met also with the same fate; by which I mean, +that they were constantly pursued by envy while they lived, which hindered +so much notice being taken of their discourses and discoveries as they +deserved. But when the experience of succeeding times had verified +many of their sayings, which had been considered as vain and empty boastings +in their lifetimes, then prosperity began to pay a superstitious regard +to whatever could be collected concerning them, and to admire all they +delivered as oraculous. Our other discoverer, Candish, was likewise +a man of great parts and great penetration, as well as of great spirit; +he had, undoubtedly, a mighty genius for discoveries; but the prevailing +notion of those times, that the only way to serve the nation was plundering +the Spaniards, seems to have got the better of his desire to find out +unknown countries; and made him choose to be known to posterity rather +as a gallant privateer than as an able seaman, though in truth he was +both.</p> +<p>After these follow Schovten and Le Maire, who were fitted out to +make discoveries; and executed their commission with equal capacity +and success. If Le Maire had lived to return to Holland, and to +have digested into proper order his own accounts, we should, without +question, have received a much fuller and clearer, as well as a much +more correct and satisfactory detail of them than we have at present: +though the voyage, as it is now published, is in all respects the best, +and the most curious of all the circumnavigators. This was, very +probably, owing to the ill-usage he met with from the Dutch East India +Company; which put Captain Schovten, and the relations of Le Maire, +upon giving the world the best information they could of what had been +in that voyage performed. Yet the fate of Le Maire had a much +greater effect in discouraging, than the fame of his discoveries had +in exciting, a spirit of emulation; so that we may safely say, the severity +of the East India Company in Holland extinguished that generous desire +of exploring unknown lands, which might otherwise have raised the reputation +and extended the commerce of the republic much beyond what they have +hitherto reached. This is so true that for upwards of one hundred +years we hear of no Dutch voyage in pursuit of Le Maire’s discoveries; +and we see, when Commodore Roggewein, in our own time, revived that +noble design, it was again cramped by the same power that stifled it +before; and though the States did justice to the West India Company, +and to the parties injured, yet the hardships they suffered, and the +plain proof they gave of the difficulties that must be met with in the +prosecution of such a design, seem to have done the business of the +East India Company, and damped the spirit of discovery, for perhaps +another century, in Holland.</p> +<p>It is very observable that all the mighty discoveries that have been +made arose from these great men, who joined reasoning with practice, +and were men of genius and learning, as well as seamen. To Columbus +we owe the finding America; to Magellan the passing by the straits which +bear his name, by a new route to the East Indies; to Le Maire a more +commodious passage round Cape Horn, and without running up to California; +Sir Francis Drake, too, hinted the advantages that might arise by examining +the north-west side of America; and Candish had some notions of discovering +a passage between China and Japan. As to the history we have of +Roggewein’s voyage, it affords such lights as nothing but our +own negligence can render useless. But in the other voyages, whatever +discoveries we meet with are purely accidental, except it be Dampier’s +voyage to the coasts of New Holland and New Guinea, which was expressly +made for discoveries; and in which, if an abler man had been employed +in conjunction with Dampier, we cannot doubt that the interior and exterior +of those countries would have been much better known than they are at +present; because such a person would rather have chosen to have refreshed +in the island of New Britain, or some other country not visited before, +than at that of Timer, already settled both by the Portuguese and the +Dutch.</p> +<p>In all attempts, therefore, of this sort, those men are fittest to +be employed who, with competent abilities as seamen, have likewise general +capacities, are at least tolerably acquainted with other sciences, and +have settled judgments and solid understandings. These are the +men from whom we are to expect the finishing that great work which former +circumnavigators have begun; I mean the discovering every part and parcel +of the globe, and the carrying to its utmost perfection the admirable +and useful science of navigation.</p> +<p>It is, however, a piece of justice due to the memory of these great +men, to acknowledge that we are equally encouraged by their examples +and guided by their discoveries. We owe to them the being freed, +not only from the errors, but from the doubts and difficulties with +which former ages were oppressed; to them we stand indebted for the +discovery of the best part of the world, which was entirely unknown +to the ancients, particularly some part of the eastern, most of the +southern, and all the western hemisphere; from them we have learned +that the earth is surrounded by the ocean, and that all the countries +under the torrid zone are inhabited, and that, quite contrary to the +notions that were formerly entertained, they are very far from being +the most sultry climate in the world, those within a few degrees of +the tropics, though habitable, being much more hot, for reasons which +have been elsewhere explained. By their voyages, and especially +by the observations of Columbus, we have been taught the general motion +of the sea, the reason of it, and the cause and difference of currents +in particular places, to which we may add the doctrine of tides, which +were very imperfectly known, even by the greatest men in former times, +whose accounts have been found equally repugnant to reason and experience.</p> +<p>By their observations we have acquired a great knowledge as to the +nature and variation of winds, particularly the monsoons, or trade winds, +and other periodical winds, of which the ancients had not the least +conception; and by these helps we not only have it in our power to proceed +much farther in our discoveries, but we are likewise delivered from +a multitude of groundless apprehensions, that frightened them from prosecuting +discoveries. We give no credit now to the fables that not only +amused antiquity, but even obtained credit within a few generations. +The authority of Pliny will not persuade us that there are any nations +without heads, whose eyes and mouths are in their breasts, or that the +Arimaspi have only one eye, fixed in their forehead, and that they are +perpetually at war with the Griffins, who guard hidden treasures; or +that there are nations that have long hairy tales, and grin like monkeys. +No traveller can make us believe that, under the torrid zone, there +are a nation every man of which has one large flat foot, with which, +lying upon his back, he covers himself from the sun. In this respect +we have the same advantage over the ancients that men have over children; +and we cannot reflect without amazement on men’s having so much +knowledge and learning in other respects, with such childish understandings +in these.</p> +<p>By the labours of these great men in the two last centuries we are +taught to know what we seek, and how it is to be sought. We know, +for example, what parts of the north are yet undiscovered, and also +what parts of the south. We can form a very certain judgment of +the climate of countries undiscovered, and can foresee the advantages +that will result from discoveries before they are made; all which are +prodigious advantages, and ought certainly to animate us in our searches. +I might add to this the great benefits we receive from our more perfect +acquaintance with the properties of the loadstone, and from the surprising +accuracy of astronomical observations, to which I may add the physical +discoveries made of late years in relation to the figure of the earth, +all of which are the result of the lights which these great men have +given us.</p> +<p>It is true that some of the zealous defenders of the ancients, and +some of the great admirers of the Eastern nations, dispute these facts, +and would have us believe that almost everything was known to the old +philosophers, and not only known but practised by the Chinese long before +the time of the great men to whom we ascribe them. But the difference +between their assertions and ours is, that we fully prove the facts +we allege, whereas they produce no evidence at all; for instance, Albertus +Magnus says that Aristotle wrote an express treatise on the direction +of the loadstone; but nobody ever saw that treatise, nor was it ever +heard of by any of the rest of his commentators. We have in our +hands some of the best performances of antiquity in regard to geography, +and any man who has eyes, and is at all acquainted with that science, +can very easily discern how far they fall short of maps that were made +even a hundred years ago. The celebrated Vossius, and the rest +of the admirers of the Chinese, who, by the way, derived all their knowledge +from hearsay, may testify, in as strong terms as they think fit, their +contempt for the Western sages and their high opinion of those in the +East; but till they prove to us that their favourite Chinese made any +voyages comparable to the Europeans, before the discovery of a passage +to China by the Cape of Good Hope, they will excuse us from believing +them. Besides, if the ancients had all this knowledge, how came +it not to display itself in their performances? How came they +to make such difficulties of what are now esteemed trifles? And +how came they never to make any voyages, by choice at least, that were +out of sight of land? Again, with respect to the Chinese, if they +excel us so much in knowledge, how came the missionaries to be so much +admired for their superior skill in the sciences? But to cut the +matter short, we are not disputing now about speculative points of science, +but as to the practical application of it; in which, I think, there +is no doubt that the modern inhabitants of the western parts of the +world excel, and excel chiefly from the labours and discoveries of these +great and ingenious men, who applied their abilities to the improvement +of useful arts, for the particular benefit of their countrymen, and +to the common good of mankind; which character is not derived from any +prejudice of ours, either against the ancients or the Oriental nations, +but is founded on facts of public notoriety, and on general experience, +which are a kind of evidence not to be controverted or contradicted.</p> +<p>We are still, however, in several respects short of perfection, and +there are many things left to exercise the sagacity, penetration, and +application of this and of succeeding ages; for instance, the passages +to the north-east and north-west are yet unknown; there is a great part +of the southern continent undiscovered; we are, in a manner, ignorant +of what lies between America and Japan, and all beyond that country +lies buried in obscurity, perhaps in greater obscurity than it was an +age ago; so that there is still room for performing great things, which +in their consequences perhaps might prove greater than can well be imagined. +I say nothing of the discoveries that yet remain with regard to inland +countries, because these fall properly under another head, I mean that +of travels. But it will be time enough to think of penetrating +into the heart of countries when we have discovered the seacoasts of +the whole globe, towards which the voyages recorded in this chapter +have so far advanced already. But the only means to arrive at +these great ends, and to transmit to posterity a fame approaching, at +least in some measure, to that of our ancestors, is to revive and restore +that glorious spirit which led them to such great exploits; and the +most natural method of doing this is to collect and preserve the memory +of their exploits, that they may serve at once to excite our imitation, +encourage our endeavours, and point out to us how they may be best employed, +and with the greatest probability of success.</p> +<h2>AN ACCOUNT OF NEW HOLLAND AND THE ADJACENT ISLANDS. 1699-1700.</h2> +<p>BY CAPTAIN WILLIAM DAMPIER.</p> +<p>Having described his voyage from Brazil to New Holland, this celebrated +navigator thus proceeds:</p> +<p>About the latitude of 26 degrees south we saw an opening, and ran +in, hoping to find a harbour there; but when we came to its mouth, which +was about two leagues wide, we saw rocks and foul ground within, and +therefore stood out again; there we had twenty fathom water within two +miles of the shore: the land everywhere appeared pretty low, flat, and +even, but with steep cliffs to the sea, and when we came near it there +were no trees, shrubs, or grass to be seen. The soundings in the +latitude of 26 degrees south, from about eight or nine leagues off till +you come within a league of the shore, are generally about forty fathoms, +differing but little, seldom above three or four fathoms; but the lead +brings up very different sorts of sand, some coarse, some fine, and +of several colours, as yellow, white, grey, brown, bluish, and reddish.</p> +<p>When I saw there was no harbour here, nor good anchoring, I stood +off to sea again in the evening of the 2nd of August, fearing a storm +on a lee-shore, in a place where there was no shelter, and desiring +at least to have sea-room, for the clouds began to grow thick in the +western-board, and the wind was already there and began to blow fresh +almost upon the shore, which at this place lies along north-north-west +and south-south-east. By nine o’clock at night we got a +pretty good offing, but the wind still increasing, I took in my main-top-sail, +being able to carry no more sail than two courses and the mizen. +At two in the morning, August 3rd, it blew very hard, and the sea was +much raised, so that I furled all my sails but my mainsail, though the +wind blew so hard, we had pretty clear weather till noon, but then the +whole sky was blackened with thick clouds, and we had some rain, which +would last a quarter of an hour at a time, and then it would blow very +fierce while the squalls of rain were over our heads, but as soon as +they were gone the wind was by much abated, the stress of the storm +being over; we sounded several times, but had no ground till eight o’clock, +August the 4th, in the evening, and then had sixty fathom water, coral +ground. At ten we had fifty-six fathom, fine sand. At twelve +we had fifty-five fathom, fine sand, of a pale bluish colour. +It was now pretty moderate weather, yet I made no sail till morning, +but then the wind veering about to the south-west, I made sail and stood +to the north, and at eleven o’clock the next day, August 5th, +we saw land again, at about ten leagues distant. This noon we +were in latitude 25 degrees 30 minutes, and in the afternoon our cook +died, an old man, who had been sick a great while, being infirm before +we came out of England.</p> +<p>The 6th of August, in the morning, we saw an opening in the land, +and we ran into it, and anchored in seven and a half fathom water, two +miles from the shore, clean sand. It was somewhat difficult getting +in here, by reason of many shoals we met with; but I sent my boat sounding +before me. The mouth of this sound, which I called Shark’s +Bay, lies in about 25 degrees south latitude, and our reckoning made +its longitude from the Cape of Good Hope to be about 87 degrees, which +is less by one hundred and ninety-five leagues than is usually laid +down in our common draughts, if our reckoning was right and our glasses +did not deceive us. As soon as I came to anchor in this bay, I +sent my boat ashore to seek for fresh water, but in the evening my men +returned, having found none. The next morning I went ashore myself, +carrying pickaxes and shovels with me, to dig for water, and axes to +cut wood. We tried in several places for water, but finding none +after several trials, nor in several miles compass, we left any further +search for it, and spending the rest of the day in cutting wood, we +went aboard at night.</p> +<p>The land is of an indifferent height, so that it may be seen nine +or ten leagues off. It appears at a distance very even; but as +you come nigher you find there are many gentle risings, though none +steep or high. It is all a steep shore against the open sea; but +in this bay or sound we were now in, the land is low by the seaside, +rising gradually in with the land. The mould is sand by the seaside, +producing a large sort of samphire, which bears a white flower. +Farther in the mould is reddish, a sort of sand, producing some grass, +plants, and shrubs. The grass grows in great tufts as big as a +bushel, here and there a tuft, being intermixed with much heath, much +of the kind we have growing on our commons in England. Of trees +or shrubs here are divers sorts, but none above ten feet high, their +bodies about three feet about, and five or six feet high before you +come to the branches, which are bushy, and composed of small twigs there +spreading abroad, though thick set and full of leaves, which were mostly +long and narrow. The colour of the leaves was on one side whitish, +and on the other green, and the bark of the trees was generally of the +same colour with the leaves, of a pale green. Some of these trees +were sweet-scented, and reddish within the bark, like sassafras, but +redder. Most of the trees and shrubs had at this time either blossoms +or berries on them. The blossoms of the different sorts of trees +were of several colours, as red, white, yellow, etc., but mostly blue, +and these generally smelt very sweet and fragrant, as did some also +of the rest. There were also besides some plants, herbs, and tall +flowers, some very small flowers growing on the ground, that were sweet +and beautiful, and, for the most part, unlike any I had seen elsewhere.</p> +<p>There were but few land fowls. We saw none but eagles of the +larger sorts of birds, but five or six sorts of small birds. The +biggest sort of these were not bigger than larks, some no bigger than +wrens, all singing with great variety of fine shrill notes; and we saw +some of their nests with young ones in them. The water-fowls are +ducks (which had young ones now, this being the beginning of the spring +in these parts), curlews, galdens, crab-catchers, cormorants, gulls, +pelicans, and some water-fowl, such as I have not seen anywhere besides.</p> +<p>The land animals that we saw here were only a sort of raccoons, different +from those of the West Indies, chiefly as to their legs, for these have +very short forelegs, but go jumping upon them as the others do (and +like them are very good meat), and a sort of guanos, of the same shape +and size with other guanos described, but differing from them in three +remarkable particulars; for these had a larger and uglier head, and +had no tail, and at the rump, instead of the tail there, they had a +stump of a tail, which appeared like another head, but not really such, +being without mouth or eyes; yet this creature seemed by this means +to have a head at each end, and, which may be reckoned a fourth difference, +the legs also seemed all four of them to be forelegs, being all alike +in shape and length, and seeming by the joints and bending to be made +as if they were to go indifferently either head or tail foremost. +They were speckled black and yellow like toads, and had scales or knobs +on their backs like those of crocodiles, plated on to the skin, or stuck +into it, as part of the skin. They are very slow in motion, and +when a man comes nigh them they will stand still and hiss, not endeavouring +to get away. Their livers are also spotted black and yellow; and +the body, when opened, hath a very unsavoury smell. I did never +see such ugly creatures anywhere but here. The guanos I have observed +to be very good meat, and I have often eaten of them with pleasure; +but though I have eaten of snakes, crocodiles, and alligators, and many +creatures that look frightfully enough, and there are but few I should +have been afraid to eat of if pressed by hunger, yet I think my stomach +would scarce have served to venture upon these New Holland guanos, both +the looks and the smell of them being so offensive.</p> +<p>The sea-fish that we saw here (for here was no river, land or pond +of fresh water to be seen) are chiefly sharks. There are abundance +of them in this particular sound, that I therefore gave it the name +of Shark’s Bay. Here are also skates, thornbacks, and other +fish of the ray kind (one sort especially like the sea-devil), and gar-fish, +bonetas, etc. Of shell-fish we got here mussels, periwinkles, +limpets, oysters, both of the pearl kind and also eating oysters, as +well the common sort as long oysters, besides cockles, etc. The +shore was lined thick with many other sorts of very strange and beautiful +shells for variety of colour and shape, most finely spotted with red, +black, or yellow, etc., such as I have not seen anywhere but at this +place. I brought away a great many of them, but lost all except +a very few, and those not of the best.</p> +<p>There are also some green turtle weighing about two hundred pounds. +Of these we caught two, which the water ebbing had left behind a ledge +of rock which they could not creep over. These served all my company +two days, and they were indifferent sweet meat. Of the sharks +we caught a great many, which our men ate very savourily. Among +them we caught one which was eleven feet long. The space between +its two eyes was twenty inches, and eighteen inches from one corner +of his mouth to the other. Its maw was like a leather sack, very +thick, and so tough that a sharp knife could scarce cut it, in which +we found the head and bones of a hippopotamus, the hairy lips of which +were still sound and not putrified, and the jaw was also firm, out of +which we plucked a great many teeth, two of them eight inches long and +as big as a man’s thumb, small at one end, and a little crooked, +the rest not above half so long. The maw was full of jelly, which +stank extremely. However, I saved for awhile the teeth and the +shark’s jaw. The flesh of it was divided among my men, and +they took care that no waste should be made of it.</p> +<p>It was the 7th of August when we came into Shark’s Bay, in +which we anchored at three several places, and stayed at the first of +them (on the west side of the bay) till the 11th, during which time +we searched about, as I said, for fresh water, digging wells, but to +no purpose. However, we cut good store of firewood at this first +anchoring-place, and my company were all here very well refreshed with +raccoons, turtle, shark, and other fish, and some fowls, so that we +were now all much brisker than when we came in hither. Yet still +I was for standing farther into the bay, partly because I had a mind +to increase my stock of fresh water, which was begun to be low, and +partly for the sake of discovering this part of the coast. I was +invited to go further by seeing from this anchoring-place all open before +me, which therefore I designed to search before I left the bay. +So on the 11th about noon I steered further in, with an easy sail, because +we had but shallow water. We kept, therefore, good looking out +for fear of shoals, sometimes shortening, sometimes deepening the water. +About two in the afternoon we saw the land ahead that makes the south +of the bay, and before night we had again sholdings from that shore, +and therefore shortened sail and stood off and on all night, under two +top-sails, continually sounding, having never more than ten fathom, +and seldom less than seven. The water deepened and sholdened so +very gently, that in heaving the lead five or six times we should scarce +have a foot difference. When we came into seven fathom either +way, we presently went about. From this south part of the bay +we could not see the land from whence we came in the afternoon; and +this land we found to be an island of three or four leagues long; but +it appearing barren, I did not strive to go nearer it, and the rather +because the winds would not permit us to do it without much trouble, +and at the openings the water was generally shoal: I therefore made +no farther attempts in this south-west and south part of the bay, but +steered away to the eastward, to see if there was any land that way, +for as yet we had seen none there. On the 12th, in the morning, +we passed by the north point of that land, and were confirmed in the +persuasion of its being an island by seeing an opening to the east of +it, as we had done on the west. Having fair weather, a small gale, +and smooth water, we stood further on in the bay to see what land was +on the east of it. Our soundings at first were seven fathom, which +held so a great while, but at length it decreased to six. Then +we saw the land right ahead. We could not come near it with the +ship, having but shoal water, and it being dangerous lying there, and +the land extraordinarily low, very unlikely to have fresh water (though +it had a few trees on it, seemingly mangroves), and much of it probably +covered at high water, I stood out again that afternoon, deepening the +water, and before night anchored in eight fathom, clean white sand, +about the middle of the bay. The next day we got up our anchor, +and that afternoon came to an anchor once more near two islands and +a shoal of coral rocks that face the bay. Here I scrubbed my ship; +and finding it very improbable I should get any further here, I made +the best of my way out to sea again, sounding all the way; but finding, +by the shallowness of the water, that there was no going out to sea +to the east of the two islands that face the bay, nor between them, +I returned to the west entrance, going out by the same way I came in +at, only on the east instead of the west side of the small shoal: in +which channel we had ten, twelve, and thirteen fathom water, still deepening +upon us till we were out at sea. The day before we came out I +sent a boat ashore to the most northerly of the two islands, which is +the least of them, catching many small fish in the meanwhile, with hook +and line. The boat’s crew returning told me that the isle +produces nothing but a sort of green, short, hard, prickly grass, affording +neither wood nor fresh water, and that a sea broke between the two islands—a +sign that the water was shallow. They saw a large turtle, and +many skates and thornbacks, but caught none.</p> +<p>It was August the 14th when I sailed out of this bay or sound, the +mouth of which lies, as I said, in 25 degrees 5 minutes, designing to +coast along to the north-east till I might commodiously put in at some +other port of New Holland. In passing out we saw three water-serpents +swimming about in the sea, of a yellow colour spotted with dark brown +spots. They were each about four foot long, and about the bigness +of a man’s wrist, and were the first I saw on this coast, which +abounds with several sorts of them. We had the winds at our first +coming out at north, and the land lying north-easterly. We plied +off and on, getting forward but little till the next day, when the wind +coming at south-south-west and south, we began to coast it along the +shore on the northward, keeping at six or seven leagues off shore, and +sounding often, we had between forty and forty-six fathom water, brown +sand with some white shells. This 15th of August we were in latitude +24 degrees 41 minutes. On the 16th day, at noon, we were in 23 +degrees 22 minutes. The wind coming at east by north, we could +not keep the shore aboard, but were forced to go farther off, and lost +sight of the land; then sounding, we had no ground with eighty-fathom +line. However, the wind shortly after came about again to the +southward, and then we jogged on again to the northward, and saw many +small dolphins and whales, and abundance of cuttle-shells swimming on +the sea, and some water-snakes every day. The 17th we saw the +land again and took a sight of it.</p> +<p>The 18th, in the afternoon, being three or four leagues off shore, +I saw a shoal-point stretching from the land into the sea a league or +more; the sea broke high on it, by which I saw plainly there was a shoal +there. I stood farther off and coasted along shore to about seven +or eight leagues distance, and at twelve o’clock at night we sounded, +and had but twenty fathom, hard sand. By this I found I was upon +another shoal, and so presently steered off west half an hour, and had +then forty fathom. At one in the morning of the 18th day we had +eighty-five fathom; by two we could find no ground, and then I ventured +to steer along shore again due north, which is two points wide of the +coast (that lies north-north-east), for fear of another shoal. +I would not be too far off from the land, being desirous to search into +it wherever I should find an opening or any convenience of searching +about for water, etc. When we were off the shoal-point I mentioned, +where we had but twenty fathom water, we had in the night abundance +of whales about the ship, some ahead, others astern, and some on each +side, blowing and making a very dismal noise; but when we came out again +into deeper water, they left us; indeed, the noise that they made by +blowing and dashing of the sea with their tails, making it all of a +breach and foam, was very dreadful to us, like the breach of the waves +in very shoal water or among rocks. The shoal these whales were +upon had depth of water sufficient, no less than twenty fathom, as I +said, and it lies in latitude 22 degrees 22 minutes. The shore +was generally bold all along. We had met with no shoal at sea +since the Abrohlo shoal, when we first fell on the New Holland coast +in the latitude of 28 degrees, till yesterday in the afternoon and this +night. This morning also, when we expected by the draught we had +with us to have been eleven leagues off shore, we were but four, so +that either our draughts were faulty, which yet hitherto and afterwards +we found true enough as to the lying of the coast, or else here was +a tide unknown to us that deceived us, though we had found very little +of any tide on this coast hitherto; as to our winds in the coasting +thus far, as we had been within the verge of the general trade (though +interrupted by the storm I mentioned), from the latitude of 28 degrees, +when we first fell in with the coast, and by that time we were in the +latitude of 25 degrees, we had usually the regular trade wind (which +is here south-south-east) when we were at any distance from shore; but +we had often sea and land breezes, especially when near shore and when +in Shark’s Bay, and had a particular north-west wind or storm +that set us in thither. On this 18th of August we coasted with +a brisk gale of the true trade wind at south-south-east, very fair and +clear weather; but hauling off in the evening to sea, were next morning +out of sight of land, and the land now trending away north-easterly, +and we being to the northward of it, and the wind also shrinking from +the south-south-east to the east-south-east (that is, from the true +trade wind to the sea breeze, as the land now lay), we could not get +in with the land again yet awhile so as to see it, though we trimmed +sharp and kept close on a wind. We were this 19th day in latitude +21 degrees 42 minutes. The 20th we were in latitude 19 degrees +37 minutes, and kept close on a wind to get sight of the land again, +but could not yet see it. We had very fair weather, and though +we were so far from the land as to be out of sight of it, yet we had +the sea and land breezes. In the night we had the land breeze +at south-south-east, a small gentle gale, which in the morning about +sun-rising would shift about gradually (and withal increasing in strength) +till about noon we should have it at east-south-east, which is the true +sea breeze here. Then it would blow a brisk gale so that we could +scarce carry our top-sails double-reefed; and it would continue thus +till three in the afternoon, when it would decrease again. The +weather was fair all the while, not a cloud to be seen, but very hazy, +especially nigh the horizon. We sounded several times this 20th +day, and at first had no ground, but had afterwards from fifty-two to +forty-five fathom, coarse brown sand, mixed with small brown and white +stones, with dints besides in the tallow.</p> +<p>The 21st day also we had small land breezes in the night, and sea +breezes in the day, and as we saw some sea-snakes every day, so this +day we saw a great many, of two different sorts or shapes. One +sort was yellow, and about the bigness of a man’s wrist, about +four feet long, having a flat tail about four fingers broad. The +other sort was much smaller and shorter, round, and spotted black and +yellow. This day we sounded several times, and had forty-five +fathom, sand. We did not make the land till noon, and then saw +it first from our topmast head; it bore south-east by east about nine +leagues distance, and it appeared like a cape or head of land. +The sea breeze this day was not so strong as the day before, and it +veered out more, so that we had a fair wind to run in with to the shore, +and at sunset anchored in twenty fathom, clean sand, about five leagues +from the Bluff point, which was not a cape (as it appeared at a great +distance), but the easternmost end of an island about five or six leagues +in length, and one in breadth. There were three or four rocky +islands about a league from us, between us and the Bluff point, and +we saw many other islands both to the east and west of it, as far as +we could see either way from our topmast-head, and all within them to +the south there was nothing but islands of a pretty height, that may +be seen eight or nine leagues off; by what we saw of them they must +have been a range of islands of about twenty leagues in length, stretching +from east-north-east to west-south-west, and, for aught I know, as far +as to those of Shark’s Bay, and to a considerable breadth also, +for we could see nine or ten leagues in among them, towards the continent +or mainland of New Holland, if there be any such thing hereabouts; and +by the great tides I met with awhile afterwards, more to the north-east, +I had a strong suspicion that here might be a kind of archipelago of +islands, and a passage possibly to the south of New Holland and New +Guinea into the great South Sea eastward, which I had thoughts also +of attempting in my return from New Guinea, had circumstances permitted, +and told my officers so; but I would not attempt it at this time, because +we wanted water, and could not depend upon finding it there. This +place is in the latitude of 20 degrees 21 minutes, but in the draught +that I had of this coast, which was Tasman’s, it was laid down +in 19 degrees 50 minutes, and the shore is laid down as all along joining +in one body or continent, with some openings appearing like rivers, +and not like islands as really they are. This place lies more +northerly by 40 minutes than is laid down in Mr. Tasman’s draught, +and besides its being made a firm continued land, only with some openings +like the mouths of rivers, I found the soundings also different from +what the pricked line of his course shows them, and generally shallower +than he makes them, which inclines me to think that he came not so near +the shore as his line shows, and so had deeper soundings, and could +not so well distinguish the islands. His meridian or difference +of longitude from Shark’s Bay agrees well enough with my account, +which is two hundred and thirty-two leagues, though we differ in latitude; +and to confirm my conjecture that the line of his course is made too +near the shore, at least not far to the east of this place, the water +is there so shallow that he could not come there so nigh.</p> +<p>But to proceed. In the night we had a small land breeze, and +in the morning I weighed anchor, designing to run in among the islands, +for they had large channels between them of a league wide at least, +and some two or three leagues wide. I sent in my boat before to +sound, and if they found shoal water to return again, but if they found +water enough to go ashore on one of the islands and stay till the ship +came in, where they might in the meantime search for water. So +we followed after with the ship, sounding as we went in, and had twenty +fathom till within two leagues of the Bluff head, and then we had shoal +water and very uncertain soundings; yet we ran in still with an easy +sail, sounding and looking out well, for this was dangerous work. +When we came abreast of the Bluff head, and about two miles from it, +we had but seven fathom, then we edged away from it, but had no more +water, and running in a little farther we had but four fathoms, so we +anchored immediately; and yet when we had veered out a third of a cable, +we had seven fathom water again, so uncertain was the water. My +boat came immediately on board, and told me that the island was very +rocky and dry, and they had little hopes of finding water there. +I sent them to sound, and bade them, if they found a channel of eight +or ten fathom water, to keep on, and we would follow with the ship. +We were now about four leagues within the outer small rocky islands, +but still could see nothing but islands within us, some five or six +leagues long, others not above a mile round. The large islands +were pretty high, but all appeared dry, and mostly rocky and barren. +The rocks looked of a rusty yellow colour, and therefore I despaired +of getting water on any of them, but was in some hopes of finding a +channel to run in beyond all these islands, could I have spent time +here, and either got to the main of New Holland or find out some other +islands that might afford us water and other refreshments; besides that +among so many islands we might have found some sort of rich mineral, +or ambergris, it being a good latitude for both these. But we +had not sailed above a league farther before our water grew shoaler +again, and then we anchored in six fathom, hard sand.</p> +<p>We were now on the inner side of the island, on whose outside is +the Bluff point. We rode a league from the island, and I presently +went ashore and carried shovels to dig for water, but found none. +There grow here two or three sorts of shrubs, one just like rosemary, +and therefore I called this Rosemary Island; it grew in great plenty +here, but had no smell. Some of the other shrubs had blue and +yellow flowers; and we found two sorts of grain like beans; the one +grew on bushes, the other on a sort of creeping vine that runs along +on the ground, having very thick broad leaves, and the blossom like +a bean blossom, but much larger and of a deep red colour, looking very +beautiful. We saw here some cormorants, gulls, crab-catchers, +etc., a few small land birds, and a sort of white parrots, which flew +a great many together. We found some shell-fish, viz., limpets, +periwinkles, and abundance of small oysters growing on the rocks, which +were very sweet. In the sea we saw some green turtle, many sharks, +and abundance of water-snakes of several sorts and sizes. The +stones were all of rusty colour, and ponderous.</p> +<p>We saw a smoke on an island three or four leagues off, and here also +the bushes had been burned, but we found no other sign of inhabitants. +It was probable that on the island where the smoke was there were inhabitants, +and fresh water for them. In the evening I went aboard, and consulted +with my officers whether it was best to send thither, or to search among +any other of these islands with my boat, or else go from hence and coast +along shore with the ship, till we could find some better place than +this was to ride in, where we had shoal water and lay exposed to winds +and tides. They all agreed to go from hence, so I gave orders +to weigh in the morning as soon as it should be light, and to get out +with the land breeze.</p> +<p>Accordingly, August 23rd, at five in the morning, we ran out, having +a pretty fresh land breeze at south-south-east. By eight o’clock +we were got out, and very seasonably, for before nine the sea breeze +came on us very strong, and increasing, we took in our top-sails and +stood off under two courses and a mizen, this being as much sail as +we could carry. The sky was clear, there being not one cloud to +be seen, but the horizon appeared very hazy, and the sun at setting +the night before, and this morning at rising, appeared very red. +The wind continued very strong till twelve, then it began to abate; +I have seldom met with a stronger breeze. These strong sea breezes +lasted thus in their turns three or four days. They sprang up +with the sunrise; by nine o’clock they were very strong, and so +continued till noon, when they began to abate; and by sunset there was +little wind, or a calm, till the land breezes came, which we should +certainly have in the morning about one or two o’clock. +The land breezes were between the south-south-west and south-south-east: +the sea breezes between the east-north-east and north-north-east. +In the night while calm, we fished with hook and line, and caught good +store of fish viz., snappers, breams, old-wives, and dog-fish. +When these last came we seldom caught any others; for it they did not +drive away the other fish, yet they would be sure to keep them from +taking our hooks, for they would first have them themselves, biting +very greedily. We caught also a monk-fish, of which I brought +home the picture.</p> +<p>On the 25th of August we still coasted along shore, that we might +the better see any opening; kept sounding, and had about twenty fathom, +clean sand. The 26th day, being about four leagues off shore, +the water began gradually to sholden from twenty to fourteen fathom. +I was edging in a little towards the land, thinking to have anchored; +but presently after the water decreased almost at once, till we had +but five fathom. I durst, therefore, adventure no farther, but +steered out the same way that we came in, and in a short time had ten +fathom (being then about four leagues and a half from the shore), and +even soundings. I steered away east-north-east, coasting along +as the land lies. This day the sea breezes began to be very moderate +again, and we made the best of our way along shore, only in the night +edging off a little for fear of shoals. Ever since we left Shark’s +Bay we had fair clear weather, and so for a great while still.</p> +<p>The 27th day we had twenty fathom water all night, yet we could not +see land till one in the afternoon from our topmast-head. By three +we could just discern land from our quarter-deck; we had then sixteen +fathom. The wind was at north, and we steered east-by-north, which +is but one point in on the land; yet we decreased our water very fast, +for at four we had but nine fathom, the next cast but seven, which frightened +us; and we then tacked instantly and steed off, but in a short time +the wind coming at north-west and west-north-west, we tacked again and +steered north-north-east, and then deepened our water again, and had +all night from fifteen to twenty fathom.</p> +<p>The 28th day we had between twenty and forty fathom. We saw +no land this day, but saw a great many snakes and some whales. +We saw also some boobies and noddy-birds, and in the night caught one +of these last. It was of another shape and colour than any I had +seen before. It had a small long bill, as all of them have, flat +feet like ducks’ feet, its tail forked like a swallow, but longer +and broader, and the fork deeper than that of the swallow, with very +long wings; the top or crown of the head of this noddy was coal-black, +having also small black streaks round about and close to the eyes; and +round these streaks on each side, a pretty broad white circle. +The breast, belly, and under part of the wings of this noddy were white, +and the back and upper part of its wings of a faint black or smoke colour. +Noddies are seen in most places between the tropics, as well in the +East Indies and on the coast of Brazil, as in the West Indies. +They rest ashore at night, and therefore we never see them far at sea, +not above twenty or thirty leagues, unless driven off in a storm. +When they come about a ship they commonly perch in the night, and will +sit still till they are taken by the seamen. They build on cliffs +against the sea, or rocks.</p> +<p>The 30th day, being in latitude 18 degrees 21 minutes, we made the +land again, and saw many great smokes near the shore; and having fair +weather and moderate breezes, I steered in towards it. At four +in the afternoon I anchored in eight fathom water, clear sand, about +three leagues and a half from the shore. I presently sent my boat +to sound nearer in, and they found ten fathom about a mile farther in, +and from thence still farther in the water decreased gradually to nine, +eight, seven, and at two miles distance to six fathom. This evening +we saw an eclipse of the moon, but it was abating before the moon appeared +to us; for the horizon was very hazy, so that we could not see the moon +till she had been half an hour above the horizon; and at two hours twenty-two +minutes after sunset, by the reckoning of our glasses, the eclipse was +quite gone, which was not of many digits. The moon’s centre +was then 33 degrees 40 minutes high.</p> +<p>The 31st of August, betimes in the morning, I went ashore with ten +or eleven men to search for water. We went armed with muskets +and cutlasses for our defence, expecting to see people there, and carried +also shovels and pickaxes to dig wells. When we came near the +shore we saw three tall, black, naked men on the sandy bay ahead of +us; but as we rowed in, they went away. When we were landed, I +sent the boat with two men in her to lie a little from the shore at +an anchor, to prevent being seized; while the rest of us went after +the three black men, who were now got on the top of a small hill about +a quarter of a mile from us, with eight or nine men more in their company. +They, seeing us coming, ran away. When we came on the top of the +hill where they first stood, we saw a plain savannah, about half a mile +from us, farther in from the sea. There were several things like +hay-cocks standing in the savannah, which at a distance we thought were +houses, looking just like the Hottentots’ houses at the Cape of +Good Hope: but we found them to be so many rocks. We searched +about these for water, but could find none, nor any houses, nor people, +for they were all gone. Then we turned again to the place where +we landed, and there we dug for water.</p> +<p>While we were at work there came nine or ten of the natives to a +small hill a little way from us, and stood there menacing and threatening +us, and making a great noise. At last one of them came towards +us, and the rest followed at a distance. I went out to meet him, +and came within fifty yards of him, making to him all the signs of peace +and friendship I could, but then he ran away, neither would they any +of them stay for us to come nigh them, for we tried two or three times. +At last I took two men with me, and went in the afternoon along by the +sea-side, purposely to catch one of them, if I could, of whom I might +learn where they got their fresh water. There were ten or twelve +of the natives a little way off, who, seeing us three going away from +the rest of our men, followed us at a distance. I thought they +would follow us, but there being for awhile a sand-bank between us and +them, that they could not then see us, we made a halt, and hid ourselves +in a bending of the sand-bank. They knew we must be thereabouts, +and being three or four times our numbers, thought to seize us. +So they dispersed themselves, some going to the sea-shore, and others +beating about the sand-hills. We knew by what rencounter we had +had with them in the morning that we could easily out-run them, so a +nimble young man that was with me, seeing some of them near, ran towards +them; and they for some time ran away before him, but he soon overtaking +them, they faced about and fought him. He had a cutlass and they +had wooden lances, with which, being many of them, they were too hard +for him. When he first ran towards them I chased two more that +were by the shore; but fearing how it might be with my young man, I +turned back quickly and went to the top of a sand-hill, whence I saw +him near me, closely engaged with them. Upon their seeing me, +one of them threw a lance at me, that narrowly missed me. I discharged +my gun to scare them, but avoided shooting any of them, till finding +the young man in great danger from them, and myself in some; and that +though the gun had a little frightened them at first, yet they had soon +learnt to despise it, tossing up their hands and crying, “pooh, +pooh, pooh,” and coming on afresh with a great noise, I thought +it high time to charge again, and shoot one of them, which I did. +The rest, seeing him fall, made a stand again, and my young man took +the opportunity to disengage himself and come off to me; my other man +also was with me, who had done nothing all this while, having come out +unarmed, and I returned back with my men, designing to attempt the natives +no farther, being very sorry for what had happened already. They +took up their wounded companion; and my young man, who had been struck +through the cheek by one of their lances, was afraid it had been poisoned, +but I did not think that likely. His wound was very painful to +him, being made with a blunt weapon; but he soon recovered of it.</p> +<p>Among the New Hollanders, whom we were thus engaged with, there was +one who by his appearance and carriage, as well in the morning as this +afternoon, seemed to be the chief of them, and a kind of prince or captain +among them. He was a young brisk man, not very tall, nor so personable +as some of the rest, though more active and courageous: he was painted +(which none of the rest were at all) with a circle of white paste or +pigment (a sort of lime, as we thought) about his eyes, and a white +streak down his nose, from his forehead to the tip of it: and his breast +and some part of his arms were also made white with the same paint; +not for beauty or ornament, one would think, but as some wild Indian +warriors are said to do, he seemed thereby to design the looking more +terrible; this his painting adding very much to his natural deformity; +for they all of them have the most unpleasant looks and the worst features +of any people that ever I saw, though I have seen great variety of savages. +These New Hollanders were probably the same sort of people as those +I met with on this coast in my voyage round the world, for the place +I then touched at was not above forty or fifty leagues to the north-east +of this, and these were much the same blinking creatures (here being +also abundance of the same kind of flesh-flies teazing them,) and with +the same black skins, and hair frizzled, tall and thin, &c. as those +were: but we had not the opportunity to see whether these, as the former, +wanted two of their fore-teeth.</p> +<p>We saw a great many places where they had made fires, and where there +were commonly three or four boughs stuck up to windward of them; for +the wind, (which is the sea-breeze), in the day-time blows always one +way with them, and the land-breeze is but small. By their fire-places +we should always find great heaps of fish-shells of several sorts; and +it is probable that these poor creatures here lived chiefly on the shell-fish, +as those I before described did on small fish, which they caught in +wires or holes in the sand at low water. These gathered their +shell-fish on the rocks at low water but had no wires (that we saw), +whereby to get any other sorts of fish; as among the former I saw not +any heaps of shells as here, though I know they also gathered some shell-fish. +The lances also of those were such as these had; however, they being +upon an island, with their women and children, and all in our power, +they did not there use them against us, as here on the continent, where +we saw none but some of the men under head, who come out purposely to +observe us. We saw no houses at either place, and I believe they +have none, since the former people on the island had none, though they +had all their families with them.</p> +<p>Upon returning to my men I saw that though they had dug eight or +nine feet deep, yet found no water. So I returned aboard that +evening, and the next day, being September 1st, I sent my boatswain +ashore to dig deeper, and sent the seine within him to catch fish. +While I stayed aboard I observed the flowing of the tide, which runs +very swift here, so that our nun-buoy would not bear above the water +to be seen. It flows here (as on that part of New Holland I described +formerly) about five fathom; and here the flood runs south-east by south +till the last quarter; then it sets right in towards the shore (which +lies here south-south-west and north north-east) and the ebb runs north-west +by north. When the tides slackened we fished with hook and line, +as we had already done in several places on this coast; on which in +this voyage hitherto we had found but little tides; but by the height, +and strength, and course of them hereabouts, it should seem that if +there be such a passage or strait going through eastward to the great +South Sea, as I said one might suspect, one would expect to find the +mouth of it somewhere between this place and Rosemary Island, which +was the part of New Holland I came last from.</p> +<p>Next morning my men came aboard and brought a runlet of brackish +water which they had got out of another well that they dug in a place +a mile off, and about half as far from the shore; but this water was +not fit to drink. However, we all concluded that it would serve +to boil our oatmeal, for burgoo, whereby we might save the remains of +our other water for drinking, till we should get more: and accordingly +the next day we brought aboard four hogsheads of it: but while we were +at work about the well we were sadly pestered with the flies, which +were more troublesome to us than the sun, though it shone clear and +strong upon us all the while very hot. All this while we saw no +more of the natives, but saw some of the smoke of some of their fires +at two or three miles distance.</p> +<p>The land hereabouts was much like the port of New Holland that I +formerly described; it is low, but seemingly barricaded with a long +chain of sand-hills to the sea, that lets nothing be seen of what is +farther within land. At high water the tides rising so high as +they do, the coast shows very low: but when it is low water it seems +to be of an indifferent height. At low water-mark the shore is +all rocky, so that then there is no landing with a boat; but at high +water a boat may come in over those rocks to the sandy bay, which runs +all along on this coast. The land by the sea for about five or +six hundred yards is a dry sandy soil, bearing only shrubs and bushes +of divers sorts. Some of these had them at this time of the year, +yellow flowers or blossoms, some blue, and some white; most of them +of a very fragrant smell. Some had fruit like peascods, in each +of which there were just ten small peas; I opened many of them, and +found no more nor less. There are also here some of that sort +of bean which I saw at Rosemary Island: and another sort of small red +hard pulse, growing in cods also, with little black eyes like beans. +I know not their names, but have seen them used often in the East Indies +for weighing gold; and they make the same use of them at Guinea, as +I have heard, where the women also make bracelets with them to wear +about their arms. These grow on bushes; but here are also a fruit +like beans growing on a creeping sort of shrub-like vine. There +was great plenty of all these sorts of cod-fruit growing on the sand-hills +by the sea side, some of them green, some ripe, and some fallen on the +ground: but I could not perceive that any of them had been gathered +by the natives; and might not probably be wholesome food.</p> +<p>The land farther in, that is, lower than what borders on the sea, +was so much as we saw of it, very plain and even; partly savannahs and +partly woodland. The savannahs bear a sort of thin coarse grass. +The mould is also a coarser sand than that by the sea-side, and in some +places it is clay. Here are a great many rocks in the large savannah +we were in, which are five or six feet high, and round at top like a +hay-cock, very remarkable; some red and some white. The woodland +lies farther in still, where there were divers sorts of small trees, +scarce any three feet in circumference, their bodies twelve or fourteen +feet high, with a head of small knibs or boughs. By the sides +of the creeks, especially nigh the sea, there grow a few small black +mangrove-trees.</p> +<p>There are but few land animals. I saw some lizards; and my +men saw two or three beasts like hungry wolves, lean like so many skeletons, +being nothing but skin and bones; it is probable that it was the foot +of one of those beasts that I mentioned as seen by us in New Holland. +We saw a raccoon or two, and one small speckled snake.</p> +<p>The land fowls that we saw here were crows, just such as ours in +England, small hawks and kites, a few of each sort: but here are plenty +of small turtle doves, that are plump, fat, and very good meat. +Here are two or three sorts of smaller birds, some as big as larks, +some less; but not many of either sort. The sea-fowl are pelicans, +boobies, noddies, curlews, seapies, &c., and but few of these neither.</p> +<p>The sea is plentifully stocked with the largest whales that I ever +saw; but not to compare with the vast ones of the Northern Seas. +We saw also a great many green turtle, but caught none, here being no +place to set a turtle net in; there being no channel for them, and the +tides running so strong. We saw some sharks and parracoots; and +with hooks and lines we caught some rock-fish and old-wives. Of +shell-fish, here were oysters both of the common kind for eating, and +of the pearl kind; and also whelks, conchs, muscles, limpits, periwinkles, +&c., and I gathered a few strange shells, chiefly a sort not large, +and thickset all about with rays or spikes growing in rows.</p> +<p>And thus having ranged about a considerable time upon this coast, +without finding any good fresh water or any convenient place to clean +the ship, as I had hoped for; and it being moreover the height of the +dry season, and my men growing scorbutic for want of refreshments, so +that I had little encouragement to search further, I resolved to leave +this coast, and accordingly in the beginning of September set sail towards +Timor.</p> +<p>On the 12th of December, 1699, we sailed from Babao, coasting along +the island Timor to the eastward, towards New Guinea. It was the +20th before we got as far as Laphao, which is but forty leagues. +We saw black clouds in the north-west, and expected the wind from that +quarter above a month sooner.</p> +<p>That afternoon we saw the opening between the islands Omba and Fetter, +but feared to pass through in the night. At two o’clock +in the morning it fell calm, and continued so till noon, in which time +we drove with the current back again south-west six or seven leagues.</p> +<p>On the 22nd, steering to the eastward to get through between Omba +and Fetter, we met a very strong tide against us, so that although we +had a very fresh gale, we yet made way very slowly; but before night +got through. By a good observation we found that the south-east +point of Omba lies in latitude 8 degrees 25 minutes. In my drafts +it is laid down in 8 degrees 10 minutes. My true course from Babao, +is east 25 degrees north, distance one hundred eighty-three miles. +We sounded several times when near Omba, but had no ground. On +the north-east point of Omba we saw four or five men, and a little further +three pretty houses on a low point, but did not go ashore.</p> +<p>At five this afternoon we had a tornado, which yielded much rain, +thunder, and lightning; yet we had but little wind. The 24th in +the morning we caught a large shark, which gave all the ship’s +company a plentiful meal.</p> +<p>The 27th we saw the Burning Island; it lies in latitude 6 degrees +36 minutes south; it is high, and but small; it runs from the sea a +little sloping towards the top, which is divided in the middle into +two peaks, between which issued out much smoke: I have not seen more +from any volcano. I saw no trees; but the north side appeared +green, and the rest looked very barren.</p> +<p>Having passed the Burning Island, I shaped my course for two islands, +called Turtle Isles, which lie north-east by east a little easterly, +and distant about fifty leagues from the Burning Isle. I fearing +the wind might veer to the eastward of the north, steered twenty leagues +north-east, then north-east by east. On the 28th we saw two small +low islands, called Lucca-Parros, to the north of us. At noon +I accounted myself twenty leagues short of the Turtle Isles.</p> +<p>The next morning, being in the latitude of the Turtle Islands, we +looked out sharp for them, but saw no appearance of any island till +eleven o’clock, when we saw an island at a great distance. +At first we supposed it might be one of the Turtle Isles, but it was +not laid down true, neither in latitude nor longitude from the Burning +Isle, nor from the Lucca-Parros, which last I took to be a great help +to guide me, they being laid down very well from the Burning Isle, and +that likewise in true latitude and distance from Omba, so that I could +not tell what to think of the island now in sight, we having had fair +weather, so that we could not pass by the Turtle Isles without seeing +them, and this in sight was much too far off for them. We found +variation 1 degrees 2 minutes east. In the afternoon I steered +north-east by east for the islands that we saw. At two o’clock +I went and looked over the fore-yard, and saw two islands at much greater +distance than the Turtle Islands are laid down in my drafts, one of +them was a very high peaked mountain, cleft at top, and much like the +Burning Island that we passed by, but bigger and higher; the other was +a pretty long high flat island. Now I was certain that these were +not the Turtle Islands, and that they could be no other than the Bande +Isles, yet we steered in to make them plainer. At three o’clock +we discovered another small flat island to the north-west of the others, +and saw a great deal of smoke rise from the top of the high island. +At four we saw other small islands, by which I was now assured that +these were the Bande Isles there. At five I altered my course +and steered east, and at eight east-south-east, because I would not +be seen by the inhabitants of those islands in the morning. We +had little wind all night, and in the morning, as soon as it was light +we saw another high peaked island; at eight it bore south-south-east +half-east, distance eight leagues: and this I knew to be Bird Isle. +It is laid down in our drafts in latitude 5 degrees 9 minutes south, +which is too far southerly by twenty-seven miles, according to our observation, +and the like error in laying down the Turtle Islands might be the occasion +of our missing them.</p> +<p>At night I shortened sail, for fear of coming too nigh some islands, +that stretch away bending like a half moon from Ceram towards Timor, +and which in my course I must of necessity pass through. The next +morning betimes I saw them, and found them to be at a farther distance +from Bird Island than I expected. In the afternoon it fell quite +calm, and when we had a little wind, it was so unconstant, flying from +one point to another, that I could not without difficulty get through +the islands where I designed; besides, I found a current setting to +the southward, so that it was betwixt five and six in the evening before +I passed through the islands, and then just weathered little Watela, +whereas I thought to have been two or three leagues more northerly. +We saw the day before, betwixt two and three, a spout but a small distance +from us, it fell down out of a black cloud, that yielded great store +of rain, thunder and lightning; this cloud hovered to the southward +of us for the space of three hours, and then drew to the westward a +great pace, at which time it was that we saw the spout, which hung fast +to the cloud till it broke, and then the cloud whirled about to the +south-east, then to east-north-east, where meeting with an island, it +spent itself and so dispersed, and immediately we had a little of the +tail of it, having had none before. Afterwards we saw a smoke +on the island Kosiway, which continued till night.</p> +<p>On New Year’s Day we first descried the land of New Guinea, +which appeared to be high land, and the next day we saw several high +islands on the coast of New Guinea, and ran in with the main land. +The shore here lies along east-south-east and west-north-west. +It is high even land, very well clothed with tall flourishing trees, +which appeared very green, and gave us a very pleasant prospect. +We ran to the westward of four mountainous islands, and in the night +had a small tornado, which brought with it some rain and a fair wind. +We had fair weather for a long time, only when near any land we had +some tornadoes; but off, at sea, commonly clear weather, though, if +in sight of land, we usually saw many black clouds hovering about it.</p> +<p>On the 5th and 6th of January we plied to get in with the land, designing +to anchor, fill water, and spend a little time in searching the country, +till after the change of the moon, for I found a strong current setting +against us. We anchored in thirty-eight fathom water, good oozy +ground. We had an island of a league long without us, about three +miles distant, and we rode from the main about a mile. The easternmost +point of land seen bore east-by-south half-south, distance three leagues, +and the westernmost west-south-west half-south, distance two leagues. +So soon as we anchored, we sent the pinnace to look for water and try +if they could catch any fish. Afterwards we sent the yawl another +way to see for water. Before night the pinnace brought on board +several sorts of fruits that they found in the woods, such as I never +saw before. One of my men killed a stately land-fowl, as big as +the largest dunghill cock; it was of a sky-colour, only in the middle +of the wings was a white spot, about which were some reddish spots; +on the crown it had a large bunch of long feathers, which appeared very +pretty; his bill was like pigeon’s; he had strong legs and feet, +like dunghill fowls, only the claws were reddish; his crop was full +of small berries. It lays an egg as big as a large hen’s +egg, for our men climbed the tree where it nested, and brought off one +egg. They found water, and reported that the trees were large, +tall, and very thick, and that they saw no sign of people. At +night the yawl came aboard and brought a wooden fish-spear, very ingeniously +made, the matter of it was a small cane; they found it by a small barbecue, +where they also saw a shattered canoe.</p> +<p>The next morning I sent the boatswain ashore fishing, and at one +haul he caught three hundred and fifty-two mackerel, and about twenty +other fishes, which I caused to be equally divided among all my company. +I sent also the gunner and chief mate to search about if they could +find convenient anchoring near a watering-place; by night they brought +word that they had found a fine stream of good water, where the boat +could come close to, and it was very easy to be filled, and that the +ship might anchor as near to it as I pleased, so I went thither. +The next morning, therefore, we anchored in twenty-five fathom water, +soft oozy ground, about a mile from the river; we got on board three +tuns of water that night, and caught two or three pike-fish, in shape +much like a parracota, but with a longer snout, something resembling +a garr, yet not so long. The next day I sent the boat again for +water, and before night all my casks were full.</p> +<p>Having filled here about fifteen tuns of water, seeing we could catch +but little fish, and had no other refreshments, I intended to sail next +day, but finding that we wanted wood, I sent to cut some, and going +ashore to hasten it, at some distance from the place where our men were, +I found a small cove, where I saw two barbecues, which appeared not +to be above two months’ standing; the spars were cut with some +sharp instrument, so that, if done by the natives, it seems that they +have iron. On the 10th, a little after twelve o’clock, we +weighed and stood over to the north side of the bay, and at one o’clock +stood out with the wind at north and north-north-west. At four +we passed out by a White Island, which I so named from its many white +cliffs, having no name in our drafts. It is about a league long, +pretty high, and very woody; it is about five miles from the main, only +at the west end it reaches within three miles of it. At some distance +off at sea the west point appears like a cape-land, the north side trends +away north-north-west, and the east side east-south-east. This +island lies in latitude 3 degrees 4 minutes south, and the meridian +distance from Babao five hundred and twelve miles east. After +we were out to sea, we plied to get to the northward, but met with such +a strong current against us, that we got but little, for if the wind +favoured us in the night, that we got three or four leagues, we lost +it again, and were driven as far astern next morning, so that we plied +here several days.</p> +<p>The 14th, being past a point of land that we had been three days +getting about, we found little or no current, so that, having the wind +at north-west-by-west and west-north-west, we stood to the northward, +and had several soundings: at three o’clock thirty-eight fathom, +the nearest part of New Guinea being about three leagues’ distance; +at four, thirty-seven; at five, thirty-six; at six, thirty-six; at eight, +thirty-three fathom; then the Cape was about four leagues’ distant, +so that as we ran off we found our water shallower; we had then some +islands to the westward of us, at about four leagues’ distance.</p> +<p>A little after noon we saw smoke on the islands to the west of us, +and having a fine gale of wind, I steered away for them. At seven +o’clock in the evening we anchored in thirty-five fathom, about +two leagues from an island, good soft oozy ground. We lay still +all night, and saw fires ashore. In the morning we weighed again, +and ran farther in, thinking to have shallower water; but we ran within +a mile of the shore, and came to in thirty-eight fathom good soft holding +ground. While we were under sail two canoes came off within call +of us. They spoke to us, but we did not understand their language +nor signs. We waved to them to come aboard, and I called to them +in the Malayan language to do the same, but they would not. Yet +they came so nigh us that we could show them such things as we had to +truck with them; yet neither would this entice them to come on board, +but they made signs for us to come ashore, and away they went. +Then I went after them in my pinnace, carrying with me knives, beads, +glasses, hatchets, &c. When we came near the shore, I called +to them in the Malayan language. I saw but two men at first, the +rest lying in ambush behind the bushes; but as soon as I threw ashore +some knives and other toys, they came out, flung down their weapons, +and came into the water by the boat’s side, making signs of friendship +by pouring water on their heads with one hand, which they dipped into +the sea. The next day, in the afternoon, several other canoes +came aboard, and brought many roots and fruits, which we purchased.</p> +<p>The island has no name in our drafts, but the natives call it Pub +Sabuda; it is about three leagues long, and two miles wide, more or +less; it is of a good height, so as to be seen eleven or twelve leagues; +it is very rocky, yet above the rocks there is good yellow and black +mould, not deep, yet producing plenty of good tall trees, and bearing +any fruits or roots which the inhabitants plant. I do not know +all its produce, but what we saw were plantains, cocoa-nuts, pine-apples, +oranges, papaes, potatoes, and other large roots. Here are also +another sort of wild jacas, about the bigness of a man’s two fists, +full of stones or kernels, which eat pleasant enough when roasted. +The libby tree grows here in the swampy valleys, of which they make +sago cakes. I did not see them make any, but was told by the inhabitants +that it was made of the pith of the tree, in the same manner I have +described in my “Voyage Round the World.” They showed +me the tree whereof it was made, and I bought about forty of the cakes. +I bought also three or four nutmegs in their shell, which did not seem +to have been long gathered; but whether they be the growth of this island +or not, the natives would not tell whence they had them, and seem to +prize them very much. What beasts the island affords I know not, +but here are both sea and land fowl. Of the first, boobies and +men-of-war birds are the chief, some goldens, and small milk-white crab-catchers; +the land-fowl are pigeons, about the bigness of mountain-pigeons in +Jamaica, and crows about the bigness of those in England, and much like +them, but the inner part of their feathers are white, and the outside +black, so that they appear all black, unless you extend the feathers. +Here are large sky-coloured birds, such as we lately killed on New Guinea, +and many other small birds, unknown to us. Here are likewise abundance +of bats, as big as young coneys, their necks, head, ears, and noses +like foxes, their hair rough, that about their necks is of a whitish +yellow, that on their heads and shoulders black, their wings are four +feet over from tip to tip; they smell like foxes. The fish are +bass, rock-fish, and a sort of fish like mullets, old-wives, whip-rays, +and some other sorts that I knew not; but no great plenty of any, for +it is deep water till within less than a mile of the shore, then there +is a bank of coral rocks, within which you have shoal-water, white clean +sand, so there is no good fishing with the seine.</p> +<p>This island lies in latitude 2 degrees 43 minutes south, and meridian +distance from port Babo, on the island Timor, four hundred and eighty-six +miles: besides this island, here are nine or ten other small islands.</p> +<p>The inhabitants of this island are a sort of very tawny Indians, +with long black hair, who in their manners differ but little from the +Mindanayans, and others of these eastern islands. These seem to +be the chief; for besides them we saw also shock curl pated New Guinea +negroes, many of which are slaves to the others, but I think not all. +They are very poor, wear no clothes but have a clout about their middle, +made of the rinds of the tops of palmetto trees; but the women had a +sort of calico cloth. Their chief ornaments are blue and yellow +beads, worn about their wrists. The men arm themselves with bows +and arrows, lances, broad swords, like those of Mindanao; their lances +are pointed with bone: they strike fish very ingeniously with wooden +fish-spears, and have a very ingenious way of making the fish rise; +for they have a piece of wood curiously carved, and painted much like +a dolphin (and perhaps other figures); these they let down into the +water by a line with a small weight to sink it; when they think it low +enough, they haul the line into their boats very fast, and the fish +rise up after this figure, and they stand ready to strike them when +they are near the surface of the water. But their chief livelihood +is from their plantations; yet they have large boats, and go over to +New Guinea, where they get slaves, fine parrots, &c, which they +carry to Goram and exchange for calicoes. One boat came from thence +a little before I arrived here, of whom I bought some parrots, and would +have bought a slave but they would not barter for anything but calicoes, +which I had not. Their houses on this side were very small, and +seemed only to be for necessity; but on the other side of the island +we saw good large houses. Their prows are narrow, with outriggers +on each side, like other Malayans. I cannot tell of what religion +these are; but I think they are not Mahometans, by their drinking brandy +out of the same cup with us without any scruple. At this island +we continued till the 20th instant, having laid in store of such roots +and fruits as the island afforded.</p> +<p>On the 20th, at half an hour after six in the morning, I weighed, +and standing out we saw a large boat full of men lying at the north +point of the island. As we passed by, they rowed towards their +habitations, where we supposed they had withdrawn themselves for fear +of us, though we gave them no cause of terror, or for some differences +among themselves.</p> +<p>We stood to the northward till seven in the evening, then saw a rippling; +and, the water being discoloured, we sounded, and had but twenty-two +fathom. I went about and stood to the westward till two next morning +then tacked again, and had these several soundings: at eight in the +evening, twenty-two; at ten, twenty-five; at eleven, twenty-seven; at +twelve, twenty-eight fathom; at two in the morning, twenty-six; at four, +twenty-four; at six, twenty-three; at eight, twenty-eight; at twelve, +twenty-two.</p> +<p>We passed by many small islands, and among many dangerous shoals +without any remarkable occurrence till the 4th of February, when we +got within three leagues of the north-west cape of New Guinea, called +by the Dutch Cape Mabo. Off this cape there lies a small woody +island, and many islands of different sizes to the north and north-east +of it. This part of New Guinea is high land, adorned with tall +trees, that appeared very green and flourishing. The cape itself +is not very high, but ends in a low sharp point, and on either side +there appears another such point at equal distances, which makes it +resemble a diamond. This only appears when you are abreast of +the middle point, and then you have no ground within three leagues of +the shore.</p> +<p>In the afternoon we passed by the cape and stood over for the islands. +Before it was dark we were got within a league of the westernmost, but +had no ground with fifty fathom of line: however, fearing to stand nearer +in the dark, we tacked and stood to the east and plied all night. +The next morning we were got five or six leagues to the eastward of +that island, and, having the wind easterly, we stood in to the northward +among the islands, sounded, and had no ground; then I sent in my boat +to sound, and they had ground with fifty fathom near a mile from the +shore. We tacked before the boat came aboard again, for fear of +a shoal that was about a mile to the east of that island the boat went +to, from whence also a shoal-point stretched out itself till it met +the other: they brought with them such a cockle as I have mentioned +in my “Voyage Round the World” found near Celebes, and they +saw many more, some bigger than that which they brought aboard, as they +said, and for this reason I named it Cockle Island. I sent them +to sound again, ordering them to fire a musket if they found good anchoring; +we were then standing to the southward, with a fine breeze. As +soon as they fired, I tacked and stood in; they told me they had fifty +fathom when they fired. I tacked again, and made all the sail +I could to get out, being near some rocky islands and shoals to leeward +of us. The breeze increased, and I thought we were out of danger, +but having a shoal just by us, and the wind failing again, I ordered +the boat to tow us, and by their help we got clear from it. We +had a strong tide setting to the westward.</p> +<p>At one o’clock, being past the shoal, and finding the tide +setting to the westward, I anchored in thirty-five fathom coarse sand, +with small coral and shells. Being nearest to Cockle Island, I +immediately sent both the boats thither, one to cut wood, and the other +to fish. At four in the afternoon, having a small breeze at south-south-west, +I made a sign for my boats to come on board. They brought some +wood, and a few small cockles, none of them exceeding ten pounds’ +weight, whereas the shell of the great one weighed seventy-eight pounds; +but it was now high water, and therefore they could get no bigger. +They also brought on board some pigeons, of which we found plenty on +all the islands where we touched in these seas: also in many places +we saw many large bats, but killed none, except those I mentioned at +Pub Sabuda. As our boats came aboard, we weighed and made sail, +steering east-south-east as long as the wind held. In the morning +we found we had got four or five leagues to the east of the place where +we weighed. We stood to and fro till eleven; and finding that +we lost ground, anchored in forty-two fathom coarse gravelly sand, with +some coral. This morning we thought we saw a sail.</p> +<p>In the afternoon I went ashore on a small woody island, about two +leagues from us. Here I found the greatest number of pigeons that +ever I saw either in the East or West Indies, and small cockles in the +sea round the island in such quantities that we might have laden the +boat in an hour’s time. These were not above ten or twelve +pounds’ weight. We cut some wood, and brought off cockles +enough for all the ship’s company; but having no small shot, we +could kill no pigeons. I returned about four o’clock, and +then my gunner and both mates went thither, and in less than three-quarters +of an hour they killed and brought off ten pigeons. Here is a +tide: the flood sets west and the ebb east, but the latter is very faint +and but of small continuance, and so we found it ever since we came +from Timer: the winds we found easterly, between north-east and east-south-east, +so that if these continue, it is impossible to beat farther to the eastward +on this coast against wind and current. These easterly winds increased +from the time we were in the latitude of about 2 degrees south, and +as we drew nigher the line they hung more easterly: and now being to +the north of the continent of New Guinea, where the coast lies east +and west, I find the trade-wind here at east, which yet in higher latitudes +is usually at north-north-west and north-west; and so I did expect them +here, it being to the south of the line.</p> +<p>The 7th, in the morning, I sent my boat ashore on Pigeon Island, +and stayed till noon. In the afternoon my men returned, brought +twenty-two pigeons, and many cockles, some very large, some small: they +also brought one empty shell, that weighed two hundred and fifty-eight +pounds.</p> +<p>At four o’clock we weighed, having a small westerly wind and +a tide with us; at seven in the evening we anchored in forty-two fathom, +near King William’s Island, where I went ashore the next morning, +drank His Majesty’s health, and honoured it with his name. +It is about two leagues and a half in length, very high and extraordinarily +well clothed with woods; the trees are of divers sorts, most unknown +to us, but all very green and flourishing; many of them had flowers, +some white, some purple, others yellow: all which smelt very fragrantly: +the trees are generally tall and straight bodied, and may be fit for +any use. I saw one of a clean body, without knot or limb, sixty +or seventy feet high by estimation; it was three of my fathoms about, +and kept its bigness, without any sensible decrease, even to the top. +The mould of the island is black, but not deep, it being very rocky. +On the sides and top of the island are many palmetto trees, whose heads +we could discern over all the other trees, but their bodies we could +not see.</p> +<p>About one in the afternoon we weighed and stood to the eastward, +between the main and King William’s Island, leaving the island +on our larboard side, and sounding till we were past the island, and +then we had no ground. Here we found the flood setting east-by-north, +and the ebb west-by-south; there were shoals and small islands between +us and the main, which caused the tide to set very inconstantly, and +make many whirlings in the water; yet we did not find the tide to set +strong any way, nor the water to rise much.</p> +<p>On the 9th, being to the eastward of King William’s Island, +we plied all day between the main and other islands, having easterly +winds and fair weather till seven the next morning; then we had very +hard rain till eight, and saw many shoals of fish. We lay becalmed +off a pretty deep bay on New Guinea, about twelve or fourteen leagues +wide, and seven or eight leagues deep, having low land near its bottom, +but high land without. The easternmost part of New Guinea seen +bore east-by-south, distant twelve leagues; Cape Mabo west-south-west +half-south, distant seven leagues.</p> +<p>At one in the afternoon it began to rain, and continued till six +in the evening, so that, having but little wind and most calms, we lay +still off the forementioned bay, having King William’s Island +still in sight, though distant by judgment fifteen or sixteen leagues +west. We saw many shoals of small fish, some sharks, and seven +or eight dolphins, but caught none. In the afternoon, being about +four leagues from the shore, we saw an opening in the land, which seemed +to afford good harbour. In the evening we saw a large fire there, +and I intended to go in (if winds and weather would permit) to get some +acquaintance with the natives.</p> +<p>Since the 4th instant that we passed Cape Mabo, to the 12th, we had +small easterly winds and calms, so that we anchored several times, where +I made my men cut wood, that we might have a good stock when a westerly +wind should present, and so we plied to the eastward, as winds and currents +would permit, having not got in all above thirty leagues to the eastward +of Cape Mabo; but on the 12th, at four in the afternoon, a small gale +sprang up at north-east-by-north, with rain; at five it shuffled about +to north-west, from thence to the south-west, and continued between +those two points a pretty brisk gale, so that we made sail and steered +away north-east, till the 13th, in the morning, to get about the Cape +of Good Hope. When it was day we steered north-east half east, +then north-east-by-east till seven o’clock, and, being then seven +or eight leagues off shore, we steered away east, the shore trending +east-by-south. We had very much rain all night, so that we could +not carry much sail, yet we had a very steady gale. At eight this +morning the weather cleared up, and the wind decreased to a fine top-gallant +gale, and settled at west-by-south. We had more rain these three +days past, than all the voyage, in so short a time. We were now +about six leagues from the land of New Guinea, which appeared very high; +and we saw two headlands about twenty leagues asunder, the one to the +east and the other to the west, which last is called the Cape of Good +Hope. We found variation east 4 degrees.