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.]
* * *
{Page 11}
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.