The Part Borne by the Dutch in the Discovery of Australia 1606-1765 Part 8

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D.

_Maps of Hessel Gerritsz, numbered VII C and D. (1616)._

XII.

(1622). VOYAGE OF THE s.h.i.+P LEEUWIN FROM THE NETHERLANDS TO JAVA.--DISCOVERY OF THE SOUTH-WEST COAST OF AUSTRALIA.--LEEUWIN'S LAND.

A.

_Chart of Hessel Gerritsz, VII C (1616)._

I print such of the legends of this chart as refer to the results of this expedition:

"Duynich landt boven met boomen ende boseage.

Laegh ghelijck verdroncken landt.

't Landt van de Leeuwin beseylt Ao 1622 in Maert [*]. Laegh duynich landt."

[Dunes with trees and underwood at top.--Low land seemingly submerged (by the tide).--Land made by the s.h.i.+p Leeuwin in March, 1622.--Low land with dunes].

[* The s.h.i.+p Lecuwin had set sail from the Netherlands on April 20, 1621, and arrived at Batavia May 15, 1622, after a very long voyage, of which the G.-G. and Counc. did not fail to complain.]

B.

_Instructions for Tasman 1644._

...likewise, during the same period in the years 1616, 1618, 1619 and 1622, the west coast of the great unknown South-land from 35 to 22 degrees was unexpectedly and accidentally discovered by the s.h.i.+ps d'Eendracht, Mauritius, Amsterdam, Dordrecht and Leeuwin, coming from the Netherlands...

XIII.

(1622). THE TRIALL (ENGLISH DISCOVERY).--THE s.h.i.+P WAPEN VAN HOORN TOUCHES AT THE WEST-COAST OF AUSTRALIA. NEW PROJECTS FOR DISCOVERY MADE BY THE SUPREME GOVERNMENT AT BATAVIA.

A.

_Letter from the G.-G. and Counc. to the Managers of the E.I.C., September 6, 1622._

...On the 5th of July there arrived here [*] a boat with ten men forming part of the crew of an English s.h.i.+p, named the Triall, and on the 8th do.

her pinnace with 36 men. They state that they have lost and abandoned their s.h.i.+p with 97 men and {Page 18} the cargo she had taken in, on certain rocks situated in Lat.i.tude 20 10' South, in the longitude of the western extremity of Java. These rocks are near a number of broken islands, lying very far apart, South-east and North-west, at 30 miles'

distance northwest of a certain island which in our charts is laid down in 22 S. Lat. [**]. The said s.h.i.+p Triall ran on these rocks in the night-time in fine weather, without having seen land, and since the heavy swells caused the s.h.i.+p to run aground directly, so that it got filled with water, the 46 persons aforementioned put off from her in the greatest disorder with the boat and pinnace each separately, leaving 97 persons in the s.h.i.+p; whose fate is known to G.o.d alone. The boat and pinnace aforesaid arrived here each separately, without knowing of each other.

[* Batavia.]

[** See, for instance, the chart of Hessel Gerritsz: VII C (1616).]

The s.h.i.+p 't Wapen van Hoorn [*] has also been in extreme peril; at night in a hard wind she got so near the land of d'Eendracht or the South-land of Java that she was in 6 fathom before they saw land, which they could noways put off from, so that they ran on it. But shortly after the storm abating, they got the landwind, and came off safe, for which the Lord be praised.

[* She sailed from the Texel, December 22, 1621, and arrived at Batavia, July 22, 1622.]

The s.h.i.+ps Amsterdam and Dordrecht [*] likewise got into great peril near the land just mentioned in the year 1619. Whereas it is necessary that s.h.i.+ps, in order to hasten their arrival, should run on an eastward course for about 1000 miles from the Cape de Bona Esperance between 40 and 30 degrees Southern Lat.i.tude, it is equally necessary that great caution should be used and the best measures taken in order to avoid such accidents as befell the English s.h.i.+p Triall. They say that they met with this accident through following the course of our s.h.i.+ps; that they intend to dissuade their countrymen from imitating their example, and that their masters are sure to take other measures accordingly.

[* See _supra_, p. 10.]

For the further discovery of the lands aforesaid we intend, in conformity with your orders, to send a s.h.i.+p thither as soon as practicable, for which purpose we have selected the yacht Hazewint [*]. May G.o.d Almighty preserve all your wors.h.i.+ps' s.h.i.+ps from accidents and bring them safe to port...

[* See _infra_.]

B.

_Instructions for the yachts Haringh and Hasewint having destination jointly to discover and explore the South-land, September 29, 1622._

Inasmuch as Our Masters ["Heeren Majores"] earnestly enjoin us to dispatch hence certain yachts for the purpose of making discovery of the South-land; and since moreover experience has taught, by great perils incurred by sundry of our s.h.i.+ps--but specially by the late miscarrying of the English s.h.i.+p Triali on the said coast--the urgent necessity of obtaining a full and accurate knowledge of the true bearing and conformation of the said land, that further accidents may henceforth be prevented as much as possible; besides this, seeing that is highly desirable that an investigation should be made to ascertain whether the regions or any part of the same are inhabited, and whether any trade might with them be established.