</p> +<p>The 15th, in the morning, between twelve and two o’clock, it +blew a very brisk gale at north-west, and looked very black in the south-west. +At two it flew about at once to the south-south-west, and rained very +hard. The wind settled some time at west-south-west, and we steered +east-north-east till three in the morning; then the wind and rain abating, +we steered east-half-north for fear of coming near the land. Presently +after, it being a little clear, the man at the bowsprit end called out, +“Land on our starboard bow.” We looked out and saw +it plain: I presently sounded, and had but ten fathom, soft ground. +The master, being somewhat scared, came running in haste with this news, +and said it was best to anchor. I told him no, but sound again; +then we had twelve fathom; the next cast, thirteen and a half; the fourth, +seventeen fathom; and then no ground with fifty fathom line. However, +we kept off the island, and did not go so fast but that we could see +any other danger before we came nigh it; for here might have been more +islands not laid down in my drafts besides this, for I searched all +the drafts I had, if perchance I might find any island in the one which +was not in the others, but I could find none near us. When it +was day we were about five leagues off the land we saw; but, I believe, +not above five miles, or at most two leagues, off it when we first saw +it in the night.</p> +<p>This is a small island, but pretty high; I named it Providence. +About five leagues to the southward of this there is another island, +which is called William Scouten’s Island, and laid down in our +drafts: it is a high island, and about twenty leagues big.</p> +<p>It was by mere providence that we missed the small island; for, had +not the wind come to west-south-west, and blown hard, so that we steered +east-north-east, we had been upon it by our course that we steered before, +if we could not have seen it. This morning we saw many great trees +and logs swim by us, which, it is probable, came out of some great rivers +on the main.</p> +<p>On the 16th we crossed the line, and found variation 6 degrees 26 +minutes east. The 18th, by my observation at noon, we found that +we had had a current setting to the southward, and probably that drew +us in so nigh Scouten’s Island. For this twenty-four hours +we steered east-by-north with a large wind, yet made but an east-by-south +half south course, though the variation was not above 7 degrees east.</p> +<p>The 21st we had a current setting to the northward, which is against +the true trade monsoon, it being now near the full moon. I did +expect it here, as in all other places. We had variation 8 degrees +45 minutes east. The 22nd we found but little current, if any; +it set to the southward.</p> +<p>On the 23rd, in the afternoon, we saw two snakes, and the next morning +another passing by us, which was furiously assaulted by two fishes, +that had kept us company five or six days; they were shaped like mackerel, +and were about that bigness and length, and of a yellow-greenish colour. +The snake swam away from them very fast, keeping his head above water; +the fish snapped at his tail, but when he turned himself, that fish +would withdraw, and another would snap, so that by turns they kept him +employed, yet he still defended himself, and swam away a great pace, +till they were out of sight.</p> +<p>The 25th, betimes in the morning, we saw an island to the southward +of us, at about fifteen leagues’ distance. We steered away +for it, supposing it to be that which the Dutch call Wishart’s +Island; but, finding it otherwise, I called it Matthias, it being that +saint’s day. This island is about nine or ten leagues long, +mountainous and woody, with many savannahs, and some spots of land which +seemed to be cleared.</p> +<p>At eight in the evening we lay by, intending, if I could, to anchor +under Matthias Isle; but the next morning, seeing another island about +seven or eight leagues to the eastward of it, we steered away for it. +At noon we came up fair with its south-west end, intending to run along +by it and anchor on the south-east side, but the tornadoes came in so +thick and hard that I could not venture in. This island is pretty +low and plain, and clothed with wood; the trees were very green, and +appeared to be large and tall, as thick as they could stand one by another. +It is about two or three leagues long, and at the south-west point there +is another small, low, woody island, about a mile round, and about a +mile from the other. Between them there runs a reef of rocks which +joins them. (The biggest I named Squally Island.)</p> +<p>Seeing we could not anchor here, I stood away to the southward, to +make the main; but having many hard squalls and tornadoes, we were often +forced to hand all our sails and steer more easterly to go before it. +On the 26th at four o’clock it cleared up to a hard sky and a +brisk settled gale; then we made as much sail as we could. At +five it cleared up over the land, and we saw, as we thought, Cape Solomaswer +bearing south-south-east, distance ten leagues. We had many great +logs and trees swimming by us all this afternoon, and much grass; we +steered in south-south-east till six, then the wind slackened, and we +stood off till seven, having little wind; then we lay by till ten, at +which time we made sail, and steered away east all night. The +next morning, as soon as it was light, we made all the sail we could, +and steered away east-south-east, as the land lay, being fair in sight +of it, and not above seven leagues’ distance. We passed +by many small low woody islands which lay between us and the main, not +laid down in our drafts. We found variation 9 degrees 50 minutes +east.</p> +<p>The 28th we had many violent tornadoes, wind, rain, and some spouts, +and in the tornadoes the wind shifted. In the night we had fair +weather, but more lightning than we had seen at any time this voyage. +This morning we left a large high island on our larboard side, called +in the Dutch drafts Wishart’s Isle, about six leagues from the +main; and, seeing many smokes upon the main, I therefore steered towards +it.</p> +<p>The mainland at this place is high and mountainous, adorned with +tall, flourishing trees; the sides of the hills had many large plantations +and patches of clear land, which, together with the smoke we saw, were +certain signs of its being well inhabited; and I was desirous to have +some commerce with the inhabitants. Being nigh shore, we saw first +one proa; a little after, two or three more, and at last a great many +boats came from all the adjacent bays. When they were forty-six +in number they approached so near us that we could see each other’s +signs and hear each other speak, though we could not understand them, +nor they us. They made signs for us to go in towards the shore, +pointing that way. It was squally weather, which at first made +me cautious of going too near; but the weather beginning to look pretty +well, I endeavoured to get into a bay ahead of us, which we could have +got into well enough at first; but while we lay by, we were driven so +far to leeward that now it was more difficult to get in. The natives +lay in their proas round us; to whom I showed beads, knives, glasses, +to allure them to come nearer. But they would not come so nigh +as to receive anything from us; therefore I threw out some things to +them, viz., a knife fastened to a piece of board, and a glass bottle +corked up with some beads in it, which they took up, and seemed well +pleased. They often struck their left breast with their right +hand, and as often held up a black truncheon over their heads, which +we thought was a token of friendship, wherefore we did the like. +And when we stood in towards their shore, they seemed to rejoice; but +when we stood off, they frowned, yet kept us company in their proas, +still pointing to the shore. About five o’clock we got within +the mouth of the bay, and sounded several times, but had no ground, +though within a mile of the shore. The basin of this bay was about +two miles within us, into which we might have gone; but as I was not +assured of anchorage there, so I thought it not prudent to run in at +this time, it being near night, and seeing a black tornado rising in +the west, which I most feared. Besides, we had near two hundred +men in proas close by us; and the bays on the shore were lined with +men from one end to the other, where there could not be less than three +or four hundred more. What weapons they had, we knew not, nor +yet their design; therefore I had, at their first coming near us, got +up all our small arms, and made several put on cartouch boxes, to prevent +treachery. At last I resolved to go out again; which, when the +natives in their proas perceived, they began to fling stones at us as +fast as they could, being provided with engines for that purpose, wherefore +I named this place Slinger’s Bay; but at the firing of one gun +they were all amazed, drew off, and flung no more stones. They +got together, as if consulting what to do; for they did not make in +towards the shore, but lay still, though some of them were killed or +wounded; and many more of them had paid for their boldness, but that +I was unwilling to cut off any of them, which, if I had done, I could +not hope afterwards to bring them to treat with me.</p> +<p>The next day we sailed close by an island, where we saw many smokes, +and men in the bays, out of which came two or three canoes, taking much +pains to overtake us, but they could not, though we went with an easy +sail, and I could not now stay for them. As I passed by the south-east +point I sounded several times within a mile of the Sandy Bays, but had +no ground. About three leagues to the northward of the south-east +point we opened a large, deep bay, secured from west-north-west and +south-west winds. There were two other islands that lay to the +north-east of it, which secured the bay from north-east winds; one was +but small, yet woody; the other was a league long, inhabited, and full +of cocoa-nut trees. I endeavoured to get into this bay, but there +came such flaws off from the high land over it that I could not. +Besides, we had many hard squalls, which deterred me from it; and, night +coming on, I would not run any hazard, but bore away to the small inhabited +island, to see if we could get anchorage on the east side of it. +When we came there we found the island so narrow, that there could be +no shelter; therefore I tacked and stood towards the greater island +again; and being more than midway between both, I lay by, designing +to endeavour for anchorage next morning. Between seven and eight +at night we spied a canoe close by us, and seeing no more, suffered +her to come aboard. She had three men in her, who brought off +five cocoa-nuts, for which I gave each of them a knife and a string +of beads, to encourage them to come off again in the morning: but before +these went away we saw two more canoes coming; therefore we stood away +to the northward from them, and then lay by again till day. We +saw no more boats this night, neither designed to suffer any to come +aboard in the dark.</p> +<p>By nine o’clock the next morning we were got within a league +of the great island, but were kept off by violent gusts of wind. +These squalls gave us warning of their approach by the clouds which +hung over the mountains, and afterwards descended to the foot of them; +and then it is we expect them speedily.</p> +<p>On the 3rd of March, being about five leagues to leeward of the great +island, we saw the mainland ahead, and another great high island to +leeward of us, distant about seven leagues, which we bore away for. +It is called in the Dutch drafts Garret Dennis Isle. It is about +fourteen or fifteen leagues round, high and mountainous, and very woody. +Some trees appeared very large and tall, and the bays by the seaside +are well stared with cocoa-nut trees, where we also saw some small houses. +The sides of the mountains are thickset with plantations, and the mould +in the new-cleared land seemed to be of a brown-reddish colour. +This island is of no regular figure, but is full of points shooting +forth into the sea, between which are many sandy bays, full of cocoa-nut +trees. The middle of the isle lies in 3 degrees 10 minutes south +latitude. It is very populous. The natives are very black, +strong, and well-limbed people, having great round heads, their hair +naturally curled and short, which they shave into several forms, and +dye it also of divers colours—viz., red, white, and yellow. +They have broad round faces, with great bottle-noses, yet agreeable +enough till they disfigure them by painting, and by wearing great things +through their noses as big as a man’s thumb, and about four inches +long. These are run clear through both nostrils, one end coming +out by one cheek-bone, and the other end against the other; and their +noses so stretched that only a small slip of them appears about the +ornament. They have also great holes in their ears, wherein they +wear such stuff as in their noses. They are very dexterous, active +fellows in their proas, which are very ingeniously built. They +are narrow and long, with outriggers on one side, the head and stern +higher than the rest, and carved into many devices—viz., some +fowl, fish, or a man’s head painted or carved; and though it is +but rudely done, yet the resemblance appears plainly, and shows an ingenious +fancy. But with what instruments they make their proas or carved +work I know not, for they seem to be utterly ignorant of iron. +They have very neat paddles, with which they manage their proas dexterously, +and make great way through the water. Their weapons are chiefly +lances, swords and slings, and some bows and arrows. They have +also wooden fish-spears for striking fish. Those that came to +assault us in Slinger’s Bay on the main are in all respects like +these, and I believe these are alike treacherous. Their speech +is clear and distinct. The words they used most when near us were +<i>vacousee allamais</i>, and then they pointed to the shore. +Their signs of friendship are either a great truncheon, or bough of +a tree full of leaves, put on their heads, often striking their heads +with their hands.</p> +<p>The next day, having a fresh gale of wind, we got under a high island, +about four or five leagues round, very woody, and full of plantations +upon the sides of the hills; and in the bays, by the waterside, are +abundance of cocoa-nut trees. It lies in the latitude of 3 degrees +25 minutes south, and meridian distance from Cape Mabo 1,316 miles. +On the south-east part of it are three or four other small woody islands, +one high and peaked, the others low and flat, all bedecked with cocoa-nut +trees and other wood. On the north there is another island of +an indifferent height and of a somewhat larger circumference than the +great high island last mentioned. We passed between this and the +high island. The high island is called in the Dutch drafts Anthony +Cave’s Island. As for the flat, low island, and the other +small one, it is probable they were never seen by the Dutch, nor the +islands to the north of Garret Dennis’s Island. As soon +as we came near Cave’s Island some canoes came about us, and made +signs for us to come ashore, as all the rest had done before, probably +thinking we could run the ship aground anywhere, as they did their proas, +for we saw neither sail nor anchor among any of them, though most Eastern +Indians have both. These had proas made of one tree, well dug, +with outriggers on one side; they were but small, yet well shaped. +We endeavoured to anchor, but found no ground within a mile of the shore. +We kept close along the north side, still sounding till we came to the +north-east end, but found no ground, the canoes still accompanying us, +and the bays were covered with men going along as we sailed. Many +of them strove to swim off to us, but we left them astern. Being +at the north-east point, we found a strong current setting to the north-west, +so that though we had steered to keep under the high island, yet we +were driven towards the flat one. At this time three of the natives +came on board. I gave each of them a knife, a looking-glass, and +a string of beads. I showed them pumpkins and cocoa-nut shells, +and made signs to them to bring some aboard, and had presently three +cocoa-nuts out of one of the canoes. I showed them nutmegs, and +by their signs I guessed they had some on the island. I also showed +them some gold dust, which they seemed to know, and called out “Manneel, +Manneel,” and pointed towards the land. A while after these +men were gone, two or three canoes came from the flat island, and by +signs invited us to their island, at which the others seemed displeased, +and used very menacing gestures and, I believe, speeches to each other. +Night coming on, we stood off to sea, and having but little wind all +night, were driven away to the north-west. We saw many great fires +on the flat island. The last men that came off to us were all +black as those we had seen before, with frizzled hair. They were +very tall, lusty, well-shaped men. They wear great things in their +noses, and paint as the others, but not much. They make the same +signs of friendship, and their language seems to be one; but the others +had proas, and these canoes. On the sides of some of these we +saw the figures of several fish neatly cut, and these last were not +so shy as the others.</p> +<p>Steering away from Cave’s Island south-south-east, we found +a strong current against us, which set only in some places in streams, +and in them we saw many trees and logs of wood, which drove by us. +We had but little wood aboard; wherefore I hoisted out the pinnace, +and sent her to take up some of this driftwood. In a little time +she came aboard with a great tree in tow, which we could hardly hoist +in with all our tackles. We cut up the tree and split it for firewood. +It was much worm-eaten, and had in it some live worms above an inch +long, and about the bigness of a goose-quill, and having their heads +crusted over with a thin shell.</p> +<p>After this we passed by an island, called by the Dutch St. John’s +Island, leaving it to the north of us. It is about nine or ten +leagues round, and very well adorned with lofty trees. We saw +many plantations on the sides of the hills, and abundance of cocoa-nut +trees about them, as also thick groves on the bays by the seaside. +As we came near it three canoes came off to us, but would not come aboard. +They were such as we had seen about the other islands. They spoke +the same language, and made the same signs of peace, and their canoes +were such as at Cave’s Island.</p> +<p>We stood along by St. John’s Island till we came almost to +the south-east point, and then, seeing no more islands to the eastward +of us, nor any likelihood of anchoring under this, I steered away for +the main of New Guinea, we being now, as I supposed, to the east of +it, on this north side. My design of seeing these islands as I +passed along was to get wood and water, but could find no anchor ground, +and therefore could not do as I purposed; besides, these islands are +all so populous, that I dared not send my boat ashore, unless I could +have anchored pretty nigh; wherefore I rather chose to prosecute my +design on the main, the season of the year being now at hand, for I +judged the westerly winds were nigh spent.</p> +<p>On the 8th of March we saw some smoke on the main, being distant +from it four or five leagues. It is very high, woody land, with +some spots of savannah. About ten in the morning six or seven +canoes came off to us. Most of them had no more than one man in +them. They were all black, with short curled hair, having the +same ornaments in their noses, and their heads so shaved and painted, +and speaking the same words as the inhabitants of Cave’s Island +before mentioned.</p> +<p>There was a headland to the southward of us, beyond which, seeing +no land, I supposed that from thence the land trends away more westerly. +This headland lies in the latitude of 5 degrees 2 minutes south, and +meridian distance from Cape Mabo 1,290 miles. In the night we +lay by, for fear of overshooting this headland, between which and Cape +St. Manes the land is high, mountainous and woody, having many points +of land shooting out into the sea, which make so many fine bays; the +coast lies north-north-east and south-south-west.</p> +<p>The 9th, in the morning a huge black man came off to us in a canoe, +but would not come aboard. He made the same signs of friendship +to us as the rest we had met with; yet seemed to differ in his language, +not using any of those words which the others did. We saw neither +smoke nor plantations near this headland. We found here variation +1 degree east.</p> +<p>In the afternoon, as we plied near the shore, three canoes came off +to us; one had four men in her, the others two apiece. That with +the four men came pretty nigh us, and showed us a cocoa-nut and water +in a bamboo, making signs that there was enough ashore where they lived; +they pointed to the place where they would have us go, and so went away. +We saw a small round pretty high island about a league to the north +of this headland, within which there was a large deep bay, whither the +canoes went; and we strove to get thither before night, but could not; +wherefore we stood off, and saw land to the westward of this headland, +bearing west-by-south-half-south distance about ten leagues, and, as +we thought, still more land bearing south-west-by-south, distance twelve +or fourteen leagues, but being clouded, it disappeared, and we thought +we had been deceived. Before night we opened the headland fair, +and I named it Cape St. George. The land from hence trends away +west-north-west about ten leagues, which is as far as we could see it; +and the land that we saw to the westward of it in the evening, which +bore west-by-south-half-south, was another point about ten leagues from +Cape St. George; between which there runs in a deep bay for twenty leagues +or more. We saw some high land in spots like islands, down in +that bay at a great distance; but whether they are islands, or the main +closing there we know not. The next morning we saw other land +to the south-east of the westernmost point, which till then was clouded; +it was very high land, and the same that we saw the day before, that +disappeared in a cloud. This Cape St. George lies in the latitude +of 5 degrees 5 minutes south; and meridian distance from Cape Mabo 1,290 +miles. The island off this cape I called St. George’s Isle; +and the bay between it and the west point I named St. George’s +Bay. [Note:—No Dutch drafts go so far as this cape by ten +leagues.] On the 10th, in the evening, we got within a league +of the westernmost land seen, which is pretty high and very woody, but +no appearance of anchoring. I stood off again, designing, if possible, +to ply to and fro in this bay till I found a conveniency to wood and +water. We saw no more plantations nor cocoa-nut trees; yet in +the night we discerned a small fire right against us. The next +morning we saw a burning mountain in the country. It was round, +high, and peaked at top, as most volcanoes are, and sent forth a great +quantity of smoke. We took up a log of driftwood, and split it +for firing; in which we found some small fish.</p> +<p>The day after we passed by the south-west cape of this bay, leaving +it to the north of us. When we were abreast of it I called my +officers together, and named it Cape Orford, in honour of my noble patron, +drinking his Lordship’s health. This cape bears from Cape +St. George south-west about eighteen leagues. Between them there +is a bay about twenty-five leagues deep, having pretty high land all +round it, especially near the capes, though they themselves are not +high. Cape Orford lies in the latitude of 5 degrees 24 minutes +south, by my observation; and meridian distance from Cape St. George, +forty-four miles west. The land trends from this cape north-west +by west into the bay, and on the other side south-west per compass, +which is south-west 9 degrees west, allowing the variation, which is +here 9 degrees east. The land on each side of the cape is more +savannah than woodland, and is highest on the north-west side. +The cape itself is a bluff-point, of an indifferent height, with a flat +tableland at top. When we were to the south-west of the cape, +it appeared to be a low point shooting out, which you cannot see when +abreast of it. This morning we struck a log of driftwood with +our turtle-irons, hoisted it in, and split it for firewood. Afterwards +we struck another, but could not get it in. There were many fish +about it.</p> +<p>We steered along south-west as the land lies, keeping about six leagues +off the shore; and, being desirous to cut wood and fill water, if I +saw any conveniency, I lay by in the night, because I would not miss +any place proper for those ends, for fear of wanting such necessaries +as we could not live without. This coast is high and mountainous, +and not so thick with trees as that on the other side of Cape Orford.</p> +<p>On the 14th, seeing a pretty deep bay ahead, and some islands where +I thought we might ride secure, we ran in towards the shore and saw +some smoke. At ten o’clock we saw a point which shot out +pretty well into the sea, with a bay within it, which promised fair +for water; and we stood in with a moderate gale. Being got into +the bay within the point, we saw many cocoa-nut-trees, plantations, +and houses. When I came within four or five miles of the shore, +six small boats came off to view us, with about forty men in them all. +Perceiving that they only came to view us, and would not come aboard, +I made signs and waved to them to go ashore; but they did not or would +not understand me; therefore I whistled a shot over their heads out +of my fowling-piece, and then they pulled away for the shore as hard +as they could. These were no sooner ashore, than we saw three +boats coming from the islands to leeward of us, and they soon came within +call, for we lay becalmed. One of the boats had about forty men +in her, and was a large, well-built boat; the other two were but small. +Not long after, I saw another boat coming out of the bay where I intended +to go; she likewise was a large boat, with a high head and stern painted, +and full of men. This I thought came off to fight us, as it is +probable they all did; therefore I fired another small shot over the +great boat that was nigh us, which made them leave their babbling and +take to their paddles. We still lay becalmed; and therefore they, +rowing wide of us, directed their course towards the other great boat +that was coming off. When they were pretty near each other I caused +the gunner to fire a gun between them, which he did very dexterously; +it was loaded with round and partridge shot; the last dropped in the +water somewhat short of them, but the round shot went between both boats, +and grazed about one hundred yards beyond them. This so affrighted +them that they both rowed away for the shore as fast as they could, +without coming near each other; and the little boats made the best of +their way after them. And now, having a gentle breeze at south-south-east, +we bore into the bay after them. When we came by the point, I +saw a great number of men peeping from under the rocks: I ordered a +shot to be fired close by, to scare them. The shot grazed between +us and the point, and, mounting again, flew over the point, and grazed +a second time just by them. We were obliged to sail along close +by the bays; and, seeing multitudes sitting under the trees, I ordered +a third gun to be fired among the cocoa-nut-trees to scare them; for +my business being to wood and water, I thought it necessary to strike +some terror into the inhabitants, who were very numerous, and (by what +I saw now, and had formerly experienced) treacherous. After this +I sent my boat to sound; they had first forty, then thirty, and at last +twenty fathom water. We followed the boat, and came to anchor +about a quarter of a mile from the shore, in twenty-six fathom water, +fine black sand and ooze. We rode right against the mouth of a +small river, where I hoped to find fresh water. Some of the natives +standing on a small point at the river’s mouth, I sent a small +shot over their heads to frighten them, which it did effectually. +In the afternoon I sent my boat ashore to the natives who stood upon +the point by the river’s mouth with a present of cocoa-nuts; when +the boat was come near the shore, they came running into the water, +and put their nuts into the boat. Then I made a signal for the +boat to come aboard, and sent both it and the yawl into the river to +look for fresh water, ordering the pinnace to lie near the river’s +mouth, while the yawl went up to search. In an hour’s time +they returned aboard with some barrecoes full fresh of water; which +they had taken up about half a mile up the river. After which +I sent them again with casks, ordering one of them to fill water, and +the other to watch the motions of the natives, lest they should make +any opposition. But they did not, and so the boats returned a +little before sunset with a tun and a half of water; and the next day +by noon brought aboard about six tuns of water.</p> +<p>I sent ashore commodities to purchase hogs, &c. being informed +that the natives have plenty of them, as also of yams and other good +roots; but my men returned without getting anything that I sent them +for, the natives being unwilling to trade with us. Yet they admired +our hatchets and axes, but would part with nothing but cocoa-nuts, which +they used to climb the trees for; and so soon as they gave them our +men, they beckoned to them to be gone, for they were much afraid of +us.</p> +<p>The 18th I sent both boats again for water, and before noon they +had filled all my casks. In the afternoon I sent them both to +cut wood; but seeing about forty natives standing on the bay at a small +distance from our men, I made a signal for them to come aboard again, +which they did, and brought me word that the men which we saw on the +bay were passing that way, but were afraid to come nigh them. +At four o’clock I sent both the boats again for more wood, and +they returned in the evening. Then I called my officers to consult +whether it were convenient to stay here longer, and endeavour a better +acquaintance with these people, or go to sea. My design of tarrying +here longer was, if possible, to get some hogs, goats, yams, or other +roots, as also to get some knowledge of the country and its product. +My officers unanimously gave their opinions for staying longer here. +So the next day I sent both boats ashore again, to fish and to cut more +wood. While they were ashore about thirty or forty men and women +passed by them; they were a little afraid of our people at first, but +upon their making signs of friendship, they passed by quietly, the men +finely bedecked with feathers of divers colours about their heads, and +lances in their hands; the women had no ornament about them, nor anything +to cover their nakedness but a bunch of small green boughs before and +behind, stuck under a string which came round their waists. They +carried large baskets on their heads, full of yams. And this I +have observed amongst all the wild natives I have known, that they make +their women carry the burdens while the men walk before, without any +other load than their arms and ornaments. At noon our men came +aboard with the wood they had cut, and had caught but six fishes at +four or five hauls of the seine, though we saw abundance of fish leaping +in the bay all the day long.</p> +<p>In the afternoon I sent the boats ashore for more wood; and some +of our men went to the natives’ houses, and found they were now +more shy than they used to be, had taken down all the cocoa-nuts from +the trees, and driven away their hogs. Our people made signs to +them to know what was become of their hogs, &e. The natives +pointing to some houses in the bottom of the bay, and imitating the +noise of those creatures, seemed to intimate that there were both hogs +and goats of several sizes, which they expressed by holding their hands +abroad at several distances from the ground.</p> +<p>At night our boats came aboard with wood, and the next morning I +went myself with both boats up the river to the watering-place, carrying +with me all such trifles and iron-work as I thought most proper to induce +them to a commerce with us; but I found them very shy and roguish. +I saw but two men and a boy. One of the men, by some signs, was +persuaded to come to the boat’s side, where I was; to him I gave +a knife, a string of beads, and a glass bottle. The fellow called +out, “Cocos, cocos,” pointing to a village hard by, and +signified to us that he would go for some; but he never returned to +us: and thus they had frequently of late served our men. I took +eight or nine men with me, and marched to their houses, which I found +very mean, and their doors made fast with withies.</p> +<p>I visited three of their villages, and, finding all the houses thus +abandoned by the inhabitants, who carried with them all their hogs, +&c., I brought out of their houses some small fishing-nets in recompense +for those things they had received of us. As we were coming away +we saw two of the natives; I showed them the things that we carried +with us, and called to them, “Cocos, cocos,” to let them +know that I took these things because they had not made good what they +had promised by their signs, and by their calling out “Cocos.” +While I was thus employed the men in the yawl filled two hogsheads of +water, and all the barrecoes. About one in the afternoon I came +aboard, and found all my officers and men very importunate to go to +that bay where the hogs were said to be. I was loth to yield to +it, fearing they would deal too roughly with the natives. By two +o’clock in the afternoon many black clouds gathered over the land, +which I thought would deter them from their enterprise; but they solicited +me the more to let them go. At last I consented, sending those +commodities I had ashore with me in the morning, and giving them a strict +charge to deal by fair means, and to act cautiously for their own security. +The bay I sent them to was about two miles from the ship. As soon +as they were gone, I got all things ready, that, if I saw occasion, +I might assist them with my great guns. When they came to land, +the natives in great companies stood to resist them, shaking their lances, +and threatening them, and some were so daring as to wade into the sea, +holding a target in one hand and a lance in the other. Our men +held up to them such commodities as I had sent, and made signs of friendship, +but to no purpose, for the natives waved them off. Seeing, therefore, +they could not be prevailed upon to a friendly commerce, my men, being +resolved to have some provision among them, fired some muskets to scare +them away, which had the desired effect upon all but two or three, who +stood still in a menacing posture, till the boldest dropped his target +and ran away. They supposed he was shot in the arm; he and some +others felt the smart of our bullets, but none were killed, our design +being rather to frighten than to kill them. Our men landed, and +found abundance of tame hogs running among the houses. They shot +down nine, which they brought away, besides many that ran away wounded. +They had but little time, for in less than an hour after they went from +the ship it began to rain; wherefore they got what they could into the +boats, for I had charged them to come away if it rained. By the +time the boat was aboard and the hogs taken in it cleared up, and my +men desired to make another trip thither before night; this was about +five in the evening, and I consented, giving them orders to repair on +board before night. In the close of the evening they returned +accordingly, with eight hogs more, and a little live pig; and by this +time the other hogs were jerked and salted. These that came last +we only dressed and corned till morning, and then sent both boats ashore +for more refreshments either of hogs or roots; but in the night the +natives had conveyed away their provisions of all sorts. Many +of them were now about the houses, and none offered to resist our boats +landing, but, on the contrary, were so amicable, that one man brought +ten or twelve cocoa-nuts, left them on the shore after he had shown +them to our men, and went out of sight. Our people, finding nothing +but nets and images, brought some of them away, which two of my men +brought aboard in a small canoe, and presently after my boats came off. +I ordered the boatswain to take care of the nets till we came at some +place where they might be disposed of for some refreshment for the use +of all the company. The images I took into my own custody.</p> +<p>In the afternoon I sent the canoe to the place from whence she had +been brought, and in her two axes, two hatchets (one of them helved), +six knives, six looking-glasses, a large bunch of beads, and four glass +bottles. Our men drew the canoe ashore, placed the things to the +best advantage in her, and came off in the pinnace which I sent to guard +them; and now, being well-stocked with wood and all my water-casks full, +I resolved to sail the next morning. All the time of our stay +here we had very fair weather, only sometimes in the afternoon we had +a shower of rain, which lasted not above an hour at most; also some +thunder and lightning, with very little wind; we had sea and land breezes, +the former between the south-south-east, and the latter from north-east +to north-west.</p> +<p>This place I named Port Montague in honour of my noble patron: it +lies in the latitude of 6 degrees 10 minutes south, and meridian distance +from Cape St. George 151 miles west. The country hereabouts is +mountainous and woody, full of rich valleys and pleasant fresh-water +brooks. The mould in the valleys is deep and yellowish, that on +the sides of the hill of a very brown colour, and not very deep, but +rocky underneath, yet excellent planting land. The trees in general +are neither very straight, thick, nor tall, yet appear green and pleasant +enough; some of them bore flowers, some berries, and others big fruits, +but all unknown to any of us; cocoa-nut trees thrive very well here, +as well on the bays by the sea-side, as more remote among the plantations; +the nuts are of an indifferent size, the milk and kernel very thick +and pleasant. Here is ginger, yams, and other very good roots +for the pot, that our men saw and tasted; what other fruits or roots +the country affords I know not. Here are hogs and dogs; other +land animals we saw none. The fowls we saw and knew were pigeons, +parrots, cockatoos, and crows like those in England; a sort of birds +about the bigness of a blackbird, and smaller birds many. The +sea and rivers have plenty of fish; we saw abundance, though we caught +but few, and these were cavallies, yellow-tails, and whip-rays.</p> +<p>We departed from hence on the 22nd of March, and on the 24th, in +the evening, we saw some high land bearing north-west half-west, to +the west of which we could see no land, though there appeared something +like land bearing west a little southerly, but not being sure of it, +I steered west-north-west all night, and kept going on with an easy +sail, intending to coast along the shore at a distance. At ten +o’clock I saw a great fire bearing north-west-by-west, blazing +up in a pillar, sometimes very high for three or four minutes, then +falling quite down for an equal space of time, sometimes hardly visible, +till it blazed up again. I had laid me down, having been indisposed +these three days; but upon a sight of this, my chief mate called me; +I got up and viewed it for about half an hour, and knew it to be a burning +hill by its intervals: I charged them to look well out, having bright +moonlight. In the morning I found that the fire we had seen the +night before was a burning island, and steered for it. We saw +many other islands, one large high island, and another smaller but pretty +high. I stood near the volcano, and many small low islands, with +some shoals.</p> +<p>March the 25th, 1700, in the evening we came within three leagues +of this burning hill, being at the same time two leagues from the main; +I found a good channel to pass between them, and kept nearer the main +than the island. At seven in the evening I sounded, and had fifty-two +fathom fine sand and ooze. I stood to the northward to get clear +of this strait, having but little wind and fair weather. The island +all night vomited fire and smoke very amazingly, and at every belch +we heard a dreadful noise like thunder, and saw a flame of fire after +it the most terrifying that ever I saw; the intervals between its belches +were about half a minute, some more, others less; neither were these +pulses or eruptions alike, for some were but faint convulsions, in comparison +of the more vigorous; yet even the weakest vented a great deal of fire; +but the largest made a roaring noise, and sent up a large flame, twenty +or thirty yards high; and then might be seen a great stream of fire +running down to the foot of the island, even to the shore. From +the furrows made by this descending fire, we could, in the day time, +see great smoke arise, which probably were made by the sulphurous matter +thrown out of the funnel at the top, which tumbling down to the bottom, +and there lying in a heap, burned till either consumed or extinguished; +and as long as it burned and kept its heat, so long the smoke ascended +from it; which we perceived to increase or decrease, according to the +quantity of matter discharged from the funnel: but the next night, being +shot to the westward of the burning island, and the funnel of it lying +on the south side, we could not discern the fire there, as we did the +smoke in the day when we were to the southward of it. This volcano +lies in the latitude of 5 degrees 33 minutes south, and meridian distance +from Cape St. George, three hundred and thirty-two miles west.</p> +<p>The easternmost part of New Guinea lies forty miles to the westward +of this tract of land; and by hydrographers they are made joining together; +but here I found an opening and passage between, with many islands, +the largest of which lie on the north side of this passage or strait. +The channel is very good, between the islands and the land to the eastward. +The east part of New Guinea is high and mountainous, ending on the north-east +with a large promontory, which I named King William’s Cape, in +honour of his present Majesty. We saw some smoke on it, and leaving +it on our larboard side, steered away near the east land, which ends +with two remarkable capes or heads, distant from each other about six +or seven leagues: within each head were two very remarkable mountains, +ascending very gradually from the sea-side, which afforded a very pleasant +and agreeable prospect. The mountains and the lower land were +pleasantly mixed with woodland and savannahs; the trees appeared very +green and flourishing, and the savannahs seemed to be very smooth and +even; no meadow in England appears more green in the spring than these. +We saw smoke, but did not strive to anchor here, but rather chose to +get under one of the islands (where I thought I should find few or no +inhabitants), that I might repair my pinnace, which was so crazy that +I could not venture ashore anywhere with her. As we stood over +to the islands, we looked out very well to the north, but could see +no land that way; by which I was well assured that we were got through, +and that this east land does not join to New Guinea; therefore I named +it Nova Britannia. The north-west cape I called Cape Gloucester, +and the south-west-point Cape Anne; and the north-west mountain, which +is very remarkable, I called Mount Gloucester.</p> +<p>This island which I called Nova Britannia, has about 4 degrees of +latitude: the body of it lying in 4 degrees, and the northernmost part +in 2 degrees 32 minutes, and the southernmost in 6 degrees 30 minutes +south. It has about 5 degrees 18 minutes longitude from east to +west. It is generally high mountainous land, mixed with large +valleys, which, as well as the mountains appeared very fertile; and +in most places that we saw, the trees are very large, tall and thick. +It is also very well inhabited with strong well-limbed negroes, whom +we found very daring and bold at several places. As to the product +of it, I know no more than what I have said in my account of Port Montague; +but it is very probable this island may afford as many rich commodities +as any in the world: and the natives may be easily brought to commerce, +though I could not pretend to it under my present circumstances.</p> +<p>Being near the island to the northward of the volcano, I sent my +boat to sound, thinking to anchor here, but she returned and brought +me word, that they had no ground till they met with a reef of coral +rocks about a mile from the shore, then I bore away to the north side +of the island, where we found no anchoring neither. We saw several +people, and some cocoa-nut trees, but could not send ashore for want +of my pinnace, which was out of order. In the evening I stood +off to sea, to be at such a distance that I might not be driven by any +current upon the shoals of this island, if it should prove calm. +We had but little wind, especially the beginning of the night; but in +the morning I found myself so far to the west of the island, that the +wind being at east-south-east, I could not fetch it, wherefore I kept +on to the southward, and stemmed with the body of a high island about +eleven or twelve leagues long, lying to the southward of that which +I before designed for. I named this island Sir George Rook’s +Island.</p> +<p>We also saw some other islands to the westward, which may be better +seen in my draft of these lands than here described; but seeing a very +small island lying to the north-west of the long island which was before +us, and not far from it. I steered away for that, hoping to find +anchoring there; and having but little wind, I sent my boat before to +sound, which, when we were about two miles’ distance from the +shore, came on board and brought me word that there was good anchoring +in thirty or forty fathom water, a mile from the isle, and within a +reef of the rocks which lay in a half-moon, reaching from the north +part of the island to the south-east; so at noon we got in and anchored +in thirty-six fathom, a mile from the isle.</p> +<p>In the afternoon I sent my boat ashore to the island, to see what +convenience there was to haul our vessel ashore in order to be mended, +and whether we could catch any fish. My men in the boat rowed +about the island, but could not land by reason of the rocks and a great +surge running in upon the shore. We found variation here, 8 degrees +25 minutes west.</p> +<p>I designed to have stayed among these islands till I got my pinnace +refitted; but having no more than one man who had skill to work upon +her, I saw she would be a long time in repairing (which was one great +reason why I could not prosecute my discoveries further); and the easterly +winds being set in, I found I should scarce be able to hold my ground.</p> +<p>The 31st, in the forenoon, we shot in between two islands, lying +about four leagues asunder, with intention to pass between them. +The southernmost is a long island, with a high hill at each end; this +I named Long Island. The northernmost is a round high island towering +up with several heads or tops, something resembling a crown; this I +named Crown Isle from its form. Both these islands appeared very +pleasant, having spots of green savannahs mixed among the woodland: +the trees appeared very green and flourishing, and some of them looked +white and full of blossoms. We passed close by Crown Isle, saw +many cocoa-nut trees on the bays and sides of the hills; and one boat +was coming off from the shore, but returned again. We saw no smoke +on either of the islands, neither did we see any plantations, and it +is probable they are not very well peopled. We saw many shoals +near Crown Island, and reefs of rocks running off from the points a +mile or more into the sea: my boat was once overboard, with design to +have sent her ashore, but having little wind, and seeing some shoals, +I hoisted her in again, and stood off out of danger.</p> +<p>In the afternoon, seeing an island bearing north-west-by-west, we +steered away north-west-by-north, to be to the northward of it. +The next morning, being about midway from the islands we left yesterday, +and having this to the westward of us, the land of the main of New Guinea +within us to the southward, appeared very high. When we came within +four or five leagues of this island to the west of us, four boats came +off to view us, one came within call, but returned with the other three +without speaking to us; so we kept on for the island, which I named +Sir R. Rich’s Island. It was pretty high, woody, and mixed +with savannahs like those formerly mentioned. Being to the north +of it, we saw an opening between it and another island two leagues to +the west of it, which before appeared all in one. The main seemed +to be high land, trending to the westward.</p> +<p>On Tuesday, the 2nd of April, about eight in the morning, we discovered +a high-peaked island to the westward, which seemed to smoke at its top: +the next day we passed by the north side of the Burning Island, and +saw smoke again at its top, but the vent lying on the south side of +the peak, we could not observe it distinctly, nor see the fire. +We afterwards opened three more islands, and some land to the southward, +which we could not well tell whether it were islands or part of the +main. These islands are all high, full of fair trees and spots +of great savannahs, as well the Burning Isle as the rest; but the Burning +Isle was more round and peaked at top, very fine land near the sea, +and for two-thirds up it: we also saw another isle sending forth a great +smoke at once, but it soon vanished, and we saw it no more; we saw also +among these islands three small vessels with sails, which the people +of Nova Britannia seem wholly ignorant of.</p> +<p>The 11th, at noon, having a very good observation, I found myself +to the northward of my reckoning, and thence concluded that we had a +current setting north-west, or rather more westerly, as the land lies. +From that time to the next morning we had fair clear weather, and a +fine moderate gale from south-east to east-by-north: but at daybreak +the clouds began to fly, and it lightened very much in the east, south-east, +and north-east. At sun-rising, the sky looked very red in the +east near the horizon, and there were many black clouds both to the +south and north of it. About a quarter of an hour after the sun +was up, there was a squall to the windward of us; when on sudden one +of our men on the forecastle called out that he saw something astern, +but could not tell what: I looked out for it, and immediately saw a +spout beginning to work within a quarter of a mile of us, exactly in +the wind: we presently put right before it. It came very swiftly, +whirling the water up in a pillar about six or seven yards high. +As yet I could not see any pendulous cloud, from whence it might come, +and was in hopes it would soon lose its force. In four or five +minutes’ time it came within a cable’s length of us, and +passed away to leeward, and then I saw a long pale stream coming down +to the whirling water. This stream was about the bigness of a +rainbow: the upper end seemed vastly high, not descending from any dark +cloud, and therefore the more strange to me, I never having seen the +like before. It passed about a mile to leeward of us, and then +broke. This was but a small spout, not strong nor lasting; yet +I perceived much wind in it as it passed by us. The current still +continued at north-west a little westerly, which I allowed to run a +mile per hour.</p> +<p>By an observation the 13th, at noon, I found myself 25 minutes to +the northward of my reckoning; whether occasioned by bad steerage, a +bad account, or a current, I could not determine; but was apt to judge +it might be a complication of all; for I could not think it was wholly +the current, the land here lying east-by-south, and west-by-north, or +a little more northerly and southerly. We had kept so nigh as +to see it, and at farthest had not been above twenty leagues from it, +but sometimes much nearer; and it is not probable that any current should +set directly off from a land. A tide indeed may; but then the +flood has the same force to strike in upon the shore, as the ebb to +strike off from it: but a current must have set nearly along shore, +either easterly or westerly; and if anything northerly or southerly, +it could be but very little in comparison of its east or west course, +on a coast lying as this doth; which yet we did not perceive. +If therefore we were deceived by a current, it is very probable that +the land is here disjoined, and that there is a passage through to the +southward, and that the land from King William’s Cape to this +place is an island, separated from New Guinea by some strait, as Nova +Britannia is by that which we came through. But this being at +best but a probable conjecture, I shall insist no farther upon it.</p> +<p>The 14th we passed by Scouten’s Island, and Providence Island, +and found still a very strong current setting to the north-west. +On the 17th we saw a high mountain on the main, that sent forth great +quantities of smoke from its top: this volcano we did not see in our +voyage out. In the afternoon we discovered King William’s +Island, and crowded all the sail we could to get near it before night, +thinking to lie to the eastward of it till day, for fear of some shoals +that lie at the west end of it. Before night we got within two +leagues of it, and having a fine gale of wind and a light moon, I resolved +to pass through in the night, which I hoped to do before twelve o’clock, +if the gale continued; but when we came within two miles of it, it fell +calm: yet afterwards by the help of the current, a small gale, and our +boat, we got through before day. In the night we had a very fragrant +smell from the island. By morning light we were got two leagues +to the westward of it; and then were becalmed all the morning; and met +such whirling tides, that when we came into them, the ship turned quite +round: and though sometimes we had a small gale of wind, yet she could +not feel the helm when she came into these whirlpools: neither could +we get from amongst them, till a brisk gale sprang up: yet we drove +not much any way, but whirled round like a top. And those whirlpools +were not constant to one place but drove about strangely: and sometimes +we saw among them large ripplings of the water, like great over-falls +making a fearful noise. I sent my boat to sound, but found no +ground.</p> +<p>The 18th Cape Mabo bore south, distance nine leagues; by which account +it lies in the latitude of 50 minutes south, and meridian distance from +Cape St. George one thousand two hundred and forty-three miles. +St. John’s Isle lies forty-eight miles to the east of Cape St. +George; which being added to the distance between Cape St. George and +Cape Mabo, makes one thousand two hundred and ninety-one meridional +parts; which was the furthest that I was to the east. In my outward-bound +voyage I made meridian distance between Cape Mabo and Cape St. George, +one thousand two hundred and ninety miles; and now in my return, but +one thousand two hundred and forty-three; which is forty-seven short +of my distance going out. This difference may probably be occasioned +by the strong western current which we found in our return, which I +allowed for after I perceived it; and though we did not discern any +current when we went to the eastward, except when near the islands, +yet it is probable we had one against us, though we did not take notice +of it because of the strong easterly winds. King William’s +Island lies in the latitude of 21 minutes south, and may be seen distinctly +off Cape Mabo.</p> +<p>In the evening we passed by Cape Mabo; and afterwards steered away +south-east half-east, keeping along the shore, which here trends south-easterly. +The next morning, seeing a large opening in the land, with an island +near the south side; I stood in, thinking to anchor there. When +we were shot in within two leagues of the island, the wind came to the +west, which blows right into the opening. I stood to the north +shore, intending, when I came pretty nigh, to send my boat into the +opening and sound, before I would venture in. We found several +deep bays, but no soundings within two miles of the shore; therefore +I stood off again, then seeing a rippling under our lee, I sent my boat +to sound on it; which returned in half an hour, and brought me word +that the rippling we saw was only a tide, and that they had no ground +there.</p> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES***</p> +<pre> + + +***** This file should be named 2660-h.htm or 2660-h.zip****** + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/6/6/2660 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Early Australian Voyages + + +Author: John Pinkerton + +Release Date: April 13, 2005 [eBook #2660] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES*** + + + + + +Transcribed from the 1886 Cassell & Company edition by David Price, email +ccx074@coventry.ac.uk + + + + + +EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES +BY JOHN PINKERTON + + +Contents: + +Introduction +Pelsart +Tasman +Dampier + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +In the days of Plato, imagination found its way, before the mariners, to +a new world across the Atlantic, and fabled an Atlantis where America now +stands. In the days of Francis Bacon, imagination of the English found +its way to the great Southern Continent before the Portuguese or Dutch +sailors had sight of it, and it was the home of those wise students of +God and nature to whom Bacon gave his New Atlantis. The discoveries of +America date from the close of the fifteenth century. The discoveries of +Australia date only from the beginning of the seventeenth. The +discoveries of the Dutch were little known in England before the time of +Dampier's voyage, at the close of the seventeenth century, with which +this volume ends. The name of New Holland, first given by the Dutch to +the land they discovered on the north-west coast, then extended to the +continent and was since changed to Australia. + +During the eighteenth century exploration was continued by the English. +The good report of Captain Cook caused the first British settlement to be +made at Port Jackson, in 1788, not quite a hundred years ago, and the +foundations were then laid of the settlement of New South Wales, or +Sydney. It was at first a penal colony, and its Botany Bay was a name of +terror to offenders. Western Australia, or Swan River, was first settled +as a free colony in 1829, but afterwards used also as a penal settlement; +South Australia, which has Adelaide for its capital, was first +established in 1834, and colonised in 1836; Victoria, with Melbourne for +its capital, known until 1851 as the Port Philip District, and a +dependency of New South Wales, was first colonised in 1835. It received +in 1851 its present name. Queensland, formerly known as the Moreton Bay +District, was established as late as 1859. A settlement of North +Australia was tried in 1838, and has since been abandoned. On the other +side of Bass's Straits, the island of Van Diemen's Land, was named +Tasmania, and established as a penal colony in 1803. + +Advance, Australia! The scattered handfuls of people have become a +nation, one with us in race, and character, and worthiness of aim. These +little volumes will, in course of time, include many aids to a knowledge +of the shaping of the nations. There will be later records of Australia +than these which tell of the old Dutch explorers, and of the first real +awakening of England to a knowledge of Australia by Dampier's voyage. + +The great Australian continent is 2,500 miles long from east to west, and +1,960 miles in its greatest breadth. Its climates are therefore various. +The northern half lies chiefly within the tropics, and at Melbourne snow +is seldom seen except upon the hills. The separation of Australia by +wide seas from Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, gives it animals and +plants peculiarly its own. It has been said that of 5,710 plants +discovered, 5,440 are peculiar to that continent. The kangaroo also is +proper to Australia, and there are other animals of like kind. Of 58 +species of quadruped found in Australia, 46 were peculiar to it. Sheep +and cattle that abound there now were introduced from Europe. From eight +merino sheep introduced in 1793 by a settler named McArthur, there has +been multiplication into millions, and the food-store of the Old World +begins to be replenished by Australian mutton. + +The unexplored interior has given a happy hunting-ground to satisfy the +British spirit of adventure and research; but large waterless tracts, +that baffle man's ingenuity, have put man's powers of endurance to sore +trial. + +The mountains of Australia are all of the oldest rocks, in which there +are either no fossil traces of past life, or the traces are of life in +the most ancient forms. Resemblance of the Australian cordilleras to the +Ural range, which he had especially been studying, caused Sir Roderick +Murchison, in 1844, to predict that gold would be found in Australia. The +first finding of gold--the beginning of the history of the Australian +gold-fields--was in February, 1851, near Bathurst and Wellington, and to- +day looks back to the morning of yesterday in the name of Ophir, given to +the Bathurst gold-diggings. + +Gold, wool, mutton, wine, fruits, and what more Australia can now add to +the commonwealth of the English-speaking people, Englishmen at home have +been learning this year in the great Indian and Colonial Exhibition, +which is to stand always as evidence of the numerous resources of the +Empire, as aid to the full knowledge of them, and through that to their +wide diffusion. We are a long way now from the wrecked ship of Captain +Francis Pelsart, with which the histories in this volume begin. + +John Pinkerton was born at Edinburgh in February, 1758, and died in Paris +in March, 1826, aged sixty-eight. He was the best classical scholar at +the Lanark grammar school; but his father, refusing to send him to a +university, bound him to Scottish law. He had a strong will, fortified +in some respects by a weak judgment. He wrote clever verse; at the age +of twenty-two he went to London to support himself by literature, began +by publishing "Rimes" of his own, and then Scottish Ballads, all issued +as ancient, but of which he afterwards admitted that fourteen out of the +seventy-three were wholly written by himself. John Pinkerton, whom Sir +Walter Scott described as "a man of considerable learning, and some +severity as well as acuteness of disposition," made clear conscience on +the matter in 1786, when he published two volumes of genuine old Scottish +Poems from the MS. collections of Sir Richard Maitland. He had added to +his credit as an antiquary by an Essay on Medals, and then applied his +studies to ancient Scottish History, producing learned books, in which he +bitterly abused the Celts. It was in 1802 that Pinkerton left England +for Paris, where he supported himself by indefatigable industry as a +writer during the last twenty-four years of his life. One of the most +useful of his many works was that _General Collection of the best and +most interesting Voyages and Travels of the World_, which appeared in +seventeen quarto volumes, with maps and engravings, in the years 1808- +1814. Pinkerton abridged and digested most of the travellers' records +given in this series, but always studied to retain the travellers' own +words, and his occasional comments have a value of their own. + +H. M. + + + + +VOYAGE OF FRANCIS PELSART TO AUSTRALASIA. 1628-29. + + +It has appeared very strange to some very able judges of voyages, that +the Dutch should make so great account of the southern countries as to +cause the map of them to be laid down in the pavement of the Stadt House +at Amsterdam, and yet publish no descriptions of them. This mystery was +a good deal heightened by one of the ships that first touched on +Carpenter's Land, bringing home a considerable quantity of gold, spices, +and other rich goods; in order to clear up which, it was said that these +were not the product of the country, but were fished out of the wreck of +a large ship that had been lost upon the coast. But this story did not +satisfy the inquisitive, because not attended with circumstances +necessary to establish its credit; and therefore they suggested that, +instead of taking away the obscurity by relating the truth, this story +was invented in order to hide it more effectually. This suspicion gained +ground the more when it was known that the Dutch East India Company from +Batavia had made some attempts to conquer a part of the Southern +continent, and had been repulsed with loss, of which, however, we have no +distinct or perfect relation, and all that hath hitherto been collected +in reference to this subject, may be reduced to two voyages. All that we +know concerning the following piece is, that it was collected from the +Dutch journal of the voyage, and having said thus much by way of +introduction, we now proceed to the translation of this short history. + +The directors of the East India Company, animated by the return of five +ships, under General Carpenter, richly laden, caused, the very same year, +1628, eleven vessels to be equipped for the same voyage; amongst which +there was one ship called the _Batavia_, commanded by Captain Francis +Pelsart. They sailed out of the Texel on the 28th of October, 1628; and +as it would be tedious and troublesome to the reader to set down a long +account of things perfectly well known, I shall say nothing of the +occurrences that happened in their passage to the Cape of Good Hope; but +content myself with observing that on the 4th of June, in the following +year 1629, this vessel, the _Batavia_, being separated from the fleet in +a storm, was driven on the Abrollos or shoals, which lie in the latitude +of 28 degrees south, and which have been since called by the Dutch, the +Abrollos of Frederic Houtman. Captain Pelsart, who was sick in bed when +this accident happened, perceiving that his ship had struck, ran +immediately upon deck. It was night indeed; but the weather was fair, +and the moon shone very bright; the sails were up; the course they +steered was north-east by north, and the sea appeared as far as they +could behold it covered with a white froth. The captain called up the +master and charged him with the loss of the ship, who excused himself by +saying he had taken all the care he could; and that having discerned this +froth at a distance, he asked the steersman what he thought of it, who +told him that the sea appeared white by its reflecting the rays of the +moon. The captain then asked him what was to be done, and in what part +of the world he thought they were. The master replied, that God only +knew that; and that the ship was fast on a bank hitherto undiscovered. +Upon this they began to throw the lead, and found that they had forty- +eight feet of water before, and much less behind the vessel. The crew +immediately agreed to throw their cannon overboard, in hopes that when +the ship was lightened she might be brought to float again. They let +fall an anchor however; and while they were thus employed, a most +dreadful storm arose of wind and rain; which soon convinced them of the +danger they were in; for being surrounded with rocks and shoals, the ship +was continually striking. + +They then resolved to cut away the mainmast, which they did, and this +augmented the shock, neither could they get clear of it, though they cut +it close by the board, because it was much entangled within the rigging; +they could see no land except an island which was about the distance of +three leagues, and two smaller islands, or rather rocks, which lay +nearer. They immediately sent the master to examine them, who returned +about nine in the morning, and reported that the sea at high water did +not cover them, but that the coast was so rocky and full of shoals that +it would be very difficult to land upon them; they resolved, however, to +run the risk, and to send most of their company on shore to pacify the +women, children, sick people, and such as were out of their wits with +fear, whose cries and noise served only to disturb them. About ten +o'clock they embarked these in their shallop and skiff, and, perceiving +their vessel began to break, they doubled their diligence; they likewise +endeavoured to get their bread up, but they did not take the same care of +the water, not reflecting in their fright that they might be much +distressed for want of it on shore; and what hindered them most of all +was the brutal behaviour of some of the crew that made themselves drunk +with wine, of which no care was taken. In short, such was their +confusion that they made but three trips that day, carrying over to the +island 180 persons, twenty barrels of bread, and some small casks of +water. The master returned on board towards evening, and told the +captain that it was to no purpose to send more provisions on shore, since +the people only wasted those they had already. Upon this the captain +went in the shallop, to put things in better order, and was then informed +that there was no water to be found upon the island; he endeavoured to +return to the ship in order to bring off a supply, together with the most +valuable part of their cargo, but a storm suddenly arising, he was forced +to return. + +The next day was spent in removing their water and most valuable goods on +shore; and afterwards the captain in the skiff, and the master in the +shallop, endeavoured to return to the vessel, but found the sea run so +high that it was impossible to get on board. In this extremity the +carpenter threw himself out of the ship, and swam to them, in order to +inform them to what hardships those left in the vessel were reduced, and +they sent him back with orders for them to make rafts, by tying the +planks together, and endeavour on these to reach the shallop and skiff; +but before this could be done, the weather became so rough that the +captain was obliged to return, leaving, with the utmost grief, his +lieutenant and seventy men on the very point of perishing on board the +vessel. Those who were got on the little island were not in a much +better condition, for, upon taking an account of their water, they found +they had not above 40 gallons for 40 people, and on the larger island, +where there were 120, their stock was still less. Those on the little +island began to murmur, and to complain of their officers, because they +did not go in search of water, in the islands that were within sight of +them, and they represented the necessity of this to Captain Pelsart, who +agreed to their request, but insisted before he went to communicate his +design to the rest of the people; they consented to this, but not till +the captain had declared that, without the consent of the company on the +large is land, he would, rather than leave them, go and perish on board +the ship. When they were got pretty near the shore, he who commanded the +boat told the captain that if he had anything to say, he must cry out to +the people, for that they would not suffer him to go out of the boat. The +captain immediately attempted to throw himself overboard in order to swim +to the island. Those who were in the boat prevented him; and all that he +could obtain from them was, to throw on shore his table-book, in which +line wrote a line or two to inform them that he was gone in the skiff to +look for water in the adjacent islands. + +He accordingly coasted them all with the greatest care, and found in most +of them considerable quantities of water in the holes of the rocks, but +so mixed with the sea-water that it was unfit for use; and therefore they +were obliged to go farther. The first thing they did was to make a deck +to their boat, because they found it was impracticable to navigate those +seas in an open vessel. Some of the crew joined them by the time the +work was finished; and the captain having obtained a paper, signed by all +his men, importing that it was their desire that he should go in search +of water, he immediately put to sea, having first taken an observation by +which he found they were in the latitude of 28 degrees 13 minutes south. +They had not been long at sea before they had sight of the continent, +which appeared to them to lie about sixteen miles north by west from the +place they had suffered shipwreck. They found about twenty-five or +thirty fathoms water; and as night drew on, they kept out to sea; and +after midnight stood in for the land, that they might be near the coast +in the morning. On the 9th of June they found themselves as they +reckoned, about three miles from the shore; on which they plied all that +day, sailing sometimes north, sometimes west; the country appearing low, +naked, and the coast excessively rocky; so that they thought it resembled +the country near Dover. At last they saw a little creek, into which they +were willing to put, because it appeared to have a sandy bottom; but when +they attempted to enter it, the sea ran so high that they were forced to +desist. + +On the 10th they remained on the same coast, plying to and again, as they +had done the day before; but the weather growing worse and worse, they +were obliged to abandon their shallop, and even throw part of their +breath overboard, because it hindered them from clearing themselves of +the water, which their vessel began to make very fast. That night it +rained most terribly, which, though it gave them much trouble, afforded +them hopes that it would prove a great relief to the people they had left +behind them on the islands. The wind began to sink on the 11th; and as +it blew from the west-south-west, they continued their course to the +north, the sea running still so high that it was impossible to approach +the shore. On the 12th, they had an observation, by which they found +themselves in the latitude of 27 degrees; they sailed with a south-east +wind all that day along the coast, which they found so steep that there +was no getting on shore, inasmuch as there was no creek or low land +without the rocks, as is commonly observed on seacoasts; which gave them +the more pain because within land the country appeared very fruitful and +pleasant. They found themselves on the 13th in the latitude of 25 +degrees 40 minutes; by which they discovered that the current set to the +north. They were at this time over against an opening; the coast lying +to the north-east, they continued a north course, but found the coast one +continued rock of red colour all of a height, against which the waves +broke with such force that it was impossible for them to land. + +The wind blew very fresh in the morning on the 14th, but towards noon it +fell calm; they were then in the height of 24 degrees, with a small gale +at east, but the tide still carried them further north than they desired, +because their design was to make a descent as soon as possible; and with +this view they sailed slowly along the coast, till, perceiving a great +deal of smoke at a distance, they rowed towards it as fast as they were +able, in hopes of finding men, and water, of course. When they came near +the shore, they found it so steep, so full of rocks, and the sea beating +over them with such fury, that it was impossible to land. Six of the +men, however, trusting to their skill in swimming, threw themselves into +the sea and resolved to get on shore at any rate, which with great +difficulty and danger they at last effected, the boat remaining at anchor +in twenty-five fathoms water. The men on shore spent the whole day in +looking for water; and while they were thus employed, they saw four men, +who came up very near; but one of the Dutch sailors advancing towards +them, they immediately ran away as fast as they were able, so that they +were distinctly seen by those in the boat. These people were black +savages, quite naked, not having so much as any covering about their +middle. The sailors, finding no hopes of water on all the coast, swam on +board again, much hurt and wounded by their being beat by the waves upon +the rocks; and as soon as they were on board, they weighed anchor, and +continued their course along the shore, in hopes of finding some better +landing-place. + +On the 25th, in the morning, they discovered a cape, from the point of +which there ran a ridge of rocks a mile into the sea, and behind it +another ridge of rocks. They ventured between them, as the sea was +pretty calm; but finding there was no passage, they soon returned. About +noon they saw another opening, and the sea being still very smooth, they +entered it, though the passage was very dangerous, inasmuch as they had +but two feet water, and the bottom full of stones, the coast appearing a +flat sand for about a mile. As soon as they got on shore they fell to +digging in the sand, but the water that came into their wells was so +brackish that they could not drink it, though they were on the very point +of choking for thirst. At last, in the hollows of the rocks, they met +with considerable quantities of rainwater, which was a great relief to +them, since they had been for some days at no better allowance than a +pint a-piece. They soon furnished themselves in the night with about +eighty gallons, perceiving, in the place where they landed, that the +savages had been there lately, by a large heap of ashes and the remains +of some cray-fish. + +On the 16th, in the morning, they returned on shore, in hopes of getting +more water, but were disappointed; and having now time to observe the +country, it gave them no great hopes of better success, even if they had +travelled farther within land, which appeared a thirsty, barren plain, +covered with ant-hills, so high that they looked afar off like the huts +of negroes; and at the same time they were plagued with flies, and those +in such multitudes that they were scarce able to defend themselves. They +saw at a distance eight savages, with each a staff in his hand, who +advanced towards them within musket-shot; but as soon as they perceived +the Dutch sailors moving towards them, they fled as fast as they were +able. It was by this time about noon, and, perceiving no appearance +either of getting water, or entering into any correspondence with the +natives, they resolved to go on board and continue their course towards +the north, in hopes, as they were already in the latitude of 22 degrees +17 minutes, they might be able to find the river of Jacob Remmescens; but +the wind veering about to the north-east, they were not able to continue +longer upon that coast, and therefore reflecting that they were now above +one hundred miles from the place where they were shipwrecked, and had +scarce as much water as would serve them in their passage back, they came +to a settled resolution of making the best of their way to Batavia, in +order to acquaint the Governor-General with their misfortunes, and to +obtain such assistance as was necessary to get their people off the +coast. + +On the 17th they continued their course to the north-east, with a good +wind and fair weather; the 18th and 19th it blew hard, and they had much +rain; on the 20th they found themselves in 19 degrees 22 minutes; on the +22nd they had another observation, and found themselves in the height of +16 degrees 10 minutes, which surprised them very much, and was a plain +proof that the current carried them northwards at a great rate; on the +27th it rained very hard, so that they were not able to take an +observation; but towards noon they saw, to their great satisfaction, the +coasts of Java, in the latitude of 8 degrees, at the distance of about +four or five miles. They altered their course to west-north-west, and +towards evening entered the gulf of an island very full of trees, where +they anchored in eight fathoms water, and there passed the night; on the +28th, in the morning, they weighed, and rowed with all their force, in +order to make the land, that they might search for water, being now again +at the point of perishing for thirst. Very happily for them, they were +no sooner on shore than they discovered a fine rivulet at a small +distance, where, having comfortably quenched their thirst, and filled all +their casks with water, they about noon continued their course for +Batavia. + +On the 29th, about midnight, in the second watch, they discovered an +island, which they left on their starboard. About noon they found +themselves in the height of 6 degrees 48 minutes. About three in the +afternoon they passed between two islands, the westernmost of which +appeared full of cocoa trees. In the evening they were about a mile from +the south point of Java, and in the second watch exactly between Java and +the Isle of Princes. The 30th, in the morning, they found themselves on +the coast of the last-mentioned island, not being able to make above two +miles that day. On July 1st the weather was calm, and about noon they +were three leagues from Dwaersindenwegh, that is, Thwart-the-way Island; +but towards the evening they had a pretty brisk wind at north-west, which +enabled them to gain that coast. On the 2nd, in the morning, they were +right against the island of Topershoetien, and were obliged to lie at +anchor till eleven o'clock, waiting for the sea-breeze, which, however, +blew so faintly that they were not able to make above two miles that day. +About sunset they perceived a vessel between them and Thwart-the-way +Island, upon which they resolved to anchor as near the shore as they +could that night, and there wait the arrival of the ship. In the morning +they went on board her, in hopes of procuring arms for their defence, in +case the inhabitants of Java were at war with the Dutch. They found two +other ships in company, on board one of which was Mr. Ramburg, counsellor +of the Indies. Captain Pelsart went immediately on board his ship, where +he acquainted him with the nature of his misfortune, and went with him +afterwards to Batavia. + +We will now leave the captain soliciting succours from the +Governor-General, in order to return to the crew who were left upon the +islands, among whom there happened such transactions as, in their +condition, the reader would little expect, and perhaps will hardly +credit! In order to their being thoroughly understood, it is necessary +to observe that they had for supercargo one Jerom Cornelis, who had been +formerly an apothecary at Harlem. This man, when they were on the coast +of Africa, had plotted with the pilot and some others to run away with +the vessel, and either to carry her into Dunkirk, or to turn pirates in +her on their own account. This supercargo had remained ten days on board +the wreck, not being able in all that time to get on shore. Two whole +days he spent on the mainmast, floating to and fro, till at last, by the +help of one of the yards, he got to land. When he was once on shore, the +command, in the absence of Captain Pelsart, devolved of course upon him, +which immediately revived in his mind his old design, insomuch that he +resolved to lay hold of this opportunity to make himself master of all +that could be saved out of the wreck, conceiving that it would be easy to +surprise the captain on his return, and determining to go on the +account--that is to say, to turn pirate in the captain's vessel. In +order to carry this design into execution, he thought necessary to rid +themselves of such of the crew as were not like to come into their +scheme; but before he proceeded to dip his hands in blood, he obliged all +the conspirators to sign an instrument, by which they engaged to stand by +each other. + +The whole ship's company were on shore in three islands, the greatest +part of them in that where Cornelis was, which island they thought fit to +call the burying-place of Batavia. One Mr. Weybhays was sent with +another body into an adjacent island to look for water, which, after +twenty days' search, he found, and made the appointed signal by lighting +three fires, which, however, were not seen nor taken notice of by those +under the command of Cornelis, because they were busy in butchering their +companions, of whom they had murdered between thirty and forty; but some +few, however, got off upon a raft of planks tied together, and went to +the island where Mr. Weybhays was, in order to acquaint him with the +dreadful accident that had happened. Mr. Weybhays having with him forty- +five men, they all resolved to stand upon their guard, and to defend +themselves to the last man, in case these villains should attack them. +This indeed was their design, for they were apprehensive both of this +body, and of those who were on the third island, giving notice to the +captain on his return, and thereby preventing their intention of running +away with his vessel. But as this third company was by much the weakest, +they began with them first, and cut them all off, except five women and +seven children, not in the least doubting that they should be able to do +as much by Weybhays and his company. In the meantime, having broke open +the merchant's chests, which had been saved out of the wreck, they +converted them to their own use without ceremony. + +The traitor, Jerom Cornelis, was so much elevated with the success that +had hitherto attended his villainy, that he immediately began to fancy +all difficulties were over, and gave a loose to his vicious inclinations +in every respect. He ordered clothes to be made of rich stuffs that had +been saved, for himself and his troop, and having chosen out of them a +company of guards, he ordered them to have scarlet coats, with a double +lace of gold or silver. There were two minister's daughters among the +women, one of whom he took for his own mistress, gave the second to a +favourite of his, and ordered that the other three women should be common +to the whole troop. He afterwards drew up a set of regulations, which +were to be the laws of his new principality, taking to himself the style +and title of Captain-General, and obliging his party to sign an act, or +instrument, by which they acknowledged him as such. These points once +settled, he resolved to carry on the war. He first of all embarked on +board two shallops twenty-two men, well armed, with orders to destroy Mr. +Weybhays and his company; and on their miscarrying, he undertook a like +expedition with thirty-seven men, in which, however, he had no better +success; for Mr. Weybhays, with his people, though armed only with staves +with nails drove into their heads, advanced even into the water to meet +them, and after a brisk engagement compelled these murderers to retire. + +Cornelis then thought fit to enter into a negotiation, which was managed +by the chaplain, who remained with Mr. Weybhays, and after several +comings and goings from one party to the other, a treaty was concluded +upon the following terms--viz., That Mr. Weybhays and his company should +for the future remain undisturbed, provided they delivered up a little +boat, in which one of the sailors had made his escape from the island in +which Cornelis was with his gang, in order to take shelter on that