The Part Borne By The Dutch In The Discovery Of Australia
Chapter 4
[*** Witsen to Cuper, August 1, 1712 (GEBHARD p. 480).]
"The which is sorely to be regretted!"...The times of Van Diemen had failed to return; the spirit by which he was imbued no longer presided over the debates on colonial matters. But his name is indissolubly bound up with the palmy days of Dutch discovery in the Far East, initiated by the East India Company.
Fortunately, in our time Holland again bears a part in what is done by cultured Europe for the scientific exploration of the unknown regions of the world. In this field of inquiry the nineteenth century has again beheld her sons take a place which the achievements of their forefathers have as it were by right of inheritance assigned to them.
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DOCUMENTS.
I.
(1595) DUTCH NOTIONS RESPECTING THE SOUTH-LAND IN 1595.
_Itinerario, Voyage ofte Schipvaert, van JAN HUYGEN VAN LINSCHOTEN naer Oost ofte Portugaels Indien [Itinerary, Voyage or Navigation of J. H. v. L. to Eastern or Portuguese India]_...t' Amstelredam. By Cornelis Claesz opt Water, in 't Schrijf-boeck by de Oude Brugghe. Anno CIC.IC.XCVI (1596?-Ed.)[*].
[* There may have been an earlier edition of this book. At all events, the Netherlanders who in 1595 undertook the first voyage from Holland to India, were acquainted with the work either in manuscript or in print. See the journal of this voyage, kept by Frank Van der Does, one of the sharers of the expedition, and printed in the second volume of J. K. J. De JONGE'S well-known book: De Opkomst van het Nederlandsch gezag in Oost-Indië [The Rise of the Dutch power in the East Indies] ('s Gravenhage, Amsterdam MDCCCLXIV), pp. 287-372. It may safely be assumed that Van Linschoten's book contains everything that the Dutch knew of the East, when in 1595 Dutch vessels were first sent out to those remote regions. Charts Nos 1 (a part of the _Orbis terrarum combmdiosa descriptio_. Antverpiae apud joafiem Baptistam Vrient), and 2 (a part of the _Exacta & accurata delineatio cum orarum maritimarum tum eijam locorum terrestrium quae in regionibus Chiua...una cum omnium vicinarum instilarum descriptjone ut sunt Sumatra, Java utraque_...) give a survey of this knowledge so far as our present purpose is concerned. I have made use of a copy of Van Linschoten's work in the library of the Leyden University.]
Pag. 25. Chapter the Twentieth.
Concerning the island of Java Mayor, together with its commodities, merchandise and dealings, weights, coins and value of the same, and other particulars.
[Map No. 1. Gedeelte der (Part of the) _Orbis terrae compendiosa describtio_]
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South-south-east, facing the farthest extremity of the island of Samatra, south of the line _equinoctial_, lies the island called _Java Mayor_, or great _Java_...This island begins in 7 degrees Latitude South, and extends east by south a length of 150 miles but of its breadth nothing is known up to now, since it has not yet been explored, nor is this known to the inhabitants themselves. Some suppose it to be a mainland, [forming part] of the land called Terra incognita, which would then extend hitherward from beyond the _C de boa Esperança_ but of this there is no certitude hitherto, so that it is usually accounted an island...
[Map No. 2. Gedeelte der (Part of the) _Exacta & accurata delineatio cum orarum maritimarum tum etjam locorum terrestrium, quae in regjonibus China...una cum omnium vicinarum insularum descriptjone ut sunt Sumatra, Java utraque_]
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II.
(1602). NOTICES OF THE SOUTH-COAST OF NEW GUINEA IN 1602.
_Journal or Daily Register_, begun on the 22nd day of April, A.D. 1601, kept on board the sho Gelderlant...
This 10th day of April 1602.
The meeting of the Plenary Council [*] having been convened by order of the Lord Admiral [**] to resolve to dispatch the yacht called Duyffken to the island of Ceram, the Council have drawn up the Instructions following, which Supercargo Master Claes Gaeff [and] skipper Willem Cornelisz Schouten will have to act up to.
[* The joint council of all the ships forming the flotilla to which the Gelderland belonged.]
[** Wolphert Hermanszoon.]
_Imprimis_ he will have to navigate to the island of Ceran, and there call at the ports or roads following, to wit: Queuin, Quelibara, Quelilonhen or Goulegoubj [*], and failing these, at certain others where profitable dealings may be expected...
[* Keffing, Kilwaroc,...Goeli-goeli. These place-names go to show, that by Ceram are meant the south-eastern extremity of Ceram and the Ceram-Laut islands.]
