n.V,^(iy,f,'i'.SIV 9'' CA RIVERSIDE^ LIBRARY 3 1210 02003 3898 B is 1 I t 2 i ^ 6 3 B s < O g 8 1 2 4 - UBRARY W/VERSITY OF C«l IFORNIA EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES In Weekly Volumes, price 3d. ; or in Cloth, 6d. A SELECTION OF THE MOST POPULAR VOLUMES FN Cassell'S National Library. 1 he foil&ivin^ are amongst those alread-y published. Table TalK. Martin Luther, The Life and Adventures of Baron TrencK (Vols I. & II.). The Natural History of Selborne (Vols. I. & 11.) Gilbert White. Lives of Pericles, Fabius Maximus, &c. •« Plutarch. Victories of Love Coventry Patmore. Sorrows of Werter Goethe. Religio Medici Sir T. Brow.ne. The North-West Passage Richard Hakluyt. Lives ot Timoleon. Paulus .SImilius, &o Plutarch. "Wisdom of the Ancients Bacon. Earlier Poems Milton. Confessio.is of an Inquiring Spirit .. .. Coleridge. Francis Bacon Macau lay. Voyagers' Tales Richard Haklu\t. The Christian Year John Keblf.. Eai'l of Chatham M.^CAULAY. Lives of Solon, Publicola, &e Plutarch The Hunchback Sheridan Knowles. Discovery of Muscovy Hakluyt. Dion. Brutus, &c Plutarch. Advancement of Learning Bacon. Burleigh, Hampden, and Walpole Macaulay. My Beautiful Lady Thomas woolner. The Man of Feeling Henry Mackenzie. Sermons on the Card Hugh LATi.M.-iR. Poems George Crabbe. Egypt and Scythia Herodotus. Komulus, Cimon, &c Plutarch. NatureandArt Mrs. INCH BALD, Essays Cowley. Demetrius, Mark Antony, &c Plutarch. Pepys's Diary (1660-1661). Nathan the Wise Lessing. Cato the Younger, Agis, &c. Plutarch. Peter Plymley's Letters, &c. Sydney Smith. Earlier Poems Pope. Eai'ly Australian Voyages Pinkerton. By Samuel Johnson .-—ilasselas; Lives of Waller, Milton, Cowley; Butler, Denham, Dryden, &c.; Addison, Savase, and Swift ; Prior, Congreve, &c. ; A Journey to the Hebrides: Lives of Q-ay, Thomson, &c. Shakespeare's Plays :— Hamlet, The Merchant of Veni le, Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra, Measure for Measure, Much Ado about Nothing, Julivis c'sesar. Midsummer Night's Dream, All's Well that Ends WeU, King Henry VIII., King John, A Winter's Tale, The Tempest, As You Like It, Coriolanus, Richard II., King Henr.v IV. (Part I.I, King Henry IV. (Part II.). Merry Wives of Windsor, King Henry V., Taming of the Shrew, King Lear. Cvmbelinf^, Borneo and Juliet, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Love's Labour's Lost, King Henry VI. (Part I.), King Henry VI. (Part II. \ King Henry VI. (Part III.1, Richard III., Twelfth-Night, Titus Andronicus, The Comedy of Errors, Timon of Athens, Othello, Troilus and Cressida, Pericles. The next Volnvte 7vill be Pepys's Diary (1662—63). CASSELL& COMPANY, Limited, Lmigate Hill, London. CASSELL'S NATIONAL LIBRARY Early Australian Voyages ^clsart Gasman gampxcr BY JOHN PINKERTON CASSELL & COMPANY Limited LONDOIS PAIiia «fc MELBOUHNE vani INTRODUCTION. In llio cla^-s of Plato, imagination found its way, before tlio inarincrs, to a now world across tho Atlantic, and fabled an Atlantis where America now stands. In the days of Francis Bacon, imagination of the English found its way to the great Southern Continent before the Portuguese or Dutch sailors had sight of it, and it was the home of those wise students of God and nature to whom Bacon gave his New Atlantis. The discoveries of America «late from tho clo.so of the fifteenth century. Tlie discoveries of Australia date only from tlie beginning of the seventeentli. The dis- coveries of the Dutch \ven> little known in England before the time of Damjiier'-s voyage, at the close of the seventeenth century, with which this volume ends. The name of New Holland, first given l»v the Dutch to tlie land they discovered on tlie north-west coast, then ixti-nded to the continent and was since changed to Australia, During tho eighteenth century exploration was con- tinuj^d by the F'nglish. The gooil report of Captain Cook cau.sed the first British settlement t«) be made at Port Jackson, in 17SS, not (juile a hundred years ago, and tlie foundations were then laid of the setth-ment of New South Wales, or Sydiu«y. It was at first a penal colony, and its Botany Bay was a name of terror to offenders. Western Australia, or Swan River, was first settled as a free colonv in 1S25», but afterwards used 6 INTRODUCTION. also as a penal settlement ; South Australia, wliicli has Adelaide for its capital, was first established in 1834, and colonised in 1836 ; Yietoria, with Melbourne for its capital, known until 1851 as the Port Philip District, and a dependency of New South Wales, was first colonised in 1835. It received in 1851 its j)resent name. Queensland, formerly known as the Moreton Bay District, was established as late as 1859. A settlement of Nortli Australia was tried in 1838, and has since been abandoned. On the other side of Bass's Straits, the island of Yan Diemen's Land, was named Tasmania, and established as a penal colony in 1803. Advance, Australia ! The scattered handfuls of people have become a nation, one with us in race, and character, and worthiness of aim. These little volumes will, in course of time, include many aids to a knowledge of the shaping of the nations. There will be later records of Australia than these which tell of tlie old Dutch explorers, and of the first real awakening of England to a knowledge of Australia by Dampier's voyage. The great Australian continent is 2.500 miles long from east to west, and 1,960 miles in its greatest breadth. Its climates are therefore various. The nortliern half lies chiefly within tlie tropics, and at Melbourne snow is seldom seen except upon the hills. The separation of Australia by wide seas from Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, gives it animals and plants peculiarly its own. It has been said that of 5.71() plants discovered, 5,440 are peculiar to tliat continent. The kangaroo also is proper to Australia, and there are other animals of like kind. Of 58 species of quadruped found in Australia, 46 were peculiar to it. Sheep and cattle that abound there now were introduced from Europe, From eight merino slieej) introduced in 1793 by a settler named McxA.rthur, there has i)cen multiplication INTRODUCTION. 7 into millions, and tlio food-store • of tlio Old "World ])Ofrin.s to l)e roplonislied by Australian mutton. The unexplored interior lias ^ivcn a lia)))!}' liuntinp:- ground to satisfy the Britisli spirit of adventure and researeli ; but larger waterless traets, tliat l)aflle man's ingenuity, have put man's powers of cnduranee to sore trial. The mountains of Australia are all of the oldest rocks, in which there iiro. eitlier no fossil traces of past life, or the traces are of life in the most ancient forms. Resemblance of the Australian cordilleras to the Ural range, wliich he had especially been studying, caused Sir Roderick Murchison, in 1844, to predict that gold would be found in Australia. The first finding of gold — the beginning of the history of tlu^ Australian gold- fields — was in February, 1851, near Bathurst and Wellington, and to-day looks back to the morning of yestenlay in the name of Ophir, given to the Bathurst gold-diggings. Gold, wo(d, mutton, wine, fruits, and what more Australia can now add to tlio commonwealth of the English - s])i'aking people. Englishmen at home have been learning this year in the great Indian and Colonial Exhii)ition, which is to stand always as evidence of the numerous resources of the Em])ire, as aid to tlie full knowledge of them, and through that to their wld(> dil!"iisi<»n. "We are a long way now from the wrecked ship of Caj)tain Francis Pelsart. with which tho liistories in this volume begin. John Pinkerton was l)orn at Edinburgh in February, 1758, and died in Paris in March. ]S'2{\, aged sixty- eight. He was the best cl;issi<'al scliolar at the Lamirk grammar school ; but his father, refusing to send him to a university, bound him to Scottish law. He had a strong will, fortified in some respects l)y a weak judgment. He wrote clever verse; at the age of 8 INTEODUCTION. twenty-two ho Trent to London to support himself by literature, begfan by publishing "Rimes" of his own, and tliou Scottish Ballads, all issued as ancient, but of whicli he afterwards admitted that fourteen out of tlie seventy-tliree were wliolly written by himself. John Piukerton, wliom Sir Walter Scott described as " a man of considerable learning", and some severity as well as acuteness of disposition," made clear conscience on the matter in 1786, when he i)ublislied two volumes of genuine old Scottish Poems from the MS. collec- tions of Sir Richard Maitland. He had added to his credit as an antiquary by an Essay on Medals, and then applied his studies to ancient Scottish History, producing learned books, in which he bitterlv abused the Celts. It was in 1802 that Pinkerton left England for Paris, where he supported himself by indefatigable industry as a writer during the last twenty-four years of his life. One of the most useful of his many works was that General Collection of the best and most in- teresting Voyages and Travels of the World, which appeared in seventeen quarto volumes, with maps and engravings, in tlie years 1808 — 1814. Pinkerton abridged and digested most of the travellers' records given in this series, but always studied to retain the travellers' own words, and his occasional comments have a value of tlicir own. H. M. Early Australian Voyages, VOYAGE OF FRANCIS PELSART TO AUSTRALASIA. 1 f; 2 8 — 2 9. It lias appeared very straugo to somo very ablo judges of voyages, that tho Dutch should make so great account of tho southern countries as to cause tho map of tliem to bo laid down in tho paveniont of tho Stadt House at Ainstordani, and yot puhliHli no descriptions of tiioni. Tiiis mystery was a good deal heightened by one of tho ships that first touched on Carpenter's Laud, bringing homo a considerable quan- tity of gold, spices, and other rich goods ; in order to clear up which, it was said that these were not tho product of tho country, but were fisluHl out of Iho wreck of a largo ship tliat had been lost upon tho coast. But tliis story did not satisfy tho inquisitive, because not attended with circumstances necessary to establish its credit; niid llHU-eforo thoy suggested that, instead of taking away tho obscurity by relating tho trutli. this story was invcntrd in order to hide it more effectually. Tliis suspicion gained ground tho 10 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. more ■when it was known tliat tlie Dutch East India Company from Batavia had made some attempts to conquer a part of the Southern continent, and had been repulsed with loss, of which, however, we have no distinct or perfect relation, and all that hath hitherto been collected in reference to this subject, may be reduced to two voyages. All that we know concerning the following piece is, that it was collected from the Dutch journal of the voyage, and having said thus much by way of introduction, we now pro- ceed to the translation of this short history. The directors of the East India Company, animated by the return of five ships, under General Carpenter, riclily laden, caused, the very same year, 1628, eleven vessels to be equipped for the same voyage ; amongst wliich there was one ship called the Batavia, com- manded by Captain Francis Pelsart. They sailed out of tlie Texel on the 2Sth of October, 1628 ; and as it would be tedious and troublesome to tlie reader to set down a long account of things perfectly well known, I shall say nothing of tlie occurrences that happened in their j)assage to the Cape of Good Hope ; but content myself with observing tliat on the 4th of June, in the following year 1620, this vessel, the Batavia, being separated from the fleet in a storm, was driven on the Abrollos or shoals, which lie in the latitude of 28 degrees south, and which have been since called by the Dutch, the Abrollos of Frederic Houtman. Captain Pelsart, who was sick in bed when this accident happened, per- PELSAET'S voyage to AUSTRALASIA. 11 ceiviiig that his .ship liaJ .struck, ran iiniiKHliately upon deck. It wa.s iiiglit indeed; but tlio weather was fair, and tho moon shone very bright ; the sails were up ; the course they steered was nortli-east by nortli, and the sea appeared as far as they could behold it covered with a white froth. Tlio captain called up the master and charged liini with tho loss of the ship, who excused himself l)y saying he had taken all the care he could ; and that having discerned this froth at a dis- tance, he asked the steersman what he thought of it, wlio told him that the sea appeared white by its re- flecting tho rays of the moon. Tlie captain then asked him what was to bo done, and in what part of tho world ho thought they were. The master replied, that God only knew that ; and that the ship was fast on a bank hitlierto undiscovered. Upon this they began to throw the lead, and found that they had forty-eight feet of water Ijefore, and much less lieliind the vessel. The crew immediately agreed to tlirow their cannon overboard, in hopes tliat when tho ship was lightened she might )x) brought to float again. They let fall an anchor liowever; and while they were tlius employed, a most dreadful storm aro.se of wind and rain; which so(m convinced them of tiio danger they were in ; for being surrounded with rocks and shoals, tho ship was continually striking. Tliey tlicn resolved to cutaway tho main-mast, which they did, and tliis augmented tlie sliock, neitlier could lliey get clear of it, tliuugli they cut it close by tlio 12 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. board, because it was mucli entangled with tlie rigging ; they could see no land except an island which was about the distance of three leagues, and two smaller islands, or rather rocks, which lay nearer. They im- mediately sent the master to examine them, who re- turned about nine in tlie morning, and reported that tho sea at high water did not cover them, but that the coast was so rocky and full of shoals that it would be very difficult to land upon them ; they resolved, however, to run the risk, and to send most of their company on shore to pacify the women, children, sick people, and such as were out of their wits witli fear, whose cries and noise served only to di.sturb them. About ten o'clock they embarked these in their shallop and skiff, and, perceiving their vessel began to break, they doubled their diligence ; they likewise endeavoured to get their bread up, but they did not take the same care of the water, not reflecting in their fright that tliey might be much distressed for want of it on shore ; and what hin- dered them most of all was the brutal behaviour of some of the crew that made themselves drunk with wine, of which no care was taken. In short, such was their confusion that they made l)ut three trips that day, carrying over to tlie island ISO persons, twenj^y barrels of bread, and some small casks of water. The master returned on board towards evening, and told the cap- tain that it was to no purpose to send more pro\'isions on shore, since the people only wasted those they had already. Upon this tho captain went in the shallop, PELSAET'S voyage to AUSTRALASIA. L'j to put things in better order, and was then infunncd that there was no water to bo found upon the island ; he endeavoured to return to the ship in order to hviw^ off a supply, togctlier witli tlie most valuable part of their cargo, but a storm suddenly arising, he wxi forced to return. The next day was spent in removing their water and most valuable goods on shore; and afterwards the captain in the skiff, and the master in iho shallop, endeavoured to return to the vessel, but found the sea run so high tliat it was impossible to get on board. In this extremity the carpenter threw himself out of the ship, and swam to them, in order to inform them to what hardships those left in the vessel were reduced, and they sent him Ijack with orders for them to make rafts, by tying the planks togcfhor. and nideavour on these to reacli tlie .shallop and skill'; but before this could bo done, the weather ])ecame so rough that tlui captain was obliged to return, leaving, with tlio utmost grief, liis lieutenant and seventy men on the very jKjint of perishing on board the vessel. Tho.so wlio were got on the little island were not in a much better C()uditii)n, for, upon taking an account of their water, tliey found they had not above -l-O gallons for 40 people, and on the larger island, where there were 120, their stock was still less. Those on the little island began to murmur, and to complain of their officers, because they did not go in search of water, in the islands tliat were within sight of them, and they li EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. represented the necc'ssity of tlils to Captain Pelsart, ■wlio agreed to their request, but insisted before he went to communicate his design to the rest of the people ; they consented to this, but not till the captain had declared that, without the consent of the company on the large island, he would, rather than leave them, go and perish on board the ship. "Wlien they were got pretty near the shore, he who commanded the boat told the captain that if he had anything to say, he must cry out to the people, for that they would not suffer him to go out of the boat. The captain immediately attempted to throw himself overboard in order to swim to the island. Those who were in the boat prevented liim ; and all that he could obtain from tliem was, to throw on shore his table-book, in which he wrote a line or two to inform them that he was gone in the skiff to look for water in the adjacent islands. He accordingly coasted them all with the greatest care, and found in most of them considerable quantities of water in the holes of the rocks, but so mixed with the sea-water that it was unfit for use ; and therefore they were obliged to go farther. The first thing they did was to make a deck to their boat, because they found it was impracticable to navigate those seas in an open vessel. Some of the crew joined them by the time the work was finished; and the captain having obtained a paper, signed by all his men, import- ing that it was their desire that he should go in PELSAET'S voyage to AUSTRALASIA. 15 searcli of water, ho immediately put to sea, liaving first taken au obsdrvatiou by which ho found they were in tho latitude of 28 degrees 13 minutes south. They had not been long at sea before they had sight of tlio continent, wliich appeared to them to lio about sixteen miles north by west from tho place they had suffered shipwreck. They found about twcnty-fivo or thirty fathoms water ; and as night drew on, they kept out to sea ; and after midnight stood in for tho land, that they might bo near tho coast in the morn- ing. On the 9th of Juno thoy found themselves as they reckoned, about tlireo miles from tho shore ; on which they plied all that day, sailing sometimes north, sometimes Avest; the country appearing low, naked, and the coast excessively rocky ; so that they thought it resembled tho country near Dover. At last tliey saw a little creek, into which tliey were willing to put, because it aj)poared to liavo a sandy bottom; l)ut when they attempted 1o «'iiter it, tlio sea ran so high tliat they were forced to desist. On tho 10th they remained on tlio same coawt, plying to and again, as thoy had done tho day before ; but tlie weatlier growing worse* and worse, tliey were obliged to abandon their sliallop, and even throw part of their lircad overboard, ])ecau.s«? it hindered tliem from clearing themselves of the water, which their vessel began to make very fast. Tiiat night it rainotl most terribly, which, lliongh it gave them much trouble, afforded them hopes that it would prove a 16 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. great relief to the people they had left behind them on the islands. Tlie wind began to sink on the 11th ; and as it blew from the west-south-west, they continued their course to the north, the sea running still so high that it was impossible to approach the shore. On the 12th, they had an observation, by which they found themselves in the latitude of 27 degrees ; they sailed with a south-east wind all that day along the coast, which they found so steep that tliere was no getting on shore, inasmuch as there was no creek or low land without tV-^ rocks, as is commonly observed on sea- coasts ; which gave them the more pain because within land the country appeared very fruitful and pleasant. Tliey found themselves on the 13th in the latitude of 25 degrees 40 minutes ; by which they dis- covered that the current set to the north. They were at this time over against an opening ; the coast lying to the north-east, they continued a north course, but found the coast one continued rock of red colour all of a height, against which the waves broke with such force that it was impossible for them to land. The wind blew very fresh in the morning on tlie 14th, but towards noon it fell calm; they were then in tlio height of 24 degrees, with a small gale at east, but the tide still carried them further north than tliey desired, because their design was to make a descent as soon as possible ; and witli this view they sailed slowly along the coast, till, perceiving a great deal of smoke at a distance, they rowed towards it as PELSART S VOYAGE TO AUSTRALASIA. 