(1756). EXPLORATORY VOYAGE OF THE SHIPS RIJDER. AND BUIS, COMMANDED
BY LIEUTENANT JEAN ETIENNE GONZAL AND FIRST LAVIENNE LODEWIJK VAN
ASSCHENS, TO THE GULF OF CARPENTARIA.
_Report of the "Master Cartographer" at Batavia, GERRIT DE HAAN, to the
G.-G., and Counc. September 30, 1756._
Pursuant to Your Honourable Worships' highly honoured orders, the
undersigned has the honour to submit to Your Honourable Worships a report
concerning the voyage made by the small bark-ships de Rijder and de Buijs
to the South-land, so far as the same has been touched at by them, as
Your Honourable Worships may be pleased further to gather from the
annexed charts [*].
[* I have not found either these charts or any journals of this
expedition.]
On the 8th of February, 1756 the two ships set sail together from this
roadstead...
On March 26 they were overtaken by a violent storm off the Banda islands,
so that they got separated, and the ship Buijs, finding it impossible to
stand out to sea, entered the port of Banda on March 28; the ship Rijder
held out with fore- and mizen-sails struck until the weather got better,
and not knowing that the ship Buys had returned to port, continued her
voyage. On April 4 those on board the ship Rijder sighted Cape Falso in
Lat. 7° 54' S., in 5 and 4Ω fathom; they then shaped their course to the
S.E. and afterwards to the S.S.E., until on April 10 they saw the high
land of Carpentaria, known by the name of hoog Eijland, near which they
found an island not known to the chart, to which island they gave the
name of Rijders Eijland. From the hooge Eyland a reef runs out to sea a
distance of nearly three miles coming close to the Rijders Eyland...They
then shaped their course along the land in order to get into the bay, in
depths Of 8, 7, 7Ω, 6Ω fathom sandy bottom, at which last depth they came
to anchor on April the 16th, where they estimated themselves to be about
two miles off shore. On the 17th do. they went ashore with the boat for
the first time in order to ascertain the nature of the coast. On landing
they found a number of cabins constructed of the bark of trees; they also
saw a man who fled into the wood at their approach, and a small prow or
species of vessel also made of bark, together with some fishing-tackle
and a kind of assagays made of branches of trees, from 4 to 9 feet long,
tipped at one end with a small piece of bone ground to a sharp point. The
fishing-lines seemed to be twisted out of fibrous bark, and, instead of
hooks, had pointed claws of beasts fastened to them. The land was
overgrown with tall grass, and they saw a number of fine dells or
valleys, through which flowed various small rills of fresh water; the
trees were very tall and straight, of regular growth and of different
kinds, some of which would, as they presumed, furnish excellent timber
for ships' masts, yards, etc. The soil was very rich, and on the whole
the country looked very promising. They remained there, making various
landings, and taking in firewood and water, till the 26th of April, when
they put to sea again...shaping their course E.N.E. close to the wind in
depths Of 5, 6 or 7 fathom, following the trend of the coast till they
had got into 10° 30' S. Lat., where they cast anchor on April 28, in
order to explore the land also in this latitude. They found nothing worth
mentioning, however, {Page 93} except a few more cabins or huts of the
kind before described, the inmates of which took to the wood as soon as
our men appeared. They dragged the boat on the {Page 94} beach here, and
repaired the same, remaining there till the 13th of May, waiting for the
ship de Buys. On that day they resolved to continue their voyage, shaping
their course along the land as high as they could in order to keep the
same alongside; but they lost sight of the land all the same, and became
aware that the said land lay at least one degree more to southward than
the chart had led them to believe. On the 24th of May they again sighted
the land in 12° 18' S. Lat.; it showed as a very low-lying coast, whose
trend they followed close inshore. In Lat. 12° 26' South they cast anchor
in 10 fathom good anchoring-ground. As they were lying at anchor at about
1 or 1Ω mile's distance from the shore, they saw two of the prows above
described paddle up to the ship, each of them containing two men, who,
when they had got near the ship, by signs and cries began to signify to
our men that they wished them to come ashore. The following day, being
the 26th of May, our men went ashore at daybreak, and on landing found
several persons there, who, however, all took to flight directly. They
also saw two dogs, not unlike so-called Bengal jackals. The persons who
had fled, shortly after returned to them, when they found them armed with
the assagays above described. They were accompanied by a number of
females who had their privities covered with a kind of small mats. The
natives then all of them sat down on the beach near our men, who made
signs to them that they were seeking fresh water; upon which the natives
got up and signified to our men their willingness to show them the places
where water was obtainable. Nor were our men deceived, for after walking
on along the beach for some time, they were conducted to a pleasant
valley with fine trees such as those above described. This seemed to be
the dwelling-place of the natives, for our men saw here more women and
children and also a number of primitive dwellings, merely consisting of
sheltered places under the trees partly covered in with bark. The water
which they found here, welled up out of the earth in pits dug by human
hands. After having inspected the whole place, they went back to the
beach, where they found the two prows in which the natives had previously
approached the ship. As our men were seated on the beach, nineteen
natives came up to them, all of them with bodies daubed over with red;
when the said natives were by our men treated to some arrack with sugar,
they began to make merry and even struck up a kind of chant, at the
conclusion of which they retired to the wood again.