where +Weybhays was with his company. It was also agreed that the latter should +have a part of the stuffs and silks given them for clothes, of which they +stood in great want. But, while this affair was in agitation, Cornelis +took the opportunity of the correspondence between them being restored, +to write letters to some French soldiers that were in Weybhays's company, +promising them six thousand livres apiece if they would comply with his +demands, not doubting but by this artifice he should be able to +accomplish his end. + +His letters, however, had no effect; on the contrary, the soldiers to +whom they were directed carried them immediately to Mr. Weybhays. +Cornelis, not knowing that this piece of treachery was discovered, went +over the next morning, with three or four of his people, to carry to Mr. +Weybhays the clothes that had been promised him. As soon as they landed, +Weybhays attacked them, killed two or three, and made Cornelis himself +prisoner. One Wonterloss, who was the only man that made his escape, +went immediately back to the conspirators, put himself at their head, and +came the next day to attack Weybhays, but met with the same fate as +before--that is to say, he and the villains that were with him were +soundly beat. + +Things were in this situation when Captain Pelsart arrived in the +_Sardam_ frigate. He sailed up to the wreck, and saw with great joy a +cloud of smoke ascending from one of the islands, by which he knew that +all his people were not dead. He came immediately to an anchor, and +having ordered some wine and provisions to be put into the skiff, +resolved to go in person with these refreshments to one of these islands. +He had hardly quitted the ship before he was boarded by a boat from the +island to which he was going. There were four men in the boat, of whom +Weybhays was one, who immediately ran to the captain, told him what had +happened, and begged him to return to his ship immediately, for that the +conspirators intended to surprise her, that they had already murdered 125 +persons, and that they had attacked him and his company that very morning +with two shallops. + +While they were talking the two shallops appeared; upon which the captain +rowed to his ship as fast as he could, and was hardly got on board before +they arrived at the ship's side. The captain was surprised to see men in +red coats laced with gold and silver, with arms in their hands. He +demanded what they meant by coming on board armed. They told him he +should know when they were on board the ship. The captain replied that +they should come on board, but that they must first throw their arms into +the sea, which if they did not do immediately, he would sink them as they +lay. As they saw that disputes were to no purpose, and that they were +entirely in the captain's power, they were obliged to obey. They +accordingly threw their arms overboard, and were then taken into the +vessel, where they were instantly put in irons. One of them, whose name +was John Bremen, and who was first examined, owned that he had murdered +with his own hands, or had assisted in murdering, no less than twenty- +seven persons. The same evening Weybhays brought his prisoner Cornelis +on board, where he was put in irons and strictly guarded. + +On the 18th of September, Captain Pelsart, with the master, went to take +the rest of the conspirators in Cornelis's island. They went in two +boats. The villains, as soon as they saw them land, lost all their +courage, and fled from them. They surrendered without a blow, and were +put in irons with the rest. The captain's first care was to recover the +jewels which Cornelis had dispersed among his accomplices: they were, +however, all of them soon found, except a gold chain and a diamond ring; +the latter was also found at last, but the former could not be recovered. +They went next to examine the wreck, which they found staved into an +hundred pieces; the keel lay on a bank of sand on one side, the fore part +of the vessel stuck fast on a rock, and the rest of her lay here and +there as the pieces had been driven by the waves, so that Captain Pelsart +had very little hopes of saving any of the merchandise. One of the +people belonging to Weybhays's company told him that one fair day, which +was the only one they had in a month, as he was fishing near the wreck, +he had struck the pole in his hand against one of the chests of silver, +which revived the captain a little, as it gave him reason to expect that +something might still be saved. They spent all the 19th in examining the +rest of the prisoners, and in confronting them with those who escaped +from the massacre. + +On the 20th they sent several kinds of refreshments to Weybhays's +company, and carried a good quantity of water from the isle. There was +something very singular in finding this water; the people who were on +shore there had subsisted near three weeks on rainwater, and what lodged +in the clefts of the rocks, without thinking that the water of two wells +which were on the island could be of any use, because they saw them +constantly rise and fall with the tide, from whence they fancied they had +a communication within the sea, and consequently that the water must be +brackish; but upon trial they found it to be very good, and so did the +ship's company, who filled their casks with it. + +On the 21st the tide was so low, and an east-south-east wind blew so +hard, that during the whole day the boat could not get out. On the 22nd +they attempted to fish upon the wreck, but the weather was so bad that +even those who could swim very well durst not approach it. On the 25th +the master and the pilot, the weather being fair, went off again to the +wreck, and those who were left on shore, observing that they wanted hands +to get anything out of her, sent off some to assist them. The captain +went also himself to encourage the men, who soon weighed one chest of +silver, and some time after another. As soon as these were safe ashore +they returned to their work, but the weather grew so bad that they were +quickly obliged to desist, though some of their divers from Guzarat +assured them they had found six more, which might easily be weighed. On +the 26th, in the afternoon, the weather being fair, and the tide low, the +master returned to the place where the chests lay, and weighed three of +them, leaving an anchor with a gun tied to it, and a buoy, to mark the +place where the fourth lay, which, notwithstanding their utmost efforts, +they were not able to recover. + +On the 27th, the south wind blew very cold. On the 28th the same wind +blew stronger than the day before; and as there was no possibility of +fishing in the wreck for the present, Captain Pelsart held a council to +consider what they should do with the prisoners: that is to say, whether +it would be best to try them there upon the spot, or to carry them to +Batavia, in order to their being tried by the Company's officers. After +mature deliberation, reflecting on the number of prisoners, and the +temptation that might arise from the vast quantity of silver on board the +frigate, they at last came to a resolution to try and execute them there, +which was accordingly done; and they embarked immediately afterwards for +Batavia. + + + +REMARKS. + + +This voyage was translated from the original Dutch by Thevenot, and +printed by him in the first volume of his collections. Pelsart's route +is traced in the map of the globe published by Delisle in the year 1700. + +As this voyage is of itself very short, I shall not detain the reader +with many remarks; but shall confine myself to a very few observations, +in order to show the consequences of the discovery made by Captain +Pelsart. The country upon which he suffered shipwreck was New Holland, +the coast of which had not till then been at all examined, and it was +doubtful how far it extended. There had indeed been some reports spread +with relation to the inhabitants of this country, which Captain Pelsart's +relation shows to have been false; for it had been reported that when the +Dutch East India Company sent some ships to make discoveries, their +landing was opposed by a race of gigantic people, with whom the Dutch +could by no means contend. But our author says nothing of the +extraordinary size of the savages that were seen by Captain Pelsart's +people; from whence it is reasonable to conclude that this story was +circulated with no other view than to prevent other nations from +venturing into these seas. It is also remarkable that this is the very +coast surveyed by Captain Dampier, whose account agrees exactly with that +contained in this voyage. Now though it be true, that from all these +accounts there is nothing said which is much to the advantage either of +the country or its inhabitants, yet we are to consider that it is +impossible to represent either in a worse light than that in which the +Cape of Good Hope was placed, before the Dutch took possession of it; and +plainly demonstrated that industry could make a paradise of what was a +perfect purgatory while in the hands of the Hottentots. If, therefore, +the climate of this country be good, and the soil fruitful, both of which +were affirmed in this relation, there could not be a more proper place +for a colony than some part of New Holland, or of the adjacent country of +Carpentaria. I shall give my reasons for asserting this when I come to +make my remarks on a succeeding voyage. At present I shall confine +myself to the reasons that have induced the Dutch East India Company to +leave all these countries unsettled, after having first shown so strong +an inclination to discover them, which will oblige me to lay before the +reader some secrets in commerce that have hitherto escaped common +observation, and which, whenever they are as thoroughly considered as +they deserve, will undoubtedly lead us to as great discoveries as those +of Columbus or Magellan. + +In order to make myself perfectly understood, I must observe that it was +the finding out of the Moluccas, or Spice Islands, by the Portuguese, +that raised that spirit of discovery which produced Columbus's voyage, +which ended in finding America; though in fact Columbus intended rather +to reach this country of New Holland. The assertion is bold, and at +first sight may appear improbable; but a little attention will make it so +plain, that the reader must be convinced of the truth of what I say. The +proposition made by Columbus to the State of Genoa, the Kings of +Portugal, Spain, England, and France, was this, that he could discover a +new route to the East Indies; that is to say, without going round the +Cape of Good Hope. He grounded this proposition on the spherical figure +of the earth, from whence he thought it self-evident that any given point +might be sailed to through the great ocean, either by steering east or +west. In his attempt to go to the East Indies by a west course, he met +with the islands and continent of America; and finding gold and other +commodities, which till then had never been brought from the Indies, he +really thought that this was the west coast of that country to which the +Portuguese sailed by the Cape of Good Hope, and hence came the name of +the West Indies. Magellan, who followed his steps, and was the only +discoverer who reasoned systematically, and knew what he was doing, +proposed to the Emperor Charles V. to complete what Columbus had begun, +and to find a passage to the Moluccas by the west; which, to his immortal +honour, he accomplished. + +When the Dutch made their first voyages to the East Indies, which was not +many years before Captain Pelsart's shipwreck on the coast of New +Holland, for their first fleet arrived in the East Indies in 1596, and +Pelsart lost his ship in 1629--I say, when the Dutch first undertook the +East India trade, they had the Spice Islands in view: and as they are a +nation justly famous for the steady pursuit of whatever they take in +hand, it is notorious that they never lost sight of their design till +they had accomplished it, and made themselves entirely masters of these +islands, of which they still continue in possession. When this was done, +and they had effectually driven out the English, who were likewise +settled in them, they fixed the seat of their government in the island of +Amboyna, which lay very convenient for the discovery of the southern +countries; which, therefore, they prosecuted with great diligence from +the year 1619 to the time of Captain Pelsart's shipwreck; that is, for +the space of twenty years. + +But after they removed the seat of their government from Amboyna to +Batavia, they turned their views another way, and never made any voyage +expressly for discoveries on that side, except the single one of Captain +Tasman, of which we are to speak presently. It was from this period of +time that they began to take new measures, and having made their +excellent settlement at the Cape of Good Hope, resolved to govern their +trade to the East Indies by these two capital maxims: 1. To extend their +trade all over the Indies, and to fix themselves so effectually in the +richest countries as to keep all, or at least the best and most +profitable part of, their commerce to themselves; 2. To make the +Moluccas, and the islands dependent on them, their frontier, and to omit +nothing that should appear necessary to prevent strangers, or even Dutch +ships not belonging to the Company, from ever navigating those seas, and +consequently from ever being acquainted with the countries that lie in +them. How well they have prosecuted the first maxim has been very +largely shown in a foregoing article, wherein we have an ample +description of the mighty empire in the hands of their East India +Company. As for the second maxim, the reader, in the perusal of +Funnel's, Dampier's, and other voyages, but especially the first, must be +satisfied that it is what they have constantly at heart, and which, at +all events, they are determined to pursue, at least with regard to +strangers; and as to their own countrymen, the usage they gave to James +le Maire and his people is a proof that cannot be contested. + +Those things being considered, it is very plain that the Dutch, or rather +the Dutch East India Company, are fully persuaded that they have already +as munch or more territory in the East Indies than they can well manage, +and therefore they neither do nor ever will think of settling New Guinea, +Carpentaria, New Holland, or any of the adjacent islands, till either +their trade declines in the East Indies, or they are obliged to exert +themselves on this side to prevent other nations from reaping the +benefits that might accrue to them by their planting those countries. But +this is not all; for as the Dutch have no thoughts of settling these +countries themselves, they have taken all imaginable pains to prevent any +relations from being published which might invite or encourage any other +nation to make attempts this way; and I am thoroughly persuaded that this +very account of Captain Pelsart's shipwreck would never have come into +the world if it had not been thought it would contribute to this end, or, +in other words, would serve to frighten other nations from approaching +such an inhospitable coast, everywhere beset with rocks absolutely void +of water, and inhabited by a race of savages more barbarous, and, at the +same time, more miserable than any other creatures in the world. + +The author of this voyage remarks, for the use of seamen, that in the +little island occupied by Weybhays, after digging two pits, they were for +a considerable time afraid to use the water, having found that these pits +ebbed and flowed with the sea; but necessity at last constraining them to +drink it, they found it did them no hurt. The reason of the ebbing and +flowing of these pits was their nearness to the sea, the water of which +percolated through the sand, lost its saltness, and so became potable, +though it followed the motions of the ocean whence it came. + + + + +THE VOYAGE OF CAPTAIN ABEL JANSEN TASMAN FOR THE DISCOVERY OF SOUTHERN +COUNTRIES. 1642-43. + + +By direction of the Dutch East India Company. [Taken from his original +Journal.] + + + +CHAPTER I: THE OCCASION AND DESIGN OF THIS VOYAGE. + + +The great discoveries that were made by the Dutch in these southern +countries were subsequent to the famous voyage of Jaques le Maire, who in +1616 passed the straits called by his name; in 1618, that part of Terra +Australia was discovered which the Dutch called Concordia. The next +year, the Land of Edels was found, and received its name from its +discoverer. In 1620, Batavia was built on the ruins of the old city of +Jacatra; but the seat of government was not immediately removed from +Amboyna. In 1622, that part of New Holland which is called Lewin's Land +was first found; and in 1627, Peter Nuyts discovered between New Holland +and New Guinea a country which bears his name. There were also some +other voyages made, of which, however, we have no sort of account, except +that the Dutch were continually beaten in all their attempts to land upon +this coast. On their settlement, however, at Batavia, the then general +and council of the Indies thought it requisite to have a more perfect +survey made of the new-found countries, that the memory of them at least +might be preserved, in case no further attempts were made to settle them; +and it was very probably a foresight of few ships going that route any +more, which induced such as had then the direction of the Company's +affairs to wish that some such survey and description might be made by an +able seaman, who was well acquainted with those coasts, and who might be +able to add to the discoveries already made, as well as furnish a more +accurate description, even of them, than had been hitherto given. + +This was faithfully performed by Captain Tasman; and from the lights +afforded by his journal, a very exact and curious map was made of all +these new countries. But his voyage was never published entire; and it +is very probable that the East India Company never intended it should be +published at all. However, Dirk Rembrantz, moved by the excellency and +accuracy of the work, published in Low Dutch an extract of Captain +Tasman's Journal, which has been ever since considered as a very great +curiosity; and, as such, has been translated into many languages, +particularly into our own, by the care of the learned Professor of +Gresham College, Doctor Hook, an abridgment of which translation found a +place in Doctor Harris's Collection of Voyages. But we have made no use +of either of these pieces, the following being a new translation, made +with all the care and diligence that is possible. + + + +CHAPTER II: CAPTAIN TASMAN SAILS FROM BATAVIA, AUGUST 14, 1642. + + +On August 14, 1642, I sailed from Batavia with two vessels; the one +called the _Heemskirk_, and the other the _Zee-Haan_. On September 5 I +anchored at Maurice Island, in the latitude of 20 degrees south, and in +the longitude of 83 degrees 48 minutes. I found this island fifty German +miles more to the east than I expected; that is to say, 3 degrees 33 +minutes of longitude. This island was so called from Prince Maurice, +being before known by the name of Cerne. It is about fifteen leagues in +circumference, and has a very fine harbour, at the entrance of which +there is one hundred fathoms water. The country is mountainous; but the +mountains are covered with green trees. The tops of these mountains are +so high that they are lost in the clouds, and are frequently covered by +thick exhalations or smoke that ascends from them. The air of this +island is extremely wholesome. It is well furnished with flesh and fowl; +and the sea on its coasts abounds with all sorts of fish. The finest +ebony in the world grows here. It is a tall, straight tree of a moderate +thickness, covered with a green bark, very thick, under which the wood is +as black as pitch, and as close as ivory. There are other trees on the +island, which are of a bright red, and a third sort as yellow as wax. The +ships belonging to the East India Company commonly touch at this island +for refreshments on their passage to Batavia. + +I left this island on the 8th of October, and continued my course to the +south to the latitude of 40 degrees or 41 degrees, having a strong north- +west wind; and finding the needle vary 23, 24, and 25 degrees to the 22nd +of October, I sailed from that time to the 29th to the east, inclining a +little to the south, till I arrived in the latitude of 45 degrees 47 +minutes south, and in the longitude of 89 degrees 44 minutes; and then +observed the variation of the needle to be 26 degrees 45 minutes towards +the west. + +As our author was extremely careful in this particular, and observed the +variation of the needle with the utmost diligence, it may not be amiss to +take this opportunity of explaining this point, so that the importance of +his remarks may sufficiently appear. The needle points exactly north +only in a few places, and perhaps not constantly in them; but in most it +declines a little to the east, or to the west, whence arises eastern and +western declination: when this was first observed, it was attributed to +certain excavations or hollows in the earth, to veins of lead, stone, and +other such-like causes. But when it was found by repeated experiments +that this variation varied, it appeared plainly that none of those causes +could take place; since if they had, the variation in the same place must +always have been the same, whereas the fact is otherwise. + +Here at London, for instance, in the year 1580, the variation was +observed to be 11 degrees 17 minutes to the east; in the year 1666, the +variation was here 34 minutes to the west; and in the year 1734, the +variation was somewhat more than 1 degree west. In order to find the +variation of the needle with the least error possible, the seamen take +this method: they observe the point the sun is in by the compass, any +time after its rising, and then take the altitude of the sun; and in the +afternoon they observe when the sun comes to the same altitude, and +observe the point the sun is then in by the compass; for the middle, +between these two, is the true north or south point of the compass; and +the difference between that and the north or south upon the card, which +is pointed out by the needle, is the variation of the compass, and shows +how much the north and south, given by the compass, deviates from the +true north and south points of the horizon. It appears clearly, from +what has been said, that in order to arrive at the certain knowledge of +the variation, and of the variation of that variation of the compass, it +is absolutely requisite to have from time to time distinct accounts of +the variation as it is observed in different places: whence the +importance of Captain Tasman's remarks, in this respect, sufficiently +appears. It is true that the learned and ingenious Dr. Halley has given +a very probable account of this matter; but as the probability of that +account arises only from its agreement with observations, it follows +those are as necessary and as important as ever, in order to strengthen +and confirm it. + + + +CHAPTER III: REMARKS ON THE VARIATION OF THE NEEDLE. + + +On the 6th of November, I was in 49 degrees 4 minutes south latitude, and +in the longitude of 114 degrees 56 minutes; the variation was at this +time 26 degrees westward; and, as the weather was foggy, with hard gales, +and a rolling sea from the south-west and from the south, I concluded +from thence that it was not at all probable there should be any land +between those two points. On November 15th I was in the latitude of 44 +degrees 33 minutes south, and in the longitude of 140 degrees 32 minutes. +The variation was then 18 degrees 30 minutes west, which variation +decreased every day, in such a manner, that, on the 21st of the same +month, being in the longitude of 158 degrees, I observed the variation to +be no more than 4 degrees. On the 22nd of that month, the needle was in +continual agitation, without resting in any of the eight points; which +led me to conjecture that we were near some mine of loadstone. + +This may, at first sight, seem to contradict what has been before laid +down, as to the variation, and the causes of it: but, when strictly +considered, they will be found to agree very well; for when it is +asserted that veins of loadstone have nothing to do with the variation of +the compass, it is to be understood of the constant variation of a few +degrees to the east, or to the west: but in cases of this nature, where +the variation is absolutely irregular, and the needle plays quite round +the compass, our author's conjecture may very well find place: yet it +must be owned that it is a point far enough from being clear, that mines +of loadstone affect the compass at a distance; which, however, might be +very easily determined, since there are large mines of loadstone in the +island of Elba, on the coast of Tuscany. + + + +CHAPTER IV: HE DISCOVERS A NEW COUNTRY TO WHICH HE GIVES THE NAME OF VAN +DIEMEN'S LAND. + + +On the 24th of the same month, being in the latitude of 42 degrees 25 +minutes south, and in the longitude of 163 degrees 50 minutes, I +discovered land, which lay east-south-east at the distance of ten miles, +which I called Van Diemen's Land. The compass pointed right towards this +land. The weather being bad, I steered south and by east along the +coast, to the height of 44 degrees south, where the land runs away east, +and afterwards north-east and by north. In the latitude of 43 degrees 10 +minutes south, and in the longitude of 167 degrees 55 minutes, I anchored +on the 1st of December, in a bay, which I called the Bay of Frederic +Henry. I heard, or at least fancied I heard, the sound of people upon +the shore; but I saw nobody. All I met with worth observing was two +trees, which were two fathoms or two fathoms and a half in girth, and +sixty or sixty-five feet high from the root to the branches: they had cut +with a flint a kind of steps in the bark, in order to climb up to the +birds' nests: these steps were the distance of five feet from each other; +so that we must conclude that either these people are of a prodigious +size, or that they have some way of climbing trees that we are not used +to; in one of the trees the steps were so fresh, that we judged they +could not have been cut above four days. + +The noise we heard resembled the noise of some sort of trumpet; it seemed +to be at no great distance, but we saw no living creature +notwithstanding. I perceived also in the sand the marks of wild beasts' +feet, resembling those of a tiger, or some such creature; I gathered also +some gum from the trees, and likewise some lack. The tide ebbs and flows +there about three feet. The trees in this country do not grow very +close, nor are they encumbered with bushes or underwood. I observed +smoke in several places; however, we did nothing more than set up a post, +on which every one cut his name, or his mark, and upon which I hoisted a +flag. I observed that in this place the variation was changed to 3 +degrees eastward. On December 5th, being then, by observation, in the +latitude of 41 degrees 34 minutes, and in the longitude 169 degrees, I +quitted Van Diemen's Land, and resolved to steer east to the longitude of +195 degrees, in hopes of discovering the Islands of Solomon. + + + +CHAPTER V: SAILS FROM THENCE FOR NEW ZEALAND. + + +On September 9th I was in the latitude of 42 degrees 37 minutes south, +and in the longitude of 176 degrees 29 minutes; the variation being there +5 degrees to the east. On the 12th of the same month, finding a great +rolling sea coming in on the south-west, I judged there was no land to be +hoped for on that point. On the 13th, being in the latitude of 42 +degrees 10 minutes south, and in the longitude of 188 degrees 28 minutes, +I found the variation 7 degrees 30 minutes eastward. In this situation I +discovered a high mountainous country, which is at present marked in the +charts under the name of New Zealand. I coasted along the shore of this +country to the north-north-east till the 18th; and being then in the +latitude of 40 degrees 50 minutes south, and in the longitude of 191 +degrees 41 minutes, I anchored in a fine bay, where I observed the +variation to be 9 degrees towards the east. + +We found here abundance of the inhabitants: they had very hoarse voices, +and were very large-made people. They durst not approach the ship nearer +than a stone's throw; and we often observed them playing on a kind of +trumpet, to which we answered with the instruments that were on board our +vessel. These people were of a colour between brown and yellow, their +hair long, and almost as thick as that of the Japanese, combed up, and +fixed on the top of their heads with a quill, or some such thing, that +was thickest in the middle, in the very same manner that Japanese +fastened their hair behind their heads. These people cover the middle of +their bodies, some with a kind of mat, others with a sort of woollen +cloth, but, as for their upper and lower parts, they leave them +altogether naked. + +On the 19th of December, these savages began to grow a little bolder, and +more familiar, insomuch that at last they ventured on board the +_Heemskirk_ in order to trade with those in the vessel. As soon as I +perceived it, being apprehensive that they might attempt to surprise that +ship, I sent my shallop, with seven men, to put the people in the +_Heemskirk_ upon their guard, and to direct them not to place any +confidence in those people. My seven men, being without arms, were +attacked by these savages, who killed three of the seven, and forced the +other four to swim for their lives, which occasioned my giving that place +the name of the Bay of Murderers. Our ship's company would, undoubtedly, +have taken a severe revenge, if the rough weather had not hindered them. +From this bay we bore away east, having the land in a manner all round +us. This country appeared to us rich, fertile, and very well situated, +but as the weather was very foul, and we had at this time a very strong +west wind, we found it very difficult to get clear of the land. + + + +CHAPTER VI: VISITS THE ISLAND OF THE THREE KINGS, AND GOES IN SEARCH OF +OTHER ISLANDS DISCOVERED BY SCHOVTEN. + + +On the 24th of December, as the wind would not permit us to continue our +way to the north, as we knew not whether we should be able to find a +passage on that side, and as the flood came in from the south-east, we +concluded that it would be the best to return into the bay, and seek some +other way out, but on the 26th, the wind becoming more favourable, we +continued our route to the north, turning a little to the west. On the +4th of January, 1643, being then in the latitude of 34 degrees 35 minutes +south, and in the longitude of 191 degrees 9 minutes, we sailed quite to +the cape, which lies north-west, where we found the sea rolling in from +the north-east, whence we concluded that we had at last found a passage, +which gave us no small joy. There was in this strait an island, which we +called the island of the Three Kings; the cape of which we doubled, with +a design to have refreshed ourselves; but, as we approached it, we +perceived on the mountain thirty or five-and-thirty persons, who, as far +as we could discern at such a distance, were men of very large size, and +had each of them a large club in his hand: they called out to us in a +rough strong voice, but we could meet understand anything of what they +said. We observed that these people walked at a very great rate, and +that they took prodigious large strides. We made the tour of the island, +in doing which we saw but very few inhabitants; nor did any of the +country seem to be cultivated; we found, indeed, a fresh-water river, and +then we resolved to sail east, as far as 220 degrees of longitude; and +from thence north, as far as the latitude of 17 degrees south; and thence +to the west, till we arrived at the isles of Cocos and Horne, which were +discovered by William Schovten, where we intended to refresh ourselves, +in case we found no opportunity of doing it before, for though we had +actually landed on Van Diemen's Land, we met with nothing there; and, as +for New Zealand, we never set foot on it. + +In order to render this passage perfectly intelligible it is necessary to +observe that the island of Cocos lies in the latitude of 15 degrees 10 +minutes south; and, according to Schovten's account, is well inhabited, +and well cultivated, abounding with all sorts of refreshments; but, at +the same time, he describes the people as treacherous and base to the +last degree. As for the islands of Horne, they lie nearly in the +latitude of 15 degrees, are extremely fruitful, and inhabited by people +of a kind and gentle disposition, who readily bestowed on the Hollanders +whatever refreshments they could ask. It was no wonder, therefore, that, +finding themselves thus distressed, Captain Tasman thought of repairing +to these islands, where he was sure of obtaining refreshments, either by +fair means or otherwise, which design, however, he did not think fit to +put in execution. + + + +CHAPTER VII: REMARKABLE OCCURRENCES IN THE VOYAGE. + + +On the 8th of January, being in the latitude of 30 degrees 25 minutes +south, and in the longitude of 192 degrees 20 minutes, we observed the +variation of the needle to be 90 degrees towards the east, and as we had +a high rolling sea from the south-west, I conjectured there could not be +any land hoped for on that side. On the 12th we found ourselves in 30 +degrees 5 minutes south latitude, and in 195 degrees 27 minutes of +longitude, where we found the variation 9 degrees 30 minutes to the east, +a rolling sea from the south-east and from the south-west. It is very +plain, from these observations, that the position laid down by Dr. +Halley, that the motion of the needle is not governed by the poles of the +world, but by other poles, which move round them, is highly probable, for +otherwise it is not easy to understand how the needle came to have, as +our author affirms it had, a variation of near 27 degrees to the west, in +the latitude of 45 degrees 47 minutes, and then gradually decreasing till +it had no variation at all; after which it turned east, in the latitude +of 42 degrees 37 minutes, and so continued increasing its variation +eastwardly to this time. + + + +CHAPTER VIII: OBSERVATIONS ON, AND EXPLANATION OF, THE VARIATION OF THE +COMPASS. + + +On the 16th we were in the latitude of 26 degrees 29 minutes south, and +in the longitude of 199 degrees 32 minutes, the variation of the needle +being 8 degrees. Here we are to observe that the eastern variation +decreases, which is likewise very agreeable to Doctor Halley's +hypothesis; which, in few words, is this: that a certain large solid body +contained within, and every way separated from the earth (as having its +own proper motion), and being included like a kernel in its shell, +revolves circularly from east to west, as the exterior earth revolves the +contrary way in the diurnal motion, whence it is easy to explain the +position of the four magnetical poles which he attributes to the earth, +by allowing two to the nucleus, and two to the exterior earth. And, as +the two former perpetually alter the situation by their circular motion, +their virtue, compared with the exterior poles, must be different at +different times, and consequently the variation of the needle will +perpetually change. The doctor attributes to the nucleus an European +north pole and an American south one, on account of the variation of +variations observed near these places, as being much greater than those +found near the two other poles. And he conjectures that these poles will +finish their revolution in about seven hundred years, and after that time +the same situation of the poles obtain again as at present, and, +consequently, the variations will be the same again over all the globe; +so that it requires several ages before this theory can be thoroughly +adjusted. He assigns this probable cause of the circular revolution of +the nucleus that the diurnal motion, being impressed from without, was +not so exactly communicated to the internal parts as to give them the +same precise velocity of rotation as the external, whence the nucleus, +being left behind by the exterior earth, seems to move slowly in a +contrary direction, as from east to west, with regard to the external +earth, considered as at rest in respect of the other. But to return to +our voyage. + + + +CHAPTER IX: DISCOVERS A NEW ISLAND, WHICH HE CALLS PYLSTAART ISLAND. + + +On the 19th of January, being in the latitude of 22 degrees 35 minutes +south, and in the longitude of 204 degrees 15 minutes, we had 7 degrees +30 minutes east variation. In this situation we discovered an island +about two or three miles in circumference, which was, as far as we could +discern, very high, steep, and barren. We were very desirous of coming +nearer it, but were hindered by south-east and south-south-east winds. We +called it the Isle of Pylstaart, because of the great number of that sort +of birds we saw flying about it, and the next day we saw two other +islands. + + + +CHAPTER X: AND TWO ISLANDS, TO WHICH HE GIVES THE NAME OF AMSTERDAM AND +ROTTERDAM + + +On the 21st, being in the latitude of 21 degrees 20 minutes south, and in +the longitude of 205 degrees 29 minutes, we found our variation 7 degrees +to the north-east. We drew near to the coast of the most northern +island, which, though not very high, yet was the larger of the two: we +called one of these islands Amsterdam, and the other Rotterdam. Upon +that of Rotterdam we found great plenty of hogs, fowls, and all sorts of +fruits, and other refreshments. These islanders did not seem to have the +use of arms, inasmuch as we saw nothing like them in any of their hands +while we were upon the island; the usage they gave us was fair and +friendly, except that they would steal a little. The current is not very +considerable in this place, where it ebbs north-east, and flows south- +west. A south-west moon causes a spring-tide, which rises seven or eight +feet at least. The wind blows there continually south-east, or south- +south-east, which occasioned the _Heemskirk's_ being carried out of the +road, but, however, without any damage. We did not fill any water here +because it was extremely hard to get it to the ship. + +On the 25th we were in the latitude 20 degrees 15 minutes south, and in +the longitude of 206 degrees 19 minutes. The variation here was 6 +degrees 20 minutes to the east; and, after leaving had sight of several +other islands, we made that of Rotterdam: the islanders here resemble +those on the island of Amsterdam. The people were very good-natured, +parted readily with what they had, did not seem to be acquainted with the +use of arms, but were given to thieving like the natives of Amsterdam +Island. Here we took in water, and other refreshments, with all the +conveniency imaginable. We made the whole circuit of the island, which +we found well-stocked with cocoa-trees, very regularly planted; we +likewise saw abundance of gardens, extremely well laid out, plentifully +stocked with all kinds of fruit-trees, all planted in straight lines, and +the whole kept in such excellent order, that nothing could have a better +effect upon the eye. After quitting the island of Rotterdam, we had +sight of several other islands; which, however, did not engage us to +alter the resolution we had taken of sailing north, to the height of 17 +degrees south latitude, and from thence to shape a west course, without +going near either Traitor's Island, or those of Horne, we having then a +very brisk wind from the south-east, or east-south-east. + +I cannot help remarking upon this part of Captain Tasman's journal, that +it is not easy to conceive, unless he was bound up by leis instructions, +why he did not remain some time either at Rotterdam or at Amsterdam +Island, but especially at the former; since, perhaps, there is not a +place in the world so happily seated, for making new discoveries with +ease and safety. He owns that he traversed the whole island, that he +found it a perfect paradise, and that the people gave him not the least +cause of being diffident in point of security; so that if his men had +thrown up ever so slight a fortification, a part of them might have +remained there in safety, while the rest had attempted the discovery of +the Islands of Solomon on the one hand, or the continent of De Quiros on +the other, from neither of which they were at any great distance, and, +from his neglecting this opportunity, I take it for granted that he was +circumscribed, both as to his course and to the time he was to employ in +these discoveries, by his instructions, for otherwise so able a seaman +and so curious a man as his journal shows him to have been, would not +certainly have neglected so fair an opportunity. + + + +CHAPTER XI: AND AN ARCHIPELAGO OF TWENTY SMALL ISLANDS. + + +On February 6th, being in 17 degrees 19 minutes of south latitude, and in +the longitude of 201 degrees 35 minutes, we found ourselves embarrassed +by nineteen or twenty small islands, every one of which was surrounded +with sands, shoals, and rocks. These are marked in the charts by the +name of Prince William's Islands, or Heemskirk's Shallows. On the 8th we +were in the latitude of 15 degrees 29 minutes, and in the longitude of +199 degrees 31 minutes. We had abundance of rain, a strong wind from the +north-east, or the north-north-east, with dark cold weather. Fearing, +therefore, that we were run farther to the west than we thought ourselves +by our reckoning, and dreading that we should fall to the south of New +Guinea, or be thrown upon some unknown coast in such blowing misty +weather, we resolved to stand away to the north, or to the north-north- +west, till we should arrive in the latitude of 4, 5, or 6 degrees south, +and then to bear away west for the coast of New Guinea, as the least +dangerous way that we could take. + +It is very plain from hence, that Captain Tasman had now laid aside all +thoughts of discovering farther, and I think it is not difficult to guess +at the reason; when he was in this latitude, he was morally certain that +he could, without further difficulty, sail round by the coast of New +Guinea, and so back again to the East Indies. It is therefore extremely +probable that he was directed by his instructions to coast round that +great southern continent already discovered, in order to arrive at a +certainty whether it was joined to any other part of the world, or +whether, notwithstanding its vast extent, viz., from the equator to 43 +degrees of south latitude, and from the longitude of 123 degrees to near +190 degrees, it was, notwithstanding, an island. This, I say, was in all +appearance the true design of his voyage, and the reason of it seems to +be this: that an exact chart being drawn from his discoveries, the East +India Company might have perfect intelligence of the extent and situation +of this now-found country before they executed the plan they were then +contriving for preventing its being visited or farther discovered by +their own or any other nation; and this too accounts for the care taken +in laying down the map of this country on the pavement of the new +stadthouse at Amsterdam; for as this county was henceforward to remain as +a kind of deposit or land of reserve in the hands of the East India +Company, they took this method of intimating as much to their countrymen, +so that, while strangers are gaping at this map as a curiosity, every +intelligent Dutchman may say to himself, "Behold the wisdom of the East +India Company. By their present empire they support the authority of +this republic abroad, and by their extensive commerce enrich its subjects +at home, and at the same time show us here what a reserve they have made +for the benefit of posterity, whenever, through the vicissitudes to which +all sublunary things are liable, their present sources of power and +grandeur shall fail." + +I cannot help supporting my opinion in this respect, by putting the +reader in mind of a very curious piece of ancient history, which +furnishes us with the like instance in the conduct of another republic. +Diodorus Siculus, in the fifth book of his Historical Library, informs us +that in the African Ocean, some days' sail west from Libya, there had +been discovered an island, the soil of which was exceedingly fertile and +the country no less pleasant, all the land being finely diversified by +mountains and plains, the former thick clothed with trees, the latter +abounding with fruits and flowers, the whole watered by innumerable +rivulets, and affording so pleasant an habitation that a finer or more +delightful country fancy itself could not feign; yet he assures us, the +Carthagenians, those great masters of maritime power and commerce, though +they had discovered this admirable island, would never suffer it to be +planted, but reserved it as a sanctuary to which they might fly, whenever +the ruin of their own republic left them no other resource. This tallies +exactly with the policy of the Dutch East India Company, who, if they +should at any time be driven from their possessions in Java, Ceylon, and +other places in that neighbourhood, would without doubt retire back into +the Moluccas, and avail themselves effectually of this noble discovery, +which lies open to them, and has been hitherto close shut up to all the +world beside. But to proceed. + + + +CHAPTER XII: OCCURRENCES IN THE VOYAGE. + + +On February 14th we were in the latitude of 16 degrees 30 minutes south, +and in the longitude of 193 degrees 35 minutes. We had hitherto had much +rain and bad weather, but this day the wind sinking, we hailed our +consort the _Zee-Haan_, and found to our great satisfaction that our +reckonings agreed. On the 20th, in the latitude of 13 degrees 45 +minutes, and in the longitude of 193 degrees 35 minutes, we had dark, +cloudy weather, much rain, thick fogs, and a rolling sea, on all sides +the wind variable. On the 26th, in the latitude of 9 degrees 48 minutes +south, and in the longitude of 193 degrees 43 minutes, we had a north- +west wind, having every day, for the space of twenty-one days, rained +more or less. On March 2nd, in the latitude of 9 degrees 11 minutes +south, and in the longitude of 192 degrees 46 minutes, the variation was +10 degrees to the east, the wind and weather still varying. On March +8th, in the latitude of 7 degrees 46 minutes south, and in the longitude +of 190 degrees 47 minutes, the wind was still variable. + + + +CHAPTER XIII: HE ARRIVES AT THE ARCHIPELAGO OF ANTHONG JAVA. + + +On the 14th, in the latitude of 10 degrees 12 minutes south, and in the +longitude of 186 degrees 14 minutes, we found the variation 8 degrees 45 +minutes to the east. We passed some days without being able to take any +observation, because the weather was all that time dark and rainy. On +March 20th, in the latitude of 5 degrees 15 minutes south, and in the +longitude of 181 degrees 16 minutes, the weather being then fair, we +found the variation 9 degrees eastward. On the 22nd, in the latitude of +5 degrees 2 minutes south, and in the longitude of 178 degrees 32 +minutes, we had fine fair weather, and the benefit of the east trade +wind. This day we had sight of land, which lay four miles west. This +land proved to be a cluster of twenty islands, which in the maps are +called Anthong Java. They lie ninety miles or thereabouts from the coast +of New Guinea. It may not be amiss to observe here, that what Captain +Tasman calls the coast of New Guinea, is in reality the coast of New +Britain, which Captain Dampier first discovered to be a large island +separated from the coast of New Guinea. + + + +CHAPTER XIV: HIS ARRIVAL ON THE COAST OF NEW GUINEA. + + +On the 25th, in the latitude of 4 degrees 35 minutes south, and in the +longitude of 175 degrees 10 minutes, we found the variation 9 degrees 30 +minutes east. We were then in the height of the islands of Mark, which +were discovered by William Schovten and James le Maire. They are +fourteen or fifteen in number, inhabited by savages, with black hair, +dressed and trimmed in the same manner as those we saw before at the Bay +of Murderers in New Zealand. On the 29th we passed the Green Islands, +and on the 30th that of St. John, which were likewise discovered by +Schovten and Le Maire. This island they found to be of a considerable +extent, and judged it to lie at the distance of one thousand eight +hundred and forty leagues from the coast of Peru. It appeared to them +well inhabited and well cultivated, abounding with flesh, fowl, fish, +fruit, and other refreshments. The inhabitants made use of canoes of all +sizes, were armed with slings, darts, and wooden swords, wore necklaces +and bracelets of pearl, and rings in their noses. They were, however, +very intractable, notwithstanding all the pains that could be taken to +engage them in a fair correspondence, so that Captain Schovten was at +last obliged to fire upon them to prevent them from making themselves +masters of his vessel, which they attacked with a great deal of vigour; +and very probably this was the reason that Captain Tasman did not attempt +to land or make any farther discovery. On April 1st, we were in the +latitude of 4 degrees 30 minutes south, and in the longitude of 171 +degrees 2 minutes, the variation being 8 degrees 45 minutes to the east, +having now sight of the coast of New Guinea; and endeavouring to double +the cape which the Spaniards call Cobo Santa Maria, we continued to sail +along the coast which lies north-west. We afterwards passed the islands +of Antony Caens, Gardeners Island, and Fishers Island, advancing towards +the promontory called Struis Hoek, where the coast runs south and south- +east. We resolved to pursue the same route, and to continue steering +south till we should either discover land or a passage on that side. + +It is necessary to observe, that all this time they continued on the +coast, not of New Guinea but of New Britain, for that cape which the +Spaniards called Santa Maria is the very same that Captain Dampier called +Cape St. George, and Caens, Gardeners, and Fishers Islands all lie upon +the same coast. They had been discovered by Schovten and Le Maire, who +found them to be well inhabited, but by a very base and treacherous +people, who, after making signs of peace, attempted to surprise their +ships; and these islanders managed their slings with such force and +dexterity, as to drive the Dutch sailors from their decks; which account +of Le Maire's agree perfectly well with what Captain Dampier tells us of +the same people. As for the continent of New Guinea, it lies quite +behind the island of New Britain, and was therefore laid down in all the +charts before Dampier's discovery, at least four degrees more to the east +than it should have been. + + + +CHAPTER XV: CONTINUES HIS VOYAGE ALONG THAT COAST. + + +On April 12th, in the latitude of 3 degrees 45 minutes south, and in the +longitude of 167 degrees, we found the variation 10 degrees towards the +east. That night part of the crew were wakened out of their sleep by an +earthquake. They immediately ran upon deck, supposing that the ship had +struck. On heaving the lead, however, there was no bottom to be found. +We had afterwards several shocks, but none of them so violent as the +first. We had then doubled the Struis Hoek, and were at that time in the +Bay of Good Hope. On the 14th, in the latitude of 5 degrees 27 minutes +south, and in the longitude of 166 degrees 57 minutes, we observed the +variation to be 9 degrees 15 minutes to the east. The land lay then +north-east, east-north-east, and again south-south-west, so that we +imagined there had been a passage between those two points; but we were +soon convinced of our mistake, and that it was all one coast, so that we +were obliged to double the West Cape and to continue creeping along +shore, and were much hindered in our passage by calms. This description +agrees very well with that of Schovten and Le Maire, so that probably +they had now sight again of the coast of New Guinea. + +It is very probable, from the accident that happened to Captain Tasman, +and which also happened to others upon that coast, and from the burning +mountains that will be hereafter mentioned, that this country is very +subject to earthquakes, and if so, without doubt it abounds with metals +and minerals, of which we have also another proof from a point in which +all these writers agree, viz., that the people they saw had rings on +their noses and ears, though none of them tell us of what metal these +rings were made, which Le Maire might easily have done, since he carried +off a man from one of the islands whose name was Moses, from whom he +learned that almost every nation on this coast speaks a different +language. + + + +CHAPTER XVI: ARRIVES IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF BURNING ISLAND, AND SURVEYS +THE WHOLE COAST OF NEW GUINEA. + + +On the 20th, in the latitude of 5 degrees 4 minutes south, and in the +longitude 164 degrees 27 minutes, we found the variation 8 degrees 30 +minutes east. We that night drew near the Brandande Yland, _i.e_., +burning island, which William Schovten mentions, and we perceived a great +flame issuing, as he says, from the top of a high mountain. When we were +between that island and the continent, we saw a vast number of fires +along the shore and half-way up the mountain, from whence we concluded +that the country must be very populous. We were often detained on this +coast by calms, and frequently observed small trees, bamboos, and shrubs, +which the rivers on that coast carried into the sea; from which we +inferred that this part of the country was extremely well watered, and +that the land must be very good. The next morning we passed the burning +mountain, and continued a west-north-west course along that coast. + +It is remarkable that Schovten had made the same observation with respect +to the driftwood forced by the rivers into the sea. He likewise observed +that there was so copious a discharge of fresh water, that it altered the +colour and the taste of the sea. He likewise says that the burning +island is extremely well peopled, and also well cultivated. He +afterwards anchored on the coast of the continent, and endeavoured to +trade with the natives, who made him pay very dear for hogs and cocoa- +nuts, and likewise showed him some ginger. It appears from Captain +Tasman's account that he was now in haste to return to Batavia, and did +not give himself so much trouble as at the beginning about discoveries, +and to say the truth, there was no great occasion, if, as I observed, his +commission was no more than to sail round the new discovered coasts, in +order to lay them down with greater certainty in the Dutch charts. + + + +CHAPTER XVII: COMES TO THE ISLANDS OF JAMA AND MOA. + + +On the 27th, being in the latitude of 2 degrees 10 minutes south, and in +the longitude of 146 degrees 57 minutes, we fancied that we had a sight +of the island of Moa, but it proved to be that of Jama, which lies a +little to the east of Moa. We found here great plenty of cocoa-nuts and +other refreshments. The inhabitants were absolutely black, and could +easily repeat the words that they heard others speak, which shows their +own to be a very copious language. It is, however, exceedingly difficult +to pronounce, because they make frequent use of the letter R, and +sometimes to such a degree that it occurs twice or thrice in the same +word. The next day we anchored on the coast of the island of Moa, where +we likewise found abundance of refreshments, and where we were obliged by +bad weather to stay till May 9th. We purchased there, by way of +exchange, six thousand cocoa-nuts, and a hundred bags of pysanghs or +Indian figs. When we first began to trade with these people, one of our +seamen was wounded by an arrow that one of the natives let fly, either +through malice or inadvertency. We were at that very juncture +endeavouring to bring our ships close to the shore, which so terrified +these islanders, that they brought of their own accord on board us, the +man who had shot the arrow and left him at our mercy. We found them +after this accident much more tractable than before in every respect. Our +sailors, therefore, pulled off the iron hoops from some of the old water- +casks, stuck them into wooden handles, and filing them to an edge, sold +these awkward knives to the inhabitants for their fruits. + +In all probability they had not forgot what happened to our people on +July 16th, 1616, in the days of William Schovten: these people, it seems, +treated him very ill; upon which James le Maire brought his ship close to +the shore, and fired a broadside through the woods; the bullets, flying +through the trees, struck the negroes with such a panic, that they fled +in an instant up into the country, and durst not show their heads again +till they had made full satisfaction for what was past, and thereby +secured their safety for the time to come; and he traded with them +afterwards very peaceably, and with mutual satisfaction. + +This account of our author's seems to have been taken upon memory, and is +not very exact. Schovten's seamen, or rather the petty officer who +commanded his long boat, insulted the natives grossly before they offered +any injury to his people; and then, notwithstanding they fired upon them +with small arms, the islanders obliged them to retreat; so that they were +forced to bring the great guns to bear upon the island before they could +reduce them. These people do not deserve to be treated as savages, +because Schovten acknowledges that they had been engaged in commerce with +the Spaniards; as appeared by their having iron pots, glass beads, and +pendants, with other European commodities, before he came thither. He +also tells us that they were a very civilised people, their country well +cultivated and very fruitful; that they had a great many boats, and other +small craft, which they navigated with great dexterity. He adds also, +that they gave him a very distinct account of the neighbouring islands, +and that they solicited him to fire upon the Arimoans, with whom it seems +they are always at war; which, however, he refused to do, unless provoked +to it by some injury offered by those people. It is therefore very +apparent that the inhabitants of Moa are a people with whom any +Europeans, settled in their neighbourhood, might without any difficulty +settle a commerce, and receive considerable assistance from them in +making discoveries. But perhaps some nations are fitter for these kind +of expeditions than others, as being less apt to make use of their +artillery and small arms upon every little dispute; for as the +inhabitants of Moa are well enough acquainted with the superiority which +the Europeans have over them, it cannot be supposed that they will ever +hazard their total destruction by committing any gross act of cruelty +upon strangers who visit their coast; and it is certainly very unfair to +treat people as savages and barbarians, merely for defending themselves +when insulted or attacked without cause. The instance Captain Tasman +gives us of their delivering up the man who wounded his sailor is a plain +proof of this; and as to the diffidence and suspicion which some later +voyagers have complained of with respect to the inhabitants of this +island, they must certainly be the effects of the bad behaviour of such +Europeans as this nation have hitherto dealt with, and would be +effectually removed, if ever they had a settled experience of a contrary +conduct. The surest method of teaching people to behave honestly towards +us is to behave friendly and honestly towards them, and then there is no +great reason to fear, that such as give evident proofs of capacity and +civility in the common affairs of life should be guilty of treachery that +must turn to their own disadvantage. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII: PROSECUTES HIS VOYAGE TO CERAM. + + +On the 12th of May, being then in the latitude of 54 minutes south, and +in the longitude of 153 degrees 17 minutes, we found the variation 6 +degrees 30 minutes to the east. We continued coasting the north side of +the island of William Schovten, which is about eighteen or nineteen miles +long, very populous, and the people very brisk and active. It was with +great caution that Schovten gave his name to this island, for having +observed that there were abundance of small islands laid down in the +charts on the coast of New Guinea, he was suspicious that this might be +of the number. But since that time it seems a point generally agreed, +that this island had not before any particular name; and therefore, in +all subsequent voyages, we find it constantly mentioned by the name of +Schovten's Island. + +He describes it as a very fertile and well-peopled island; the +inhabitants of which were so far from discovering anything of a savage +nature, that they gave apparent testimonies of their having had an +extensive commerce before he touched there, since they not only showed +him various commodities from the Spaniards, but also several samples of +China ware; he observes that they are very unlike the nations he had seen +before, being rather of an olive colour than black; some having short, +others long hair, dressed after different fashions; they were also a +taller, stronger, and stouter people than their neighbours. These little +circumstances, which may seem tedious or trifling to such as read only +for amusement, are, however, of very great importance to such as have +discoveries in view; because they argue that these people have a general +correspondence; the difference of their complexion must arise from a +mixed descent; and the different manner of wearing their hair is +undoubtedly owing to their following the fashion of different nations, as +their fancies lead them. He farther observes that their vessels were +larger and better contrived than their neighbours; that they readily +parted with their bows and arrows in exchange for goods, and that they +were particularly fond of glass and ironware, which, perhaps, they not +only used themselves, but employed likewise in their commerce. The most +western point of the island he called the Cape of Good Hope, because by +doubling that cape he expected to reach the island of Banda; and that we +may not wonder that he was in doubts and difficulties as to the situation +on of these places, we ought to reflect that Schovten was the first who +sailed round the world by this course, and the last too, except Commodore +Roggewein, other navigators choosing rather to run as high as California, +and from thence to the Ladrone Islands, merely because it is the ordinary +route. + +In the neighbourhood of this island Schovten also met with an earthquake, +which alarmed the ship's company excessively, from an apprehension that +they had struck upon a rock. There are some other islands in the +neighbourhood of this, well peopled, and well planted, abounding with +excellent fruits, especially of the melon kind. These islands lie, as it +were, on the confines of the southern continent, and the East Indies, so +that the inhabitants enjoy all the advantages resulting from their own +happy climate, and from their traffic with their neighbours, especially +with those of Ternate and Amboyna, who come thither yearly to purchase +their commodities, and who are likewise visited at certain seasons by the +people of these islands in their turn. + + + +CHAPTER XIX: ARRIVES SAFELY AT BATAVIA, JUNE 15, 1643. + + +On the 18th of May, in the latitude of 26 minutes south and in the +longitude of 147 degrees 55 minutes, we observed the variation to be 5 +degrees 30 minutes east. We were now arrived at the western extremity of +New Guinea, which is a detached point or promontory (though it is not +marked so even in the latest maps); here we met with calms, variable and +contrary winds, with much rain; from thence we steered for Ceram, leaving +the Cape on the north, and arrived safely on that island; by this time +Captain Tasman had fairly surrounded the continent he was instructed to +discover, and had therefore nothing now farther in view than to return to +Batavia, in order to report the discoveries he had made. + +On the 27th of May we passed through the straits of Boura, or Bouton, and +continued our passage to Batavia, where we arrived on the 15th of June, +in the latitude of 6 degrees 12 minutes south, and in the longitude of +127 degrees 18 minutes. This voyage was made in the space of ten months. +Such was the end of this expedition, which has been always considered as +the clearest and most exact that was ever made for the discovery of the +Terra Australis Incognita, from whence that chart and map was laid down +in the pavement of the stadt-house at Amsterdam, as is before mentioned. +We have now nothing to do but to shut up this voyage and our history of +circumnavigators, with a few remarks, previous to which it will be +requisite to state clearly and succinctly the discoveries, either made or +confirmed by Captain Tasman's voyage, that the importance of it may fully +appear, as well as the probability of our conjectures with regard to the +motives that induced the Dutch East India Company to be at so much pains +about these discoveries. + + + +CHAPTER XX: CONSEQUENCES OF CAPTAIN TASMAN'S DISCOVERIES. + + +In the first place, then, it is most evident, from Captain Tasman's +voyage, that New Guinea, Carpentaria, New Holland, Antony van Diemen's +Land, and the countries discovered by De Quiros, make all one continent, +from which New Zealand seems to be separated by a strait; and, perhaps, +is part of another continent, answering to Africa, as this, of which we +are now speaking, plainly does to America. This continent reaches from +the equinoctial to 44 degrees of south latitude, and extends from 122 +degrees to 188 degrees of longitude, making indeed a very large country, +but nothing like what De Quiros imagined; which shows how dangerous a +thing it is to trust too much to conjecture in such points as these. It +is, secondly, observable, that as New Guinea, Carpentaria, and New +Holland, had been already pretty well examined, Captain Tasman fell +directly to the south of these; so that his first discovery was Van +Diemen's Land, the most southern part of the continent on this side the +globe, and then passing round by New Zealand, he plainly discovered the +opposite side of that country towards America, though he visited the +islands only, and never fell in again with the continent till he arrived +on the coast of New Britain, which he mistook for that of New Guinea, as +he very well might; that country having never been suspected to be an +island, till Dampier discovered it to be such in the beginning of the +present century. Thirdly, by this survey, these countries are for ever +marked out, so long as the map or memory of this voyage, shall remain. +The Dutch East India Company have it always in their power to direct +settlements, or new discoveries, either in New Guinea, from the Moluccas, +or in New Holland, from Batavia directly. The prudence shown in the +conduct of this affair deserves the highest praise. To have attempted +heretofore, or even now, the establishing colonies in those countries, +would be impolitic, because it would be grasping more than the East India +Company, or than even the republic of Holland, could manage; for, in the +first place, to reduce a continent between three and four thousand miles +broad is a prodigious undertaking, and to settle it by degrees would be +to open to all the world the importance of that country which, for +anything we can tell, may be much superior to any country yet known: the +only choice, therefore, that the Dutch had left, was to reserve this +mighty discovery till the season arrived, in which they should be either +obliged by necessity or invited by occasion to make use of it; but though +this country be reserved, it is no longer either unknown or neglected by +the Dutch, which is a point of very great consequence. To the other +nations of Europe, the southern continent is a chimera, a thing in the +clouds, or at least a country about which there are a thousand doubts and +suspicions, so that to talk of discovering or settling it must be +regarded as an idle and empty project: but, with respect to them, it is a +thing perfectly well known; its extent, its boundaries, its situation, +the genius of its several nations, and the commodities of which they are +possessed, are absolutely within their cognisance, so that they are at +liberty to take such measures as appear to them best, for securing the +eventual possession of this country, whenever they think fit. This +account explains at once all the mysteries which the best writers upon +this subject have found in the Dutch proceedings. It shows why they have +been at so much pains to obtain a clear and distinct survey of these +distant countries; why they have hitherto forborne settling, and why they +take so much pains to prevent other nations from coming at a distinct +knowledge of them: and I may add to this another particular, which is +that it accounts for their permitting the natives of Amboyna, who are +their subjects, to carry on a trade to New Guinea, and the adjacent +countries, since, by this very method, it is apparent that they gain +daily fresh intelligence as to the product and commodities of those +countries. Having thus explained the consequence of Captain Tasman's +voyage, and thereby fully justified my giving it a place in this part of +my work, I am now at liberty to pursue the reflections with which I +promised to close this section, and the history of circumnavigators, and +in doing which, I shall endeavour to make the reader sensible of the +advantages that arise from publishing these voyages in their proper +order, so as to show what is, and what is yet to be discovered of the +globe on which we live. + + + +CHAPTER XXI: REMARKS UPON THE VOYAGE. + + +In speaking of the consequences of Captain Tasman's voyage, it has been +very amply shown that this part of Terra Australis, or southern country, +has been fully and certainly discovered. To prevent, however, the +reader's making any mistake, I will take this opportunity of laying +before him some remarks on the whole southern hemisphere, which will +enable him immediately to comprehend all that I have afterwards to say on +this subject. + +If we suppose the south pole to be the centre of a chart of which the +equinoctial is the circumference, we shall then discern four quarters, of +the contents of which, if we could give a full account, this part of the +world would be perfectly discovered. To begin then with the first of +these, that is, from the first meridian, placed in the island of Fero. +Within this division, that is to say, from the first to the nineteenth +degree of longitude, there lies the great continent of Africa, the most +southern point of which is the Cape of Good Hope, lying in the latitude +of 34 degrees 15 minutes south. Between that and the pole, several small +but very inconsiderable islands have been discovered, affording us only +this degree of certainty, that to the latitude of 50 degrees there is no +land to be found of any consequence; there was, indeed, a voyage made by +Mr. Bovet in the year 1738, on purpose to discover whether there were any +lands to the south in that quarter or not. This gentleman sailed from +Port l'Orient July the 18th, 1738, and on the 1st of January, 1739, +discovered a country, the coasts of which were covered with ice, in the +latitude of 54 degrees south, and in the longitude of 28 degrees 30 +minutes, the variation of the compass being there 6 degrees 45 minutes, +to the west. + +In the next quarter, that is to say, from 90 degrees longitude to 180 +degrees, lie the countries of which we have been speaking, or that large +southern island, extending from the equinoctial to the latitude of 43 +degrees 10 minutes, and the longitude of 167 degrees 55 minutes, which is +the extremity of Van Diemen's Land. + +In the third quarter, that is, from the longitude of 150 degrees to 170 +degrees, there is very little discovered with any certainty. Captain +Tasman, indeed, visited the coast of New Zealand, in the latitude of 42 +degrees 10 minutes south, and in the longitude of 188 degrees 28 minutes; +but besides this, and the islands of Amsterdam and Rotterdam, we know +very little; and therefore, if there be any doubts about the reality of +Terra Australis, it must be with respect to that part of it which lies +within this quarter, through which Schovten and Le Maire sailed, but +without discovering anything more than a few small islands. + +The fourth and last quarter is from 270 degrees of longitude to the first +meridian, within which lies the continent of South America, and the +island of Terra del Fuego, the most southern promontory of which is +supposed to be Cape Horn, which, according to the best of observations, +is in the latitude of 56 degrees, beyond which there has been nothing +with any degree of certainty discovered on this side. + +On the whole, therefore, it appears there are three continents already +tolerably discovered which point towards the south pole, and therefore it +is very probable there is a fourth, which if there be, it must lie +between the country of New Zealand, discovered by Captain Tasman, and +that country which was seen by Captain Sharpe and Mr. Wafer in the South +Seas, to which land therefore, and no other, the title of Terra Australis +Incognita properly belongs. Leaving this, therefore, to the industry of +future ages to discover, we will now return to that great southern island +which Captain Tasman actually surrounded, and the bounds of which are +tolerably well known. + +In order to give the reader a proper idea of the importance of this +country, it will be requisite to say something of the climates in which +it is situated. As it lies from the equinoctial to near the latitude of +44 degrees, the longest day in the most northern parts must be twelve +hours, and in the southern about fifteen hours, or somewhat more, so that +it extends from the first to the seventh climate, which shows its +situation to be the happiest in the world, the country called Van +Diemen's Land resembling in all respects the south of France. As there +are in all countries some parts more pleasant than others, so there seems +good reason to believe that within two or three degrees of the tropic of +Capricorn, which passes through the midst of New Holland, is the most +unwholesome and disagreeable part of this country; the reason of which is +very plain, for in those parts it must be excessively hot, much more so +than under the line itself, since the days and nights are there always +equal, whereas within three or four degrees of the tropic of Capricorn, +that is to say, in the latitude 27 degrees south, the days are thirteen +hours and a half long, and the sun is twice in their zenith, first in the +beginning of December, or rather in the latter end of November, and again +when it returns back, which occasions a burning heat for about two +months, or something more; whereas, either farther to the south or nearer +to the line, the climate must be equally wholesome and pleasant. + +As to the product and commodities of this country in general, there is +the greatest reason in the world to believe that they are extremely rich +and valuable, because the richest and finest countries in the known world +lie all of them within the same latitude; but to return from conjectures +to facts, the country discovered by De Quiros makes a part of this great +island, and is the opposite coast to that of Carpentaria. This country, +the discoverer called La Australia del Espiritu Santo, in the latitude of +15 degrees 40 minutes south, and, as he reports, it abounds with gold, +silver, pearl, nutmegs, mace, ginger, and sugar-canes, of an +extraordinary size. I do not wonder that formerly the fact might be +doubted, but at present I think there is sufficient reason to induce us +to believe it, for Captain Dampier describes the country about Cape St. +George and Port Mountague, which are within 9 degrees of the country +described by De Quiros. I say Captain Dampier describes what he saw in +the following words: "The country hereabouts is mountainous and woody, +full of rich valleys and pleasant fresh-water brooks; the mould in the +valleys is deep and yellowish, that on the sides of the hills of a very +brown colour, and not very deep, but rocky underneath, yet excellent +planting land; the trees in general are neither very straight, thick, nor +tall, yet appear green and pleasant enough; some of them bear flowers, +some berries, and others big fruits, but all unknown to any of us; cocoa- +nut trees thrive very well here, as well on the bays by the sea-side, as +more remote among the plantations; the nuts are of an indifferent size, +the milk and kernel very thick and pleasant; here are ginger, yams, and +other very good roots for the pot, that our men saw and tasted; what +other fruits or roots the country affords I know not; here are hogs and +dogs, other land animals we saw none; the fowls we saw and knew were +pigeons, parrots, cocadores, and crows, like those in England; a sort of +birds about the bigness of a blackbird, and smaller birds many. The sea +and rivers have plenty of fish; we saw abundance, though we catched but +few, and these were cavallies, yellow-tails, and whip-wreys." + +This account is grounded only on a very slight view, whereas De Quiros +resided for some time in the place he has mentioned. In another place +Captain Dampier observes that he saw nutmegs amongst them, which seemed +to be fresh-gathered, all which agrees perfectly with the account given +by De Quiros; add to this, that Schovten had likewise observed, that they +had ginger upon this coast, and some other spices, so that on the whole +there seems not the least reason to doubt that if any part of this +country was settled, it must be attended with a very rich commerce; for +it cannot be supposed that all these writers should be either mistaken, +or that they should concur in a design to impose upon their readers; +which is the less to be suspected, if we consider how well their reports +agree with the situation of the country, and that the trees on the land, +and the fish on the coast, corresponding exactly with the trees of those +countries, and the fish on the coasts, where these commodities are known +to abound within land, seem to intimate a perfect conformity throughout. + +The next thing to be considered is, the possibility of planting in this +part of the world, which at first sight, I must confess, seems to be +attended with considerable difficulties with respect to every other +nation except the Dutch, who either from Batavia, the Moluccas, or even +from the Cape of Good Hope, might with ease settle themselves wherever +they thought fit; as, however, they have neglected this for above a +century, there seems to be no reason why their conduct in this respect +should become the rule of other nations, or why any other nation should +be apprehensive of drawing on herself the displeasure of the Dutch, by +endeavouring to turn to their benefit countries the Dutch have so long +suffered to lie, with respect to Europe, waste and desert. + +The first point, with respect to a discovery, would be to send a small +squadron on the coast of Van Diemen's Land, and from thence round, in the +same course taken by Captain Tasman, by the coast of New Guinea, which +might enable the nations that attempted it to come to an absolute +certainty with regard to its commodities and commerce. Such a voyage as +this might be performed with very great ease, and at a small expense, by +our East India Company; and this in the space of eight or nine months' +time; and considering what mighty advantages might accrue to the nation, +there seems to be nothing harsh or improbable in supposing that some time +or other, when the legislature is more than usually intent on affairs of +commerce, they may be directed to make such an expedition at the expense +of the public. By this means all the back coast of New Holland and New +Guinea might be thoroughly examined, and we might know as well, and as +certainly as the Dutch, how far a colony settled there might answer our +expectations; one thing is certain, that to persons used to the +navigation of the Indies, such an expedition could not be thought either +dangerous or difficult, because it is already sufficiently known that +there are everywhere islands upon the coast, where ships upon such a +discovery might be sure to meet with refreshments, as is plain from +Commodore Roggewein's voyage, made little more than twenty years ago. + +The only difficulty that I can see would be the getting a fair and honest +account of this expedition when made; for private interest is so apt to +interfere, and get the better of the public service, that it is very hard +to be sure of anything of this sort. That I may not be suspected of any +intent to calumniate, I shall put the reader in mind of two instances; +the first is, as to the new trade from Russia, for establishing of which +an Act of Parliament was with great difficulty obtained, though visibly +for the advantage of the nation; the other instance is, the voyage of +Captain Middleton, for the discovery of a north-west passage into the +south seas, which is ended by a very warm dispute, whether that passage +be found or not, the person supposed to have found it maintaining the +negative. + +Whenever, therefore, such an expedition is undertaken, it ought to be +under the direction, not only of a person of parts and experience, but of +unspotted character, who, on his return, should be obliged to deliver his +journal upon oath, and the principal officers under him should likewise +be directed to keep their journals distinctly, and without their being +inspected by the principal officer; all which journals ought to be +published by authority as soon as received, that every man might be at +liberty to examine them, and deliver his thoughts as to the discoveries +made, or the impediments suggested to have hindered or prevented such +discoveries, by which means the public would be sure to obtain a full and +distinct account of the matter; and it would thence immediately appear +whether it would be expedient to prosecute the design or not. + +But if it should be thought too burdensome for a company in so +flourishing a condition, and consequently engaged in so extensive a +commerce as the East India Company is, to undertake such an expedition, +merely to serve the public, promote the exportation of our manufactures, +and increase the number of industrious persons who are maintained by +foreign trade; if this, I say, should be thought too grievous for a +company that has purchased her privileges from the public by a large loan +at low interest, there can certainly be no objection to the putting this +project into the hands of the Royal African Company, who are not quite in +so flourishing a condition; they have equal opportunities for undertaking +it, since the voyage might be with great ease performed from their +settlements in ten months, and if the trade was found to answer, it might +encourage the settling a colony at Madagascar to and from which ships +might, with the greatest conveniency, carry on the trade to New Guinea. I +cannot say how far such a trade might be consistent with their present +charter; but if it should be found advantageous to the public, and +beneficial to the company, I think there can be no reason assigned why it +should not be secured to them, and that too in the most effectual manner. + +A very small progress in it would restore the reputation of the company, +and in time, perhaps, free the nation from the annual expense she is now +at, for the support of the forts and garrisons belonging to that company +on the coasts of Africa; which would alone prove of great and immediate +service, both to the public and to the company. To say the truth, +something of this sort is absolutely necessary to vindicate the expense +the nation is at; for if the trade, for the carrying on of which a +company is established, proves, by a change of circumstances, incapable +of supporting that company, and thereby brings a load upon the public, +this ought to be a motive, it ought, indeed, to be the strongest motive, +for that company to endeavour the extension of its commerce, or the +striking out, if possible, some new branch of trade, which may restore it +to its former splendour; and in this as it hath an apparent right, so +there is not the least reason to doubt that it would meet with all the +countenance and assistance from the government that it could reasonably +expect or desire. + +If such a design should ever be attempted, perhaps the island of New +Britain might be the properest place for them to settle. As to the +situation, extent, and present condition of that island, all that can be +said of it must be taken from the account given by its discoverer Captain +Dampier, which, in few words, amounts to this: "The island which I call +Nova Britannia has about 4 degrees of latitude, the body of it lying in 4 +degrees, the northernmost part in 2 degrees 30 minutes, and the +southernmost in 6 degrees 30 minutes. It has about 5 degrees 18 minutes +longitude from east to west; it is generally high mountainous land, mixed +with large valleys, which, as well as the mountains, appeared very +fertile; and in most places that we saw the trees are very large, tall, +and thick. It is also very well inhabited with strong, well-limbed +negroes, whom we found very daring and bold at several places: as to the +product of it, it is very probable this island may afford as many rich +commodities as any in the world; and the natives may be easily brought to +commerce, though I could not pretend to it in my circumstances." If any +objections should be raised from Dampier's misfortune in that voyage, it +is easy to show that it ought to have no manner of weight whatever, +since, though he was an excellent pilot, he is allowed to have been but a +bad commander; besides, the _Roebuck_, in which he sailed, was a worn-out +frigate that would hardly swim; and it is no great wonder that in so +crazy a vessel the people were a little impatient at being abroad on +discoveries; yet, after all, he performed what he was sent for; and, by +the discovery of this island of New Britain, secured us an indisputable +right to a country, that is, or might be made, very valuable. + +It is so situated, that a great trade might be carried on from thence +through the whole Terra Australis on one side, and the most valuable +islands of the East Indies on the other. In short, all, or at least +most, of the advantages proposed by the Dutch West India Company's +joining with their East India Company, of which a large account has +already been given, might be procured for this nation, by the +establishing a colony in this island of New Britain, and securing the +trade of that colony to the African Company by law; the very passing of +which law would give the company more than sufficient credit, to fit out +a squadron at once capable of securing the possession of that island, and +of giving the public such satisfaction as to its importance, as might be +requisite to obtain further power and assistance from the State, if that +should be found necessary. It would be very easy to point out some +advantages peculiarly convenient for that company; but it will be time +enough to think of these whenever