17 fast as tliey wcro al)le, in hopes of fiuding men, and water, of course. When they en mo near the shore, they found it so steep, so full of rocks, and tlie sea beating over them Avith such fury, that it was impos- sible to hind. Six of tlio men, however, trusting to their skill in swimming, threw themselves into the sea and resolved to get on shore at any rate, which with great difficulty and danger they at last effected, tlio boat remaining at anchor in twenty-five fathoms water. The men on shore spent the whole day in looking for water ; and while they were thus employed, they saw four men, who came up very near; but one of the Dutch sailors advancing towards them, they imme- diately ran away as fast as they were able, so that tliey were distinctly seen by those in the boat. Those peopln wcro ])lack savages, quite nakod, not liaviug so mucli as any covering about tJieir middle. The sailors, find- ing no liopes of water on all the coast, swam on board again, much hurt and wounded by their being beat by the waves upon the rocks ; and as soon as they were on board, they weighed anchor, and continued their conrso along the shore, in hopes of lindiiig some better landing- place. On the 25th, in the morning, they discovered a capo, from the point of which tliero ran a ridgo of rocks a mile into tlio sea, and behind it another ridgo of rocks. They ventured bi^tween them, as the sea wa.s ])n'tty calm; but finding there was no jMissngo, they soon returned. About noon they saw another opening, and 18 EAELY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. the sea being still very smootli, tliey entered it, though the passage was very dangerous, inasmuch as they had but two feet water, and the bottom full of stones, the coast appearing a flat sand for about a mile. As soon as they got on shore] they fell to digging in the sand, but the water that came into their wells was so brackish that they could not drink it, though they were on the very point of choking for thirst. At last, in the hollows of the rocks, they met with considerable quantities of rain-water, which was a great relief to them, since they had been for some days at no better allowance than a pint a-piece. They soon furnished themselves in the night with about eighty gallons, perceiWng, in the place where they landed, tliat the savages had been there lately, by a large heap of ashes and the remains of some cray-fish. On the 16th, in the morning, they returned on shore, in hopes of getting more water, but were disappointed ; and having now time to observe the country, it gave them no great hopes of better success, even if they had travelled farther within land, which appeared a tliirsty, barren plain, covered with ant-hills, so high that tliey looked afar off like the huts of negroes; and at the same time they were plagued with flies, and those in such multitudes that they were scarce able to defend themselves. They saw at a distance eight savages, with each a staff in his hand, who advanced towards them within muskot-shot; but as soon as they per- ceived the Dutch sailors moving towards them, they PELSART's voyage to AUSTRALASIA. ID fled as fast as they were able. It was by this time about noon, and, perceiving no appearance eitlier of getting water, or entering into any correspondence with the natives, tliey resolved to go on board and continue their course towards the north, in hopes, as tliey were already in the latitude of 22 degrees 17 minutes, they might be able to find the river of Jacob Remmesccns ; but the wind veering about to the north-east, they were not able to continue longer upon that coast, and therefore reflecting that they were now above one liiindrcd miles from the place where they were ship- wrecked, and had scarce as much water as would servo tliem in their passage back, they came to a settled resolution of making the best of their way to Batavia, in order to acquaint the Governor-General with their misfortunes, and to obtain such assistance as was necessary to get their people off the coast. On the 17tli they continued their course to the north-east, with a good wind and fair weather; the 18th and 19th it blew hard, and they had mucli rain; on the 20th tliey found themselves in 10 degrees 22 minutes; on the 22nd they had another observation, and found themselves in the height of KJ degrees 10 minutes, which surprised them very much, and was a plain proof that the current carried tliom northwards at a great rate; on the 27th it rained very hard, so that they were not able to take an observation; but towards noon they saw, to tlieir great satisfaction, tho coasts of Java, in the latitiide of 8 di'grees, at tlio 20 EARLY ArSTEALIAN VOYAGES. distance of about four or five miles. They altered their course to west-north-west, and towards evening entered the gulf of an island very full of trees, where they anchored in eight fathoms water, and there passed tlie night ; on the 2Sth, in the morning, they weighed, and rowed with all their force, in order to make the land, that they might search for water, being now again at the point of perishing for thirst. Yery happily for them, they were no sooner on shore than they discovered a fine ri^-ulet at a small distance, where, having comfortably quenched their thirst, and fdled all their casks with water, they about noon continued their course for Batavia. On the 29th, about midnight, in the second watch, they discovered an island, which they left on their starboard. About noon they found themselves in the height of 6 degrees 48 minutes. About three in the afternoon they passed between two islands, the western- most of which appeared full of cocoa trees. In the evening they were about a mile from the south point of Java, and in the second watch exactly between Java and the Isle of Princes. The 30th. in the morning, they found themselves on the coast of the last -mentioned island, not being able to make above two miles that day. On July 1st the weather was calm, and about noon they were three leagues from Dwaersindenwegh, that is, Thwart-the-way Island ; but tovrards the even- ing they had a pretty brisk wind at north-west, which enabled them to gain that coast. On the 2nd, in the PELSART's voyage to AUSTRALAJilA. 21 mornii\g, they woro right against tlie island of Topcrs- liootion, and woro ol)lige(l to lie at anchor till eleven o'clock, waiting for the sea-breeze, wliich, however, blew so faintly that they were not able to make above two miles that day. About sunset they perceived a vessel between them and Thwart-tho-way Island, upon which they resolved to anchor as near the shore as they could that night, and there wait the arrival of the ship. In the morning they wont on board her, in hopes of procuring arms for tlioir defence, in casetlie inhabitants of Java woro at war with the Dutch. They found two other ships in company, on boai-d one of which was Mr. Ramburg, counsellor of the Indies. Captain Pelsart went immediately on board his ship, whore he ufMpiainted him with the nature of his misfortune, and wont with him afterwards to Batavia. Wo will now leave the captain soliciting succours from the Govcnior-Gcncral, in order to return to tho crew who woro left ujwn the islands, among whom thoro hapi)enod such transactions as, in thoir condition, the reader would Httl(5 expect, and porliaps will hardly credit. In order to thoir being thoroughly understood, it is necessary to observe tliat they had for supercargo one Jerom Conudis, who had been formerly au apothecary at Harlem. This man, when they wore on the coast of Africa, had plotted witii the pilot and some others to run away witli tho vossol, and either to carry her into Dunkirk, or to turn pirates in her on their own account. This su^KU-cargo had renuiinod ton 22 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. days on board tlic wroek, uot being able iu all that time to get ou shore. Two whole days he speut ou the mainmast, floating to and fro, till at last, by the help of one of the yards, he got to laud. When he was once on shore, the command, in the absence of Captain Pelsart, devolved of course upon him, which imme- diately revived in his mind his old design, insomuch that he resolved to lay hold of this opportunity to make himself piaster of all that could be saved out of the wreck, conceiving that it would be easy to surprise the captain on his return, and determining to go on the account — that is to say, to turn pirate in the captain's vessel. In order to carry this design into execution, he thought necessary to rid themselves of such of the crew as were not like to come into their scheme ; but before he proceeded to dip his hands in blood, he obliged all the conspirators to sign an instrument, by which they engaged to stand by each other. The whole ship's company were on shore in throe islands, the greatest part of them in that where Cornells was, which island they thought fit to call the burying-plaee of Batavia. One Mr. Weybhays was sent with another body into an adjacent island to look for water, which, after twenty days' search, he found, and made the appointed signal by lighting three fires, which, however, were not seen nor taken notice of by those under the command of Coruelis, because they were busy in butchering their companions, of whom they had murdered between thirty and forty ; but some PELSART'S voyage to AUSTRALASIA. 23 fow, liowcvor, got off upon a raft of planks tied together, and wont to tlio island where Mr. Woyhhays was, in order to acquaint him with the dreadful aecident that had happened. Mr. Weybhays having with him forty-five men, they all resolved to stand upon their guard, and to defend themst^lves to the last man, in ease these villains should attaek them. This indeed was their design, for they were apprehensive both of this body, and of those who were ou the third island, giving notice to the captain on his return, and thereby preventing their intention of running away with his vessel. But as this third company was by much tlio weakest, tlu'y began with them first, and cut tlicm all off, except five women and seven children, not in the least doubting that they should bo able to do as much ])y Weybhays and his company. In the mean- time, having broke open the merchant's chests, which had been saved out of tlio wreck, they converted tliem to their own use without ceremony. Tlie traitor, Jerom Cornc'lis, was so much elevated wilh the success that had hitherto attended his villainy, that ho immediately began to fancy all difficulties were over, and gave a loose to his vicious inclinations in every respect. He ordered clothes to be made of rich stuffs that had been saved, for hims(»lf and his troop, and having chosen out of tliem a company of guards, ho ordered them to have scarlet coats, with a double lace of gold or silver. Then^ were two minister's (hiughters among tlu) women, one (»t' wliom he took for 24 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. Lis 0^11 mistress, gave the sacond to a favourite of his, and ordered 'that the other three women should be common to the whole trooj). He afterwards drew up a set of regulations, which were to be the laws of his new principality, taking to himself the style and title of Captain- General, and obliging his party to sign an act, or instrument, by which they acknowledged him as such. These points once settled, he resolved to carry on the war. He first of all embarked on board two shallops twenty-two men, well armed, with orders to destroy Mr. Weybhays and his company; and on their miscarrying, he undertook a like expedition with thirty-seven men, in which, however, he had no better success; for Mr. Weybhays, with his people, though armed only with staves with nails drove into their heads, advanced even into the water to meet them, and after a brisk engagement compelled these murderers to letire. Cornelis then thought fit to enter into a negotiation, which was managed by the chaplain, who remained with Mr. Weybhays, and after several comings and goings from one party to the other, a treaty was con- cluded upon the following terms — viz., That Mr. Weybhays and his company should for the future remain undisturbed, provided they delivered up a little boat, in which one of the sailors had made his escape from the island in which Cornelis was with his gang, in order to take shelter on that where Weybhays was with his company. It was also agreed that the latter PELSAETS VOYAGE TO AUSTRALASIA. )J.o should liavo a part, of tlio stuffs and silks giveu them for clothes, of which thoy stood iu great want. But, while this affair was in agitation, Coruelis took the opportunity of the correspondence between them being restored, to write letters to some French soldiers that were in Weybhays's company, promising them six thousand livres apiece if they would comply with his domnnds, not doubting but by this artifice ho should be able to accomplish his end. His letters, however, had no effect ; on the contrary, the soldiers to Avliom they were directed carried them imnu'diately to Mr. "Weybhays. Cornelis. not knowing that this piece of treachery was discovered, went over the next morning, with three or four of his people, to carry to Mr. Weybhays the clotlies that had been promised him. As soon as they landed, Weybhays affacked them, killed two or three, and made Cornelis iiimsclf prisoner. One Wonterloss, who was the only man that made his escape, went immediately back to the conspirators, put himself at their head, and came tho next day to attack Weybliays, but met with the same fate as before — that is to .say, lie and tho villains that were with him were soundly beat. Things were in this situation when Captain Pelsarfc arrived in tho Sardavi frigate. He sailed up to tho wreck, and saw with great joy a cloud of smoke a.scend- ing from one of the islands, l>y which lio knew that all his peoph? were not dcatl. Ho came immediately to an anchor, and having ordered some win(! and provisions 26 EARLY ArSTRALlAN VOYAGES. to be put iuto the skiif , resolved to go iu person with these refreslimeuts to one of these islands. He had hardly quitted the ship }3efore he was boarded by a boat from the island to which he was going. There were four men in the boat, of whom Weybhays was one, who immediately ran to the captain, told him what had happened, and begged him to return to his sliip immediately, for that the conspirators intended to surprise her, that they had already murdered 125 persons, and that they had attacked him and his company that very morning with two shallops. While vhey were talking the two shallops appeared ; upon which the captain rowed to his ship as fast as he could, and was hardly got on board before they arrived at the ship's side. The captain was surprised to see men in red coats laced with gold and silver, with arms in their hands. He demanded what they meant by coming on board armed. They told him he should know when they were on board the ship. The captain rei)lied that they should come on board, but that they must first throw their arms into the sea, which if they did not do immediately, he would sink them as they lay. As they saw that disputes were to no purpose, and that they were entirely in the captain's jDOwer, they were obliged to obey. Tliey accordingly threw their arms overboard, and were then taken into the vessel, where they were instantly put in irons. One of them, whose name was John Bremen, and who was first examined, owned that he Iiad murdered with his PELS art's voyage TO AUSTRALASIA. 27 own hands, or liatl assisted in murdering-, no less tlian twenty-seven persons. Tlio same eveninj]^ Weyljliays liroug'lit liis prisoner Cornolis on board, wlicro lie was put in irons and strictly p^uardod. On the 18th of September, Captain Polsart, with the master, went to take the rest of tlie conspirators in Cornelis's Lsland, Tliey went in two boats. Tho villains, as soon as tliey saw tliem land, lost all tlieir courage, and fled from tlicm. They surrendered with- out a blow, and were put in irons witli tho rest. Tho <'aptain's first caro was to recover tho jewels wliieh Comelis liad dispersed among his accomplices : they were, however, all of them soon found, except a gold chain and a diamond ring ; the latter was also found at last, but tho former could not 1)0 recovered. They went next to examine the wreck, wliicli they found staved into an hundred pieces ; tho keel lay on a bank of sand on one side, tlio foro part of the vessel stuck fast on a rock, and tho rest of her lay horo and there as the pieces had been driven by tho waves, so tliat Captain Pelsart liad \ovy little liopes of saving any of the morchandise. One of th<» pcojdc belonging to Weybliays's eoinj)any told him that one fair day, which was the only one they had in a month, as ho was fishing near the wreck, ho had struck the jmjIo in his hand against (um of the cliests of silver, which revived tho captain a lit lie, as it gave liim reason to expect that siMuething might still be saved. They spent all the l!»th in examining the rest of the prisomTs, and in con- 28 EAELY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. fronting tliom wiLli those wlio escaped from tho massacro. On tlie 20t]i they sent several kinds of refresliments to AYejbhays's company, and carried a good quantity of water from the isle. Tiiere was something very singular in finding this water ; the people who were on shore there had subsisted near three weeks on rain- water, and what lodged in the clefts of the rocks, without thinking that the water of two wells which were on the island could bo of any use, because they saw them constantly rise and fall with the tide, from whence they fancied they had a communication with the sea, and consequently that the water must be brackish ; but upon trial they found it to be very good, and so did the ship's company, who filled their casks with it. On the 21st the tide was so low, and an east-soutli- east wind blew so hard, that during the whole day the boat could not get out. On the 22nd they attempted to fish upon the wreck, but the weather was so bad that even those who could s\vim A'ery well durst not approacli it. On the 25tli tlio master and the pilot, tlie weather being fair, went off again to the wreck, and those who were left on shore, observing that they wanted hands to get anything out of her, sent off some to assist them. The captain went also himself to encourage the men, who soon weighed one chest of silver, and some time after another. As soon as these were safe ashore they returned to their work, but the PELSART'S voyage to AUSTRALASIA. 20 weather grew so bad tliat tlioy were quickly obliged to desist, tliougli some of tlioir divers froui Guzarat assured thorn they liad fouud six more, whicli miglit easily bo weighed. On tho 2Gth, iu the afternoon, tiio weather being fair, and tho tide low, tho master re- turned to tho place where tho chests lay, and weighed three of them, leaving an anchor with a gun tied to it, and a buoy, to mark the place where tho fourth lay, which, notwithstanding their utmost efforts, thoy wcro not able to recover. On the 27th tho soutli wind blew very cold. On tlio 28th the same wind blew stronger than tho day before ; and as there was no possibility of fishing in the wreck for the present. Captain Pelsart held a council to con- sider what they should do with the prisoners : that is to say, whether it would be best to tiy them there upon the spot, or to carry them to Batavia, in order to their being tried by tho Company's officers. After mature deliberation, reflecting on the number of prisoners, and the temptation that might arise from the vast quantity of silver on board the frigate, they at last came to a resolution to try and execute tl'.em there, which was accordingly done ; and they cnibarki'd immediately afterwards for Batnvi.i. REM AUKS. This voyage wr.s translated from the original Dutcli by Thevenot, and printed by him in the first volumo of 30 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. his collections. Pclsart's route is traced in the map of the globe published by Delislo in the year 1700. As this voyage is of itself very short, I shall not detain the reader with many remarks ; but shall con- fine myself to a very few observations, in order to show the consequences of the discovery made by Captain Pelsart. The country upon which he sulfered shipwreck was New Holland, the coast of which had not till then been at all examined, and it was doubtful how far it extended. There had indeed been some reports spread with relation to the inhabitants of this country, which Captain Pelsart's relation shows to have been false ; for it had been reported that when the Dutch East India Company sent some ships to make discoveries, their landing was opposed by a race of gigantic people, with whom the Dutch could by no means contend. But our author says nothing of the extraordinary size of the savages that were seen by Captain Pelsart's people ; from whence it is reasonable to conclude that this story was circulated with no other view than to prevent other nations from venturing into these seas. It is also remarkable that this is the very coast surveyed by Captain Dampier, whoso account agrees exactly with that contained in this voyage. Now though it l)e true, that from all these accounts tliero is nothing said which is much to the advantage either of the country or its inhabitants, yet we are to consider that it is impossible to represent either in a worse light than that in which the Capo of PELSARt's voyage to AUSTRALASIA. 31 GooJ Hope was i)laccd, before (lie Dutch took i^osses- sion of it; and plainly demonstrated that industry could make a paradise of what was a perfect purgatory while in the hands of the Hottentots. H, therefore, tho climate of this country bo good, and the soil fruitful, both of which were affirmed in this relation, there could not bo a more proper place for a colony than some part of New Holland, or of the adjacent country of Carpentaria. I shall give my reasons for asserting this when I come to make my remarks on a succeeding voyage. At present I shall confine myself to the reasons that have induced the Dutch East India Com- pany to leave all these countries unsettled, after having first shown so strong an inclination to discover them, which will oblige me to lay before the reader some secrets in commi'ree that have hitherto escaped common observation, and which, whenever they are as thoroughly considered as tiicy deserve, will un- doubtedly lead us to as great di.scovories as those of Columbus or Magellan. In order to make myself perfectly understood, I must observe that it was tlie finding out of tlic Moluccas, or Spice Islands, by the Fori uguese, tliat raised tliat spirit of discovery which produced Columbus's voyage, whicli ended in finding America ; though in fact Columbus intended rather to reach tliis country of Now Holland, The assertion is bold, and at first sight may a])]u'ar improbable; but a little attention will make it so plain, that the reader must be convinced of the trutli of wliat 32 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. I say. The proposition mridc by Goliimhus to the State of Genoa, the Kings of Portugal, Spain, England, and France, was this, that he could discover a new route to the East Indies ; that is to say, without going round the Cape of Good Hope. He grounded this proposition on the spherical figure of the earth, from whence he thought it self-evident tliat any given point might be sailed to through tlio great ocean, either by steering east or west. In his attempt to go to the East Indies by a west course, he met with the islands and continent of America ; and finding gold and other commodities, which till then had never been brought from the Indies, he really thought that this was the west coast of that- country to which the Portuguese sailed by the Cape of Good Hope, and licnce came the name of the West Indies. Magellan, who followed his steps, and was tlie only discoverer who reasoned systematically, and knew what he was doing, proposed to the Emperor Cliarles Y. to complete what Columbus had begun, and to find a passage to the Moluccas by the west ; which, to his immortal honour, he accom- plished. When the Dutch made their first voyages to the East Indies, which was not many years before Captain Pelsart's shipwreck on the coast of New Holland, for their first fleet arrived in the East Indies in 1596, and Pelsart lost his ship in 1G29 — I say, when the Dutch first undertook the East India trade, they had the Spice Islands in view : and as they are a nation justly PELSAET'S voyage to AUSTRALASIA. 33 famous for the steady pursuit of whatever they take in hand, it is notorious that they never lost sight of their desigfn till they had accomplished it, and made them- selves entirely masters of these islands, of which tlioy still continue in possession. When this was done, and they had effectually driven out the English, who were likewise settled in them, they fixed the seat of their government in the island of Amboyna, which lay very convenient for the discovery of the southern countries ; wliicli, tlierefore, they prosecuted with great diligence from the year 1019 to the time of Captain Pelsart's sliipwreck ; that is, for the space of twenty years. But after they removed the seat of their government from Ambo^Tia to Batavia, they turned their views anotlier way, and never made any voyage expressly for discoveries on that side, except the single one of Captain Tasman. of wliich we are to speak presently. It was from this period of time that they began to take new measures, and haviug made their excellent settle- ment at the Cape of Good Hope, resolved to govern their trade to the East Indies by these two caj)ital maxims : 1. To extend their trade all over tlio Indies, and to fix themselves so effectually in the ricli(>st countries as to keep all, or at least the best and most profitable part of, their commerce to tlieraselves ; 2. To make the Moluccas, and tlie islands dependent on them, their frontier, and to omit nothing that should ap])ear necessary to prevent ntrangers, or even Dutch ships not belonging to tho Company, from over uavigatin^ B-43 34 EARLY AUSTEALIAN VOYAGES. those seas, and consequently from ever being acquainted -with the countries that lie in them. How well they have prosecuted the first maxim has been very largely shown in a foregoing article, wherein we have an ample description of the mighty empire in the hands of their East India Company. As for the second maxim, the reader, in the perusal of Funnel's, Dam- pier's, and other voyages, but especially the first, must be satisfied that it is what they have constantly at heart, and which, at all events, they are determined to pursue, at least with regard to strangers ; and as to their own countrymen, the usage they gave to James le Maire and his people is a proof that cannot be contested. Those things being considered, it is very plain that the Dutch, or rather the Dutch East India Company, are fully persuaded that they have already as much or more territory in the East Indies than they can well manage, and therefore they neither do nor ever will think of settling New Guinea, Carpentaria, New Holland, or any of the adjacent islands, till either their trade de- clines in the East Indies, or they are obliged to exert themselves on this side to prevent otlier nations from reaping the benefits that might accrue to them by their planting those countries. But this is not all ; for as the Dutch have no thoughts of settling these countries themselves, they have taken all imaginable pains to prevent any relations from being published which might invite or encourage any otlier nation to make attempts this way; and I am thoroughly persuaded PELSAET'S VOYAGE TO AUSTRALASIA. oa that this very account of Captain Pelsart's shipwreck would never have como into the world if it had not been thought it would contribute to this end, or, in other words, would serve to frighten other nations from approaching such an inliospitable coast, everywhere beset with rocks absolutely void of water, and in- liabited by a race of savages more barbarous, and, at the same time, more miserable than any other creatures in the world. The autlior of this voyage remarks, for the use of seamen, tliat in the little island occupied by Woybhays, after digging two pits, they were for a considerable time afraid to use the water, having found that these pits ebbed and flowed with the sea ; but necessity at last constraining them to drink it, they found it did them no liurt. The reason of tlie ebbirg a-ud tlowing of these pits was tlieir nearness to the sea, the water of which percolated througli tlio sand, lost its saltness, and 80 became potable, tliougli it followed the motions of the ocean wheuco it came. THE VOYAGE OE CAPTAIN ABEL JAN- SEN TASMAN FOR THE DISCOVERY OF SOUTHERN COUNTRIES. 