In the morning of the 27th our men went ashore again for the purpose of
attempting to get hold of one or two natives, but did not succeed in
doing so that day, because they landed too late to lure the natives to
the beach. Early in the morning of the 28th they again landed in order to
execute their plan; on their arrival the natives came up to them dancing
and singing, sat down close to them, laid aside their so-called assagays
or weapons, and again enjoyed the liquor with which our men plied them.
While they were thus making merry, our men seized hold of two of them
[*], upon which the others jumped to their feet, snatched up their
assagays and began to throw them at our people without, however, wounding
any one; except that the ship's clerk, who in flying tried to seize one
of the natives round the body, was in the scuffle slightly wounded in the
hand; upon this, our men fired a volley, wounding one of the natives, who
thereupon all of them fled into the bush. Our people then tried to drag
to the boat the two men they had got hold of, but as they were tying
their {Page 95} arms and legs together, one of them by frantic biting and
tearing contrived to get loose and effect his escape. Shortly after
upwards of fifty natives again made their appearance, throwing assagays,
but they also took to their heels, when our people let off another volley
of musketry, after which our men succeeded in carrying off their one
prisoner to the boat.
[* A sorry return for kindness received!]
{Page 96}
On the 29th of May, the wind being S.E. and S.E. by E. with a top-gallant
gale, they put to sea again, running S.S.W. close by the wind in from 10
to 11 fathom good anchoring-ground. At noon they found their latitude to
be 12° 31' South, and dropped anchor in 10 fathom good anchoring-ground,
at about 1 or 1Ω mile's distance from the land, their compasses showing
3° 49' north-easterly variation.
On the 3Oth of May, as they were lying at anchor, two small prows came to
within half a mile of the ship and then paddled back to shore.
On the 31st of May, the wind being East and E.S.E., with a top-gallant
gale, they set sail close to the wind on a southerly course. At noon they
took the latitude of 12° 44' South, having passed depths of 10 and 10Ω
fathom. At sunset the countercurrent forced them to drop anchor before
the Mosselbaaij.
On the 1st of June, the wind being E.S.E. and S.E. by E. with a weak
top-gallant gale, they set sail over depths of 10Ω, 11, 12 and latterly
10Ω fathom again, good anchoring ground, upon which they dropped anchor
in the forenoon. At noon it fell a calm, and they took the latitude of
12° 51' South, the compasses showing 3° 3' north-easterly variation.
In the morning of June 2 the wind varied between East, E.S.E., and S.E.,
and then went round to S.W. by S.; they sent the boat ashore in search of
fresh water, since in the latitude they had now reached the chart showed
a fresh-water river. When the boat returned alongside, they were informed
that there was an excellent watering-place close by, where the water came
rushing down the rocks, and also a fine inland lake, near which the men
had seen a great number of birds of various kinds, together with certain
foot-prints of large animals. In the drawing or chart this spot has been
named Rijders waterplaats situated in 12° 57' S. Lat.
On the 3rd of June, the wind blowing from the East to E.S.E. with a fresh
breeze, they set sail for the watering-place aforesaid in 11, 10, 11Ω,
9Ω, 9 and 8 fathom, good anchoring ground and muddy sand, in which they
dropped anchor at two glasses in the afternoon.