the African Company shall discover an +inclination to prosecute this design. At present I have done what I +proposed, and have shown that such a collection of voyages as this ought +not to be considered as a work of mere amusement, but as a work +calculated for the benefit of mankind in general, and of this nation in +particular, which it is the duty of every man to promote in his station; +and whatever fate these reflections may meet with, I shall always have +the satisfaction of remembering that I have not neglected it in mine, but +have taken the utmost pains to turn a course of laborious reading to the +advantage of my country. + +But, supposing that neither of these companies should think it expedient, +or, in other words, should not think it consistent with their interest to +attempt this discovery, there is yet a third company, within the spirit +of whose charter, I humbly conceive, the prosecution of such a scheme +immediately lies. The reader will easily discern that I mean the company +for carrying on a trade to the South Seas, who, notwithstanding the +extensiveness of their charter, confirmed and supported by authority of +parliament, have not, so far as my information reaches, ever attempted to +send so much as a single ship for the sake of discoveries into the South +Seas, which, however, was the great point proposed when this company was +first established. In order to prove this, I need only lay before the +reader the limits assigned that company by their charter, the substance +of which is contained in the following words:-- + +"The corporation, and their successors, shall, for ever, be vested in the +sole trade into and from all the kingdoms and lands on the east side of +America, from the River Oroonoco, to the southernmost part of Terra del +Fuego, and on the west side thereof from the said southernmost part of +Terra del Fuego, through the South Sea, to the northernmost part of +America, and into and through all the countries, islands, and places +within the said limits, which are reputed to belong to Spain, or which +shall hereafter be found out and discovered within the limits aforesaid, +not exceeding 300 leagues from the continent of America, between the +southernmost part of the Terra del Fuego and the northernmost part of +America, on the said west side thereof, except the Kingdom of Brazil, and +such other places on the east side of America, as are now in the +possession of the King of Portugal, and the country of Surinam, in the +possession of the States-general. The said company, and none else, are +to trade within the said limits; and, if any other persons shall trade to +the South Seas, they shall forfeit the ship and goods, and double value, +one-fourth part to the crown, and another fourth part to the prosecutor, +and the other two-fourths to the use of the company. And the company +shall be the sole owners of the islands, forts, etc., which they shall +discover within the said limits, to be held of the crown, under an annual +rent of an ounce of gold, and of all ships taken as prizes by the ships +of the said company; and the company may seize, by force of arms, all +other British ships trading in those seas." + +It is, I think, impossible for any man to imagine that either these +limits should be secured to the company for no purpose in the world; or +that these prohibitions and penalties should take place, notwithstanding +the company's never attempting to make any use of these powers; from +whence I infer that it was the intent of the legislature that new +discoveries should be made, new plantations settled, and a new trade +carried on by this new corporation, agreeable to the rules prescribed, +and for the general benefit of this nation; which I apprehend was chiefly +considered in the providing that this new commerce should be put under +the management of a particular company. But I am very well aware of an +objection that may be made to what I have advanced; _viz_., that, from my +own showing, this southern continent lies absolutely without their +limits; and that there is also a proviso in the charter of that company +that seems particularly calculated to exclude it, since it recites that. + +"The agents of the company shall not sail beyond the southernmost parts +of Terra del Fuego, except through the Straits of Magellan, or round +Terra del Fuego; nor go from thence to any part of the East Indies, nor +return to Great Britain, or any port or place, unless through the said +straits, or by Terra del Fuego: nor shall they trade in East India goods, +or in any places within the limits granted to the united company of +merchants of England trading to East India (such India goods excepted as +shall be actually exported from Great Britain, and also such gold, +silver, wrought plate, and other goods and commodities, which are the +produce, growth, or manufactures of the West Indies, or continent of +America): neither shall they send ships, or use them or any vessel, +within the South Seas, from Terra del Fuego to the northernmost parts of +America, above three hundred leagues to the westward of, and distant from +the land of Chili, Peru, Mexico, California, or any other the lands or +shores of Southern or Northern America, between Terra del Fuego and the +northernmost part of America, on pain of the forfeiture of the ships and +goods; one-third to the crown, and the other two-thirds to the East India +Company." + +But the reader will observe that I mentioned the East India and African +Companies before; and that I now mention the South Sea Company, on a +supposition that the two former may refuse it. In that case, I presume, +the legislature will make the same distinction that the States of Holland +did, and not suffer the private advantage of any particular company to +stand in competition with the good of a whole people. It was upon this +principle that I laid it down as a thing certain, that the African +company would be allowed to settle the island of Madagascar, though it +lies within the limits of the East India Company's charter, in case it +should be found necessary for the better carrying on of this trade. It +is upon the same principle I say this southern continent lies within the +intention of the South Sea Company's charter, because, I presume, the +intent of that charter was to grant them all the commerce in those seas, +not occupied before by British subjects; for, if it were otherwise, what +a condition should we be in as a maritime power? If a grant does not +oblige a company to carry on a trade within the limits granted to that +company, and is, at the same time, of force to preclude all the subjects +of this nation from the right they before had to carry on a trade within +those limits, such a law is plainly destructive to the nation's interest +and to commerce in general. I therefore suppose, that, if the South Sea +Company should think proper to revive their trade in the manner I +propose, this proviso would be explained by Parliament to mean no more +than excluding the South Sea Company from settling or trading in or to +any place at present settled in or traded to by the East India Company: +for, as this interpretation would secure the just rights of both +companies, and, at the same time reconcile the laws for establishing them +to the general interest of trade and the nation, there is the greatest +reason to believe this to be the intention of the legislature. I have +been obliged to insist fully upon this matter, because it is a point +hitherto untouched, and a point of such high importance, that, unless it +be understood according to my sense of the matter, there is an end of all +hopes of extending our trade on this side, which is perhaps the only side +on which there is the least probability that it ever can be extended; +for, as to the north-west passage into the South Seas, that seems to be +blocked up by the rights of another company; so that, according to the +letter of our laws, each company is to have its rights, and the nation in +general no right at all. + +If, therefore, the settling of this part of Terra Australis should +devolve on the South Sea Company, by way of equivalent for the loss of +their Assiento contract, there is no sort of question but it might be as +well performed by them as by any other, and the trade carried on without +interfering with that which is at present carried on, either by the East +India or African Companies. It would indeed, in this case, be absolutely +necessary to settle Juan Fernandez, the settlement of which place, under +the direction of that company, if they could, as very probably they +might, fall into some share of the slave-trade from New Guinea, must +prove wonderfully advantageous, considering the opportunity they would +have of vending those slaves to the Spaniards in Chili and Peru. The +settling of this island ought to be performed at once, and with a +competent force, since, without doubt, the Spaniards would leave no means +unattempted to dispossess them: yet, if a good fortification was once +raised, the passes properly retrenched, and a garrison left there of +between three and five hundred men, it would be simply impossible for the +Spaniards to force them out of it before the arrival of another squadron +from hence. Neither do I see any reason why, in the space of a very few +years, the plantation of this island should not prove of as great +consequence to the South Sea Company as that of Curacao to the Dutch West +India Company, who raise no less than sixty thousand florins per annum +for licensing ships to trade there. + +From Juan Fernandez to Van Diemen's Land is not above two months' sail; +and a voyage for discovery might be very conveniently made between the +time that a squadron returned from Juan Fernandez, and another squadron's +arrival there from hence. It is true that, if once a considerable +settlement was made in the most southern part of Terra Australis, the +company might then fall into a large commerce in the most valuable East +India goods, very probably gold, and spices of all sorts: yet I cannot +think that even these would fall within the exclusive proviso of their +charter; for that was certainly intended to hinder their trading in such +goods as are brought hither by our East India Company; and I must confess +I see no difference, with respect to the interest of that company, +between our having cloves, cinnamon, and mace, by the South Sea Company's +ships from Juan Fernandez, and our receiving them from Holland, after the +Dutch East India Company's ships have brought them thither by the way of +the Cape of Good Hope. Sure I am they would come to us sooner by some +months by the way of Cape Horn. If this reasoning does not satisfy +people, but they still remain persuaded that the South Sea Company ought +not to intermeddle with the East India trade at all, I desire to know why +the West India merchants are allowed to import coffee from Jamaica, when +it is well known that the East India Company can supply the whole demand +of this kingdom from Mocha? If it be answered that the Jamaica coffee +comes cheaper, and is the growth of our own plantations, I reply, that +these spices will not only be cheaper, but better, and be purchased by +our own manufacturers; and these, I think, are the strongest reasons that +can be given. + +If it be demanded what certainty I have that spices can be had from +thence, I answer, all the certainty that in a thing of this nature can be +reasonably expected: Ferdinand de Quiros met with all sorts of spices in +the country he discovered; William Schovten, and Jacques le Maire, saw +ginger and nutmegs; so did Dampier; and the author of Commodore +Roggewein's Voyage asserts, that the free burgesses of Amboyna purchase +nutmegs from the natives of New Guinea for bits of iron. All, therefore, +I contend for, is that these bits of iron may be sent them from Old +England. + +The reason I recommend settling on the south coast of Terra Australis, if +this design should be prosecuted, from Juan Fernandez, rather than the +island of New Britain, which I mentioned before, is, because that coast +is nearer, and is situated in a better and pleasanter climate. Besides +all which advantages, as it was never hitherto visited by the Dutch, they +cannot, with any colour of justice, take umbrage at our attempting such a +settlement. To close then this subject, the importance of which alone +inclined me to spend so much of mine and the reader's time about it: + +It is most evident, that, if such a settlement was made at Juan +Fernandez, proper magazines erected, and a constant correspondence +established between that island and the Terra Australis, these three +consequences must absolutely follow from thence: 1. That a new trade +would be opened, which must carry off a great quantity of our goods and +manufactures, that cannot, at present, be brought to any market, or at +least, not to so good a market as if there was a greater demand for them. +2. It would render this navigation, which is at present so strange, and +consequently so terrible, to us, easy and familiar; which might be +attended with advantages that cannot be foreseen, especially since there +is, as I before observed, in all probability another southern continent, +which is still to be discovered. 3. It would greatly increase our +shipping and our seamen, which are the true and natural strength of this +country, extend our naval power, and raise the reputation of this nation; +the most distant prospect of which is sufficient to warm the soul of any +man who has the least regard for his country, with courage sufficient to +despise the imputations that may be thrown upon him as a visionary +projector, for taking so much pains about an affair that can tend so +little to his private advantage. We will now add a few words with +respect to the advantages arising from having thus digested the history +of circumnavigators, from the earliest account of time to the present, +and then shut up the whole with another section, containing the last +circumnavigation by Rear-Admiral Anson, whose voyage has at least shown +that, under a proper officer, English seamen are able to achieve as much +as they ever did; and that is as much as was ever done by any nation in +the world. + +It is a point that has always admitted some debate, whether science +stands more indebted to speculation or practice; or, in other words, +whether the greater discoveries have been made by men of deep study, or +persons of great experience in the most useful parts of knowledge. But +this, I think, is a proposition that admits of no dispute at all, that +the noblest discoveries have been the result of a just mixture of theory +with practice. It was from hence that the very notion of sailing round +the earth took rise; and the ingenious Genoese first laid down this +system of the world, according to his conception, and then added the +proofs derived from experience. It is much to be deplored that we have +not that plan of discovery which the great Christopher Columbus sent over +thither by his brother Bartholomew to King Henry VII., for if we had we +should certainly find abundance of very curious observations, which might +still be useful to mariners: for it appears clearly, from many little +circumstances, that he was a person of universal genius, and, until bad +usage obliged him to take many precautions, very communicative. + +It was from this plan, as it had been communicated to the Portuguese +court, that the famous Magellan came to have so just notions of the +possibility of sailing by the West to the East Indies; and there was a +great deal of theory in the proposal made by that great man to the +Emperor Charles V. Sir Francis Drake was a person of the same genius, +and of a like general knowledge; and it is very remarkable that these +three great seamen met also with the same fate; by which I mean, that +they were constantly pursued by envy while they lived, which hindered so +much notice being taken of their discourses and discoveries as they +deserved. But when the experience of succeeding times had verified many +of their sayings, which had been considered as vain and empty boastings +in their lifetimes, then prosperity began to pay a superstitious regard +to whatever could be collected concerning them, and to admire all they +delivered as oraculous. Our other discoverer, Candish, was likewise a +man of great parts and great penetration, as well as of great spirit; he +had, undoubtedly, a mighty genius for discoveries; but the prevailing +notion of those times, that the only way to serve the nation was +plundering the Spaniards, seems to have got the better of his desire to +find out unknown countries; and made him choose to be known to posterity +rather as a gallant privateer than as an able seaman, though in truth he +was both. + +After these follow Schovten and Le Maire, who were fitted out to make +discoveries; and executed their commission with equal capacity and +success. If Le Maire had lived to return to Holland, and to have +digested into proper order his own accounts, we should, without question, +have received a much fuller and clearer, as well as a much more correct +and satisfactory detail of them than we have at present: though the +voyage, as it is now published, is in all respects the best, and the most +curious of all the circumnavigators. This was, very probably, owing to +the ill-usage he met with from the Dutch East India Company; which put +Captain Schovten, and the relations of Le Maire, upon giving the world +the best information they could of what had been in that voyage +performed. Yet the fate of Le Maire had a much greater effect in +discouraging, than the fame of his discoveries had in exciting, a spirit +of emulation; so that we may safely say, the severity of the East India +Company in Holland extinguished that generous desire of exploring unknown +lands, which might otherwise have raised the reputation and extended the +commerce of the republic much beyond what they have hitherto reached. +This is so true that for upwards of one hundred years we hear of no Dutch +voyage in pursuit of Le Maire's discoveries; and we see, when Commodore +Roggewein, in our own time, revived that noble design, it was again +cramped by the same power that stifled it before; and though the States +did justice to the West India Company, and to the parties injured, yet +the hardships they suffered, and the plain proof they gave of the +difficulties that must be met with in the prosecution of such a design, +seem to have done the business of the East India Company, and damped the +spirit of discovery, for perhaps another century, in Holland. + +It is very observable that all the mighty discoveries that have been made +arose from these great men, who joined reasoning with practice, and were +men of genius and learning, as well as seamen. To Columbus we owe the +finding America; to Magellan the passing by the straits which bear his +name, by a new route to the East Indies; to Le Maire a more commodious +passage round Cape Horn, and without running up to California; Sir +Francis Drake, too, hinted the advantages that might arise by examining +the north-west side of America; and Candish had some notions of +discovering a passage between China and Japan. As to the history we have +of Roggewein's voyage, it affords such lights as nothing but our own +negligence can render useless. But in the other voyages, whatever +discoveries we meet with are purely accidental, except it be Dampier's +voyage to the coasts of New Holland and New Guinea, which was expressly +made for discoveries; and in which, if an abler man had been employed in +conjunction with Dampier, we cannot doubt that the interior and exterior +of those countries would have been much better known than they are at +present; because such a person would rather have chosen to have refreshed +in the island of New Britain, or some other country not visited before, +than at that of Timer, already settled both by the Portuguese and the +Dutch. + +In all attempts, therefore, of this sort, those men are fittest to be +employed who, with competent abilities as seamen, have likewise general +capacities, are at least tolerably acquainted with other sciences, and +have settled judgments and solid understandings. These are the men from +whom we are to expect the finishing that great work which former +circumnavigators have begun; I mean the discovering every part and parcel +of the globe, and the carrying to its utmost perfection the admirable and +useful science of navigation. + +It is, however, a piece of justice due to the memory of these great men, +to acknowledge that we are equally encouraged by their examples and +guided by their discoveries. We owe to them the being freed, not only +from the errors, but from the doubts and difficulties with which former +ages were oppressed; to them we stand indebted for the discovery of the +best part of the world, which was entirely unknown to the ancients, +particularly some part of the eastern, most of the southern, and all the +western hemisphere; from them we have learned that the earth is +surrounded by the ocean, and that all the countries under the torrid zone +are inhabited, and that, quite contrary to the notions that were formerly +entertained, they are very far from being the most sultry climate in the +world, those within a few degrees of the tropics, though habitable, being +much more hot, for reasons which have been elsewhere explained. By their +voyages, and especially by the observations of Columbus, we have been +taught the general motion of the sea, the reason of it, and the cause and +difference of currents in particular places, to which we may add the +doctrine of tides, which were very imperfectly known, even by the +greatest men in former times, whose accounts have been found equally +repugnant to reason and experience. + +By their observations we have acquired a great knowledge as to the nature +and variation of winds, particularly the monsoons, or trade winds, and +other periodical winds, of which the ancients had not the least +conception; and by these helps we not only have it in our power to +proceed much farther in our discoveries, but we are likewise delivered +from a multitude of groundless apprehensions, that frightened them from +prosecuting discoveries. We give no credit now to the fables that not +only amused antiquity, but even obtained credit within a few generations. +The authority of Pliny will not persuade us that there are any nations +without heads, whose eyes and mouths are in their breasts, or that the +Arimaspi have only one eye, fixed in their forehead, and that they are +perpetually at war with the Griffins, who guard hidden treasures; or that +there are nations that have long hairy tales, and grin like monkeys. No +traveller can make us believe that, under the torrid zone, there are a +nation every man of which has one large flat foot, with which, lying upon +his back, he covers himself from the sun. In this respect we have the +same advantage over the ancients that men have over children; and we +cannot reflect without amazement on men's having so much knowledge and +learning in other respects, with such childish understandings in these. + +By the labours of these great men in the two last centuries we are taught +to know what we seek, and how it is to be sought. We know, for example, +what parts of the north are yet undiscovered, and also what parts of the +south. We can form a very certain judgment of the climate of countries +undiscovered, and can foresee the advantages that will result from +discoveries before they are made; all which are prodigious advantages, +and ought certainly to animate us in our searches. I might add to this +the great benefits we receive from our more perfect acquaintance with the +properties of the loadstone, and from the surprising accuracy of +astronomical observations, to which I may add the physical discoveries +made of late years in relation to the figure of the earth, all of which +are the result of the lights which these great men have given us. + +It is true that some of the zealous defenders of the ancients, and some +of the great admirers of the Eastern nations, dispute these facts, and +would have us believe that almost everything was known to the old +philosophers, and not only known but practised by the Chinese long before +the time of the great men to whom we ascribe them. But the difference +between their assertions and ours is, that we fully prove the facts we +allege, whereas they produce no evidence at all; for instance, Albertus +Magnus says that Aristotle wrote an express treatise on the direction of +the loadstone; but nobody ever saw that treatise, nor was it ever heard +of by any of the rest of his commentators. We have in our hands some of +the best performances of antiquity in regard to geography, and any man +who has eyes, and is at all acquainted with that science, can very easily +discern how far they fall short of maps that were made even a hundred +years ago. The celebrated Vossius, and the rest of the admirers of the +Chinese, who, by the way, derived all their knowledge from hearsay, may +testify, in as strong terms as they think fit, their contempt for the +Western sages and their high opinion of those in the East; but till they +prove to us that their favourite Chinese made any voyages comparable to +the Europeans, before the discovery of a passage to China by the Cape of +Good Hope, they will excuse us from believing them. Besides, if the +ancients had all this knowledge, how came it not to display itself in +their performances? How came they to make such difficulties of what are +now esteemed trifles? And how came they never to make any voyages, by +choice at least, that were out of sight of land? Again, with respect to +the Chinese, if they excel us so much in knowledge, how came the +missionaries to be so much admired for their superior skill in the +sciences? But to cut the matter short, we are not disputing now about +speculative points of science, but as to the practical application of it; +in which, I think, there is no doubt that the modern inhabitants of the +western parts of the world excel, and excel chiefly from the labours and +discoveries of these great and ingenious men, who applied their abilities +to the improvement of useful arts, for the particular benefit of their +countrymen, and to the common good of mankind; which character is not +derived from any prejudice of ours, either against the ancients or the +Oriental nations, but is founded on facts of public notoriety, and on +general experience, which are a kind of evidence not to be controverted +or contradicted. + +We are still, however, in several respects short of perfection, and there +are many things left to exercise the sagacity, penetration, and +application of this and of succeeding ages; for instance, the passages to +the north-east and north-west are yet unknown; there is a great part of +the southern continent undiscovered; we are, in a manner, ignorant of +what lies between America and Japan, and all beyond that country lies +buried in obscurity, perhaps in greater obscurity than it was an age ago; +so that there is still room for performing great things, which in their +consequences perhaps might prove greater than can well be imagined. I +say nothing of the discoveries that yet remain with regard to inland +countries, because these fall properly under another head, I mean that of +travels. But it will be time enough to think of penetrating into the +heart of countries when we have discovered the seacoasts of the whole +globe, towards which the voyages recorded in this chapter have so far +advanced already. But the only means to arrive at these great ends, and +to transmit to posterity a fame approaching, at least in some measure, to +that of our ancestors, is to revive and restore that glorious spirit +which led them to such great exploits; and the most natural method of +doing this is to collect and preserve the memory of their exploits, that +they may serve at once to excite our imitation, encourage our endeavours, +and point out to us how they may be best employed, and with the greatest +probability of success. + + + + +AN ACCOUNT OF NEW HOLLAND AND THE ADJACENT ISLANDS. 1699-1700. + + +BY CAPTAIN WILLIAM DAMPIER. + +Having described his voyage from Brazil to New Holland, this celebrated +navigator thus proceeds: + +About the latitude of 26 degrees south we saw an opening, and ran in, +hoping to find a harbour there; but when we came to its mouth, which was +about two leagues wide, we saw rocks and foul ground within, and +therefore stood out again; there we had twenty fathom water within two +miles of the shore: the land everywhere appeared pretty low, flat, and +even, but with steep cliffs to the sea, and when we came near it there +were no trees, shrubs, or grass to be seen. The soundings in the +latitude of 26 degrees south, from about eight or nine leagues off till +you come within a league of the shore, are generally about forty fathoms, +differing but little, seldom above three or four fathoms; but the lead +brings up very different sorts of sand, some coarse, some fine, and of +several colours, as yellow, white, grey, brown, bluish, and reddish. + +When I saw there was no harbour here, nor good anchoring, I stood off to +sea again in the evening of the 2nd of August, fearing a storm on a lee- +shore, in a place where there was no shelter, and desiring at least to +have sea-room, for the clouds began to grow thick in the western-board, +and the wind was already there and began to blow fresh almost upon the +shore, which at this place lies along north-north-west and south-south- +east. By nine o'clock at night we got a pretty good offing, but the wind +still increasing, I took in my main-top-sail, being able to carry no more +sail than two courses and the mizen. At two in the morning, August 3rd, +it blew very hard, and the sea was much raised, so that I furled all my +sails but my mainsail, though the wind blew so hard, we had pretty clear +weather till noon, but then the whole sky was blackened with thick +clouds, and we had some rain, which would last a quarter of an hour at a +time, and then it would blow very fierce while the squalls of rain were +over our heads, but as soon as they were gone the wind was by much +abated, the stress of the storm being over; we sounded several times, but +had no ground till eight o'clock, August the 4th, in the evening, and +then had sixty fathom water, coral ground. At ten we had fifty-six +fathom, fine sand. At twelve we had fifty-five fathom, fine sand, of a +pale bluish colour. It was now pretty moderate weather, yet I made no +sail till morning, but then the wind veering about to the south-west, I +made sail and stood to the north, and at eleven o'clock the next day, +August 5th, we saw land again, at about ten leagues distant. This noon +we were in latitude 25 degrees 30 minutes, and in the afternoon our cook +died, an old man, who had been sick a great while, being infirm before we +came out of England. + +The 6th of August, in the morning, we saw an opening in the land, and we +ran into it, and anchored in seven and a half fathom water, two miles +from the shore, clean sand. It was somewhat difficult getting in here, +by reason of many shoals we met with; but I sent my boat sounding before +me. The mouth of this sound, which I called Shark's Bay, lies in about +25 degrees south latitude, and our reckoning made its longitude from the +Cape of Good Hope to be about 87 degrees, which is less by one hundred +and ninety-five leagues than is usually laid down in our common draughts, +if our reckoning was right and our glasses did not deceive us. As soon +as I came to anchor in this bay, I sent my boat ashore to seek for fresh +water, but in the evening my men returned, having found none. The next +morning I went ashore myself, carrying pickaxes and shovels with me, to +dig for water, and axes to cut wood. We tried in several places for +water, but finding none after several trials, nor in several miles +compass, we left any further search for it, and spending the rest of the +day in cutting wood, we went aboard at night. + +The land is of an indifferent height, so that it may be seen nine or ten +leagues off. It appears at a distance very even; but as you come nigher +you find there are many gentle risings, though none steep or high. It is +all a steep shore against the open sea; but in this bay or sound we were +now in, the land is low by the seaside, rising gradually in with the +land. The mould is sand by the seaside, producing a large sort of +samphire, which bears a white flower. Farther in the mould is reddish, a +sort of sand, producing some grass, plants, and shrubs. The grass grows +in great tufts as big as a bushel, here and there a tuft, being +intermixed with much heath, much of the kind we have growing on our +commons in England. Of trees or shrubs here are divers sorts, but none +above ten feet high, their bodies about three feet about, and five or six +feet high before you come to the branches, which are bushy, and composed +of small twigs there spreading abroad, though thick set and full of +leaves, which were mostly long and narrow. The colour of the leaves was +on one side whitish, and on the other green, and the bark of the trees +was generally of the same colour with the leaves, of a pale green. Some +of these trees were sweet-scented, and reddish within the bark, like +sassafras, but redder. Most of the trees and shrubs had at this time +either blossoms or berries on them. The blossoms of the different sorts +of trees were of several colours, as red, white, yellow, etc., but mostly +blue, and these generally smelt very sweet and fragrant, as did some also +of the rest. There were also besides some plants, herbs, and tall +flowers, some very small flowers growing on the ground, that were sweet +and beautiful, and, for the most part, unlike any I had seen elsewhere. + +There were but few land fowls. We saw none but eagles of the larger +sorts of birds, but five or six sorts of small birds. The biggest sort +of these were not bigger than larks, some no bigger than wrens, all +singing with great variety of fine shrill notes; and we saw some of their +nests with young ones in them. The water-fowls are ducks (which had +young ones now, this being the beginning of the spring in these parts), +curlews, galdens, crab-catchers, cormorants, gulls, pelicans, and some +water-fowl, such as I have not seen anywhere besides. + +The land animals that we saw here were only a sort of raccoons, different +from those of the West Indies, chiefly as to their legs, for these have +very short forelegs, but go jumping upon them as the others do (and like +them are very good meat), and a sort of guanos, of the same shape and +size with other guanos described, but differing from them in three +remarkable particulars; for these had a larger and uglier head, and had +no tail, and at the rump, instead of the tail there, they had a stump of +a tail, which appeared like another head, but not really such, being +without mouth or eyes; yet this creature seemed by this means to have a +head at each end, and, which may be reckoned a fourth difference, the +legs also seemed all four of them to be forelegs, being all alike in +shape and length, and seeming by the joints and bending to be made as if +they were to go indifferently either head or tail foremost. They were +speckled black and yellow like toads, and had scales or knobs on their +backs like those of crocodiles, plated on to the skin, or stuck into it, +as part of the skin. They are very slow in motion, and when a man comes +nigh them they will stand still and hiss, not endeavouring to get away. +Their livers are also spotted black and yellow; and the body, when +opened, hath a very unsavoury smell. I did never see such ugly creatures +anywhere but here. The guanos I have observed to be very good meat, and +I have often eaten of them with pleasure; but though I have eaten of +snakes, crocodiles, and alligators, and many creatures that look +frightfully enough, and there are but few I should have been afraid to +eat of if pressed by hunger, yet I think my stomach would scarce have +served to venture upon these New Holland guanos, both the looks and the +smell of them being so offensive. + +The sea-fish that we saw here (for here was no river, land or pond of +fresh water to be seen) are chiefly sharks. There are abundance of them +in this particular sound, that I therefore gave it the name of Shark's +Bay. Here are also skates, thornbacks, and other fish of the ray kind +(one sort especially like the sea-devil), and gar-fish, bonetas, etc. Of +shell-fish we got here mussels, periwinkles, limpets, oysters, both of +the pearl kind and also eating oysters, as well the common sort as long +oysters, besides cockles, etc. The shore was lined thick with many other +sorts of very strange and beautiful shells for variety of colour and +shape, most finely spotted with red, black, or yellow, etc., such as I +have not seen anywhere but at this place. I brought away a great many of +them, but lost all except a very few, and those not of the best. + +There are also some green turtle weighing about two hundred pounds. Of +these we caught two, which the water ebbing had left behind a ledge of +rock which they could not creep over. These served all my company two +days, and they were indifferent sweet meat. Of the sharks we caught a +great many, which our men ate very savourily. Among them we caught one +which was eleven feet long. The space between its two eyes was twenty +inches, and eighteen inches from one corner of his mouth to the other. +Its maw was like a leather sack, very thick, and so tough that a sharp +knife could scarce cut it, in which we found the head and bones of a +hippopotamus, the hairy lips of which were still sound and not putrified, +and the jaw was also firm, out of which we plucked a great many teeth, +two of them eight inches long and as big as a man's thumb, small at one +end, and a little crooked, the rest not above half so long. The maw was +full of jelly, which stank extremely. However, I saved for awhile the +teeth and the shark's jaw. The flesh of it was divided among my men, and +they took care that no waste should be made of it. + +It was the 7th of August when we came into Shark's Bay, in which we +anchored at three several places, and stayed at the first of them (on the +west side of the bay) till the 11th, during which time we searched about, +as I said, for fresh water, digging wells, but to no purpose. However, +we cut good store of firewood at this first anchoring-place, and my +company were all here very well refreshed with raccoons, turtle, shark, +and other fish, and some fowls, so that we were now all much brisker than +when we came in hither. Yet still I was for standing farther into the +bay, partly because I had a mind to increase my stock of fresh water, +which was begun to be low, and partly for the sake of discovering this +part of the coast. I was invited to go further by seeing from this +anchoring-place all open before me, which therefore I designed to search +before I left the bay. So on the 11th about noon I steered further in, +with an easy sail, because we had but shallow water. We kept, therefore, +good looking out for fear of shoals, sometimes shortening, sometimes +deepening the water. About two in the afternoon we saw the land ahead +that makes the south of the bay, and before night we had again sholdings +from that shore, and therefore shortened sail and stood off and on all +night, under two top-sails, continually sounding, having never more than +ten fathom, and seldom less than seven. The water deepened and sholdened +so very gently, that in heaving the lead five or six times we should +scarce have a foot difference. When we came into seven fathom either +way, we presently went about. From this south part of the bay we could +not see the land from whence we came in the afternoon; and this land we +found to be an island of three or four leagues long; but it appearing +barren, I did not strive to go nearer it, and the rather because the +winds would not permit us to do it without much trouble, and at the +openings the water was generally shoal: I therefore made no farther +attempts in this south-west and south part of the bay, but steered away +to the eastward, to see if there was any land that way, for as yet we had +seen none there. On the 12th, in the morning, we passed by the north +point of that land, and were confirmed in the persuasion of its being an +island by seeing an opening to the east of it, as we had done on the +west. Having fair weather, a small gale, and smooth water, we stood +further on in the bay to see what land was on the east of it. Our +soundings at first were seven fathom, which held so a great while, but at +length it decreased to six. Then we saw the land right ahead. We could +not come near it with the ship, having but shoal water, and it being +dangerous lying there, and the land extraordinarily low, very unlikely to +have fresh water (though it had a few trees on it, seemingly mangroves), +and much of it probably covered at high water, I stood out again that +afternoon, deepening the water, and before night anchored in eight +fathom, clean white sand, about the middle of the bay. The next day we +got up our anchor, and that afternoon came to an anchor once more near +two islands and a shoal of coral rocks that face the bay. Here I +scrubbed my ship; and finding it very improbable I should get any further +here, I made the best of my way out to sea again, sounding all the way; +but finding, by the shallowness of the water, that there was no going out +to sea to the east of the two islands that face the bay, nor between +them, I returned to the west entrance, going out by the same way I came +in at, only on the east instead of the west side of the small shoal: in +which channel we had ten, twelve, and thirteen fathom water, still +deepening upon us till we were out at sea. The day before we came out I +sent a boat ashore to the most northerly of the two islands, which is the +least of them, catching many small fish in the meanwhile, with hook and +line. The boat's crew returning told me that the isle produces nothing +but a sort of green, short, hard, prickly grass, affording neither wood +nor fresh water, and that a sea broke between the two islands--a sign +that the water was shallow. They saw a large turtle, and many skates and +thornbacks, but caught none. + +It was August the 14th when I sailed out of this bay or sound, the mouth +of which lies, as I said, in 25 degrees 5 minutes, designing to coast +along to the north-east till I might commodiously put in at some other +port of New Holland. In passing out we saw three water-serpents swimming +about in the sea, of a yellow colour spotted with dark brown spots. They +were each about four foot long, and about the bigness of a man's wrist, +and were the first I saw on this coast, which abounds with several sorts +of them. We had the winds at our first coming out at north, and the land +lying north-easterly. We plied off and on, getting forward but little +till the next day, when the wind coming at south-south-west and south, we +began to coast it along the shore on the northward, keeping at six or +seven leagues off shore, and sounding often, we had between forty and +forty-six fathom water, brown sand with some white shells. This 15th of +August we were in latitude 24 degrees 41 minutes. On the 16th day, at +noon, we were in 23 degrees 22 minutes. The wind coming at east by +north, we could not keep the shore aboard, but were forced to go farther +off, and lost sight of the land; then sounding, we had no ground with +eighty-fathom line. However, the wind shortly after came about again to +the southward, and then we jogged on again to the northward, and saw many +small dolphins and whales, and abundance of cuttle-shells swimming on the +sea, and some water-snakes every day. The 17th we saw the land again and +took a sight of it. + +The 18th, in the afternoon, being three or four leagues off shore, I saw +a shoal-point stretching from the land into the sea a league or more; the +sea broke high on it, by which I saw plainly there was a shoal there. I +stood farther off and coasted along shore to about seven or eight leagues +distance, and at twelve o'clock at night we sounded, and had but twenty +fathom, hard sand. By this I found I was upon another shoal, and so +presently steered off west half an hour, and had then forty fathom. At +one in the morning of the 18th day we had eighty-five fathom; by two we +could find no ground, and then I ventured to steer along shore again due +north, which is two points wide of the coast (that lies +north-north-east), for fear of another shoal. I would not be too far off +from the land, being desirous to search into it wherever I should find an +opening or any convenience of searching about for water, etc. When we +were off the shoal-point I mentioned, where we had but twenty fathom +water, we had in the night abundance of whales about the ship, some +ahead, others astern, and some on each side, blowing and making a very +dismal noise; but when we came out again into deeper water, they left us; +indeed, the noise that they made by blowing and dashing of the sea with +their tails, making it all of a breach and foam, was very dreadful to us, +like the breach of the waves in very shoal water or among rocks. The +shoal these whales were upon had depth of water sufficient, no less than +twenty fathom, as I said, and it lies in latitude 22 degrees 22 minutes. +The shore was generally bold all along. We had met with no shoal at sea +since the Abrohlo shoal, when we first fell on the New Holland coast in +the latitude of 28 degrees, till yesterday in the afternoon and this +night. This morning also, when we expected by the draught we had with us +to have been eleven leagues off shore, we were but four, so that either +our draughts were faulty, which yet hitherto and afterwards we found true +enough as to the lying of the coast, or else here was a tide unknown to +us that deceived us, though we had found very little of any tide on this +coast hitherto; as to our winds in the coasting thus far, as we had been +within the verge of the general trade (though interrupted by the storm I +mentioned), from the latitude of 28 degrees, when we first fell in with +the coast, and by that time we were in the latitude of 25 degrees, we had +usually the regular trade wind (which is here south-south-east) when we +were at any distance from shore; but we had often sea and land breezes, +especially when near shore and when in Shark's Bay, and had a particular +north-west wind or storm that set us in thither. On this 18th of August +we coasted with a brisk gale of the true trade wind at south-south-east, +very fair and clear weather; but hauling off in the evening to sea, were +next morning out of sight of land, and the land now trending away north- +easterly, and we being to the northward of it, and the wind also +shrinking from the south-south-east to the east-south-east (that is, from +the true trade wind to the sea breeze, as the land now lay), we could not +get in with the land again yet awhile so as to see it, though we trimmed +sharp and kept close on a wind. We were this 19th day in latitude 21 +degrees 42 minutes. The 20th we were in latitude 19 degrees 37 minutes, +and kept close on a wind to get sight of the land again, but could not +yet see it. We had very fair weather, and though we were so far from the +land as to be out of sight of it, yet we had the sea and land breezes. In +the night we had the land breeze at south-south-east, a small gentle +gale, which in the morning about sun-rising would shift about gradually +(and withal increasing in strength) till about noon we should have it at +east-south-east, which is the true sea breeze here. Then it would blow a +brisk gale so that we could scarce carry our top-sails double-reefed; and +it would continue thus till three in the afternoon, when it would +decrease again. The weather was fair all the while, not a cloud to be +seen, but very hazy, especially nigh the horizon. We sounded several +times this 20th day, and at first had no ground, but had afterwards from +fifty-two to forty-five fathom, coarse brown sand, mixed with small brown +and white stones, with dints besides in the tallow. + +The 21st day also we had small land breezes in the night, and sea breezes +in the day, and as we saw some sea-snakes every day, so this day we saw a +great many, of two different sorts or shapes. One sort was yellow, and +about the bigness of a man's wrist, about four feet long, having a flat +tail about four fingers broad. The other sort was much smaller and +shorter, round, and spotted black and yellow. This day we sounded +several times, and had forty-five fathom, sand. We did not make the land +till noon, and then saw it first from our topmast head; it bore south- +east by east about nine leagues distance, and it appeared like a cape or +head of land. The sea breeze this day was not so strong as the day +before, and it veered out more, so that we had a fair wind to run in with +to the shore, and at sunset anchored in twenty fathom, clean sand, about +five leagues from the Bluff point, which was not a cape (as it appeared +at a great distance), but the easternmost end of an island about five or +six leagues in length, and one in breadth. There were three or four +rocky islands about a league from us, between us and the Bluff point, and +we saw many other islands both to the east and west of it, as far as we +could see either way from our topmast-head, and all within them to the +south there was nothing but islands of a pretty height, that may be seen +eight or nine leagues off; by what we saw of them they must have been a +range of islands of about twenty leagues in length, stretching from east- +north-east to west-south-west, and, for aught I know, as far as to those +of Shark's Bay, and to a considerable breadth also, for we could see nine +or ten leagues in among them, towards the continent or mainland of New +Holland, if there be any such thing hereabouts; and by the great tides I +met with awhile afterwards, more to the north-east, I had a strong +suspicion that here might be a kind of archipelago of islands, and a +passage possibly to the south of New Holland and New Guinea into the +great South Sea eastward, which I had thoughts also of attempting in my +return from New Guinea, had circumstances permitted, and told my officers +so; but I would not attempt it at this time, because we wanted water, and +could not depend upon finding it there. This place is in the latitude of +20 degrees 21 minutes, but in the draught that I had of this coast, which +was Tasman's, it was laid down in 19 degrees 50 minutes, and the shore is +laid down as all along joining in one body or continent, with some +openings appearing like rivers, and not like islands as really they are. +This place lies more northerly by 40 minutes than is laid down in Mr. +Tasman's draught, and besides its being made a firm continued land, only +with some openings like the mouths of rivers, I found the soundings also +different from what the pricked line of his course shows them, and +generally shallower than he makes them, which inclines me to think that +he came not so near the shore as his line shows, and so had deeper +soundings, and could not so well distinguish the islands. His meridian +or difference of longitude from Shark's Bay agrees well enough with my +account, which is two hundred and thirty-two leagues, though we differ in +latitude; and to confirm my conjecture that the line of his course is +made too near the shore, at least not far to the east of this place, the +water is there so shallow that he could not come there so nigh. + +But to proceed. In the night we had a small land breeze, and in the +morning I weighed anchor, designing to run in among the islands, for they +had large channels between them of a league wide at least, and some two +or three leagues wide. I sent in my boat before to sound, and if they +found shoal water to return again, but if they found water enough to go +ashore on one of the islands and stay till the ship came in, where they +might in the meantime search for water. So we followed after with the +ship, sounding as we went in, and had twenty fathom till within two +leagues of the Bluff head, and then we had shoal water and very uncertain +soundings; yet we ran in still with an easy sail, sounding and looking +out well, for this was dangerous work. When we came abreast of the Bluff +head, and about two miles from it, we had but seven fathom, then we edged +away from it, but had no more water, and running in a little farther we +had but four fathoms, so we anchored immediately; and yet when we had +veered out a third of a cable, we had seven fathom water again, so +uncertain was the water. My boat came immediately on board, and told me +that the island was very rocky and dry, and they had little hopes of +finding water there. I sent them to sound, and bade them, if they found +a channel of eight or ten fathom water, to keep on, and we would follow +with the ship. We were now about four leagues within the outer small +rocky islands, but still could see nothing but islands within us, some +five or six leagues long, others not above a mile round. The large +islands were pretty high, but all appeared dry, and mostly rocky and +barren. The rocks looked of a rusty yellow colour, and therefore I +despaired of getting water on any of them, but was in some hopes of +finding a channel to run in beyond all these islands, could I have spent +time here, and either got to the main of New Holland or find out some +other islands that might afford us water and other refreshments; besides +that among so many islands we might have found some sort of rich mineral, +or ambergris, it being a good latitude for both these. But we had not +sailed above a league farther before our water grew shoaler again, and +then we anchored in six fathom, hard sand. + +We were now on the inner side of the island, on whose outside is the +Bluff point. We rode a league from the island, and I presently went +ashore and carried shovels to dig for water, but found none. There grow +here two or three sorts of shrubs, one just like rosemary, and therefore +I called this Rosemary Island; it grew in great plenty here, but had no +smell. Some of the other shrubs had blue and yellow flowers; and we +found two sorts of grain like beans; the one grew on bushes, the other on +a sort of creeping vine that runs along on the ground, having very thick +broad leaves, and the blossom like a bean blossom, but much larger and of +a deep red colour, looking very beautiful. We saw here some cormorants, +gulls, crab-catchers, etc., a few small land birds, and a sort of white +parrots, which flew a great many together. We found some shell-fish, +viz., limpets, periwinkles, and abundance of small oysters growing on the +rocks, which were very sweet. In the sea we saw some green turtle, many +sharks, and abundance of water-snakes of several sorts and sizes. The +stones were all of rusty colour, and ponderous. + +We saw a smoke on an island three or four leagues off, and here also the +bushes had been burned, but we found no other sign of inhabitants. It +was probable that on the island where the smoke was there were +inhabitants, and fresh water for them. In the evening I went aboard, and +consulted with my officers whether it was best to send thither, or to +search among any other of these islands with my boat, or else go from +hence and coast along shore with the ship, till we could find some better +place than this was to ride in, where we had shoal water and lay exposed +to winds and tides. They all agreed to go from hence, so I gave orders +to weigh in the morning as soon as it should be light, and to get out +with the land breeze. + +Accordingly, August 23rd, at five in the morning, we ran out, having a +pretty fresh land breeze at south-south-east. By eight o'clock we were +got out, and very seasonably, for before nine the sea breeze came on us +very strong, and increasing, we took in our top-sails and stood off under +two courses and a mizen, this being as much sail as we could carry. The +sky was clear, there being not one cloud to be seen, but the horizon +appeared very hazy, and the sun at setting the night before, and this +morning at rising, appeared very red. The wind continued very strong +till twelve, then it began to abate; I have seldom met with a stronger +breeze. These strong sea breezes lasted thus in their turns three or +four days. They sprang up with the sunrise; by nine o'clock they were +very strong, and so continued till noon, when they began to abate; and by +sunset there was little wind, or a calm, till the land breezes came, +which we should certainly have in the morning about one or two o'clock. +The land breezes were between the south-south-west and south-south-east: +the sea breezes between the east-north-east and north-north-east. In the +night while calm, we fished with hook and line, and caught good store of +fish viz., snappers, breams, old-wives, and dog-fish. When these last +came we seldom caught any others; for it they did not drive away the +other fish, yet they would be sure to keep them from taking our hooks, +for they would first have them themselves, biting very greedily. We +caught also a monk-fish, of which I brought home the picture. + +On the 25th of August we still coasted along shore, that we might the +better see any opening; kept sounding, and had about twenty fathom, clean +sand. The 26th day, being about four leagues off shore, the water began +gradually to sholden from twenty to fourteen fathom. I was edging in a +little towards the land, thinking to have anchored; but presently after +the water decreased almost at once, till we had but five fathom. I +durst, therefore, adventure no farther, but steered out the same way that +we came in, and in a short time had ten fathom (being then about four +leagues and a half from the shore), and even soundings. I steered away +east-north-east, coasting along as the land lies. This day the sea +breezes began to be very moderate again, and we made the best of our way +along shore, only in the night edging off a little for fear of shoals. +Ever since we left Shark's Bay we had fair clear weather, and so for a +great while still. + +The 27th day we had twenty fathom water all night, yet we could not see +land till one in the afternoon from our topmast-head. By three we could +just discern land from our quarter-deck; we had then sixteen fathom. The +wind was at north, and we steered east-by-north, which is but one point +in on the land; yet we decreased our water very fast, for at four we had +but nine fathom, the next cast but seven, which frightened us; and we +then tacked instantly and steed off, but in a short time the wind coming +at north-west and west-north-west, we tacked again and steered +north-north-east, and then deepened our water again, and had all night +from fifteen to twenty fathom. + +The 28th day we had between twenty and forty fathom. We saw no land this +day, but saw a great many snakes and some whales. We saw also some +boobies and noddy-birds, and in the night caught one of these last. It +was of another shape and colour than any I had seen before. It had a +small long bill, as all of them have, flat feet like ducks' feet, its +tail forked like a swallow, but longer and broader, and the fork deeper +than that of the swallow, with very long wings; the top or crown of the +head of this noddy was coal-black, having also small black streaks round +about and close to the eyes; and round these streaks on each side, a +pretty broad white circle. The breast, belly, and under part of the +wings of this noddy were white, and the back and upper part of its wings +of a faint black or smoke colour. Noddies are seen in most places +between the tropics, as well in the East Indies and on the coast of +Brazil, as in the West Indies. They rest ashore at night, and therefore +we never see them far at sea, not above twenty or thirty leagues, unless +driven off in a storm. When they come about a ship they commonly perch +in the night, and will sit still till they are taken by the seamen. They +build on cliffs against the sea, or rocks. + +The 30th day, being in latitude 18 degrees 21 minutes, we made the land +again, and saw many great smokes near the shore; and having fair weather +and moderate breezes, I steered in towards it. At four in the afternoon +I anchored in eight fathom water, clear sand, about three leagues and a +half from the shore. I presently sent my boat to sound nearer in, and +they found ten fathom about a mile farther in, and from thence still +farther in the water decreased gradually to nine, eight, seven, and at +two miles distance to six fathom. This evening we saw an eclipse of the +moon, but it was abating before the moon appeared to us; for the horizon +was very hazy, so that we could not see the moon till she had been half +an hour above the horizon; and at two hours twenty-two minutes after +sunset, by the reckoning of our glasses, the eclipse was quite gone, +which was not of many digits. The moon's centre was then 33 degrees 40 +minutes high. + +The 31st of August, betimes in the morning, I went ashore with ten or +eleven men to search for water. We went armed with muskets and cutlasses +for our defence, expecting to see people there, and carried also shovels +and pickaxes to dig wells. When we came near the shore we saw three +tall, black, naked men on the sandy bay ahead of us; but as we rowed in, +they went away. When we were landed, I sent the boat with two men in her +to lie a little from the shore at an anchor, to prevent being seized; +while the rest of us went after the three black men, who were now got on +the top of a small hill about a quarter of a mile from us, with eight or +nine men more in their company. They, seeing us coming, ran away. When +we came on the top of the hill where they first stood, we saw a plain +savannah, about half a mile from us, farther in from the sea. There were +several things like hay-cocks standing in the savannah, which at a +distance we thought were houses, looking just like the Hottentots' houses +at the Cape of Good Hope: but we found them to be so many rocks. We +searched about these for water, but could find none, nor any houses, nor +people, for they were all gone. Then we turned again to the place where +we landed, and there we dug for water. + +While we were at work there came nine or ten of the natives to a small +hill a little way from us, and stood there menacing and threatening us, +and making a great noise. At last one of them came towards us, and the +rest followed at a distance. I went out to meet him, and came within +fifty yards of him, making to him all the signs of peace and friendship I +could, but then he ran away, neither would they any of them stay for us +to come nigh them, for we tried two or three times. At last I took two +men with me, and went in the afternoon along by the sea-side, purposely +to catch one of them, if I could, of whom I might learn where they got +their fresh water. There were ten or twelve of the natives a little way +off, who, seeing us three going away from the rest of our men, followed +us at a distance. I thought they would follow us, but there being for +awhile a sand-bank between us and them, that they could not then see us, +we made a halt, and hid ourselves in a bending of the sand-bank. They +knew we must be thereabouts, and being three or four times our numbers, +thought to seize us. So they dispersed themselves, some going to the sea- +shore, and others beating about the sand-hills. We knew by what +rencounter we had had with them in the morning that we could easily out- +run them, so a nimble young man that was with me, seeing some of them +near, ran towards them; and they for some time ran away before him, but +he soon overtaking them, they faced about and fought him. He had a +cutlass and they had wooden lances, with which, being many of them, they +were too hard for him. When he first ran towards them I chased two more +that were by the shore; but fearing how it might be with my young man, I +turned back quickly and went to the top of a sand-hill, whence I saw him +near me, closely engaged with them. Upon their seeing me, one of them +threw a lance at me, that narrowly missed me. I discharged my gun to +scare them, but avoided shooting any of them, till finding the young man +in great danger from them, and myself in some; and that though the gun +had a little frightened them at first, yet they had soon learnt to +despise it, tossing up their hands and crying, "pooh, pooh, pooh," and +coming on afresh with a great noise, I thought it high time to charge +again, and shoot one of them, which I did. The rest, seeing him fall, +made a stand again, and my young man took the opportunity to disengage +himself and come off to me; my other man also was with me, who had done +nothing all this while, having come out unarmed, and I returned back with +my men, designing to attempt the natives no farther, being very sorry for +what had happened already. They took up their wounded companion; and my +young man, who had been struck through the cheek by one of their lances, +was afraid it had been poisoned, but I did not think that likely. His +wound was very painful to him, being made with a blunt weapon; but he +soon recovered of it. + +Among the New Hollanders, whom we were thus engaged with, there was one +who by his appearance and carriage, as well in the morning as this +afternoon, seemed to be the chief of them, and a kind of prince or +captain among them. He was a young brisk man, not very tall, nor so +personable as some of the rest, though more active and courageous: he was +painted (which none of the rest were at all) with a circle of white paste +or pigment (a sort of lime, as we thought) about his eyes, and a white +streak down his nose, from his forehead to the tip of it: and his breast +and some part of his arms were also made white with the same paint; not +for beauty or ornament, one would think, but as some wild Indian warriors +are said to do, he seemed thereby to design the looking more terrible; +this his painting adding very much to his natural deformity; for they all +of them have the most unpleasant looks and the worst features of any +people that ever I saw, though I have seen great variety of savages. +These New Hollanders were probably the same sort of people as those I met +with on this coast in my voyage round the world, for the place I then +touched at was not above forty or fifty leagues to the north-east of +this, and these were much the same blinking creatures (here being also +abundance of the same kind of flesh-flies teazing them,) and with the +same black skins, and hair frizzled, tall and thin, &c. as those were: +but we had not the opportunity to see whether these, as the former, +wanted two of their fore-teeth. + +We saw a great many places where they had made fires, and where there +were commonly three or four boughs stuck up to windward of them; for the +wind, (which is the sea-breeze), in the day-time blows always one way +with them, and the land-breeze is but small. By their fire-places we +should always find great heaps of fish-shells of several sorts; and it is +probable that these poor creatures here lived chiefly on the shell-fish, +as those I before described did on small fish, which they caught in wires +or holes in the sand at low water. These gathered their shell-fish on +the rocks at low water but had no wires (that we saw), whereby to get any +other sorts of fish; as among the former I saw not any heaps of shells as +here, though I know they also gathered some shell-fish. The lances also +of those were such as these had; however, they being upon an island, with +their women and children, and all in our power, they did not there use +them against us, as here on the continent, where we saw none but some of +the men under head, who come out purposely to observe us. We saw no +houses at either place, and I believe they have none, since the former +people on the island had none, though they had all their families with +them. + +Upon returning to my men I saw that though they had dug eight or nine +feet deep, yet found no water. So I returned aboard that evening, and +the next day, being September 1st, I sent my boatswain ashore to dig +deeper, and sent the seine within him to catch fish. While I stayed +aboard I observed the flowing of the tide, which runs very swift here, so +that our nun-buoy would not bear above the water to be seen. It flows +here (as on that part of New Holland I described formerly) about five +fathom; and here the flood runs south-east by south till the last +quarter; then it sets right in towards the shore (which lies here south- +south-west and north north-east) and the ebb runs north-west by north. +When the tides slackened we fished with hook and line, as we had already +done in several places on this coast; on which in this voyage hitherto we +had found but little tides; but by the height, and strength, and course +of them hereabouts, it should seem that if there be such a passage or +strait going through eastward to the great South Sea, as I said one might +suspect, one would expect to find the mouth of it somewhere between this +place and Rosemary Island, which was the part of New Holland I came last +from. + +Next morning my men came aboard and brought a runlet of brackish water +which they had got out of another well that they dug in a place a mile +off, and about half as far from the shore; but this water was not fit to +drink. However, we all concluded that it would serve to boil our +oatmeal, for burgoo, whereby we might save the remains of our other water +for drinking, till we should get more: and accordingly the next day we +brought aboard four hogsheads of it: but while we were at work about the +well we were sadly pestered with the flies, which were more troublesome +to us than the sun, though it shone clear and strong upon us all the +while very hot. All this while we saw no more of the natives, but saw +some of the smoke of some of their fires at two or three miles distance. + +The land hereabouts was much like the port of New Holland that I formerly +described; it is low, but seemingly barricaded with a long chain of sand- +hills to the sea, that lets nothing be seen of what is farther within +land. At high water the tides rising so high as they do, the coast shows +very low: but when it is low water it seems to be of an indifferent +height. At low water-mark the shore is all rocky, so that then there is +no landing with a boat; but at high water a boat may come in over those +rocks to the sandy bay, which runs all along on this coast. The land by +the sea for about five or six hundred yards is a dry sandy soil, bearing +only shrubs and bushes of divers sorts. Some of these had them at this +time of the year, yellow flowers or blossoms, some blue, and some white; +most of them of a very fragrant smell. Some had fruit like peascods, in +each of which there were just ten small peas; I opened many of them, and +found no more nor less. There are also here some of that sort of bean +which I saw at Rosemary Island: and another sort of small red hard pulse, +growing in cods also, with little black eyes like beans. I know not +their names, but have seen them used often in the East Indies for +weighing gold; and they make the same use of them at Guinea, as I have +heard, where the women also make bracelets with them to wear about their +arms. These grow on bushes; but here are also a fruit like beans growing +on a creeping sort of shrub-like vine. There was great plenty of all +these sorts of cod-fruit growing on the sand-hills by the sea side, some +of them green, some ripe, and some fallen on the ground: but I could not +perceive that any of them had been gathered by the natives; and might not +probably be wholesome food. + +The land farther in, that is, lower than what borders on the sea, was so +much as we saw of it, very plain and even; partly savannahs and partly +woodland. The savannahs bear a sort of thin coarse grass. The mould is +also a coarser sand than that by the sea-side, and in some places it is +clay. Here are a great many rocks in the large savannah we were in, +which are five or six feet high, and round at top like a hay-cock, very +remarkable; some red and some white. The woodland lies farther in still, +where there were divers sorts of small trees, scarce any three feet in +circumference, their bodies twelve or fourteen feet high, with a head of +small knibs or boughs. By the sides of the creeks, especially nigh the +sea, there grow a few small black mangrove-trees. + +There are but few land animals. I saw some lizards; and my men saw two +or three beasts like hungry wolves, lean like so many skeletons, being +nothing but skin and bones; it is probable that it was the foot of one of +those beasts that I mentioned as seen by us in New Holland. We saw a +raccoon or two, and one small speckled snake. + +The land fowls that we saw here were crows, just such as ours in England, +small hawks and kites, a few of each sort: but here are plenty of small +turtle doves, that are plump, fat, and very good meat. Here are two or +three sorts of smaller birds, some as big as larks, some less; but not +many of either sort. The sea-fowl are pelicans, boobies, noddies, +curlews, seapies, &c., and but few of these neither. + +The sea is plentifully stocked with the largest whales that I ever saw; +but not to compare with the vast ones of the Northern Seas. We saw also +a great many green turtle, but caught none, here being no place to set a +turtle net in; there being no channel for them, and the tides running so +strong. We saw some sharks and parracoots; and with hooks and lines we +caught some rock-fish and old-wives. Of shell-fish, here were oysters +both of the common kind for eating, and of the pearl kind; and also +whelks, conchs, muscles, limpits, periwinkles, &c., and I gathered a few +strange shells, chiefly a sort not large, and thickset all about with +rays or spikes growing in rows. + +And thus having ranged about a considerable time upon this coast, without +finding any good fresh water or any convenient place to clean the ship, +as I had hoped for; and it being moreover the height of the dry season, +and my men growing scorbutic for want of refreshments, so that I had +little encouragement to search further, I resolved to leave this coast, +and accordingly in the beginning of September set sail towards Timor. + +On the 12th of December, 1699, we sailed from Babao, coasting along the +island Timor to the eastward, towards New Guinea. It was the 20th before +we got as far as Laphao, which is but forty leagues. We saw black clouds +in the north-west, and expected the wind from that quarter above a month +sooner. + +That afternoon we saw the opening between the islands Omba and Fetter, +but feared to pass through in the night. At two o'clock in the morning +it fell calm, and continued so till noon, in which time we drove with the +current back again south-west six or seven leagues. + +On the 22nd, steering to the eastward to get through between Omba and +Fetter, we met a very strong tide against us, so that although we had a +very fresh gale, we yet made way very slowly; but before night got +through. By a good observation we found that the south-east point of +Omba lies in latitude 8 degrees 25 minutes. In my drafts it is laid down +in 8 degrees 10 minutes. My true course from Babao, is east 25 degrees +north, distance one hundred eighty-three miles. We sounded several times +when near Omba, but had no ground. On the north-east point of Omba we +saw four or five men, and a little further three pretty houses on a low +point, but did not go ashore. + +At five this afternoon we had a tornado, which yielded much rain, +thunder, and lightning; yet we had but little wind. The 24th in the +morning we caught a large shark, which gave all the ship's company a +plentiful meal. + +The 27th we saw the Burning Island; it lies in latitude 6 degrees 36 +minutes south; it is high, and but small; it runs from the sea a little +sloping towards the top, which is divided in the middle into two peaks, +between which issued out much smoke: I have not seen more from any +volcano. I saw no trees; but the north side appeared green, and the rest +looked very barren. + +Having passed the Burning Island, I shaped my course for two islands, +called Turtle Isles, which lie north-east by east a little easterly, and +distant about fifty leagues from the Burning Isle. I fearing the wind +might veer to the eastward of the north, steered twenty leagues north- +east, then north-east by east. On the 28th we saw two small low islands, +called Lucca-Parros, to the north of us. At noon I accounted myself +twenty leagues short of the Turtle Isles. + +The next morning, being in the latitude of the Turtle Islands, we looked +out sharp for them, but saw no appearance of any island till eleven +o'clock, when we saw an island at a great distance. At first we supposed +it might be one of the Turtle Isles, but it was not laid down true, +neither in latitude nor longitude from the Burning Isle, nor from the +Lucca-Parros, which last I took to be a great help to guide me, they +being laid down very well from the Burning Isle, and that likewise in +true latitude and distance from Omba, so that I could not tell what to +think of the island now in sight, we having had fair weather, so that we +could not pass by the Turtle Isles without seeing them, and this in sight +was much too far off for them. We found variation 1 degrees 2 minutes +east. In the afternoon I steered north-east by east for the islands that +we saw. At two o'clock I went and looked over the fore-yard, and saw two +islands at much greater distance than the Turtle Islands are laid down in +my drafts, one of them was a very high peaked mountain, cleft at top, and +much like the Burning Island that we passed by, but bigger and higher; +the other was a pretty long high flat island. Now I was certain that +these were not the Turtle Islands, and that they could be no other than +the Bande Isles, yet we steered in to make them plainer. At three +o'clock we discovered another small flat island to the north-west of the +others, and saw a great deal of smoke rise from the top of the high +island. At four we saw other small islands, by which I was now assured +that these were the Bande Isles there. At five I altered my course and +steered east, and at eight east-south-east, because I would not be seen +by the inhabitants of those islands in the morning. We had little wind +all night, and in the morning, as soon as it was light we saw another +high peaked island; at eight it bore south-south-east half-east, distance +eight leagues: and this I knew to be Bird Isle. It is laid down in our +drafts in latitude 5 degrees 9 minutes south, which is too far southerly +by twenty-seven miles, according to our observation, and the like error +in laying down the Turtle Islands might be the occasion of our missing +them. + +At night I shortened sail, for fear of coming too nigh some islands, that +stretch away bending like a half moon from Ceram towards Timor, and which +in my course I must of necessity pass through. The next morning betimes +I saw them, and found them to be at a farther distance from Bird Island +than I expected. In the afternoon it fell quite calm, and when we had a +little wind, it was so unconstant, flying from one point to another, that +I could not without difficulty get through the islands where I designed; +besides, I found a current setting to the southward, so that it was +betwixt five and six in the evening before I passed through the islands, +and then just weathered little Watela, whereas I thought to have been two +or three leagues more northerly. We saw the day before, betwixt two and +three, a spout but a small distance from us, it fell down out of a black +cloud, that yielded great store of rain, thunder and lightning; this +cloud hovered to the southward of us for the space of three hours, and +then drew to the westward a great pace, at which time it was that we saw +the spout, which hung fast to the cloud till it broke, and then the cloud +whirled about to the south-east, then to east-north-east, where meeting +with an island, it spent itself and so dispersed, and immediately we had +a little of the tail of it, having had none before. Afterwards we saw a +smoke on the island Kosiway, which continued till night. + +On New Year's Day we first descried the land of New Guinea, which +appeared to be high land, and the next day we saw several high islands on +the coast of New Guinea, and ran in with the main land. The shore here +lies along east-south-east and west-north-west. It is high even land, +very well clothed with tall flourishing trees, which appeared very green, +and gave us a very pleasant prospect. We ran to the westward of four +mountainous islands, and in the night had a small tornado, which brought +with it some rain and a fair wind. We had fair weather for a long time, +only when near any land we had some tornadoes; but off, at sea, commonly +clear weather, though, if in sight of land, we usually saw many black +clouds hovering about it. + +On the 5th and 6th of January we plied to get in with the land, designing +to anchor, fill water, and spend a little time in searching the country, +till after the change of the moon, for I found a strong current setting +against us. We anchored in thirty-eight fathom water, good oozy ground. +We had an island of a league long without us, about three miles distant, +and we rode from the main about a mile. The easternmost point of land +seen bore east-by-south half-south, distance three leagues, and the +westernmost west-south-west half-south, distance two leagues. So soon as +we anchored, we sent the pinnace to look for water and try if they could +catch any fish. Afterwards we sent the yawl another way to see for +water. Before night the pinnace brought on board several sorts of fruits +that they found in the woods, such as I never saw before. One of my men +killed a stately land-fowl, as big as the largest dunghill cock; it was +of a sky-colour, only in the middle of the wings was a white spot, about +which were some reddish spots; on the crown it had a large bunch of long +feathers, which appeared very pretty; his bill was like pigeon's; he had +strong legs and feet, like dunghill fowls, only the claws were reddish; +his crop was full of small berries. It lays an egg as big as a large +hen's egg, for our men climbed the tree where it nested, and brought off +one egg. They found water, and reported that the trees were large, tall, +and very thick, and that they saw no sign of people. At night the yawl +came aboard and brought a wooden fish-spear, very ingeniously made, the +matter of it was a small cane; they found it by a small barbecue, where +they also saw a shattered canoe. + +The next morning I sent the boatswain ashore fishing, and at one haul he +caught three hundred and fifty-two mackerel, and about twenty other +fishes, which I caused to be equally divided among all my company. I +sent also the gunner and chief mate to search about if they could find +convenient anchoring near a watering-place; by night they brought word +that they had found a fine stream of good water, where the boat could +come close to, and it was very easy to be filled, and that the ship might +anchor as near to it as I pleased, so I went thither. The next morning, +therefore, we anchored in twenty-five fathom water, soft oozy ground, +about a mile from the river; we got on board three tuns of water that +night, and caught two or three pike-fish, in shape much like a parracota, +but with a longer snout, something resembling a garr, yet not so long. +The next day I sent the boat again for water, and before night all my +casks were full. + +Having filled here about fifteen tuns of water, seeing we could catch but +little fish, and had no other refreshments, I intended to sail next day, +but finding that we wanted wood, I sent to cut some, and going ashore to +hasten it, at some distance from the place where our men were, I found a +small cove, where I saw two barbecues, which appeared not to be above two +months' standing; the spars were cut with some sharp instrument, so that, +if done by the natives, it seems that they have iron. On the 10th, a +little after twelve o'clock, we weighed and stood over to the north side +of the bay, and at one o'clock stood out with the wind at north and north- +north-west. At four we passed out by a White Island, which I so named +from its many white cliffs, having no name in our drafts. It is about a +league long, pretty high, and very woody; it is about five miles from the +main, only at the west end it reaches within three miles of it. At some +distance off at sea the west point appears like a cape-land, the north +side trends away north-north-west, and the east side east-south-east. +This island lies in latitude 3 degrees 4 minutes south, and the meridian +distance from Babao five hundred and twelve miles east. After we were +out to sea, we plied to get to the northward, but met with such a strong +current against us, that we got but little, for if the wind favoured us +in the night, that we got three or four leagues, we lost it again, and +were driven as far astern next morning, so that we plied here several +days. + +The 14th, being past a point of land that we had been three days getting +about, we found little or no current, so that, having the wind at north- +west-by-west and west-north-west, we stood to the northward, and had +several soundings: at three o'clock thirty-eight fathom, the nearest part +of New Guinea being about three leagues' distance; at four, thirty-seven; +at five, thirty-six; at six, thirty-six; at eight, thirty-three fathom; +then the Cape was about four leagues' distant, so that as we ran off we +found our water shallower; we had then some islands to the westward of +us, at about four leagues' distance. + +A little after noon we saw smoke on the islands to the west of us, and +having a fine gale of wind, I steered away for them. At seven o'clock in +the evening we anchored in thirty-five fathom, about two leagues from an +island, good soft oozy ground. We lay still all night, and saw fires +ashore. In the morning we weighed again, and ran farther in, thinking to +have shallower water; but we ran within a mile of the shore, and came to +in thirty-eight fathom good soft holding ground. While we were under +sail two canoes came off within call of us. They spoke to us, but we did +not understand their language nor signs. We waved to them to come +aboard, and I called to them in the Malayan language to do the same, but +they would not. Yet they came so nigh us that we could show them such +things as we had to truck with them; yet neither would this entice them +to come on board, but they made signs for us to come ashore, and away +they went. Then I went after them in my pinnace, carrying with me +knives, beads, glasses, hatchets, &c. When we came near the shore, I +called to them in the Malayan language. I saw but two men at first, the +rest lying in ambush behind the bushes; but as soon as I threw ashore +some knives and other toys, they came out, flung down their weapons, and +came into the water by the boat's side, making signs of friendship by +pouring water on their heads with one hand, which they dipped into the +sea. The next day, in the afternoon, several other canoes came aboard, +and brought many roots and fruits, which we purchased. + +The island has no