_Secondly_, [he will have to inquire] whether there is anything to be had there besides sago; their way of doing business and in what places; what commodities had best be sent thither; and to what limits their farthest navigation extends; also, whether they have any knowledge of Nova Guinea; whether they have ever sent ships thither, or whether ships from Nova Guinea have ever come to Ceran. In the island of Banda, actum April the 10th, A.D. 1602, on board the ship Gelderlandt. God send his blessing unto salvation. Amen.
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Laus deo A.D. 1602 This 15th day of May in the island of Banda.
A brief account of certain islands with which they of the islands of Ceran and, Banda carry on trade...
They can say nothing certain respecting the island of Nova Guinea, but say that there are white people living on the south side, inhabited by Portuguese [*], but [the people of the parts of Ceram visited by the Dutch] had never seen any Portuguese ships. They can give no information about their dealings and commodities.
[* If any reliance can be placed on this report, it proves that in 1602 the Portuguese were acquainted with the South(-west) coast of New Guinea. But considering the fact that the Dutch were utterly unacquainted with New Guinea, it is _quite possible_ that on this point they misunderstood the inhabitants of the parts of Ceram visited by them.]
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III.
(1605-1606).VOYAGE OF THE SHIP DUIFKEN UNDER COMMAND OF WILLEM JANSZ(OON) AND JAN LODEWIJKSZOON ROSINGEYN TO NEW GUINEA.--DISCOVERY OF THE EAST-COAST OF THE PRESENT GULF OF CARPENTARIA.
A.
_HACKLUYTUS Posthumus or PURCHAS his Pilgrimes Contayning a History of the World in Sea voyages, & lande-Travells by Englishmen & others._
English Voyages beyond the East-Indies, to the islands of Japan, China, Cauchinchina, the Philipinae with others; and the Indian navigations further prosecuted...
THE FOURTH BOOKE.
Chap. II.
Observations of Captaine Iohn Saris, of occurrents which happened in the East-Indies during his abode at Bantam, from October 1605, till October 1609...
The eighteenth [November 1605] [*] heere [**] departed a small Pinnasse of the _Flemmings_, for the discovery of the Land called Nova Guinea which, as it is said, affordeth great store of Gold...
[* Old style: therefore November 28, 1605.]
[** Bantam.]
The fifteenth [*] of June [1606] heere [**] arrived _Nockhoda_ [***] _Tingall_, a Cling-man from _Banda_, in a _Java_ juncke...
[* Old style: therefore Junr 25, 1606.]
[** Bantam.]
[*** Nachoda or Anachoda: a skipper.]
He told me that the _Flemmings_ Pinasse which went upon discovery for _Nova Ginny_, was returned to Banda, having found the Iland: but in sending their men on shoare to intreate of Trade, there were nine of them killed by the Heathens, which are man-eaters; So they were constrained to returne, finding no good to be done there.
B.
_Instructions drawn up to serve as a basis for Answers on the part of the General United E.I.C. to the advice given by the Lords States of Holland and Westfriesland, touching the Charter of the Australia Company. Laid before the Council, Aug. 2, 1618._
...So that the E.I.C. opines that in every case the Australia Company aforesaid ought to be excluded from the Southern parts, situated between the Meridian passing through the Eastern extremity of Ceylon and the Meridian lying a hundred miles eastward of the Salomon islands; seeing that the United East India Company has repeatedly given orders for discovering and exploring _the land of Nova Guinea and the islands situated east of the same_, since, equally by her orders, such discovery was once tried about the year 1606 with the yacht de Duyve by skipper Willem Jansz and subcargo Jan Lodewijs van Rosingijn, who made sundry discoveries on the said coast of Nova Guinea, as is amply set forth in their journals. [*]
[* In 1618, therefore, there must have been extant journals of the expedition of 1605-6.]
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C.
See _infra_ the _Journal of the voyage Of JAN CARSTENSZOON 1623, at the dates:_ March 7, May 11, 12, 15.
D.
South-eastern part of the Map _Indiae Orientalis Nova descriptio_ in the atlas JOANNES JANSSONIUS-MERCATOR-HONDIUS 1633 [*]
[* The whole map is reproduced in _Remarkable Maps_ (II, 7.) See also C. H. COOTE'S Introduction; P. A. TIELE: Nederlandsche Bibliographic van Land- en Volkenkunde, s. vv. Janssonius and Mercator, and my Life of Tasman, p. 91, note I.]
