_Letter of the G.-G. and Counc. to the Managers of the E.I.C, dated
January 3, 1624._
...In the month of January 1623, Governor Van Speult dispatched from
Amboina the yachts Arnhem and Pera, for the purpose of concluding
treaties of friend ship with the natives of Quey, Aroe and Tenimber, and
of further discovering and {Page 22} exploring the land of Nova Guinea;
as Your Worships may gather from the enclosed document, the islanders
aforesaid have of their own free will placed themselves under the
obedience and dominion of their High Mightinesses the States-General of
the United Netherlands, and have promised to come and trade with our
fortresses in Banda and Amboyna. From there the yachts ran over to Nova
Guinea and skirted the said coast as far as 17° 8' Southern Latitude our
men landed in sundry places, but found nothing but wild coasts, barren
land and extremely cruel, savage and barbarous natives, who surprised and
murdered nine of our men, partly owing to their own negligence; according
to the report we have received of the said coast, there would be nothing
in particular to be got there; what winds, currents, shores, rivers,
bights, capes, forelands and other features of the coast have been
further met with, surveyed and explored, Your Worships may gather from
the enclosed journal and minutes, to which we would beg leave to refer
you for further particulars...