name in our drafts, but the natives call it Pub Sabuda; +it is about three leagues long, and two miles wide, more or less; it is +of a good height, so as to be seen eleven or twelve leagues; it is very +rocky, yet above the rocks there is good yellow and black mould, not +deep, yet producing plenty of good tall trees, and bearing any fruits or +roots which the inhabitants plant. I do not know all its produce, but +what we saw were plantains, cocoa-nuts, pine-apples, oranges, papaes, +potatoes, and other large roots. Here are also another sort of wild +jacas, about the bigness of a man's two fists, full of stones or kernels, +which eat pleasant enough when roasted. The libby tree grows here in the +swampy valleys, of which they make sago cakes. I did not see them make +any, but was told by the inhabitants that it was made of the pith of the +tree, in the same manner I have described in my "Voyage Round the World." +They showed me the tree whereof it was made, and I bought about forty of +the cakes. I bought also three or four nutmegs in their shell, which did +not seem to have been long gathered; but whether they be the growth of +this island or not, the natives would not tell whence they had them, and +seem to prize them very much. What beasts the island affords I know not, +but here are both sea and land fowl. Of the first, boobies and men-of- +war birds are the chief, some goldens, and small milk-white +crab-catchers; the land-fowl are pigeons, about the bigness of mountain- +pigeons in Jamaica, and crows about the bigness of those in England, and +much like them, but the inner part of their feathers are white, and the +outside black, so that they appear all black, unless you extend the +feathers. Here are large sky-coloured birds, such as we lately killed on +New Guinea, and many other small birds, unknown to us. Here are likewise +abundance of bats, as big as young coneys, their necks, head, ears, and +noses like foxes, their hair rough, that about their necks is of a +whitish yellow, that on their heads and shoulders black, their wings are +four feet over from tip to tip; they smell like foxes. The fish are +bass, rock-fish, and a sort of fish like mullets, old-wives, whip-rays, +and some other sorts that I knew not; but no great plenty of any, for it +is deep water till within less than a mile of the shore, then there is a +bank of coral rocks, within which you have shoal-water, white clean sand, +so there is no good fishing with the seine. + +This island lies in latitude 2 degrees 43 minutes south, and meridian +distance from port Babo, on the island Timor, four hundred and eighty-six +miles: besides this island, here are nine or ten other small islands. + +The inhabitants of this island are a sort of very tawny Indians, with +long black hair, who in their manners differ but little from the +Mindanayans, and others of these eastern islands. These seem to be the +chief; for besides them we saw also shock curl pated New Guinea negroes, +many of which are slaves to the others, but I think not all. They are +very poor, wear no clothes but have a clout about their middle, made of +the rinds of the tops of palmetto trees; but the women had a sort of +calico cloth. Their chief ornaments are blue and yellow beads, worn +about their wrists. The men arm themselves with bows and arrows, lances, +broad swords, like those of Mindanao; their lances are pointed with bone: +they strike fish very ingeniously with wooden fish-spears, and have a +very ingenious way of making the fish rise; for they have a piece of wood +curiously carved, and painted much like a dolphin (and perhaps other +figures); these they let down into the water by a line with a small +weight to sink it; when they think it low enough, they haul the line into +their boats very fast, and the fish rise up after this figure, and they +stand ready to strike them when they are near the surface of the water. +But their chief livelihood is from their plantations; yet they have large +boats, and go over to New Guinea, where they get slaves, fine parrots, +&c, which they carry to Goram and exchange for calicoes. One boat came +from thence a little before I arrived here, of whom I bought some +parrots, and would have bought a slave but they would not barter for +anything but calicoes, which I had not. Their houses on this side were +very small, and seemed only to be for necessity; but on the other side of +the island we saw good large houses. Their prows are narrow, with +outriggers on each side, like other Malayans. I cannot tell of what +religion these are; but I think they are not Mahometans, by their +drinking brandy out of the same cup with us without any scruple. At this +island we continued till the 20th instant, having laid in store of such +roots and fruits as the island afforded. + +On the 20th, at half an hour after six in the morning, I weighed, and +standing out we saw a large boat full of men lying at the north point of +the island. As we passed by, they rowed towards their habitations, where +we supposed they had withdrawn themselves for fear of us, though we gave +them no cause of terror, or for some differences among themselves. + +We stood to the northward till seven in the evening, then saw a rippling; +and, the water being discoloured, we sounded, and had but twenty-two +fathom. I went about and stood to the westward till two next morning +then tacked again, and had these several soundings: at eight in the +evening, twenty-two; at ten, twenty-five; at eleven, twenty-seven; at +twelve, twenty-eight fathom; at two in the morning, twenty-six; at four, +twenty-four; at six, twenty-three; at eight, twenty-eight; at twelve, +twenty-two. + +We passed by many small islands, and among many dangerous shoals without +any remarkable occurrence till the 4th of February, when we got within +three leagues of the north-west cape of New Guinea, called by the Dutch +Cape Mabo. Off this cape there lies a small woody island, and many +islands of different sizes to the north and north-east of it. This part +of New Guinea is high land, adorned with tall trees, that appeared very +green and flourishing. The cape itself is not very high, but ends in a +low sharp point, and on either side there appears another such point at +equal distances, which makes it resemble a diamond. This only appears +when you are abreast of the middle point, and then you have no ground +within three leagues of the shore. + +In the afternoon we passed by the cape and stood over for the islands. +Before it was dark we were got within a league of the westernmost, but +had no ground with fifty fathom of line: however, fearing to stand nearer +in the dark, we tacked and stood to the east and plied all night. The +next morning we were got five or six leagues to the eastward of that +island, and, having the wind easterly, we stood in to the northward among +the islands, sounded, and had no ground; then I sent in my boat to sound, +and they had ground with fifty fathom near a mile from the shore. We +tacked before the boat came aboard again, for fear of a shoal that was +about a mile to the east of that island the boat went to, from whence +also a shoal-point stretched out itself till it met the other: they +brought with them such a cockle as I have mentioned in my "Voyage Round +the World" found near Celebes, and they saw many more, some bigger than +that which they brought aboard, as they said, and for this reason I named +it Cockle Island. I sent them to sound again, ordering them to fire a +musket if they found good anchoring; we were then standing to the +southward, with a fine breeze. As soon as they fired, I tacked and stood +in; they told me they had fifty fathom when they fired. I tacked again, +and made all the sail I could to get out, being near some rocky islands +and shoals to leeward of us. The breeze increased, and I thought we were +out of danger, but having a shoal just by us, and the wind failing again, +I ordered the boat to tow us, and by their help we got clear from it. We +had a strong tide setting to the westward. + +At one o'clock, being past the shoal, and finding the tide setting to the +westward, I anchored in thirty-five fathom coarse sand, with small coral +and shells. Being nearest to Cockle Island, I immediately sent both the +boats thither, one to cut wood, and the other to fish. At four in the +afternoon, having a small breeze at south-south-west, I made a sign for +my boats to come on board. They brought some wood, and a few small +cockles, none of them exceeding ten pounds' weight, whereas the shell of +the great one weighed seventy-eight pounds; but it was now high water, +and therefore they could get no bigger. They also brought on board some +pigeons, of which we found plenty on all the islands where we touched in +these seas: also in many places we saw many large bats, but killed none, +except those I mentioned at Pub Sabuda. As our boats came aboard, we +weighed and made sail, steering east-south-east as long as the wind held. +In the morning we found we had got four or five leagues to the east of +the place where we weighed. We stood to and fro till eleven; and finding +that we lost ground, anchored in forty-two fathom coarse gravelly sand, +with some coral. This morning we thought we saw a sail. + +In the afternoon I went ashore on a small woody island, about two leagues +from us. Here I found the greatest number of pigeons that ever I saw +either in the East or West Indies, and small cockles in the sea round the +island in such quantities that we might have laden the boat in an hour's +time. These were not above ten or twelve pounds' weight. We cut some +wood, and brought off cockles enough for all the ship's company; but +having no small shot, we could kill no pigeons. I returned about four +o'clock, and then my gunner and both mates went thither, and in less than +three-quarters of an hour they killed and brought off ten pigeons. Here +is a tide: the flood sets west and the ebb east, but the latter is very +faint and but of small continuance, and so we found it ever since we came +from Timer: the winds we found easterly, between north-east and +east-south-east, so that if these continue, it is impossible to beat +farther to the eastward on this coast against wind and current. These +easterly winds increased from the time we were in the latitude of about 2 +degrees south, and as we drew nigher the line they hung more easterly: +and now being to the north of the continent of New Guinea, where the +coast lies east and west, I find the trade-wind here at east, which yet +in higher latitudes is usually at north-north-west and north-west; and so +I did expect them here, it being to the south of the line. + +The 7th, in the morning, I sent my boat ashore on Pigeon Island, and +stayed till noon. In the afternoon my men returned, brought twenty-two +pigeons, and many cockles, some very large, some small: they also brought +one empty shell, that weighed two hundred and fifty-eight pounds. + +At four o'clock we weighed, having a small westerly wind and a tide with +us; at seven in the evening we anchored in forty-two fathom, near King +William's Island, where I went ashore the next morning, drank His +Majesty's health, and honoured it with his name. It is about two leagues +and a half in length, very high and extraordinarily well clothed with +woods; the trees are of divers sorts, most unknown to us, but all very +green and flourishing; many of them had flowers, some white, some purple, +others yellow: all which smelt very fragrantly: the trees are generally +tall and straight bodied, and may be fit for any use. I saw one of a +clean body, without knot or limb, sixty or seventy feet high by +estimation; it was three of my fathoms about, and kept its bigness, +without any sensible decrease, even to the top. The mould of the island +is black, but not deep, it being very rocky. On the sides and top of the +island are many palmetto trees, whose heads we could discern over all the +other trees, but their bodies we could not see. + +About one in the afternoon we weighed and stood to the eastward, between +the main and King William's Island, leaving the island on our larboard +side, and sounding till we were past the island, and then we had no +ground. Here we found the flood setting east-by-north, and the ebb west- +by-south; there were shoals and small islands between us and the main, +which caused the tide to set very inconstantly, and make many whirlings +in the water; yet we did not find the tide to set strong any way, nor the +water to rise much. + +On the 9th, being to the eastward of King William's Island, we plied all +day between the main and other islands, having easterly winds and fair +weather till seven the next morning; then we had very hard rain till +eight, and saw many shoals of fish. We lay becalmed off a pretty deep +bay on New Guinea, about twelve or fourteen leagues wide, and seven or +eight leagues deep, having low land near its bottom, but high land +without. The easternmost part of New Guinea seen bore east-by-south, +distant twelve leagues; Cape Mabo west-south-west half-south, distant +seven leagues. + +At one in the afternoon it began to rain, and continued till six in the +evening, so that, having but little wind and most calms, we lay still off +the forementioned bay, having King William's Island still in sight, +though distant by judgment fifteen or sixteen leagues west. We saw many +shoals of small fish, some sharks, and seven or eight dolphins, but +caught none. In the afternoon, being about four leagues from the shore, +we saw an opening in the land, which seemed to afford good harbour. In +the evening we saw a large fire there, and I intended to go in (if winds +and weather would permit) to get some acquaintance with the natives. + +Since the 4th instant that we passed Cape Mabo, to the 12th, we had small +easterly winds and calms, so that we anchored several times, where I made +my men cut wood, that we might have a good stock when a westerly wind +should present, and so we plied to the eastward, as winds and currents +would permit, having not got in all above thirty leagues to the eastward +of Cape Mabo; but on the 12th, at four in the afternoon, a small gale +sprang up at north-east-by-north, with rain; at five it shuffled about to +north-west, from thence to the south-west, and continued between those +two points a pretty brisk gale, so that we made sail and steered away +north-east, till the 13th, in the morning, to get about the Cape of Good +Hope. When it was day we steered north-east half east, then north-east- +by-east till seven o'clock, and, being then seven or eight leagues off +shore, we steered away east, the shore trending east-by-south. We had +very much rain all night, so that we could not carry much sail, yet we +had a very steady gale. At eight this morning the weather cleared up, +and the wind decreased to a fine top-gallant gale, and settled at west-by- +south. We had more rain these three days past, than all the voyage, in +so short a time. We were now about six leagues from the land of New +Guinea, which appeared very high; and we saw two headlands about twenty +leagues asunder, the one to the east and the other to the west, which +last is called the Cape of Good Hope. We found variation east 4 degrees. + +The 15th, in the morning, between twelve and two o'clock, it blew a very +brisk gale at north-west, and looked very black in the south-west. At +two it flew about at once to the south-south-west, and rained very hard. +The wind settled some time at west-south-west, and we steered east-north- +east till three in the morning; then the wind and rain abating, we +steered east-half-north for fear of coming near the land. Presently +after, it being a little clear, the man at the bowsprit end called out, +"Land on our starboard bow." We looked out and saw it plain: I presently +sounded, and had but ten fathom, soft ground. The master, being somewhat +scared, came running in haste with this news, and said it was best to +anchor. I told him no, but sound again; then we had twelve fathom; the +next cast, thirteen and a half; the fourth, seventeen fathom; and then no +ground with fifty fathom line. However, we kept off the island, and did +not go so fast but that we could see any other danger before we came nigh +it; for here might have been more islands not laid down in my drafts +besides this, for I searched all the drafts I had, if perchance I might +find any island in the one which was not in the others, but I could find +none near us. When it was day we were about five leagues off the land we +saw; but, I believe, not above five miles, or at most two leagues, off it +when we first saw it in the night. + +This is a small island, but pretty high; I named it Providence. About +five leagues to the southward of this there is another island, which is +called William Scouten's Island, and laid down in our drafts: it is a +high island, and about twenty leagues big. + +It was by mere providence that we missed the small island; for, had not +the wind come to west-south-west, and blown hard, so that we steered east- +north-east, we had been upon it by our course that we steered before, if +we could not have seen it. This morning we saw many great trees and logs +swim by us, which, it is probable, came out of some great rivers on the +main. + +On the 16th we crossed the line, and found variation 6 degrees 26 minutes +east. The 18th, by my observation at noon, we found that we had had a +current setting to the southward, and probably that drew us in so nigh +Scouten's Island. For this twenty-four hours we steered east-by-north +with a large wind, yet made but an east-by-south half south course, +though the variation was not above 7 degrees east. + +The 21st we had a current setting to the northward, which is against the +true trade monsoon, it being now near the full moon. I did expect it +here, as in all other places. We had variation 8 degrees 45 minutes +east. The 22nd we found but little current, if any; it set to the +southward. + +On the 23rd, in the afternoon, we saw two snakes, and the next morning +another passing by us, which was furiously assaulted by two fishes, that +had kept us company five or six days; they were shaped like mackerel, and +were about that bigness and length, and of a yellow-greenish colour. The +snake swam away from them very fast, keeping his head above water; the +fish snapped at his tail, but when he turned himself, that fish would +withdraw, and another would snap, so that by turns they kept him +employed, yet he still defended himself, and swam away a great pace, till +they were out of sight. + +The 25th, betimes in the morning, we saw an island to the southward of +us, at about fifteen leagues' distance. We steered away for it, +supposing it to be that which the Dutch call Wishart's Island; but, +finding it otherwise, I called it Matthias, it being that saint's day. +This island is about nine or ten leagues long, mountainous and woody, +with many savannahs, and some spots of land which seemed to be cleared. + +At eight in the evening we lay by, intending, if I could, to anchor under +Matthias Isle; but the next morning, seeing another island about seven or +eight leagues to the eastward of it, we steered away for it. At noon we +came up fair with its south-west end, intending to run along by it and +anchor on the south-east side, but the tornadoes came in so thick and +hard that I could not venture in. This island is pretty low and plain, +and clothed with wood; the trees were very green, and appeared to be +large and tall, as thick as they could stand one by another. It is about +two or three leagues long, and at the south-west point there is another +small, low, woody island, about a mile round, and about a mile from the +other. Between them there runs a reef of rocks which joins them. (The +biggest I named Squally Island.) + +Seeing we could not anchor here, I stood away to the southward, to make +the main; but having many hard squalls and tornadoes, we were often +forced to hand all our sails and steer more easterly to go before it. On +the 26th at four o'clock it cleared up to a hard sky and a brisk settled +gale; then we made as much sail as we could. At five it cleared up over +the land, and we saw, as we thought, Cape Solomaswer bearing south-south- +east, distance ten leagues. We had many great logs and trees swimming by +us all this afternoon, and much grass; we steered in south-south-east +till six, then the wind slackened, and we stood off till seven, having +little wind; then we lay by till ten, at which time we made sail, and +steered away east all night. The next morning, as soon as it was light, +we made all the sail we could, and steered away east-south-east, as the +land lay, being fair in sight of it, and not above seven leagues' +distance. We passed by many small low woody islands which lay between us +and the main, not laid down in our drafts. We found variation 9 degrees +50 minutes east. + +The 28th we had many violent tornadoes, wind, rain, and some spouts, and +in the tornadoes the wind shifted. In the night we had fair weather, but +more lightning than we had seen at any time this voyage. This morning we +left a large high island on our larboard side, called in the Dutch drafts +Wishart's Isle, about six leagues from the main; and, seeing many smokes +upon the main, I therefore steered towards it. + +The mainland at this place is high and mountainous, adorned with tall, +flourishing trees; the sides of the hills had many large plantations and +patches of clear land, which, together with the smoke we saw, were +certain signs of its being well inhabited; and I was desirous to have +some commerce with the inhabitants. Being nigh shore, we saw first one +proa; a little after, two or three more, and at last a great many boats +came from all the adjacent bays. When they were forty-six in number they +approached so near us that we could see each other's signs and hear each +other speak, though we could not understand them, nor they us. They made +signs for us to go in towards the shore, pointing that way. It was +squally weather, which at first made me cautious of going too near; but +the weather beginning to look pretty well, I endeavoured to get into a +bay ahead of us, which we could have got into well enough at first; but +while we lay by, we were driven so far to leeward that now it was more +difficult to get in. The natives lay in their proas round us; to whom I +showed beads, knives, glasses, to allure them to come nearer. But they +would not come so nigh as to receive anything from us; therefore I threw +out some things to them, viz., a knife fastened to a piece of board, and +a glass bottle corked up with some beads in it, which they took up, and +seemed well pleased. They often struck their left breast with their +right hand, and as often held up a black truncheon over their heads, +which we thought was a token of friendship, wherefore we did the like. +And when we stood in towards their shore, they seemed to rejoice; but +when we stood off, they frowned, yet kept us company in their proas, +still pointing to the shore. About five o'clock we got within the mouth +of the bay, and sounded several times, but had no ground, though within a +mile of the shore. The basin of this bay was about two miles within us, +into which we might have gone; but as I was not assured of anchorage +there, so I thought it not prudent to run in at this time, it being near +night, and seeing a black tornado rising in the west, which I most +feared. Besides, we had near two hundred men in proas close by us; and +the bays on the shore were lined with men from one end to the other, +where there could not be less than three or four hundred more. What +weapons they had, we knew not, nor yet their design; therefore I had, at +their first coming near us, got up all our small arms, and made several +put on cartouch boxes, to prevent treachery. At last I resolved to go +out again; which, when the natives in their proas perceived, they began +to fling stones at us as fast as they could, being provided with engines +for that purpose, wherefore I named this place Slinger's Bay; but at the +firing of one gun they were all amazed, drew off, and flung no more +stones. They got together, as if consulting what to do; for they did not +make in towards the shore, but lay still, though some of them were killed +or wounded; and many more of them had paid for their boldness, but that I +was unwilling to cut off any of them, which, if I had done, I could not +hope afterwards to bring them to treat with me. + +The next day we sailed close by an island, where we saw many smokes, and +men in the bays, out of which came two or three canoes, taking much pains +to overtake us, but they could not, though we went with an easy sail, and +I could not now stay for them. As I passed by the south-east point I +sounded several times within a mile of the Sandy Bays, but had no ground. +About three leagues to the northward of the south-east point we opened a +large, deep bay, secured from west-north-west and south-west winds. There +were two other islands that lay to the north-east of it, which secured +the bay from north-east winds; one was but small, yet woody; the other +was a league long, inhabited, and full of cocoa-nut trees. I endeavoured +to get into this bay, but there came such flaws off from the high land +over it that I could not. Besides, we had many hard squalls, which +deterred me from it; and, night coming on, I would not run any hazard, +but bore away to the small inhabited island, to see if we could get +anchorage on the east side of it. When we came there we found the island +so narrow, that there could be no shelter; therefore I tacked and stood +towards the greater island again; and being more than midway between +both, I lay by, designing to endeavour for anchorage next morning. +Between seven and eight at night we spied a canoe close by us, and seeing +no more, suffered her to come aboard. She had three men in her, who +brought off five cocoa-nuts, for which I gave each of them a knife and a +string of beads, to encourage them to come off again in the morning: but +before these went away we saw two more canoes coming; therefore we stood +away to the northward from them, and then lay by again till day. We saw +no more boats this night, neither designed to suffer any to come aboard +in the dark. + +By nine o'clock the next morning we were got within a league of the great +island, but were kept off by violent gusts of wind. These squalls gave +us warning of their approach by the clouds which hung over the mountains, +and afterwards descended to the foot of them; and then it is we expect +them speedily. + +On the 3rd of March, being about five leagues to leeward of the great +island, we saw the mainland ahead, and another great high island to +leeward of us, distant about seven leagues, which we bore away for. It +is called in the Dutch drafts Garret Dennis Isle. It is about fourteen +or fifteen leagues round, high and mountainous, and very woody. Some +trees appeared very large and tall, and the bays by the seaside are well +stared with cocoa-nut trees, where we also saw some small houses. The +sides of the mountains are thickset with plantations, and the mould in +the new-cleared land seemed to be of a brown-reddish colour. This island +is of no regular figure, but is full of points shooting forth into the +sea, between which are many sandy bays, full of cocoa-nut trees. The +middle of the isle lies in 3 degrees 10 minutes south latitude. It is +very populous. The natives are very black, strong, and well-limbed +people, having great round heads, their hair naturally curled and short, +which they shave into several forms, and dye it also of divers +colours--viz., red, white, and yellow. They have broad round faces, with +great bottle-noses, yet agreeable enough till they disfigure them by +painting, and by wearing great things through their noses as big as a +man's thumb, and about four inches long. These are run clear through +both nostrils, one end coming out by one cheek-bone, and the other end +against the other; and their noses so stretched that only a small slip of +them appears about the ornament. They have also great holes in their +ears, wherein they wear such stuff as in their noses. They are very +dexterous, active fellows in their proas, which are very ingeniously +built. They are narrow and long, with outriggers on one side, the head +and stern higher than the rest, and carved into many devices--viz., some +fowl, fish, or a man's head painted or carved; and though it is but +rudely done, yet the resemblance appears plainly, and shows an ingenious +fancy. But with what instruments they make their proas or carved work I +know not, for they seem to be utterly ignorant of iron. They have very +neat paddles, with which they manage their proas dexterously, and make +great way through the water. Their weapons are chiefly lances, swords +and slings, and some bows and arrows. They have also wooden fish-spears +for striking fish. Those that came to assault us in Slinger's Bay on the +main are in all respects like these, and I believe these are alike +treacherous. Their speech is clear and distinct. The words they used +most when near us were _vacousee allamais_, and then they pointed to the +shore. Their signs of friendship are either a great truncheon, or bough +of a tree full of leaves, put on their heads, often striking their heads +with their hands. + +The next day, having a fresh gale of wind, we got under a high island, +about four or five leagues round, very woody, and full of plantations +upon the sides of the hills; and in the bays, by the waterside, are +abundance of cocoa-nut trees. It lies in the latitude of 3 degrees 25 +minutes south, and meridian distance from Cape Mabo 1,316 miles. On the +south-east part of it are three or four other small woody islands, one +high and peaked, the others low and flat, all bedecked with cocoa-nut +trees and other wood. On the north there is another island of an +indifferent height and of a somewhat larger circumference than the great +high island last mentioned. We passed between this and the high island. +The high island is called in the Dutch drafts Anthony Cave's Island. As +for the flat, low island, and the other small one, it is probable they +were never seen by the Dutch, nor the islands to the north of Garret +Dennis's Island. As soon as we came near Cave's Island some canoes came +about us, and made signs for us to come ashore, as all the rest had done +before, probably thinking we could run the ship aground anywhere, as they +did their proas, for we saw neither sail nor anchor among any of them, +though most Eastern Indians have both. These had proas made of one tree, +well dug, with outriggers on one side; they were but small, yet well +shaped. We endeavoured to anchor, but found no ground within a mile of +the shore. We kept close along the north side, still sounding till we +came to the north-east end, but found no ground, the canoes still +accompanying us, and the bays were covered with men going along as we +sailed. Many of them strove to swim off to us, but we left them astern. +Being at the north-east point, we found a strong current setting to the +north-west, so that though we had steered to keep under the high island, +yet we were driven towards the flat one. At this time three of the +natives came on board. I gave each of them a knife, a looking-glass, and +a string of beads. I showed them pumpkins and cocoa-nut shells, and made +signs to them to bring some aboard, and had presently three cocoa-nuts +out of one of the canoes. I showed them nutmegs, and by their signs I +guessed they had some on the island. I also showed them some gold dust, +which they seemed to know, and called out "Manneel, Manneel," and pointed +towards the land. A while after these men were gone, two or three canoes +came from the flat island, and by signs invited us to their island, at +which the others seemed displeased, and used very menacing gestures and, +I believe, speeches to each other. Night coming on, we stood off to sea, +and having but little wind all night, were driven away to the north-west. +We saw many great fires on the flat island. The last men that came off +to us were all black as those we had seen before, with frizzled hair. +They were very tall, lusty, well-shaped men. They wear great things in +their noses, and paint as the others, but not much. They make the same +signs of friendship, and their language seems to be one; but the others +had proas, and these canoes. On the sides of some of these we saw the +figures of several fish neatly cut, and these last were not so shy as the +others. + +Steering away from Cave's Island south-south-east, we found a strong +current against us, which set only in some places in streams, and in them +we saw many trees and logs of wood, which drove by us. We had but little +wood aboard; wherefore I hoisted out the pinnace, and sent her to take up +some of this driftwood. In a little time she came aboard with a great +tree in tow, which we could hardly hoist in with all our tackles. We cut +up the tree and split it for firewood. It was much worm-eaten, and had +in it some live worms above an inch long, and about the bigness of a +goose-quill, and having their heads crusted over with a thin shell. + +After this we passed by an island, called by the Dutch St. John's Island, +leaving it to the north of us. It is about nine or ten leagues round, +and very well adorned with lofty trees. We saw many plantations on the +sides of the hills, and abundance of cocoa-nut trees about them, as also +thick groves on the bays by the seaside. As we came near it three canoes +came off to us, but would not come aboard. They were such as we had seen +about the other islands. They spoke the same language, and made the same +signs of peace, and their canoes were such as at Cave's Island. + +We stood along by St. John's Island till we came almost to the south-east +point, and then, seeing no more islands to the eastward of us, nor any +likelihood of anchoring under this, I steered away for the main of New +Guinea, we being now, as I supposed, to the east of it, on this north +side. My design of seeing these islands as I passed along was to get +wood and water, but could find no anchor ground, and therefore could not +do as I purposed; besides, these islands are all so populous, that I +dared not send my boat ashore, unless I could have anchored pretty nigh; +wherefore I rather chose to prosecute my design on the main, the season +of the year being now at hand, for I judged the westerly winds were nigh +spent. + +On the 8th of March we saw some smoke on the main, being distant from it +four or five leagues. It is very high, woody land, with some spots of +savannah. About ten in the morning six or seven canoes came off to us. +Most of them had no more than one man in them. They were all black, with +short curled hair, having the same ornaments in their noses, and their +heads so shaved and painted, and speaking the same words as the +inhabitants of Cave's Island before mentioned. + +There was a headland to the southward of us, beyond which, seeing no +land, I supposed that from thence the land trends away more westerly. +This headland lies in the latitude of 5 degrees 2 minutes south, and +meridian distance from Cape Mabo 1,290 miles. In the night we lay by, +for fear of overshooting this headland, between which and Cape St. Manes +the land is high, mountainous and woody, having many points of land +shooting out into the sea, which make so many fine bays; the coast lies +north-north-east and south-south-west. + +The 9th, in the morning a huge black man came off to us in a canoe, but +would not come aboard. He made the same signs of friendship to us as the +rest we had met with; yet seemed to differ in his language, not using any +of those words which the others did. We saw neither smoke nor +plantations near this headland. We found here variation 1 degree east. + +In the afternoon, as we plied near the shore, three canoes came off to +us; one had four men in her, the others two apiece. That with the four +men came pretty nigh us, and showed us a cocoa-nut and water in a bamboo, +making signs that there was enough ashore where they lived; they pointed +to the place where they would have us go, and so went away. We saw a +small round pretty high island about a league to the north of this +headland, within which there was a large deep bay, whither the canoes +went; and we strove to get thither before night, but could not; wherefore +we stood off, and saw land to the westward of this headland, bearing west- +by-south-half-south distance about ten leagues, and, as we thought, still +more land bearing south-west-by-south, distance twelve or fourteen +leagues, but being clouded, it disappeared, and we thought we had been +deceived. Before night we opened the headland fair, and I named it Cape +St. George. The land from hence trends away west-north-west about ten +leagues, which is as far as we could see it; and the land that we saw to +the westward of it in the evening, which bore west-by-south-half-south, +was another point about ten leagues from Cape St. George; between which +there runs in a deep bay for twenty leagues or more. We saw some high +land in spots like islands, down in that bay at a great distance; but +whether they are islands, or the main closing there we know not. The +next morning we saw other land to the south-east of the westernmost +point, which till then was clouded; it was very high land, and the same +that we saw the day before, that disappeared in a cloud. This Cape St. +George lies in the latitude of 5 degrees 5 minutes south; and meridian +distance from Cape Mabo 1,290 miles. The island off this cape I called +St. George's Isle; and the bay between it and the west point I named St. +George's Bay. [Note:--No Dutch drafts go so far as this cape by ten +leagues.] On the 10th, in the evening, we got within a league of the +westernmost land seen, which is pretty high and very woody, but no +appearance of anchoring. I stood off again, designing, if possible, to +ply to and fro in this bay till I found a conveniency to wood and water. +We saw no more plantations nor cocoa-nut trees; yet in the night we +discerned a small fire right against us. The next morning we saw a +burning mountain in the country. It was round, high, and peaked at top, +as most volcanoes are, and sent forth a great quantity of smoke. We took +up a log of driftwood, and split it for firing; in which we found some +small fish. + +The day after we passed by the south-west cape of this bay, leaving it to +the north of us. When we were abreast of it I called my officers +together, and named it Cape Orford, in honour of my noble patron, +drinking his Lordship's health. This cape bears from Cape St. George +south-west about eighteen leagues. Between them there is a bay about +twenty-five leagues deep, having pretty high land all round it, +especially near the capes, though they themselves are not high. Cape +Orford lies in the latitude of 5 degrees 24 minutes south, by my +observation; and meridian distance from Cape St. George, forty-four miles +west. The land trends from this cape north-west by west into the bay, +and on the other side south-west per compass, which is south-west 9 +degrees west, allowing the variation, which is here 9 degrees east. The +land on each side of the cape is more savannah than woodland, and is +highest on the north-west side. The cape itself is a bluff-point, of an +indifferent height, with a flat tableland at top. When we were to the +south-west of the cape, it appeared to be a low point shooting out, which +you cannot see when abreast of it. This morning we struck a log of +driftwood with our turtle-irons, hoisted it in, and split it for +firewood. Afterwards we struck another, but could not get it in. There +were many fish about it. + +We steered along south-west as the land lies, keeping about six leagues +off the shore; and, being desirous to cut wood and fill water, if I saw +any conveniency, I lay by in the night, because I would not miss any +place proper for those ends, for fear of wanting such necessaries as we +could not live without. This coast is high and mountainous, and not so +thick with trees as that on the other side of Cape Orford. + +On the 14th, seeing a pretty deep bay ahead, and some islands where I +thought we might ride secure, we ran in towards the shore and saw some +smoke. At ten o'clock we saw a point which shot out pretty well into the +sea, with a bay within it, which promised fair for water; and we stood in +with a moderate gale. Being got into the bay within the point, we saw +many cocoa-nut-trees, plantations, and houses. When I came within four +or five miles of the shore, six small boats came off to view us, with +about forty men in them all. Perceiving that they only came to view us, +and would not come aboard, I made signs and waved to them to go ashore; +but they did not or would not understand me; therefore I whistled a shot +over their heads out of my fowling-piece, and then they pulled away for +the shore as hard as they could. These were no sooner ashore, than we +saw three boats coming from the islands to leeward of us, and they soon +came within call, for we lay becalmed. One of the boats had about forty +men in her, and was a large, well-built boat; the other two were but +small. Not long after, I saw another boat coming out of the bay where I +intended to go; she likewise was a large boat, with a high head and stern +painted, and full of men. This I thought came off to fight us, as it is +probable they all did; therefore I fired another small shot over the +great boat that was nigh us, which made them leave their babbling and +take to their paddles. We still lay becalmed; and therefore they, rowing +wide of us, directed their course towards the other great boat that was +coming off. When they were pretty near each other I caused the gunner to +fire a gun between them, which he did very dexterously; it was loaded +with round and partridge shot; the last dropped in the water somewhat +short of them, but the round shot went between both boats, and grazed +about one hundred yards beyond them. This so affrighted them that they +both rowed away for the shore as fast as they could, without coming near +each other; and the little boats made the best of their way after them. +And now, having a gentle breeze at south-south-east, we bore into the bay +after them. When we came by the point, I saw a great number of men +peeping from under the rocks: I ordered a shot to be fired close by, to +scare them. The shot grazed between us and the point, and, mounting +again, flew over the point, and grazed a second time just by them. We +were obliged to sail along close by the bays; and, seeing multitudes +sitting under the trees, I ordered a third gun to be fired among the +cocoa-nut-trees to scare them; for my business being to wood and water, I +thought it necessary to strike some terror into the inhabitants, who were +very numerous, and (by what I saw now, and had formerly experienced) +treacherous. After this I sent my boat to sound; they had first forty, +then thirty, and at last twenty fathom water. We followed the boat, and +came to anchor about a quarter of a mile from the shore, in twenty-six +fathom water, fine black sand and ooze. We rode right against the mouth +of a small river, where I hoped to find fresh water. Some of the natives +standing on a small point at the river's mouth, I sent a small shot over +their heads to frighten them, which it did effectually. In the afternoon +I sent my boat ashore to the natives who stood upon the point by the +river's mouth with a present of cocoa-nuts; when the boat was come near +the shore, they came running into the water, and put their nuts into the +boat. Then I made a signal for the boat to come aboard, and sent both it +and the yawl into the river to look for fresh water, ordering the pinnace +to lie near the river's mouth, while the yawl went up to search. In an +hour's time they returned aboard with some barrecoes full fresh of water; +which they had taken up about half a mile up the river. After which I +sent them again with casks, ordering one of them to fill water, and the +other to watch the motions of the natives, lest they should make any +opposition. But they did not, and so the boats returned a little before +sunset with a tun and a half of water; and the next day by noon brought +aboard about six tuns of water. + +I sent ashore commodities to purchase hogs, &c. being informed that the +natives have plenty of them, as also of yams and other good roots; but my +men returned without getting anything that I sent them for, the natives +being unwilling to trade with us. Yet they admired our hatchets and +axes, but would part with nothing but cocoa-nuts, which they used to +climb the trees for; and so soon as they gave them our men, they beckoned +to them to be gone, for they were much afraid of us. + +The 18th I sent both boats again for water, and before noon they had +filled all my casks. In the afternoon I sent them both to cut wood; but +seeing about forty natives standing on the bay at a small distance from +our men, I made a signal for them to come aboard again, which they did, +and brought me word that the men which we saw on the bay were passing +that way, but were afraid to come nigh them. At four o'clock I sent both +the boats again for more wood, and they returned in the evening. Then I +called my officers to consult whether it were convenient to stay here +longer, and endeavour a better acquaintance with these people, or go to +sea. My design of tarrying here longer was, if possible, to get some +hogs, goats, yams, or other roots, as also to get some knowledge of the +country and its product. My officers unanimously gave their opinions for +staying longer here. So the next day I sent both boats ashore again, to +fish and to cut more wood. While they were ashore about thirty or forty +men and women passed by them; they were a little afraid of our people at +first, but upon their making signs of friendship, they passed by quietly, +the men finely bedecked with feathers of divers colours about their +heads, and lances in their hands; the women had no ornament about them, +nor anything to cover their nakedness but a bunch of small green boughs +before and behind, stuck under a string which came round their waists. +They carried large baskets on their heads, full of yams. And this I have +observed amongst all the wild natives I have known, that they make their +women carry the burdens while the men walk before, without any other load +than their arms and ornaments. At noon our men came aboard with the wood +they had cut, and had caught but six fishes at four or five hauls of the +seine, though we saw abundance of fish leaping in the bay all the day +long. + +In the afternoon I sent the boats ashore for more wood; and some of our +men went to the natives' houses, and found they were now more shy than +they used to be, had taken down all the cocoa-nuts from the trees, and +driven away their hogs. Our people made signs to them to know what was +become of their hogs, &e. The natives pointing to some houses in the +bottom of the bay, and imitating the noise of those creatures, seemed to +intimate that there were both hogs and goats of several sizes, which they +expressed by holding their hands abroad at several distances from the +ground. + +At night our boats came aboard with wood, and the next morning I went +myself with both boats up the river to the watering-place, carrying with +me all such trifles and iron-work as I thought most proper to induce them +to a commerce with us; but I found them very shy and roguish. I saw but +two men and a boy. One of the men, by some signs, was persuaded to come +to the boat's side, where I was; to him I gave a knife, a string of +beads, and a glass bottle. The fellow called out, "Cocos, cocos," +pointing to a village hard by, and signified to us that he would go for +some; but he never returned to us: and thus they had frequently of late +served our men. I took eight or nine men with me, and marched to their +houses, which I found very mean, and their doors made fast with withies. + +I visited three of their villages, and, finding all the houses thus +abandoned by the inhabitants, who carried with them all their hogs, &c., +I brought out of their houses some small fishing-nets in recompense for +those things they had received of us. As we were coming away we saw two +of the natives; I showed them the things that we carried with us, and +called to them, "Cocos, cocos," to let them know that I took these things +because they had not made good what they had promised by their signs, and +by their calling out "Cocos." While I was thus employed the men in the +yawl filled two hogsheads of water, and all the barrecoes. About one in +the afternoon I came aboard, and found all my officers and men very +importunate to go to that bay where the hogs were said to be. I was loth +to yield to it, fearing they would deal too roughly with the natives. By +two o'clock in the afternoon many black clouds gathered over the land, +which I thought would deter them from their enterprise; but they +solicited me the more to let them go. At last I consented, sending those +commodities I had ashore with me in the morning, and giving them a strict +charge to deal by fair means, and to act cautiously for their own +security. The bay I sent them to was about two miles from the ship. As +soon as they were gone, I got all things ready, that, if I saw occasion, +I might assist them with my great guns. When they came to land, the +natives in great companies stood to resist them, shaking their lances, +and threatening them, and some were so daring as to wade into the sea, +holding a target in one hand and a lance in the other. Our men held up +to them such commodities as I had sent, and made signs of friendship, but +to no purpose, for the natives waved them off. Seeing, therefore, they +could not be prevailed upon to a friendly commerce, my men, being +resolved to have some provision among them, fired some muskets to scare +them away, which had the desired effect upon all but two or three, who +stood still in a menacing posture, till the boldest dropped his target +and ran away. They supposed he was shot in the arm; he and some others +felt the smart of our bullets, but none were killed, our design being +rather to frighten than to kill them. Our men landed, and found +abundance of tame hogs running among the houses. They shot down nine, +which they brought away, besides many that ran away wounded. They had +but little time, for in less than an hour after they went from the ship +it began to rain; wherefore they got what they could into the boats, for +I had charged them to come away if it rained. By the time the boat was +aboard and the hogs taken in it cleared up, and my men desired to make +another trip thither before night; this was about five in the evening, +and I consented, giving them orders to repair on board before night. In +the close of the evening they returned accordingly, with eight hogs more, +and a little live pig; and by this time the other hogs were jerked and +salted. These that came last we only dressed and corned till morning, +and then sent both boats ashore for more refreshments either of hogs or +roots; but in the night the natives had conveyed away their provisions of +all sorts. Many of them were now about the houses, and none offered to +resist our boats landing, but, on the contrary, were so amicable, that +one man brought ten or twelve cocoa-nuts, left them on the shore after he +had shown them to our men, and went out of sight. Our people, finding +nothing but nets and images, brought some of them away, which two of my +men brought aboard in a small canoe, and presently after my boats came +off. I ordered the boatswain to take care of the nets till we came at +some place where they might be disposed of for some refreshment for the +use of all the company. The images I took into my own custody. + +In the afternoon I sent the canoe to the place from whence she had been +brought, and in her two axes, two hatchets (one of them helved), six +knives, six looking-glasses, a large bunch of beads, and four glass +bottles. Our men drew the canoe ashore, placed the things to the best +advantage in her, and came off in the pinnace which I sent to guard them; +and now, being well-stocked with wood and all my water-casks full, I +resolved to sail the next morning. All the time of our stay here we had +very fair weather, only sometimes in the afternoon we had a shower of +rain, which lasted not above an hour at most; also some thunder and +lightning, with very little wind; we had sea and land breezes, the former +between the south-south-east, and the latter from north-east to north- +west. + +This place I named Port Montague in honour of my noble patron: it lies in +the latitude of 6 degrees 10 minutes south, and meridian distance from +Cape St. George 151 miles west. The country hereabouts is mountainous +and woody, full of rich valleys and pleasant fresh-water brooks. The +mould in the valleys is deep and yellowish, that on the sides of the hill +of a very brown colour, and not very deep, but rocky underneath, yet +excellent planting land. The trees in general are neither very straight, +thick, nor tall, yet appear green and pleasant enough; some of them bore +flowers, some berries, and others big fruits, but all unknown to any of +us; cocoa-nut trees thrive very well here, as well on the bays by the sea- +side, as more remote among the plantations; the nuts are of an +indifferent size, the milk and kernel very thick and pleasant. Here is +ginger, yams, and other very good roots for the pot, that our men saw and +tasted; what other fruits or roots the country affords I know not. Here +are hogs and dogs; other land animals we saw none. The fowls we saw and +knew were pigeons, parrots, cockatoos, and crows like those in England; a +sort of birds about the bigness of a blackbird, and smaller birds many. +The sea and rivers have plenty of fish; we saw abundance, though we +caught but few, and these were cavallies, yellow-tails, and whip-rays. + +We departed from hence on the 22nd of March, and on the 24th, in the +evening, we saw some high land bearing north-west half-west, to the west +of which we could see no land, though there appeared something like land +bearing west a little southerly, but not being sure of it, I steered west- +north-west all night, and kept going on with an easy sail, intending to +coast along the shore at a distance. At ten o'clock I saw a great fire +bearing north-west-by-west, blazing up in a pillar, sometimes very high +for three or four minutes, then falling quite down for an equal space of +time, sometimes hardly visible, till it blazed up again. I had laid me +down, having been indisposed these three days; but upon a sight of this, +my chief mate called me; I got up and viewed it for about half an hour, +and knew it to be a burning hill by its intervals: I charged them to look +well out, having bright moonlight. In the morning I found that the fire +we had seen the night before was a burning island, and steered for it. We +saw many other islands, one large high island, and another smaller but +pretty high. I stood near the volcano, and many small low islands, with +some shoals. + +March the 25th, 1700, in the evening we came within three leagues of this +burning hill, being at the same time two leagues from the main; I found a +good channel to pass between them, and kept nearer the main than the +island. At seven in the evening I sounded, and had fifty-two fathom fine +sand and ooze. I stood to the northward to get clear of this strait, +having but little wind and fair weather. The island all night vomited +fire and smoke very amazingly, and at every belch we heard a dreadful +noise like thunder, and saw a flame of fire after it the most terrifying +that ever I saw; the intervals between its belches were about half a +minute, some more, others less; neither were these pulses or eruptions +alike, for some were but faint convulsions, in comparison of the more +vigorous; yet even the weakest vented a great deal of fire; but the +largest made a roaring noise, and sent up a large flame, twenty or thirty +yards high; and then might be seen a great stream of fire running down to +the foot of the island, even to the shore. From the furrows made by this +descending fire, we could, in the day time, see great smoke arise, which +probably were made by the sulphurous matter thrown out of the funnel at +the top, which tumbling down to the bottom, and there lying in a heap, +burned till either consumed or extinguished; and as long as it burned and +kept its heat, so long the smoke ascended from it; which we perceived to +increase or decrease, according to the quantity of matter discharged from +the funnel: but the next night, being shot to the westward of the burning +island, and the funnel of it lying on the south side, we could not +discern the fire there, as we did the smoke in the day when we were to +the southward of it. This volcano lies in the latitude of 5 degrees 33 +minutes south, and meridian distance from Cape St. George, three hundred +and thirty-two miles west. + +The easternmost part of New Guinea lies forty miles to the westward of +this tract of land; and by hydrographers they are made joining together; +but here I found an opening and passage between, with many islands, the +largest of which lie on the north side of this passage or strait. The +channel is very good, between the islands and the land to the eastward. +The east part of New Guinea is high and mountainous, ending on the north- +east with a large promontory, which I named King William's Cape, in +honour of his present Majesty. We saw some smoke on it, and leaving it +on our larboard side, steered away near the east land, which ends with +two remarkable capes or heads, distant from each other about six or seven +leagues: within each head were two very remarkable mountains, ascending +very gradually from the sea-side, which afforded a very pleasant and +agreeable prospect. The mountains and the lower land were pleasantly +mixed with woodland and savannahs; the trees appeared very green and +flourishing, and the savannahs seemed to be very smooth and even; no +meadow in England appears more green in the spring than these. We saw +smoke, but did not strive to anchor here, but rather chose to get under +one of the islands (where I thought I should find few or no inhabitants), +that I might repair my pinnace, which was so crazy that I could not +venture ashore anywhere with her. As we stood over to the islands, we +looked out very well to the north, but could see no land that way; by +which I was well assured that we were got through, and that this east +land does not join to New Guinea; therefore I named it Nova Britannia. +The north-west cape I called Cape Gloucester, and the south-west-point +Cape Anne; and the north-west mountain, which is very remarkable, I +called Mount Gloucester. + +This island which I called Nova Britannia, has about 4 degrees of +latitude: the body of it lying in 4 degrees, and the northernmost part in +2 degrees 32 minutes, and the southernmost in 6 degrees 30 minutes south. +It has about 5 degrees 18 minutes longitude from east to west. It is +generally high mountainous land, mixed with large valleys, which, as well +as the mountains appeared very fertile; and in most places that we saw, +the trees are very large, tall and thick. It is also very well inhabited +with strong well-limbed negroes, whom we found very daring and bold at +several places. As to the product of it, I know no more than what I have +said in my account of Port Montague; but it is very probable this island +may afford as many rich commodities as any in the world: and the natives +may be easily brought to commerce, though I could not pretend to it under +my present circumstances. + +Being near the island to the northward of the volcano, I sent my boat to +sound, thinking to anchor here, but she returned and brought me word, +that they had no ground till they met with a reef of coral rocks about a +mile from the shore, then I bore away to the north side of the island, +where we found no anchoring neither. We saw several people, and some +cocoa-nut trees, but could not send ashore for want of my pinnace, which +was out of order. In the evening I stood off to sea, to be at such a +distance that I might not be driven by any current upon the shoals of +this island, if it should prove calm. We had but little wind, especially +the beginning of the night; but in the morning I found myself so far to +the west of the island, that the wind being at east-south-east, I could +not fetch it, wherefore I kept on to the southward, and stemmed with the +body of a high island about eleven or twelve leagues long, lying to the +southward of that which I before designed for. I named this island Sir +George Rook's Island. + +We also saw some other islands to the westward, which may be better seen +in my draft of these lands than here described; but seeing a very small +island lying to the north-west of the long island which was before us, +and not far from it. I steered away for that, hoping to find anchoring +there; and having but little wind, I sent my boat before to sound, which, +when we were about two miles' distance from the shore, came on board and +brought me word that there was good anchoring in thirty or forty fathom +water, a mile from the isle, and within a reef of the rocks which lay in +a half-moon, reaching from the north part of the island to the +south-east; so at noon we got in and anchored in thirty-six fathom, a +mile from the isle. + +In the afternoon I sent my boat ashore to the island, to see what +convenience there was to haul our vessel ashore in order to be mended, +and whether we could catch any fish. My men in the boat rowed about the +island, but could not land by reason of the rocks and a great surge +running in upon the shore. We found variation here, 8 degrees 25 minutes +west. + +I designed to have stayed among these islands till I got my pinnace +refitted; but having no more than one man who had skill to work upon her, +I saw she would be a long time in repairing (which was one great reason +why I could not prosecute my discoveries further); and the easterly winds +being set in, I found I should scarce be able to hold my ground. + +The 31st, in the forenoon, we shot in between two islands, lying about +four leagues asunder, with intention to pass between them. The +southernmost is a long island, with a high hill at each end; this I named +Long Island. The northernmost is a round high island towering up with +several heads or tops, something resembling a crown; this I named Crown +Isle from its form. Both these islands appeared very pleasant, having +spots of green savannahs mixed among the woodland: the trees appeared +very green and flourishing, and some of them looked white and full of +blossoms. We passed close by Crown Isle, saw many cocoa-nut trees on the +bays and sides of the hills; and one boat was coming off from the shore, +but returned again. We saw no smoke on either of the islands, neither +did we see any plantations, and it is probable they are not very well +peopled. We saw many shoals near Crown Island, and reefs of rocks +running off from the points a mile or more into the sea: my boat was once +overboard, with design to have sent her ashore, but having little wind, +and seeing some shoals, I hoisted her in again, and stood off out of +danger. + +In the afternoon, seeing an island bearing north-west-by-west, we steered +away north-west-by-north, to be to the northward of it. The next +morning, being about midway from the islands we left yesterday, and +having this to the westward of us, the land of the main of New Guinea +within us to the southward, appeared very high. When we came within four +or five leagues of this island to the west of us, four boats came off to +view us, one came within call, but returned with the other three without +speaking to us; so we kept on for the island, which I named Sir R. Rich's +Island. It was pretty high, woody, and mixed with savannahs like those +formerly mentioned. Being to the north of it, we saw an opening between +it and another island two leagues to the west of it, which before +appeared all in one. The main seemed to be high land, trending to the +westward. + +On Tuesday, the 2nd of April, about eight in the morning, we discovered a +high-peaked island to the westward, which seemed to smoke at its top: the +next day we passed by the north side of the Burning Island, and saw smoke +again at its top, but the vent lying on the south side of the peak, we +could not observe it distinctly, nor see the fire. We afterwards opened +three more islands, and some land to the southward, which we could not +well tell whether it were islands or part of the main. These islands are +all high, full of fair trees and spots of great savannahs, as well the +Burning Isle as the rest; but the Burning Isle was more round and peaked +at top, very fine land near the sea, and for two-thirds up it: we also +saw another isle sending forth a great smoke at once, but it soon +vanished, and we saw it no more; we saw also among these islands three +small vessels with sails, which the people of Nova Britannia seem wholly +ignorant of. + +The 11th, at noon, having a very good observation, I found myself to the +northward of my reckoning, and thence concluded that we had a current +setting north-west, or rather more westerly, as the land lies. From that +time to the next morning we had fair clear weather, and a fine moderate +gale from south-east to east-by-north: but at daybreak the clouds began +to fly, and it lightened very much in the east, south-east, and north- +east. At sun-rising, the sky looked very red in the east near the +horizon, and there were many black clouds both to the south and north of +it. About a quarter of an hour after the sun was up, there was a squall +to the windward of us; when on sudden one of our men on the forecastle +called out that he saw something astern, but could not tell what: I +looked out for it, and immediately saw a spout beginning to work within a +quarter of a mile of us, exactly in the wind: we presently put right +before it. It came very swiftly, whirling the water up in a pillar about +six or seven yards high. As yet I could not see any pendulous cloud, +from whence it might come, and was in hopes it would soon lose its force. +In four or five minutes' time it came within a cable's length of us, and +passed away to leeward, and then I saw a long pale stream coming down to +the whirling water. This stream was about the bigness of a rainbow: the +upper end seemed vastly high, not descending from any dark cloud, and +therefore the more strange to me, I never having seen the like before. It +passed about a mile to leeward of us, and then broke. This was but a +small spout, not strong nor lasting; yet I perceived much wind in it as +it passed by us. The current still continued at north-west a little +westerly, which I allowed to run a mile per hour. + +By an observation the 13th, at noon, I found myself 25 minutes to the +northward of my reckoning; whether occasioned by bad steerage, a bad +account, or a current, I could not determine; but was apt to judge it +might be a complication of all; for I could not think it was wholly the +current, the land here lying east-by-south, and west-by-north, or a +little more northerly and southerly. We had kept so nigh as to see it, +and at farthest had not been above twenty leagues from it, but sometimes +much nearer; and it is not probable that any current should set directly +off from a land. A tide indeed may; but then the flood has the same +force to strike in upon the shore, as the ebb to strike off from it: but +a current must have set nearly along shore, either easterly or westerly; +and if anything northerly or southerly, it could be but very little in +comparison of its east or west course, on a coast lying as this doth; +which yet we did not perceive. If therefore we were deceived by a +current, it is very probable that the land is here disjoined, and that +there is a passage through to the southward, and that the land from King +William's Cape to this place is an island, separated from New Guinea by +some strait, as Nova Britannia is by that which we came through. But +this being at best but a probable conjecture, I shall insist no farther +upon it. + +The 14th we passed by Scouten's Island, and Providence Island, and found +still a very strong current setting to the north-west. On the 17th we +saw a high mountain on the main, that sent forth great quantities of +smoke from its top: this volcano we did not see in our voyage out. In +the afternoon we discovered King William's Island, and crowded all the +sail we could to get near it before night, thinking to lie to the +eastward of it till day, for fear of some shoals that lie at the west end +of it. Before night we got within two leagues of it, and having a fine +gale of wind and a light moon, I resolved to pass through in the night, +which I hoped to do before twelve o'clock, if the gale continued; but +when we came within two miles of it, it fell calm: yet afterwards by the +help of the current, a small gale, and our boat, we got through before +day. In the night we had a very fragrant smell from the island. By +morning light we were got two leagues to the westward of it; and then +were becalmed all the morning; and met such whirling tides, that when we +came into them, the ship turned quite round: and though sometimes we had +a small gale of wind, yet she could not feel the helm when she came into +these whirlpools: neither could we get from amongst them, till a brisk +gale sprang up: yet we drove not much any way, but whirled round like a +top. And those whirlpools were not constant to one place but drove about +strangely: and sometimes we saw among them large ripplings of the water, +like great over-falls making a fearful noise. I sent my boat to sound, +but found no ground. + +The 18th Cape Mabo bore south, distance nine leagues; by which account it +lies in the latitude of 50 minutes south, and meridian distance from Cape +St. George one thousand two hundred and forty-three miles. St. John's +Isle lies forty-eight miles to the east of Cape St. George; which being +added to the distance between Cape St. George and Cape Mabo, makes one +thousand two hundred and ninety-one meridional parts; which was the +furthest that I was to the east. In my outward-bound voyage I made +meridian distance between Cape Mabo and Cape St. George, one thousand two +hundred and ninety miles; and now in my return, but one thousand two +hundred and forty-three; which is forty-seven short of my distance going +out. This difference may probably be occasioned by the strong western +current which we found in our return, which I allowed for after I +perceived it; and though we did not discern any current when we went to +the eastward, except when near the islands, yet it is probable we had one +against us, though we did not take notice of it because of the strong +easterly winds. King William's Island lies in the latitude of 21 minutes +south, and may be seen distinctly off Cape Mabo. + +In the evening we passed by Cape Mabo; and afterwards steered away south- +east half-east, keeping along the shore, which here trends +south-easterly. The next morning, seeing a large opening in the land, +with an island near the south side; I stood in, thinking to anchor there. +When we were shot in within two leagues of the island, the wind came to +the west, which blows right into the opening. I stood to the north +shore, intending, when I came pretty nigh, to send my boat into the +opening and sound, before I would venture in. We found several deep +bays, but no soundings within two miles of the shore; therefore I stood +off again, then seeing a rippling under our lee, I sent my boat to sound +on it; which returned in half an hour, and brought me word that the +rippling we saw was only a tide, and that they had no ground there. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES*** + + +******* This file should be named 2660.txt or 2660.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/6/6/2660 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +This etext was prepared by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk, +from the 1886 Cassell & Company edition. + + + + + +EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES + +by John Pinkerton + + + + +Contents: + +Introduction +Pelsart +Tasman +Dampier + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + + +In the days of Plato, imagination found its way, before the +mariners, to a new world across the Atlantic, and fabled an Atlantis +where America now stands. In the days of Francis Bacon, imagination +of the English found its way to the great Southern Continent before +the Portuguese or Dutch sailors had sight of it, and it was the home +of those wise students of God and nature to whom Bacon gave his New +Atlantis. The discoveries of America date from the close of the +fifteenth century. The discoveries of Australia date only from the +beginning of the seventeenth. The discoveries of the Dutch were +little known in England before the time of Dampier's voyage, at the +close of the seventeenth century, with which this volume ends. The +name of New Holland, first given by the Dutch to the land they +discovered on the north-west coast, then extended to the continent +and was since changed to Australia. + +During the eighteenth century exploration was continued by the +English. The good report of Captain Cook caused the first British +settlement to be made at Port Jackson, in 1788, not quite a hundred +years ago, and the foundations were then laid of the settlement of +New South Wales, or Sydney. It was at first a penal colony, and its +Botany Bay was a name of terror to offenders. Western Australia, or +Swan River, was first settled as a free colony in 1829, but +afterwards used also as a penal settlement; South Australia, which +has Adelaide for its capital, was first established in 1834, and +colonised in 1836; Victoria, with Melbourne for its capital, known +until 1851 as the Port Philip District, and a dependency of New +South Wales, was first colonised in 1835. It received in 1851 its +present name. Queensland, formerly known as the Moreton Bay +District, was established as late as 1859. A settlement of North +Australia was tried in 1838, and has since been abandoned. On the +other side of Bass's Straits, the island of Van Diemen's Land, was +named Tasmania, and established as a penal colony in 1803. + +Advance, Australia! The scattered handfuls of people have become a +nation, one with us in race, and character, and worthiness of aim. +These little volumes will, in course of time, include many aids to a +knowledge of the shaping of the nations. There will be later +records of Australia than these which tell of the old Dutch +explorers, and of the first real awakening of England to a knowledge +of Australia by Dampier's voyage. + +The great Australian continent is 2,500 miles long from east to +west, and 1,960 miles in its greatest breadth. Its climates are +therefore various. The northern half lies chiefly within the +tropics, and at Melbourne snow is seldom seen except upon the hills. +The separation of Australia by wide seas from Europe, Asia, Africa, +and America, gives it animals and plants peculiarly its own. It has +been said that of 5,710 plants discovered, 5,440 are peculiar to +that continent. The kangaroo also is proper to Australia, and there +are other animals of like kind. Of 58 species of quadruped found in +Australia, 46 were peculiar to it. Sheep and cattle that abound +there now were introduced from Europe. From eight merino sheep +introduced in 1793 by a settler named McArthur, there has been +multiplication into millions, and the food-store of the Old World +begins to be replenished by Australian mutton. + +The unexplored interior has given a happy hunting-ground to satisfy +the British spirit of adventure and research; but large waterless +tracts, that baffle man's ingenuity, have put man's powers of +endurance to sore trial. + +The mountains of Australia are all of the oldest rocks, in which +there are either no fossil traces of past life, or the traces are of +life in the most ancient forms. Resemblance of the Australian +cordilleras to the Ural range, which he had especially been +studying, caused Sir Roderick Murchison, in 1844, to predict that +gold would be found in Australia. The first finding of gold--the +beginning of the history of the Australian gold-fields--was in +February, 1851, near Bathurst and Wellington, and to-day looks back +to the morning of yesterday in the name of Ophir, given to the +Bathurst gold-diggings. + +Gold, wool, mutton, wine, fruits, and what more Australia can now +add to the commonwealth of the English-speaking people, Englishmen +at home have been learning this year in the great Indian and +Colonial Exhibition, which is to stand always as evidence of the +numerous resources of the Empire, as aid to the full knowledge of +them, and through that to their wide diffusion. We are a long way +now from the wrecked ship of Captain Francis Pelsart, with which the +histories in this volume begin. + +John Pinkerton was born at Edinburgh in February, 1758, and died in +Paris in March, 1826, aged sixty-eight. He was the best classical +scholar at the Lanark grammar school; but his father, refusing to +send him to a university, bound him to Scottish law. He had a +strong will, fortified in some respects by a weak judgment. He +wrote clever verse; at the age of twenty-two he went to London to +support himself by literature, began by publishing "Rimes" of his +own, and then Scottish Ballads, all issued as ancient, but of which +he afterwards admitted that fourteen out of the seventy-three were +wholly written by himself. John Pinkerton, whom Sir Walter Scott +described as "a man of considerable learning, and some severity as +well as acuteness of disposition," made clear conscience on the +matter in 1786, when he published two volumes of genuine old +Scottish Poems from the MS. collections of Sir Richard Maitland. He +had added to his credit as an antiquary by an Essay on Medals, and +then applied his studies to ancient Scottish History, producing +learned books, in which he bitterly abused the Celts. It was in +1802 that Pinkerton left England for Paris, where he supported +himself by indefatigable industry as a writer during the last +twenty-four years of his life. One of the most useful of his many +works was that General Collection of the best and most interesting +Voyages and Travels of the World, which appeared in seventeen quarto +volumes, with maps and engravings, in the years 1808-1814. +Pinkerton abridged and digested most of the travellers' records +given in this series, but always studied to retain the travellers' +own words, and his occasional comments have a value of their own. + +H.M. + + + +EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. +VOYAGE OF FRANCIS PELSART TO AUSTRALASIA. +1628-29. + + + +It has appeared very strange to some very able judges of voyages, +that the Dutch should make so great account of the southern +countries as to cause the map of them to be laid down in the +pavement of the Stadt House at Amsterdam, and yet publish no +descriptions of them. This mystery was a good deal heightened by +one of the ships that first touched on Carpenter's Land, bringing +home a considerable quantity of gold, spices, and other rich goods; +in order to clear up which, it was said that these were not the +product of the country, but were fished out of the wreck of a large +ship that had been lost upon the coast. But this story did not +satisfy the inquisitive, because not attended with circumstances +necessary to establish its credit; and therefore they suggested +that, instead of taking away the obscurity by relating the truth, +this story was invented in order to hide it more effectually. This +suspicion gained ground the more when it was known that the Dutch +East India Company from Batavia had made some attempts to conquer a +part of the Southern continent, and had been repulsed with loss, of +which, however, we have no distinct or perfect relation, and all +that hath hitherto been collected in reference to this subject, may +be reduced to two voyages. All that we know concerning the +following piece is, that it was collected from the Dutch journal of +the voyage, and having said thus much by way of introduction, we now +proceed to the translation of this short history. + +The directors of the East India Company, animated by the return of +five ships, under General Carpenter, richly laden, caused, the very +same year, 1628, eleven vessels to be equipped for the same voyage; +amongst which there was one ship called the Batavia, commanded by +Captain Francis Pelsart. They sailed out of the Texel on the 28th +of October, 1628; and as it would be tedious and troublesome to the +reader to set down a long account of things perfectly well known, I +shall say nothing of the occurrences that happened in their passage +to the Cape of Good Hope; but content myself with observing that on +the 4th of June, in the following year 1629, this vessel, the +Batavia, being separated from the fleet in a storm, was driven on +the Abrollos or shoals, which lie in the latitude of 28 degrees +south, and which have been since called by the Dutch, the Abrollos +of Frederic Houtman. Captain Pelsart, who was sick in bed when this +accident happened, perceiving that his ship had struck, ran +immediately upon deck. It was night indeed; but the weather was +fair, and the moon shone very bright; the sails were up; the course +they steered was north-east by north, and the sea appeared as far as +they could behold it covered with a white froth. The captain called +up the master and charged him with the loss of the ship, who excused +himself by saying he had taken all the care he could; and that +having discerned this froth at a distance, he asked the steersman +what he thought of it, who told him that the sea appeared white by +its reflecting the rays of the moon. The captain then asked him +what was to be done, and in what part of the world he thought they +were. The master replied, that God only knew that; and that the +ship was fast on a bank hitherto undiscovered. Upon this they began +to throw the lead, and found that they had forty-eight feet of water +before, and much less behind the vessel. The crew immediately +agreed to throw their cannon overboard, in hopes that when the ship +was lightened she might be brought to float again. They let fall an +anchor however; and while they were thus employed, a most dreadful +storm arose of wind and rain; which soon convinced them of the +danger they were in; for being surrounded with rocks and shoals, the +ship was continually striking. + +They then resolved to cut away the main-mast, which they did, and +this augmented the shock, neither could they get clear of it, though +they cut it close by the board, because it was much entangled within +the rigging; they could see no land except an island which was about +the distance of three leagues, and two smaller islands, or rather +rocks, which lay nearer. They immediately sent the master to +examine them, who returned about nine in the morning, and reported +that the sea at high water did not cover them, but that the coast +was so rocky and full of shoals that it would be very difficult to +land upon them; they resolved, however, to run the risk, and to send +most of their company on shore to pacify the women, children, sick +people, and such as were out of their wits with fear, whose cries +and noise served only to disturb them. About ten o'clock they +embarked these in their shallop and skiff, and, perceiving their +vessel began to break, they doubled their diligence; they likewise +endeavoured to get their bread up, but they did not take the same +care of the water, not reflecting in their fright that they might be +much distressed for want of it on shore; and what hindered them most +of all was the brutal behaviour of some of the crew that made +themselves drunk with wine, of which no care was taken. In short, +such was their confusion that they made but three trips that day, +carrying over to the island 180 persons, twenty barrels of bread, +and some small casks of water. The master returned on board towards +evening, and told the captain that it was to no purpose to send more +provisions on shore, since the people only wasted those they had +already. Upon this the captain went in the shallop, to put things +in better order, and was then informed that there was no water to be +found upon the island; he endeavoured to return to the ship in order +to bring off a supply, together with the most valuable part of their +cargo, but a storm suddenly arising, he was forced to return. + +The next day was spent in removing their water and most valuable +goods on shore; and afterwards the captain in the skiff, and the +master in the shallop, endeavoured to return to the vessel, but +found the sea run so high that it was impossible to get on board. +In this extremity the carpenter threw himself out of the ship, and +swam to them, in order to inform them to what hardships those left +in the vessel were reduced, and they sent him back with orders for +them to make rafts, by tying the planks together, and endeavour on +these to reach the shallop and skiff; but before this could be done, +the weather became so rough that the captain was obliged to return, +leaving, with the utmost grief, his lieutenant and seventy men on +the very point of perishing on board the vessel. Those who were got +on the little island were not in a much better condition, for, upon +taking an account of their water, they found they had not above 40 +gallons for 40 people, and on the larger island, where there were +120, their stock was still less. Those on the little island began +to murmur, and to complain of their officers, because they did not +go in search of water, in the islands that were within sight of +them, and they represented the necessity of this to Captain Pelsart, +who agreed to their request, but insisted before he went to +communicate his design to the rest of the people; they consented to +this, but not till the captain had declared that, without the +consent of the company on the large is land, he would, rather than +leave them, go and perish on board the ship. When they were got +pretty near the shore, he who commanded the boat told the captain +that if he had anything to say, he must cry out to the people, for +that they would not suffer him to go out of the boat. The captain +immediately attempted to throw himself overboard in order to swim to +the island. Those who were in the boat prevented him; and all that +he could obtain from them was, to throw on shore his table-book, in +which line wrote a line or two to inform them that he was gone in +the skiff to look for water in the adjacent islands. + +He accordingly coasted them all with the greatest care, and found in +most of them considerable quantities of water in the holes of the +rocks, but so mixed with the sea-water that it was unfit for use; +and therefore they were obliged to go farther. The first thing they +did was to make a deck to their boat, because they found it was +impracticable to navigate those seas in an open vessel. Some of the +crew joined them by the time the work was finished; and the captain +having obtained a paper, signed by all his men, importing that it +was their desire that he should