Here we managed with extreme difficulty and great peril to get again out
of the shallows aforesaid, into which we had sailed as into a trap,
between them and the land, for which happy deliverance God be praised;
the shallows extend South and North, from 4 to 9 miles from the mainland,
and are 10 miles in length from East to West.
{Page 35}
On the fifth we set sail again at daybreak, the wind being E.N.E., on
courses varying between S.W. and S., by which we got into deeper water,
between 14 and 26 fathom, and sailed 18 miles in the last 24 hours.
On the sixth the wind was S.W. with rain, course held S.E.; at night we
were in Lat. 9° 45', having sailed 11 miles to the E.S.E. in the last 24
hours.
On the 7th, the wind being S.S.E., we ran on an Eastern course in 15 or
16 fathom, and sailed 4 miles till the evening; at nightfall we went over
to S.E., and cast anchor in 4 fathom, but as the yacht was veering round,
we got into 2 fathom, having sailed three miles E.S.E. during the night.
In the morning of the 8th we clearly saw several stones lying on the
sea-bottom, without perceiving any change in the water in which we had
sounded 26 fathom; so that the land here, which we did not see, is highly
dangerous to touch at, but through God's providence the yachts did not
get aground here; at noon we set sail, being in 10° 15' S. Lat., the wind
being W. by S. and afterwards variable; we sailed S.S.W. till the next
morning, in 10 and 10Ω fathom, and covered 6 miles.
On the 9th the wind was N. with rain, course held S.E.; at night the wind
went round to S.E.; we therefore came to anchor in 11 fathom, having
sailed 5 miles this day.
In the morning of the 10th the wind was E.N.E., course held S.E. in 9,
10, and 11 fathom; at night the wind blew from the S.E., upon which we
cast anchor, having sailed 5 miles this day.
On the 11th the wind was E. by N. with a fair breeze, course kept S.S.E.;
at noon we were in 11° 30'; the whole of this day and night we tried to
get south with variable winds and on different courses, and sailed 22
miles in the last 24 hours; course kept S.E.
In the morning of the 12th the wind was S.E. with good weather; at
sunrise we saw the land of Nova Guinea [*], showing itself as a low-lying
coast without hills or mountains; we were then in 13Ω fathom, clayey
bottom; course held S.S.W.; at noon we were in Lat. 11° 45' South, having
sailed 10 miles on a S.E. course in the last 24 hours.
[* York Peninsula.]
In the morning of the 13th the wind was S.E. by E. and we were in 24
fathom; we still saw the land aforementioned and found it to be of the
same shape as before; course held S.W.; at noon we were in 12° 53'; for
the rest of day and night we tried to get south with the winds aforesaid
and on varying courses, having sailed 22 miles in the last 24 hours;
course kept S.W.
On the 14th the wind was E. by S., course held S. by E. along the land in
11, 12, 13, and 14 fathom; at noon we were in Lat. 13° 47', the land
being no longer in sight. The rest of the day and the whole night we
tried to get the land alongside with divers winds and on varying courses
in 7, 6, 6, 4, 3, and 2Ω fathom; towards daybreak we were so near the
land that one might have recognised persons on shore.
In the morning of the 15th the wind blew hard from the East; course held
S. by E. in 3 and 2Ω fathom along a sandbank, situated about one mile
from the mainland; at noon we were in 14° 36. The land which we have
hitherto seen and followed, extends S. and N.; it is low-lying and
without variety, having a fine sandy beach in various places. In the
afternoon we dropped anchor owing to the calm, having sailed {Page 36} 11
miles South. Great volumes of smoke becoming visible on the land, the
subcargo [*] got orders to land with the two pinnaces, duly manned and
armed, and was specially enjoined to use his utmost endeavours for the
advantage of Our Masters; when the pinnaces returned at nightfall, the
subcargo reported that the pinnaces could get no farther than a stone's
throw from the land, owing to the muddy bottom into which the men sunk to
their waists, but that they had in various places seen blacks emerging
from the wood, while others lay hid in the coppice; they therefore sent a
man ashore with some pieces of iron and strings of beads tied to a stick,
in order to attract the blacks; but as nothing could be effected and the
night was coming on, they had been forced to return to the yachts.
[* Pieter Lintiens. (Summary).]
In the morning of the 16th, being Easter-day, the wind was East; we set
sail, holding our course S. by E.; at noon we were in 14° 56'; in the
evening we came to anchor in 5 Ωfathom, having sailed 10Ω miles, course
kept South.
In the morning of the 17th the wind was S. by W., with rain and the tide
setting to the south; at noon the wind went round to East, so that we
made sail, course held S. by W., along the land in 4Ω fathom; towards the
evening, it fell a calm, so that we dropped anchor with the ebb, after
which I went ashore myself with the two pinnaces duly provided with men
and arms; we went a considerable distance into the interior, which we
found to be a flat, fine country with few trees, and a good soil for
planting and sowing, but so far as we could observe utterly destitute of
fresh water. Nor did we see any human beings or even signs of them; near
the strand the coast was sandy with a fine beach and plenty of excellent
fish.