[Map No. 3. Zuidoostelijk gedeelte der Kaart (South-eastern part of the Map) _Indiae Orientalis Nova descriptio_]
E.
_Instructions for Skipper Commander Abel Jansen Tasman, Skipper Pilot-Majjr Frans Jacobsen Visscher, and the Council of the Yachts Limmen, Zeemeeuw, and the Quel de Brack, destined for the further discovery of Nova Guinea, and of the unknown coasts of the discovered East- and South-lands, together with the channels and islands presumably situated between and near the same._
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Both by word of mouth and through the perusal of Journals, Charts and other writings, it is in the main well-known to you, how the successive Governors of India, at {Page 6} the express command of our Lords and Masters the "Heeren XVII", have, in order to the aggrandisement, enlargement and improvement of the Dutch East India Company's standing and trade in the East, divers times diligently endeavoured to make timely discovery of the vast country of Nova Guinea and of other unknown Eastern and Southern regions; to wit, that four several voyages have up to now with scant success been made for this desired discovery; of the which voyages the first was undertaken in the year 16066 with the Yacht 't Duyffken, by order, of President Jan Willemsz Verschoor (who then managed the Company's affairs in Bantham), on which voyage the islands of Key and Arouw were visited in passing, and the unknown south and west coasts of Nova Guinea were discovered over a length of 220 miles from 5 to 13æ degrees Southern Latitude, it being only ascertained that vast regions were for the greater part uncultivated, and certain parts inhabited by savage, cruel, black barbarians who slew some of our sailors, so that no information was obtained touching the exact situation of the country and regarding the commodities obtainable and in demand there.\; our men having by want of provisions and other necessaries, been compelled to return and give up the discovery they had begun, only registering in their chart with the name of Cape Keer-weer the extreme point of the discovered land in 13æ degrees Southern Latitude.
In the castle of Batavia, this 29th of January Ao 1644. Signed ANTONIO VAN DIEMEN, CORNELIS VAN DER LIJN, JOAN MAETSUIJCKER, JUSTUS SCHOUTEN and SALOMON SWEERS.
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IV.
(1607). FRESH EXPEDITION TO NEW GUINEA BY THE SHIP DUIFKE.
Second volume of "_Het begin ende voortgangh der Vereenighde Nederlantsche Geoctroyeerde Oost-Indische Compagnie._ Gedruckt in den jaere des Heeren 1646" [Rise and Progress of the United Netherlands Chartered East India Company. Printed Anno Domini 1646].
A Narrative and Journal of the voyage made from Bantam to the coast of Choromandel and other parts of India, by Supercargo PAULUS VAN SOLT in the years 1605 1606, 1607, 1608.
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"On the 4th of March 1607, through God's mercy [we] arrived before the Castle [of Victoria in Amboyna]...here we found...the yacht Duyfken, which had come from Nova Guinea"...
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V.
(1616). VOYAGE OF THE SHIPS EENDRACHT AND HOORN, COMMANDED BY JACQUES LE MAIRE AND WILLEM CORNELISZOON SCHOUTEN THROUGH THE PACIFIC OCEAN AND ALONG THE NORTH-COAST OF NEW GUINEA.
One of the journals of this voyage has been repeatedly printed in various languages. (See TIELE, Mémoire Bibliographique, pp. 42-62, and the same writer's Bibliographic Land- en Volkenkunde, s. vv. Begin ende Voortgangh, Herrera, W. Cz. Schouten, and Spilbergen). I need not, therefore, go into detail on this point here. The voyage was begun on the 14th of June 1615, and in January 1616 the strait of {Page 7} Le Maire was discovered. In the Pacific Ocean various islands unknown to the voyagers were touched at: _inter alia_ Kokos-island (Boscawen or Tafahi), Verraders-eiland [Traitors' island] (Keppel or Niutabutabu), (Goede) Hoop island (Nino-fa), the Hoornsche islands (Fotuna and Alofi). Besides, various islands east of New Guinea were surveyed, and New Ireland, New Hanover and the north-coast of New Guinea with the islands north of it (among others Schoutens island), sailed round or touched at.
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VI.
(1616). PROJECT FOR THE FURTHER DISCOVERY OF THE SOUTH-LAND NOVA GUINEA.
A.