go in search of water, he +immediately put to sea, having first taken an observation by which +he found they were in the latitude of 28 degrees 13 minutes south. +They had not been long at sea before they had sight of the +continent, which appeared to them to lie about sixteen miles north +by west from the place they had suffered shipwreck. They found +about twenty-five or thirty fathoms water; and as night drew on, +they kept out to sea; and after midnight stood in for the land, that +they might be near the coast in the morning. On the 9th of June +they found themselves as they reckoned, about three miles from the +shore; on which they plied all that day, sailing sometimes north, +sometimes west; the country appearing low, naked, and the coast +excessively rocky; so that they thought it resembled the country +near Dover. At last they saw a little creek, into which they were +willing to put, because it appeared to have a sandy bottom; but when +they attempted to enter it, the sea ran so high that they were +forced to desist. + +On the 10th they remained on the same coast, plying to and again, as +they had done the day before; but the weather growing worse and +worse, they were obliged to abandon their shallop, and even throw +part of their breath overboard, because it hindered them from +clearing themselves of the water, which their vessel began to make +very fast. That night it rained most terribly, which, though it +gave them much trouble, afforded them hopes that it would prove a +great relief to the people they had left behind them on the islands. +The wind began to sink on the 11th; and as it blew from the west- +south-west, they continued their course to the north, the sea +running still so high that it was impossible to approach the shore. +On the 12th, they had an observation, by which they found themselves +in the latitude of 27 degrees; they sailed with a south-east wind +all that day along the coast, which they found so steep that there +was no getting on shore, inasmuch as there was no creek or low land +without the rocks, as is commonly observed on seacoasts; which gave +them the more pain because within land the country appeared very +fruitful and pleasant. They found themselves on the 13th in the +latitude of 25 degrees 40 minutes; by which they discovered that the +current set to the north. They were at this time over against an +opening; the coast lying to the north-east, they continued a north +course, but found the coast one continued rock of red colour all of +a height, against which the waves broke with such force that it was +impossible for them to land. + +The wind blew very fresh in the morning on the 14th, but towards +noon it fell calm; they were then in the height of 24 degrees, with +a small gale at east, but the tide still carried them further north +than they desired, because their design was to make a descent as +soon as possible; and with this view they sailed slowly along the +coast, till, perceiving a great deal of smoke at a distance, they +rowed towards it as fast as they were able, in hopes of finding men, +and water, of course. When they came near the shore, they found it +so steep, so full of rocks, and the sea beating over them with such +fury, that it was impossible to land. Six of the men, however, +trusting to their skill in swimming, threw themselves into the sea +and resolved to get on shore at any rate, which with great +difficulty and danger they at last effected, the boat remaining at +anchor in twenty-five fathoms water. The men on shore spent the +whole day in looking for water; and while they were thus employed, +they saw four men, who came up very near; but one of the Dutch +sailors advancing towards them, they immediately ran away as fast as +they were able, so that they were distinctly seen by those in the +boat. These people were black savages, quite naked, not having so +much as any covering about their middle. The sailors, finding no +hopes of water on all the coast, swam on board again, much hurt and +wounded by their being beat by the waves upon the rocks; and as soon +as they were on board, they weighed anchor, and continued their +course along the shore, in hopes of finding some better landing- +place. + +On the 25th, in the morning, they discovered a cape, from the point +of which there ran a ridge of rocks a mile into the sea, and behind +it another ridge of rocks. They ventured between them, as the sea +was pretty calm; but finding there was no passage, they soon +returned. About noon they saw another opening, and the sea being +still very smooth, they entered it, though the passage was very +dangerous, inasmuch as they had but two feet water, and the bottom +full of stones, the coast appearing a flat sand for about a mile. +As soon as they got on shore they fell to digging in the sand, but +the water that came into their wells was so brackish that they could +not drink it, though they were on the very point of choking for +thirst. At last, in the hollows of the rocks, they met with +considerable quantities of rain-water, which was a great relief to +them, since they had been for some days at no better allowance than +a pint a-piece. They soon furnished themselves in the night with +about eighty gallons, perceiving, in the place where they landed, +that the savages had been there lately, by a large heap of ashes and +the remains of some cray-fish. + +On the 16th, in the morning, they returned on shore, in hopes of +getting more water, but were disappointed; and having now time to +observe the country, it gave them no great hopes of better success, +even if they had travelled farther within land, which appeared a +thirsty, barren plain, covered with ant-hills, so high that they +looked afar off like the huts of negroes; and at the same time they +were plagued with flies, and those in such multitudes that they were +scarce able to defend themselves. They saw at a distance eight +savages, with each a staff in his hand, who advanced towards them +within musket-shot; but as soon as they perceived the Dutch sailors +moving towards them, they fled as fast as they were able. It was by +this time about noon, and, perceiving no appearance either of +getting water, or entering into any correspondence with the natives, +they resolved to go on board and continue their course towards the +north, in hopes, as they were already in the latitude of 22 degrees +17 minutes, they might be able to find the river of Jacob +Remmescens; but the wind veering about to the north-east, they were +not able to continue longer upon that coast, and therefore +reflecting that they were now above one hundred miles from the place +where they were shipwrecked, and had scarce as much water as would +serve them in their passage back, they came to a settled resolution +of making the best of their way to Batavia, in order to acquaint the +Governor-General with their misfortunes, and to obtain such +assistance as was necessary to get their people off the coast. + +On the 17th they continued their course to the north-east, with a +good wind and fair weather; the 18th and 19th it blew hard, and they +had much rain; on the 20th they found themselves in 19 degrees 22 +minutes; on the 22nd they had another observation, and found +themselves in the height of 16 degrees 10 minutes, which surprised +them very much, and was a plain proof that the current carried them +northwards at a great rate; on the 27th it rained very hard, so that +they were not able to take an observation; but towards noon they +saw, to their great satisfaction, the coasts of Java, in the +latitude of 8 degrees, at the distance of about four or five miles. +They altered their course to west-north-west, and towards evening +entered the gulf of an island very full of trees, where they +anchored in eight fathoms water, and there passed the night; on the +28th, in the morning, they weighed, and rowed with all their force, +in order to make the land, that they might search for water, being +now again at the point of perishing for thirst. Very happily for +them, they were no sooner on shore than they discovered a fine +rivulet at a small distance, where, having comfortably quenched +their thirst, and filled all their casks with water, they about noon +continued their course for Batavia. + +On the 29th, about midnight, in the second watch, they discovered an +island, which they left on their starboard. About noon they found +themselves in the height of 6 degrees 48 minutes. About three in +the afternoon they passed between two islands, the westernmost of +which appeared full of cocoa trees. In the evening they were about +a mile from the south point of Java, and in the second watch exactly +between Java and the Isle of Princes. The 30th, in the morning, +they found themselves on the coast of the last-mentioned island, not +being able to make above two miles that day. On July 1st the +weather was calm, and about noon they were three leagues from +Dwaersindenwegh, that is, Thwart-the-way Island; but towards the +evening they had a pretty brisk wind at north-west, which enabled +them to gain that coast. On the 2nd, in the morning, they were +right against the island of Topershoetien, and were obliged to lie +at anchor till eleven o'clock, waiting for the sea-breeze, which, +however, blew so faintly that they were not able to make above two +miles that day. About sunset they perceived a vessel between them +and Thwart-the-way Island, upon which they resolved to anchor as +near the shore as they could that night, and there wait the arrival +of the ship. In the morning they went on board her, in hopes of +procuring arms for their defence, in case the inhabitants of Java +were at war with the Dutch. They found two other ships in company, +on board one of which was Mr. Ramburg, counsellor of the Indies. +Captain Pelsart went immediately on board his ship, where he +acquainted him with the nature of his misfortune, and went with him +afterwards to Batavia. + +We will now leave the captain soliciting succours from the Governor- +General, in order to return to the crew who were left upon the +islands, among whom there happened such transactions as, in their +condition, the reader would little expect, and perhaps will hardly +credit! In order to their being thoroughly understood, it is +necessary to observe that they had for supercargo one Jerom +Cornelis, who had been formerly an apothecary at Harlem. This man, +when they were on the coast of Africa, had plotted with the pilot +and some others to run away with the vessel, and either to carry her +into Dunkirk, or to turn pirates in her on their own account. This +supercargo had remained ten days on board the wreck, not being able +in all that time to get on shore. Two whole days he spent on the +mainmast, floating to and fro, till at last, by the help of one of +the yards, he got to land. When he was once on shore, the command, +in the absence of Captain Pelsart, devolved of course upon him, +which immediately revived in his mind his old design, insomuch that +he resolved to lay hold of this opportunity to make himself master +of all that could be saved out of the wreck, conceiving that it +would be easy to surprise the captain on his return, and determining +to go on the account--that is to say, to turn pirate in the +captain's vessel. In order to carry this design into execution, he +thought necessary to rid themselves of such of the crew as were not +like to come into their scheme; but before he proceeded to dip his +hands in blood, he obliged all the conspirators to sign an +instrument, by which they engaged to stand by each other. + +The whole ship's company were on shore in three islands, the +greatest part of them in that where Cornelis was, which island they +thought fit to call the burying-place of Batavia. One Mr. Weybhays +was sent with another body into an adjacent island to look for +water, which, after twenty days' search, he found, and made the +appointed signal by lighting three fires, which, however, were not +seen nor taken notice of by those under the command of Cornelis, +because they were busy in butchering their companions, of whom they +had murdered between thirty and forty; but some few, however, got +off upon a raft of planks tied together, and went to the island +where Mr. Weybhays was, in order to acquaint him with the dreadful +accident that had happened. Mr. Weybhays having with him forty-five +men, they all resolved to stand upon their guard, and to defend +themselves to the last man, in case these villains should attack +them. This indeed was their design, for they were apprehensive both +of this body, and of those who were on the third island, giving +notice to the captain on his return, and thereby preventing their +intention of running away with his vessel. But as this third +company was by much the weakest, they began with them first, and cut +them all off, except five women and seven children, not in the least +doubting that they should be able to do as much by Weybhays and his +company. In the meantime, having broke open the merchant's chests, +which had been saved out of the wreck, they converted them to their +own use without ceremony. + +The traitor, Jerom Cornelis, was so much elevated with the success +that had hitherto attended his villainy, that he immediately began +to fancy all difficulties were over, and gave a loose to his vicious +inclinations in every respect. He ordered clothes to be made of +rich stuffs that had been saved, for himself and his troop, and +having chosen out of them a company of guards, he ordered them to +have scarlet coats, with a double lace of gold or silver. There +were two minister's daughters among the women, one of whom he took +for his own mistress, gave the second to a favourite of his, and +ordered that the other three women should be common to the whole +troop. He afterwards drew up a set of regulations, which were to be +the laws of his new principality, taking to himself the style and +title of Captain-General, and obliging his party to sign an act, or +instrument, by which they acknowledged him as such. These points +once settled, he resolved to carry on the war. He first of all +embarked on board two shallops twenty-two men, well armed, with +orders to destroy Mr. Weybhays and his company; and on their +miscarrying, he undertook a like expedition with thirty-seven men, +in which, however, he had no better success; for Mr. Weybhays, with +his people, though armed only with staves with nails drove into +their heads, advanced even into the water to meet them, and after a +brisk engagement compelled these murderers to retire. + +Cornelis then thought fit to enter into a negotiation, which was +managed by the chaplain, who remained with Mr. Weybhays, and after +several comings and goings from one party to the other, a treaty was +concluded upon the following terms--viz., That Mr. Weybhays and his +company should for the future remain undisturbed, provided they +delivered up a little boat, in which one of the sailors had made his +escape from the island in which Cornelis was with his gang, in order +to take shelter on that where Weybhays was with his company. It was +also agreed that the latter should have a part of the stuffs and +silks given them for clothes, of which they stood in great want. +But, while this affair was in agitation, Cornelis took the +opportunity of the correspondence between them being restored, to +write letters to some French soldiers that were in Weybhays's +company, promising them six thousand livres apiece if they would +comply with his demands, not doubting but by this artifice he should +be able to accomplish his end. + +His letters, however, had no effect; on the contrary, the soldiers +to whom they were directed carried them immediately to Mr. Weybhays. +Cornelis, not knowing that this piece of treachery was discovered, +went over the next morning, with three or four of his people, to +carry to Mr. Weybhays the clothes that had been promised him. As +soon as they landed, Weybhays attacked them, killed two or three, +and made Cornelis himself prisoner. One Wonterloss, who was the +only man that made his escape, went immediately back to the +conspirators, put himself at their head, and came the next day to +attack Weybhays, but met with the same fate as before--that is to +say, he and the villains that were with him were soundly beat. + +Things were in this situation when Captain Pelsart arrived in the +Sardam frigate. He sailed up to the wreck, and saw with great joy a +cloud of smoke ascending from one of the islands, by which he knew +that all his people were not dead. He came immediately to an +anchor, and having ordered some wine and provisions to be put into +the skiff, resolved to go in person with these refreshments to one +of these islands. He had hardly quitted the ship before he was +boarded by a boat from the island to which he was going. There were +four men in the boat, of whom Weybhays was one, who immediately ran +to the captain, told him what had happened, and begged him to return +to his ship immediately, for that the conspirators intended to +surprise her, that they had already murdered 125 persons, and that +they had attacked him and his company that very morning with two +shallops. + +While they were talking the two shallops appeared; upon which the +captain rowed to his ship as fast as he could, and was hardly got on +board before they arrived at the ship's side. The captain was +surprised to see men in red coats laced with gold and silver, with +arms in their hands. He demanded what they meant by coming on board +armed. They told him he should know when they were on board the +ship. The captain replied that they should come on board, but that +they must first throw their arms into the sea, which if they did not +do immediately, he would sink them as they lay. As they saw that +disputes were to no purpose, and that they were entirely in the +captain's power, they were obliged to obey. They accordingly threw +their arms overboard, and were then taken into the vessel, where +they were instantly put in irons. One of them, whose name was John +Bremen, and who was first examined, owned that he had murdered with +his own hands, or had assisted in murdering, no less than twenty- +seven persons. The same evening Weybhays brought his prisoner +Cornelis on board, where he was put in irons and strictly guarded. + +On the 18th of September, Captain Pelsart, with the master, went to +take the rest of the conspirators in Cornelis's island. They went +in two boats. The villains, as soon as they saw them land, lost all +their courage, and fled from them. They surrendered without a blow, +and were put in irons with the rest. The captain's first care was +to recover the jewels which Cornelis had dispersed among his +accomplices: they were, however, all of them soon found, except a +gold chain and a diamond ring; the latter was also found at last, +but the former could not be recovered. They went next to examine +the wreck, which they found staved into an hundred pieces; the keel +lay on a bank of sand on one side, the fore part of the vessel stuck +fast on a rock, and the rest of her lay here and there as the pieces +had been driven by the waves, so that Captain Pelsart had very +little hopes of saving any of the merchandise. One of the people +belonging to Weybhays's company told him that one fair day, which +was the only one they had in a month, as he was fishing near the +wreck, he had struck the pole in his hand against one of the chests +of silver, which revived the captain a little, as it gave him reason +to expect that something might still be saved. They spent all the +19th in examining the rest of the prisoners, and in confronting them +with those who escaped from the massacre. + +On the 20th they sent several kinds of refreshments to Weybhays's +company, and carried a good quantity of water from the isle. There +was something very singular in finding this water; the people who +were on shore there had subsisted near three weeks on rainwater, and +what lodged in the clefts of the rocks, without thinking that the +water of two wells which were on the island could be of any use, +because they saw them constantly rise and fall with the tide, from +whence they fancied they had a communication within the sea, and +consequently that the water must be brackish; but upon trial they +found it to be very good, and so did the ship's company, who filled +their casks with it. + +On the 21st the tide was so low, and an east-south-east wind blew so +hard, that during the whole day the boat could not get out. On the +22nd they attempted to fish upon the wreck, but the weather was so +bad that even those who could swim very well durst not approach it. +On the 25th the master and the pilot, the weather being fair, went +off again to the wreck, and those who were left on shore, observing +that they wanted hands to get anything out of her, sent off some to +assist them. The captain went also himself to encourage the men, +who soon weighed one chest of silver, and some time after another. +As soon as these were safe ashore they returned to their work, but +the weather grew so bad that they were quickly obliged to desist, +though some of their divers from Guzarat assured them they had found +six more, which might easily be weighed. On the 26th, in the +afternoon, the weather being fair, and the tide low, the master +returned to the place where the chests lay, and weighed three of +them, leaving an anchor with a gun tied to it, and a buoy, to mark +the place where the fourth lay, which, notwithstanding their utmost +efforts, they were not able to recover. + +On the 27th, the south wind blew very cold. On the 28th the same +wind blew stronger than the day before; and as there was no +possibility of fishing in the wreck for the present, Captain Pelsart +held a council to consider what they should do with the prisoners: +that is to say, whether it would be best to try them there upon the +spot, or to carry them to Batavia, in order to their being tried by +the Company's officers. After mature deliberation, reflecting on +the number of prisoners, and the temptation that might arise from +the vast quantity of silver on board the frigate, they at last came +to a resolution to try and execute them there, which was accordingly +done; and they embarked immediately afterwards for Batavia. + + +REMARKS. + + +This voyage was translated from the original Dutch by Thevenot, and +printed by him in the first volume of his collections. Pelsart's +route is traced in the map of the globe published by Delisle in the +year 1700. + +As this voyage is of itself very short, I shall not detain the +reader with many remarks; but shall confine myself to a very few +observations, in order to show the consequences of the discovery +made by Captain Pelsart. The country upon which he suffered +shipwreck was New Holland, the coast of which had not till then been +at all examined, and it was doubtful how far it extended. There had +indeed been some reports spread with relation to the inhabitants of +this country, which Captain Pelsart's relation shows to have been +false; for it had been reported that when the Dutch East India +Company sent some ships to make discoveries, their landing was +opposed by a race of gigantic people, with whom the Dutch could by +no means contend. But our author says nothing of the extraordinary +size of the savages that were seen by Captain Pelsart's people; from +whence it is reasonable to conclude that this story was circulated +with no other view than to prevent other nations from venturing into +these seas. It is also remarkable that this is the very coast +surveyed by Captain Dampier, whose account agrees exactly with that +contained in this voyage. Now though it be true, that from all +these accounts there is nothing said which is much to the advantage +either of the country or its inhabitants, yet we are to consider +that it is impossible to represent either in a worse light than that +in which the Cape of Good Hope was placed, before the Dutch took +possession of it; and plainly demonstrated that industry could make +a paradise of what was a perfect purgatory while in the hands of the +Hottentots. If, therefore, the climate of this country be good, and +the soil fruitful, both of which were affirmed in this relation, +there could not be a more proper place for a colony than some part +of New Holland, or of the adjacent country of Carpentaria. I shall +give my reasons for asserting this when I come to make my remarks on +a succeeding voyage. At present I shall confine myself to the +reasons that have induced the Dutch East India Company to leave all +these countries unsettled, after having first shown so strong an +inclination to discover them, which will oblige me to lay before the +reader some secrets in commerce that have hitherto escaped common +observation, and which, whenever they are as thoroughly considered +as they deserve, will undoubtedly lead us to as great discoveries as +those of Columbus or Magellan. + +In order to make myself perfectly understood, I must observe that it +was the finding out of the Moluccas, or Spice Islands, by the +Portuguese, that raised that spirit of discovery which produced +Columbus's voyage, which ended in finding America; though in fact +Columbus intended rather to reach this country of New Holland. The +assertion is bold, and at first sight may appear improbable; but a +little attention will make it so plain, that the reader must be +convinced of the truth of what I say. The proposition made by +Columbus to the State of Genoa, the Kings of Portugal, Spain, +England, and France, was this, that he could discover a new route to +the East Indies; that is to say, without going round the Cape of +Good Hope. He grounded this proposition on the spherical figure of +the earth, from whence he thought it self-evident that any given +point might be sailed to through the great ocean, either by steering +east or west. In his attempt to go to the East Indies by a west +course, he met with the islands and continent of America; and +finding gold and other commodities, which till then had never been +brought from the Indies, he really thought that this was the west +coast of that country to which the Portuguese sailed by the Cape of +Good Hope, and hence came the name of the West Indies. Magellan, +who followed his steps, and was the only discoverer who reasoned +systematically, and knew what he was doing, proposed to the Emperor +Charles V. to complete what Columbus had begun, and to find a +passage to the Moluccas by the west; which, to his immortal honour, +he accomplished. + +When the Dutch made their first voyages to the East Indies, which +was not many years before Captain Pelsart's shipwreck on the coast +of New Holland, for their first fleet arrived in the East Indies in +1596, and Pelsart lost his ship in 1629--I say, when the Dutch first +undertook the East India trade, they had the Spice Islands in view: +and as they are a nation justly famous for the steady pursuit of +whatever they take in hand, it is notorious that they never lost +sight of their design till they had accomplished it, and made +themselves entirely masters of these islands, of which they still +continue in possession. When this was done, and they had +effectually driven out the English, who were likewise settled in +them, they fixed the seat of their government in the island of +Amboyna, which lay very convenient for the discovery of the southern +countries; which, therefore, they prosecuted with great diligence +from the year 1619 to the time of Captain Pelsart's shipwreck; that +is, for the space of twenty years. + +But after they removed the seat of their government from Amboyna to +Batavia, they turned their views another way, and never made any +voyage expressly for discoveries on that side, except the single one +of Captain Tasman, of which we are to speak presently. It was from +this period of time that they began to take new measures, and having +made their excellent settlement at the Cape of Good Hope, resolved +to govern their trade to the East Indies by these two capital +maxims: 1. To extend their trade all over the Indies, and to fix +themselves so effectually in the richest countries as to keep all, +or at least the best and most profitable part of, their commerce to +themselves; 2. To make the Moluccas, and the islands dependent on +them, their frontier, and to omit nothing that should appear +necessary to prevent strangers, or even Dutch ships not belonging to +the Company, from ever navigating those seas, and consequently from +ever being acquainted with the countries that lie in them. How well +they have prosecuted the first maxim has been very largely shown in +a foregoing article, wherein we have an ample description of the +mighty empire in the hands of their East India Company. As for the +second maxim, the reader, in the perusal of Funnel's, Dampier's, and +other voyages, but especially the first, must be satisfied that it +is what they have constantly at heart, and which, at all events, +they are determined to pursue, at least with regard to strangers; +and as to their own countrymen, the usage they gave to James le +Maire and his people is a proof that cannot be contested. + +Those things being considered, it is very plain that the Dutch, or +rather the Dutch East India Company, are fully persuaded that they +have already as munch or more territory in the East Indies than they +can well manage, and therefore they neither do nor ever will think +of settling New Guinea, Carpentaria, New Holland, or any of the +adjacent islands, till either their trade declines in the East +Indies, or they are obliged to exert themselves on this side to +prevent other nations from reaping the benefits that might accrue to +them by their planting those countries. But this is not all; for as +the Dutch have no thoughts of settling these countries themselves, +they have taken all imaginable pains to prevent any relations from +being published which might invite or encourage any other nation to +make attempts this way; and I am thoroughly persuaded that this very +account of Captain Pelsart's shipwreck would never have come into +the world if it had not been thought it would contribute to this +end, or, in other words, would serve to frighten other nations from +approaching such an inhospitable coast, everywhere beset with rocks +absolutely void of water, and inhabited by a race of savages more +barbarous, and, at the same time, more miserable than any other +creatures in the world. + +The author of this voyage remarks, for the use of seamen, that in +the little island occupied by Weybhays, after digging two pits, they +were for a considerable time afraid to use the water, having found +that these pits ebbed and flowed with the sea; but necessity at last +constraining them to drink it, they found it did them no hurt. The +reason of the ebbing and flowing of these pits was their nearness to +the sea, the water of which percolated through the sand, lost its +saltness, and so became potable, though it followed the motions of +the ocean whence it came. + + + +THE VOYAGE OF CAPTAIN ABEL JANSEN TASMAN FOR THE DISCOVERY OF +SOUTHERN COUNTRIES. +1642-43. +By direction of the Dutch East India Company. [Taken from his +original Journal.] + + + +CHAPTER I: THE OCCASION AND DESIGN OF THIS VOYAGE. + + + +The great discoveries that were made by the Dutch in these southern +countries were subsequent to the famous voyage of Jaques le Maire, +who in 1616 passed the straits called by his name; in 1618, that +part of Terra Australia was discovered which the Dutch called +Concordia. The next year, the Land of Edels was found, and received +its name from its discoverer. In 1620, Batavia was built on the +ruins of the old city of Jacatra; but the seat of government was not +immediately removed from Amboyna. In 1622, that part of New Holland +which is called Lewin's Land was first found; and in 1627, Peter +Nuyts discovered between New Holland and New Guinea a country which +bears his name. There were also some other voyages made, of which, +however, we have no sort of account, except that the Dutch were +continually beaten in all their attempts to land upon this coast. +On their settlement, however, at Batavia, the then general and +council of the Indies thought it requisite to have a more perfect +survey made of the new-found countries, that the memory of them at +least might be preserved, in case no further attempts were made to +settle them; and it was very probably a foresight of few ships going +that route any more, which induced such as had then the direction of +the Company's affairs to wish that some such survey and description +might be made by an able seaman, who was well acquainted with those +coasts, and who might be able to add to the discoveries already +made, as well as furnish a more accurate description, even of them, +than had been hitherto given. + +This was faithfully performed by Captain Tasman; and from the lights +afforded by his journal, a very exact and curious map was made of +all these new countries. But his voyage was never published entire; +and it is very probable that the East India Company never intended +it should be published at all. However, Dirk Rembrantz, moved by +the excellency and accuracy of the work, published in Low Dutch an +extract of Captain Tasman's Journal, which has been ever since +considered as a very great curiosity; and, as such, has been +translated into many languages, particularly into our own, by the +care of the learned Professor of Gresham College, Doctor Hook, an +abridgment of which translation found a place in Doctor Harris's +Collection of Voyages. But we have made no use of either of these +pieces, the following being a new translation, made with all the +care and diligence that is possible. + + + +CHAPTER II: CAPTAIN TASMAN SAILS FROM BATAVIA, AUGUST 14, 1642. + + + +On August 14, 1642, I sailed from Batavia with two vessels; the one +called the Heemskirk, and the other the Zee-Haan. On September 5 I +anchored at Maurice Island, in the latitude of 20 degrees south, and +in the longitude of 83 degrees 48 minutes. I found this island +fifty German miles more to the east than I expected; that is to say, +3 degrees 33 minutes of longitude. This island was so called from +Prince Maurice, being before known by the name of Cerne. It is +about fifteen leagues in circumference, and has a very fine harbour, +at the entrance of which there is one hundred fathoms water. The +country is mountainous; but the mountains are covered with green +trees. The tops of these mountains are so high that they are lost +in the clouds, and are frequently covered by thick exhalations or +smoke that ascends from them. The air of this island is extremely +wholesome. It is well furnished with flesh and fowl; and the sea on +its coasts abounds with all sorts of fish. The finest ebony in the +world grows here. It is a tall, straight tree of a moderate +thickness, covered with a green bark, very thick, under which the +wood is as black as pitch, and as close as ivory. There are other +trees on the island, which are of a bright red, and a third sort as +yellow as wax. The ships belonging to the East India Company +commonly touch at this island for refreshments on their passage to +Batavia. + +I left this island on the 8th of October, and continued my course to +the south to the latitude of 40 degrees or 41 degrees, having a +strong north-west wind; and finding the needle vary 23, 24, and 25 +degrees to the 22nd of October, I sailed from that time to the 29th +to the east, inclining a little to the south, till I arrived in the +latitude of 45 degrees 47 minutes south, and in the longitude of 89 +degrees 44 minutes; and then observed the variation of the needle to +be 26 degrees 45 minutes towards the west. + +As our author was extremely careful in this particular, and observed +the variation of the needle with the utmost diligence, it may not be +amiss to take this opportunity of explaining this point, so that the +importance of his remarks may sufficiently appear. The needle +points exactly north only in a few places, and perhaps not +constantly in them; but in most it declines a little to the east, or +to the west, whence arises eastern and western declination: when +this was first observed, it was attributed to certain excavations or +hollows in the earth, to veins of lead, stone, and other such-like +causes. But when it was found by repeated experiments that this +variation varied, it appeared plainly that none of those causes +could take place; since if they had, the variation in the same place +must always have been the same, whereas the fact is otherwise. + +Here at London, for instance, in the year 1580, the variation was +observed to be 11 degrees 17 minutes to the east; in the year 1666, +the variation was here 34 minutes to the west; and in the year 1734, +the variation was somewhat more than 1 degree west. In order to +find the variation of the needle with the least error possible, the +seamen take this method: they observe the point the sun is in by +the compass, any time after its rising, and then take the altitude +of the sun; and in the afternoon they observe when the sun comes to +the same altitude, and observe the point the sun is then in by the +compass; for the middle, between these two, is the true north or +south point of the compass; and the difference between that and the +north or south upon the card, which is pointed out by the needle, is +the variation of the compass, and shows how much the north and +south, given by the compass, deviates from the true north and south +points of the horizon. It appears clearly, from what has been said, +that in order to arrive at the certain knowledge of the variation, +and of the variation of that variation of the compass, it is +absolutely requisite to have from time to time distinct accounts of +the variation as it is observed in different places: whence the +importance of Captain Tasman's remarks, in this respect, +sufficiently appears. It is true that the learned and ingenious Dr. +Halley has given a very probable account of this matter; but as the +probability of that account arises only from its agreement with +observations, it follows those are as necessary and as important as +ever, in order to strengthen and confirm it. + + + +CHAPTER III: REMARKS ON THE VARIATION OF THE NEEDLE. + + + +On the 6th of November, I was in 49 degrees 4 minutes south +latitude, and in the longitude of 114 degrees 56 minutes; the +variation was at this time 26 degrees westward; and, as the weather +was foggy, with hard gales, and a rolling sea from the south-west +and from the south, I concluded from thence that it was not at all +probable there should be any land between those two points. On +November 15th I was in the latitude of 44 degrees 33 minutes south, +and in the longitude of 140 degrees 32 minutes. The variation was +then 18 degrees 30 minutes west, which variation decreased every +day, in such a manner, that, on the 21st of the same month, being in +the longitude of 158 degrees, I observed the variation to be no more +than 4 degrees. On the 22nd of that month, the needle was in +continual agitation, without resting in any of the eight points; +which led me to conjecture that we were near some mine of loadstone. + +This may, at first sight, seem to contradict what has been before +laid down, as to the variation, and the causes of it: but, when +strictly considered, they will be found to agree very well; for when +it is asserted that veins of loadstone have nothing to do with the +variation of the compass, it is to be understood of the constant +variation of a few degrees to the east, or to the west: but in +cases of this nature, where the variation is absolutely irregular, +and the needle plays quite round the compass, our author's +conjecture may very well find place: yet it must be owned that it +is a point far enough from being clear, that mines of loadstone +affect the compass at a distance; which, however, might be very +easily determined, since there are large mines of loadstone in the +island of Elba, on the coast of Tuscany. + + + +CHAPTER IV: HE DISCOVERS A NEW COUNTRY TO WHICH HE GIVES THE NAME +OF VAN DIEMEN'S LAND. + + + +On the 24th of the same month, being in the latitude of 42 degrees +25 minutes south, and in the longitude of 163 degrees 50 minutes, I +discovered land, which lay east-south-east at the distance of ten +miles, which I called Van Diemen's Land. The compass pointed right +towards this land. The weather being bad, I steered south and by +east along the coast, to the height of 44 degrees south, where the +land runs away east, and afterwards north-east and by north. In the +latitude of 43 degrees 10 minutes south, and in the longitude of 167 +degrees 55 minutes, I anchored on the 1st of December, in a bay, +which I called the Bay of Frederic Henry. I heard, or at least +fancied I heard, the sound of people upon the shore; but I saw +nobody. All I met with worth observing was two trees, which were +two fathoms or two fathoms and a half in girth, and sixty or sixty- +five feet high from the root to the branches: they had cut with a +flint a kind of steps in the bark, in order to climb up to the +birds' nests: these steps were the distance of five feet from each +other; so that we must conclude that either these people are of a +prodigious size, or that they have some way of climbing trees that +we are not used to; in one of the trees the steps were so fresh, +that we judged they could not have been cut above four days. + +The noise we heard resembled the noise of some sort of trumpet; it +seemed to be at no great distance, but we saw no living creature +notwithstanding. I perceived also in the sand the marks of wild +beasts' feet, resembling those of a tiger, or some such creature; I +gathered also some gum from the trees, and likewise some lack. The +tide ebbs and flows there about three feet. The trees in this +country do not grow very close, nor are they encumbered with bushes +or underwood. I observed smoke in several places; however, we did +nothing more than set up a post, on which every one cut his name, or +his mark, and upon which I hoisted a flag. I observed that in this +place the variation was changed to 3 degrees eastward. On December +5th, being then, by observation, in the latitude of 41 degrees 34 +minutes, and in the longitude 169 degrees, I quitted Van Diemen's +Land, and resolved to steer east to the longitude of 195 degrees, in +hopes of discovering the Islands of Solomon. + + + +CHAPTER V: SAILS FROM THENCE FOR NEW ZEALAND. + + + +On September 9th I was in the latitude of 42 degrees 37 minutes +south, and in the longitude of 176 degrees 29 minutes; the variation +being there 5 degrees to the east. On the 12th of the same month, +finding a great rolling sea coming in on the south-west, I judged +there was no land to be hoped for on that point. On the 13th, being +in the latitude of 42 degrees 10 minutes south, and in the longitude +of 188 degrees 28 minutes, I found the variation 7 degrees 30 +minutes eastward. In this situation I discovered a high mountainous +country, which is at present marked in the charts under the name of +New Zealand. I coasted along the shore of this country to the +north-north-east till the 18th; and being then in the latitude of 40 +degrees 50 minutes south, and in the longitude of 191 degrees 41 +minutes, I anchored in a fine bay, where I observed the variation to +be 9 degrees towards the east. + +We found here abundance of the inhabitants: they had very hoarse +voices, and were very large-made people. They durst not approach +the ship nearer than a stone's throw; and we often observed them +playing on a kind of trumpet, to which we answered with the +instruments that were on board our vessel. These people were of a +colour between brown and yellow, their hair long, and almost as +thick as that of the Japanese, combed up, and fixed on the top of +their heads with a quill, or some such thing, that was thickest in +the middle, in the very same manner that Japanese fastened their +hair behind their heads. These people cover the middle of their +bodies, some with a kind of mat, others with a sort of woollen +cloth, but, as for their upper and lower parts, they leave them +altogether naked. + +On the 19th of December, these savages began to grow a little +bolder, and more familiar, insomuch that at last they ventured on +board the Heemskirk in order to trade with those in the vessel. As +soon as I perceived it, being apprehensive that they might attempt +to surprise that ship, I sent my shallop, with seven men, to put the +people in the Heemskirk upon their guard, and to direct them not to +place any confidence in those people. My seven men, being without +arms, were attacked by these savages, who killed three of the seven, +and forced the other four to swim for their lives, which occasioned +my giving that place the name of the Bay of Murderers. Our ship's +company would, undoubtedly, have taken a severe revenge, if the +rough weather had not hindered them. From this bay we bore away +east, having the land in a manner all round us. This country +appeared to us rich, fertile, and very well situated, but as the +weather was very foul, and we had at this time a very strong west +wind, we found it very difficult to get clear of the land. + + + +CHAPTER VI: VISITS THE ISLAND OF THE THREE KINGS, AND GOES IN +SEARCH OF OTHER ISLANDS DISCOVERED BY SCHOVTEN. + + + +On the 24th of December, as the wind would not permit us to continue +our way to the north, as we knew not whether we should be able to +find a passage on that side, and as the flood came in from the +south-east, we concluded that it would be the best to return into +the bay, and seek some other way out, but on the 26th, the wind +becoming more favourable, we continued our route to the north, +turning a little to the west. On the 4th of January, 1643, being +then in the latitude of 34 degrees 35 minutes south, and in the +longitude of 191 degrees 9 minutes, we sailed quite to the cape, +which lies north-west, where we found the sea rolling in from the +north-east, whence we concluded that we had at last found a passage, +which gave us no small joy. There was in this strait an island, +which we called the island of the Three Kings; the cape of which we +doubled, with a design to have refreshed ourselves; but, as we +approached it, we perceived on the mountain thirty or five-and- +thirty persons, who, as far as we could discern at such a distance, +were men of very large size, and had each of them a large club in +his hand: they called out to us in a rough strong voice, but we +could meet understand anything of what they said. We observed that +these people walked at a very great rate, and that they took +prodigious large strides. We made the tour of the island, in doing +which we saw but very few inhabitants; nor did any of the country +seem to be cultivated; we found, indeed, a fresh-water river, and +then we resolved to sail east, as far as 220 degrees of longitude; +and from thence north, as far as the latitude of 17 degrees south; +and thence to the west, till we arrived at the isles of Cocos and +Horne, which were discovered by William Schovten, where we intended +to refresh ourselves, in case we found no opportunity of doing it +before, for though we had actually landed on Van Diemen's Land, we +met with nothing there; and, as for New Zealand, we never set foot +on it. + +In order to render this passage perfectly intelligible it is +necessary to observe that the island of Cocos lies in the latitude +of 15 degrees 10 minutes south; and, according to Schovten's +account, is well inhabited, and well cultivated, abounding with all +sorts of refreshments; but, at the same time, he describes the +people as treacherous and base to the last degree. As for the +islands of Horne, they lie nearly in the latitude of 15 degrees, are +extremely fruitful, and inhabited by people of a kind and gentle +disposition, who readily bestowed on the Hollanders whatever +refreshments they could ask. It was no wonder, therefore, that, +finding themselves thus distressed, Captain Tasman thought of +repairing to these islands, where he was sure of obtaining +refreshments, either by fair means or otherwise, which design, +however, he did not think fit to put in execution. + + + +CHAPTER VII: REMARKABLE OCCURRENCES IN THE VOYAGE. + + + +On the 8th of January, being in the latitude of 30 degrees 25 +minutes south, and in the longitude of 192 degrees 20 minutes, we +observed the variation of the needle to be 90 degrees towards the +east, and as we had a high rolling sea from the south-west, I +conjectured there could not be any land hoped for on that side. On +the 12th we found ourselves in 30 degrees 5 minutes south latitude, +and in 195 degrees 27 minutes of longitude, where we found the +variation 9 degrees 30 minutes to the east, a rolling sea from the +south-east and from the south-west. It is very plain, from these +observations, that the position laid down by Dr. Halley, that the +motion of the needle is not governed by the poles of the world, but +by other poles, which move round them, is highly probable, for +otherwise it is not easy to understand how the needle came to have, +as our author affirms it had, a variation of near 27 degrees to the +west, in the latitude of 45 degrees 47 minutes, and then gradually +decreasing till it had no variation at all; after which it turned +east, in the latitude of 42 degrees 37 minutes, and so continued +increasing its variation eastwardly to this time. + + + +CHAPTER VIII: OBSERVATIONS ON, AND EXPLANATION OF, THE VARIATION OF +THE COMPASS. + + + +On the 16th we were in the latitude of 26 degrees 29 minutes south, +and in the longitude of 199 degrees 32 minutes, the variation of the +needle being 8 degrees. Here we are to observe that the eastern +variation decreases, which is likewise very agreeable to Doctor +Halley's hypothesis; which, in few words, is this: that a certain +large solid body contained within, and every way separated from the +earth (as having its own proper motion), and being included like a +kernel in its shell, revolves circularly from east to west, as the +exterior earth revolves the contrary way in the diurnal motion, +whence it is easy to explain the position of the four magnetical +poles which he attributes to the earth, by allowing two to the +nucleus, and two to the exterior earth. And, as the two former +perpetually alter the situation by their circular motion, their +virtue, compared with the exterior poles, must be different at +different times, and consequently the variation of the needle will +perpetually change. The doctor attributes to the nucleus an +European north pole and an American south one, on account of the +variation of variations observed near these places, as being much +greater than those found near the two other poles. And he +conjectures that these poles will finish their revolution in about +seven hundred years, and after that time the same situation of the +poles obtain again as at present, and, consequently, the variations +will be the same again over all the globe; so that it requires +several ages before this theory can be thoroughly adjusted. He +assigns this probable cause of the circular revolution of the +nucleus that the diurnal motion, being impressed from without, was +not so exactly communicated to the internal parts as to give them +the same precise velocity of rotation as the external, whence the +nucleus, being left behind by the exterior earth, seems to move +slowly in a contrary direction, as from east to west, with regard to +the external earth, considered as at rest in respect of the other. +But to return to our voyage. + + + +CHAPTER IX: DISCOVERS A NEW ISLAND, WHICH HE CALLS PYLSTAART +ISLAND. + + + +On the 19th of January, being in the latitude of 22 degrees 35 +minutes south, and in the longitude of 204 degrees 15 minutes, we +had 7 degrees 30 minutes east variation. In this situation we +discovered an island about two or three miles in circumference, +which was, as far as we could discern, very high, steep, and barren. +We were very desirous of coming nearer it, but were hindered by +south-east and south-south-east winds. We called it the Isle of +Pylstaart, because of the great number of that sort of birds we saw +flying about it, and the next day we saw two other islands. + + + +CHAPTER X: AND TWO ISLANDS, TO WHICH HE GIVES THE NAME OF AMSTERDAM +AND ROTTERDAM + + + +On the 21st, being in the latitude of 21 degrees 20 minutes south, +and in the longitude of 205 degrees 29 minutes, we found our +variation 7 degrees to the north-east. We drew near to the coast of +the most northern island, which, though not very high, yet was the +larger of the two: we called one of these islands Amsterdam, and +the other Rotterdam. Upon that of Rotterdam we found great plenty +of hogs, fowls, and all sorts of fruits, and other refreshments. +These islanders did not seem to have the use of arms, inasmuch as we +saw nothing like them in any of their hands while we were upon the +island; the usage they gave us was fair and friendly, except that +they would steal a little. The current is not very considerable in +this place, where it ebbs north-east, and flows south-west. A +south-west moon causes a spring-tide, which rises seven or eight +feet at least. The wind blows there continually south-east, or +south-south-east, which occasioned the Heemskirk's being carried out +of the road, but, however, without any damage. We did not fill any +water here because it was extremely hard to get it to the ship. + +On the 25th we were in the latitude 20 degrees 15 minutes south, and +in the longitude of 206 degrees 19 minutes. The variation here was +6 degrees 20 minutes to the east; and, after leaving had sight of +several other islands, we made that of Rotterdam: the islanders +here resemble those on the island of Amsterdam. The people were +very good-natured, parted readily with what they had, did not seem +to be acquainted with the use of arms, but were given to thieving +like the natives of Amsterdam Island. Here we took in water, and +other refreshments, with all the conveniency imaginable. We made +the whole circuit of the island, which we found well-stocked with +cocoa-trees, very regularly planted; we likewise saw abundance of +gardens, extremely well laid out, plentifully stocked with all kinds +of fruit-trees, all planted in straight lines, and the whole kept in +such excellent order, that nothing could have a better effect upon +the eye. After quitting the island of Rotterdam, we had sight of +several other islands; which, however, did not engage us to alter +the resolution we had taken of sailing north, to the height of 17 +degrees south latitude, and from thence to shape a west course, +without going near either Traitor's Island, or those of Horne, we +having then a very brisk wind from the south-east, or east-south- +east. + +I cannot help remarking upon this part of Captain Tasman's journal, +that it is not easy to conceive, unless he was bound up by leis +instructions, why he did not remain some time either at Rotterdam or +at Amsterdam Island, but especially at the former; since, perhaps, +there is not a place in the world so happily seated, for making new +discoveries with ease and safety. He owns that he traversed the +whole island, that he found it a perfect paradise, and that the +people gave him not the least cause of being diffident in point of +security; so that if his men had thrown up ever so slight a +fortification, a part of them might have remained there in safety, +while the rest had attempted the discovery of the Islands of Solomon +on the one hand, or the continent of De Quiros on the other, from +neither of which they were at any great distance, and, from his +neglecting this opportunity, I take it for granted that he was +circumscribed, both as to his course and to the time he was to +employ in these discoveries, by his instructions, for otherwise so +able a seaman and so curious a man as his journal shows him to have +been, would not certainly have neglected so fair an opportunity. + + + +CHAPTER XI: AND AN ARCHIPELAGO OF TWENTY SMALL ISLANDS. + + + +On February 6th, being in 17 degrees 19 minutes of south latitude, +and in the longitude of 201 degrees 35 minutes, we found ourselves +embarrassed by nineteen or twenty small islands, every one of which +was surrounded with sands, shoals, and rocks. These are marked in +the charts by the name of Prince William's Islands, or Heemskirk's +Shallows. On the 8th we were in the latitude of 15 degrees 29 +minutes, and in the longitude of 199 degrees 31 minutes. We had +abundance of rain, a strong wind from the north-east, or the north- +north-east, with dark cold weather. Fearing, therefore, that we +were run farther to the west than we thought ourselves by our +reckoning, and dreading that we should fall to the south of New +Guinea, or be thrown upon some unknown coast in such blowing misty +weather, we resolved to stand away to the north, or to the north- +north-west, till we should arrive in the latitude of 4, 5, or 6 +degrees south, and then to bear away west for the coast of New +Guinea, as the least dangerous way that we could take. + +It is very plain from hence, that Captain Tasman had now laid aside +all thoughts of discovering farther, and I think it is not difficult +to guess at the reason; when he was in this latitude, line was +morally certain that he could, without further difficulty, sail +round by the coast of New Guinea, and so back again to the East +Indies. It is therefore extremely probable that he was directed by +his instructions to coast round that great southern continent +already discovered, in order to arrive at a certainty whether it was +joined to any other part of the world, or whether, notwithstanding +its vast extent, viz., from the equator to 43 degrees of south +latitude, and from the longitude of 123 degrees to near 190 degrees, +it was, notwithstanding, an island. This, I say, was in all +appearance the true design of his voyage, and the reason of it seems +to be this: that an exact chart being drawn from his discoveries, +the East India Company might have perfect intelligence of the extent +and situation of this now-found country before they executed the +plan they were then contriving for preventing its being visited or +farther discovered by their own or any other nation; and this too +accounts for the care taken in laying down the map of this country +on the pavement of the new stadthouse at Amsterdam; for as this +county was henceforward to remain as a kind of deposit or land of +reserve in the hands of the East India Company, they took this +method of intimating as much to their countrymen, so that, while +strangers are gaping at this map as a curiosity, every intelligent +Dutchman may say to himself, "Behold the wisdom of the East India +Company. By their present empire they support the authority of this +republic abroad, and by their extensive commerce enrich its subjects +at home, and at the same time show us here what a reserve they have +made for the benefit of posterity, whenever, through the +vicissitudes to which all sublunary things are liable, their present +sources of power and grandeur shall fail." + +I cannot help supporting my opinion in this respect, by putting the +reader in mind of a very curious piece of ancient history, which +furnishes us with the like instance in the conduct of another +republic. Diodorus Siculus, in the fifth book of his Historical +Library, informs us that in the African Ocean, some days' sail west +from Libya, there had been discovered an island, the soil of which +was exceedingly fertile and the country no less pleasant, all the +land being finely diversified by mountains and plains, the former +thick clothed with trees, the latter abounding with fruits and +flowers, the whole watered by innumerable rivulets, and affording so +pleasant an habitation that a finer or more delightful country fancy +itself could not feign; yet he assures us, the Carthagenians, those +great masters of maritime power and commerce, though they had +discovered this admirable island, would never suffer it to be +planted, but reserved it as a sanctuary to which they might fly, +whenever the ruin of their own republic left them no other resource. +This tallies exactly with the policy of the Dutch East India +Company, who, if they should at any time be driven from their +possessions in Java, Ceylon, and other places in that neighbourhood, +would without doubt retire back into the Moluccas, and avail +themselves effectually of this noble discovery, which lies open to +them, and has been hitherto close shut up to all the world beside. +But to proceed. + + + +CHAPTER XII: OCCURRENCES IN THE VOYAGE. + + + +On February 14th we were in the latitude of 16 degrees 30 minutes +south, and in the longitude of 193 degrees 35 minutes. We had +hitherto had much rain and bad weather, but this day the wind +sinking, we hailed our consort the Zee-Haan, and found to our great +satisfaction that our reckonings agreed. On the 20th, in the +latitude of 13 degrees 45 minutes, and in the longitude of 193 +degrees 35 minutes, we had dark, cloudy weather, much rain, thick +fogs, and a rolling sea, on all sides the wind variable. On the +26th, in the latitude of 9 degrees 48 minutes south, and in the +longitude of 193 degrees 43 minutes, we had a north-west wind, +having every day, for the space of twenty-one days, rained more or +less. On March 2nd, in the latitude of 9 degrees 11 minutes south, +and in the longitude of 192 degrees 46 minutes, the variation was 10 +degrees to the east, the wind and weather still varying. On March +8th, in the latitude of 7 degrees 46 minutes south, and in the +longitude of 190 degrees 47 minutes, the wind was still variable. + + + +CHAPTER XIII: HE ARRIVES AT THE ARCHIPELAGO OF ANTHONG JAVA. + + + +On the 14th, in the latitude of 10 degrees 12 minutes south, and in +the longitude of 186 degrees 14 minutes, we found the variation 8 +degrees 45 minutes to the east. We passed some days without being +able to take any observation, because the weather was all that time +dark and rainy. On March 20th, in the latitude of 5 degrees 15 +minutes south, and in the longitude of 181 degrees 16 minutes, the +weather being then fair, we found the variation 9 degrees eastward. +On the 22nd, in the latitude of 5 degrees 2 minutes south, and in +the longitude of 178 degrees 32 minutes, we had fine fair weather, +and the benefit of the east trade wind. This day we had sight of +land, which lay four miles west. This land proved to be a cluster +of twenty islands, which in the maps are called Anthong Java. They +lie ninety miles or thereabouts from the coast of New Guinea. It +may not be amiss to observe here, that what Captain Tasman calls the +coast of New Guinea, is in reality the coast of New Britain, which +Captain Dampier first discovered to be a large island separated from +the coast of New Guinea. + + + +CHAPTER XIV: HIS ARRIVAL ON THE COAST OF NEW GUINEA. + + + +On the 25th, in the latitude of 4 degrees 35 minutes south, and in +the longitude of 175 degrees 10 minutes, we found the variation 9 +degrees 30 minutes east. We were then in the height of the islands +of Mark, which were discovered by William Schovten and James le +Maire. They are fourteen or fifteen in number, inhabited by +savages, with black hair, dressed and trimmed in the same manner as +those we saw before at the Bay of Murderers in New Zealand. On the +29th we passed the Green Islands, and on the 30th that of St. John, +which were likewise discovered by Schovten and Le Maire. This +island they found to be of a considerable extent, and judged it to +lie at the distance of one thousand eight hundred and forty leagues +from the coast of Peru. It appeared to them well inhabited and well +cultivated, abounding with flesh, fowl, fish, fruit, and other +refreshments. The inhabitants made use of canoes of all sizes, were +armed with slings, darts, and wooden swords, wore necklaces and +bracelets of pearl, and rings in their noses. They were, however, +very intractable, notwithstanding all the pains that could be taken +to engage them in a fair correspondence, so that Captain Schovten +was at last obliged to fire upon them to prevent them from making +themselves masters of his vessel, which they attacked with a great +deal of vigour; and very probably this was the reason that Captain +Tasman did not attempt to land or make any farther discovery. On +April 1st, we were in the latitude of 4 degrees 30 minutes south, +and in the longitude of 171 degrees 2 minutes, the variation being 8 +degrees 45 minutes to the east, having now sight of the coast of New +Guinea; and endeavouring to double the cape which the Spaniards call +Cobo Santa Maria, we continued to sail along the coast which lies +north-west. We afterwards passed the islands of Antony Caens, +Gardeners Island, and Fishers Island, advancing towards the +promontory called Struis Hoek, where the coast runs south and south- +east. We resolved to pursue the same route, and to continue +steering south till we should either discover land or a passage on +that side. + +It is necessary to observe, that all this time they continued on the +coast, not of New Guinea but of New Britain, for that cape which the +Spaniards called Santa Maria is the very same that Captain Dampier +called Cape St. George, and Caens, Gardeners, and Fishers Islands +all lie upon the same coast. They had been discovered by Schovten +and Le Maire, who found them to be well inhabited, but by a very +base and treacherous people, who, after making signs of peace, +attempted to surprise their ships; and these islanders managed their +slings with such force and dexterity, as to drive the Dutch sailors +from their decks; which account of Le Maire's agree perfectly well +with what Captain Dampier tells us of the same people. As for the +continent of New Guinea, it lies quite behind the island of New +Britain, and was therefore laid down in all the charts before +Dampier's discovery, at least four degrees more to the east than it +should have been. + + + +CHAPTER XV: CONTINUES HIS VOYAGE ALONG THAT COAST. + + + +On April 12th, in the latitude of 3 degrees 45 minutes south, and in +the longitude of 167 degrees, we found the variation 10 degrees +towards the east. That night part of the crew were wakened out of +their sleep by an earthquake. They immediately ran upon deck, +supposing that the ship had struck. On heaving the lead, however, +there was no bottom to be found. We had afterwards several shocks, +but none of them so violent as the first. We had then doubled the +Struis Hoek, and were at that time in the Bay of Good Hope. On the +14th, in the latitude of 5 degrees 27 minutes south, and in the +longitude of 166 degrees 57 minutes, we observed the variation to be +9 degrees 15 minutes to the east. The land lay then north-east, +east-north-east, and again south-south-west, so that we imagined +there had been a passage between those two points; but we were soon +convinced of our mistake, and that it was all one coast, so that we +were obliged to double the West Cape and to continue creeping along +shore, and were much hindered in our passage by calms. This +description agrees very well with that of Schovten and Le Maire, so +that probably they had now sight again of the coast of New Guinea. + +It is very probable, from the accident that happened to Captain +Tasman, and which also happened to others upon that coast, and from +the burning mountains that will be hereafter mentioned, that this +country is very subject to earthquakes, and if so, without doubt it +abounds with metals and minerals, of which we have also another +proof from a point in which all these writers agree, viz., that the +people they saw had rings on their noses and ears, though none of +them tell us of what metal these rings were made, which Le Maire +might easily have done, since he carried off a man from one of the +islands whose name was Moses, from whom he learned that almost every +nation on this coast speaks a different language. + + + +CHAPTER XVI: ARRIVES IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF BURNING ISLAND, AND +SURVEYS THE WHOLE COAST OF NEW GUINEA. + + + +On the 20th, in the latitude of 5 degrees 4 minutes south, and in +the longitude 164 degrees 27 minutes, we found the variation 8 +degrees 30 minutes east. We that night drew near the Brandande +Yland, i.e., burning island, which William Schovten mentions, and we +perceived a great flame issuing, as he says, from the top of a high +mountain. When we were between that island and the continent, we +saw a vast number of fires along the shore and half-way up the +mountain, from whence we concluded that the country must be very +populous. We were often detained on this coast by calms, and +frequently observed small trees, bamboos, and shrubs, which the +rivers on that coast carried into the sea; from which we inferred +that this part of the country was extremely well watered, and that +the land must be very good. The next morning we passed the burning +mountain, and continued a west-north-west course along that coast. + +It is remarkable that Schovten had made the same observation with +respect to the drift-wood forced by the rivers into the sea. He +likewise observed that there was so copious a discharge of fresh +water, that it altered the colour and the taste of the sea. He +likewise says that the burning island is extremely well peopled, and +also well cultivated. He afterwards anchored on the coast of the +continent, and endeavoured to trade with the natives, who made him +pay very dear for hogs and cocoa-nuts, and likewise showed him some +ginger. It appears from Captain Tasman's account that he was now in +haste to return to Batavia, and did not give himself so much trouble +as at the beginning about discoveries, and to say the truth, there +was no great occasion, if, as I observed, his commission was no more +than to sail round the new discovered coasts, in order to lay them +down with greater certainty in the Dutch charts. + + + +CHAPTER XVII: COMES TO THE ISLANDS OF JAMA AND MOA. + + + +On the 27th, being in the latitude of 2 degrees 10 minutes south, +and in the longitude of 146 degrees 57 minutes, we fancied that we +had a sight of the island of Moa, but it proved to be that of Jama, +which lies a little to the east of Moa. We found here great plenty +of cocoa-nuts and other refreshments. The inhabitants were +absolutely black, and could easily repeat the words that they heard +others speak, which shows their own to be a very copious language. +It is, however, exceedingly difficult to pronounce, because they +make frequent use of the letter R, and sometimes to such a degree +that it occurs twice or thrice in the same word. The next day we +anchored on the coast of the island of Moa, where we likewise found +abundance of refreshments, and where we were obliged by bad weather +to stay till May 9th. We purchased there, by way of exchange, six +thousand cocoa-nuts, and a hundred bags of pysanghs or Indian figs. +When we first began to trade with these people, one of our seamen +was wounded by an arrow that one of the natives let fly, either +through malice or inadvertency. We were at that very juncture +endeavouring to bring our ships close to the shore, which so +terrified these islanders, that they brought of their own accord on +board us, the man who had shot the arrow and left him at our mercy. +We found them after this accident much more tractable than before in +every respect. Our sailors, therefore, pulled off the iron hoops +from some of the old water-casks, stuck them into wooden handles, +and filing them to an edge, sold these awkward knives to the +inhabitants for their fruits. + +In all probability they had not forgot what happened to our people +on July 16th, 1616, in the days of William Schovten: these people, +it seems, treated him very ill; upon which James le Maire brought +his ship close to the shore, and fired a broadside through the +woods; the bullets, flying through the trees, struck the negroes +with such a panic, that they fled in an instant up into the country, +and durst not show their heads again till they had made full +satisfaction for what was past, and thereby secured their safety for +the time to come; and he traded with them afterwards very peaceably, +and with mutual satisfaction. + +This account of our author's seems to have been taken upon memory, +and is not very exact. Schovten's seamen, or rather the petty +officer who commanded his long boat, insulted the natives grossly +before they offered any injury to his people; and then, +notwithstanding they fired upon them with small arms, the islanders +obliged them to retreat; so that they were forced to bring the great +guns to bear upon the island before they could reduce them. These +people do not deserve to be treated as savages, because Schovten +acknowledges that they had been engaged in commerce with the +Spaniards; as appeared by their having iron pots, glass beads, and +pendants, with other European commodities, before he came thither. +He also tells us that they were a very civilised people, their +country well cultivated and very fruitful; that they had a great +many boats, and other small craft, which they navigated with great +dexterity. He adds also, that they gave him a very distinct account +of the neighbouring islands, and that they solicited him to fire +upon the Arimoans, with whom it seems they are always at war; which, +however, he refused to do, unless provoked to it by some injury +offered by those people. It is therefore very apparent that the +inhabitants of Moa are a people with whom any Europeans, settled in +their neighbourhood, might without any difficulty settle a commerce, +and receive considerable assistance from them in making discoveries. +But perhaps some nations are fitter for these kind of expeditions +than others, as being less apt to make use of their artillery and +small arms upon every little dispute; for as the inhabitants of Moa +are well enough acquainted with the superiority which the Europeans +have over them, it cannot be supposed that they will ever hazard +their total destruction by committing any gross act of cruelty upon +strangers who visit their coast; and it is certainly very unfair to +treat people as savages and barbarians, merely for defending +themselves when insulted or attacked without cause. The instance +Captain Tasman gives us of their delivering up the man who wounded +his sailor is a plain proof of this; and as to the diffidence and +suspicion which some later voyagers have complained of with respect +to the inhabitants of this island, they must certainly be the +effects of the bad behaviour of such Europeans as this nation have +hitherto dealt with, and would be effectually removed, if ever they +had a settled experience of a contrary conduct. The surest method +of teaching people to behave honestly towards us is to behave +friendly and honestly towards them, and then there is no great +reason to fear, that such as give evident proofs of capacity and +civility in the common affairs of life should be guilty of treachery +that must turn to their own disadvantage. