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+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***
+
+
+
+
+
+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.
+
+
+
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