_Resolution of the Governor-General and Councillors, October 8, 1616._
...Inasmuch as heretofore the Company has taken in hand to dispatch a ship for the discovery of the South-land-Nova-Guinea and the dependencies thereof, which project has not been executed owing to other intervening business, it has been resolved to take the said project once more in hand at the present time; and that to this end the Lord Admiral...[*] shall dispatch from Amboyna or Banda the ship de Jager with any other small yacht that should lie at anchor there, or happen to put into port, in order to the discovery of the lands aforesaid; seeing that it is much more convenient to visit those parts starting from here than from the Netherlands, and that the same can now be done without any inconvenience or detriment to the Company. And if in Amboyna or Banda no other yacht besides the ship de Jager should be found available, then the Lord Admiral shall be free to assign the ship Morgenster for the said purpose...
[* Steven Van der Haghen.]
B.
_Resolution of the Governor-General and Councillors, October 21, 1616._
...Considering the confident inclination to the said voyage evinced by the Lord Advocate Dedel [*], and the importance of this enterprise being conducted with great skill and judgment, it has been determined and resolved to employ the Advocate aforesaid in the said voyage, to the end that all things may be conducted in good order, with the requisite courage and resolution, for which purpose the Hon. Advocate will now depart for Amboyna with the Lord Admiral...
[* Cornelis Dedel, LL. D.]
C.
_Letter from the Governor-General LAURENS REAEL to the Managers of the E.I.C., May 10, 1617._
...Mr. Cornelis Dedel, LL. D., had by us been dispatched to this place [*] from the Moluccas, that with two or three yachts and pinnaces he might proceed to the discovery of the Southern lands, which undertaking had heretofore once more by order of...Admiraal Verhagen been engaged in by Jan Rossangin [**]. But when lying at anchor in Amboyna...Dedel's ships were employed on other services. [***]
[* Reael was then staying in Banda.]
[* This almost certainly refers to the voyage of 1605-6 under Willem Jansz. and Rosengein.]
[* Although, as we see, the project was not carried into execution, I have thought it good to print the above documents, because they bear testimony to the earnest intention of the Dutch authorities in India once more to undertake the discovery of the "South-land" (at the same time the matter was by no means lost sight of in the Netherlands, as is proved by a resolution of the Managers of the E.I.C., of October 1616); [and] because document C in the text is _presumably_ fresh evidence for the voyage of 1605-6.]
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VII.
(1616). VOYAGE OF DE EENDRACHT UNDER COMMAND OF DIRK HARTOGS(ZOON). DISCOVERY OF THE WEST-COAST OF AUSTRALIA IN 1616: DIRK HARTOGS ISLAND AND -ROAD, LAND OF THE EENDRACHT OR EENDRACHTSLAND.
A.
_Letter of Supercargo Cornelis Buysero at Bantam to the Managers of the East India Company at Amsterdam._
Worshipful, Wise, Provident, very Discreet Gentlemen,...
...The ship Eendracht [*], with which they had sailed from the Netherlands, after communicating at the Cabo sailed away from them so far southward as to come upon 6 various islands which were, however, found uninhabited [**]...
[* Commanded by Dirk Hartogs, or Hartogszoon.]
[* What "uninhabited islands" the ship Eendracht "came upon", Buysero's letter does not say. Various authentic archival documents of 1618 and subsequent years, however, go to show that the land afterwards named Eendrachtsland or Land van de Eendracht, and the Dirk Hartogsreede (island) must have been discovered on this voyage.]
Bantam, this last day of August, A.D. 1617. Your Worships' servant to command CORNELIS BUYSERO [*]
[* Buysero was supercargo at Bantam (DE JONGE, Opkcornst, IV, p. 68,) and was therefore likely to be well informed as to the adventures of the ship, which had sailed from the Netherlands in January 1616, departed from the Cape of Good Hope in the last days of August, and had arrived in India in December of the same year, as appears from what Steven Van der Haghen, Governor of Amboyna, writes May 26, 1617: "That in the month of December 1616, the ship Eendracht entered the narrows between Bima and the land of Endea near Guno Api (Goenoeng Api) in the south of Java" (Sapi Straits).]
B.
_See infra Document No. IX, of 1618._
It proves that as early as 1618 the name of Eendrachtsland was known in the Netherlands.
C.
The subjoined chart (reproduced on the original scale in _Remarkable Maps_, II, 4) was drawn by HESSEL GFRRITSZ, Cartographer in ordinary to the East India Company {Page 9} (Ress. of the "Heeren XVII", March 21, 1619 and October 21, 1629). He had accordingly at his disposal the official documents referring to this discovery.
[Map No. 4. Caert van (Chart of) 't Land van d'Eendracht Ao 1627 door HESSEL GERRITSZ]
D.