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII: PROSECUTES HIS VOYAGE TO CERAM. + + + +On the 12th of May, being then in the latitude of 54 minutes south, +and in the longitude of 153 degrees 17 minutes, we found the +variation 6 degrees 30 minutes to the east. We continued coasting +the north side of the island of William Schovten, which is about +eighteen or nineteen miles long, very populous, and the people very +brisk and active. It was with great caution that Schovten gave his +name to this island, for having observed that there were abundance +of small islands laid down in the charts on the coast of New Guinea, +he was suspicious that this might be of the number. But since that +time it seems a point generally agreed, that this island had not +before any particular name; and therefore, in all subsequent +voyages, we find it constantly mentioned by the name of Schovten's +Island. + +He describes it as a very fertile and well-peopled island; the +inhabitants of which were so far from discovering anything of a +savage nature, that they gave apparent testimonies of their having +had an extensive commerce before he touched there, since they not +only showed him various commodities from the Spaniards, but also +several samples of China ware; he observes that they are very unlike +the nations he had seen before, being rather of an olive colour than +black; some having short, others long hair, dressed after different +fashions; they were also a taller, stronger, and stouter people than +their neighbours. These little circumstances, which may seem +tedious or trifling to such as read only for amusement, are, +however, of very great importance to such as have discoveries in +view; because they argue that these people have a general +correspondence; the difference of their complexion must arise from a +mixed descent; and the different manner of wearing their hair is +undoubtedly owing to their following the fashion of different +nations, as their fancies lead them. He farther observes that their +vessels were larger and better contrived than their neighbours; that +they readily parted with their bows and arrows in exchange for +goods, and that they were particularly fond of glass and ironware, +which, perhaps, they not only used themselves, but employed likewise +in their commerce. The most western point of the island he called +the Cape of Good Hope, because by doubling that cape he expected to +reach the island of Banda; and that we may not wonder that he was in +doubts and difficulties as to the situation on of these places, we +ought to reflect that Schovten was the first who sailed round the +world by this course, and the last too, except Commodore Roggewein, +other navigators choosing rather to run as high as California, and +from thence to the Ladrone Islands, merely because it is the +ordinary route. + +In the neighbourhood of this island Schovten also met with an +earthquake, which alarmed the ship's company excessively, from an +apprehension that they had struck upon a rock. There are some other +islands in the neighbourhood of this, well peopled, and well +planted, abounding with excellent fruits, especially of the melon +kind. These islands lie, as it were, on the confines of the +southern continent, and the East Indies, so that the inhabitants +enjoy all the advantages resulting from their own happy climate, and +from their traffic with their neighbours, especially with those of +Ternate and Amboyna, who come thither yearly to purchase their +commodities, and who are likewise visited at certain seasons by the +people of these islands in their turn. + + + +CHAPTER XIX: ARRIVES SAFELY AT BATAVIA, JUNE 15, 1643. + + + +On the 18th of May, in the latitude of 26 minutes south and in the +longitude of 147 degrees 55 minutes, we observed the variation to be +5 degrees 30 minutes east. We were now arrived at the western +extremity of New Guinea, which is a detached point or promontory +(though it is not marked so even in the latest maps); here we met +with calms, variable and contrary winds, with much rain; from thence +we steered for Ceram, leaving the Cape on the north, and arrived +safely on that island; by this time Captain Tasman had fairly +surrounded the continent he was instructed to discover, and had +therefore nothing now farther in view than to return to Batavia, in +order to report the discoveries he had made. + +On the 27th of May we passed through the straits of Boura, or +Bouton, and continued our passage to Batavia, where we arrived on +the 15th of June, in the latitude of 6 degrees 12 minutes south, and +in the longitude of 127 degrees 18 minutes. This voyage was made in +the space of ten months. Such was the end of this expedition, which +has been always considered as the clearest and most exact that was +ever made for the discovery of the Terra Australis Incognita, from +whence that chart and map was laid down in the pavement of the +stadt-house at Amsterdam, as is before mentioned. We have now +nothing to do but to shut up this voyage and our history of +circumnavigators, with a few remarks, previous to which it will be +requisite to state clearly and succinctly the discoveries, either +made or confirmed by Captain Tasman's voyage, that the importance of +it may fully appear, as well as the probability of our conjectures +with regard to the motives that induced the Dutch East India Company +to be at so much pains about these discoveries. + + + +CHAPTER XX: CONSEQUENCES OF CAPTAIN TASMAN'S DISCOVERIES. + + + +In the first place, then, it is most evident, from Captain Tasman's +voyage, that New Guinea, Carpentaria, New Holland, Antony van +Diemen's Land, and the countries discovered by De Quiros, make all +one continent, from which New Zealand seems to be separated by a +strait; and, perhaps, is part of another continent, answering to +Africa, as this, of which we are now speaking, plainly does to +America. This continent reaches from the equinoctial to 44 degrees +of south latitude, and extends from 122 degrees to 188 degrees of +longitude, making indeed a very large country, but nothing like what +De Quiros imagined; which shows how dangerous a thing it is to trust +too much to conjecture in such points as these. It is, secondly, +observable, that as New Guinea, Carpentaria, and New Holland, had +been already pretty well examined, Captain Tasman fell directly to +the south of these; so that his first discovery was Van Diemen's +Land, the most southern part of the continent on this side the +globe, and then passing round by New Zealand, he plainly discovered +the opposite side of that country towards America, though he visited +the islands only, and never fell in again with the continent till he +arrived on the coast of New Britain, which he mistook for that of +New Guinea, as he very well might; that country having never been +suspected to be an island, till Dampier discovered it to be such in +the beginning of the present century. Thirdly, by this survey, +these countries are for ever marked out, so long as the map or +memory of this voyage, shall remain. The Dutch East India Company +have it always in their power to direct settlements, or new +discoveries, either in New Guinea, from the Moluccas, or in New +Holland, from Batavia directly. The prudence shown in the conduct +of this affair deserves the highest praise. To have attempted +heretofore, or even now, the establishing colonies in those +countries, would be impolitic, because it would be grasping more +than the East India Company, or than even the republic of Holland, +could manage; for, in the first place, to reduce a continent between +three and four thousand miles broad is a prodigious undertaking, and +to settle it by degrees would be to open to all the world the +importance of that country which, for anything we can tell, may be +much superior to any country yet known: the only choice, therefore, +that the Dutch had left, was to reserve this mighty discovery till +the season arrived, in which they should be either obliged by +necessity or invited by occasion to make use of it; but though this +country be reserved, it is no longer either unknown or neglected by +the Dutch, which is a point of very great consequence. To the other +nations of Europe, the southern continent is a chimera, a thing in +the clouds, or at least a country about which there are a thousand +doubts and suspicions, so that to talk of discovering or settling it +must be regarded as an idle and empty project: but, with respect to +them, it is a thing perfectly well known; its extent, its +boundaries, its situation, the genius of its several nations, and +the commodities of which they are possessed, are absolutely within +their cognisance, so that they are at liberty to take such measures +as appear to them best, for securing the eventual possession of this +country, whenever they think fit. This account explains at once all +the mysteries which the best writers upon this subject have found in +the Dutch proceedings. It shows why they have been at so much pains +to obtain a clear and distinct survey of these distant countries; +why they have hitherto forborne settling, and why they take so much +pains to prevent other nations from coming at a distinct knowledge +of them: and I may add to this another particular, which is that it +accounts for their permitting the natives of Amboyna, who are their +subjects, to carry on a trade to New Guinea, and the adjacent +countries, since, by this very method, it is apparent that they gain +daily fresh intelligence as to the product and commodities of those +countries. Having thus explained the consequence of Captain +Tasman's voyage, and thereby fully justified my giving it a place in +this part of my work, I am now at liberty to pursue the reflections +with which I promised to close this section, and the history of +circumnavigators, and in doing which, I shall endeavour to make the +reader sensible of the advantages that arise from publishing these +voyages in their proper order, so as to show what is, and what is +yet to be discovered of the globe on which we live. + + + +CHAPTER XXI: REMARKS UPON THE VOYAGE. + + + +In speaking of the consequences of Captain Tasman's voyage, it has +been very amply shown that this part of Terra Australis, or southern +country, has been fully and certainly discovered. To prevent, +however, the reader's making any mistake, I will take this +opportunity of laying before him some remarks on the whole southern +hemisphere, which will enable him immediately to comprehend all that +I have afterwards to say on this subject. + +If we suppose the south pole to be the centre of a chart of which +the equinoctial is the circumference, we shall then discern four +quarters, of the contents of which, if we could give a full account, +this part of the world would be perfectly discovered. To begin then +with the first of these, that is, from the first meridian, placed in +the island of Fero. Within this division, that is to say, from the +first to the nineteenth degree of longitude, there lies the great +continent of Africa, the most southern point of which is the Cape of +Good Hope, lying in the latitude of 34 degrees 15 minutes south. +Between that and the pole, several small but very inconsiderable +islands have been discovered, affording us only this degree of +certainty, that to the latitude of 50 degrees there is no land to be +found of any consequence; there was, indeed, a voyage made by Mr. +Bovet in the year 1738, on purpose to discover whether there were +any lands to the south in that quarter or not. This gentleman +sailed from Port l'Orient July the 18th, 1738, and on the 1st of +January, 1739, discovered a country, the coasts of which were +covered with ice, in the latitude of 54 degrees south, and in the +longitude of 28 degrees 30 minutes, the variation of the compass +being there 6 degrees 45 minutes, to the west. + +In the next quarter, that is to say, from 90 degrees longitude to +180 degrees, lie the countries of which we have been speaking, or +that large southern island, extending from the equinoctial to the +latitude of 43 degrees 10 minutes, and the longitude of 167 degrees +55 minutes, which is the extremity of Van Diemen's Land + +In the third quarter, that is, from the longitude of 150 degrees to +170 degrees, there is very little discovered with any certainty. +Captain Tasman, indeed, visited the coast of New Zealand, in the +latitude of 42 degrees 10 minutes south, and in the longitude of 188 +degrees 28 minutes; but besides this, and the islands of Amsterdam +and Rotterdam, we know very little; and therefore, if there be any +doubts about the reality of Terra Australis, it must be with respect +to that part of it which lies within this quarter, through which +Schovten and Le Maire sailed, but without discovering anything more +than a few small islands. + +The fourth and last quarter is from 270 degrees of longitude to the +first meridian, within which lies the continent of South America, +and the island of Terra del Fuego, the most southern promontory of +which is supposed to be Cape Horn, which, according to the best of +observations, is in the latitude of 56 degrees, beyond which there +has been nothing with any degree of certainty discovered on this +side. + +On the whole, therefore, it appears there are three continents +already tolerably discovered which point towards the south pole, and +therefore it is very probable there is a fourth, which if there be, +it must lie between the country of New Zealand, discovered by +Captain Tasman, and that country which was seen by Captain Sharpe +and Mr. Wafer in the South Seas, to which land therefore, and no +other, the title of Terra Australis Incognita properly belongs. +Leaving this, therefore, to the industry of future ages to discover, +we will now return to that great southern island which Captain +Tasman actually surrounded, and the bounds of which are tolerably +well known. + +In order to give the reader a proper idea of the importance of this +country, it will be requisite to say something of the climates in +which it is situated. As it lies from the equinoctial to near the +latitude of 44 degrees, the longest day in the most northern parts +must be twelve hours, and in the southern about fifteen hours, or +somewhat more, so that it extends from the first to the seventh +climate, which shows its situation to be the happiest in the world, +the country called Van Diemen's Land resembling in all respects the +south of France. As there are in all countries some parts more +pleasant than others, so there seems good reason to believe that +within two or three degrees of the tropic of Capricorn, which passes +through the midst of New Holland, is the most unwholesome and +disagreeable part of this country; the reason of which is very +plain, for in those parts it must be excessively hot, much more so +than under the line itself, since the days and nights are there +always equal, whereas within three or four degrees of the tropic of +Capricorn, that is to say, in the latitude 27 degrees south, the +days are thirteen hours and a half long, and the sun is twice in +their zenith, first in the beginning of December, or rather in the +latter end of November, and again when it returns back, which +occasions a burning heat for about two months, or something more; +whereas, either farther to the south or nearer to the line, the +climate must be equally wholesome and pleasant. + +As to the product and commodities of this country in general, there +is the greatest reason in the world to believe that they are +extremely rich and valuable, because the richest and finest +countries in the known world lie all of them within the same +latitude; but to return from conjectures to facts, the country +discovered by De Quiros makes a part of this great island, and is +the opposite coast to that of Carpentaria. This country, the +discoverer called La Australia del Espiritu Santo, in the latitude +of 15 degrees 40 minutes south, and, as he reports, it abounds with +gold, silver, pearl, nutmegs, mace, ginger, and sugar-canes, of an +extraordinary size. I do not wonder that formerly the fact might be +doubted, but at present I think there is sufficient reason to induce +us to believe it, for Captain Dampier describes the country about +Cape St. George and Port Mountague, which are within 9 degrees of +the country described by De Quiros. I say Captain Dampier describes +what he saw in the following words: "The country hereabouts is +mountainous and woody, full of rich valleys and pleasant fresh-water +brooks; the mould in the valleys is deep and yellowish, that on the +sides of the hills of a very brown colour, and not very deep, but +rocky underneath, yet excellent planting land; the trees in general +are neither very straight, thick, nor tall, yet appear green and +pleasant enough; some of them bear flowers, some berries, and others +big fruits, but all unknown to any of us; cocoa-nut trees thrive +very well here, as well on the bays by the sea-side, as more remote +among the plantations; the nuts are of an indifferent size, the milk +and kernel very thick and pleasant; here are ginger, yams, and other +very good roots for the pot, that our men saw and tasted; what other +fruits or roots the country affords I know not; here are hogs and +dogs, other land animals we saw none; the fowls we saw and knew were +pigeons, parrots, cocadores, and crows, like those in England; a +sort of birds about the bigness of a blackbird, and smaller birds +many. The sea and rivers have plenty of fish; we saw abundance, +though we catched but few, and these were cavallies, yellow-tails, +and whip-wreys." + +This account is grounded only on a very slight view, whereas De +Quiros resided for some time in the place he has mentioned. In +another place Captain Dampier observes that he saw nutmegs amongst +them, which seemed to be fresh-gathered, all which agrees perfectly +with the account given by De Quiros; add to this, that Schovten had +likewise observed, that they had ginger upon this coast, and some +other spices, so that on the whole there seems not the least reason +to doubt that if any part of this country was settled, it must be +attended with a very rich commerce; for it cannot be supposed that +all these writers should be either mistaken, or that they should +concur in a design to impose upon their readers; which is the less +to be suspected, if we consider how well their reports agree with +the situation of the country, and that the trees on the land, and +the fish on the coast, corresponding exactly with the trees of those +countries, and the fish on the coasts, where these commodities are +known to abound within land, seem to intimate a perfect conformity +throughout. + +The next thing to be considered is, the possibility of planting in +this part of the world, which at first sight, I must confess, seems +to be attended with considerable difficulties with respect to every +other nation except the Dutch, who either from Batavia, the +Moluccas, or even from the Cape of Good Hope, might with ease settle +themselves wherever they thought fit; as, however, they have +neglected this for above a century, there seems to be no reason why +their conduct in this respect should become the rule of other +nations, or why any other nation should be apprehensive of drawing +on herself the displeasure of the Dutch, by endeavouring to turn to +their benefit countries the Dutch have so long suffered to lie, with +respect to Europe, waste and desert. + +The first point, with respect to a discovery, would be to send a +small squadron on the coast of Van Diemen's Land, and from thence +round, in the same course taken by Captain Tasman, by the coast of +New Guinea, which might enable the nations that attempted it to come +to an absolute certainty with regard to its commodities and +commerce. Such a voyage as this might be performed with very great +ease, and at a small expense, by our East India Company; and this in +the space of eight or nine months' time; and considering what mighty +advantages might accrue to the nation, there seems to be nothing +harsh or improbable in supposing that some time or other, when the +legislature is more than usually intent on affairs of commerce, they +may be directed to make such an expedition at the expense of the +public. By this means all the back coast of New Holland and New +Guinea might be thoroughly examined, and we might know as well, and +as certainly as the Dutch, how far a colony settled there might +answer our expectations; one thing is certain, that to persons used +to the navigation of the Indies, such an expedition could not be +thought either dangerous or difficult, because it is already +sufficiently known that there are everywhere islands upon the coast, +where ships upon such a discovery might be sure to meet with +refreshments, as is plain from Commodore Roggewein's voyage, made +little more than twenty years ago. + +The only difficulty that I can see would be the getting a fair and +honest account of this expedition when made; for private interest is +so apt to interfere, and get the better of the public service, that +it is very hard to be sure of anything of this sort. That I may not +be suspected of any intent to calumniate, I shall put the reader in +mind of two instances; the first is, as to the new trade from +Russia, for establishing of which an Act of Parliament was with +great difficulty obtained, though visibly for the advantage of the +nation; the other instance is, the voyage of Captain Middleton, for +the discovery of a north-west passage into the south seas, which is +ended by a very warm dispute, whether that passage be found or not, +the person supposed to have found it maintaining the negative. + +Whenever, therefore, such an expedition is undertaken, it ought to +be under the direction, not only of a person of parts and +experience, but of unspotted character, who, on his return, should +be obliged to deliver his journal upon oath, and the principal +officers under him should likewise be directed to keep their +journals distinctly, and without their being inspected by the +principal officer; all which journals ought to be published by +authority as soon as received, that every man might be at liberty to +examine them, and deliver his thoughts as to the discoveries made, +or the impediments suggested to have hindered or prevented such +discoveries, by which means the public would be sure to obtain a +full and distinct account of the matter; and it would thence +immediately appear whether it would be expedient to prosecute the +design or not. + +But if it should be thought too burdensome for a company in so +flourishing a condition, and consequently engaged in so extensive a +commerce as the East India Company is, to undertake such an +expedition, merely to serve the public, promote the exportation of +our manufactures, and increase the number of industrious persons who +are maintained by foreign trade; if this, I say, should be thought +too grievous for a company that has purchased her privileges from +the public by a large loan at low interest, there can certainly be +no objection to the putting this project into the hands of the Royal +African Company, who are not quite in so flourishing a condition; +they have equal opportunities for undertaking it, since the voyage +might be with great ease performed from their settlements in ten +months, and if the trade was found to answer, it might encourage the +settling a colony at Madagascar to and from which ships might, with +the greatest conveniency, carry on the trade to New Guinea. I +cannot say how far such a trade might be consistent with their +present charter; but if it should be found advantageous to the +public, and beneficial to the company, I think there can be no +reason assigned why it should not be secured to them, and that too +in the most effectual manner. + +A very small progress in it would restore the reputation of the +company, and in time, perhaps, free the nation from the annual +expense she is now at, for the support of the forts and garrisons +belonging to that company on the coasts of Africa; which would alone +prove of great and immediate service, both to the public and to the +company. To say the truth, something of this sort is absolutely +necessary to vindicate the expense the nation is at; for if the +trade, for the carrying on of which a company is established, +proves, by a change of circumstances, incapable of supporting that +company, and thereby brings a load upon the public, this ought to be +a motive, it ought, indeed, to be the strongest motive, for that +company to endeavour the extension of its commerce, or the striking +out, if possible, some new branch of trade, which may restore it to +its former splendour; and in this as it hath an apparent right, so +there is not the least reason to doubt that it would meet with all +the countenance and assistance from the government that it could +reasonably expect or desire. + +If such a design should ever be attempted, perhaps the island of New +Britain might be the properest place for them to settle. As to the +situation, extent, and present condition of that island, all that +can be said of it must be taken from the account given by its +discoverer Captain Dampier, which, in few words, amounts to this: +"The island which I call Nova Britannia has about 4 degrees of +latitude, the body of it lying in 4 degrees, the northernmost part +in 2 degrees 30 minutes, and the southernmost in 6 degrees 30 +minutes. It has about 5 degrees 18 minutes longitude from east to +west; it is generally high mountainous land, mixed with large +valleys, which, as well as the mountains, appeared very fertile; and +in most places that we saw the trees are very large, tall, and +thick. It is also very well inhabited with strong, well-limbed +negroes, whom we found very daring and bold at several places: as +to the product of it, it is very probable this island may afford as +many rich commodities as any in the world; and the natives may be +easily brought to commerce, though I could not pretend to it in my +circumstances." If any objections should be raised from Dampier's +misfortune in that voyage, it is easy to show that it ought to have +no manner of weight whatever, since, though he was an excellent +pilot, he is allowed to have been but a bad commander; besides, the +Roebuck, in which he sailed, was a worn-out frigate that would +hardly swim; and it is no great wonder that in so crazy a vessel the +people were a little impatient at being abroad on discoveries; yet, +after all, he performed what he was sent for; and, by the discovery +of this island of New Britain, secured us an indisputable right to a +country, that is, or might be made, very valuable. + +It is so situated, that a great trade might be carried on from +thence through the whole Terra Australis on one side, and the most +valuable islands of the East Indies on the other. In short, all, or +at least most, of the advantages proposed by the Dutch West India +Company's joining with their East India Company, of which a large +account has already been given, might be procured for this nation, +by the establishing a colony in this island of New Britain, and +securing the trade of that colony to the African Company by law; the +very passing of which law would give the company more than +sufficient credit, to fit out a squadron at once capable of securing +the possession of that island, and of giving the public such +satisfaction as to its importance, as might be requisite to obtain +further power and assistance from the State, if that should be found +necessary. It would be very easy to point out some advantages +peculiarly convenient for that company; but it will be time enough +to think of these whenever the African Company shall discover an +inclination to prosecute this design. At present I have done what I +proposed, and have shown that such a collection of voyages as this +ought not to be considered as a work of mere amusement, but as a +work calculated for the benefit of mankind in general, and of this +nation in particular, which it is the duty of every man to promote +in his station; and whatever fate these reflections may meet with, I +shall always have the satisfaction of remembering that I have not +neglected it in mine, but have taken the utmost pains to turn a +course of laborious reading to the advantage of my country. + +But, supposing that neither of these companies should think it +expedient, or, in other words, should not think it consistent with +their interest to attempt this discovery, there is yet a third +company, within the spirit of whose charter, I humbly conceive, the +prosecution of such a scheme immediately lies. The reader will +easily discern that I mean the company for carrying on a trade to +the South Seas, who, notwithstanding the extensiveness of their +charter, confirmed and supported by authority of parliament, have +not, so far as my information reaches, ever attempted to send so +much as a single ship for the sake of discoveries into the South +Seas, which, however, was the great point proposed when this company +was first established. In order to prove this, I need only lay +before the reader the limits assigned that company by their charter, +the substance of which is contained in the following words:- + +"The corporation, and their successors, shall, for ever, be vested +in the sole trade into and from all the kingdoms and lands on the +east side of America, from the River Oroonoco, to the southernmost +part of Terra del Fuego, and on the west side thereof from the said +southernmost part of Terra del Fuego, through the South Sea, to the +northernmost part of America, and into and through all the +countries, islands, and places within the said limits, which are +reputed to belong to Spain, or which shall hereafter be found out +and discovered within the limits aforesaid, not exceeding 300 +leagues from the continent of America, between the southernmost part +of the Terra del Fuego and the northernmost part of America, on the +said west side thereof, except the Kingdom of Brazil, and such other +places on the east side of America, as are now in the possession of +the King of Portugal, and the country of Surinam, in the possession +of the States-general. The said company, and none else, are to +trade within the said limits; and, if any other persons shall trade +to the South Seas, they shall forfeit the ship and goods, and double +value, one-fourth part to the crown, and another fourth part to the +prosecutor, and the other two-fourths to the use of the company. +And the company shall be the sole owners of the islands, forts, +etc., which they shall discover within the said limits, to be held +of the crown, under an annual rent of an ounce of gold, and of all +ships taken as prizes by the ships of the said company; and the +company may seize, by force of arms, all other British ships trading +in those seas." + +It is, I think, impossible for any man to imagine that either these +limits should be secured to the company for no purpose in the world; +or that these prohibitions and penalties should take place, +notwithstanding the company's never attempting to make any use of +these powers; from whence I infer that it was the intent of the +legislature that new discoveries should be made, new plantations +settled, and a new trade carried on by this new corporation, +agreeable to the rules prescribed, and for the general benefit of +this nation; which I apprehend was chiefly considered in the +providing that this new commerce should be put under the management +of a particular company. But I am very well aware of an objection +that may be made to what I have advanced; viz., that, from my own +showing, this southern continent lies absolutely without their +limits; and that there is also a proviso in the charter of that +company that seems particularly calculated to exclude it, since it +recites that. + +"The agents of the company shall not sail beyond the southernmost +parts of Terra del Fuego, except through the Straits of Magellan, or +round Terra del Fuego; nor go from thence to any part of the East +Indies, nor return to Great Britain, or any port or place, unless +through the said straits, or by Terra del Fuego: nor shall they +trade in East India goods, or in any places within the limits +granted to the united company of merchants of England trading to +East India (such India goods excepted as shall be actually exported +from Great Britain, and also such gold, silver, wrought plate, and +other goods and commodities, which are the produce, growth, or +manufactures of the West Indies, or continent of America): neither +shall they send ships, or use them or any vessel, within the South +Seas, from Terra del Fuego to the northernmost parts of America, +above three hundred leagues to the westward of, and distant from the +land of Chili, Peru, Mexico, California, or any other the lands or +shores of Southern or Northern America, between Terra del Fuego and +the northernmost part of America, on pain of the forfeiture of the +ships and goods; one-third to the crown, and the other two-thirds to +the East India Company." + +But the reader will observe that I mentioned the East India and +African Companies before; and that I now mention the South Sea +Company, on a supposition that the two former may refuse it. In +that case, I presume, the legislature will make the same distinction +that the States of Holland did, and not suffer the private advantage +of any particular company to stand in competition with the good of a +whole people. It was upon this principle that I laid it down as a +thing certain, that the African company would be allowed to settle +the island of Madagascar, though it lies within the limits of the +East India Company's charter, in case it should be found necessary +for the better carrying on of this trade. It is upon the same +principle I say this southern continent lies within the intention of +the South Sea Company's charter, because, I presume, the intent of +that charter was to grant them all the commerce in those seas, not +occupied before by British subjects; for, if it were otherwise, what +a condition should we be in as a maritime power? If a grant does +not oblige a company to carry on a trade within the limits granted +to that company, and is, at the same time, of force to preclude all +the subjects of this nation from the right they before had to carry +on a trade within those limits, such a law is plainly destructive to +the nation's interest and to commerce in general. I therefore +suppose, that, if the South Sea Company should think proper to +revive their trade in the manner I propose, this proviso would be +explained by Parliament to mean no more than excluding the South Sea +Company from settling or trading in or to any place at present +settled in or traded to by the East India Company: for, as this +interpretation would secure the just rights of both companies, and, +at the same time reconcile the laws for establishing them to the +general interest of trade and the nation, there is the greatest +reason to believe this to be the intention of the legislature. I +have been obliged to insist fully upon this matter, because it is a +point hitherto untouched, and a point of such high importance, that, +unless it be understood according to my sense of the matter, there +is an end of all hopes of extending our trade on this side, which is +perhaps the only side on which there is the least probability that +it ever can be extended; for, as to the north-west passage into the +South Seas, that seems to be blocked up by the rights of another +company; so that, according to the letter of our laws, each company +is to have its rights, and the nation in general no right at all. + +If, therefore, the settling of this part of Terra Australis should +devolve on the South Sea Company, by way of equivalent for the loss +of their Assiento contract, there is no sort of question but it +might be as well performed by them as by any other, and the trade +carried on without interfering with that which is at present carried +on, either by the East India or African Companies. It would indeed, +in this case, be absolutely necessary to settle Juan Fernandez, the +settlement of which place, under the direction of that company, if +they could, as very probably they might, fall into some share of the +slave-trade from New Guinea, must prove wonderfully advantageous, +considering the opportunity they would have of vending those slaves +to the Spaniards in Chili and Peru. The settling of this island +ought to be performed at once, and with a competent force, since, +without doubt, the Spaniards would leave no means unattempted to +dispossess them: yet, if a good fortification was once raised, the +passes properly retrenched, and a garrison left there of between +three and five hundred men, it would be simply impossible for the +Spaniards to force them out of it before the arrival of another +squadron from hence. Neither do I see any reason why, in the space +of a very few years, the plantation of this island should not prove +of as great consequence to the South Sea Company as that of Curacao +to the Dutch West India Company, who raise no less than sixty +thousand florins per annum for licensing ships to trade there. + +From Juan Fernandez to Van Diemen's Land is not above two months' +sail; and a voyage for discovery might be very conveniently made +between the time that a squadron returned from Juan Fernandez, and +another squadron's arrival there from hence. It is true that, if +once a considerable settlement was made in the most southern part of +Terra Australis, the company might then fall into a large commerce +in the most valuable East India goods, very probably gold, and +spices of all sorts: yet I cannot think that even these would fall +within the exclusive proviso of their charter; for that was +certainly intended to hinder their trading in such goods as are +brought hither by our East India Company; and I must confess I see +no difference, with respect to the interest of that company, between +our having cloves, cinnamon, and mace, by the South Sea Company's +ships from Juan Fernandez, and our receiving them from Holland, +after the Dutch East India Company's ships have brought them thither +by the way of the Cape of Good Hope. Sure I am they would come to +us sooner by some months by the way of Cape Horn. If this reasoning +does not satisfy people, but they still remain persuaded that the +South Sea Company ought not to intermeddle with the East India trade +at all, I desire to know why the West India merchants are allowed to +import coffee from Jamaica, when it is well known that the East +India Company can supply the whole demand of this kingdom from +Mocha? If it be answered that the Jamaica coffee comes cheaper, and +is the growth of our own plantations, I reply, that these spices +will not only be cheaper, but better, and be purchased by our own +manufacturers; and these, I think, are the strongest reasons that +can be given. + +If it be demanded what certainty I have that spices can be had from +thence, I answer, all the certainty that in a thing of this nature +can be reasonably expected: Ferdinand de Quiros met with all sorts +of spices in the country he discovered; William Schovten, and +Jacques le Maire, saw ginger and nutmegs; so did Dampier; and the +author of Commodore Roggewein's Voyage asserts, that the free +burgesses of Amboyna purchase nutmegs from the natives of New Guinea +for bits of iron. All, therefore, I contend for, is that these bits +of iron may be sent them from Old England. + +The reason I recommend settling on the south coast of Terra +Australis, if this design should be prosecuted, from Juan Fernandez, +rather than the island of New Britain, which I mentioned before, is, +because that coast is nearer, and is situated in a better and +pleasanter climate. Besides all which advantages, as it was never +hitherto visited by the Dutch, they cannot, with any colour of +justice, take umbrage at our attempting such a settlement. To close +then this subject, the importance of which alone inclined me to +spend so much of mine and the reader's time about it: + +It is most evident, that, if such a settlement was made at Juan +Fernandez, proper magazines erected, and a constant correspondence +established between that island and the Terra Australis, these three +consequences must absolutely follow from thence: 1. That a new +trade would be opened, which must carry off a great quantity of our +goods and manufactures, that cannot, at present, be brought to any +market, or at least, not to so good a market as if there was a +greater demand for them. 2. It would render this navigation, which +is at present so strange, and consequently so terrible, to us, easy +and familiar; which might be attended with advantages that cannot be +foreseen, especially since there is, as I before observed, in all +probability another southern continent, which is still to be +discovered. 3. It would greatly increase our shipping and our +seamen, which are the true and natural strength of this country, +extend our naval power, and raise the reputation of this nation; the +most distant prospect of which is sufficient to warm the soul of any +man who has the least regard for his country, with courage +sufficient to despise the imputations that may be thrown upon him as +a visionary projector, for taking so much pains about an affair that +can tend so little to his private advantage. We will now add a few +words with respect to the advantages arising from having thus +digested the history of circumnavigators, from the earliest account +of time to the present, and then shut up the whole with another +section, containing the last circumnavigation by Rear-Admiral Anson, +whose voyage has at least shown that, under a proper officer, +English seamen are able to achieve as much as they ever did; and +that is as much as was ever done by any nation in the world. + +It is a point that has always admitted some debate, whether science +stands more indebted to speculation or practice; or, in other words, +whether the greater discoveries have been made by men of deep study, +or persons of great experience in the most useful parts of +knowledge. But this, I think, is a proposition that admits of no +dispute at all, that the noblest discoveries have been the result of +a just mixture of theory with practice. It was from hence that the +very notion of sailing round the earth took rise; and the ingenious +Genoese first laid down this system of the world, according to his +conception, and then added the proofs derived from experience. It +is much to be deplored that we have not that plan of discovery which +the great Christopher Columbus sent over thither by his brother +Bartholomew to King Henry VII., for if we had we should certainly +find abundance of very curious observations, which might still be +useful to mariners: for it appears clearly, from many little +circumstances, that he was a person of universal genius, and, until +bad usage obliged him to take many precautions, very communicative. + +It was from this plan, as it had been communicated to the Portuguese +court, that the famous Magellan came to have so just notions of the +possibility of sailing by the West to the East Indies; and there was +a great deal of theory in the proposal made by that great man to the +Emperor Charles V. Sir Francis Drake was a person of the same +genius, and of a like general knowledge; and it is very remarkable +that these three great seamen met also with the same fate; by which +I mean, that they were constantly pursued by envy while they lived, +which hindered so much notice being taken of their discourses and +discoveries as they deserved. But when the experience of succeeding +times had verified many of their sayings, which had been considered +as vain and empty boastings in their lifetimes, then prosperity +began to pay a superstitious regard to whatever could be collected +concerning them, and to admire all they delivered as oraculous. Our +other discoverer, Candish, was likewise a man of great parts and +great penetration, as well as of great spirit; he had, undoubtedly, +a mighty genius for discoveries; but the prevailing notion of those +times, that the only way to serve the nation was plundering the +Spaniards, seems to have got the better of his desire to find out +unknown countries; and made him choose to be known to posterity +rather as a gallant privateer than as an able seaman, though in +truth he was both. + +After these follow Schovten and Le Maire, who were fitted out to +make discoveries; and executed their commission with equal capacity +and success. If Le Maire had lived to return to Holland, and to +have digested into proper order his own accounts, we should, without +question, have received a much fuller and clearer, as well as a much +more correct and satisfactory detail of them than we have at +present: though the voyage, as it is now published, is in all +respects the best, and the most curious of all the circumnavigators. +This was, very probably, owing to the ill-usage he met with from the +Dutch East India Company; which put Captain Schovten, and the +relations of Le Maire, upon giving the world the best information +they could of what had been in that voyage performed. Yet the fate +of Le Maire had a much greater effect in discouraging, than the fame +of his discoveries had in exciting, a spirit of emulation; so that +we may safely say, the severity of the East India Company in Holland +extinguished that generous desire of exploring unknown lands, which +might otherwise have raised the reputation and extended the commerce +of the republic much beyond what they have hitherto reached. This +is so true that for upwards of one hundred years we hear of no Dutch +voyage in pursuit of Le Maire's discoveries; and we see, when +Commodore Roggewein, in our own time, revived that noble design, it +was again cramped by the same power that stifled it before; and +though the States did justice to the West India Company, and to the +parties injured, yet the hardships they suffered, and the plain +proof they gave of the difficulties that must be met with in the +prosecution of such a design, seem to have done the business of the +East India Company, and damped the spirit of discovery, for perhaps +another century, in Holland. + +It is very observable that all the mighty discoveries that have been +made arose from these great men, who joined reasoning with practice, +and were men of genius and learning, as well as seamen. To Columbus +we owe the finding America; to Magellan the passing by the straits +which bear his name, by a new route to the East Indies; to Le Maire +a more commodious passage round Cape Horn, and without running up to +California; Sir Francis Drake, too, hinted the advantages that might +arise by examining the north-west side of America; and Candish had +some notions of discovering a passage between China and Japan. As +to the history we have of Roggewein's voyage, it affords such lights +as nothing but our own negligence can render useless. But in the +other voyages, whatever discoveries we meet with are purely +accidental, except it be Dampier's voyage to the coasts of New +Holland and New Guinea, which was expressly made for discoveries; +and in which, if an abler man had been employed in conjunction with +Dampier, we cannot doubt that the interior and exterior of those +countries would have been much better known than they are at +present; because such a person would rather have chosen to have +refreshed in the island of New Britain, or some other country not +visited before, than at that of Timer, already settled both by the +Portuguese and the Dutch. + +In all attempts, therefore, of this sort, those men are fittest to +be employed who, with competent abilities as seamen, have likewise +general capacities, are at least tolerably acquainted with other +sciences, and have settled judgments and solid understandings. +These are the men from whom we are to expect the finishing that +great work which former circumnavigators have begun; I mean the +discovering every part and parcel of the globe, and the carrying to +its utmost perfection the admirable and useful science of +navigation. + +It is, however, a piece of justice due to the memory of these great +men, to acknowledge that we are equally encouraged by their examples +and guided by their discoveries. We owe to them the being freed, +not only from the errors, but from the doubts and difficulties with +which former ages were oppressed; to them we stand indebted for the +discovery of the best part of the world, which was entirely unknown +to the ancients, particularly some part of the eastern, most of the +southern, and all the western hemisphere; from them we have learned +that the earth is surrounded by the ocean, and that all the +countries under the torrid zone are inhabited, and that, quite +contrary to the notions that were formerly entertained, they are +very far from being the most sultry climate in the world, those +within a few degrees of the tropics, though habitable, being much +more hot, for reasons which have been elsewhere explained. By their +voyages, and especially by the observations of Columbus, we have +been taught the general motion of the sea, the reason of it, and the +cause and difference of currents in particular places, to which we +may add the doctrine of tides, which were very imperfectly known, +even by the greatest men in former times, whose accounts have been +found equally repugnant to reason and experience. + +By their observations we have acquired a great knowledge as to the +nature and variation of winds, particularly the monsoons, or trade +winds, and other periodical winds, of which the ancients had not the +least conception; and by these helps we not only have it in our +power to proceed much farther in our discoveries, but we are +likewise delivered from a multitude of groundless apprehensions, +that frightened them from prosecuting discoveries. We give no +credit now to the fables that not only amused antiquity, but even +obtained credit within a few generations. The authority of Pliny +will not persuade us that there are any nations without heads, whose +eyes and mouths are in their breasts, or that the Arimaspi have only +one eye, fixed in their forehead, and that they are perpetually at +war with the Griffins, who guard hidden treasures; or that there are +nations that have long hairy tales, and grin like monkeys. No +traveller can make us believe that, under the torrid zone, there are +a nation every man of which has one large flat foot, with which, +lying upon his back, he covers himself from the sun. In this +respect we have the same advantage over the ancients that men have +over children; and we cannot reflect without amazement on men's +having so much knowledge and learning in other respects, with such +childish understandings in these. + +By the labours of these great men in the two last centuries we are +taught to know what we seek, and how it is to be sought. We know, +for example, what parts of the north are yet undiscovered, and also +what parts of the south. We can form a very certain judgment of the +climate of countries undiscovered, and can foresee the advantages +that will result from discoveries before they are made; all which +are prodigious advantages, and ought certainly to animate us in our +searches. I might add to this the great benefits we receive from +our more perfect acquaintance with the properties of the loadstone, +and from the surprising accuracy of astronomical observations, to +which I may add the physical discoveries made of late years in +relation to the figure of the earth, all of which are the result of +the lights which these great men have given us. + +It is true that some of the zealous defenders of the ancients, and +some of the great admirers of the Eastern nations, dispute these +facts, and would have us believe that almost everything was known to +the old philosophers, and not only known but practised by the +Chinese long before the time of the great men to whom we ascribe +them. But the difference between their assertions and ours is, that +we fully prove the facts we allege, whereas they produce no evidence +at all; for instance, Albertus Magnus says that Aristotle wrote an +express treatise on the direction of the loadstone; but nobody ever +saw that treatise, nor was it ever heard of by any of the rest of +his commentators. We have in our hands some of the best +performances of antiquity in regard to geography, and any man who +has eyes, and is at all acquainted with that science, can very +easily discern how far they fall short of maps that were made even a +hundred years ago. The celebrated Vossius, and the rest of the +admirers of the Chinese, who, by the way, derived all their +knowledge from hearsay, may testify, in as strong terms as they +think fit, their contempt for the Western sages and their high +opinion of those in the East; but till they prove to us that their +favourite Chinese made any voyages comparable to the Europeans, +before the discovery of a passage to China by the Cape of Good Hope, +they will excuse us from believing them. Besides, if the ancients +had all this knowledge, how came it not to display itself in their +performances? How came they to make such difficulties of what are +now esteemed trifles? And how came they never to make any voyages, +by choice at least, that were out of sight of land? Again, with +respect to the Chinese, if they excel us so much in knowledge, how +came the missionaries to be so much admired for their superior skill +in the sciences? But to cut the matter short, we are not disputing +now about speculative points of science, but as to the practical +application of it; in which, I think, there is no doubt that the +modern inhabitants of the western parts of the world excel, and +excel chiefly from the labours and discoveries of these great and +ingenious men, who applied their abilities to the improvement of +useful arts, for the particular benefit of their countrymen, and to +the common good of mankind; which character is not derived from any +prejudice of ours, either against the ancients or the Oriental +nations, but is founded on facts of public notoriety, and on general +experience, which are a kind of evidence not to be controverted or +contradicted. + +We are still, however, in several respects short of perfection, and +there are many things left to exercise the sagacity, penetration, +and application of this and of succeeding ages; for instance, the +passages to the north-east and north-west are yet unknown; there is +a great part of the southern continent undiscovered; we are, in a +manner, ignorant of what lies between America and Japan, and all +beyond that country lies buried in obscurity, perhaps in greater +obscurity than it was an age ago; so that there is still room for +performing great things, which in their consequences perhaps might +prove greater than can well be imagined. I say nothing of the +discoveries that yet remain with regard to inland countries, because +these fall properly under another head, I mean that of travels. But +it will be time enough to think of penetrating into the heart of +countries when we have discovered the sea-coasts of the whole globe, +towards which the voyages recorded in this chapter have so far +advanced already. But the only means to arrive at these great ends, +and to transmit to posterity a fame approaching, at least in some +measure, to that of our ancestors, is to revive and restore that +glorious spirit which led them to such great exploits; and the most +natural method of doing this is to collect and preserve the memory +of their exploits, that they may serve at once to excite our +imitation, encourage our endeavours, and point out to us how they +may be best employed, and with the greatest probability of success. + + + +AN ACCOUNT OF NEW HOLLAND AND THE ADJACENT ISLANDS. +1699-1700. +BY CAPTAIN WILLIAM DAMPIER. + + + +Having described his voyage from Brazil to New Holland, this +celebrated navigator thus proceeds: + +About the latitude of 26 degrees south we saw an opening, and ran +in, hoping to find a harbour there; but when we came to its mouth, +which was about two leagues wide, we saw rocks and foul ground +within, and therefore stood out again; there we had twenty fathom +water within two miles of the shore: the land everywhere appeared +pretty low, flat, and even, but with steep cliffs to the sea, and +when we came near it there were no trees, shrubs, or grass to be +seen. The soundings in the latitude of 26 degrees south, from about +eight or nine leagues off till you come within a league of the +shore, are generally about forty fathoms, differing but little, +seldom above three or four fathoms; but the lead brings up very +different sorts of sand, some coarse, some fine, and of several +colours, as yellow, white, grey, brown, bluish, and reddish. + +When I saw there was no harbour here, nor good anchoring, I stood +off to sea again in the evening of the 2nd of August, fearing a +storm on a lee-shore, in a place where there was no shelter, and +desiring at least to have sea-room, for the clouds began to grow +thick in the western-board, and the wind was already there and began +to blow fresh almost upon the shore, which at this place lies along +north-north-west and south-south-east. By nine o'clock at night we +got a pretty good offing, but the wind still increasing, I took in +my main-top-sail, being able to carry no more sail than two courses +and the mizen. At two in the morning, August 3rd, it blew very +hard, and the sea was much raised, so that I furled all my sails but +my mainsail, though the wind blew so hard, we had pretty clear +weather till noon, but then the whole sky was blackened with thick +clouds, and we had some rain, which would last a quarter of an hour +at a time, and then it would blow very fierce while the squalls of +rain were over our heads, but as soon as they were gone the wind was +by much abated, the stress of the storm being over; we sounded +several times, but had no ground till eight o'clock, August the 4th, +in the evening, and then had sixty fathom water, coral ground. At +ten we had fifty-six fathom, fine sand. At twelve we had fifty-five +fathom, fine sand, of a pale bluish colour. It was now pretty +moderate weather, yet I made no sail till morning, but then the wind +veering about to the south-west, I made sail and stood to the north, +and at eleven o'clock the next day, August 5th, we saw land again, +at about ten leagues distant. This noon we were in latitude 25 +degrees 30 minutes, and in the afternoon our cook died, an old man, +who had been sick a great while, being infirm before we came out of +England. + +The 6th of August, in the morning, we saw an opening in the land, +and we ran into it, and anchored in seven and a half fathom water, +two miles from the shore, clean sand. It was somewhat difficult +getting in here, by reason of many shoals we met with; but I sent my +boat sounding before me. The mouth of this sound, which I called +Shark's Bay, lies in about 25 degrees south latitude, and our +reckoning made its longitude from the Cape of Good Hope to be about +87 degrees, which is less by one hundred and ninety-five leagues +than is usually laid down in our common draughts, if our reckoning +was right and our glasses did not deceive us. As soon as I came to +anchor in this bay, I sent my boat ashore to seek for fresh water, +but in the evening my men returned, having found none. The next +morning I went ashore myself, carrying pickaxes and shovels with me, +to dig for water, and axes to cut wood. We tried in several places +for water, but finding none after several trials, nor in several +miles compass, we left any further search for it, and spending the +rest of the day in cutting wood, we went aboard at night. + +The land is of an indifferent height, so that it may be seen nine or +ten leagues off. It appears at a distance very even; but as you +come nigher you find there are many gentle risings, though none +steep or high. It is all a steep shore against the open sea; but in +this bay or sound we were now in, the land is low by the seaside, +rising gradually in with the land. The mould is sand by the +seaside, producing a large sort of samphire, which bears a white +flower. Farther in the mould is reddish, a sort of sand, producing +some grass, plants, and shrubs. The grass grows in great tufts as +big as a bushel, here and there a tuft, being intermixed with much +heath, much of the kind we have growing on our commons in England. +Of trees or shrubs here are divers sorts, but none above ten feet +high, their bodies about three feet about, and five or six feet high +before you come to the branches, which are bushy, and composed of +small twigs there spreading abroad, though thick set and full of +leaves, which were mostly long and narrow. The colour of the leaves +was on one side whitish, and on the other green, and the bark of the +trees was generally of the same colour with the leaves, of a pale +green. Some of these trees were sweet-scented, and reddish within +the bark, like sassafras, but redder. Most of the trees and shrubs +had at this time either blossoms or berries on them. The blossoms +of the different sorts of trees were of several colours, as red, +white, yellow, etc., but mostly blue, and these generally smelt very +sweet and fragrant, as did some also of the rest. There were also +besides some plants, herbs, and tall flowers, some very small +flowers growing on the ground, that were sweet and beautiful, and, +for the most part, unlike any I had seen elsewhere. + +There were but few land fowls. We saw none but eagles of the larger +sorts of birds, but five or six sorts of small birds. The biggest +sort of these were not bigger than larks, some no bigger than wrens, +all singing with great variety of fine shrill notes; and we saw some +of their nests with young ones in them. The water-fowls are ducks +(which had young ones now, this being the beginning of the spring in +these parts), curlews, galdens, crab-catchers, cormorants, gulls, +pelicans, and some water-fowl, such as I have not seen anywhere +besides. + +The land animals that we saw here were only a sort of raccoons, +different from those of the West Indies, chiefly as to their legs, +for these have very short forelegs, but go jumping upon them as the +others do (and like them are very good meat), and a sort of guanos, +of the same shape and size with other guanos described, but +differing from them in three remarkable particulars; for these had a +larger and uglier head, and had no tail, and at the rump, instead of +the tail there, they had a stump of a tail, which appeared like +another head, but not really such, being without mouth or eyes; yet +this creature seemed by this means to have a head at each end, and, +which may be reckoned a fourth difference, the legs also seemed all +four of them to be fore-legs, being all alike in shape and length, +and seeming by the joints and bending to be made as if they were to +go indifferently either head or tail foremost. They were speckled +black and yellow like toads, and had scales or knobs on their backs +like those of crocodiles, plated on to the skin, or stuck into it, +as part of the skin. They are very slow in motion, and when a man +comes nigh them they will stand still and hiss, not endeavouring to +get away. Their livers are also spotted black and yellow; and the +body, when opened, hath a very unsavoury smell. I did never see +such ugly creatures anywhere but here. The guanos I have observed +to be very good meat, and I have often eaten of them with pleasure; +but though I have eaten of snakes, crocodiles, and alligators, and +many creatures that look frightfully enough, and there are but few I +should have been afraid to eat of if pressed by hunger, yet I think +my stomach would scarce have served to venture upon these New +Holland guanos, both the looks and the smell of them being so +offensive. + +The sea-fish that we saw here (for here was no river, land or pond +of fresh water to be seen) are chiefly sharks. There are abundance +of them in this particular sound, that I therefore gave it the name +of Shark's Bay. Here are also skates, thornbacks, and other fish of +the ray kind (one sort especially like the sea-devil), and gar-fish, +bonetas, etc. Of shell-fish we got here mussels, periwinkles, +limpets, oysters, both of the pearl kind and also eating oysters, as +well the common sort as long oysters, besides cockles, etc. The +shore was lined thick with many other sorts of very strange and +beautiful shells for variety of colour and shape, most finely +spotted with red, black, or yellow, etc., such as I have not seen +anywhere but at this place. I brought away a great many of them, +but lost all except a very few, and those not of the best. + +There are also some green turtle weighing about two hundred pounds. +Of these we caught two, which the water ebbing had left behind a +ledge of rock which they could not creep over. These served all my +company two days, and they were indifferent sweet meat. Of the +sharks we caught a great many, which our men ate very savourily. +Among them we caught one which was eleven feet long. The space +between its two eyes was twenty inches, and eighteen inches from one +corner of his mouth to the other. Its maw was like a leather sack, +very thick, and so tough that a sharp knife could scarce cut it, in +which we found the head and bones of a hippopotamus, the hairy lips +of which were still sound and not putrified, and the jaw was also +firm, out of which we plucked a great many teeth, two of them eight +inches long and as big as a man's thumb, small at one end, and a +little crooked, the rest not above half so long. The maw was full +of jelly, which stank extremely. However, I saved for awhile the +teeth and the shark's jaw. The flesh of it was divided among my +men, and they took care that no waste should be made of it. + +It was the 7th of August when we came into Shark's Bay, in which we +anchored at three several places, and stayed at the first of them +(on the west side of the bay) till the 11th, during which time we +searched about, as I said, for fresh water, digging wells, but to no +purpose. However, we cut good store of firewood at this first +anchoring-place, and my company were all here very well refreshed +with raccoons, turtle, shark, and other fish, and some fowls, so +that we were now all much brisker than when we came in hither. Yet +still I was for standing farther into the bay, partly because I had +a mind to increase my stock of fresh water, which was begun to be +low, and partly for the sake of discovering this part of the coast. +I was invited to go further by seeing from this anchoring-place all +open before me, which therefore I designed to search before I left +the bay. So on the 11th about noon I steered further in, with an +easy sail, because we had but shallow water. We kept, therefore, +good looking out for fear of shoals, sometimes shortening, sometimes +deepening the water. About two in the afternoon we saw the land +ahead that makes the south of the bay, and before night we had again +sholdings from that shore, and therefore shortened sail and stood +off and on all night, under two topsails, continually sounding, +having never more than ten fathom, and seldom less than seven. The +water deepened and sholdened so very gently, that in heaving the +lead five or six times we should scarce have a foot difference. +When we came into seven fathom either way, we presently went about. +From this south part of the bay we could not see the land from +whence we came in the afternoon; and this land we found to be an +island of three or four leagues long; but it appearing barren, I did +not strive to go nearer it, and the rather because the winds would +not permit us to do it without much trouble, and at the openings the +water was generally shoal: I therefore made no farther attempts in +this south-west and south part of the bay, but steered away to the +eastward, to see if there was any land that way, for as yet we had +seen none there. On the 12th, in the morning, we passed by the +north point of that land, and were confirmed in the persuasion of +its being an island by seeing an opening to the east of it, as we +had done on the west. Having fair weather, a small gale, and smooth +water, we stood further on in the bay to see what land was on the +east of it. Our soundings at first were seven fathom, which held so +a great while, but at length it decreased to six. Then we saw the +land right ahead. We could not come near it with the ship, having +but shoal water, and it being dangerous lying there, and the land +extraordinarily low, very unlikely to have fresh water (though it +had a few trees on it, seemingly mangroves), and much of it probably +covered at high water, I stood out again that afternoon, deepening +the water, and before night anchored in eight fathom, clean white +sand, about the middle of the bay. The next day we got up our +anchor, and that afternoon came to an anchor once more near two +islands and a shoal of coral rocks that face the bay. Here I +scrubbed my ship; and finding it very improbable I should get any +further here, I made the best of my way out to sea again, sounding +all the way; but finding, by the shallowness of the water, that +there was no going out to sea to the east of the two islands that +face the bay, nor between them, I returned to the west entrance, +going out by the same way I came in at, only on the east instead of +the west side of the small shoal: in which channel we had ten, +twelve, and thirteen fathom water, still deepening upon us till we +were out at sea. The day before we came out I sent a boat ashore to +the most northerly of the two islands, which is the least of them, +catching many small fish in the meanwhile, with hook and line. The +boat's crew returning told me that the isle produces nothing but a +sort of green, short, hard, prickly grass, affording neither wood +nor fresh water, and that a sea broke between the two islands--a +sign that the water was shallow. They saw a large turtle, and many +skates and thornbacks, but caught none. + +It was August the 14th when I sailed out of this bay or sound, the +mouth of which lies, as I said, in 25 degrees 5 minutes, designing +to coast along to the north-east till I might commodiously put in at +some other port of New Holland. In passing out we saw three water- +serpents swimming about in the sea, of a yellow colour spotted with +dark brown spots. They were each about four foot long, and about +the bigness of a man's wrist, and were the first I saw on this +coast, which abounds with several sorts of them. We had the winds +at our first coming out at north, and the land lying north-easterly. +We plied off and on, getting forward but little till the next day, +when the wind coming at south-south-west and south, we began to +coast it along the shore on the northward, keeping at six or seven +leagues off shore, and sounding often, we had between forty and +forty-six fathom water, brown sand with some white shells. This +15th of August we were in latitude 24 degrees 41 minutes. On the +16th day, at noon, we were in 23 degrees 22 minutes. The wind +coming at east by north, we could not keep the shore aboard, but +were forced to go farther off, and lost sight of the land; then +sounding, we had no ground with eighty-fathom line. However, the +wind shortly after came about again to the southward, and then we +jogged on again to the northward, and saw many small dolphins and +whales, and abundance of cuttle-shells swimming on the sea, and some +water-snakes every day. The 17th we saw the land again and took a +sight of it. + +The 18th, in the afternoon, being three or four leagues off shore, I +saw a shoal-point stretching from the land into the sea a league or +more; the sea broke high on it, by which I saw plainly there was a +shoal there. I stood farther off and coasted along shore to about +seven or eight leagues distance, and at twelve o'clock at night we +sounded, and had but twenty fathom, hard sand. By this I found I +was upon another shoal, and so presently steered off west half an +hour, and had then forty fathom. At one in the morning of the 18th +day we had eighty-five fathom; by two we could find no ground, and +then I ventured to steer along shore again due north, which is two +points wide of the coast (that lies north-north-east), for fear of +another shoal. I would not be too far off from the land, being +desirous to search into it wherever I should find an opening or any +convenience of searching about for water, etc. When we were off the +shoal-point I mentioned, where we had but twenty fathom water, we +had in the night abundance of whales about the ship, some ahead, +others astern, and some on each side, blowing and making a very +dismal noise; but when we came out again into deeper water, they +left us; indeed, the noise that they made by blowing and dashing of +the sea with their tails, making it all of a breach and foam, was +very dreadful to us, like the breach of the waves in very shoal +water or among rocks. The shoal these whales were upon had depth of +water sufficient, no less than twenty fathom, as I said, and it lies +in latitude 22 degrees 22 minutes. The shore was generally bold all +along. We had met with no shoal at sea since the Abrohlo shoal, +when we first fell on the New Holland coast in the latitude of 28 +degrees, till yesterday in the afternoon and this night. This +morning also, when we expected by the draught we had with us to have +been eleven leagues off shore, we were but four, so that either our +draughts were faulty, which yet hitherto and afterwards we found +true enough as to the lying of the coast, or else here was a tide +unknown to us that deceived us, though we had found very little of +any tide on this coast hitherto; as to our winds in the coasting +thus far, as we had been within the verge of the general trade +(though interrupted by the storm I mentioned), from the latitude of +28 degrees, when we first fell in with the coast, and by that time +we were in the latitude of 25 degrees, we had usually the regular +trade wind (which is here south-south-east) when we were at any +distance from shore; but we had often sea and land breezes, +especially when near shore and when in Shark's Bay, and had a +particular north-west wind or storm that set us in thither. On this +18th of August we coasted with a brisk gale of the true trade wind +at south-south-east, very fair and clear weather; but hauling off in +the evening to sea, were next morning out of sight of land, and the +land now trending away north-easterly, and we being to the northward +of it, and the wind also shrinking from the south-south-east to the +east-south-east (that is, from the true trade wind to the sea +breeze, as the land now lay), we could not get in with the land +again yet awhile so as to see it, though we trimmed sharp and kept +close on a wind. We were this 19th day in latitude 21 degrees 42 +minutes. The 20th we were in latitude 19 degrees 37 minutes, and +kept close on a wind to get sight of the land again, but could not +yet see it. We had very fair weather, and though we were so far +from the land as to be out of sight of it, yet we had the sea and +land breezes. In the night we had the land breeze at south-south- +east, a small gentle gale, which in the morning about sun-rising +would shift about gradually (and withal increasing in strength) till +about noon we should have it at east-south-east, which is the true +sea breeze here. Then it would blow a brisk gale so that we could +scarce carry our top-sails double-reefed; and it would continue thus +till three in the afternoon, when it would decrease again. The +weather was fair all the while, not a cloud to be seen, but very +hazy, especially nigh the horizon. We sounded several times this +20th day, and at first had no ground, but had afterwards from fifty- +two to forty-five fathom, coarse brown sand, mixed with small brown +and white stones, with dints besides in the tallow. + +The 21st day also we had small land breezes in the night, and sea +breezes in the day, and as we saw some sea-snakes every day, so this +day we saw a great many, of two different sorts or shapes. One sort +was yellow, and about the bigness of a man's wrist, about four feet +long, having a flat tail about four fingers broad. The other sort +was much smaller and shorter, round, and spotted black and yellow. +This day we sounded several times, and had forty-five fathom, sand. +We did not make the land till noon, and then saw it first from our +topmast head; it bore south-east by east about nine leagues +distance, and it appeared like a cape or head of land. The sea +breeze this day was not so strong as the day before, and it veered +out more, so that we had a fair wind to run in with to the shore, +and at sunset anchored in twenty fathom, clean sand, about five +leagues from the Bluff point, which was not a cape (as it appeared +at a great distance), but the easternmost end of an island about +five or six leagues in length, and one in breadth. There were three +or four rocky islands about a league from us, between us and the +Bluff point, and we saw many other islands both to the east and west +of it, as far as we could see either way from our topmast-head, and +all within them to the south there was nothing but islands of a +pretty height, that may be seen eight or nine leagues off; by what +we saw of them they must have been a range of islands of about +twenty leagues in length, stretching from east-north-east to west- +south-west, and, for aught I know, as far as to those of Shark's +Bay, and to a considerable breadth also, for we could see nine or +ten leagues in among them, towards the continent or mainland of New +Holland, if there be any such thing hereabouts; and by the great +tides I met with awhile afterwards, more to the north-east, I had a +strong suspicion that here might be a kind of archipelago of +islands, and a passage possibly to the south of New Holland and New +Guinea into the great South Sea eastward, which I had thoughts also +of attempting in my return from New Guinea, had circumstances +permitted, and told my officers so; but I would not attempt it at +this time, because we wanted water, and could not depend upon +finding it there. This place is in the latitude of 20 degrees 21 +minutes, but in the draught that I had of this coast, which was +Tasman's, it was laid down in 19 degrees 50 minutes, and the shore +is laid down as all along joining in one body or continent, with +some openings appearing like rivers, and not like islands as really +they are. This place lies more northerly by 40 minutes than is laid +down in Mr. Tasman's draught, and besides its being made a firm +continued land, only with some openings like the mouths of rivers, I +found the soundings also different from what the pricked line of his +course shows them, and generally shallower than he makes them, which +inclines me to think that he came not so near the shore as his line +shows, and so had deeper soundings, and could not so well +distinguish the islands. His meridian or difference of longitude +from Shark's Bay agrees well enough with my account, which is two +hundred and thirty-two leagues, though we differ in latitude; and to +confirm my conjecture that the line of his course is made too near +the shore, at least not far to the east of this place, the water is +there so shallow that he could not come there so nigh. + +But to proceed. In the night we had a small land breeze, and in the +morning I weighed anchor, designing to run in among the islands, for +they had large channels between them of a league wide at least, and +some two or three leagues wide. I sent in my boat before to sound, +and if they found shoal water to return again, but if they found +water enough to go ashore on one of the islands and stay till the +ship came in, where they might in the meantime search for water. So +we followed after with the ship, sounding as we went in, and had +twenty fathom till within two leagues of the Bluff head, and then we +had shoal water and very uncertain soundings; yet we ran in still +with an easy sail, sounding and looking out well, for this was +dangerous work. When we came abreast of the Bluff head, and about +two miles from it, we had but seven fathom, then we edged away from +it, but had no more water, and running in a little farther we had +but four fathoms, so we anchored immediately; and yet when we had +veered out a third of a cable, we had seven fathom water again, so +uncertain was the water. My boat came immediately on board, and +told me that the island was very rocky and dry, and they had little +hopes of finding water there. I sent them to sound, and bade them, +if they found a channel of eight or ten fathom water, to keep on, +and we would follow with the ship. We were now about four leagues +within the outer small rocky islands, but still could see nothing +but islands within us, some five or six leagues long, others not +above a mile round. The large islands were pretty high, but all +appeared dry, and mostly rocky and barren. The rocks looked of a +rusty yellow colour, and therefore I despaired of getting water on +any of them, but was in some hopes of finding a channel to run in +beyond all these islands, could I have spent time here, and either +got to the main of New Holland or find out some other islands that +might afford us water and other refreshments; besides that among so +many islands we might have found some sort of rich mineral, or +ambergris, it being a good latitude for both these. But we had not +sailed above a league farther before our water grew shoaler again, +and then we anchored in six fathom, hard sand. + +We were now on the inner side of the island, on whose outside is the +Bluff point. We rode a league from the island, and I presently went +ashore and carried shovels to dig for water, but found none. There +grow here two or three sorts of shrubs, one just like rosemary, and +therefore I called this Rosemary Island; it grew in great plenty +here, but had no smell. Some of the other shrubs had blue and +yellow flowers; and we found two sorts of grain like beans; the one +grew on bushes, the other on a sort of creeping vine that runs along +on the ground, having very thick broad leaves, and the blossom like +a bean blossom, but much larger and of a deep red colour, looking +very beautiful. We saw here some cormorants, gulls, crab-catchers, +etc., a few small land birds, and a sort of white parrots, which +flew a great many together. We found some shell-fish, viz., +limpets, periwinkles, and abundance of small oysters growing on the +rocks, which were very sweet. In the sea we saw some green turtle, +many sharks, and abundance of water-snakes of several sorts and +sizes. The stones were all of rusty colour, and ponderous. + +We saw a smoke on an island three or four leagues off, and here also +the bushes had been burned, but we found no other sign of +inhabitants. It was probable that on the island where the smoke was +there were inhabitants, and fresh water for them. In the evening I +went aboard, and consulted with my officers whether it was best to +send thither, or to search among any other of these islands with my +boat, or else go from hence and coast along shore with the ship, +till we could find some better place than this was to ride in, where +we had shoal water and lay exposed to winds and tides. They all +agreed to go from hence, so I gave orders to weigh in the morning as +soon as it should be light, and to get out with the land breeze. + +Accordingly, August 23rd, at five in the morning, we ran out, having +a pretty fresh land breeze at south-south-east. By eight o'clock we +were got out, and very seasonably, for before nine the sea breeze +came on us very strong, and increasing, we took in our top-sails and +stood off under two courses and a mizen, this being as much sail as +we could carry. The sky was clear, there being not one cloud to be +seen, but the horizon appeared very hazy, and the sun at setting the +night before, and this morning at rising, appeared very red. The +wind continued very strong till twelve, then it began to abate; I +have seldom met with a stronger breeze. These strong sea breezes +lasted thus in their turns three or four days. They sprang up with +the sunrise; by nine o'clock they were very strong, and so continued +till noon, when they began to abate; and by sunset there was little +wind, or a calm, till the land breezes came, which we should +certainly have in the morning about one or two o'clock. The land +breezes were between the south-south-west and south-south-east: the +sea breezes between the east-north-east and north-north-east. In +the night while calm, we fished with hook and line, and caught good +store of fish viz., snappers, breams, old-wives, and dog-fish. When +these last came we seldom caught any others; for it they did not +drive away the other fish, yet they would be sure to keep them from +taking our hooks, for they would first have them themselves, biting +very greedily. We caught also a monk-fish, of which I brought home +the picture. + +On the 25th of August we still coasted along shore, that we might +the better see any opening; kept sounding, and had about twenty +fathom, clean sand. The 26th day, being about four leagues off +shore, the water began gradually to sholden from twenty to fourteen +fathom. I was edging in a little towards the land, thinking to have +anchored; but presently after the water decreased almost at once, +till we had but five fathom. I durst, therefore, adventure no +farther, but steered out the same way that we came in, and in a +short time had ten fathom (being then about four leagues and a half +from the shore), and even soundings. I steered away east-north- +east, coasting along as the land lies. This day the sea breezes +began to be very moderate again, and we made the best of our way +along shore, only in the night edging off a little for fear of +shoals. Ever since we left Shark's Bay we had fair clear weather, +and so for a great while still. + +The 27th day we had twenty fathom water all night, yet we could not +see land till one in the afternoon from our topmast-head. By three +we could just discern land from our quarter-deck; we had then +sixteen fathom. The wind was at north, and we steered east-by- +north, which is but one point in on the land; yet we decreased our +water very fast, for at four we had but nine fathom, the next cast +but seven, which frightened us; and we then tacked instantly and +steed off, but in a short time the wind coming at north-west and +west-north-west, we tacked again and steered north-north-east, and +then deepened our water again, and had all night from fifteen to +twenty fathom. + +The 28th day we had between twenty and forty fathom. We saw no land +this day, but saw a great many snakes and some whales. We saw also +some boobies and noddy-birds, and in the night caught one of these +last. It was of another shape and colour than any I had seen +before. It had a small long bill, as all of them have, flat feet +like ducks' feet, its tail forked like a swallow, but longer and +broader, and the fork deeper than that of the swallow, with very +long wings; the top or crown of the head of this noddy was coal- +black, having also small black streaks round about and close to the +eyes; and round these streaks on each side, a pretty broad white +circle. The breast, belly, and under part of the wings of this +noddy were white, and the back and upper part of its wings of a +faint black or smoke colour. Noddies are seen in most places +between the tropics, as well in the East Indies and on the coast of +Brazil, as in the West Indies. They rest ashore at night, and +therefore we never see them far at sea, not above twenty or thirty +leagues, unless driven off in a storm. When they come about a ship +they commonly perch in the night, and will sit still till they are +taken by the seamen. They build on cliffs against the sea, or +rocks. + +The 30th day, being in latitude 18 degrees 21 minutes, we made the +land again, and saw many great smokes near the shore; and having +fair weather and moderate breezes, I steered in towards it. At four +in the afternoon I anchored in eight fathom water, clear sand, about +three leagues and a half from the shore. I presently sent my boat +to sound nearer in, and they found ten fathom about a mile farther +in, and from thence still farther in the water decreased gradually +to nine, eight, seven, and at two miles distance to six fathom. +This evening we saw an eclipse of the moon, but it was abating +before the moon appeared to us; for the horizon was very hazy, so +that we could not see the moon till she had been half an hour above +the horizon; and at two hours twenty-two minutes after sunset, by +the reckoning of our glasses, the eclipse was quite gone, which was +not of many digits. The moon's centre was then 33 degrees 40 +minutes high. + +The 31st of August, betimes in the morning, I went ashore with ten +or eleven men to search for water. We went armed with muskets and +cutlasses for our defence, expecting to see people there, and +carried also shovels and pickaxes to dig wells. When we came near +the shore we saw three tall, black, naked men on the sandy bay ahead +of us; but as we rowed in, they went away. When we were landed, I +sent the boat with two men in her to lie a little from the shore at +an anchor, to prevent being seized; while the rest of us went after +the three black men, who were now got on the top of a small hill +about a quarter of a mile from us, with eight or nine men more in +their company. They, seeing us coming, ran away. When we came on +the top of the hill where they first stood, we saw a plain savannah, +about half a mile from us, farther in from the sea. There were +several things like hay-cocks standing in the savannah, which at a +distance we thought were houses, looking just like the Hottentots' +houses at the Cape of Good Hope: but we found them to be so many +rocks. We searched about these for water, but could find none, nor +any houses, nor people, for they were all gone. Then we turned +again to the place where we landed, and there we dug for water. + +While we were at work there came nine or ten of the natives to a +small hill a little way from us, and stood there menacing and +threatening us, and making a great noise. At last one of them came +towards us, and the rest followed at a distance. I went out to meet +him, and came within fifty yards of him, making to him all the signs +of peace and friendship I could, but then he ran away, neither would +they any of them stay for us to come nigh them, for we tried two or +three times. At last I took two men with me, and went in the +afternoon along by the sea-side, purposely to catch one of them, if +I could, of whom I might learn where they got their fresh water. +There were ten or twelve of the natives a little way off, who, +seeing us three going away from the rest of our men, followed us at +a distance. I thought they would follow us, but there being for +awhile a sand-bank between us and them, that they could not then see +us, we made a halt, and hid ourselves in a bending of the sand-bank. +They knew we must be thereabouts, and being three or four times our +numbers, thought to seize us. So they dispersed themselves, some +going to the sea-shore, and others beating about the sand-hills. We +knew by what rencounter we had had with them in the morning that we +could easily out-run them, so a nimble young man that was with me, +seeing some of them near, ran towards them; and they for some time +ran away before him, but he soon overtaking them, they faced about +and fought him. He had a cutlass and they had wooden lances, with +which, being many of them, they were too hard for him. When he +first ran towards them I chased two more that were by the shore; but +fearing how it might be with my young man, I turned back quickly and +went to the top of a sand-hill, whence I saw him near me, closely +engaged with them. Upon their seeing me, one of them threw a lance +at me, that narrowly missed me. I discharged my gun to scare them, +but avoided shooting any of them, till finding the young man in +great danger from them, and myself in some; and that though the gun +had a little frightened them at first, yet they had soon learnt to +despise it, tossing up their hands and crying, "pooh, pooh, pooh," +and coming on afresh with a great noise, I thought it high time to +charge again, and shoot one of them, which I did. The rest, seeing +him fall, made a stand again, and my young man took the opportunity +to disengage himself and come off to me; my other man also was with +me, who had done nothing all this while, having come out unarmed, +and I returned back with my men, designing to attempt the natives no +farther, being very sorry for what had happened already. They took +up their wounded companion; and my young man, who had been struck +through the cheek by one of their lances, was afraid it had been +poisoned, but I did not think that likely. His wound was very +painful to him, being made with a blunt weapon; but he soon +recovered of it. + +Among the New Hollanders, whom we were thus engaged with, there was +one who by his appearance and carriage, as well in the morning as +this afternoon, seemed to be the chief of them, and a kind of prince +or captain among them. He was a young brisk man, not very tall, nor +so personable as some of the rest, though more active and +courageous: he was painted (which none of the rest were at all) +with a circle of white paste or pigment (a sort of lime, as we +thought) about his eyes, and a white streak down his nose, from his +forehead to the tip of it: and his breast and some part of his arms +were also made white with the same paint; not for beauty or +ornament, one would think, but as some wild Indian warriors are said +to do, he seemed thereby to design the looking more terrible; this +his painting adding very much to his natural deformity; for they all +of them have the most unpleasant looks and the worst features of any +people that ever I saw, though I have seen great variety of savages. +These New Hollanders were probably the same sort of people as those +I met with on this coast in my voyage round the world, for the place +I then touched at was not above forty or fifty leagues to the north- +east of this, and these were much the same blinking creatures (here +being also abundance of the same kind of flesh-flies teazing them,) +and with the same black skins, and hair frizzled, tall and thin, &c. +as those were: but we had not the opportunity to see whether these, +as the former, wanted two of their fore-teeth. + +We saw a great many places where they had made fires, and where +there were commonly three or four boughs stuck up to windward of +them; for the wind, (which is the sea-breeze), in the day-time blows +always one way with them, and the land-breeze is but small. By +their fire-places we should always find great heaps of fish-shells +of several sorts; and it is probable that these poor creatures here +lived chiefly on the shell-fish, as those I before described did on +small fish, which they caught in wires or holes in the sand at low +water. These gathered their shell-fish on the rocks at low water +but had no wires (that we saw), whereby to get any other sorts of +fish; as among the former I saw not any heaps of shells as here, +though I know they also gathered some shell-fish. The lances also +of those were such as these had; however, they being upon an island, +with their women and children, and all in our power, they did not +there use them against us, as here on the continent, where we saw +none but some of the men under head, who come out purposely to +observe us. We saw no houses at either place, and I believe they +have none, since the former people on the island had none, though +they had all their families with them. + +Upon returning to my men I saw that though they had dug eight or +nine feet deep, yet found no water. So I returned aboard that +evening, and the next day, being September 1st, I sent my boatswain +ashore to dig deeper, and sent the seine within him to catch fish. +While I stayed aboard I observed the flowing of the tide, which runs +very swift here, so that our nun-buoy would not bear above the water +to be seen. It flows here (as on that part of New Holland I +described formerly) about five fathom; and here the flood runs +south-east by south till the last quarter; then it sets right in +towards the shore (which lies here south-south-west and north north- +east) and the ebb runs north-west by north. When the tides +slackened we fished with hook and line, as we had already done in +several places on this coast; on which in this voyage hitherto we +had found but little tides; but by the height, and strength, and +course of them hereabouts, it should seem that if there be such a +passage or strait going through eastward to the great South Sea, as +I said one might suspect, one would expect to find the mouth of it +somewhere between this place and Rosemary Island, which was the part +of New Holland I came last from. + +Next morning my men came aboard and brought a runlet of brackish +water which they had got out of another well that they dug in a +place a mile off, and about half as far from the shore; but this +water was not fit to drink. However, we all concluded that it would +serve to boil our oatmeal, for burgoo, whereby we might save the +remains of our other water for drinking, till we should get more: +and accordingly the next day we brought aboard four hogsheads of it: +but while we were at work about the well we were sadly pestered with +the flies, which were more troublesome to us than the sun, though it +shone clear and strong upon us all the while very hot. All this +while we saw no more of the natives, but saw some of the smoke of +some of their fires at two or three miles distance. + +The land hereabouts was much like the port of New Holland that I +formerly described; it is low, but seemingly barricaded with a long +chain of sand-hills to the sea, that lets nothing be seen of what is +farther within land. At high water the tides rising so high as they +do, the coast shows very low: but when it is low water it seems to +be of an indifferent height. At low water-mark the shore is all +rocky, so that then there is no landing with a boat; but at high +water a boat may come in over those rocks to the sandy bay, which +runs all along on this coast. The land by the sea for about five or +six hundred yards is a dry sandy soil, bearing only shrubs and +bushes of divers sorts. Some of these had them at this time of the +year, yellow flowers or blossoms, some blue, and some white; most of +them of a very fragrant smell. Some had fruit like peascods, in +each of which there were just ten small peas; I opened many of them, +and found no more nor less. There are also here some of that sort +of bean which I saw at Rosemary Island: and another sort of small +red hard pulse, growing in cods also, with little black eyes like +beans. I know not their names, but have seen them used often in the +East Indies for weighing gold; and they make the same use of them at +Guinea, as I have heard, where the women also make bracelets with +them to wear about their arms. These grow on bushes; but here are +also a fruit like beans growing on a creeping sort of shrub-like +vine. There was great plenty of all these sorts of cod-fruit +growing on the sand-hills by the sea side, some of them green, some +ripe, and some fallen on the ground: but I could not perceive that +any of them had been gathered by the natives; and might not probably +be wholesome food. + +The land farther in, that is, lower than what borders on the sea, +was so much as we saw of it, very plain and even; partly savannahs +and partly woodland. The savannahs bear a sort of thin coarse +grass. The mould is also a coarser sand than that by the sea-side, +and in some places it is clay. Here are a great many rocks in the +large savannah we were in, which are five or six feet high, and +round at top like a hay-cock, very remarkable; some red and some +white. The woodland