The same day the plenary council having been convened, it was determined
and fixed by formal resolution to continue our present course along the
coast, and if we should come upon any capes, bights, or roads, to come to
anchor there for one or two days at the utmost for a landing, in which we
shall run ashore in good order with two well-manned and armed pinnaces,
to endeavour to come to parley with the inhabitants and generally inspect
the state of affairs there; in leaving we shall, if at all practicable,
seize one or two blacks to take along with us; the main reason which has
led us to touch at the island aforesaid being, that certain reports and
writings seem to imply that the land which we are now near to, is the
Gouwen-eylandt [*], which it would be impossible to call at on our
return-voyage in the eastern monsoon, if we are to obey our orders and
instructions.
[* An allusion perhaps to the "provincia aurifera", as the so-called
Beach was sometimes styled; VAN LINSCHOTEN, we know, had also surmised
the presence of gold in the South-land.]
* * *
In the morning of the 10th, the wind being N.W. by north, being close
inshore, we again held our course for the land; somewhat later in the day
we had West wind with a hard gale, with which we sailed along the coast;
about noon we cast anchor in 12 fathom clayey bottom without any shelter
from the W.N.W. wind; when we were at anchor there, the pinnace of the
Pera, in conformity with the above resolution was sent ashore well-manned
and armed, under command of the sub-cargo, but the heavy rolling of the
sea made it impossible to effect a landing. We accordingly made a man
swim ashore through the surf, who deposited a few small pieces of iron on
the beach, where he had observed numerous human footprints; but as
nothing more could be done, the pinnace went back to the yacht, which we
could not get round to eastward owing to the strong current; we were
accordingly forced to weigh the anchor again, and drift with the current,
and thus ran on along the coast till the first watch, when we cast
anchor, it being a dead calm and we having no knowledge of the water.
In the morning of the 11th we took the sun's altitude, which we found to
be 8°, we being in 14° 14', which makes a difference of 6° 14'. When we
had sailed along the land for about a mile's distance we cast anchor in 9
fathom muddy bottom and sent the pinnace ashore in the same fashion as
last time, but earnestly charged the subcargo to use great caution, and
to treat with kindness any natives that he should meet {Page 24} with,
trying if possible to lay hands on some of them, that through them, as
soon as they have become somewhat conversant with the Malay tongue, our
Lords and Masters may obtain reliable knowledge touching the productions
of their land. At noon we were in Latitude 4° 20'; at night when our men
returned with the pinnace, they informed us that the strong surf had
prevented them from landing, and that they had accordingly, for fully two
miles' distance, rowed up a fresh-water river which fell into the sea
near the yacht, without, however, seeing or hearing any human beings,
except that in returning they had seen numerous human footprints near the
mouth of the river, and likewise two or three small huts made of dry
grass, in which they saw banana-leaves and the sword of a sword-fish, all
which they left intact in conformity with their orders; they also
reported that the interior is very low-lying and submerged in many
places, but that 5, 6, or 7 miles from the coast it becomes hilly, much
resembling the island of Ceram near Banda.
* * *