1642—43. By direction of the Dutch East India Company. [Taken from his original Journal.'] CHAPTER I. THE OCCASION AND DESIGN OF THIS VOYAGE. The great discoveries that were made by tlie Duteli in these sontliern countries Tvere subsequent to the famous voyage of Jaques le Maire, vrho in 1616 passed the straits called by liis name ; in 1618. tliat part of Terra Australis -was discovered -wbieli the Dutch called Con- cordia. The next year, the Land of Edels was foimd, and received its name from its discoverer. In 1620, Batavia was built on the ruins of the old city of Jacatra ; but the seat of government was not immedi- ately removed from Amboyua. In 1622, that part of New Holland wliich is called Lewin's Land was first found ; and in 1627, Peter Nuyts discovered between New Holland and New Guinea a country which bears his name. There were also some other voyages made, of which, however, we have no sort of accoimt, except tasman's voyage of discovery. 37 th&t the Dutch were continually beaten in all their at- tempts to land upon this coast. On their settlement, however, at Batavia, the then general and council of the Indies thought it requisite to have a more perfect survey made of the new-found coimtries, that the memory of them at least might be preserved, in case no further attempts were made to settle them ; and it was very probably a foresight of few ships going tliat route any more, which induced such as had then the direction of tlie Company's affairs to wish that some such survey and description might be made by an able seaman, who was well acquainted with those coasts, and who might bo able to add to the discoveries already made, as well as furnish a more accurate description, even of them, tlian liad Ijeen hitherto given. Tliis was faitlif idly perfonned by Captain Tasman ; and from the lights afforded by liis journal, a very exact and curious map was made of all these now coun- tries. But liis voyage was never published entire; aiul it is very probable that the East India Company never intended it should be published at all. However, Dirk Rembrantz, moved by tlio excellency and aocuracj- of the work, publislied in Low Dut<'li an extract of Cai)tMin Tasman's Journal, which has been ever since considered as a very great curiosity; and. as such, lias l)oen translated into many languages, particularly into our own, by the care of the learned Professor of Greshani College, Doctor Hook, an abridgment of which trans- lation found a placo in Doctor Harris's Collection of 38 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. Voyages. But we have made no use of either of these pieces, the following being a new translation, made with all the care and diligence that is po^ible. CHAPTER II. CAPTAIN TASMAN SAILS FROil BATAVIA, ATJGTJST 14, 1642. On August 14, 1642, I sailed from Batavia with two vessels ; the one called the Heemskirh, and the other the ZeeSaan. On September 5 I anchored at Maurice Island, in the latitude of 20^ south, and in the longi- tude of 83=^ 48'. I found this island fifty German miles more to the east than I expected ; that is to say, 3^ 33' of longitude. This island was so called from Prince Maurice, being before known by the name of Ceme. It is about fifteen leagues in circumference, and has a very fine harbour, at the entrance of which there is one hundred fathoms water. The country is mountainous; but the mountains are covered with green trees. The tops of these mountains are so high that they are lost in tlie clouds, and are frequently covered by thick exhalations or smoke that ascends from them. The air of this island is extremely whole- some. It is well furnished with flesh and fowl ; and the sea on its coasts abounds with all sorts of fish. The finest ebony in the world grows here. It is a tall, tasman's voyage of discovery. 39 straight tree of a moderate thickness, covered with a green bark, very thick, under wliich the wood is as black as pitch, and as close as ivory. Tliere are other trees on the island, which are of a bright red, and a third sort as yellow as wax. The ships l)olongiug to the East India Company commonly toueli at this island for refreslimeuts on tlicir passage to Batavia. I left this island on the 8th of October, and con- tinued my course to the south to the latitude of 40° or 41°, having a strong north-west wind ; and finding the needle vary 23, 24, and 25° to the 22ud of October, I sailed from that time to tlio 20th to the cast, inclining a little to the soutli, till I arrived in the latitude of 45^^ 47' south, and in the longitude of 89° 44'; and then observed the variation of the needle to be 26° 4.-6' to- wards the west. As our author was extremely careful in tliis par- ticular, and oliservod tlie variation of tlie iioedh^ with the utmost diligonco, it may not bo amiss to take this opportunity of explaining this point, so that the im- jwrtanco of his remarks may sufficiently apju^ar. Tli© needle points exactly north only in a few ])lacos, and perhaps not constantly in them ; but in most it declines a little to tlio east, or to the west, whence arises eastern and westrnel in its shell, rcn-olves circularly from east to west, as tho exterior earth revolves tho contrary way in the diurnal motion, wlience it is easy to explain tlio position of tho four magnetical poles whi^h he attributes to tho earth, by allowing two to tho nucleus, and two to the exterior earth. And, as tho two former perj^etually alter tlie situation by tlieir circular motion, their virtue, compared witli tho exterior poles, must bo dilVrmit at dill'erent times^ and consequently tho variation of tlie ncodio will per- 50 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. petnally cliange. The doctor attributes to the nucleus an European north pole and an American south one, on account of the rariation of variations observed near these places, as being much greater than those found near the two other poles. And he conjectures that these poles will finish their revolution in about seven liundred years, and after that time the same situation of the poles olDtain again as at present, and, conse- quently, the variations will be the same again over all the globe ; so that it requires several ages before this theory can be thoroughly adjusted. He assigns this probable cause of the circular revolution of the nucleus that the diurnal motion, being impressed from without, was not so exactly communicated to the internal parts as to give them the same precise velocity of rotation as the external, whence the nucleus, being left behind by the exterior earth, seems to move slowly in a contrary direction, as from east to west, with regard to the external earth, considered as at rest in respect of the other. But to return to our voyage. CHAPTER IX. DISCOVERS A NEW ISLAND, WHICH HE CALLS PYLSTAART ISLAND. On the 19th of January, being in the latitude of 22^ 35' south, and in the longitude of 204^ 15', we tasman's voyage of discovery. 51 had 7° SQf east variation. In this situation we dis- covered an island about two or three miles in circum- ference, v.'hich was, as far as we could discern, very high, steep, and barren. We were very desirous of coming nearer it, but were hindered by soutli-east and south-south. east winds. We called it the Isle of Pyl- staart, because of the great number of that sort of birds we saw flying about it, and the next day we saw- two other islands. CHAPTER X. AND TWO ISLANDS, TO WHICH HE GIVES THE NAME OF AMSTERDAM AND ROTTERDAM. On the 21st. being in the latitude of 21° 20' s(mth, and in the longitude of 205° 29', we found our variation 7° to the north-cast. We drew near to the coast of the most northern island, which, tliough not very high^ yet was tlie Inrgor of the two : we callod one of tlio.se islands Amsterdam, and the other Rottonlam. Upon that of Rotterdam we found groat plenty of liogs, fowls, and all sorts of fruits, and other refreshments. These islanders did not seem to liavo the use of arms, inasmuch as we saw notliing like them in any of their hands while wo were upon tlio island; the usage they gave us was fair and friondly, exoopt that t]u>y woiihJ steal a little. The eurroiit is not very considorablo in this place, where it ebbs north-east, and flows south- 52 EAELT AUSTHALIAX TOYAGES. 'west. A south- west moon causes a spring-tide, wliich rises seven or eight feet at least. The wind blows there continually south-east, or south-south-east, which occasioned the Heemshirk's being carried out of the Toad, but, however, without any damage. We did not fill any water here because it was extremely hard to get it to the ship. On the 25th we were in the latitude 20^ 15' south, and in the longitude of 206^ 19'. The variation here was 6° 20' to the east ; and, after having had sight of several other islands, we made that of Rotter- dam : the islanders here resemble those on the island of Amsterdam. The people were very good-natured, ■parted readily with what they had, did not seem to be acquainted with the use of arms, but were given to thieving like the natives of Amsterdam Island. Here we took in water, and other refreshments, with all the conveniency imaginable. We made the whole circuit of the island, which we foimd well-stocked with -cocoa-trees, very regularly planted ; we likewise saw abundance of gardens, extremely well laid out, plentifully stocked with all kinds of fruit-trees, all planted in straight lines, and the whole kept in such excellent order, that nothing could have a better effect upon the eye. After quitting the island of Rotterdam, we had sight of several other islands ; which, however. did not engage us to alter the resolution we had taken of sailing north, to the height of 17° south latitude, and from thence to shape a west course, without going TASMANS VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 53 near either Traitor's Island, or those of Home, we having tlien a very brisk wind from the south-cast, or east-south-east. I cannot help remarking upon this part of Captain Tasman's journal, that it is not easy to conceive, unless he was bound up by his instructions, why he did not remain some time either at Rotterdam or at Amsterdam Island, but especially at the former ; since, perhaps, there is not a place in the world so happily seated, for making new discoveries with ease and safety. He owns that ho traversed the whole island, that ho found it a perfect paradise, and that the people gave him not the least cause of being diffident in point of security ; so that if his men had thrown up ever so slight a fortification, a part of them miglit have remained there in safety, while the rest had attempted the discovery of the Islands of Solomon on the one hand, or tlie continent of Do Quiros on the other, from neither of which they were at any great distance, and, from his neglecting this opportunity, I take it for granted that he was circumscribed, botli as to his course and to the time he was to emjjloy in tliese dis- coveries, by his instructions, for otherwise so able a seaman and so curious a man as his jijiirnal shows liim to have been, would not certainly have neglected so fair an opportunity. 64 EARLY AUSTEALIAN VOYAGES. CHAPTER XI. AND AN ARCHIPELAGO OF TWENTY SMALT. ISLANDS. On February 6th. being in 17^ 19' of sontli latitnde, and in the longitude of 201" 35', we found ourselves embarrassed by nineteen or twenty small islands, every one of which was surrounded with sands, shoals, and rocks. These are marked in the charts by the name of Prince William's Islands, or Heemskirk's Shallows. On the 8th we were in the latitude of 15® 29', and in the longitude of 199® 31'. "We had abundance of rain, a strong wind from the north-east, or the north-north- east, with dark cold weather. Fearing, therefore, that we were run farther to the west than we thought our- selves by our reckoning, and dreading that we should fall to the south of Xew Guinea, or be thrown upon some unknown coast in such blowing misty weather, we resolved to stand away to the north, or to the north-north-west, till we should arrive in the latitude of 4, 5, or 6° south, and then to bear away west for the coast of Xew Guinea, as the least dangerous way that we could take. It is very plain from hence, that Captain Tasman had now laid aside all thoughts of discovering farther, and I think it is not difficult to guess at the reason ; wlien he was in this latitude, he was morally certain that he could, without further difficulty, sail round by TASaiAN S VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. Oo the coast of Xew Guinea, and so back again to the East ludios. It is therefore extremely i)robable that lie was directed by his instructions to coast round that great southern continent already discovered, in order to arrive at a certainty -whether it was joined to any other part of the world, or whether, notwithstanding its vast extent, viz., from the equator to 43° of south latitude, and from the longitude of 123'* to near 190*^, it was. notwithstanding, an island. This, I f-ay, was in all appearance the true design of his voyage, and the reason of it seems to be this : that an exact chart being drawn from his discoveries, the East India Company might have perfect intelligence of the extent and situation of tliis new-found country before tliey exe- cuted tlieplan they were then contriving for preventing its being visited or farther discovered by tlieir own or any other nation ; and this too accounts for tlio care taken in laying down the map of this country on the pavement of the new stadthouse at Amsterdam ; for as this county was henceforward to remain as a kind of deposit or land of reserve in the hands of the East India Company, they took this method of intimating as muc!i to tlieir countrjnnen, so that, while strangera are gaping at this map as a curiosity, every intelligent Dutchman may say to himself, " Behold tlio wisdom of the East India Company. By their present em])iro they sup])()rt the authority of this republic abroad, and by their (extensive coinTueree enrich its siibj(M«t« at home, and at the same time show us hero what a 56 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. reserve they have made for the benefit of posterity, whenever, through the vicissitudes to which all sub- lunary things are liable, their present sources of power and grandeur shall fail." I cannot help supporting my opinion in this respect, by putting the reader in mind of a very curious piece of ancient history, which furnishes us with the like instance in the conduct of another republic. Diodorus Siculus, in the fifth book of his Historical Library, informs us that in the African Ocean, some days' sail west from Libya, there had been discovered an island, the soil of which was exceedingly fertile and the country no less pleasant, all the land being finely diversified by mountains and plains, the former thick clothed with trees, the latter abounding with fruits and flowers, the whole watered by innumerable rivulets, and affording so pleasant an habitation that a finer or more delightful coimtry fancy itself could not feign ; yet he assures us, the Carthagenians, tliose great masters 'of maritime power and commerce, thougli they had dis- covered this admirable island, would never suffer it to be planted, but reserved it as a sanctuary to which they might fly, whenever the ruin of their own republic left them no other resource. This tallies exactly with the policy of the Dutch East India Company, who, if they should at any time be driven from their possessions in Java, Ceylon, and other places in that neighbourhood, would without doubt retire back into the Moluccas, and avail themselves effectually of this noble dis- tasman's voyage of discoveey. 57 covcry, whicli lies opeu to them, and Ims been liitherto close slmt up to all the world beside. But to proceed. CHAPTER XII. OCCUEEENCES IN THE VOYAGE. On February 14tli -svo were iu the latitude of 10® 30' south, and in the longitude of 193^ 35'. We had liitherto had much rain and bad weather, but this day the wind sinking, we hailed our consort the Zee-Haan, and found to our great satisfaction that our reckonings agreed. On the 20th, in the latitude of 13® 45', and in the longitude of 193° 35', wo had dark, cloudy weather, much rain, thick fogs, and a rolling sea, on all sides the wind variable. On the 2Gth, in the latitude of 9° 48' south, and in the longitude of 193® 4^V, we had a north-west wind, having every day, for the space of twenty-one days, rained more or less. On March 2nd, in the latitude of 9^ 11' south, and in thi* longitudo of 192® 40', the variation was 10° to the east, the wind and weather still varying. On March 8th, in the latitude of 7** 40* south, and in the longitude of 190® 47', the wind was still variable. 58 EARLY AUSTKALIAN VOYAGES. CHAPTER XIII. HE ARRIVES AT THE ARCHIPELAGO OF ANTHONG JAVA. On the 14tli, in the latitude of 10° 12' south, and in the longitude of 186° 14', vre found the variation 8° 45' to the east. "We passed some days without being able to take any observation, because the weather was all that time dark and rainy. On March 20th, in the latitude of 5° 15' south, and in the longitude of 181° 16', the weather being then fair, we found the variation 9° eastward. On the 22ud, in the latitude of 5° 2' south, and in the longitude of 178° 32', we had fine fair weather, and the benefit of the east trade wind. This day we had sight of land, which lay four miles west. This land proved to be a cluster of twenty islands, wliieh in the maps are called Anthong Java. They lie ninety miles or thereabouts from the coast of New Guinea. It may not be amiss to observe here, that what Captain Tasman calls the coast of New Guinea, is in reality the coast of New Britain, which Captain Dampier first discovered to bo a large island separated from the coast of New Guinea. tasman's voyage op discoveey. 59 CHAPTER XIV. HIS ARRIVAL ON THE COAST OF NEW GUINEA. On the 25th, in the latitude of 4° 35' south, and in the longitude of 175° 10', we found the variation 9^ SO east. We were then in tlie height of the islands of Mark, which were discovered by William Schovten and James le Maire. They are fourteen or fifteen in number, inliabitcd by savages, with black hair, dressed jind trimmed in the same manner as those we saw Iw^fore at the Bay of Murderers in New Zealand. On ho 29tli we passed the Green Islands, and on the .30th I hat of St. John, which were likewise discovered by Schovten and Le Maire. This island they found to be of a considerable extent, and judged it to lie at the distance of one thousand eight hundred and forty leagues from the coast of Peru. It appeared to thorn well inhabited and well cultivated, abounding with flesh, fowl, fish, fruit, and other refreshments. The inhabitants made use of canoes of all sizes, were armed with slings, darts, and wooden swords, wore necklaces and bracelets of pearl, and rings in their noses. Tiiey were, however, very intractable, notwithstanding all the pains that could be taken to engage them in a fair correspondence, so that Captain Sciiovton was at last obliged to fire upon them to prevent them from making themselves masters of his vessel, which they attacked with a great deal of vigour; and very probably this 60 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. was tlie reason tliat Captain Tasman did not attempt to laud or make any farther discovery. On April 1st, we were in the latitude of 4^ S(y south, and in the longitude of 171° 2', the variation being 8" 45' to the east, having now sight of the coast of New Guinea ; and endeavouring to double the cape which the Spaniards call Cobo Santa Maria, we continued to sail along the coast whicli lies north-west. We afterwards passed the islands of Antony Caens, Gardeners Island, and Fishers Island, advancing towards the promontory called Struis Hoek, where the coast runs south and south-east. "We resolved to pursue the same route, and to continue steering south till we should either discover land or a passage on that side. It is necessary to observe, that all this time they continued on the coast, not of New Guinea but of New Britain, for that cape which the Spaniards called Santa Maria is the very same that Captain Dampier called Cape St. George, and Caens, Gardeners, and Fishers Islands all lie upon the same coast. They had been discovered by Schovten and Le Maire, who found them to be well inhabited, but by a very base and treacherous people, who, after making signs of peace, attempted to surprise their ships ; and these islanders managed their slings with such force and dexterity, as to drive the Dutch sailors from their decks; which account of Le Maire's agree perfectly well with what Captain Dampier tells us of the same people. As for the continent of New Guinea, it lies quite behind the tasman's voyage of discovery. 61 island of New Britain, and was therefore laid down in all tlie cliarts before Dampior's discovery, at least four degrees more to the east than it should have been. CHAPTER XY. CONTINUES HIS VOYAGE ALONG THAT COAST". On April 12tli. in the latitude of 3° 45' south, and in tlie longitude of 167°, wo found tlio variation 10^ to- wards the east. That night part of tlio crew wero wakened out of their sleep by an earthquake. They immediately ran upon deck, supposing that the ship had struck. On lioaving tlio load, however, thc»re was no bottom to be found. "We had afterwards several shocks, but none of them so violent as iho first. Wo had then doubled the Struis Hoek, and were at that time in the Bay of Good Hope. On the 14tli, in the- latitude of 5° 27' south, and in the longitude of 166^^ o7', we observed the variation to bo 0° 15' to the east. The land lay then north-east, east-north-east, and again south-south-west, so that we imagined there had been a passage between those two points ; but wo were soon convinced of our mistake, and that it was all one coast, so that we were obliged to doubhi the West Capo and to continue creeping ahmg shore, and wcro much hindered in our ])assago by calms. This deseription agrees very well with that of Schovton and Lo Maire, 62 EABLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. SO that probably they had now sight again of the coast of Kew Guinea. It is very probable, from the accident that happened to Captain Tasman, and which also happened to others Tipon that coast, and from the burning mountains that will be hereafter mentioned, that this country is very •subject to earthquakes, and if so, without doubt it abounds with metals and minerals, of which we have Also another proof from a point in which all these ■writers agree, viz., that the people they saw had rings in their noses and ears, though none of them tell us of Trhat metal those rings were made, which Le Maire might easily have done, since he carried off a man from one of the islands whose name was Moses, from whom lie learned that almost every nation on this coast speaks a different language. CHAPTER XYI. ARRIVES IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF BURNING ISLAND, AND SURVEYS THE WHOLE COAST OF NEW GUINEA. On the 20th, in the latitude of 5^ 4' south, and in the longitude 164° '27', we found the variation 8° 30' east. We that night drew near the Brandande Tland, i.e., burning island, which William Schovtcn mentions, and we perceived a great flame issuing, as he says, from the top of a high mountain. When we were tasman's voyage of discovery. 