and Council shows, the rescue of these men seemed hopeless, since it was
evident that they must either have perished from hunger and misery, or
been murdered by the barbarous natives; they resolved afterwards, as
there might be still some hope left, however small, to despatch, for a
third time, two galliots, the _Waeckende Boey_ and _Emeloort_, the
former with a crew of forty, the latter of twenty-five men, provisioned
for six months. They set sail from Batavia on the 1st of January, 1658,
with distinct orders both as to how to reach the Southland and as to
their conduct during the voyage: amongst them these; that after passing
the Straits of Sunda they should steer towards the S.W., and as much
further south as the wind would allow, so as to meet the S.E. trade
winds, when they would proceed at once as far southwards as they could
by crowding all sail until the west winds were encountered, when again
they should immediately steer as much south as east, in order that,
without loss of time and before encountering land, they might reach the
latitude of 32° or 33°, when, directing their course eastwards, they
should make the attempt to land at the Southland. It was enjoined that
every possible precaution should be used, as the coast in that quarter
was not much known or properly explored. It was added, that their
arrival would be in summer or the most favourable season of the year;
with other matters, set forth in the instructions given to them by the
General and Council on the last day of December, 1657. On the 19th of
April they returned to Batavia, having each of them separately, after
parting company by the way, sailed backwards and forwards again and
again, and landed parties at several points along the coast. They had
also continually fired signal guns night and day, without, however,
discovering either any Dutchmen or the wreck of the vessel. The only
things seen were some few planks and blocks, with a piece of the mast, a
taffrail, fragments of barrels, and other objects scattered here and
there along the coast, and supposed to be remnants of the wreck. The
crew of the _Emeloort_ also saw at different points five black men of
extremely tall stature, without however daring to land there. Thus of
this expedition again the only result was, that the crew of the
_Waeckende Boey_ abandoned a boat with fourteen of their comrades,
including the upper steersman, and that in a manner but too reckless, as
it afterwards proved and as we shall presently show. The boat having
been sent to land, and not returning within twenty-four hours, they
concluded that it must have been dashed against the cliffs and all hands
perished; the more so as, on returning to the same place five days
afterwards, and firing several signal-guns landwards, no men or signs of
men were seen. But from the report of four of their number who
afterwards arrived at Japara by way of Mataram, it appeared that the
unfortunate men, seeing themselves abandoned by their ship and finding
no other resource left, resolved at last to steer for the coast of Java.
Accordingly having repaired their boat, as best they might, with
sealskins, and provided themselves with a little water and seals’ flesh,
they set out on the 10th of April, and arrived on the 28th of the same
month on the south side of that island. But of their number at that time
eleven only remained, three having perished of thirst on the way, whilst
four others in the first instance, and afterwards two, who had been made
to swim ashore in search of water, had not returned, either from
obstinacy or because they were killed by the natives. On the following
day the boat was dashed to pieces on the beach by a heavy sea, when the
above four men, without having met either with the seven above-mentioned
or any other men, took their way westward along the coast and continued
to march for two months in a very weak and exhausted condition, until
they at last met with men who brought them to Mataram.
Among the number of those who returned was the upper steersman, Abraham
Leeman van Santwigh. Of the remaining seven nothing more was heard.
It afterwards appeared from the diaries of the before-mentioned galliots
that, notwithstanding the strong injunctions to that effect laid down in
their instructions, proper care had not been taken by them to keep
together, so as to render assistance to each other in case of accident,
and to combine in using the most effectual means for landing and
exploring the coast.
The Fiscal of India was ordered to consult further with the Council of
Justice on the subject, but the General and Council were of opinion that
the unfortunate men from the ship _De Draeck_ must one and all have
perished long ago, since no traces of them had been discovered
throughout the whole length of the coast. Consequently all thoughts of
any further special expeditions were given up, the more so as the two
former ones had proved so disastrous. Orders, however, were given that
any galliot or light fly-boat should seize any opportunity of touching
there in favourable weather once more on their way from this country, to
see if any clue to the missing men might perchance be found.
The log-books of the galliots were sent over, together with an extract
from that of the fly-boat _Elburgh_, as far as related to the Southland,
together with the small charts of the coast.