The interesting little folding chart, marked No. 5, is now in the possession of Jhr. J. E. Huydecoper van Maarsseveen en Nigtevegt, LL. D., at Utrecht. It is bound up with the said gentleman's copy of Abel Janszoon Tasman's journal of his voyage of 1642-3 [*]. The chart clearly shows that at times in subsequent issues of certain charts the dates given in the first issue were retained, while numerous corrections were made in the chart itself.
[* See my Life and Labours of TASMAN, p. 69.]
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E.
Of the chart of which this is a small portion, a complete reproduction will be found in _Remarkable Maps_, II, 8. In 1630, accordingly, the discovery of Eendrachtsland was known at Nuremberg.
[Map No. 6. Kaart van het Zuidland van (Alap of the Southland by) JOANNES KEPPLER en PHILIPPUS ECKEBRECHT, 1630]
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VIII.
(1618). VOYAGE OF THE SHIP ZEEWOLF, FROM THE NETHERLANDS TO INDIA, UNDER THE COMMAND OF SUPERCARGO PIETER DIRKSZOON AND SKIPPER HAEVIK CLAESZOON VAN HILLEGOM.--FURTHER DISCOVERY OF THE WEST-COAST OF AUSTRALIA.
_Letter of Supercargo Pieter Dirkszoon to the Managers of the E.I.C. at Amsterdam, dated June 24, 1618._
A.
Worshipful Wise Provident Very Discreet Gentlemen.
By the ships T'Wapen van Zeelandt, den Eenhoorn and Enckhuyzen (which with full cargoes arrived at the Cape de bone Esperance from these parts of India) I have on the 22nd of March last [1618] briefly advised Your Worships of our safe arrival there...[*]
[* The ship had sailed from the Netherlands in December 1617.]
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Now with this ship den Witten Beer Your Worships may be pleased to receive news of the subsequent successful progress of our voyage to this part of India, viz. that on the 24th of the said month we sailed from the Taeffelbaey [Table Bay]...in the ship Seewolf for Bantam (pursuant to Your Worships' orders); in such fashion that by God's grace we soon got south as far as 37, 38 and 39 degrees, after which we held our course due east for a thousand miles before turning it northward; so that on the 21st of May following we made the land in Cleyn Java about 6 or 8 miles east of the island of Bali; after which, passing between Bali and Cleyn Java, we came to anchor before our factory of Japara on the second day of June...
Having on the 11th of May reached 21° 15' S. Latitude, we saw and discovered...land about 5 or 6 miles to windward east of us, which in consequence we were unable to touch at. We observed it to be a level, low-lying shore of great length, and looking out from the top-mast we saw on both ends of it, to north as well as to southward, still other land which showed high and mountainous. But as the land bore eastward from us, and we could not have got higher without considerable inconvenience, we do not know whether it forms an unbroken coast-line, or is made up of separate islands. In the former case it might well be a mainland coast, for it extended to a very great length. But only the Lord knows the real state of affairs. At all events it would seem never to have been made or discovered by any one before us, as we have never heard of such discovery [*], and the chart shows nothing but open ocean at this place. According to our skipper's estimation in his chart the Strait of Sunda was then N.N.E. of us at about 250 miles' distance; according to the second mate's reckoning the direction was North East, and according to the first mate's estimation North East by North. These statements, however, proved erroneous, since we arrived east of Bali on a north-north-east course. So that consequently this land bears from Sunda Strait south-south-west, and ships must arrive in Java eastward of Sunda Strait on a north-by-west or northern course; on which those who come in sight of this land from eastward and wish to go to Bantam, may safely base their course. This much by way of advice...
[* Dirk Hartochs's discovery had not come to their knowledge then.]
On board the ship Seewolff lying at anchor before Jacatra, this 20 of June, 1618. Your Worships' obedient Servant PIETER DIRCXSOON 1618.
B.
_Letter of Skipper Haevick Claeszoon van Hillegom to the Managers of the E.I.C. at Amsterdam, dated June 24, 1618._
Laus Deo. On board the ship Seewolf lying at anchor before Jaeketerae, this 24th of June 1618.
Right Worshipful Beloved Gentlemen My Lords Directors of the United Company at Amsterdam, with friendly greeting, the present, after my best wishes for the {Page 12} well-being and health of my Worshipful Noble Masters, serves to express my hope that Your Worships may have duly received, through Pieter Gertsz, skipper of the ship Enckhuyzen [*], my letters of the 22nd of March, written in the Taefel Bay, recounting what had happened on our voyage up to said date. The present further serves to inform Your Worships of our progress up to this day, as follows. We set sail from the Cape de bon Esperanse on the 24th of the same month...
[* See _supra_ A.]