From the 4th to the 12th of June they overhauled the ship, took in water
and firewood, and repaired the boat. During this time no natives were
seen by them.
On the 13th of June, the wind being E.S.E. and S.E. by E. with a weak
top-gallant gale, they put to sea again, following the trend of the coast
on a course between W.S.W. and S. by E...over depths of 8, 8Ω, 9, and 10
fathom, good anchoring-ground with pebbles and small shells. At noon they
took the latitude of 12° 2' South, and in the afternoon the head-current
forced them to come to anchor.
On the 14th of June, the wind varying between S.E. by E. and South, they
set sail running close by the wind on a southerly and S. by E. course in
9, 9Ω, 10 and 11 fathom sandy bottom. At noon their estimated course and
distance performed since sunrise were S.S.W. half a point westerly, and
2Ω miles, the latitude taken being 13° 8' South. In the afternoon the
wind was S.S.W. by W. with a weak breeze and occasional calms; they
sounded from 11 to 8 fathom sandy bottom with black spots and pebbles; at
the depth last mentioned they came to anchor at the first glass of the
dog-watch, slightly to southward of de Rijdershoek, about 1 or 1º mile
off shore, the compasses showing 3° 45' north-easterly variation.
{Page 97}
On the 15th of June the wind blew from the S.E. to the E.S.E. in the
morning and during the day, with a moderate and fresh breeze. At sunrise
they went ashore with the boat in search of whatever might be worth
noting. At noon they took the latitude of 13° South. Towards sunset the
boat returned alongside, reporting that, as they were pulling ashore, and
were at about a quarter of a mile's distance from the land, a canoe in
shape like those before described came paddling up to them, containing
two men who made signs for them to come ashore; and when with great
difficulty they had got ashore through the surf, the two natives of the
canoe had already fled into the bush; shortly after, however, eleven men
and five females again came running up to them, armed with the assagays
hereinbefore described, who directly tried to take our men's hats off
their heads, and on being prevented from doing so, forthwith prepared to
throw their weapons; but when our men fired a shot, they all fled except
a youth, whom our people carried on board along with the canoe aforesaid,
this man being the younger of the two natives brought hither. Our men had
also come upon a large pond containing fresh water, which, however, was
difficult to get to the ship. On the whole the country looked promising
enough, and when cultivated would probably prove very fertile. The
natives mainly subsist on the roots of trees and wild fruits such as
batatas or oubis, together with small quantities of fish which they catch
in their canoes. They also seemed to have some knowledge of gold, when
lumps of the same were shown them. Round by the south the natives are
somewhat more tractable than those farther to northward. Between the 11th
and 12th degrees the trend of the coast is S.W. by S. and N.E. by N.,
next S.S.W. and N.N.E. down to the 13th degree; then running on due south
as far as the eye reaches. The coast is mainly level without any reefs,
and may be approached sounding.
On the 16th of June...they resolved to depart from there, since the
season was passing, and they could only with great difficulty make any
headway or run higher, while, besides, they had only two anchors and
cables left. They then shaped their course to westward for Aarnems land.
At noon they took the latitude of 13° 3' South course held as before.
On the 17th of June in the forenoon the wind was E. by S. and E.S.E. with
a moderate and fresh top-gallant gale, stiffening to a reefed topsail
gale. At noon their estimated course and distance performed in the last
24 hours were W. by N. 25Ω miles; estimated Latitude 12° 44' South;
Latitude taken 12° 36' South; course held as before; no land in sight.
From the 18th to the 23rd their course was mainly westerly, with variable
winds and good weather.
On the 24th of June the wind was S.E. by S., E.S.E. and S.E. by E. in the
morning and forenoon, with a stiff reefed topsail-gale. Shortly after
noon they sighted the mainland of Nova Hollandia, S.S.W. of them, showing
as a very low-lying coast; they passed over depths of 15, 14, 13, 12, 11,
10, 9, and 8Ω fathom, good anchoring ground and muddy sand, keeping a
N.W. by W. course, since the shallows prevented them from running nearer
to the land than where they could just sight it from the ship's deck;
they next got into 9, 10 and 11 fathom again as before, and dropped
anchor at sunset.