63 between that island and the continent, wo saw a vast number of fires along the shore and half-way up tho mountain, from whence we concluded that tho country must be very populous. We were often detained on this coast by calms, and frequently observed small trees, bamboos, and shrubs, which tlie rivers on that coast carried into the sea ; from which we inferred that this part of the country was extremely well watered, and that the land must ho very good. The next morning we passed the burning mountain, and con- tinued a west-north-west course along that coast. It is remarkable that Schovten had made the same observation with respect to the drift-wood forced by the rivers into the sea. He likewise observed that there was so copious a discharge of fresh water, that it altered the colour and tho taste of the sea. Ho like- wise says that the burning island is extremely well peopled, and also well cultivated. Ho afterwards anchored on the coast of the continent, and endeavoured to trade with the natives, who made him pay very dear for hogs and cocoa-nuts, and likewise showed him some ginger. It appears from Cajitain Tasman's account that he was now in haste to return to Batavia, and did not give himself so mucli troul)le as at tho beginning about discoveries, and to say tho truth, there was no groat occasion, if, as I observed, his commission was no more than to sail round the now discovered coasts, in order to lay tlicm down with greater certainty in the Dutch charts. 64 EAELY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. CHAPTER XYII. COMES TO THE ISLANDS OF JAMA AND MOA. On the 27th, being in the latitude of 2^ l(y south, and in the longitude of 146° 57', we fancied that we had a sight of the island of Moa, but it proved to be that of Jama, which lies a little to the east of Moa. We found here great plenty of cocoa-nuts and other re- freshments. The inhabitants were absolutely black, and could easily repeat the words that they heard others speak, which shows their own to be a very copious language. It is, however, exceedingly difficult to pronounce, because they make frequent use of the letter R, and sometimes to such a degree that it occurs twice or thrice in the same word. The next day we anchored on the coast of the island of Moa, where we likewise found abundance of refreshments, and where we were obliged by bad weather to stay till May 9th. We purchased there, by way of exchange, six thousand cocoa-nuts, and a hundred bags of pysanghs or Indian figs. When we first began to trade with these people, one of our seamen was wounded by an arrow that one of the natives let fly, either through malice or inad- vertency. We were at tliat very juncture endea- vouring to bring our ships close to the shore, which so terrified these islanders, that they brought of their own accord on board us, the man who had shot the arrow and left him at our mercy. We found them tasman's voyage of discovert. 65 ifter this accident much more tractable than before in every respect. Our sailors, therefore, pulled off tho iron hoops from some of the old water-casks, stuck them into wooden handles, and filing- them to an edge, sold these awkward knives to tho inhabitants for their fruits. In all probability thoy had not forgot what liappened to our x)eoplo on July 16th, 1616, in the days of William Sohovton : these people, it seems, treated liim very ill ; upon which James le Mairo brought his ship close to tho shore, and fired a broadside through the woods; the bullets, tiying tlirough the trees, struck the negroes with such a panic, that they fled in an instant up into the country, and durst not show their heads again till thoy had made full satisfaction for wliat was past, and thereby secured their safoty for the time to come; and he traded with tliem afterwards very peaceably, and with mutual satisfaction. This account of our author's seems to have been taken u^n memory, and is not very exact. Schovtcn's .seamen, or rather the petty oflficer who commanded his long boat, insulted tho natives gros.sly l)of()ro tlioy offered any injury to his people ; and then, notwith- standing they fired upon them witli small arms, tho islanders obliged them to retreat ; so that they were forced to bring tho great guns to bear upon tho island Ijeforo they could reduce them. These people do not deserve to bo treated as savages, Ix'causo Sohovteu acknowledges that they had been engaged in commerce c— 43 6Q EAELY ArSTEALIAN TOYAGES. with the Spaniards ; as appeared by their having iron pots, glass beads, and pendants, with other European commodities, before he came thither. He also tells ns that they were a very civilised people, their country weD cultivated and very fruitful ; that they had a great many boats, and other small craft, which they navigated with great dexterity. He adds also, that they gave him a very distinct account of the neighbouring islands, and that they solicited him to fire upon the Arimoans, with whom it seems they are always at war ; which, however, he refused to do, unless provoked to it by some injury offered by those people. It is therefore very apparent that the inhabitants of Moa are a people with whom any Europeans, settled in their neighbourhood, might without any difficvdty settle a commerce, and receive considerable assistance from them in making dis- coveries. But perhaps some nations are fitter for these kind of expeditions than others, as being less apt to make use of their artillery and small arms upon every little dispute; for as the inhabitants of Moa are well enough acquainted with the suiDeriority which the Etu'opeans have over them, it cannot be supposed that they will ever hazard their total destruction by com- mitting any gross act of cruelty upon strangers who visit their coast; and it is certainly very unfair to treat people as savages and barbarians, merely for defending themselves when insulted or attacked with- out cause. The instance Captain Tasman gives us of t]ieir delivering up the man who wonnded his sailor is tasman's voyage of discoveey. 67 a plain proof of this ; and as to the diffidence and sus- picion which some later voyagers have complained of mth respect to tlie inhabitants of this island, they must certainly bo the effects of the bad behaviour of .such Europeans as this nation have liitlicrto doalt with, and would bo effectually removed, if ever tliey had a t-ettled experience of a contrary conduct. The surest method of teacliiug people to behave honestly towards us is to behave friendly and honestly towards them, and then there is no great reason to fear, that sucli as give evident proofs of capacity and civility in the common affairs of life should be guilty of treachery that must turn to their own disadvantage. CHAPTER XYIII. PROSECUTES HIS VOYAGE TO CERAM. On the 12th of May, being then in the latitude of 54' rsouth, and in the longitude of 153^ 17', we found the variation 6° 30' to the east. "We continued coasting the north side of the island of William Schovtcii. which is about eighteen or nineteen miles long, very populous, and the people very brisk and active. It was with great caution that Schovton gave his name to this island, for having observed that there were abun- dance of small islands laid down in the charts on the coast of How Guinea, ho was suspicious tliat this mi^j^ht bS EARLY AUSTRALIAN YOTAGES. be of the number. But since that time it seems a point generally ao^reed, that this island had not before any particular name ; and therefore, in all subsequent voyages, we find it constantly mentioned by the name of Scliovten's Island. He describes it as a very fertile and well-peopled island ; the inhabitants of which were so far from dis- covering anything of a savage nature, that they gave apparent testimonies of their having had an extensive commerce before he touched there, since they not only showed him various commodities from the Spaniards, but also several samples of China ware ; he observes that they are very unlike the nations he had seen before, being rather of an olive colour than black ; some having short, others long hair, dressed after different fashions ; they were also a taller, stronger, and stouter pcojDle than their neighbours. These little circum- stances, which may seem tedious or trifling to such as read only for amusement, are, however, of very great importance to such as have discoveries in view ; be- cause they argue that these people have a general correspondence ; the difference of their complexion must arise from a mixed descent ; and the different manner of wearing their hair is undoubtedly owing to their following tlie fasliion of different nations, as their fancies lead them. He farther observes that their vessels were larger and better contrived than their neighbours ; that they readily parted with their bows and aiTOws in exchange for goods, and that they were tasman's voyage op discovery. 69 particularly fond of glass aud ironwaro, -whicb, perhaps, they not only used themselves, but employed like- wise in their commerce. The most western point of that the inhabitants enjoy all the advantages re- sulting from their own happy climate, and from their traffic with their neighbours, especially with those of Temate and Amboyna. wlio come thitlier yearly to pur- chase tlieir commodities, and who arc likewise visited at certain seasons by the people of these islands in '.iieir turn. 70 EAELT AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. CHAPTER XIX. AREIYES SAFELY AT BATAVIA, JUNE 15, 1643. On the IStli of May, in the latitude of 26' south and in the longitude of 147^ 55', we observed the variation to be 5° 30' east. We were now arrived at the western extremity of 'Nevr Guinea, which is a detached point or promontory (though it is not marked so even in the latest maps) ; here we met with calms, variable and contrary winds, with much rain ; from thence we steered for Ceram, leaving the Cape on the north, and arrived safely on that island; by this time Captain Tasman had fairly surrounded the continent he was instructed to discover, and had therefore nothing now farther in view than to return to Batavia, in order to report the discoveries he had made. On the 27th of May we passed through the straits of Boura, or Bouton, and continued our passage to Batavia, where we arrived on the 15th of June, in the latitude of 6° 12' south, and in the longitude of 127° 18'. This voyage was made in the space of ten months. Such was the end of this expedition, which has been always considered as the clearest and most exact that was ever made for the discovery of the Terra Australis Incognita, from whence that chart and map was laid down in the pavement of the stadt-house at Amsterdam, as is before mentioned. "We have now nothing to do but to shut up this voyage and our TASMAN'S voyage of DI8C0VEEY. 71 uistory of circumnavigators, with a few remarks, pre- vious to which it will bo requisite to state clearly and succinctly the discoveries, either made or confirmed by Captain Tasman's voyage, that the importance of it may fully appear, as well as the probability of our con- jectures with regard to the motives that induced the Dutch East India Company to be at so much pains about these discoveries. CHAPTER XX. CONSEQUENCES OF CAPTAIN TASMAN's DISCOVERIES. In the first place, then, it is most evident, from Cai)tain Tasman's voyage, that New Guinea, Carpentaria, New Holland, Antony van Diemen's Land, and the countries discovered by De Quiros, make all one continent, from which New Zealand seems to be separated by a strait ; and, perhaps, is part of another continent, answering to Africa, as this, of which wo are now speaking, plainly does to America. This continent reaches from the equinoctial to 44^ of south latitude, and exiends from 122° to 188^ of longitude, making indood a very largo country, but uotliing like what D(^ Quiros imagined; which shows how dangerous a thing it is to trust too much to conjecture in such points as tliese. It is, secondly, observable, that as Now Guinea, Carpentaria, and New Holland, had been already pretty well 72 EAELY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. examined, Captain Tasinau fell directly to the south of tliese ; so that his first discovery was Van Diemen's Land, the most southern part of the continent on this •side the globe, and then passing round by New Zea- land, he plainly discovered the opposite side of that country towards America, though he visited the islands only, and never fell in again with the continent till he arrived on the coast of Xew Britain, which he mistook for that of New Guinea, as he very well might ; that country having never been suspected to be an island, till Dampier discovered it to be such in the beginning of the present century. Thirdly, by this sui-vey, these countries are for ever marked out, so long as the map, or memory of this voyage, shall remain. The Dutch East India Company have it always in their power to direct settlements, or new discoveries, either in New Guinea, from the Moluccas, or in New Holland, from Batavia directly. The prudence shown in the conduct of tliis affair deserves the highest praise. To have attempted heretofore, or even now, the establishing colonies in those countries, would be impolitic, because it would be grasping more than the East India Com- pany, or than even the republic of Holland, could manage ; for, in the first place, to reduce a continent between three and four thousand miles broad is a pro- digious imdertaking, and to settle it by degrees would be to open to all the world the importance of that coimtry which, for an}i:hing we can tell, may be much superior to any country yet known : the only choice, tasman's voyage of discovery. 73 therefore, that the Dutch had left, was to reserve this mighty discovery till the season arrived, in which they should be either obliged by necessity or invited by occasion to make use of it ; but tliough this country be reserved, it is no longer either unknown or ne- glected by the Dutch, which is a point of very great consequence. To the otlier nations of Europe, the southern continent is a chimera, a thing in the clouds, or at least a country about which there are a thousand doubts and suspicions, so that to talk of discovering or settling it must be regarded as an idle and empty project : but, with respect to them, it is a thing perfectly well known ; its extent, its boundaries, its situation, tho genius of its several nations, and the commodities of which they are possessed, are absolutely within their cognisance, so that they are at liberty to take such measures as appear to tliem best, for securing tho eventual possession of this country, whenever they think fit. This account explains at once all tho mysteries which tho best writers upon this subject have found in tlie Dutcli proceedings. It shows wiiy they liave been at so much pains to oljtain a clear and distinct survey of these distant countries; why they have hitherto forborne settling, and why they take ho much pains to prevent other nations from coming at a distinct knowledge of them: and I may add to this another particular, which is that it accounts for their permitting the natives of Ainlxtyna, who arc tlioir sub- jects, to carry on a trade to New Guinea, and tlio adjacent 74 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. countries, since, by tliis very metliod, it is apparent that tliey gain daily fresh intelligence as to the product and commodities of those countries. Having thus explained the consequence of Captain Tasman's voyage, and thereby fully justified my giving it a place in this part of my "orork, I am now at liberty to pursue the reflections vrith which I promised to close this section, and the history of circumnavigators, and in doing wliich, I shall endeavour to make the reader sensible of the advantages that arise from publishing these voyages in their proper order, so as to show what is, and what is yet to be discovered of the globe on which we live. CHAPTER XXI. EETvIARKS UPON THE VOYAGE. In speaking of the consequences of Captain Tas- man's voyage, it has been very amply shown that this part of Terra Australis, or southern coimtry, has been fully and certainly discovered. To prevent, how- ever, the reader's making any mistake, I will take this opportunity of laying before him some remarks on the whole southern hemisphere, which will enable him immediately to comprehend all that I have afterwards to say on this subject. If we suppose the south pole to be the centre of a tasman's voyage of discovery. 75 chart of which the equinoctial is the circumference, we shall then discern four quarters, of the contents of which, if we could give a full account, this part of the world would be perfectly discovered. To begin then with the first of these, that is, from the first meridian, placed in the island of Fero. Within this division, that is to say, from the first to the nineteenth degree of longitude, there lies the great continent of Africa, the most southern point of which is the Cape of Good Hope, lying in the latitude of 34"^ 15' south. Between that and the pole, several smaU but very inconsiderable islands liave been discovered, afliordiug us only this degree of certainty, that to the latitude of 50° there is no land to be found of any consequence ; there was, indeed, a voyage made by Mr. Bovet in the year 1738, on purpose to discover whether there were any lauds to the south in that quarter or not. This gentleman sailed from Port TOrieut July the IStli, 1738, and on the Ist of January, 1739, discovered a country, tlie coasts of which were covered with ice, in the latitude of 54^ south, and in the longitude of 28^ 30', the varia- tion of tlie compass being there 0*^ 4-5', to tlio west. In the next quarter, that is to say, from DO^ longi- tude to 180^, lie the countries of which wo have been speaking, or that large soutliern ishind, extending from the equinoctial to the latitude of 43'-* lO*, and the longitude of 107*^ 55', which is the extremity of Van Diemen's Land. In the third quarter, that is, from the longitude of /b EAKLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. ISO'^ to 170°, there is very little diseoverecl ^vitli any certainty. Captain Tasman, indeed, visited the coast of New Zealand, in the latitude of 42° !(/ south, and in the longitude of 188° 28' ; but besides this, and the islands of Amsterdam and Rotterdam, we know ver}- little ; and therefore, if there be any doubts about the reality of Terra Australis, it must be with respect to that part of it wliich lies within this quarter, through which Schovten and Le Maire sailed, but without dis- covering anything more than a few small islands. The fourth and last quarter is from 270° of longi- tude to the first meridian, within which lies the con- tinent of South America, and the island of Terra del Puego, the most southern promontory of Avhich is sup- posed to be Cape Honi, which, according to the best of observations, is in the latitude of 56°, beyond which there has been nothing with any degree of certainty discovered on this side. On the whole, therefore, it appears there are three continents already tolerably discovered which point towards the south pole, and therefore it is very pro- bable there is a fourth, which if there be, it must lie between the country of New Zealand, discovered by Captain Tasman, and that country which was seen by Captain Sharpe and Mr. Wafer in the South Seas, to which land therefore, and no other, the title of Terra Australis Incognita properly belongs. Leaving this, therefore, to the industry of future ages to discover, we will now return to that great soutliern island which TASMANS TOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. tl Captain Tasmaii actually surrounded, aud tlio bounds of vrhieli arc tolcral)ly woll known. In order to ^ivo the reader a proper idea of the im- 2)ortaneo of this country, it will be requisite to say something of the climates in which it is situated. As it lies from the equinoctial to near the latitude of 44'*^, the longest day in the most northern parts must be twelve hours, and in the southern about fifteen hours, or somewhat more, so that it extends from the first to the seventh climate, which shows its situation to bo the happiest in the world, the country called Van Diemen's Land resembling in all respects the south of France. As there are in all countries some parts more pleasant tlian others, so there seems good reason to believe that witliin two or three degrees of tlie tropic of Capricorn, which passes tlirough the midst of New Holland, is the most unwholesome and disagreeable jjart of this country; the reason of which is very plain, for in those parts it must be excessively hot, much more so than under the line itself, since the days and nights are there always equal, whereas within three or four degrees of tlio tropic of Capricorn, that is to say, in the latitude 27*^ south, the days are thirteen hours and a half long, and the sun is twice in their zenith, first in the beginning of December, or rather in the latter end of November, and again when it returns back, which occasions a burning heat for about two months, or something more ; wliorea.s. either farther to the soutli or nearer to the line, tlio climate mu.st be equally wholesome and pleasant. 78 EARLY ATJSTRALIAN VOYAGES. As to the product and commodities of this country in general, there is the greatest reason in the world to believe that they are extremely rich and valuable, because the richest and finest countries in the known world lie all of them within the same latitude ; but [to return from conjectures to facts, the country discovered by De Quiros makes a part of this great island, and is the opposite coast to that of Carpentaria. This country, the discoverer called La Australia del Espiritu Santo, in the latitude of 15° 40' south, and, as he reports, it abounds with gold, silver, pearl, nutmegs, mace, ginger, and sugar-canes, of an extraordinary size. I do not wonder that formerly the fact might be doubted, but at present I think there is sujficient reason to in- duce us to believe it, for Captain Dampier describes the country about Cape St. George and Port Moun- tague, which are within 9° of the countiy described by De Quiros. I say Captain Dampier describes what he saw in the following words : " The country hereabouts is mountainous and woody, full of rich valleys and pleasant fresh- water brooks ; the mould in the valleys is deep and yellowish, that on the sides of the liills of a very brown colour, and not very deep, but rocky under- neath, yet excellent planting land ; the trees in general are neither very straight, thick, nor tall, yet appear green and pleasant enough ; some of them bear flowers, some berries, and others big fruits, but all unknown to any of us ; cocoa-nut trees thrive very well here, as well on the bays by the sea-side, as more remote among tasman's voyage of discovert. 