_Therefore_, for the purpose before mentioned, we have resolved to fit out the yachts Haringh and Hasewint for undertaking the said voyage, and for ascertaining as much of the situation and nature of these regions as G.o.d Almighty shall vouchsafe to allow them.

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You will accordingly set sail from here together, run out of Sunda Strait, and steer your course for the South-land from the western extremity of Java, keeping as close to the wind as you will find at all possible, that by so doing you may avoid being driven too far westward by the South-easterly winds which generally blow in those waters. You may therefore run on as far as the 32nd or 33rd degree, if you do not fall in with land before that lat.i.tude; having got so far without seeing land, you may conclude that you have fallen off too far to westward, for sundry s.h.i.+ps coming from the Netherlands have accidentally come upon the South-land in this lat.i.tude; you will in this case have to turn your course to eastward, and run on in this direction until you sight land.

In running over to the _South-land_ aforesaid, you will have to keep a careful lookout, as soon as you get in 14 or 15 degrees, seeing that the English s.h.i.+p Trial before mentioned got aground in 20 10' Southern Lat.i.tude on certain sunken rocks, bearing north-east and south-west for a length Of 7 miles, according to the observation of the English pilot, but without having seen any mainland thereabouts. But the men who saved themselves in the pinnace and the boat, and thus arrived here, deposed that in the lat.i.tude of 13 or 14 degrees they had seen sundry pieces of wood and cane, and branches of trees floating about, from which they concluded that there must be land or islands near there. The _sunken rocks_ aforesaid on which the _Triall_ was wrecked, were exactly south of the western extremity of _Java_ according to the statements made by the English sailors.

When you shall have come upon the _South-land_ in the said lat.i.tude or near it, you will skirt the coast of the same as far as Lat.i.tude 50, in case the land should extend so far southward; but if the land should fall off before you have reached the said lat.i.tude, and should be found to trend eastward, you will follow its eastern extension for some time, and finding no further extension to southward, you will not proceed farther east, but turn back. You will do the same if you should find the land to turn to westward. In returning you will run along the coast as far as it extends to northward, next proceeding on an eastern course or in such wise as you shall find the land to extend: in which manner you will follow the coast as close insh.o.r.e and as long as you shall find practicable, and as you deem your victuals and provisions to be sufficient for the return-voyage, even if in so doing you should sail round the whole land and emerge to southward.

The main object for which you are dispatched on this occasion, is, that from 45 or 50 degrees, or from the farthest point to which the land shall be found to extend southward within these lat.i.tudes, up to the northernmost extremity of the South-land, you will have to discover and survey all capes, forelands, bights, lands, islands, rocks, reefs, sandbanks, depths, shallows, roads, winds, currents and all that appertains to the same, so as to be able to map out and duly mark everything in its true lat.i.tude, longitude, bearings and conformation.

You will moreover go ash.o.r.e in various places and diligently examine the coast in order to ascertain whether or no it is inhabited, the nature of the land and the people, their towns and inhabited villages, the divisions of their kingdoms, their religion and policy, their wars, their rivers, the shape of their vessels, their fisheries, commodities and manufactures, but specially to inform yourselves what minerals, such as gold, silver, tin, iron, lead, and copper, what precious stones, pearls, vegetables, animals and fruits, these lands yield and produce.

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To all which particulars and whatever else may be worth noting, you will pay diligent attention, keeping a careful record or daily journal of the same, that we may get full information of all your doings and experiences, and the Company obtain due and perfect knowledge of the situation and natural features of these regions, in return for the heavy expenses to which she is put by this expedition.

To all the places which you shall touch at, you will give appropriate names such as in each instance the case shall seem to require, choosing for the same either the names of the United Provinces or of the towns situated therein, or any other appellations that you may deem fitting and worthy. Of all which places, lands and islands, the commander and officers of these yachts, by order and pursuant to the commission of the Wors.h.i.+pful Governor-General Jan Pieterszoon Coen, sent out to India by their High Mightinesses the States-General of the United Netherlands, and by the Lords Managers of the General Chartered United East India Company established in the same, will, by solemn declaration signed by the s.h.i.+ps'

councils, take formal possession, and in sign thereof, besides, erect a stone column in such places as shall be taken possession of; the said column recording in bold, legible characters the year, the month, the day of the week and the date, the persons by whom and the hour of the day when such possession has been taken on behalf of the States-General above mentioned. You will likewise endeavour to enter into friendly relations and make covenants with all such kings and nations as you shall happen to fall in with, and try to prevail upon them to place themselves under the protection of the States of the United Netherlands, of which covenants and alliances you will likewise cause proper doc.u.ments to be drawn up and signed.

All such lands, islands, etc. as you shall take possession of in the fas.h.i.+on aforesaid, you will duly mark in the chart in their true lat.i.tude, longitude and bearings, together with the names newly conferred on the same.

In virtue of the oath of allegiance which each of you generally and personally has sworn to the Lords States-General, to His Princely Highness and the Lords Managers, none of you shall be allowed to retain for his private use or to abstract any written doc.u.ments, journals, drawings or observations touching this present expedition, but every one of you shall be bound on his return hither faithfully to deliver up the same without exception.

According to the written statements of Jan Huygen [*], and the opinion of sundry other persons, certain parts of this South-land are likely to yield gold, a point into which you will inquire as carefully as possible.