We shall now enter into a few further particulars with a view to the
fuller elucidation of the subject. According to the journal of Aucke
Pietersz Jonck, skipper of the galliot _Emeloort_, they sighted land
while at a distance of four miles from the shore, on the 8th of March,
at 30° 25´ south latitude, the south point lying E.S.E., and the north
point N.E. by N. They also saw smoke rising towards the E.S.E. and E.,
whereupon they fired three guns and hoisted a large flag on the
mainmast. At night a fire was again seen at N.E. by E.
On the 9th, a fire on shore was again seen and answered with a signal of
three guns, and the boat was launched with a crew of nine hardy men and
the steersman, provisioned for eight days; on their approach the smoke
or fire disappeared, whereupon they returned on board. This fire was at
a distance of two miles from the former one. Nine signal-guns were then
fired from the ship, and afterwards three at night. A light was also
hung aloft during the night, but no signs were observed on land.
On the 10th, the boat was again sent ashore, and a large fire again seen
on the beach, at the same place as on the previous day, upon which a gun
was fired every hour from the ship and a flag hoisted. About two hours
elapsed before the boat could reach the shore. Fires at four different
points were again seen from the ship during the night, one of which
continued burning throughout the night, and several musket-shots were
fired.
The boat’s crew related that they had come across three huts, and had
encountered five persons of tall stature and imposing appearance, who
made signs to them to approach; this, however, from distrust of their
intentions, they did not venture to do. On their returning again to the
boat these people followed them down to the beach, but were afraid to
enter the boat. Much brushwood was seen on shore by this party, and in
some places crops of growing grain which they set fire to, also portions
of land under cultivation; no fruits, however, were noticed, but merely
a few herbs of an agreeable smell. Further inland they saw neither fresh
water nor trees, but numerous sandy downs; at night also many fires.
After having gone three miles along the shore as well as inland without
meeting any misadventure, they again proceeded with the ship under sail,
but saw no signs of anything remarkable along the coast from latitude
33° 30´ to 30° 25´. There they went again on shore with the same result.
This prolonged investigation proved altogether fruitless with regard
both to the lost ship and the crew. The natives they encountered were
men of stalwart frame, naked, and very dark-skinned; they wore a
headdress forming a kind of crown, but with no covering on any part of
their bodies except their middle. They then returned, the crew beginning
to suffer very much, chiefly from sore eyes. They left the cliff
Tortelduyf on the starboard side. On the 15th of March they saw many
gulls, entirely black but of small size, and on the 17th, several
wag-tails. On the 26th, the point Wynkoopsbergen lay to the W.N.W. of
them, distant three miles. They continued to coast along at a distance
of four, five, six, or seven miles, and would have again touched land
had the weather permitted.
On the 14th of April they made for the west point of Java, and there
fell in again with the _Waeckende Boey_, which had lost its boat and
schuyt and fourteen men, and had got some timber from the _Vergulde
Draeck_ at 31° 15´ south latitude, without having perceived anything
else.
Further, from the journal of the _Waeckende Boey_ it appears, that
having arrived on the 23rd of February 1658, at 31° 40´, they saw land
at a distance of eight miles from them, bore down upon it, and found it
to be an island about three miles distant from the mainland. On the
24th, they came to anchor in seventeen fathoms water and launched the
boat, there being a bar between the ship and the shore. On the 25th,
they still lay at 31° 20´.
On the 26th, on the return of the boat from the shore, the steersman
reported many signs of the lost ship _Draeck_, but neither footpaths nor
any places where traces of human beings had been left were discovered,
notwithstanding they had been in all directions both inland and along
the coast. They further reported that wood and other objects, portions
of boxes, etc., a barrel, and other things had been found; also a number
of pieces of plank, standing upright in a circle. Having weighed anchor
they sailed along the coast, and on that occasion their schuyt was
capsized and lost.
On the 27th, when about two miles from the coast, latitude 31° 14´, the
boat was sent on shore, and returned with the report that nothing had
been observed but a reef about ⅔ [of a mile?] off the coast seawards.
On the 28th, having arrived at 30° 40´, and several fires having been
seen on land, the boat was again sent out. The steersman reported that
nothing had been observed but a great smoke, and that they had been
unable to land with the boat owing to the violence of the surf. Having
descried the _Emeloort_ in the offing, they returned with her.