79 the plantations ; tlio nuts are of an indifferent size, the milk and komol vory thick and pleasant; here are ginger, yams, and otlior very good roots for the pot, that our men saw and tasted ; what other fruits or roots tlie country aif ords I know not ; here are hogs and dogs, other land animals we saw none ; the fowls we saw and knew were pigeons, parrots, cocadores, and crows, like those in England ; a sort of birds about the bigness of a blackbird, and smaller birds many. The sea and rivers have plenty of tish ; wo saw abundance, though we catched but few, and these were cavallies, yellow-tails, and whip-wreys." This account is grounded only on a very slight view, whereas Do Quiros resided for some time in the place ho has mentioned. In another place Captain Dampier observes that he saw nutmegs amongst them, which seemed to bo fresh-gathered, all which agrees perfectly with the account given by De Quiros; add to tliis, that Scho\'ten had likewise observed, that they had ginger upon this coast, and some other spices, so tliat on the whole there seoms not the least reason to doubt that if any part of this country was settled, it must be attended with a very rich commerce ; for it cannot be supposed tliat all these writers should bo either mis- taken, or tliat they should concur in a design toimpos(» upon their readers; which is the loss to bo 8usp<^cted. if wo consider how well their reports agree with th«' situation of the country, and that the trees on the land, and the fish on tiie coast, corresponding exactly 80 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. with the trees of those countries, and the fish on the coasts, where these commodities are known to abound within land, seem to intimate a perfect conformity throughout. The next thing- to be considered is, the possibilitj of planting in tliis part of the world, which at first sight, I must confess, seems to be attended with con- siderable difficulties with respect to every other nation except the Dutch, who either from Batavia, the Moluccas, or even from the Cape of Good Hope, might with ease settle themselves wherever they thought fit ; as, however, they have neglected this for above a century, there seems to be no reason why their conduct in this respect should become the rule of other nations, or why any other nation should be apprehensive of drawing on herself the displeasure of the Dutch, by endeavouring to turn to their benefit countries the Dutch have so long suffered to lie, with respect to Europe, waste and desert. The first point, with respect to a discovery, would be to send a small squadron on the coast of Yan Diemen's Land, and from thence round, in the same course taken by Captain Tasman, by the coast of New Guinea, which might enable the nations that attempted it to come to an absolute certaintj- with regard to its commodities and commerce. Such a voyage as this might be performed with very great ease, and at a small expense, by our East India Company ; and this in the space of eight or nine mouths' time ; and con- tasman's voyage of discovery. 81 sidering what mighty advantages might accrue to the nation, there seems to be nothing harsh or improbable in supposing that some time or other, when the legisla- ture is more than usually intent on affairs of commerce, they may be directed to make such an expedition at the expense of the public. By this means all the back coast of New Holland and New Guinea might be thoroughly examined, and we might know as well, and as certainly as the Dutch, how far a colony settled there miglit answer our expectations ; one thing is certain, that to persons used to the navigation of the Indies, such an expedition could not be thought either dangerous or difficult, because it is already sufficiently known that there are everywhere islands upon the coast, where ships upon such a discovery might be sure to meet Avith refreshments, as is plain from Com- modore Roggcwein's voyage, made little more than twenty years ago. The only difficulty that I can see would bo tho getting a fair and honest account of this expedition when made ; for private interest is so apt to interfere, and get tho better of tho public service, that it is very hard to bo sure of anything of tliis sort. That I may not bo suspected of any intent to calumniate, I shall put tho reader in mind of two instances ; the first is, as to tho new trade from Russia, for establishing of which an Act of Parliament was with great difficulty obtained, thougli visibly for tho advantage of tho nation ; tho other instance is, the voyage of Captain 82 EARLY ATJSTEALIAN VOYAGES. Middleton, for the discovery of a noi'tli-"west passage into the south seas, which is ended by a very warm dispute, whether that passage be found or not, the person supposed to have found it maintaining the negative. Whenever, therefore, such an expedition is imder- taken, it ought to be under the direction, not only of a person of parts and experience, but of unspotted character, who, on his return, should be obliged to deliver his journal upon oath, and the principal ofl&cers imder him should likewise be directed to keep their louruals distinctly, and without their being inspected by the priucii3al officer ; all which journals ought to be published by authority as soon as received, that every man might be at liberty to examine them, and deliver his thoughts as to the discoveries made, or the impedi- ments suggested to have hindered or prevented such discoveries, by which means the public would be sure to obtain a full and distinct account of the matter ; and it would thence immediately appear whether it would be expedient to prosecute the design or not. But if it should be thought too burdensome for a company in so flourishing a condition, and consequently engaged in so extensive a commerce as the East India Company is, to undertake such an expedition, merely to serve the public, promote the exportation of our manufactures, and increase the number of industrious persons who are maintained by foreign trade ; if this, I say, should be thought too grievous for a company tasman's voyage of discovery. 83 that has purchased hor privileges from the public by a largo loau at low interest, there can certainly be no objection to the putting this project into the hands of the Royal African Company, who arc not quite in so flourishing a condition; they have equal opportunities for undertaking it, since the voyage might be with great ease performed from their settlements in ten months, and if the trade was found to answer, it might encourage the settling a colony at Madagascar to and from which ships might, with the greatest conveniency, carry on the trade to New Guinea. I cannot say how far such a trade might bo consistent with their present cliarter ; but if it should bo found advantageous to tho public, and beneficial to the company, I think there can he no rea.son assigned why it should not be secured to thom, and that too in the most effectual manner. A very small progress in it would restore tho reputa- tion of tlio company, and in time, perhaps, free tho nation from tho aimual expense she is now at, for the support of tho forts and garrisons belonging to that company on the coasts of Africa ; whicli would alono prove of great and immediate service, both to tho jMiblie and to the company. To say tho trutli, somotlnng of this sort is absolutely necessary io vindicate? tho cxponso tho nation is at ; for if tho trade, for tho carrying on of which a company is establislied, proves, by a cliango of circmnstances, incapable of supporting that company, and thereby brings a load upon the public, tliis ought to bo a motive, it ought, indeed, to bo tho strongest 84 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. motiye, for that company to endeavour tlie extension of its commerce, or the striking out, if possible, some new branch of trade, which may restore it to its former splendour ; and in this as it hath an apparent right, so there is not the least reason to doubt that it -would meet with all the countenance and assistance from the government that it could reasonably expect or desire. If such a design should ever be attempted, perhaps the island of New Britain might be the properest j)laco for them to settle. As to the situation, extent, and present condition of that island, all that can be said of it must be taken from the account given by its discoverer Captain Dampier, which, in few words, amounts to this : '* The island which I call Nova Britannia has about 4*-* of latitude, the body of it lying in 4:^, the northernmost joart in 2° 30', and the southern- most in 6° 30'. It has about 5° 18' longitude from east to west ; it is generally high moimtainous land, mixed with large valleys, which, as well as the mountains, appeared very fertile ; and in most places that we saw the trees are very large, tall, and thick. It is also very well inhabited with strong, well-limbed negroes, whom we found very daring and bold at several places : as to the product of it, it is very probable this island may afford as many rich commodities as any in the world ; and the natives may be easily brought to commerce, though I could not pretend to it in my circumstances." If any ol)jections should be raised from Dampier's misfortune in that voyage, it is easy TASMAN S VOYAGE OF DISCOVERT. So to show that it onght to have no manner of "weight whatever, since, though he was an excoUout pilot, he is aUowed to liavo been but a bad commander ; besides, the Roebuck, in which ho sailed, was a worn-out frigate that would hardly swim ; and it is no groat wonder that in so crazy a vessel the people were a little im- patient at ])eing abroad on discoveries ; yet, after all, he performed what he was sent for; and, by the discovery of this island of New Britain, secured us an indisputable right to a country, that is, or might be made, very valuable. It is so situated, that a great trade might be carried on from thence through the whole Terra Australis on one side, and the most valuable islands of the East Indies on tlio other. In short, all, or at least most, of the advantages proposed by the Dutch West India Company's joining with their East India Company, of which a large account has already been given, might be l)rocurcd for this nation, l)y the establishing a colony in this island of New Britain, and securing the trade of that colony to the African Company by law ; the very passing of which law would give the company more than sidficient credit, to fit out a squadron at once capable of securing the possession of tliat island, and of giving the public sucli satisfaction jus to its import- ance, as might be requisite to obtain further power and assistance from the State, if that should be found neces- sary. It would be very easy to point out some advan- tages peculiarly convenient for that company ; but it 86 EAELY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. will be time enongh to think of these whenerer the African Company shall discover an inclination to prosecute this design. At present I have done what I proposed, and have shown that such a collection of voyages as this ought not to be considered as a work of mere amusement, but as a work calculated for the benefit of mankind in general, and of this nation in particular, which it is the duty of every man to pro- mote in his station ; and whatever fate these reflections may meet with, I shall always have the satisfaction of remembering that I have not neglected it in mine, but have taken the utmost pains to turn a course of labo- rious reading to the advantage of my country. But, supposing that neither of these companies should think it expedient, or, in other words, should not think it consistent with their interest to attempt this discovery, there is yet a third company, within the spirit of whose charter, I humbly conceive, the prose- cution of such a scheme immediately lies. The reader will easily discern that I mean the company for carry- ing on a trade to the South Seas, who, notwithstanding the extensiveness of their charter, confirmed and sup- ported by authority of parliament, have not, so far as my information reaches, ever attempted to send so much as a single ship for the sake of discoveries into the South Seas, wliich, however, was the great point proposed when this company was first established. In order to prove this, I need only lay before the reader the limits assigned that company by their charter, the tasman's voyage of discoveey. 87 fiubstanco of ■svhicli is contained in tbo following words : — " The corporation, and their successors, shall, for ever, be vostcd in tlie sole trade into and from all the kingdoms and lauds on the east side of America, from the River Oroonoco, to the southernmost part of Terra del Fuego, and on tho west side thereof from the said southernmost part of Terra del Fuego, through the Soutli Sea, to the northernmost part of America, and into and througli all tho countries, islands, and places within tlie said limits, which are reputed to belong to Spain, or which shall hereafter be found out and dis- covered within the limits aforesaid, not exceeding 300 leagues from the continent of America, • between tho soutlierumost part of the Terra del Fuego and the northernmost part of America, on tho said west side thereof, except the Kingdom of Brazil, and such other places on the east side of America, as arc now in tho possession of the King of Portugal, and the country of Surinam, in tlie possession of the States-general. Tho said company, and none else, are to trade within tho said limits; and, if any otiier persons shall trade to tho South Seas, they shall forfeit the ship and goods, and double value, one-fourth part to tho crown, and another fourth part to tho prosecutor, and tho other two-fourths to the use of the company. And tho company shall be tbo solo owners of the islands, forts, etc., which they shall discover within the said limits, to bo held of tho crown, under an annual rent of an ounce of gold, and 88 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. of all ships taken as prizes by the ships of tlie said company ; and the company may seize, by force of arms, all other British ships trading in those seas." It is, I think, impossible for any man to imagine that either these limits should be secured to the com- pany for no purpose in the -world ; or that these pro- hibitions and penalties should take place, notwithstand- ing the company's neyer attempting to make any use of these powers ; from whence I infer that it was the intent of the legislature that new discoveries should be made, new plantations settled, and a new trade carried on by this new corporation, agreeable to the rules pre- scribed, and for the general benefit of this nation ; which 1 apprehend was chiefly considered in the pro- viding that this new commerce should be put under the management of a particular company. But I am very well aware of an objection that may be made to what I have advanced ; viz., that, from my own showing, this southern continent lies absolutely without their limits ; and that there is also a proviso in the charter of that company that seems particularly calculated to exclude it, since it recites that " The agents of the company shall not sail beyond the southernmost parts of Terra del Fuego, except through the Straits of Magellan, or round Terra del Fuego ; nor go from thence to any part of the East Indies, nor return to Great Britain, or any port or place, unless through the said straits, or by Terra del Fuego : nor shall they trade in East India goods, or in any tasman's voyage of discovery. 89 places "witliin the limits gi-anted to the united company of merchants of Englaud tradinj^ to East India (such India goods excepted as shall bo actually exported from Great Britain, and also such gold, silver, wrouglit plate, and other goods and commodities, which are the produce, growth, or manufactures of the West Indies, or continent of America) : neither sliall they send ships, or use tliem or any vessel, within the South Seas, from Terra del Fuego to the northernmost parts of America, above three hundred leagues to tho westward of, and distant from the land of Chili, Peru, Mexico. California, or any other tlie lands or shores of Southern or Nortliem America, between Terra del Fuego and the northernmost part of America, on pain of the for- feiture of the ships and goods ; one-third to the crown, and the other two-thirds to the East India Company." But tho reader will observe that I mentioned the East India and African Companies before ; and that I now mention tlie South Sea Company, on a supposition tliat the two former may refuse it. In that case, I presume, tho legislature will make tho same distinction tliat tho States of Holland did, and not suffor tho private advantage of any particular c<)inj)any to stand in competition with the good of a whole people. It was upon this principle that I laid it down as a thing certain, that tho African company would bo allowed to settle tho island of Madagascar, though it lies within tho limits of the East India Company's charter, in caso it should I' 9 found uocossary for tho better carrying on 90 EAELY AUSTEALIAN TOYAGES. of this trade. It is upon tlie same principle I say this sontliern contiueut lies witliiu the intention of the South Sea Company's charter, because, I presume, the intent of that charter was to grant them all the com- merce in those seas, not occupied before by British subjects ; for, if it were otherwise, what a condition sJiould we be in as a maritime power ? If a grant does not oblige a company to carry on a trade within the limits granted to tliat company, and is, at the same time, of force to preclude all the subjects of this nation from the right they before had to carry on a trade within those limits, such a law is plainly destructive to the nation's interest and to commerce in general. I therefore suppose, that, if the South Sea Company should think proper to reyiye their trade in the manner I propose, this proviso wonld be explained by Parlia- ment to mean no more than excluding the South Sea Company from settling or trading in or to any place at present settled in or ti-aded to by the East India Company : for, as this interpretation would secure the just rights of both companies, and, at the same time, reconcile the laws for establishing them to the general interest of trade and the nation, there is the greatest reason to believe this to be the intention of the legis- lature. I have- been obliged to insist fully upon this matter, because it is a point hitlierto untouched, and a point of such high importance, that, unless it be under- stood according to my sense of the matter, there is an end of all hopes of extending our trade on this side, tasman's voyage of discoveet. 91 which is perhaps the only side on which there is the least probability that it ever can be extended ; for, as to the north-west passage into the South Seas, that seems to be blocked up by the rights of anotlier company ; so that, according to the letter of our hiws, each company is to have its rights, and the nation in general no right at all. If, therefore, the settling of this part of Terra Australis sliould devolve on the South Sea Company, by way of equivalent for the loss of their Assiento <'ontract, there is no sort of question but it might bo as vrell performed by them as by any other, and the trade carried on without interfering with that which is at present carried on, either by the East India or African Companies. It would indeed, in this case, be a])solutely necessary to settle Juan Fernandez, the settlement of which place, under the direction of that company, if they could, as very probably they might, fall into some share of the slave-trade from New Guinea, must prove Tonderfully advantageous, considering the; opportunity they would have of vending those slaves to the Spaniards in Chili and Peru. The settling of this island ought to Ix) performed at once, and with a com- petent force, since, without doubt, the Spaniards would leave no means unattemptod to dispossess them : yet, if a good fortification was once raised, the passes properly retrenched, and a garrison left there of between three and five hundred mr»n, it would be 8im])ly impossilih? for the Spaniards to force thorn out of it before the 92 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. arrival of another squadrou from hence. Neither do I see any reason vrhj, in the space of a very few years, the plantation of this island should not prove of as ofreat consequence to the South Sea Company as that of Curacao to the Dutch West India Company, who raise no less than sixty tliousand florins per annum for licensing ships to trade there. From Juan Fernandez to Yan Diemen's Land is not above two months' sail ; and a voyage for discovery might be very conveniently made between the time that a squadron returned from Juan Fernandez, and another squadi-on's arrival there from hence. It is true that, if once a considerable settlement was made in tho most southern part of Terra Australis, the company might then fall into a large commerce in the most valuable East India goods, very probably gold, and spices of all sorts : yet I cannot think that even these would fall within the exclusive proviso of their charter ; for that was certainly intended to hinder their trading in such goods as are brought hither by our East India Company; and I must confess I see no difference, with respect to the interest of that company, between our having cloves, cinnamon, and mace, by the South Sea Company's ships from Juan Fernandez, and our receiving them from Holland, after the Dutch East India Company's ships have brought them thither by the way of the Cape of Good Hope. Sure I am they would come to us sooner by some months by the way of Cape Horn. If this reasoning does not satisfy tasman's voyage of discovery. 03 people, but they still remain persuaded that the South Sea Company ought not to intermeddle with the East India trade at all, I desire to know why the West India merchants are allowed to import coffee from Jamaica, when it is well known that tlic East India Company can supply the whole demand of this king- dom from Mocha ? If it bo answered that the Jamaica coffee comes cheaper, and is the growth of our own plantations, I reply, that these spices will not only be cheaper, but better, and be purchased by our own manufacturers; and these, I think, are the strongest reasons that can be given. If it be demanded what certainty I have that spices can be had from thence, I answer, all the certainty that in a thing of this nature can be reasonably expected : Ferdinand de Quiros met witli all sorts of spices in the country he discovered; William Scho\'ten, and Jacques le Maire, saw ginger and nutmegs; so did Dampier ; and the author of Commodore Roggo- wein's Voyage asserts, that the free burgesses of Amboyna purchase nutmegs from the natives of New Guinea for bits of iron. All, therefore, I contend for, is tliat these bits of iron ni.iy be sent them from Old England. The reason I recommend settling on tlie south coast of Terra Australis, if tliis design should bo prosecuted, from Juan Fernandez, rather tlian tlio island of New Britain, wliicli I mention«'d before, is, because tliat coast is nearer, and is situated in a better and pleusauter 94 EABLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAaES. climate. Besides all wliich advantages, as it was never hitherto visited by the Dutch, they cannot, -with any colour of justice, take umbrage at our attempting such a settlement. To close then this subject, the im- portance of which alone inclined me to spend so much of mine and the reader's time about it : It is most evident, that, if such a settlement was made at Juan Fernandez, proper magazines erected, ;ind a constant correspondence established between that island and the Terra Australis, these three consequences must absolutely follow from tnence : 1. That a new trade would be opened, which must carry off a great quantity of our goods and manufac- tures, that cannot, at present, be brought to any mar- ket, or at least, not to so good a market as if there was a greater demand for them. 2. It would render this navigation, which is at present so strange, and consequently so terrible, to us, easy and familiar ; which might be attended with advantages that cannot be foreseen, especially since there is, as I before ob- served, in all probability another southern continent, which is still to be discovered. 