In the morning of the 18th the wind was E.N.E., course held S. by W.
along the land; about noon, as we saw persons on the beach, we cast
anchor in 3Ω fathom clayey bottom; the skipper of the Pera got orders to
row to land with the two pinnaces, duly provided for defence; in the
afternoon when the pinnaces returned, we were informed by the skipper
that as soon as he had landed with his men, a large number of blacks,
some of them armed and others unarmed, had made up to them; these blacks
showed no fear and were so bold, as to touch the muskets of our men and
to try to take the same off their shoulders, while they wanted to have
whatever they could make use of; our men accordingly diverted their
attention by showing them iron and beads, and espying vantage, seized one
of the blacks by a string which he wore round his neck, and carried him
off to the pinnace; the blacks who remained on the beach, set up dreadful
howls and made violent gestures, but the others who kept concealed in the
wood remained there. These natives are coal-black, with lean bodies and
stark naked, having twisted baskets or nets round their heads; in hair
and figure they are like the blacks of the Coromandel coast, but they
seem to be less cunning, bold and evil-natured than the blacks at the
western extremity of Nova Guinea; their weapons, of which we bring
specimens along with us, are less deadly than those we have seen used by
other blacks; the weapons in use with them are assagays, shields, clubs
and sticks about half a fathom in length; as regards their customs and
policy and the nature of the country, Your Worships will in time be able
to get information from the black man we have got hold of, to whom I
would beg leave to refer you...
On the 19th, the wind being S.E., we remained at anchor, and since the
yachts were very poorly provided with firewood, the skipper of the Pera
went ashore with the two pinnaces duly manned and armed; when the men
were engaged in cutting wood, {Page 37} a large number of blacks upwards
of 200 came upon them, and tried every means to surprise and overcome
them, so that our men were compelled to fire two shots, upon which the
blacks fled, one of their number having been hit and having fallen; our
men then proceeded somewhat farther up the country, where they found
several weapons, of which they took some along with them by way of
curiosities. During their march they observed in various places great
quantities of divers human bones, from which it may be safely concluded
that the blacks along the coast of Nova Guinea are man-eaters who do not
spare each other when driven by hunger.
On the 20th, the wind being S.E., we set sail on a S.S.W. course; at noon
we came to anchor with the ebb-tide running from the South, in 3Ω fathom
clayey bottom, and ordered the skipper to go ashore with the two
pinnaces, duly provided for defence, and diligently inquire into the
state of things on shore, so far as time and place should allow; when he
returned in the evening, he informed us that the surf had prevented them
from getting near the strand, so that there could be not question of
landing.
In the morning of the 21st, the wind being S.E., we set sail; course held
S.S.W. along the land; at noon we were in 15° 38'; in the evening we came
to anchor with the ebb in 3Ω fathom.
In the morning of the 22nd the wind was E.N.E., course held South; at
noon we were in 16° 4'; the wind being W. by N. we dropped anchor towards
the evening in 2Ω fathom, about one mile from the land.
On the 23rd the wind was N.N.E., with a stiff breeze, so that we set sail
on a S.S.W. course along the land in 3Ω, 3, 2Ω and 2 fathom, clayey
bottom; at noon we were in 16° 32'; for the rest of the day we tried to
get south with variable winds, and towards the evening came to anchor in
3 fathom close inshore.
On the 24th the wind was E. by S., course held S.S.W. along the land in
2Ω, 3Ω and 4Ω fathom, clayey bottom; at noon we were in 17° 8'. This same
day the council having been convened, I submitted to them the question
whether it would be advisable to run further south, and after various
opinions had been expressed, it was agreed that this would involve divers
difficulties, and that the idea had better be given up: we might get into
a vast bay, and it is evident that in these regions in the east-monsoon
north-winds prevail, just as north (?) of the equator south-winds prevail
in the said monsoon: we should thus fall on a lee-shore; for all which
reasons, and in order to act for the best advantage of the Lords
Managers, it has been resolved and determined to turn back, and follow
the coast of Nova Guinea so long to northward as shall be found
practicable; to touch at divers places which shall be examined with the
utmost care, and finally to turn our course from there to Aru and
Quey...it was furthermore proposed by me and ultimately approved of by
the council, to give 10 pieces of eight to the boatmen for every black
they shall get hold of on shore, and carry off to the yachts, to the end
that the men may use greater care and diligence in this matter, and Our
Masters may reap benefit from the capture of the blacks, which may
afterwards redound to certain advantage.
On the 25th the skipper of the Pera got orders to go ashore with the two
pinnaces well-manned and armed, in order to make special search for fresh
water, with which we are very poorly provided by this time; about noon
the skipper having returned, informed us that he had caused pits to be
dug in various places on the coast, but had found no fresh water. _Item_
that on the strand they had seen 7 small huts made of dry hay, and also 7
or 8 blacks, who refused to hold parley with them. In the afternoon I
went up a salt river for the space of about half a mile with the two
pinnaces; {Page 38} we then marched a considerable distance into the
interior, which we found to be submerged in many places, thus somewhat
resembling Waterland in Holland, from which it may be concluded that
there must be large lakes farther inland; we also saw divers footprints
of men and of large dogs, running from the south to the north; and since
by resolution it has been determined to begin the return-voyage at this
point, we have, in default of stone caused a wooden tablet to be nailed
to a tree, the said tablet having the following words carved into it:
"Anno 1623 den 24n April sijn hier aen gecomen twee jachten wegen de
Hooge Mogende Heeren Staten Genl."
[A.D. 1623, on the 24th of April there arrived here two yachts dispatched
by their High Mightinesses the States-General]. We have accordingly named
the river aforesaid Staten revier in the new chart. (The Staten Revier is
in 17 degrees 8 minutes.)
On the 26th, seeing that there was no fresh water here, of which we stood
in great need, that we could hold no parley with the natives, and that
nothing of importance could be effected, we set sail again, the wind
being E.N.E., with a stiff breeze, course held N. along the land; at noon
we were in Lat. 16° 44'; at night we came to anchor in 4 fathom close
inshore.
* * *