March 2nd, at 30° 6´, the _Emeloort_ was separated from them in the
night and was lost sight of. On the 5th, they were driven by stormy
weather round the south.
The weather continuing cold and wet, they resolved to serve out extra
rations of rum to each man.
On the 8th, the weather grey and cold. They supposed themselves to be in
31° 47´. The 18th, saw land to the eastward, being about 31° 49´. At
sunset they came to anchor under a north-easterly point of the island,
half a mile from land.
On the 19th, a boat was put off in the direction of the island; the
steersman reported its being well wooded, but that no good landing place
had been met with, the coast being surrounded by rocky reefs. Two seals
were seen there, also one wild cat, and the excrements of other animals.
On the 20th, a boat was sent on shore well manned; the following day
several signal-guns were fired, and in the evening the boat returned to
the ship, bringing with it a piece of the mast of the _Draeck_, and
again returning to land after taking in a supply of provisions, brought
back a part of the round-top, a block, and other trifling objects.
On the 22nd, they again sent to shore. At night it blew hard, the waves
running very high. A gun was fired, and a light hung out as a guide to
the boat on its return. They ran great risk of driving upon the rocks.
At midnight, the cable parting, another anchor was dropped.
On the 23rd, the weather being still boisterous, and they themselves in
great distress and nothing seen of the boat, fears were entertained that
it might have capsized or been dashed against the rocks. They were
afterwards compelled to cut their cable and run out to sea.
On the 27th, they sighted the island again, and ran so near the coast
that they might have been seen by a man on the beach. Several guns were
fired toward the place where the boat had last gone to land, but neither
sign nor sound being observed, it was taken for certain that they had
been lost, and resolved that they should sail along the coast toward
Batavia. The fire was again seen at dusk close to the sea-line, which
they supposed to have been lighted by the crew of the _Draeck_ or the
_Waeckende Boey_, as no such fire had been seen before. A gun was fired,
whereupon another fire close to the first became visible. But having
neither boat nor schuyt, it was impossible to land and equally so to
come to anchor; the bottom being coral-rock.
On the 29th, they found themselves at some distance to the north of the
point where the fire was seen. The coast became more level as they
proceeded, and they sailed along the shore till sunset, when they again
run further out to sea; in the course of the second watch they passed
the Tortelduyf cliff, the surf breaking on it being plainly visible.
On the 30th, the weather not permitting them to run close in, they
remained at some distance off shore. On the 31st, they were distant five
miles from the Dirck Hertogs Reede, and on April 10th, arrived at
Java.[23]
From the journal of the above-mentioned Abraham Leeman, steersman of the
_Waeckende Boey_, it appears that they first sighted the Southland on
the 22nd of February, 1656, went several times on shore with the boat,
and on one occasion, on the 20th of March, having again landed, they
went inland in a northerly direction, and in searching along the beach
found there pieces of plank, lids of boxes, staves of water-barrels and
butter-casks, and other objects of trifling importance. The heat on that
day was excessive, so much so that one of the men fainted. They also
found similar planks, staves, etc., in an enclosure. They then
encountered a very heavy sea, which prevented their returning on board
their vessel, and were obliged to sail along the cliffs in the utmost
peril. Owing to the dangerous nature of the coast they were obliged to
keep themselves alive by eating seals’ flesh, gulls, etc., and, from
want of fresh water, they were compelled to supply its place by
sea-water and their own urine. At last they were compelled to undertake
a perilous voyage across the ocean in their little shallop, and at
length reached Batavia by way of Mataram and Japara.
Moreover the General and Council recount, in their general letter of the
14th of December, 1658, that the fly-boat _Elburg_, when on its way
hence, had come upon the Southland in 31½° latitude, and had been
obliged, on account of wind and the heavy sea, to anchor about two miles
and a half off the coast in twenty-two fathoms water, not without great
danger. Twelve days afterwards they again got into open sea, and in
latitude 33° 14´ found a commodious anchorage under a projecting corner
of the island in twenty fathoms water. The skipper, steersman, with the
sergeant and six soldiers went ashore, and found three black men round a
fire, dressed in skins, like the natives of the Cape of Good Hope. They
could not, however, get to speak to them. Three small hammers were also
found there, with wooden handles and heads of hard stone, fastened to
the stem by a sort of gum-lack, strong enough to break a man’s skull. A
little further inland stood some huts, but no more men were seen. In
several places they found fresh water, and here and there a great
quantity of this gum. The small hammer brought here was found, when
rubbed, to be of an agreeable odour and of a reddish colour.