3. It would greatly increase our shipping and our seamen, which are the true and natural strength of this country, extend our naval power, and raise the reputation of this nation; the most distant prospect of which is sufficient to warm the soul of any man who has the least regard for his country, with courage sufficient to despise the impu- tations that may be thrown upon him as a visionary TASMAN S VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY. 9o projector, for taking so much pains abont an affair that can tend so little to his private advantage. Wo will now add a few words •witli respect to the advan- tages arising from having thus digested tlio history of circumnavigators, from the earliest account of time to the present, and then shut up the whole with another .section, containing the last circumnavigation by Rear- Admiral Anson, whose voyage has at least shown that, under a proper officer, English seamen are able to achieve as much as they ever did ; and that is as much as was ever done by any nation in the world. It is a point that has always admitted some debate, whether science stands more indebted to speculation or practice ; or, in other words, whether the greater dis- I'overies have been made by men of deep study, or persons of great experience in the most useful parts of knowledge. But this, I think, is a proposition that admits of no dispute at all, that the noblest discoveries liave been the result of a just mixture of theory with practice. It was from hence that the very notion of .sailing round the earth took rise; and the ingenious Genoese first laid down this system of the world, according to his conception, and then added the proofs derived from experience. It is much to be deplonul that we have not that plan of discovery which the great Christopher Columbus sent over thither by his brother Bartholomew to King Henry VII., for if we liad we should certainly lind abundance of very curious observations, which might still bo Uboful to mariners : 96 EARLY AUSTEALIAN VOYAGES. for it appears clearly, from many little circumstances, that he was a person of universal genius, and, imtil bad usage obliged him to take many precautions, very communicative. It was from this plan, as it had been communicated to the Portuguese court, that the famous Magellan came to have so just notions of the possibility of sailing by the West to the East Indies ; and there was a great deal of theory in the proposal made by that great man to the Emperor Charles Y. Sir Francis Drake was a person of the same genius, and of a like general knowledge ; and it is very remarkable that these three great seamen met also with the same fate ; by which I mean, that they were constantly pursued by envy while they lived, which hindered so much notice being taken of their discourses and discoveries as they deserved. But when the experience of suc- ceeding times had verified many of their sayings, which had been considered as vain and empty boastings in their lifetimes, then prosperity began to pay a super- stitious regard to whatever could be collected con- cerning them, and to admire all they delivered as oraculous. Our other discoverer, Candish, was like- wise a man of great parts and great penetration, as well as of great spirit ; he had, undoubtedly, a mighty genius for discoveries ; but the prevailing notion of those times, that the only way to serve the nation was plundering the Spaniards, seems to have got the better of his desire to find out unknown countries ; and made tasman's voyage of discovert. 97 him choose to be known to posterity rather as a gal- lant privateer tlian as an able seaman, though in truth he was botli. After these follow Sehovtenand Le Maire, who were fitted out to make discoveries ; and executed their com- mission with equal capacity and success. If Lo Maire liad lived to return to Holland, and to have digested into proper order his own accounts, we should, without question, have received a much fuller and clearer, as well as a much more correct and satisfactory detail of them than wo have at present : thougli tlio voyage, as it is now published, is in all respects the best, and the most curious of all the circumnavigators. This was,, very probably, owing to the ill-usage he met witli from the Dutch East India Company; which put Captain Schovtcn, and the relations of Le Maire, upon giving the world the best information they could of what had been in that voyage performed. Yet the fate of Lo Maire had a much greater effect in discouraging, than the fame of liis discoveries had in exciting, a spirit of emulation : so that we may safely say, the severity of the East India Company in Holland extinguished that generous desire of exploring unknown lands, which might otherwise have raised the reputation and ex- tended the commerce of the republic much beyond what they have hitlierto reached. Tliis is so true that for up- wards of one hundred years wo hear of no Dutch voyago in pursuit of Le Mairo's discoveries; and wo see, when Commodore Roggewein, in our own time, revivoO D— 40 y» EARLY AUSTEALIAN VOYAGES. that noble design, it was again cramped by tlie same power that stifled it before ; and though the States did justice to the West India Company, and to the l)arties injured, yet the hardships they sufiered, and the plain proof tliey gave of the difficulties that must be met with in the prosecution of such a design, seem to have done the business of the East India Company, and damped the spirit of discovery, for perhaps another century, in Holland. It is very observable that all the mighty discoveries that have been made arose from tliese great men, who joined reasoning with practice, and were men of genius and learning, as well as seamen. To Columbus we owe the finding America; to Magellan the passing by the straits which bear his name, by a new route to the East Indies; to Le Maire a more commodious passage round Cape Horn, and without running up to California ; Sir Francis Drake, too, hinted the advan- tages that might arise by examining the north-west side of America; and Candish had some notions of discovering a passage between China and Japan. As to the history we have of Roggewein's royage, it affords such lights as notliing but our own negligence can render useless. But in the other voyages, what- ever discoveries we meet with are purely accidental, except it be Dampier's voyage to the coasts of 'New Holland and New Guinea, which was expressly made for discoveries ; and in which, if an abler man had been emj^loyed in conjunction with Dampier, we can- tasman's voyage of discovery. 99 not doubt that the interior and oxtcrior of those countries would have heen much ])cttor kno-svn than tliey arc at present; because sucli a person would rather have chosen to have refreshed in the island of New Britain, or some other coimtry not visited before, than at that of Timor, already settled both by the Portug-uese and the Dutch. In all attempts, therefore, of this sort, those men are fittest to be employed who, with competent abili- ties as seamen, have likewise general capacities, are at least tolerably acquainted with other sciences, and have settled judgments and solid understandings. These are the men from whom we are to expect the iinishing that great work which former circiimnaviga- -■ ors have begun ; I mean the discovering every part and parcel of the globe, and tlie carrying to its utmost l)erfection the admirable and useful science of naviga- tion. It is, however, a piece of justice due to the memory of these great men, to acknowledge that we are equally encouraged by their examples and guided l)y their dis- coveries. Wo owe to them the being freed, not only from the errors, but from the doubts and difficult ies with which former ages were oppressed ; to tliem wo stand indebted for the discovery of the best part of the world, which was entirely unknf)wn to the ancients, particularly some part of the eastern, most of the southern, and all the western hemisjihere ; from them we have learned that th»> earth is surrounded by the 100 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. ocean, and that all the countries under the torrid zone are inhabited, and that, quite contrary to the notions that were formerly entertained, they are very far from being the most sultry climate in the world, those within a few degrees of the tropics, though habitable, being much more hot, for reasons which have been elsewhere explained. By their voyages, and especially by the observations of Columbus, we have been taught the general motion of the sea, the reason of it, and the cause and difference of currents in particular places, to which we may add the doctrine of tides, which were very imperfectly known, even by the greatest men in former times, whose accounts have been found equally repugnant to reason and experience. By their observations we have acquired a great knowledge as to tlie nature and variation of winds, particularly the monsoons, or trade winds, and other periodical winds, of which the ancients had not the least conception ; and by tliese helps we not only have it in our power to proceed much farther in our dis- coveries, but we are likewise delivered from a multi- tude of groundless apprehensions, that frightened them from prosecuting discoveries. We give no credit now to the fables that not only amused antiquity, but even obtained credit within a few generations. The authority of Pliny will not persuade us that there are any nations without heads, whose eyes and mouths are in their breasts, or that the Arimaspi have only one eye, fixed in their forehead, and that they are perpetu- TASMAN S VOYAGE OF DISCOVERT. 101 ally at war -svitli tlio Griffius, who guard hidden treasures ; or that there are nations that havo long hairy tales, and grin like monkeys. No traveller can make us believe that, under the torrid zone, there are a nation every man of which has one large flat foot, with \vhieli, lying upon his back, he covers himself from the sun. In this respect we liave the same advantage over the ancients tliat men have over children ; and wo can- not reflect without amazement on men's having so much knowledge and learning in other respects, with such childish understandings in these. By the labours of these great men in tlio two last centuries we are taught to know wliat wo seek, and how it is to bo sought. We know, for example, what parts of the north are yet undiscovered, and also what parts of the south. We can form a very certain judg- ment of the climate of countries undiscovered, and can foresee the advantages tliat will result from discoveries l^efore tliey are made ; all wliidi are prodigious ad. vantages, and ouglit ci'rtainly to animate us in our searches. I might add to this the great beneflts wo receive from our moro perfect acquaintance with the properties of the loadstone, and from the surprising accuracy of astronouiical observations, to wliich I may add tlio physical discoveries nuule of late years in relation to the figure of the earth, all of wliicli are the result of tlio lights which these great men havo given us. It ia true tliat some of tho zealous defendora of tho 102 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. ancients, and some of the great admirers of the Eastern nations, dispute these facts, and would have us believe that almost everything was known to the old philo- sophers, and not only known but practised by the Chinese long before the time of the great men to whom we ascribe them. But the difference between their assertions and ours is. that we fully prove the facts we allege, whereas they produce no evidence at all ; for instance, Albertus Magnus says that Aristotle wrote an express treatise on the direction of the load- stone ; but nobody ever saw that treatise, nor was it ever heard of by any of the rest of his commentators. "We have in our hands some of the best performances of antiquity in regard to geography, and any man who has eyes, and is at all acquainted with that science, can very easily discern how far they fall short of maps that were made even a hundred years ago. The celebrated Yossius. and the rest of the admirers of the Chinese, who, by the way. derived all their knowledge from hearsay, may testify, in as strong terms as they think fit, their contempt for the Western sages and their high opinion of those in the East ; but till they prove to us that their favourite Chinese made any voyages comparable to the Europeans, before the dis- covery of a passage to China by the Cape of Good Hope, they will excuse us from believing them. Be- sides, if the ancients had all tliis knowledge, how came it not to display itself in their performances ? How came they to make such difficulties of what are now esteemed TASMAX'S VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 103 trifles? And liow caino tlioy never to make anv voyages, by choice at least, tliat were out of sight of land? Again, with respect to the Chinese, if they excel us so much in knowledge, how came the mission- aries to be so much admired for their superior skill in the sciences ? But to cut the matter short, wo are not disputing now about speculative points of science, but as to the practical application of it ; in which, I think, tliere is no doubt that tlie modern inhabitants of tho western parts of the world excel, and excel chiefly from the labours and discoveries of these great and ingenious men, who applied their abilities to tho improvement of useful arts, for tho particular benefit of tlieir country- men, and to tlie common good of mankind ; which character is not derived from any prejudice of ours, either against the ancients or the Oriental nations, but is founded on facts of public notoriety, and on general experience, which are a kind of evidenco not to bo con- troverted or contradicted. We are still, however, in several respects sliort of perfection, and tliere ar(^ many tilings left to (»x»^rciso the sagacity, penetraticm, and application of this and of succeeding ages; for instance, tlio passages to tho north-east and north-west are yet unknown ; there is a great part of the southern continent undiscovered; wo are, in a manner, ignor.nnt of what lies between America and Japan, and all Ix'yond tiiat country lies buried in obscurity, p('rha])s in greater obscurity than it was an age ago ; so that there is still room for i)er- 104 EARLY ATJSTEALIAN VOYAGES. forming great things, "wliicli in their consequences perhaps might prove greater than can well he imagined. I say nothing of the discoveries that vet remain with regard to inland coTintries, because these fall properly under another head, I mean that of travels. But it will be time enough to think of penetrating into the heart of countries when we have discovered the sea-coasts of the whole globe, towards which the voyages recorded in this chapter have so far advanced already. But the only means to arrive at these great ends, and to trans- mit to posterity a fame approaching, at least in some measure, to that of our ancestors, is to revive and restore that glorious spirit which led them to such great exploits ; and the most natural method of doing this is to collect and preserve the memory of their exploits, that they may serve at once to excite our imitation, encourage our endeavours, and point out to us how they may be best employed, and with tlie greatest probability of success. AN ACCOUNT OF NEW HOLLAND AND THE ADJACENT ISLANDS. 1G99— 1700. BY CAPTAIN WILLIAM DAMPIER. Having described his voyage from Brazil to New Holland, this celebrated navigator thus proceeds : About the latitude of 26^ south vre savr an opening, and ran in, hoping to find a harbour there ; but wlien wo came to its mouth, which was about two leagues wide, WG saw rocks and foul ground witliin, and therefore stood out again ; there we had twenty fathom water witliin two miles of the shore : the land everywhere appeared pretty low, flat, and even, but with steep cliffs to the sea, and when we came near it there were no trees, shrubs, or grass to bo seen. The soundings in the latitude of 26^ south, from about eight or nine leagues off till you come witliin a league of the shore, are generally about forty fathoms, ditfrring but little, seldom above three or four fathoms; but tho lead brings up very different sorts of sand, some coarse, some fine, and of several colours, as yellow, white, grey, brown, bluish, and reddish. When I saw there was no harbour here, nor good anchoring, 1 stood off to sea again in tho ovouing of 106 EAELY AUSTEALIAX VOYAGES. the 2n(i of August, fearing a storm on a lee-shore, in a place where there was no shelter, and desiring at least to have sea-room, for the clouds began to grow thick in the western-board, and the wind was already there, and began to blow fresh almost upon the shore, which at this place lies along north-north-west and south- south-east. By nine o'clock at niglit we got a pretty good offing, but the wind still increasing, I took in my main-top-sail, being able to cany no more sail than two courses and the mizen. At two in the morning, August 3rd, it blew very hard, and the sea was much raised, so that I furled all my sails but my mainsail, though the wind blew so hard, we had pretty clear weather till noon, but then the whole sky was blackened with thick clouds, and we had some rain, which would last a quarter of an hour at a time, and then it would blow very fierce while the squalls of rain were over our lieads, but as soon as they were gone the wind was by much abated, the stress of the storm being over ; we sounded several times, but had no ground till eight o'clock, August the 4th, in the evening, and then had sixty fathom water, coral ground. At ten we had fifty-six fathom, fine sand. At twelve we had fifty-five fathom, fine sand, of a pale bluish colour. It was now pretty moderate weather, yet I made no sail till morn- ing, but then the wind veering about to the south-west, I made sail and stood to the north, and at eleven o'clock the next day, August 5th, we saw land again, at about ten leagues distant. This noon we were in latitude DAMPIEE'S account of new HOLLAND. 107 25° 30', and in tlie afternoon our cook died, an old mau, who liad boon sick a groat while, being intirni before we came out of England. The Gth of August, in the morning, wo saw an opening in the land, and we ran into it, and anchored in seven and a half fatJiom water, two miles from the shore, clean sand. It was somewhat difficult getting in here, by reason of many shoals we met with ; but I sent my boat sounding before me. The mouth of this sound, which I called Shark's Bay, lies in about 25^ south latitude, and our reckoning made its longi- tude from the Cape of Good Hope to be about 87°, whicli is less by one hundred and ninety-five leagues than is usually laid down in our common draughts, if our reckoning was right and our glasses did not deceive us. As soon as I came to anclior in tliis bay, I sent my boat ashore to seek for frosli water, but in the evening my men returned, having found none. The next morning I went asiiore myself, carrying pickaxes and shovels with me, to dig for water, and axes to cut wood. Wo tried in several places for water, but finding none after several trials, nor in several miles compass, we left any further search for it. and s])ending the rest of the day in cutting wood, we went aboard at night. The land is of an indifferent height, so that it may be seen nine or ten leagues off. It appears at a distance very even ; but as you come nigher you find there are many gentle risings, thougli none steep or liigli. It is all a steep shore against the open sea; but in this bay 108 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. or sound we were now in, the land is low by the seaside, rising gradually in with the land. The mould is sand by the seaside, producing a large sort of samphire, which bears a white flower. Farther in the mould is reddish, a sort of sand, producing some grass, plants, and shrubs. The grass grows in great tufts as big as a bushel, here and there a tuft, being intermixed with much heath, much of the kind we have growing on our commons in England. Of trees or shrubs here are divers sorts, but none above ten feet high, their bodies about three feet about, and five or six feet high before you come to the branches, which are bushy, and composed of small twigs there spreading abroad, though thick set and full of leaves, wliich were mostly long and narrow. The colour of the leaves was on one side whitish, and on the other green, and the bark of the trees was generally of the same colour -with the leaves, of a pale green. Some of these trees were sweet- scented, and reddish within the bark, like sassafras, but redder. Most of the trees and shrubs had at this time either blossoms or berries on them. The blossoms of the diiferent sorts of trees were of several colours, as red, white, yellow, etc., but mostly blue, and these generally smelt very sweet and fragrant, as did some also of the rest. There were also besides some plants, herbs, and tall flowers, some very small flowers growing on the ground, tliat were sweet and beautiful, and, for the most part, unlike any I had seen elsewhere. There were but few land fowls. We saw none but DAMPIEE'S ACCOUNT OF NEW HOLLAND. 109 eagles of tlie larger sorts of birds, but five or six sorts of small birds. Tlio biggest sort of these were not bigger than larks, some no bigger than wrens, all singing with great variety of fine slirill notes ; and we saw some of their nests with young ones in tliem. The water-fowls are dueks (wliieli had young ones now, this being the beginning of the spring in these parts), curlews, galdens, crab-catchers, cormorants, gulls, peli- cans, and some water-fowl, such as I have not seen anywhere V)esides. The land animals that we saw liere were only a sort of raccoons, different from those of tlie West Indies, chiefly as to their legs, for tliese have very short fore- legs, but go jumping upon tliem as the others do (and like them are very good meat), and a sort of gfuanos, of the same sliape and size with other guanos described, V)ut ditlVring from tliem in three remarkable par- ticulars; for these liad a larger and uglier liead, and had no tail, and at the rump, instead of the tail there, they had a stump of a tail, wliicli appeared like another head, but not really such, l)eing without mouth or • yes; yet this creature seemed by this means to have a head at eacli end, and, whieli may be reckoned a fourtli ening the watoobies and noddy-birds, and in the night caught one of these last. It was of another shape and colour than any I had seen before. It had a small long bill, as all of thom have, flat feet like ducks' feet, its tail forked like a swallow, but longer and broader, and the fork deeper than that of the swallow, with very h)ng wings; t he top or crown of tiio head of this noddy was coal- black, liaving also small black streaks round about and close to the eyes ; and round these streaks on each side, a pretty broad white circle. The breast, belly, and under part of the wings of this noddy were white, 126 EABLY ATJSTEALIAN VOYAGES. and tlie back and upper part of its wings o£ a faint black or smoke colour. Xoddies are seen in most places between the tropics, as well in the East Indies and on the coast of Brazil, as in the "West Indies. They rest ashore at night, and therefore we never see them far at sea, not above twenty or thirty leagues, unless driven off in a storm. When they come about a ship they commonly perch in the night, and will sit still till they are taken by the seamen. They build on cliffs against the sea, or rocks. The 30th day, being in latitude 18^ 21', we made the land again, and saw many great smokes near the shore ; and having fair weather and moderate breezes, I steered in towards it. At four in the afternoon I anchored in eight fathom water, clear sand, about three leagues and a half from the shore. I presently sent my boat to sound nearer in, and they found ten fathom about a mile farther in, and from thence still farther in the water decreased gradually to nine, eight, seven, and at two miles distance to six fathom. This evening we saw an eclipse of the moon, but it was abating before the moon appeared to us; for the horizon was very hazy, so that we could not see the moon tiU she had been half an hour above the horizon ; and at two hours twenty-two minutes after sunset, by the reckoning of our glasses, the eclipse was quite gone, which was not of many digits. The moon's centre was then 33^ 40' high. The 31st of August, betimes in the morning, I went DAMPIER'S account op new HOLLAND. 