On the 25th of June the wind was S.S.E. to S.E. in the morning and
forenoon with a moderate top-gallant gale, a brightening sky and good
weather. At daybreak, as they were weighing anchor, the cable snapped
off, and the buoy having disappeared, they thus lost their third anchor,
so that they had only one left. They therefore resolved to call at the
island of Timor, and shaped their course to N.W. by W. over {Page 98}
depths of 11, 10, 10Ω and 8 fathom; they next steered higher in order to
get into deeper water, and thus passed over 12, 7, 8, 15, 9, 10, 12, 14,
13, 7, 5, 3Ω, 4, 5, 6, afterwards running up to 20 fathom, muddy bottom.
At noon their estimated course and distance performed were N.W. by W.
slightly Northerly, 5Ω Miles; their estimated latitude 11° 30' South;
Latitude taken 11° 37' South; estimated distance from the land 9 or 9Ω
miles.
They next shaped their course to north-west in these known waters, and on
the 3rd of July following sighted the island of Rottie to westward of
them...
The ship de Buys, having, as hereinbefore mentioned, put into the port of
Banda on the 28th of March, and having there again been provided with all
necessaries, set sail from there again on April 1, shaping her course to
eastward. On April 23 she sighted the land of Carpentaria, and the
so-called Cape Keerweer, when she was in the observed latitude Of 12° 58'
South, so that the land was found to be at least 12 miles more to
eastward than it was believed to be. They had sounded depths of 20, 18,
15, 13, 12, and 11Ω fathom, sandy bottom, at which last depth they came
to anchor shortly after sunset.
On the 24th of April the wind was E.S.E. by S. in the morning and
forenoon with a weak top-gallant gale and fine weather; at daybreak they
got their boat ready and made her sail ahead of them in order to take
soundings; they then weighed anchor and set sail, keeping an E.N.E. and
N.E. course close to the wind in 11Ω, 12, 13, 12, and 11Ω fathom, sharp
sandy bottom with small pebbles. At noon their estimated latitude was 12°
54' South, and their estimated distance from the land 4 or 4Ω miles. At
sunset they observed Cape Keerweer E. º point N. of them, and the
interior point looking to the river E.N.E. They had sounded depths of
11Ω, 10Ω, 11, and 12 fathom sandy bottom, at which last depth they came
to anchor just after sunset. In the course of the day they had seen a
good deal of smoke ascend from the land.
On April the 25th the wind was E., E.N.E., and N.N.E. in the morning and
forenoon, with a weak breeze and fine weather. They weighed anchor at
daybreak and set sail on a northern course close by the wind over depths
of 12, 14, 15 and 17 fathom sandy bottom. At noon their estimated
latitude was 12° 42' South; the wind continued variable with occasional
calms; the land here showed level with a red and white beach; the
interior seemed to be covered with straight, tall trees as far as the eye
reached. At sunset they came to anchor and during the night had a
moderate top-gallant gale with good weather.
On the 26th of April the wind was E. and E. by S. in the morning and
forenoon, with a fresh breeze and fine weather. At daybreak they weighed
anchor and set sail, shaping their course between N.N.W. and N.N.E.; in
the forenoon they observed a pretty high hill N.E. by N. º point N. and a
red point N.N.E. Ω point E. of them. They also came upon a deep bay or
bight named Vliegenbaay, in which the trees on shore were hardly visible
from the top-mast. The N. corner of the said bay is here known by the
name of Aschens hoek. At noon their estimated latitude was 12° 16' South.
They also saw columns of smoke rising up, and thought they could discern
men and cabins. At sunset they came to anchor in 12Ω fathom. During the
night the wind was variable.
On the 27 th of April the wind was E. by S.E. in the morning and forenoon
with a fresh topsail breeze, a covered sky and dry weather. At daybreak
they weighed anchor and set sail on a N.N.E. course over depths between
12Ω and 14 fathom good anchoring-ground. The land here begins to fall off
to eastward. They here saw a {Page 99} river with an island lying off its
mouth, the river being known as Batavia River, and the island as Buys
Eijland. At noon they took the approximate latitude of 11° 38' South.