lies farther in still, where there were divers +sorts of small trees, scarce any three feet in circumference, their +bodies twelve or fourteen feet high, with a head of small knibs or +boughs. By the sides of the creeks, especially nigh the sea, there +grow a few small black mangrove-trees. + +There are but few land animals. I saw some lizards; and my men saw +two or three beasts like hungry wolves, lean like so many skeletons, +being nothing but skin and bones; it is probable that it was the +foot of one of those beasts that I mentioned as seen by us in New +Holland. We saw a raccoon or two, and one small speckled snake. + +The land fowls that we saw here were crows, just such as ours in +England, small hawks and kites, a few of each sort: but here are +plenty of small turtle doves, that are plump, fat, and very good +meat. Here are two or three sorts of smaller birds, some as big as +larks, some less; but not many of either sort. The sea-fowl are +pelicans, boobies, noddies, curlews, seapies, &c., and but few of +these neither. + +The sea is plentifully stocked with the largest whales that I ever +saw; but not to compare with the vast ones of the Northern Seas. We +saw also a great many green turtle, but caught none, here being no +place to set a turtle net in; there being no channel for them, and +the tides running so strong. We saw some sharks and parracoots; and +with hooks and lines we caught some rock-fish and old-wives. Of +shell-fish, here were oysters both of the common kind for eating, +and of the pearl kind; and also whelks, conchs, muscles, limpits, +periwinkles, &c., and I gathered a few strange shells, chiefly a +sort not large, and thickset all about with rays or spikes growing +in rows. + +And thus having ranged about a considerable time upon this coast, +without finding any good fresh water or any convenient place to +clean the ship, as I had hoped for; and it being moreover the height +of the dry season, and my men growing scorbutic for want of +refreshments, so that I had little encouragement to search further, +I resolved to leave this coast, and accordingly in the beginning of +September set sail towards Timor. + +On the 12th of December, 1699, we sailed from Babao, coasting along +the island Timor to the eastward, towards New Guinea. It was the +20th before we got as far as Laphao, which is but forty leagues. We +saw black clouds in the north-west, and expected the wind from that +quarter above a month sooner. + +That afternoon we saw the opening between the islands Omba and +Fetter, but feared to pass through in the night. At two o'clock in +the morning it fell calm, and continued so till noon, in which time +we drove with the current back again south-west six or seven +leagues. + +On the 22nd, steering to the eastward to get through between Omba +and Fetter, we met a very strong tide against us, so that although +we had a very fresh gale, we yet made way very slowly; but before +night got through. By a good observation we found that the south- +east point of Omba lies in latitude 8 degrees 25 minutes. In my +drafts it is laid down in 8 degrees 10 minutes. My true course from +Babao, is east 25 degrees north, distance one hundred eighty-three +miles. We sounded several times when near Omba, but had no ground. +On the north-east point of Omba we saw four or five men, and a +little further three pretty houses on a low point, but did not go +ashore. + +At five this afternoon we had a tornado, which yielded much rain, +thunder, and lightning; yet we had but little wind. The 24th in the +morning we caught a large shark, which gave all the ship's company a +plentiful meal. + +The 27th we saw the Burning Island; it lies in latitude 6 degrees 36 +minutes south; it is high, and but small; it runs from the sea a +little sloping towards the top, which is divided in the middle into +two peaks, between which issued out much smoke: I have not seen +more from any volcano. I saw no trees; but the north side appeared +green, and the rest looked very barren. + +Having passed the Burning Island, I shaped my course for two +islands, called Turtle Isles, which lie north-east by east a little +easterly, and distant about fifty leagues from the Burning Isle. I +fearing the wind might veer to the eastward of the north, steered +twenty leagues north-east, then north-east by east. On the 28th we +saw two small low islands, called Lucca-Parros, to the north of us. +At noon I accounted myself twenty leagues short of the Turtle Isles. + +The next morning, being in the latitude of the Turtle Islands, we +looked out sharp for them, but saw no appearance of any island till +eleven o'clock, when we saw an island at a great distance. At first +we supposed it might be one of the Turtle Isles, but it was not laid +down true, neither in latitude nor longitude from the Burning Isle, +nor from the Lucca-Parros, which last I took to be a great help to +guide me, they being laid down very well from the Burning Isle, and +that likewise in true latitude and distance from Omba, so that I +could not tell what to think of the island now in sight, we having +had fair weather, so that we could not pass by the Turtle Isles +without seeing them, and this in sight was much too far off for +them. We found variation 1 degrees 2 minutes east. In the +afternoon I steered north-east by east for the islands that we saw. +At two o'clock I went and looked over the fore-yard, and saw two +islands at much greater distance than the Turtle Islands are laid +down in my drafts, one of them was a very high peaked mountain, +cleft at top, and much like the Burning Island that we passed by, +but bigger and higher; the other was a pretty long high flat island. +Now I was certain that these were not the Turtle Islands, and that +they could be no other than the Bande Isles, yet we steered in to +make them plainer. At three o'clock we discovered another small +flat island to the north-west of the others, and saw a great deal of +smoke rise from the top of the high island. At four we saw other +small islands, by which I was now assured that these were the Bande +Isles there. At five I altered my course and steered east, and at +eight east-south-east, because I would not be seen by the +inhabitants of those islands in the morning. We had little wind all +night, and in the morning, as soon as it was light we saw another +high peaked island; at eight it bore south-south-east half-east, +distance eight leagues: and this I knew to be Bird Isle. It is +laid down in our drafts in latitude 5 degrees 9 minutes south, which +is too far southerly by twenty-seven miles, according to our +observation, and the like error in laying down the Turtle Islands +might be the occasion of our missing them. + +At night I shortened sail, for fear of coming too nigh some islands, +that stretch away bending like a half moon from Ceram towards Timor, +and which in my course I must of necessity pass through. The next +morning betimes I saw them, and found them to be at a farther +distance from Bird Island than I expected. In the afternoon it fell +quite calm, and when we had a little wind, it was so unconstant, +flying from one point to another, that I could not without +difficulty get through the islands where I designed; besides, I +found a current setting to the southward, so that it was betwixt +five and six in the evening before I passed through the islands, and +then just weathered little Watela, whereas I thought to have been +two or three leagues more northerly. We saw the day before, betwixt +two and three, a spout but a small distance from us, it fell down +out of a black cloud, that yielded great store of rain, thunder and +lightning; this cloud hovered to the southward of us for the space +of three hours, and then drew to the westward a great pace, at which +time it was that we saw the spout, which hung fast to the cloud till +it broke, and then the cloud whirled about to the south-east, then +to east-north-east, where meeting with an island, it spent itself +and so dispersed, and immediately we had a little of the tail of it, +having had none before. Afterwards we saw a smoke on the island +Kosiway, which continued till night. + +On New Year's Day we first descried the land of New Guinea, which +appeared to be high land, and the next day we saw several high +islands on the coast of New Guinea, and ran in with the main land. +The shore here lies along east-south-east and west-north-west. It +is high even land, very well clothed with tall flourishing trees, +which appeared very green, and gave us a very pleasant prospect. We +ran to the westward of four mountainous islands, and in the night +had a small tornado, which brought with it some rain and a fair +wind. We had fair weather for a long time, only when near any land +we had some tornadoes; but off, at sea, commonly clear weather, +though, if in sight of land, we usually saw many black clouds +hovering about it. + +On the 5th and 6th of January we plied to get in with the land, +designing to anchor, fill water, and spend a little time in +searching the country, till after the change of the moon, for I +found a strong current setting against us. We anchored in thirty- +eight fathom water, good oozy ground. We had an island of a league +long without us, about three miles distant, and we rode from the +main about a mile. The easternmost point of land seen bore east-by- +south half-south, distance three leagues, and the westernmost west- +south-west half-south, distance two leagues. So soon as we +anchored, we sent the pinnace to look for water and try if they +could catch any fish. Afterwards we sent the yawl another way to +see for water. Before night the pinnace brought on board several +sorts of fruits that they found in the woods, such as I never saw +before. One of my men killed a stately land-fowl, as big as the +largest dunghill cock; it was of a sky-colour, only in the middle of +the wings was a white spot, about which were some reddish spots; on +the crown it had a large bunch of long feathers, which appeared very +pretty; his bill was like pigeon's; he had strong legs and feet, +like dunghill fowls, only the claws were reddish; his crop was full +of small berries. It lays an egg as big as a large hen's egg, for +our men climbed the tree where it nested, and brought off one egg. +They found water, and reported that the trees were large, tall, and +very thick, and that they saw no sign of people. At night the yawl +came aboard and brought a wooden fish-spear, very ingeniously made, +the matter of it was a small cane; they found it by a small +barbecue, where they also saw a shattered canoe. + +The next morning I sent the boatswain ashore fishing, and at one +haul he caught three hundred and fifty-two mackerel, and about +twenty other fishes, which I caused to be equally divided among all +my company. I sent also the gunner and chief mate to search about +if they could find convenient anchoring near a watering-place; by +night they brought word that they had found a fine stream of good +water, where the boat could come close to, and it was very easy to +be filled, and that the ship might anchor as near to it as I +pleased, so I went thither. The next morning, therefore, we +anchored in twenty-five fathom water, soft oozy ground, about a mile +from the river; we got on board three tuns of water that night, and +caught two or three pike-fish, in shape much like a parracota, but +with a longer snout, something resembling a garr, yet not so long. +The next day I sent the boat again for water, and before night all +my casks were full. + +Having filled here about fifteen tuns of water, seeing we could +catch but little fish, and had no other refreshments, I intended to +sail next day, but finding that we wanted wood, I sent to cut some, +and going ashore to hasten it, at some distance from the place where +our men were, I found a small cove, where I saw two barbecues, which +appeared not to be above two months' standing; the spars were cut +with some sharp instrument, so that, if done by the natives, it +seems that they have iron. On the 10th, a little after twelve +o'clock, we weighed and stood over to the north side of the bay, and +at one o'clock stood out with the wind at north and north-north- +west. At four we passed out by a White Island, which I so named +from its many white cliffs, having no name in our drafts. It is +about a league long, pretty high, and very woody; it is about five +miles from the main, only at the west end it reaches within three +miles of it. At some distance off at sea the west point appears +like a cape-land, the north side trends away north-north-west, and +the east side east-south-east. This island lies in latitude 3 +degrees 4 minutes south, and the meridian distance from Babao five +hundred and twelve miles east. After we were out to sea, we plied +to get to the northward, but met with such a strong current against +us, that we got but little, for if the wind favoured us in the +night, that we got three or four leagues, we lost it again, and were +driven as far astern next morning, so that we plied here several +days. + +The 14th, being past a point of land that we had been three days +getting about, we found little or no current, so that, having the +wind at north-west-by-west and west-north-west, we stood to the +northward, and had several soundings: at three o'clock thirty-eight +fathom, the nearest part of New Guinea being about three leagues' +distance; at four, thirty-seven; at five, thirty-six; at six, +thirty-six; at eight, thirty-three fathom; then the Cape was about +four leagues' distant, so that as we ran off we found our water +shallower; we had then some islands to the westward of us, at about +four leagues' distance. + +A little after noon we saw smoke on the islands to the west of us, +and having a fine gale of wind, I steered away for them. At seven +o'clock in the evening we anchored in thirty-five fathom, about two +leagues from an island, good soft oozy ground. We lay still all +night, and saw fires ashore. In the morning we weighed again, and +ran farther in, thinking to have shallower water; but we ran within +a mile of the shore, and came to in thirty-eight fathom good soft +holding ground. While we were under sail two canoes came off within +call of us. They spoke to us, but we did not understand their +language nor signs. We waved to them to come aboard, and I called +to them in the Malayan language to do the same, but they would not. +Yet they came so nigh us that we could show them such things as we +had to truck with them; yet neither would this entice them to come +on board, but they made signs for us to come ashore, and away they +went. Then I went after them in my pinnace, carrying with me +knives, beads, glasses, hatchets, &c. When we came near the shore, +I called to them in the Malayan language. I saw but two men at +first, the rest lying in ambush behind the bushes; but as soon as I +threw ashore some knives and other toys, they came out, flung down +their weapons, and came into the water by the boat's side, making +signs of friendship by pouring water on their heads with one hand, +which they dipped into the sea. The next day, in the afternoon, +several other canoes came aboard, and brought many roots and fruits, +which we purchased. + +The island has no name in our drafts, but the natives call it Pub +Sabuda; it is about three leagues long, and two miles wide, more or +less; it is of a good height, so as to be seen eleven or twelve +leagues; it is very rocky, yet above the rocks there is good yellow +and black mould, not deep, yet producing plenty of good tall trees, +and bearing any fruits or roots which the inhabitants plant. I do +not know all its produce, but what we saw were plantains, cocoa- +nuts, pine-apples, oranges, papaes, potatoes, and other large roots. +Here are also another sort of wild jacas, about the bigness of a +man's two fists, full of stones or kernels, which eat pleasant +enough when roasted. The libby tree grows here in the swampy +valleys, of which they make sago cakes. I did not see them make +any, but was told by the inhabitants that it was made of the pith of +the tree, in the same manner I have described in my "Voyage Round +the World." They showed me the tree whereof it was made, and I +bought about forty of the cakes. I bought also three or four +nutmegs in their shell, which did not seem to have been long +gathered; but whether they be the growth of this island or not, the +natives would not tell whence they had them, and seem to prize them +very much. What beasts the island affords I know not, but here are +both sea and land fowl. Of the first, boobies and men-of-war birds +are the chief, some goldens, and small milk-white crab-catchers; the +land-fowl are pigeons, about the bigness of mountain-pigeons in +Jamaica, and crows about the bigness of those in England, and much +like them, but the inner part of their feathers are white, and the +outside black, so that they appear all black, unless you extend the +feathers. Here are large sky-coloured birds, such as we lately +killed on New Guinea, and many other small birds, unknown to us. +Here are likewise abundance of bats, as big as young coneys, their +necks, head, ears, and noses like foxes, their hair rough, that +about their necks is of a whitish yellow, that on their heads and +shoulders black, their wings are four feet over from tip to tip; +they smell like foxes. The fish are bass, rock-fish, and a sort of +fish like mullets, old-wives, whip-rays, and some other sorts that I +knew not; but no great plenty of any, for it is deep water till +within less than a mile of the shore, then there is a bank of coral +rocks, within which you have shoal-water, white clean sand, so there +is no good fishing with the seine. + +This island lies in latitude 2 degrees 43 minutes south, and +meridian distance from port Babo, on the island Timor, four hundred +and eighty-six miles: besides this island, here are nine or ten +other small islands. + +The inhabitants of this island are a sort of very tawny Indians, +with long black hair, who in their manners differ but little from +the Mindanayans, and others of these eastern islands. These seem to +be the chief; for besides them we saw also shock curl pated New +Guinea negroes, many of which are slaves to the others, but I think +not all. They are very poor, wear no clothes but have a clout about +their middle, made of the rinds of the tops of palmetto trees; but +the women had a sort of calico cloth. Their chief ornaments are +blue and yellow beads, worn about their wrists. The men arm +themselves with bows and arrows, lances, broad swords, like those of +Mindanao; their lances are pointed with bone: they strike fish very +ingeniously with wooden fish-spears, and have a very ingenious way +of making the fish rise; for they have a piece of wood curiously +carved, and painted much like a dolphin (and perhaps other figures); +these they let down into the water by a line with a small weight to +sink it; when they think it low enough, they haul the line into +their boats very fast, and the fish rise up after this figure, and +they stand ready to strike them when they are near the surface of +the water. But their chief livelihood is from their plantations; +yet they have large boats, and go over to New Guinea, where they get +slaves, fine parrots, &c, which they carry to Goram and exchange for +calicoes. One boat came from thence a little before I arrived here, +of whom I bought some parrots, and would have bought a slave but +they would not barter for anything but calicoes, which I had not. +Their houses on this side were very small, and seemed only to be for +necessity; but on the other side of the island we saw good large +houses. Their prows are narrow, with outriggers on each side, like +other Malayans. I cannot tell of what religion these are; but I +think they are not Mahometans, by their drinking brandy out of the +same cup with us without any scruple. At this island we continued +till the 20th instant, having laid in store of such roots and fruits +as the island afforded. + +On the 20th, at half an hour after six in the morning, I weighed, +and standing out we saw a large boat full of men lying at the north +point of the island. As we passed by, they rowed towards their +habitations, where we supposed they had withdrawn themselves for +fear of us, though we gave them no cause of terror, or for some +differences among themselves. + +We stood to the northward till seven in the evening, then saw a +rippling; and, the water being discoloured, we sounded, and had but +twenty-two fathom. I went about and stood to the westward till two +next morning then tacked again, and had these several soundings: at +eight in the evening, twenty-two; at ten, twenty-five; at eleven, +twenty-seven; at twelve, twenty-eight fathom; at two in the morning, +twenty-six; at four, twenty-four; at six, twenty-three; at eight, +twenty-eight; at twelve, twenty-two. + +We passed by many small islands, and among many dangerous shoals +without any remarkable occurrence till the 4th of February, when we +got within three leagues of the north-west cape of New Guinea, +called by the Dutch Cape Mabo. Off this cape there lies a small +woody island, and many islands of different sizes to the north and +north-east of it. This part of New Guinea is high land, adorned +with tall trees, that appeared very green and flourishing. The cape +itself is not very high, but ends in a low sharp point, and on +either side there appears another such point at equal distances, +which makes it resemble a diamond. This only appears when you are +abreast of the middle point, and then you have no ground within +three leagues of the shore. + +In the afternoon we passed by the cape and stood over for the +islands. Before it was dark we were got within a league of the +westernmost, but had no ground with fifty fathom of line: however, +fearing to stand nearer in the dark, we tacked and stood to the east +and plied all night. The next morning we were got five or six +leagues to the eastward of that island, and, having the wind +easterly, we stood in to the northward among the islands, sounded, +and had no ground; then I sent in my boat to sound, and they had +ground with fifty fathom near a mile from the shore. We tacked +before the boat came aboard again, for fear of a shoal that was +about a mile to the east of that island the boat went to, from +whence also a shoal-point stretched out itself till it met the +other: they brought with them such a cockle as I have mentioned in +my "Voyage Round the World" found near Celebes, and they saw many +more, some bigger than that which they brought aboard, as they said, +and for this reason I named it Cockle Island. I sent them to sound +again, ordering them to fire a musket if they found good anchoring; +we were then standing to the southward, with a fine breeze. As soon +as they fired, I tacked and stood in; they told me they had fifty +fathom when they fired. I tacked again, and made all the sail I +could to get out, being near some rocky islands and shoals to +leeward of us. The breeze increased, and I thought we were out of +danger, but having a shoal just by us, and the wind failing again, I +ordered the boat to tow us, and by their help we got clear from it. +We had a strong tide setting to the westward. + +At one o'clock, being past the shoal, and finding the tide setting +to the westward, I anchored in thirty-five fathom coarse sand, with +small coral and shells. Being nearest to Cockle Island, I +immediately sent both the boats thither, one to cut wood, and the +other to fish. At four in the afternoon, having a small breeze at +south-south-west, I made a sign for my boats to come on board. They +brought some wood, and a few small cockles, none of them exceeding +ten pounds' weight, whereas the shell of the great one weighed +seventy-eight pounds; but it was now high water, and therefore they +could get no bigger. They also brought on board some pigeons, of +which we found plenty on all the islands where we touched in these +seas: also in many places we saw many large bats, but killed none, +except those I mentioned at Pub Sabuda. As our boats came aboard, +we weighed and made sail, steering east-south-east as long as the +wind held. In the morning we found we had got four or five leagues +to the east of the place where we weighed. We stood to and fro till +eleven; and finding that we lost ground, anchored in forty-two +fathom coarse gravelly sand, with some coral. This morning we +thought we saw a sail. + +In the afternoon I went ashore on a small woody island, about two +leagues from us. Here I found the greatest number of pigeons that +ever I saw either in the East or West Indies, and small cockles in +the sea round the island in such quantities that we might have laden +the boat in an hour's time. These were not above ten or twelve +pounds' weight. We cut some wood, and brought off cockles enough +for all the ship's company; but having no small shot, we could kill +no pigeons. I returned about four o'clock, and then my gunner and +both mates went thither, and in less than three-quarters of an hour +they killed and brought off ten pigeons. Here is a tide: the flood +sets west and the ebb east, but the latter is very faint and but of +small continuance, and so we found it ever since we came from Timer: +the winds we found easterly, between north-east and east-south-east, +so that if these continue, it is impossible to beat farther to the +eastward on this coast against wind and current. These easterly +winds increased from the time we were in the latitude of about 2 +degrees south, and as we drew nigher the line they hung more +easterly: and now being to the north of the continent of New +Guinea, where the coast lies east and west, I find the trade-wind +here at east, which yet in higher latitudes is usually at north- +north-west and north-west; and so I did expect them here, it being +to the south of the line. + +The 7th, in the morning, I sent my boat ashore on Pigeon Island, and +stayed till noon. In the afternoon my men returned, brought twenty- +two pigeons, and many cockles, some very large, some small: they +also brought one empty shell, that weighed two hundred and fifty- +eight pounds. + +At four o'clock we weighed, having a small westerly wind and a tide +with us; at seven in the evening we anchored in forty-two fathom, +near King William's Island, where I went ashore the next morning, +drank His Majesty's health, and honoured it with his name. It is +about two leagues and a half in length, very high and +extraordinarily well clothed with woods; the trees are of divers +sorts, most unknown to us, but all very green and flourishing; many +of them had flowers, some white, some purple, others yellow: all +which smelt very fragrantly: the trees are generally tall and +straight bodied, and may be fit for any use. I saw one of a clean +body, without knot or limb, sixty or seventy feet high by +estimation; it was three of my fathoms about, and kept its bigness, +without any sensible decrease, even to the top. The mould of the +island is black, but not deep, it being very rocky. On the sides +and top of the island are many palmetto trees, whose heads we could +discern over all the other trees, but their bodies we could not see. + +About one in the afternoon we weighed and stood to the eastward, +between the main and King William's Island, leaving the island on +our larboard side, and sounding till we were past the island, and +then we had no ground. Here we found the flood setting east-by- +north, and the ebb west-by-south; there were shoals and small +islands between us and the main, which caused the tide to set very +inconstantly, and make many whirlings in the water; yet we did not +find the tide to set strong any way, nor the water to rise much. + +On the 9th, being to the eastward of King William's Island, we plied +all day between the main and other islands, having easterly winds +and fair weather till seven the next morning; then we had very hard +rain till eight, and saw many shoals of fish. We lay becalmed off a +pretty deep bay on New Guinea, about twelve or fourteen leagues +wide, and seven or eight leagues deep, having low land near its +bottom, but high land without. The easternmost part of New Guinea +seen bore east-by-south, distant twelve leagues; Cape Mabo west- +south-west half-south, distant seven leagues. + +At one in the afternoon it began to rain, and continued till six in +the evening, so that, having but little wind and most calms, we lay +still off the forementioned bay, having King William's Island still +in sight, though distant by judgment fifteen or sixteen leagues +west. We saw many shoals of small fish, some sharks, and seven or +eight dolphins, but caught none. In the afternoon, being about four +leagues from the shore, we saw an opening in the land, which seemed +to afford good harbour. In the evening we saw a large fire there, +and I intended to go in (if winds and weather would permit) to get +some acquaintance with the natives. + +Since the 4th instant that we passed Cape Mabo, to the 12th, we had +small easterly winds and calms, so that we anchored several times, +where I made my men cut wood, that we might have a good stock when a +westerly wind should present, and so we plied to the eastward, as +winds and currents would permit, having not got in all above thirty +leagues to the eastward of Cape Mabo; but on the 12th, at four in +the afternoon, a small gale sprang up at north-east-by-north, with +rain; at five it shuffled about to north-west, from thence to the +south-west, and continued between those two points a pretty brisk +gale, so that we made sail and steered away north-east, till the +13th, in the morning, to get about the Cape of Good Hope. When it +was day we steered north-east half east, then north-east-by-east +till seven o'clock, and, being then seven or eight leagues off +shore, we steered away east, the shore trending east-by-south. We +had very much rain all night, so that we could not carry much sail, +yet we had a very steady gale. At eight this morning the weather +cleared up, and the wind decreased to a fine top-gallant gale, and +settled at west-by-south. We had more rain these three days past, +than all the voyage, in so short a time. We were now about six +leagues from the land of New Guinea, which appeared very high; and +we saw two headlands about twenty leagues asunder, the one to the +east and the other to the west, which last is called the Cape of +Good Hope. We found variation east 4 degrees. + +The 15th, in the morning, between twelve and two o'clock, it blew a +very brisk gale at north-west, and looked very black in the south- +west. At two it flew about at once to the south-south-west, and +rained very hard. The wind settled some time at west-south-west, +and we steered east-north-east till three in the morning; then the +wind and rain abating, we steered east-half-north for fear of coming +near the land. Presently after, it being a little clear, the man at +the bowsprit end called out, "Land on our starboard bow." We looked +out and saw it plain: I presently sounded, and had but ten fathom, +soft ground. The master, being somewhat scared, came running in +haste with this news, and said it was best to anchor. I told him +no, but sound again; then we had twelve fathom; the next cast, +thirteen and a half; the fourth, seventeen fathom; and then no +ground with fifty fathom line. However, we kept off the island, and +did not go so fast but that we could see any other danger before we +came nigh it; for here might have been more islands not laid down in +my drafts besides this, for I searched all the drafts I had, if +perchance I might find any island in the one which was not in the +others, but I could find none near us. When it was day we were +about five leagues off the land we saw; but, I believe, not above +five miles, or at most two leagues, off it when we first saw it in +the night. + +This is a small island, but pretty high; I named it Providence. +About five leagues to the southward of this there is another island, +which is called William Scouten's Island, and laid down in our +drafts: it is a high island, and about twenty leagues big. + +It was by mere providence that we missed the small island; for, had +not the wind come to west-south-west, and blown hard, so that we +steered east-north-east, we had been upon it by our course that we +steered before, if we could not have seen it. This morning we saw +many great trees and logs swim by us, which, it is probable, came +out of some great rivers on the main. + +On the 16th we crossed the line, and found variation 6 degrees 26 +minutes east. The 18th, by my observation at noon, we found that we +had had a current setting to the southward, and probably that drew +us in so nigh Scouten's Island. For this twenty-four hours we +steered east-by-north with a large wind, yet made but an east-by- +south half south course, though the variation was not above 7 +degrees east. + +The 21st we had a current setting to the northward, which is against +the true trade monsoon, it being now near the full moon. I did +expect it here, as in all other places. We had variation 8 degrees +45 minutes east. The 22nd we found but little current, if any; it +set to the southward. + +On the 23rd, in the afternoon, we saw two snakes, and the next +morning another passing by us, which was furiously assaulted by two +fishes, that had kept us company five or six days; they were shaped +like mackerel, and were about that bigness and length, and of a +yellow-greenish colour. The snake swam away from them very fast, +keeping his head above water; the fish snapped at his tail, but when +he turned himself, that fish would withdraw, and another would snap, +so that by turns they kept him employed, yet he still defended +himself, and swam away a great pace, till they were out of sight. + +The 25th, betimes in the morning, we saw an island to the southward +of us, at about fifteen leagues' distance. We steered away for it, +supposing it to be that which the Dutch call Wishart's Island; but, +finding it otherwise, I called it Matthias, it being that saint's +day. This island is about nine or ten leagues long, mountainous and +woody, with many savannahs, and some spots of land which seemed to +be cleared. + +At eight in the evening we lay by, intending, if I could, to anchor +under Matthias Isle; but the next morning, seeing another island +about seven or eight leagues to the eastward of it, we steered away +for it. At noon we came up fair with its south-west end, intending +to run along by it and anchor on the south-east side, but the +tornadoes came in so thick and hard that I could not venture in. +This island is pretty low and plain, and clothed with wood; the +trees were very green, and appeared to be large and tall, as thick +as they could stand one by another. It is about two or three +leagues long, and at the south-west point there is another small, +low, woody island, about a mile round, and about a mile from the +other. Between them there runs a reef of rocks which joins them. +(The biggest I named Squally Island.) + +Seeing we could not anchor here, I stood away to the southward, to +make the main; but having many hard squalls and tornadoes, we were +often forced to hand all our sails and steer more easterly to go +before it. On the 26th at four o'clock it cleared up to a hard sky +and a brisk settled gale; then we made as much sail as we could. At +five it cleared up over the land, and we saw, as we thought, Cape +Solomaswer bearing south-south-east, distance ten leagues. We had +many great logs and trees swimming by us all this afternoon, and +much grass; we steered in south-south-east till six, then the wind +slackened, and we stood off till seven, having little wind; then we +lay by till ten, at which time we made sail, and steered away east +all night. The next morning, as soon as it was light, we made all +the sail we could, and steered away east-south-east, as the land +lay, being fair in sight of it, and not above seven leagues' +distance. We passed by many small low woody islands which lay +between us and the main, not laid down in our drafts. We found +variation 9 degrees 50 minutes east. + +The 28th we had many violent tornadoes, wind, rain, and some spouts, +and in the tornadoes the wind shifted. In the night we had fair +weather, but more lightning than we had seen at any time this +voyage. This morning we left a large high island on our larboard +side, called in the Dutch drafts Wishart's Isle, about six leagues +from the main; and, seeing many smokes upon the main, I therefore +steered towards it. + +The mainland at this place is high and mountainous, adorned with +tall, flourishing trees; the sides of the hills had many large +plantations and patches of clear land, which, together with the +smoke we saw, were certain signs of its being well inhabited; and I +was desirous to have some commerce with the inhabitants. Being nigh +shore, we saw first one proa; a little after, two or three more, and +at last a great many boats came from all the adjacent bays. When +they were forty-six in number they approached so near us that we +could see each other's signs and hear each other speak, though we +could not understand them, nor they us. They made signs for us to +go in towards the shore, pointing that way. It was squally weather, +which at first made me cautious of going too near; but the weather +beginning to look pretty well, I endeavoured to get into a bay ahead +of us, which we could have got into well enough at first; but while +we lay by, we were driven so far to leeward that now it was more +difficult to get in. The natives lay in their proas round us; to +whom I showed beads, knives, glasses, to allure them to come nearer. +But they would not come so nigh as to receive anything from us; +therefore I threw out some things to them, viz., a knife fastened to +a piece of board, and a glass bottle corked up with some beads in +it, which they took up, and seemed well pleased. They often struck +their left breast with their right hand, and as often held up a +black truncheon over their heads, which we thought was a token of +friendship, wherefore we did the like. And when we stood in towards +their shore, they seemed to rejoice; but when we stood off, they +frowned, yet kept us company in their proas, still pointing to the +shore. About five o'clock we got within the mouth of the bay, and +sounded several times, but had no ground, though within a mile of +the shore. The basin of this bay was about two miles within us, +into which we might have gone; but as I was not assured of anchorage +there, so I thought it not prudent to run in at this time, it being +near night, and seeing a black tornado rising in the west, which I +most feared. Besides, we had near two hundred men in proas close by +us; and the bays on the shore were lined with men from one end to +the other, where there could not be less than three or four hundred +more. What weapons they had, we knew not, nor yet their design; +therefore I had, at their first coming near us, got up all our small +arms, and made several put on cartouch boxes, to prevent treachery. +At last I resolved to go out again; which, when the natives in their +proas perceived, they began to fling stones at us as fast as they +could, being provided with engines for that purpose, wherefore I +named this place Slinger's Bay; but at the firing of one gun they +were all amazed, drew off, and flung no more stones. They got +together, as if consulting what to do; for they did not make in +towards the shore, but lay still, though some of them were killed or +wounded; and many more of them had paid for their boldness, but that +I was unwilling to cut off any of them, which, if I had done, I +could not hope afterwards to bring them to treat with me. + +The next day we sailed close by an island, where we saw many smokes, +and men in the bays, out of which came two or three canoes, taking +much pains to overtake us, but they could not, though we went with +an easy sail, and I could not now stay for them. As I passed by the +south-east point I sounded several times within a mile of the Sandy +Bays, but had no ground. About three leagues to the northward of +the south-east point we opened a large, deep bay, secured from west- +north-west and south-west winds. There were two other islands that +lay to the north-east of it, which secured the bay from north-east +winds; one was but small, yet woody; the other was a league long, +inhabited, and full of cocoa-nut trees. I endeavoured to get into +this bay, but there came such flaws off from the high land over it +that I could not. Besides, we had many hard squalls, which deterred +me from it; and, night coming on, I would not run any hazard, but +bore away to the small inhabited island, to see if we could get +anchorage on the east side of it. When we came there we found the +island so narrow, that there could be no shelter; therefore I tacked +and stood towards the greater island again; and being more than +midway between both, I lay by, designing to endeavour for anchorage +next morning. Between seven and eight at night we spied a canoe +close by us, and seeing no more, suffered her to come aboard. She +had three men in her, who brought off five cocoa-nuts, for which I +gave each of them a knife and a string of beads, to encourage them +to come off again in the morning: but before these went away we saw +two more canoes coming; therefore we stood away to the northward +from them, and then lay by again till day. We saw no more boats +this night, neither designed to suffer any to come aboard in the +dark. + +By nine o'clock the next morning we were got within a league of the +great island, but were kept off by violent gusts of wind. These +squalls gave us warning of their approach by the clouds which hung +over the mountains, and afterwards descended to the foot of them; +and then it is we expect them speedily. + +On the 3rd of March, being about five leagues to leeward of the +great island, we saw the mainland ahead, and another great high +island to leeward of us, distant about seven leagues, which we bore +away for. It is called in the Dutch drafts Garret Dennis Isle. It +is about fourteen or fifteen leagues round, high and mountainous, +and very woody. Some trees appeared very large and tall, and the +bays by the seaside are well stared with cocoa-nut trees, where we +also saw some small houses. The sides of the mountains are thick- +set with plantations, and the mould in the new-cleared land seemed +to be of a brown-reddish colour. This island is of no regular +figure, but is full of points shooting forth into the sea, between +which are many sandy bays, full of cocoa-nut trees. The middle of +the isle lies in 3 degrees 10 minutes south latitude. It is very +populous. The natives are very black, strong, and well-limbed +people, having great round heads, their hair naturally curled and +short, which they shave into several forms, and dye it also of +divers colours--viz., red, white, and yellow. They have broad round +faces, with great bottle-noses, yet agreeable enough till they +disfigure them by painting, and by wearing great things through +their noses as big as a man's thumb, and about four inches long. +These are run clear through both nostrils, one end coming out by one +cheek-bone, and the other end against the other; and their noses so +stretched that only a small slip of them appears about the ornament. +They have also great holes in their ears, wherein they wear such +stuff as in their noses. They are very dexterous, active fellows in +their proas, which are very ingeniously built. They are narrow and +long, with outriggers on one side, the head and stern higher than +the rest, and carved into many devices--viz., some fowl, fish, or a +man's head painted or carved; and though it is but rudely done, yet +the resemblance appears plainly, and shows an ingenious fancy. But +with what instruments they make their proas or carved work I know +not, for they seem to be utterly ignorant of iron. They have very +neat paddles, with which they manage their proas dexterously, and +make great way through the water. Their weapons are chiefly lances, +swords and slings, and some bows and arrows. They have also wooden +fish-spears for striking fish. Those that came to assault us in +Slinger's Bay on the main are in all respects like these, and I +believe these are alike treacherous. Their speech is clear and +distinct. The words they used most when near us were vacousee +allamais, and then they pointed to the shore. Their signs of +friendship are either a great truncheon, or bough of a tree full of +leaves, put on their heads, often striking their heads with their +hands. + +The next day, having a fresh gale of wind, we got under a high +island, about four or five leagues round, very woody, and full of +plantations upon the sides of the hills; and in the bays, by the +waterside, are abundance of cocoa-nut trees. It lies in the +latitude of 3 degrees 25 minutes south, and meridian distance from +Cape Mabo 1,316 miles. On the south-east part of it are three or +four other small woody islands, one high and peaked, the others low +and flat, all bedecked with cocoa-nut trees and other wood. On the +north there is another island of an indifferent height and of a +somewhat larger circumference than the great high island last +mentioned. We passed between this and the high island. The high +island is called in the Dutch drafts Anthony Cave's Island. As for +the flat, low island, and the other small one, it is probable they +were never seen by the Dutch, nor the islands to the north of Garret +Dennis's Island. As soon as we came near Cave's Island some canoes +came about us, and made signs for us to come ashore, as all the rest +had done before, probably thinking we could run the ship aground +anywhere, as they did their proas, for we saw neither sail nor +anchor among any of them, though most Eastern Indians have both. +These had proas made of one tree, well dug, with outriggers on one +side; they were but small, yet well shaped. We endeavoured to +anchor, but found no ground within a mile of the shore. We kept +close along the north side, still sounding till we came to the +north-east end, but found no ground, the canoes still accompanying +us, and the bays were covered with men going along as we sailed. +Many of them strove to swim off to us, but we left them astern. +Being at the north-east point, we found a strong current setting to +the north-west, so that though we had steered to keep under the high +island, yet we were driven towards the flat one. At this time three +of the natives came on board. I gave each of them a knife, a +looking-glass, and a string of beads. I showed them pumpkins and +cocoa-nut shells, and made signs to them to bring some aboard, and +had presently three cocoa-nuts out of one of the canoes. I showed +them nutmegs, and by their signs I guessed they had some on the +island. I also showed them some gold dust, which they seemed to +know, and called out "Manneel, Manneel," and pointed towards the +land. A while after these men were gone, two or three canoes came +from the flat island, and by signs invited us to their island, at +which the others seemed displeased, and used very menacing gestures +and, I believe, speeches to each other. Night coming on, we stood +off to sea, and having but little wind all night, were driven away +to the north-west. We saw many great fires on the flat island. The +last men that came off to us were all black as those we had seen +before, with frizzled hair. They were very tall, lusty, well-shaped +men. They wear great things in their noses, and paint as the +others, but not much. They make the same signs of friendship, and +their language seems to be one; but the others had proas, and these +canoes. On the sides of some of these we saw the figures of several +fish neatly cut, and these last were not so shy as the others. + +Steering away from Cave's Island south-south-east, we found a strong +current against us, which set only in some places in streams, and in +them we saw many trees and logs of wood, which drove by us. We had +but little wood aboard; wherefore I hoisted out the pinnace, and +sent her to take up some of this drift-wood. In a little time she +came aboard with a great tree in tow, which we could hardly hoist in +with all our tackles. We cut up the tree and split it for firewood. +It was much worm-eaten, and had in it some live worms above an inch +long, and about the bigness of a goose-quill, and having their heads +crusted over with a thin shell. + +After this we passed by an island, called by the Dutch St. John's +Island, leaving it to the north of us. It is about nine or ten +leagues round, and very well adorned with lofty trees. We saw many +plantations on the sides of the hills, and abundance of cocoa-nut +trees about them, as also thick groves on the bays by the seaside. +As we came near it three canoes came off to us, but would not come +aboard. They were such as we had seen about the other islands. +They spoke the same language, and made the same signs of peace, and +their canoes were such as at Cave's Island. + +We stood along by St. John's Island till we came almost to the +south-east point, and then, seeing no more islands to the eastward +of us, nor any likelihood of anchoring under this, I steered away +for the main of New Guinea, we being now, as I supposed, to the east +of it, on this north side. My design of seeing these islands as I +passed along was to get wood and water, but could find no anchor +ground, and therefore could not do as I purposed; besides, these +islands are all so populous, that I dared not send my boat ashore, +unless I could have anchored pretty nigh; wherefore I rather chose +to prosecute my design on the main, the season of the year being now +at hand, for I judged the westerly winds were nigh spent. + +On the 8th of March we saw some smoke on the main, being distant +from it four or five leagues. It is very high, woody land, with +some spots of savannah. About ten in the morning six or seven +canoes came off to us. Most of them had no more than one man in +them. They were all black, with short curled hair, having the same +ornaments in their noses, and their heads so shaved and painted, and +speaking the same words as the inhabitants of Cave's Island before +mentioned. + +There was a headland to the southward of us, beyond which, seeing no +land, I supposed that from thence the land trends away more +westerly. This headland lies in the latitude of 5 degrees 2 minutes +south, and meridian distance from Cape Mabo 1,290 miles. In the +night we lay by, for fear of overshooting this headland, between +which and Cape St. Manes the land is high, mountainous and woody, +having many points of land shooting out into the sea, which make so +many fine bays; the coast lies north-north-east and south-south- +west. + +The 9th, in the morning a huge black man came off to us in a canoe, +but would not come aboard. He made the same signs of friendship to +us as the rest we had met with; yet seemed to differ in his +language, not using any of those words which the others did. We saw +neither smoke nor plantations near this headland. We found here +variation 1 degree east. + +In the afternoon, as we plied near the shore, three canoes came off +to us; one had four men in her, the others two apiece. That with +the four men came pretty nigh us, and showed us a cocoa-nut and +water in a bamboo, making signs that there was enough ashore where +they lived; they pointed to the place where they would have us go, +and so went away. We saw a small round pretty high island about a +league to the north of this headland, within which there was a large +deep bay, whither the canoes went; and we strove to get thither +before night, but could not; wherefore we stood off, and saw land to +the westward of this headland, bearing west-by-south-half-south +distance about ten leagues, and, as we thought, still more land +bearing south-west-by-south, distance twelve or fourteen leagues, +but being clouded, it disappeared, and we thought we had been +deceived. Before night we opened the headland fair, and I named it +Cape St. George. The land from hence trends away west-north-west +about ten leagues, which is as far as we could see it; and the land +that we saw to the westward of it in the evening, which bore west- +by-south-half-south, was another point about ten leagues from Cape +St. George; between which there runs in a deep bay for twenty +leagues or more. We saw some high land in spots like islands, down +in that bay at a great distance; but whether they are islands, or +the main closing there we know not. The next morning we saw other +land to the south-east of the westernmost point, which till then was +clouded; it was very high land, and the same that we saw the day +before, that disappeared in a cloud. This Cape St. George lies in +the latitude of 5 degrees 5 minutes south; and meridian distance +from Cape Mabo 1,290 miles. The island off this cape I called St. +George's Isle; and the bay between it and the west point I named St. +George's Bay. [Note:- No Dutch drafts go so far as this cape by ten +leagues.] On the 10th, in the evening, we got within a league of +the westernmost land seen, which is pretty high and very woody, but +no appearance of anchoring. I stood off again, designing, if +possible, to ply to and fro in this bay till I found a conveniency +to wood and water. We saw no more plantations nor cocoa-nut trees; +yet in the night we discerned a small fire right against us. The +next morning we saw a burning mountain in the country. It was +round, high, and peaked at top, as most volcanoes are, and sent +forth a great quantity of smoke. We took up a log of driftwood, and +split it for firing; in which we found some small fish. + +The day after we passed by the south-west cape of this bay, leaving +it to the north of us. When we were abreast of it I called my +officers together, and named it Cape Orford, in honour of my noble +patron, drinking his Lordship's health. This cape bears from Cape +St. George south-west about eighteen leagues. Between them there is +a bay about twenty-five leagues deep, having pretty high land all +round it, especially near the capes, though they themselves are not +high. Cape Orford lies in the latitude of 5 degrees 24 minutes +south, by my observation; and meridian distance from Cape St. +George, forty-four miles west. The land trends from this cape +north-west by west into the bay, and on the other side south-west +per compass, which is south-west 9 degrees west, allowing the +variation, which is here 9 degrees east. The land on each side of +the cape is more savannah than woodland, and is highest on the +north-west side. The cape itself is a bluff-point, of an +indifferent height, with a flat tableland at top. When we were to +the south-west of the cape, it appeared to be a low point shooting +out, which you cannot see when abreast of it. This morning we +struck a log of driftwood with our turtle-irons, hoisted it in, and +split it for firewood. Afterwards we struck another, but could not +get it in. There were many fish about it. + +We steered along south-west as the land lies, keeping about six +leagues off the shore; and, being desirous to cut wood and fill +water, if I saw any conveniency, I lay by in the night, because I +would not miss any place proper for those ends, for fear of wanting +such necessaries as we could not live without. This coast is high +and mountainous, and not so thick with trees as that on the other +side of Cape Orford. + +On the 14th, seeing a pretty deep bay ahead, and some islands where +I thought we might ride secure, we ran in towards the shore and saw +some smoke. At ten o'clock we saw a point which shot out pretty +well into the sea, with a bay within it, which promised fair for +water; and we stood in with a moderate gale. Being got into the bay +within the point, we saw many cocoa-nut-trees, plantations, and +houses. When I came within four or five miles of the shore, six +small boats came off to view us, with about forty men in them all. +Perceiving that they only came to view us, and would not come +aboard, I made signs and waved to them to go ashore; but they did +not or would not understand me; therefore I whistled a shot over +their heads out of my fowling-piece, and then they pulled away for +the shore as hard as they could. These were no sooner ashore, than +we saw three boats coming from the islands to leeward of us, and +they soon came within call, for we lay becalmed. One of the boats +had about forty men in her, and was a large, well-built boat; the +other two were but small. Not long after, I saw another boat coming +out of the bay where I intended to go; she likewise was a large +boat, with a high head and stern painted, and full of men. This I +thought came off to fight us, as it is probable they all did; +therefore I fired another small shot over the great boat that was +nigh us, which made them leave their babbling and take to their +paddles. We still lay becalmed; and therefore they, rowing wide of +us, directed their course towards the other great boat that was +coming off. When they were pretty near each other I caused the +gunner to fire a gun between them, which he did very dexterously; it +was loaded with round and partridge shot; the last dropped in the +water somewhat short of them, but the round shot went between both +boats, and grazed about one hundred yards beyond them. This so +affrighted them that they both rowed away for the shore as fast as +they could, without coming near each other; and the little boats +made the best of their way after them. And now, having a gentle +breeze at south-south-east, we bore into the bay after them. When +we came by the point, I saw a great number of men peeping from under +the rocks: I ordered a shot to be fired close by, to scare them. +The shot grazed between us and the point, and, mounting again, flew +over the point, and grazed a second time just by them. We were +obliged to sail along close by the bays; and, seeing multitudes +sitting under the trees, I ordered a third gun to be fired among the +cocoa-nut-trees to scare them; for my business being to wood and +water, I thought it necessary to strike some terror into the +inhabitants, who were very numerous, and (by what I saw now, and had +formerly experienced) treacherous. After this I sent my boat to +sound; they had first forty, then thirty, and at last twenty fathom +water. We followed the boat, and came to anchor about a quarter of +a mile from the shore, in twenty-six fathom water, fine black sand +and ooze. We rode right against the mouth of a small river, where I +hoped to find fresh water. Some of the natives standing on a small +point at the river's mouth, I sent a small shot over their heads to +frighten them, which it did effectually. In the afternoon I sent my +boat ashore to the natives who stood upon the point by the river's +mouth with a present of cocoa-nuts; when the boat was come near the +shore, they came running into the water, and put their nuts into the +boat. Then I made a signal for the boat to come aboard, and sent +both it and the yawl into the river to look for fresh water, +ordering the pinnace to lie near the river's mouth, while the yawl +went up to search. In an hour's time they returned aboard with some +barrecoes full fresh of water; which they had taken up about half a +mile up the river. After which I sent them again with casks, +ordering one of them to fill water, and the other to watch the +motions of the natives, lest they should make any opposition. But +they did not, and so the boats returned a little before sunset with +a tun and a half of water; and the next day by noon brought aboard +about six tuns of water. + +I sent ashore commodities to purchase hogs, &c. being informed that +the natives have plenty of them, as also of yams and other good +roots; but my men returned without getting anything that I sent them +for, the natives being unwilling to trade with us. Yet they admired +our hatchets and axes, but would part with nothing but cocoa-nuts, +which they used to climb the trees for; and so soon as they gave +them our men, they beckoned to them to be gone, for they were much +afraid of us. + +The 18th I sent both boats again for water, and before noon they had +filled all my casks. In the afternoon I sent them both to cut wood; +but seeing about forty natives standing on the bay at a small +distance from our men, I made a signal for them to come aboard +again, which they did, and brought me word that the men which we saw +on the bay were passing that way, but were afraid to come nigh them. +At four o'clock I sent both the boats again for more wood, and they +returned in the evening. Then I called my officers to consult +whether it were convenient to stay here longer, and endeavour a +better acquaintance with these people, or go to sea. My design of +tarrying here longer was, if possible, to get some hogs, goats, +yams, or other roots, as also to get some knowledge of the country +and its product. My officers unanimously gave their opinions for +staying longer here. So the next day I sent both boats ashore +again, to fish and to cut more wood. While they were ashore about +thirty or forty men and women passed by them; they were a little +afraid of our people at first, but upon their making signs of +friendship, they passed by quietly, the men finely bedecked with +feathers of divers colours about their heads, and lances in their +hands; the women had no ornament about them, nor anything to cover +their nakedness but a bunch of small green boughs before and behind, +stuck under a string which came round their waists. They carried +large baskets on their heads, full of yams. And this I have +observed amongst all the wild natives I have known, that they make +their women carry the burdens while the men walk before, without any +other load than their arms and ornaments. At noon our men came +aboard with the wood they had cut, and had caught but six fishes at +four or five hauls of the seine, though we saw abundance of fish +leaping in the bay all the day long. + +In the afternoon I sent the boats ashore for more wood; and some of +our men went to the natives' houses, and found they were now more +shy than they used to be, had taken down all the cocoa-nuts from the +trees, and driven away their hogs. Our people made signs to them to +know what was become of their hogs, &e. The natives pointing to +some houses in the bottom of the bay, and imitating the noise of +those creatures, seemed to intimate that there were both hogs and +goats of several sizes, which they expressed by holding their hands +abroad at several distances from the ground. + +At night our boats came aboard with wood, and the next morning I +went myself with both boats up the river to the watering-place, +carrying with me all such trifles and iron-work as I thought most +proper to induce them to a commerce with us; but I found them very +shy and roguish. I saw but two men and a boy. One of the men, by +some signs, was persuaded to come to the boat's side, where I was; +to him I gave a knife, a string of beads, and a glass bottle. The +fellow called out, "Cocos, cocos," pointing to a village hard by, +and signified to us that he would go for some; but he never returned +to us: and thus they had frequently of late served our men. I took +eight or nine men with me, and marched to their houses, which I +found very mean, and their doors made fast with withies. + +I visited three of their villages, and, finding all the houses thus +abandoned by the inhabitants, who carried with them all their hogs, +&c., I brought out of their houses some small fishing-nets in +recompense for those things they had received of us. As we were +coming away we saw two of the natives; I showed them the things that +we carried with us, and called to them, "Cocos, cocos," to let them +know that I took these things because they had not made good what +they had promised by their signs, and by their calling out "Cocos." +While I was thus employed the men in the yawl filled two hogsheads +of water, and all the barrecoes. About one in the afternoon I came +aboard, and found all my officers and men very importunate to go to +that bay where the hogs were said to be. I was loth to yield to it, +fearing they would deal too roughly with the natives. By two +o'clock in the afternoon many black clouds gathered over the land, +which I thought would deter them from their enterprise; but they +solicited me the more to let them go. At last I consented, sending +those commodities I had ashore with me in the morning, and giving +them a strict charge to deal by fair means, and to act cautiously +for their own security. The bay I sent them to was about two miles +from the ship. As soon as they were gone, I got all things ready, +that, if I saw occasion, I might assist them with my great guns. +When they came to land, the natives in great companies stood to +resist them, shaking their lances, and threatening them, and some +were so daring as to wade into the sea, holding a target in one hand +and a lance in the other. Our men held up to them such commodities +as I had sent, and made signs of friendship, but to no purpose, for +the natives waved them off. Seeing, therefore, they could not be +prevailed upon to a friendly commerce, my men, being resolved to +have some provision among them, fired some muskets to scare them +away, which had the desired effect upon all but two or three, who +stood still in a menacing posture, till the boldest dropped his +target and ran away. They supposed he was shot in the arm; he and +some others felt the smart of our bullets, but none were killed, our +design being rather to frighten than to kill them. Our men landed, +and found abundance of tame hogs running among the houses. They +shot down nine, which they brought away, besides many that ran away +wounded. They had but little time, for in less than an hour after +they went from the ship it began to rain; wherefore they got what +they could into the boats, for I had charged them to come away if it +rained. By the time the boat was aboard and the hogs taken in it +cleared up, and my men desired to make another trip thither before +night; this was about five in the evening, and I consented, giving +them orders to repair on board before night. In the close of the +evening they returned accordingly, with eight hogs more, and a +little live pig; and by this time the other hogs were jerked and +salted. These that came last we only dressed and corned till +morning, and then sent both boats ashore for more refreshments +either of hogs or roots; but in the night the natives had conveyed +away their provisions of all sorts. Many of them were now about the +houses, and none offered to resist our boats landing, but, on the +contrary, were so amicable, that one man brought ten or twelve +cocoa-nuts, left them on the shore after he had shown them to our +men, and went out of sight. Our people, finding nothing but nets +and images, brought some of them away, which two of my men brought +aboard in a small canoe, and presently after my boats came off. I +ordered the boatswain to take care of the nets till we came at some +place where they might be disposed of for some refreshment for the +use of all the company. The images I took into my own custody. + +In the afternoon I sent the canoe to the place from whence she had +been brought, and in her two axes, two hatchets (one of them +helved), six knives, six looking-glasses, a large bunch of beads, +and four glass bottles. Our men drew the canoe ashore, placed the +things to the best advantage in her, and came off in the pinnace +which I sent to guard them; and now, being well-stocked with wood +and all my water-casks full, I resolved to sail the next morning. +All the time of our stay here we had very fair weather, only +sometimes in the afternoon we had a shower of rain, which lasted not +above an hour at most; also some thunder and lightning, with very +little wind; we had sea and land breezes, the former between the +south-south-east, and the latter from north-east to north-west. + +This place I named Port Montague in honour of my noble patron: it +lies in the latitude of 6 degrees 10 minutes south, and meridian +distance from Cape St. George 151 miles west. The country +hereabouts is mountainous and woody, full of rich valleys and +pleasant fresh-water brooks. The mould in the valleys is deep and +yellowish, that on the sides of the hill of a very brown colour, and +not very deep, but rocky underneath, yet excellent planting land. +The trees in general are neither very straight, thick, nor tall, yet +appear green and pleasant enough; some of them bore flowers, some +berries, and others big fruits, but all unknown to any of us; cocoa- +nut trees thrive very well here, as well on the bays by the sea- +side, as more remote among the plantations; the nuts are of an +indifferent size, the milk and kernel very thick and pleasant. Here +is ginger, yams, and other very good roots for the pot, that our men +saw and tasted; what other fruits or roots the country affords I +know not. Here are hogs and dogs; other land animals we saw none. +The fowls we saw and knew were pigeons, parrots, cockatoos, and +crows like those in England; a sort of birds about the bigness of a +blackbird, and smaller birds many. The sea and rivers have plenty +of fish; we saw abundance, though we caught but few, and these were +cavallies, yellow-tails, and whip-rays. + +We departed from hence on the 22nd of March, and on the 24th, in the +evening, we saw some high land bearing north-west half-west, to the +west of which we could see no land, though there appeared something +like land bearing west a little southerly, but not being sure of it, +I steered west-north-west all night, and kept going on with an easy +sail, intending to coast along the shore at a distance. At ten +o'clock I saw a great fire bearing north-west-by-west, blazing up in +a pillar, sometimes very high for three or four minutes, then +falling quite down for an equal space of time, sometimes hardly +visible, till it blazed up again. I had laid me down, having been +indisposed these three days; but upon a sight of this, my chief mate +called me; I got up and viewed it for about half an hour, and knew +it to be a burning hill by its intervals: I charged them to look +well out, having bright moonlight. In the morning I found that the +fire we had seen the night before was a burning island, and steered +for it. We saw many other islands, one large high island, and +another smaller but pretty high. I stood near the volcano, and many +small low islands, with some shoals. + +March the 25th, 1700, in the evening we came within three leagues of +this burning hill, being at the same time two leagues from the main; +I found a good channel to pass between them, and kept nearer the +main than the island. At seven in the evening I sounded, and had +fifty-two fathom fine sand and ooze. I stood to the northward to +get clear of this strait, having but little wind and fair weather. +The island all night vomited fire and smoke very amazingly, and at +every belch we heard a dreadful noise like thunder, and saw a flame +of fire after it the most terrifying that ever I saw; the intervals +between its belches were about half a minute, some more, others +less; neither were these pulses or eruptions alike, for some were +but faint convulsions, in comparison of the more vigorous; yet even +the weakest vented a great deal of fire; but the largest made a +roaring noise, and sent up a large flame, twenty or thirty yards +high; and then might be seen a great stream of fire running down to +the foot of the island, even to the shore. From the furrows made by +this descending fire, we could, in the day time, see great smoke +arise, which probably were made by the sulphurous matter thrown out +of the funnel at the top, which tumbling down to the bottom, and +there lying in a heap, burned till either consumed or extinguished; +and as long as it burned and kept its heat, so long the smoke +ascended from it; which we perceived to increase or decrease, +according to the quantity of matter discharged from the funnel: but +the next night, being shot to the westward of the burning island, +and the funnel of it lying on the south side, we could not discern +the fire there, as we did the smoke in the day when we were to the +southward of it. This volcano lies in the latitude of 5 degrees 33 +minutes south, and meridian distance from Cape St. George, three +hundred and thirty-two miles west. + +The easternmost part of New Guinea lies forty miles to the westward +of this tract of land; and by hydrographers they are made joining +together; but here I found an opening and passage between, with many +islands, the largest of which lie on the north side of this passage +or strait. The channel is very good, between the islands and the +land to the eastward. The east part of New Guinea is high and +mountainous, ending on the north-east with a large promontory, which +I named King William's Cape, in honour of his present Majesty. We +saw some smoke on it, and leaving it on our larboard side, steered +away near the east land, which ends with two remarkable capes or +heads, distant from each other about six or seven leagues: within +each head were two very remarkable mountains, ascending very +gradually from the sea-side, which afforded a very pleasant and +agreeable prospect. The mountains and the lower land were +pleasantly mixed with woodland and savannahs; the trees appeared +very green and flourishing, and the savannahs seemed to be very +smooth and even; no meadow in England appears more green in the +spring than these. We saw smoke, but did not strive to anchor here, +but rather chose to get under one of the islands (where I thought I +should find few or no inhabitants), that I might repair my pinnace, +which was so crazy that I could not venture ashore anywhere with +her. As we stood over to the islands, we looked out very well to +the north, but could see no land that way; by which I was well +assured that we were got through, and that this east land does not +join to New Guinea; therefore I named it Nova Britannia. The north- +west cape I called Cape Gloucester, and the south-west-point Cape +Anne; and the north-west mountain, which is very remarkable, I +called Mount Gloucester. + +This island which I called Nova Britannia, has about 4 degrees of +latitude: the body of it lying in 4 degrees, and the northernmost +part in 2 degrees 32 minutes, and the southernmost in 6 degrees 30 +minutes south. It has about 5 degrees 18 minutes longitude from +east to west. It is generally high mountainous land, mixed with +large valleys, which, as well as the mountains appeared very +fertile; and in most places that we saw, the trees are very large, +tall and thick. It is also very well inhabited with strong well- +limbed negroes, whom we found very daring and bold at several +places. As to the product of it, I know no more than what I have +said in my account of Port Montague; but it is very probable this +island may afford as many rich commodities as any in the world: and +the natives may be easily brought to commerce, though I could not +pretend to it under my present circumstances. + +Being near the island to the northward of the volcano, I sent my +boat to sound, thinking to anchor here, but she returned and brought +me word, that they had no ground till they met with a reef of coral +rocks about a mile from the shore, then I bore away to the north +side of the island, where we found no anchoring neither. We saw +several people, and some cocoa-nut trees, but could not send ashore +for want of my pinnace, which was out of order. In the evening I +stood off to sea, to be at such a distance that I might not be +driven by any current upon the shoals of this island, if it should +prove calm. We had but little wind, especially the beginning of the +night; but in the morning I found myself so far to the west of the +island, that the wind being at east-south-east, I could not fetch +it, wherefore I kept on to the southward, and stemmed with the body +of a high island about eleven or twelve leagues long, lying to the +southward of that which I before designed for. I named this island +Sir George Rook's Island. + +We also saw some other islands to the westward, which may be better +seen in my draft of these lands than here described; but seeing a +very small island lying to the north-west of the long island which +was before us, and not far from it. I steered away for that, hoping +to find anchoring there; and having but little wind, I sent my boat +before to sound, which, when we were about two miles' distance from +the shore, came on board and brought me word that there was good +anchoring in thirty or forty fathom water, a mile from the isle, and +within a reef of the rocks which lay in a half-moon, reaching from +the north part of the island to the south-east; so at noon we got in +and anchored in thirty-six fathom, a mile from the isle. + +In the afternoon I sent my boat ashore to the island, to see what +convenience there was to haul our vessel ashore in order to be +mended, and whether we could catch any fish. My men in the boat +rowed about the island, but could not land by reason of the rocks +and a great surge running in upon the shore. We found variation +here, 8 degrees 25 minutes west. + +I designed to have stayed among these islands till I got my pinnace +refitted; but having no more than one man who had skill to work upon +her, I saw she would be a long time in repairing (which was one +great reason why I could not prosecute my discoveries further); and +the easterly winds being set in, I found I should scarce be able to +hold my ground. + +The 31st, in the forenoon, we shot in between two islands, lying +about four leagues asunder, with intention to pass between them. +The southernmost is a long island, with a high hill at each end; +this I named Long Island. The northernmost is a round high island +towering up with several heads or tops, something resembling a +crown; this I named Crown Isle from its form. Both these islands +appeared very pleasant, having spots of green savannahs mixed among +the wood-land: the trees appeared very green and flourishing, and +some of them looked white and full of blossoms. We passed close by +Crown Isle, saw many cocoa-nut trees on the bays and sides of the +hills; and one boat was coming off from the shore, but returned +again. We saw no smoke on either of the islands, neither did we see +any plantations, and it is probable they are not very well peopled. +We saw many shoals near Crown Island, and reefs of rocks running off +from the points a mile or more into the sea: my boat was once +overboard, with design to have sent her ashore, but having little +wind, and seeing some shoals, I hoisted her in again, and stood off +out of danger. + +In the afternoon, seeing an island bearing north-west-by-west, we +steered away north-west-by-north, to be to the northward of it. The +next morning, being about midway from the islands we left yesterday, +and having this to the westward of us, the land of the main of New +Guinea within us to the southward, appeared very high. When we came +within four or five leagues of this island to the west of us, four +boats came off to view us, one came within call, but returned with +the other three without speaking to us; so we kept on for the +island, which I named Sir R. Rich's Island. It was pretty high, +woody, and mixed with savannahs like those formerly mentioned. +Being to the north of it, we saw an opening between it and another +island two leagues to the west of it, which before appeared all in +one. The main seemed to be high land, trending to the westward. + +On Tuesday, the 2nd of April, about eight in the morning, we +discovered a high-peaked island to the westward, which seemed to +smoke at its top: the next day we passed by the north side of the +Burning Island, and saw smoke again at its top, but the vent lying +on the south side of the peak, we could not observe it distinctly, +nor see the fire. We afterwards opened three more islands, and some +land to the southward, which we could not well tell whether it were +islands or part of the main. These islands are all high, full of +fair trees and spots of great savannahs, as well the Burning Isle as +the rest; but the Burning Isle was more round and peaked at top, +very fine land near the sea, and for two-thirds up it: we also saw +another isle sending forth a great smoke at once, but it soon +vanished, and we saw it no more; we saw also among these islands +three small vessels with sails, which the people of Nova Britannia +seem wholly ignorant of. + +The 11th, at noon, having a very good observation, I found myself to +the northward of my reckoning, and thence concluded that we had a +current setting north-west, or rather more westerly, as the land +lies. From that time to the next morning we had fair clear weather, +and a fine moderate gale from south-east to east-by-north: but at +daybreak the clouds began to fly, and it lightened very much in the +east, south-east, and north-east. At sun-rising, the sky looked +very red in the east near the horizon, and there were many black +clouds both to the south and north of it. About a quarter of an +hour after the sun was up, there was a squall to the windward of us; +when on sudden one of our men on the forecastle called out that he +saw something astern, but could not tell what: I looked out for it, +and immediately saw a spout beginning to work within a quarter of a +mile of us, exactly in the wind: we presently put right before it. +It came very swiftly, whirling the water up in a pillar about six or +seven yards high. As yet I could not see any pendulous cloud, from +whence it might come, and was in hopes it would soon lose its force. +In four or five minutes' time it came within a cable's length of us, +and passed away to leeward, and then I saw a long pale stream coming +down to the whirling water. This stream was about the bigness of a +rainbow: the upper end seemed vastly high, not descending from any +dark cloud, and therefore the more strange to me, I never having +seen the like before. It passed about a mile to leeward of us, and +then broke. This was but a small spout, not strong nor lasting; yet +I perceived much wind in it as it passed by us. The current still +continued at north-west a little westerly, which I allowed to run a +mile per hour. + +By an observation the 13th, at noon, I found myself 25 minutes to +the northward of my reckoning; whether occasioned by bad steerage, a +bad account, or a current, I could not determine; but was apt to +judge it might be a complication of all; for I could not think it +was wholly the current, the land here lying east-by-south, and west- +by-north, or a little more northerly and southerly. We had kept so +nigh as to see it, and at farthest had not been above twenty leagues +from it, but sometimes much nearer; and it is not probable that any +current should set directly off from a land. A tide indeed may; but +then the flood has the same force to strike in upon the shore, as +the ebb to strike off from it: but a current must have set nearly +along shore, either easterly or westerly; and if anything northerly +or southerly, it could be but very little in comparison of its east +or west course, on a coast lying as this doth; which yet we did not +perceive. If therefore we were deceived by a current, it is very +probable that the land is here disjoined, and that there is a +passage through to the southward, and that the land from King +William's Cape to this place is an island, separated from New Guinea +by some strait, as Nova Britannia is by that which we came through. +But this being at best but a probable conjecture, I shall insist no +farther upon it. + +The 14th we passed by Scouten's Island, and Providence Island, and +found still a very strong current setting to the north-west. On the +17th we saw a high mountain on the main, that sent forth great +quantities of smoke from its top: this volcano we did not see in +our voyage out. In the afternoon we discovered King William's +Island, and crowded all the sail we could to get near it before +night, thinking to lie to the eastward of it till day, for fear of +some shoals that lie at the west end of it. Before night we got +within two leagues of it, and having a fine gale of wind and a light +moon, I resolved to pass through in the night, which I hoped to do +before twelve o'clock, if the gale continued; but when we came +within two miles of it, it fell calm: yet afterwards by the help of +the current, a small gale, and our boat, we got through before day. +In the night we had a very fragrant smell from the island. By +morning light we were got two leagues to the westward of it; and +then were becalmed all the morning; and met such whirling tides, +that when we came into them, the ship turned quite round: and +though sometimes we had a small gale of wind, yet she could not feel +the helm when she came into these whirlpools: neither could we get +from amongst them, till a brisk gale sprang up: yet we drove not +much any way, but whirled round like a top. And those whirlpools +were not constant to one place but drove about strangely: and +sometimes we saw among them large ripplings of the water, like great +over-falls making a fearful noise. I sent my boat to sound, but +found no ground. + +The 18th Cape Mabo bore south, distance nine leagues; by which +account it lies in the latitude of 50 minutes south, and meridian +distance from Cape St. George one thousand two hundred and forty- +three miles. St. John's Isle lies forty-eight miles to the east of +Cape St. George; which being added to the distance between Cape St. +George and Cape Mabo, makes one thousand two hundred and ninety-one +meridional parts; which was the furthest that I was to the east. In +my outward-bound voyage I made meridian distance between Cape Mabo +and Cape St. George, one thousand two hundred and ninety miles; and +now in my return, but one thousand two hundred and forty-three; +which is forty-seven short of my distance going out. This +difference may probably be occasioned by the strong western current +which we found in our return, which I allowed for after I perceived +it; and though we did not discern any current when we went to the +eastward, except when near the islands, yet it is probable we had +one against us, though we did not take notice of it because of the +strong easterly winds. King William's Island lies in the latitude +of 21 minutes south, and may be seen distinctly off Cape Mabo. + +In the evening we passed by Cape Mabo; and afterwards steered away +south-east half-east, keeping along the shore, which here trends +south-easterly. The next morning, seeing a large opening in the +land, with an island near the south side; I stood in, thinking to +anchor there. When we were shot in within two leagues of the +island, the wind came to the west, which blows right into the +opening. I stood to the north shore, intending, when I came pretty +nigh, to send my boat into the opening and sound, before I would +venture in. We found several deep bays, but no soundings within two +miles of the shore; therefore I stood off again, then seeing a +rippling under our lee, I sent my boat to sound on it; which +returned in half an hour, and brought me word that the rippling we +saw was only a tide, and that they had no ground there. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Early Australian Voyages, by John Pinkerton + diff --git a/old/ausvy10.zip b/old/ausvy10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1c20fca --- /dev/null +++ b/old/ausvy10.zip |