127 ashore with teu or eleven men to search for water. Wo went armed with muskets and cutlasses for our de- fence, expecting to see people there, and carried also shovels and pickaxes to dig wells. When wo came near the shore we saw three tall, black, naked men on the sandy bay alioad of us; but as we rowed in, they went away. When wo were landed, I sent the boat with two men in her to lie a little from the shore at an anchor, to prevent l)eing seized ; while the rest of us went after the three black men, who were now got on the top of a small hill al)out a quarter of a mile from us, with eight or nine men more in tlieir company. They, seeing us coming, ran away. When we came on the top of the hill where they first stood, wo saw a plain savannali, about half a mile from us, fartlier in from tlio sea. There were several things like liay-cocks standing in the savannah, wliich at a distance we thouglit were houses, looking just like th»^ Hottentots' houses at the Capo of Good Hope : but wo found them to be so many rocks. We searched about these for water, but could find none, nor any houses, nor people, for tliey were all gone. Then wo turned again to the place wliere wo landed, and there wo dug for water. Wliilo we were at work there came nine or ion of the natives to a small hill a little way from us. and stood there menacing and threatijning us, and making a great noise. At hist one of tluMu canio towards us, and tho rest followed at a dist^iuce. I 128 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. •went out to meet liim, and came within fifty yards of him, making to him all the signs of peace and friend- ship I could, but then he ran away, neither would they any of them stay for us to come nigh them, for we tried two or three times. At last I took two men with me, and went in the afternoon along by the sea-side, X3urposely to catch one of them, if I could, of whom I might learn where they got their fresh water. There were ten or twelve of the natives a little way off, who, seeing us three going away from the rest of our men, followed us at a distance. I thought they would follow us, but there being for awhile a sand-bank between us and them, that they could not then see us, we made a halt, and hid ourselves in a bending of the sand-bank. They knew we must be thereabouts, and being three or four times our numbers, thought to seize us. So they dispersed themselves, some going to the sea-shore, and others beating about the sand- hills, "We knew by what rencounter we had had with them in the morning that we could easily out-run tliem, so a nimble young man that was with me, seeing some of them near, ran towards them ; and they for some time ran away before him, but he soon overtaking them, they faced about and fought him. He had a cutlass and they had wooden lances, with which, being many of them, they were too hard for him. When he first ran towards them I chased two more that were by the shore ; but fearing how it might be with my young man, I turned back quickly and went to the top of a DAMPIEE's account of new HOLLAND. 129 sand-hill, whence I saw him near me, closely engaged with them. Upon their seeing me, one of them threw a lance at mo, that narrowly missed me. I discharged my gun to scare them, but avoided shooting any of them, till finding the young man in great danger from them, and myself in some ; and that though the gun had a little frightened them at first, yet they had soon learnt to despise it, tossing up their hands and crying, " pooh, pooh, pooh," and coming on afresh with a great noise, I thought it higli time to charge again, and shoot one of them, which I did. The rest, seeing liim fall, made a stand again, and my young man took the opjwrtunity to disengage himself and come off to me; my other man also was with me, who had done nothing all this while, having come out unarmed, and I re- turned back with my men, designing to attempt the natives no farther, being very sorry for what had happened already. They took up their wounded companion ; and my young man, who had been struck througli the cheek by one of their lances, was afraid it had been poisoned, but I did not think that likely. His wound was very painful to him, being made with a blunt weapon ; but ho soon recovered of it. Among the Xi-w Hollanders, whom wo were thus engaged witli, there was one who by his api)earanco and carriage, as well in the morning as tiiis afternoon, seemed to I30 the chief of them, and a kind of prince or captain among them. Ho was a young brisk man, not very tall, uor so personable as somo of the rest, E— 43 130 EAELY AUSTEALIA^^ T0YAGE3. thoiigli more active and courageous : lie -was painted (whicli uoue of the rest were at all) witli a circle of white paste or pigment (a sort of lime, as we thought about his eyes, and a white streak down his nose, from his forehead to the tip of it : and his breast and somo part of his arms were also made white with the sam*- paint ; not for beauty or ornament, one would think, but as some wild Indian warriors are said to do, h'- seemed thereby to design the looking more terrible : this his x^'^ii^ting adding very much to his natural deformity; for they all of them have the most un- pleasant looks and the worst features of any people tliat ever I saw, though I have seen great variety of savages. These Xew Hollanders were probably the same sort of people as those I met with on this coast in my voyage round the world, for the place I tlien touched at was not above forty or fifty leagues to the north-east of this, and these were much the same blinking creatures (here being also abimdance of the same kind of flesh-flies teazing them.) and with the same black skins, and hair frizzled, tall and thin, &c. as those were : but we had not the opportunity to see whether these, as the former, wanted two of their fore-teeth. We saw a great many places where tliey had made fires, and where there were commonly three or for.r boughs stuck up to windward of them ; for the wind, (which is tlie sea-breeze), in the day-time blows always one way with them, and the land-breeze is but small. By their fii-e-places we should always find great heaps DAMPIEE'S account of new HOLLAND. 131 of fish-shells of several sorts ; and it is probable that these poor creatures here lived chiotiy on tlio shell-fish, as those I before described did on small fisli, which they caught in wires or holes in the sand at low water. These gathered their shell-fish on the rocks at low water but had no wires (that we saw), whereby to get any other sorts of fish ; as among the former I saw not any heaps of shells as here, though I know they also gathered some sliell-fisli. The lances also of those were such as these had ; however, they being upon an land, with their women and children, and all in our I'ower, they did not there use them against us, as hero on the continent, where we saw none but some of tho men under head, who come out purposely to olisenro us. Wo saw no houses at eitlior place, and I believe tliey have none, since tho former people on the island had none, though they had all their families with them. Upon returning to my men I saw tliat tlioiigli tliey iiad dug eight or nine feet deep, yet found no water. So I returned alioard tliat evening, and the next day, being Septemlx^r 1st, I sent my l)oat swain ashore to dig deeper, and sent tho seiuo with liim to catch fish. While I stayed alioard I observed tho flowing of tho tide, which runs very swift here, so tliat our nun-buoy would not bear above tho water In b(» K«'en. It flows licre (as on that part of Now Ihilland I described formerly) a})out five fatliom; and hero tho flood runs south-cast by south till ilu« list nujirter; thou it sets 132 EAELY AUSTRALIAN TOYAGES. right in towards the shore (which lies here south-south- west and north-north-east) and the ebb runs north-west l)y north. When the tides slackened we fished with hook and line, as we had already done in several places on this coast ; on which in this voyage hitherto we had found but little tides : but by the height, and strength, and course of them hereabouts, it should seem that if there be such a passage or strait going through east- ward to the great South Sea, as I said one might sus- pect, one would expect to find the mouth of it some- where between this place and Rosemary Island, which was the -part of Xew Holland I came last from. Xext morning my men came aboard and brought a runlet of brackish water which they had got out of another well that they dug in a place a mile off, and about half as far from the shore ; but tliis water was not fit to drink. However, we all concluded that it would serve to boil our oatmeal, for burgoo, whereby Ave might save tlie remains of our other water for drinking, till we should get more : and accordingly tlie next day we brought aboard four hogsheads of it : but while we were at work about the well we were sadly pestered with the flies, which were more troublesome to us than the sun, though it slione clear and strong upon us all the while very hot. All tliis while we saw no more of the natives, Init saw some of the smoke of some of their fires at two or three miles distance. The land hereabouts was much like the port of New Holland that I formerlv described; it is low, but DAMPIEK'a ACCOUNT OF NEW HOLLAND. 103 socmmjjly barricadod with a long chain of sand-hills to the sea, that lets nothing bo seen of what is fartlier \vithin land. At high water the tides rising so high ;is they do, the coast shows very low : ])ut when it is low water it seems to be of an indifferent heiglit. At low water-mark the shore is all rocky, so tliat tlien there is no landing with a ])oat ; but at higli water a boat may come in over those rocks to the sandy bay, Avhich runs all along on this coast. The land by the sea for about five or six hundred yards is a dry sandy soil, Ix'aring only slirubs and bushes of divers sorts. Some of these lind them at tliis time of the year, yellow flowers or l)lossoms, some })lue, and some white; most of them of a very fragrant smell. Some had fruit like peascods, in eacli of which there were just teu small peas ; I opened many of them, and found uo more nor less. There are also here some of that sort of bean which I saw at R(jS{'mary Island : and another sort of small red liard pulse, growing in cods also, with little black eyes like ])eans. I know not their names, l)ut have seen them used often in the East Indies for weighing gold ; and they make the same use of them at Guinea, as I liave lieard, where tlio women also make bracelets with them to wear about tlieir arms. These grow on l)uslies ; l>ut Iiere are also a fruit like beans growing on a cre('i)ing sort of slirub-like vine. Tliere was great plenty of all these sorts of cod-fruit growing on the sand-hills by the sea side, some of them green, some riiw, and some fallen on the ground: 134 EAELY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. but I could not perceive tliat any o£ tliem liad been gathered by the natives ; and might not probably be wholesome food. The laud f ai-ther in, that is, lower than what borders on the sea, was so much as we saw of it, very plain and even ; partly savannahs and partly woodland. The savannahs bear a sort of thin coarse grass. The mould is also a coarser sand than that by the sea-side, aud in some places it is clay. Here are a great many rocks in the large savannah we were in, which are five or six feet high, and round at top like a hay-cock, very remarkable ; some red and some white. The wood- land lies farther in still, where there were divers sorts of small trees, scarce any three feet in circumference, their bodies twelve or fourteen feet high, with a head of small knibs or boughs. By the sides of the creeks, especially nigh the sea, there gi-ow a few small black mangrove-trees. There are but few land animals. I saw some lizards ; aud my men saw two or three beasts like hungry wolves, lean like so many skeletons, being nothing but skin and bones ; it is probable that it was the foot of one of those beasts that I mentioned as seen by us in Xew Holland. We saw a raccoon or two, and one small speckled snake. The land fowls that we saw here were crows, Just such as ours in England, small hawks and kites, a few of e?.ch sort : but here are plenty of small turtle doves, that are plump, fat, and very good meat. Here are DAMPIEB'S ACCOUNT OF NEW HOLLAND. 135 two or three sorts of smaller birds, some as big as larks, some loss ; but uot mauy of either sort. The sea-fowl are pelicans, boobies, noddies, curlews, sea- l)ies, &c., and but few of these neither. The sea is plentifully stocked with the largest whales that I ever saw ; but not to compare with the vast ones of the Northern Seas. We saw also a great many green turtle, but caught none, here being no place to set a turtle net in; there being no channel for them, and the tides running so strong. We saw some .sharks and parracoots ; and with hooks and lines we caught some rock-fish and old-wives. Of shell-fish, liore were oysters both of the common kind for eating, ^.nd of tlie pearl kind ; and also whelks, couclis, muscles, limpits, periwinkles, &c., and I gatliorod a low strange slicUs, chietly a sort not large, and thick- set all about with rays or spikes growing in rows. And thus having ranged about a considerable time upon this coast, witliout finding any good fresli water or any convenient i)lace to clean tlie ship, as I had lioped for; and it being moreover tlio height of the dry .s<'ason, and my men growing scorbutic for want of refreshments, so that I had little encouragement to >oing laid down very well from tlie Burning Isle, and hat likewise in true latitude and distance from Omba, o that I could not tell what to think of the island now in sight, wo having had fair weather, so that wo could not pass by the Turtle Isles without seeing them, and tliis in sight was much too far off for tliem. Wo found variation 1^ 2' east. In the afternoon I steered north- east by east for the islands that wo saw. At two 138 EAELT AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. o'clock I went and looked over the fore-yard, and saw two islands at miicli greater distance than the Turtle Islands are laid down in my drafts, one of them was a very high peaked mountain, cleft at top, and much like the Burning Island that we passed by, but bigger and higher ; the other was a pretty long high flat island. N'ow I was certain that these were not the Turtle Islands, and that they could be no other than the Bande Isles, yet we steered in to make them plainer. At three o'clock we discovered another small flat island to the north-west of the others, and saw a great deal of Gmoke rise from the top of the high island. At four we saAv other small islands, by which I was now assured that these were the Bande Isles there. At five I altered my course and steered east, and at eight east- soiith-east, because I would not be seen by the in- habitants of those islands in the morning. "We had little wind all night, and in the morning, as soon as it was light we saw another high peaked island ; at eight it bore south-south-east half-east, distance eight leagues : and this I knew to be Bird Isle. It is laid down in our drafts in latitude 5° 9' south, which is too far southerly by twenty-seven miles, according to our oljservation, and the like error in laying down the Turtle Islands might be the occasion of our missing them. At night I shortened sail, for fear of coming too nigh some islands, that stretch away bending like a Jialf moon from Ceram towards Timor, and which in DA3IPIER's account of new HOLLAND. 139 my course I must of uccessity pass tlirougli. Tlio next morning betimes I saw them, and fouud them to l>e at a farther distance from Bird Island than I ex- pected. In the afternoon it fell quite calm, and ■Nvhon we had a little wind, it was so unconstant, flying' from one point to another, that I could not without difficulty get through the islands -where I designed ; besides, I fouud a current setting to the southward, so that it was betwixt five and six in the evening before I passed through the islands, and then just weatliered little Watela, whereas I thougiit to have been two or three leagues more northerly. We .saw the day before, betwixt two and three, a spout but a small dis- tance from us, it fell down out of a black cloud, that yielded great store of rain, thunder and lightning; this cloud liovered to the southward of ua for the space of three hours, and then drew to the westward a great pace, at which time it was that we saw th(5 spout, wliieli hung fast to the cloud till it broke, and thon the cloud whirled about to the south-east, then to cAst-north- east, where meeting with au island, it spent it«elf and 80 dispersed, and imnu'diately wo had a little of the tail of it, having had none before. Afterwards we saw ft smoke on the island Kosiway, which continurd till night. On Xew Year's Day we first descried the land of Kew Guinea, which ai)[>eared to Ixj high land, and tho next day we saw several liigh islands on the coast of Now Guinea, and ran in with the main land. The shore 140 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. here lies along east-soiitli-east and -vvest-north-Trest. It is high even land, very well clothed with tall flourish- ing trees, which appeared very green, and gave ns a very pleasant prospect. "We ran to the westward of fonr mountainons islands, and in the night had a small tornado, which brought with it some rain and a fair wind. We had fair weather for a long time, only when near any land we had some tornadoes ; but off, at sea, commonly clear weather, though, if in sight of land, we usually saw many black clouds hovering about it. On the 5th and 6th of January we plied to get in with the land, designing to anclior, fill water, and spend a little time in searching the country, till after the change of the moon, for I found a strong current setting against us. We anchored in thirty-eight fathom water, good oozy groimd. We had an island of a league long without us, about three miles distant, and we rode from the main about a mile. The easternmost point of land seen bore east-by-south half -south, distance three leagues, and the westernmost west- south-west half -south, distance two leagues. So soon as we anchored, we sent the pinnace to look for water and try if they could catch any fish. Afterwards we sent the yawl another way to see for water. Before night the pinnace brought on board several sorts of fruits tliat they found in the woods, such as I never saw before. One of my men killed a stately land-fowl, as big as the largest dunghill cock ; it was of a sky- colour, only in the middle of the wings was a white DAMPIER's account of new HOLLAND. Itl spot, about wliich wore some reddish spots; ou the crown it had a large bunch of long feathers, which appeared very pretty ; his bill was like a pigeon's ; ho had strong legs and feet, like dunghill fowls, only tho r-laws were reddish ; his crop was full of small berries. It lays an egs^ as big as a large hen's cg^:^, for our men climbed the tree where it nested, and brought off one vgg. They foimd water, and reported that tho trees were large, tall, and very thick, and that they saw no sign of people. At night tho yawl came aboard and brouglit a wooden fish-spoar, very ingeniously made, the matter of it was a small cane ; they found it by a small barbecue, where they also saw a shattered canoe. Tho next morning I sent tlie boatswain ashore fisli- ing, and at one haul lie caught three hundred and fifty- two mackerel, and about twenty other fisiies, which I caused to be equally divided among all my comi)any. I sent also the gunner and chief mate to search about if they could find convenient anchoring near a water- ing-place ; by night they brought word that tliey had found a fine stream of good water, where the boat could come close to, and it was very easy to be tilltnl, and that the ship might anchor as near to it as I pleased, so I went thither. The next morning, therefore, we anchored in twenty-five fathom wator, soft oozy ground, about a milo from tho river; we got on board three tuns of water that night, and cauglit two or three pike-fisli, in shape much like a parracota, but with a longer snout, 142 EAULY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. something resembling a garr, yet not so long. The next day I sent the boat again for water, and before night all my casks were full. Having filled here about fifteen tuns of water, seeing ■we could catch but little fish, and had no other refresh- ments, I intended to sail next day, but finding that we wanted wood, I sent to cut some, and going ashore to hasten it, at some distance from the place where our men were, I found a small cove, where I saw two barbecues, which appeared not to be above two months' standing ; the spars were cut with some sharp instru- ment, so that, if done by the natives, it seems that they have iron. On the 10th, a little after twelve o'clock, we weighed and stood over to the north side of the bay, and at one o'clock stood out with the wind at north and north-north-west. At four we passed out by a White Island, which I so named from its many white cliffs, having no name in our drafts. It is about a league long, pretty high, and very woody ; it is about five miles from the main, only at the west end it reaches within three miles of it. At some distance off at sea the west point appears like a cape-land, tlie north side trends away north-north-west, and the east side east-south-east. This island lies in latitude 3° 4' south, and the meridian distance from Babao five Imndred and twelve miles east. After we were out to sea, we plied to get to the northward, but met witli such a strong current against us, that we got but iittle, for if the wind favoured us in the night, that we DAMPIERS ACCOUNT OF NEW HOLLAND. 143 got three or four leagues, we lost it again, and were driven as far astern next morning, so that wo plied liere several days. The 14th, being past a point of land that wo had ^iceu three days getting about, we found little or no current, so tliat, having the wind at north-west-by-west ;iud west-north-west, we stood to the northward, and iiad several soundings : at three o'clock thirty-eight I'.ithom, the nearest part of New Guinea being about three leagues' distance; at four, thirty-seven; at five, tliirty-six; at six, thirty-six; at eiglit, thirty-threo 1 athom ; then the Cape was aljout four leagues' distant, - < ) that as wo ran off we found our water shallower ; we iiad then some islands to the westward of us, at about lOur h'jigiu's' distance. A little after noon we saw smoke on the islands to tho west of us, and having a fine gale of wind, I steered away for them. At seven o'clock iu tho evening wo ancljored in tliii*ty-fivo fatliom, about two leagues from ail island, good soft oozy ground. We lay still all iiigiit, and saw fires ashore. In tho morning wo ueigliod again, and ran farther in, tliinkiiig to have -Iiallower water; but we ran within a mile of the shore, and came to in thirty-eight fathom good soft holding ground. While we were uudcT sail two canoes camooff within call of us. They spoke to us, but wo did not understand their language nor signs. Wo waved to them to come aboard, and I called to them in the Malayan languugo to do tho same, but they would not. Yet thoy 144 EARLY AUSTRALIAN YOVAGES. came so nigli lis tliat we could show them such things as we had to truck with tliem ; yet neither would this entice them to come on board, but they made signs for us to come ashore, and away they went. Then I went /ifter them in my pinnace, carrying with me knives, beads, glasses, hatchets, &c. When we came near the shore, I called to them in the Malayan language. I saw but two men at first, the rest lying in ambush behind the bushes ; but as soon as I threw ashore some knives and other toys, they came out, flimg down their weapons, and came into the water by the boat's side, making signs of friendship by pouring water on their heads with one hand, which they dipped into the sea. The next da}-, in the afternoon, several other canoes came aboard, and brought many roots and fruits, which we purchased. The island has no name in our drafts, but the natives call it Pulo Sabuda : it is about three leagues long, and two miles wide, more or less ; it is of a good height, so as to be seen eleven or twelve leagues ; it is very rocky, yet above the rocks there is good yellow and black mould, not deep, yet producing plenty of good tall trees, and bearing any fruits or roots which the in- habitants plant. I do not know all its produce, but what we saw were plantains, cocoa-nuts, pine-apples, oranges, papaes, potatoes, and other large roots. Here are also another sort of wild jacas, about the bigness of a man's two fists, full of stones or kernels, which eat pleasant enough when roasted. The libby tree grows DAMPIEE's account of new HOLLAND. 