They repeatedly saw columns of smoke rising up from the land; in the
afternoon they came to anchor in 11 fathom coarse sand, about 4 miles Off
the shore.
On the 28th of April the wind was E. and E.S.E. in the morning and
forenoon; they weighed anchor and set sail on a N.E. course. At noon they
took the latitude of 11° 29' South, being then 3Ω miles off shore, and
having passed depths of 11 and 10 fathom, coarse sand and good
anchoring-ground. In the afternoon the wind blew from the E.S.E., S.E.,
S., S.S.W., with a moderate top-gallant gale and fine weather; course
held N.E. by E. and N.E.Ω% point N.; they still kept sailing along
low-lying land only.
On the 29th of April the wind was S.S.E. and S.E. in the morning and
forenoon, with a fresh topsail breeze; at daybreak they weighed anchor
and set sail on courses between N.N.E. and N.N.W. over depths of 10, 12,
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 7, 8, 9 fathom, hard foul bottom; they estimated
themselves to be at 3 miles' distance off the land. At noon their
estimated latitude was 11° 3' South; in the afternoon the wind blew from
the S.E. with a fresh topsail breeze. At 2 o'clock they came to anchor,
since they estimated themselves to be close to Van Spults river; at 3
miles' distance from the land they were in 8 fathom.
On the 30th of April the wind was S.E. by E. and S.E. in the morning and
forenoon, with a fresh breeze. They got the boat ready for the purpose of
taking soundings ahead. At noon their estimated latitude was 10° 56'; at
4 o'clock they had nearly lost sight of the boat, and fired a gun charged
with ball in order to recall the same, but the boat not returning, they
kept a light burning at the top-mast, and during the night fired a gun
now and then. In this way they waited for the boat until the 12th of May,
when they finally resolved to depart from there, since their stock of
water and firewood would not allow of their waiting longer. On board the
missing boat were two steersmen, to wit, Hendrick Snijders and Pieter van
der Meulen, one quartermaster and five common sailors.
On the 12th of May the wind was E.S.E. and S.E. in the morning and
forenoon, with a moderate top-gallant gale and good weather. At daybreak
they weighed anchor and set sail on a western course from the shallows,
passing over depths of 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 fathom fine grey sand. At noon
their estimated latitude was 10° 55' South. In the afternoon and during
the night they had good weather with occasional showers of rain; next
running W.N.W., they sighted the island of Timoor Laudt on the 20th of
May.
...From the above Your Honourable Worships will gather that Lieutenant
Jean Etienne Gonzal, in command of the small bark de Rijder, has executed
Your Honourable Worships' honoured orders, so far as the shores of the
Land of Carpentaria are concerned; but that no exploration of the
interior has been undertaken as enjoined by Your Honourable Worships'
instructions [*] and no landing has been effected on the coast of Nova
Hollandia, because they had only one anchor left, so that such landing
was judged too hazardous to be undertaken. Of the part borne in this
expedition by the first mate Lavienne Lodewijk Aschens who was in command
of the small bark de Buys, the undersigned can make Your Honourable
Worships no report worth any serious consideration, since his statements
and annotations are so misleading that it is evident {Page 100} at first
sight that he can never have had any first-hand knowledge or ocular view
of the matters referred to by him, seeing that he has hardly ever been
nearer to the land than 3 miles off it, at which distance, however, he
pretends to have seen a river with a small island before its mouth,
together with natives, cabins, etc.; all which seems impossible to the
undersigned on a level coast such as this, nor has he made any landing on
the said coast, although, contrary to Your Honourable Worships' orders,
he has sailed along it from the south to the north a distance Of 40
miles, before the mishap of the loss of the boat came to pass, as Your
Honourable Worships may further gather from the annexed rough sketch of a
chart [**] of the coast sent in by him...
[* I have not printed these instructions, as they are not of sufficient
interest for our purpose.]
[* I have not found this chart.]
[At foot:]
Your Honourable Worships' Obedient Servant
[signed]
W. G. DE HAAN.
[in margine:] Batavia, September 30, 1756.
* * * * *
[Map No. 5. Uitslaande Kaart van het Zuidland door HESSEL GERRITSZ
(Folding chart of the Southland).]
* * * * *
{Page 101}