THE VOYAGE CONTINUED
We had been compelled, by reason of the treachery of Thedori, to leave
the Moluccas without having obtained a supply of fresh water. This made
it necessary to keep a sharp look-out for some island from which to
replenish our tanks. On most of the islands in the Pacific water is
readily obtainable. It is only upon the Southern Continent that great
stretches of waterless country prevail.
At length we sighted an island, the coast of which was rocky and
barren. Through stress of weather we were compelled to keep off the
shore, steering northward until, on the third day, the weather having
moderated, we hove to as near to the coast as we dared approach, and
endeavoured to land a boat's crew. In spite of breakers and a heavy
sea, six of the sailors leaped overboard opposite a sandy beach, and
with great difficulty reached the shore. Whilst searching for water the
sailors saw four natives, who fled at their approach. They were wild,
black, and entirely naked. Not finding water, the seamen regained the
boat, bruised and half-drowned. Again we set sail, and next day we were
off an island of considerable size, with two dangerous reefs stretching
out into the sea. At length we managed to effect a landing, and fresh
water being found, the ship was brought to anchor between the reefs,
where some shelter was to be had, although the position of the vessel
was by no means secure.
Upon this island we fell in with a race of savages totally unlike any
we had previously met with. These people have no houses or garments of
any kind, and, setting aside their human shape, they differ but little
from brutes. They have large heads, round foreheads, and great brows.
Their eyelids are always half-closed to keep the flies out of their
eyes, these insects being so troublesome that no fanning will keep them
away; so from their infancy being so tormented, they do never open
their eyes as other people do, nor can they see far unless they hold up
their heads as if they were looking at something over them. They have
great bottle noses, full lips, and wide mouths.
They appeared to be quite indifferent to our landing upon their island,
nor did they exhibit any fear or surprise at seeing us. We endeavoured
to make them help us carry some water barrels to the boats. But though
the barrels contained only six gallons each, and we put them on their
shoulders, all the signs we could make to get them to carry them were
useless. They stood like statues, without motion, grinning like so many
monkeys. Having watered our vessel we once more put to sea.
We were now, by our reckoning, somewhere in the vicinity of New
Holland, and at six o'clock in the evening we shortened sail. We were
then in twenty fathoms of water, when suddenly we again found ourselves
in deep water, and believed all danger at an end. But in less than an
hour, without warning, our ship struck on a rock, and remained
immovable. Not being near to any shore we were well aware of the
gravity of our position. We feared we had struck a submerged coral
reef, and all sails were immediately taken in, and the boats lowered.
We had struck just before dark, and at daylight I observed land some
eight miles distant. High tide was expected at about eleven o'clock,
when it was hoped the vessel would float off, though we feared she
would sink in deep water.
At twenty minutes past ten the ship floated, but the leak she had
sprung gained on the pumps, and there was now three feet nine inches of
water in the hold. The men were wearied to death. Each could only pump
a few minutes at a time, and then sink exhausted upon the deck. At
first we despaired of saving the ship, but eventually we got a sail
drawn over the leak, and anchored seven leagues from the shore. Next
day we found a safe place where the vessel could be moored near the
beach, where, on examining the ship's bottom, we found that a large
piece of rock had broken away from the reef and remained stuck in the
hole it made. Had it not been for this singular fact the "Golden
Seahorse" must have foundered.
During the week which followed this adventure, which had almost proved
disastrous to our voyage, we lightened the ship as much as possible,
and made our camp ashore. We judged we had now come to the coast of New
Holland, and since I had been the first to observe it on the morning
after we had struck upon the reef, Hartog named that part of the coast
Peter's land.
The ship being safely careened, the carpenters set to work to repair
the damage done to the hull by the sharp rocks, and, as this would
occupy some time, we decided to overhaul our stores, of which we made
an inventory. At this work we found the services of Pedro de Castro of
great value. De Castro was a man well versed in figures, and able to
enumerate with surprising facility. Indeed, I think he spent most of
his spare time in mental arithmetic, calculating the riches and
treasure which he hoped some day to obtain.
One evening, when Hartog and I were seated together in front of our
tent, de Castro brought us a paper which he said had been given him by
a relative at Lisbon, who informed him that it was an extract from an
ancient Portuguese manuscript, supposed to have been written by
navigator Van Nuyts in 1467. The translation of this curious paper ran
as follows:
"Land of Gold. While some fishermen of Lamakera, in the island of Solo,
were engaged in their fishing, there arose so great a tempest that they
were unable to return to the shore. Thus they yielded to the force of
the storm, which was such that, in five days, it took them to the Land
of Gold, which is properly called the Southern Coast. When the
fishermen reached the Land of Gold, not having eaten during those days
of tempest, they set about seeking for provisions, and such happy and
successful fortune had they after searching the country for yams and
batatas, that they alighted on much gold in a cavern, enough to load
their boats until they could carry no more, but, when they were ready
to start loading, there came upon them so great a trepidation that they
did not dare take any of the gold away with them."
This further account of gold upon the Southern Continent strengthened
our belief that treasure would be found at the place of the painted
hands, to visit which our present voyage had been undertaken. But what
could have caused the fishermen of Lamakera so great a trepidation we
were at a loss to understand. Well, perhaps we would soon learn, for
Hartog reckoned we were not many leagues north of the place marked upon
the chart, which had encouraged us to embark upon this voyage.