Lastly, we have to notice, that, according to certain printed accounts,
the ship _Batavia_, having sailed hence to Batavia, ran very
unexpectedly, on the 4th of June of the following year, 1659, in the
morning hours, latitude 28⅓°, on the dangerous shoals of the Abrolhos,
commonly called with us Frederick Houtman’s Cliffs, and was wrecked. The
crew, however, reached in safety some small islands which lay near. No
fresh water was found there, but the boat with some men having left the
island, saw, in 24° latitude, smoke rising, and observed black men on
the shore.
DESCRIPTION OF THE WEST COAST OF THE SOUTH LAND, BY THE CAPTAIN SAMUEL
VOLKERSEN, OF THE PINK, “WAECKENDE BOEY,”
WHICH SAILED FROM BATAVIA ON THE FIRST OF JANUARY, 1658, AND RETURNED ON
THE 19TH OF APRIL OF THE SAME YEAR.
_Translated from a Dutch MS. in the Royal Archives at the Hague._
The South Land has, on its coasts, downs covered with grass and sand so
deep, that, in walking, one’s foot is buried ankle-deep, and leaves
great traces behind it. At about a league from the shore there runs a
reef of rock, on which here and there the sea is seen to break with
great force. In some places there is a depth of from one, one and a
half, to two fathoms, so that a boat can pass, after which the depth
becomes greater up to the shore; but it is everywhere a dangerous coral
bottom, on which it is difficult to find holding for an anchor. There is
only one spot, about nine leagues to the north of the island, and where
three rocks are joined by a reef, that shelter is afforded for a boat,
and there one can effect a landing, but the ground is everywhere rocky.
Further from the coast there is a raised ground, tolerably level, but of
a dry and barren aspect, except near the island, where there is some
foliage. In nearly thirty-two degrees south latitude there is a large
island, nearly three leagues from the continent, with some rather high
mountains, covered with wood and thickets, which render it difficult to
pass across. It is dangerous to land there, on account of the reefs of
rock along the coast; and, moreover, one sees many rocks between the
continent and this island, and also a smaller island somewhat to the
south. This large island, to which I have not chosen to give a name
myself, thinking it right to leave the choice of name to the
governor-general, may be seen from the sea at seven or eight leagues
distance on a clear day. I presume that both fresh water and wood will
be found there in abundance, though not without considerable trouble.
_Two certain signs of the proximity of the west coast of the South
Land._
1st. When a variation is perceived in the compass in these countries to
about eleven degrees, it may be taken for certain that the land is not
more than eighteen to twenty leagues distant.
2ndly. When one sees sea-weed floating, soundings will be found in 70,
60, 50, 40, 30 fathoms, or even less.
(_Signed_) SAMUEL VOLCKERSEN.
EXTRACT TRANSLATED FROM BURGOMASTER WITSEN’S “NOORD EN OOST TARTARYE.”
FOL., AMST., 1705, p. 163.
“The north-west part of New Guinea, in 1½° south latitude, and beyond it
to the south-east, was for the first time rightly explored in the year
1678, by order of the Dutch East India Company, and found almost
everywhere to be enriched with very fine rivers, lakes, bays, etc., but,
judging from its outward aspect, the country itself seems to be barren
and uncultivated, being in few spots either planted or fenced in. In
many parts of the interior there are extremely high mountains, which are
seen by sailors at a great distance at sea as if towering above the
clouds. The air is not very mild, but very often damp and foggy, so much
so that most frequently in the afternoons the land is entirely hidden,
which has caused the Dutch East India Company the loss of many ships.
“About the north-western parts, the natives are in general lean and of
the middle size, jet black, not unlike the Malabars, but the hair of the
head shorter and somewhat less curly than the Caffres. In the black
pupil of their eyes gleams a certain tint of red, by which may in some
measure be observed that bloodthirsty nature of theirs which has at
different times caused us so much grief, from the loss of several of our
young men, whom they have surprised, murdered, carried into the woods,
and then devoured.
“They go entirely naked without the least shame, except their rajahs or
petty kings, and their wives, which are not native Papoos, but mostly
Ceram-Mestizoes, and are richly dressed after the manner of Ceram. Their
weapons are bows of bamboo, with arrows of the same, to whose ends are
fastened sharp pointed fish bones with dangerous barbs, which, when shot
into the body, cannot be extracted without great difficulty. They
likewise use lances, made of certain very heavy wild Penang wood: these
they throw at their mark with great accuracy at a distance of six or
seven fathoms. Some of them, living near the shore, use a certain kind
of swords, sold to them by the people of Ceram, the hilt of which is
tied to their hand by a rattan.
“Of their manners and religion, nothing else can be said than that, in
many respects, they are more like wild beasts than reasonable human
beings. Their women are delivered in the fields, or roads, or wherever
they may happen to be taken in labour. After the birth they instantly
put the infant in a bag, in which they carry their provisions, made of
beaten bark of a tree. The women of the better class rub their faces
with bruised coals, by which they make themselves look more like devils
incarnate than human creatures; though it cannot be denied that they
seem to possess, by the law of nature, a knowledge of the existence of a
God, which they show by pointing with folded hands towards the heavens.
For when any one lands at any place frequented by these people of Ceram,
they require of us to raise our hands as they do: and with a sharp
bamboo they cut both their own arms and those of their visitors. The
mutual sucking of the blood from these wounds constitutes their oath,
and implies a promise to do each other no mischief. Amongst them are
found some letters or characters, written with a sort of red chalk on a
rock. On this rock, also, were still to be seen some skulls and the bust
of a man, looking as if put up as an ornament, with a shield and other
weapons near it, the meaning of all which may be guessed at, but not
fixed with certainty.
Their food consists of roots, tree fruits, herbs, etc., but chiefly
fish, caught by them at low water in holes in the bed of the river, as
we, when lying at anchor thereabouts, could distinctly see by the motion
of the thousands of little lights which they used. They know very little
of cooking or drying their food, but generally eat it raw, except pork,
which they eat when it has been a little smoked, and is less than half
roasted.
“In about 8° or 9° south latitude, we found a tall, terrible, and
disgusting race of people, whose chiefs have the inside of the upper lip
slit from the nose downwards, the two parts being kept asunder by what
they call a gabbe-gabbe. The two sides of the nose, also, are bored
through with sasappen, or thin awls, which gives their voices a
frightful and hollow sound, as if coming out of a deep cellar.
“It is believed that Nova Guinea is divided from Hollandia Nova, or the
south land, at about the latitude of 10° south. Of the country further
south we have up to the present day no certain information, except that
supplied by Abel Tasman, who sailed round the whole land and the coasts
of the Dutch East India Company’s possessions, and who testifies to have
found trees (beams) in which at intervals footsteps were cut to climb up
by, about seven feet apart, and also with footsteps in the sand about
fourteen or fifteen Dutch inches long, and every footstep six or six and
a half feet from the other. I am informed by a mate who, about thirty or
thirty-four years ago, lost his ship on the most westerly promontory of
the south land, that he with some of the crew reached Batavia in the
ship’s boat, and was despatched from thence to the place where he was
shipwrecked with provisions, and in order to deliver their shipmates
they left these; but they found none of them, though they saw
impressions of large footsteps.[24]
“The Ceramers are subjects, and likewise allies, of the Dutch Company,
and for the most part expert sailors; and by them, and none else, is the
coast of New Guinea visited. The inhabitants of New Guinea have for many
years suffered from the treachery and murders of this people, who, not
by force of arms but by cunning, have subdued the Papoos. Under the
cloak of friendship they take their women (in which they are not very
choice) for wives, and the children thus born, being very carefully
instructed in the Mahomedan faith, are easily able to control these
simple inhabitants of the woods. By this connection, also, the Ceramers,
having gained the attachment of the women, always know how to escape the
evil intentions which, for all that, the Papoos cannot restrain
themselves from trying to put in practice against their visitors.