145 liere in the swampy valleys, of wliicli they iiiako sago cakes. I did not see tliem make any, but was told by the inliabitants that it was made of tlio pitli of tho tree, iu the same manner I haye described in my ** Yoyage Round tho World." They showed mo the tree whereof it was made, and I bought about forty of the cakes. I bought also tlireo or four nutmegs in their shell, which did not seem to haye been long gathered; but whether tliey be the growth of this island or not, the natiyes would not tell wlience they had them, and seem to prize them very much. What beasts tho island affords I know not, but hero are both sea and land fowl. Of the first, boobies and men-of-war birds are tho chief, some goldens, and small milk-white crnb- catcliers ; the land-fowl are pigeons, about the bigness of mountain-pigeons in Jamaica, and crows about tho bigness of those in England, and much like them, but tho inner part of their feathers are white, and tho out- side black, so that they appear all black, unless you extend the feathers. Here are large sky-colourcnl birds, such as we lately killed on New Guinea, and many other small ])irds, unknown to us. Hero are likewise nbunats very fast, and the fish rise up after this figure, and they stand ready to strike them when they are uear the sui-face of tlie water. But their cliief liveli- hood is from their plantations; yet tliey have large boats, and go over to New Guinea, where tliey get slaves, fine parrots, Sic, which they carry to Goram and exchange for calicoes. One boat came from thence a little before I arrived here, of whom I bought some parrots, and would have bought a slave but tliey would not barter for anything but calicoes, which I had not. Their houses on tliis side were very small, and seemed only to be for necessity ; but on tlie other side of the island we saw good large houses. Their prows are narrow, with outriggers, on each side, like other Malayans.' I cannot tell of what religion tliese are ; but I tliink tliey are not Mahonietaiis, l)y their drinking ))randy out of the same cup with us without any scnijjle. At this island we continued till tlie 20th instant, having laid in store of sueli roots and fruits as the ishind afforded. On the 20tli. at half an hour after .six in the morning. T weighed, and .standing out we saw a large boat full of men lying at the north ])oint of the i.sjand. As we passeil b}-, they rowed towards tlieir habitations, where wo supposed they had witlidrawn themsidves for fear of us, though wo gave them no cause of t<»rror. or for some differences among tluMuselvos. Wo .stood to the northward till .seven in tlu^ evening, then saw a rippling ; and, the water being discoloured, 148 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. we sounded, and had but twenty. two fathom. I went about and stood to the westward till two next morning, then tacked again, and had these several soundings : at eight in the evening, twenty-two ; at ten, twenty-five ; at eleven, twenty-seven ; at twelve, twenty-eight fathom ; at two in the morning, twenty- six ; at four, twenty-four ; at six, twenty-three ; at eight, twenty-eight ; at twelve, twenty-two. We passed by many small islands, and among many dangerous shoals without any remarkable occurrence till the 4th of February, when we got within three leagues of the north-west cape of New Guinea, called by the Dutch Cape Mabo. Off this cape tliere lies a small woody island, and many islands of different sizes to the north and north-east of it. This part of New Guinea is high land, adorned with tall trees, that ap- peared very green and flourishing. The cape itseK is not very high, but ends in a low sharp point, and on either side there appears another such point at equal distances, which makes it resemble a diamond. This only appears when you are abreast of the middle point, and then you have no ground within three leagues of the shore. In the afternoon we passed by tlie cape and stood over for the islands. Before it was dark we were got within a league of the westernmost, but had no ground with fifty f atliom of line : however, fearing to stand nearer in the dark, we tacked and stood to the east, and plied all night. The next morning we were got DAMPIER's account of new HOLLAND. 14f> five or six loagruos to the eastward of that island, ami. having tho wind easterly, we stood in to tlie northward among the islands, sounded, and had no ground ; then I sent in my boat to sound, and they had ground witli fifty fathom near a mile from tho shore. We taekcd- before the boat came aboard again, for fear of a shoal that was about a mile to the east of that island the boat went to, from whence also a shoal-point stretched out itself till it met the other : thoy brought with tliem such a cockle as I have mentioned in my " Voyage Round, the World" found near Celebes, and they saw many more, some bigger than that which they brought aboaitl, as they said, and for this reason I named it Cockle Island. I sent them to sound again, ordering them t«> fire a musket if they found good anchoring ; we wen^ then standing to the southward, with a fine breeze. As- soon as they fired, I tacked and stood in ; they tohl me they had fifty fatliom when they fired. I tacked again, and made all tho sail I could to get out, being near some rocky islands and slioals to leeward of us. Tli<> l)reeze increased, and I tliought we were out of danger, but having a shoal just by us, and tlie wind falling again, I ordered the boat to tow us, and l)y their help we got clear from it. We had a strong tide setting to the westward. At one o'clock, being past tli(» slioal. and finding IIk^ tide setting to the wostward. I anchored in thirl y-five fathom coarse sand, witli small cond and shells. Being nearest to Cockle Island, I immetUately sent both tho 150 EAKLY ATJSTEALIAN TOYAGES. boats tliitlier, one to cut wood, and the other to fish. At four iu the afternoon, having a small breeze at south-south-west, I made a sign for my boats to come on board. They brought some wood, and a few small •cockles, none of them, exceeding ten pounds' weight, whereas the shell of the great one weighed seventy- height pounds ; but it was now high water, and therefore they could get no bigger. They also brought on board Gome pigeons, of which we found plenty on all the islands where we touched in these seas : also in many places we saw many large bats, but killed none, except those I mentioned at Pulo Sabuda. As our boats came aboard, we weighed and made sail, steering east-south- ■east as long as the wind held. In the morning we found we had got four or five leagues to the east of the T)lace where we weighed. We stood to and fro till eleven ; and finding that we lost ground, anchored iu iorty-two fathom coarse gravelly sand, with some coral. 'This morning we thought we saw a sail. In the afternoon I went ashore on a small woody island, about two leagues from us. Here I found the f^^reatest number of pigeons that ever I saw either in Ihe East or West Indies, and small cockles in the sea round the island in such quantities that we might have laden the boat in an hour's time. These were not above ten or twelve pounds' weight. We cut some wood, and brought off cockles enough for all the ship's company; but having no small shot, we could kill no pigeons. I returned about four o'clock, and then my DAMPIEE'S account op new HOLLAND. 151 ffunner and both mates went thither, and in less tlian tliree-quarters of an hour they killed and brought off ten pigeons. Here is a tide : the flood sets west and the ebb east, but the latter is very faint and but of small continuance, and so we found it ever since w& came from Timor : the winds we found easterly, be- tween north-east and east-south-east, so that if these- continue, it is impossible to beat farther to the eastward on this coast against wind and current. These easterly winds increased from the time wo were in the latitude of a])out 2^ south, and as we drew nigher the lino they hung more easterly : and now being to the north of tho continent of New Guinea, where the coast lies east and west, I find the trade-wind here at east, which yet in higher latitudes is^ usually at north-north-west and north-west ; and so I did expect them here, it being to- the south of the line. The 7th, in tlie morning, I sent my boat aslioro on Pigeon Island, and stayed till noon. In the afternoon my men returned, brought twenty-two pigeons, and many cockles, some very large, some small : they also brought one empty shell, that weighed two hundred and fifty-eiglit pounds. At four o'clock we weighed, liaviiig a small westerly wind and a tide with ua ; at seven in tlio evening wo anchored in forty-two fathom, near King William's Island, where I went ashore the next morning, drank His Majesty's health, and honoured it witli his name. It is about two Igagues and a half in length, very liig'a 152 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. nnd extraorcliuarily well clotlied with woods ; the trees are of divers sorts, most uuknoTni to us, but all very green and flourisliing ; many of them had flowers, some ^yhite, some purple, others yellow : all which smelt very fragrantly : the trees are generally tall and straiglit bodied, and may be fit for any use. I saw one of a clean body, without knot or limb, sixty or seventy feet high by estimation ; it was tliree of my fathoms about, and kej)t its bigness, without any sensible decrease, even to the top. The mould of the island is black, but not deep, it being very rocky. On the sides and top of the island are many palmetto trees, whose heads we coidd discern over all the other trees, but their bodies vre could not see. About one in the afternoon we weighed and stood to the eastward, between the main and King William's Island, leaving the island on our larboard side, and sounding till we were past the island^ and then we had no ground. Here we found the flood setting east- by-north, and the ebb west-by-south ; there were shoals and small islands between us and the main, which caused the tide to set very inconstantly, and make many whirlings in the water ; yet we did not find the tide to set strong any way, nor the water to rise much. On the 9th, being to the eastward of King William's Island, we plied all day between the main and other islands, having easterly winds and fair weather till seven the next morning ; then we had very hard rain till eight, and saw many shoals of fish. We lay be- DAMPIER'S account op new HOLLAND. 153 calmed off a pretty deep bay on New Guinea, about twelve or fourteen lea^i^es wide, and seven or eight leagues deep, having low land near its bottom, but high land without. Tlie easternmost part of New Guinea seen bore east-by-south, distant twelve leagues ; Cape Mabo west-south-west lialf-south, distant seven leagues. At one in the afternoon it began to rain, and con- tinued till six in the evening, so that, having but little wind and most calms, we lay still off the f oremcntioned bay, having King William's Island still in sight, though distant by judgment fifteen or sixteen leagues west. We saw many slioals of small fish, some sharks, and seven or eiglit dolpliins, but caught none. In the afternoon, being about four leagues from the sliore, avo saw an opening in the laud, which seemed to afford good harbour. In the evening we saw a largo fii-o tliere, and I intended to go in (if winds and wc^atlier would permit) to get some acquaintance witli the natives. Since the 4th instant tliat we passed Capo Mabo, to the 12th, wo had small easterly winas and calms, so that wo anchored several times, wliero I made my men cut wood, tluit we might have a good stock when a westerly wind sliould present, and so we pli(Hl to tlio eastward, as winds and currents would permit, liaving not got in all above thirty leagues to tho eastward of Capo Mabo ; but on the 12tli, at four in tho afternoon, a small galo sprang up at nortli-east-by-north, witli rain; at five it shuffled about to north-west, from 154 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. thence to the south--^est, and continued between those two points a pretty brisk gale, so that we made sail and steered away north-east, till the 13th, in the morning, to get about the Cape of Good Hope. When it was day we steered north-east half east, then north- east-by-east till seven o'clock, and, being then seven or eight leagues off shore, we steered away east, the shore trending east-by-south. We had very much rain all night, so that we could not carry much sail, yet we had a very steady gale. At eight this morning the weather cleared up, and the wind decreased to a fine top-gallant gale, and settled at west-by-south. We had more rain these three days past, than all the voyage, in so short a time. We were now about six leagues from the land of ISTew Guinea, which appeared very high ; and we saw two headlands about twenty leagues asunder, the one to the east and the other to the west, which last is called the Cape of Good Hope. We found variation east 4"=^. The 15th, in the morning, between twelve and two o'clock, it blew a very brisk gale at north-west, and looked very black in the south-west. At two it flew about at once to the south-south-west, and rained very hard. The wind settled some time at west-south-west, and we steered east-north-east till three in the morning; then the wind and rain abating, we steered east-half- north for fear of coming near the land. Presently after, it being a little clear, the man at the bowsprit end called out, "Land on our starboard bow." We looked out DAMPrEE*S ACCOUNT OP NEW HOLLAND. 155- and saw it plain : I presently sounded, and had but ten fathom, soft ground. The master, being somewhat scared, came running in hast-e with this news, and said it was best to anchor. I told him no, but sound again; then we had twelve fathom ; the next cast, thirtoen and a half ; the fourth, seventeen fathom ; and then no ground with fifty fathom line. However, wo kept off the island, and did not go so fast but that wo could see any otlier danger before we came nigh it ; for here might have been more islands not laid down in my drafts besides this, for I searched all the drafts I had,, if perchance I might find any island in the one which, was not in tlie others, but I could find none near ns. When it was day wo were aljout five leagues off tho land we saw ; but, I believe, not above five miles, or at most two leagues, off it when wo first saw it in tho night. Tliis is a small island, but pretty high ; I named it Providence. About five leagues to the soutliward of this there is another island, which is called William Scouten's Island, and laid down in our drafts : it is ar higli island, and about twenty leagues long. It was by mere pro^^denco that wo missed tho small oland ; for, had not the wind conio to west-south-west, and blown liard, so tliat we stt^ercd east-north-east, wo liad been upon it by our course tliat wo stoored before, if we could not liavo seen it. This morning wo saw many great trees and logs swim by us, whicli, it is probable, came out of some great rivers on the main. 156 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. On tlie 16tli we crossed the line, and found variation '6^ 26' east. The 18th, by my observation at noon, we found that we had had a current setting to the south- ward, and probably that drew us in so nigh Scouten's Island. For this twenty-four hours we steered east-by- uorth with a large wind, yet made but an east-by-soutli half south course, though the variation was not above 7^ east. The 21st we had a current setting to the northward, ivhich is against the true trade monsoon, it being now near the full moon. I did expect it here, as in all other places. We liad variation 8® 45' east. The 22nd ive found but little current, if any ; it set to the south- ward. On the 23rd, in the afternoon, we saw two snakes, 4ind the next morning another passing by us, which -was furiously assaulted by two fishes, that had kept us company five or six days ; they were shaped like mackerel, and were about that bigness and length, and of a yellow-greenish colour. The snake swam away from them very fast, keeping his head above water ; tlie fish snapped at his tail, but when he turned him- self, that fish would withdraw, and another would snap, so that by turns they kept him employed, yet he still defended himself, and swam away a great pace, till they were out of sight. The 2.5tli, betimes in the morning, we saw an island to the southward of us, at about fifteen leagues' distance. We steered away for it, supposing it to be that which DAMPIER'S account of new HOLLAND. 157 the Dutch call Wishart's Islaud; but, fiuding- it other- wise, I called it Matthias, it being that saint's day. This island is about nine or ten leagues long, moun- tainous and woody, with many savannahs, and some .^pots of land which seemed to be cleaivnl. At eiglit in the evening we lay ])y, intending, if I could, to anchor under Matthias Isle; but the next morning, seeing another island about seven or eight Leagues to the eastward of it, we steered away for it. At noon wo came up fair with its south-west end, in- tending to run along by it and anclior on the south- oast side, but the tornadoes came in so thick and hard that I could not venture in. This island is pretty low and plain, and clothed with wood ; the trees were very green, and appeared to be largo and tall, as thick as tiiey could stand one liy another. It is a])out two or tlireo leagues long, and at the south-west point there is another small, low, Avoody island, about a mile round, and a]jelieve these are alike treacherous. Their speecli is clear and distinct. The words they used most when near us W(»ro vacousee allamaiif, and then tliey pointed to the shore. Their signs of friendsliii) are either a great truncheon, or bough of a tree full of leaves, put on their heads, often striking their heads with their liaiids. 1G4 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. Tlio next cLiy. having a fresli gale of wind, wo got under a higli island, about four or five leagues round, very woody, and full of plantations upon tlie sides of the hills; and in the bays, by the waterside, are abundance of cocoa-nut trees. It lies in the latitude of 3° 25' south, and meridian distance from Cape Mabo 1,316 miles. On the south-east part of it are three or four other small woody islands, one high and peaked, the others low and fiat, all bedecked with cocoa-nut trees and other wood. On the north there is another island of an indifferent height and of a somewhat larger circumference than tlie great high island last mentioned. We passed between this and the high island. The high island is called in the Dutch drafts Anthony Cave's Island. As for the flat, low island, and the other small one, it is probable they were never seen by the Dutch, nor the islands to the north of Garret Dennis's Island. As soon as we came near Cave's Island some canoes came about us, and made signs for us to come ashore, as all the rest had done before, probably thinking we could run the ship aground anywhere, as they did their proas, for we saw neither sail nor anchor among any of them, though most Eastern Indians have both. These had proas made of one tree, well dug, with outriggers on one side ; they were but small, yet well shaped, "VVe endeavoured to anchor, but found no ground within a mile of tlie shore. "'iVe kept close along the north side, still sounding till we came to the north-east end, but found no ground, DAMPIER's account of new HOLLAND. 165 tlio canoes still accompanying us, and tlift bays were covered witli men going along as wo sailed. Many of tliom strove to swim off to us, but wo left them astern. Being at tlio nortli-east jwint, wo found a strong current setting to tlio north-west, so that though we had steered to keep under the high island, yet wo were driven towards the flat one. At this time three of the natives came on board. I gave each of thorn a knife, a looking-glass, and a string of beads. I showed them pumpkins and cocoa-nut shells, and made signs to them to bring some aboard, and had ]U'esently three cocoa-nuts out of one of the canoes. I showed them nutmegs, and by their signs I guessed they had some on tlie island. I also showed them some gold dust, which they seemed to know, and called out "Maniu'el, Manneel," and pointi^d towards the land. A while after these men were gone, two or three canoes came from tlio flat island, and by signs invited us to their island, at which the others seemed displea.scd, and used very menacing gestures and, I believe, sjMjcches to each other. Night coming on, we stood off to sea, and having but little wind all night, were driven away to the north-west. We saw many great fires on the flat inland. The la.st men that came off to us were all black as those wo had scon before, with frizzled hair. They were very tall, lusty, well-shap.'d men. They wear great things in their noses, and i)aint as the others, but not nuK'h. Tliey mak«> tiie .same signs of friendship, and their language seems to be one ; but the 166 EAELY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. others had proas, and these canoes. On the sides of some of these -sve saw the figures of several fish neatly cut, and these last were not so shy as the others. Steering away from Cave's Island south- south-east, we found a strong current against us, which set only in some places in streams, and in them we saw many trees and logs of wood, which drove by us. We had but little wood aboard ; wherefore I hoisted out the pinnace, and sent her to take up some of this drift-wood. In a little time she came aboard with a great tree in tow, which we could hardly hoist in with all our tackles. We cut up the tree and split it for firewood. It was much worm-eaten, and had in it some live worms above an inch long, and about the bigness of a goose- quill, and having their heads crusted over with a thin shell. After this we passed by an island, called by tlie Dutch St. John's Island, leaving it to the north of us. It is about nine or ten leagues round, and very well adorned with lofty trees. We saw many plantations on the sides of the hills, and abundance of cocoa-nut trees about them, as also tliick groves on the bays by the seaside. As we came near it three canoes came off to us, but would not come aboard. They were such as we had seen about the other islands. They spoke the same language, and made the same signs of peace, and their canoes were such as at Cave's Island. We stood along by St. John's Island till we came almost to the south-east point, and then, seeing no more islands to the eastward of us, nor any likelihood DAMPIEE'S account of new HOLLAND. 1»)7 of anchoring under tliis, I steered away for tlio main of New Guinea, wo being now, as I supposed, to tlio east of it, on tliis north side. My design of seeing these ishnids as I passed ah)ng was to g(;t wood and water, but could find no anchor ground, and tliereforo could not do as I purposed ; besides, these islands are all so populous, that I dared not send my boat ashore, unless I could have anchored pretty nigh ; wherefore I rather chose to prosecute my design on the main, the season of the year being now at hand, for I judged the westerly winds were nigh spent. On the 8th of March we saw some smoke on the main, ])eing distant from it four or five leagues. It is very high, woody land, with some spots of savannah. About ten in the morning six or seven canoes came off to us. Most of them had no more than on«t man in them. They were all black, with short curled hair, having the same ornaments in their noses, and their heads so sliaved and painted, and speaking the same words as the inhabitants of Cave's Island before iiK.'ntioned. There was a headland to the southward of us, beyond which, seeing no land, I suppo.sed that from tlienee tjir land trends away more westerly. This headland lies in tin? latitude of 5° 2' south, and meridian distance from Capc^ Mabo 1,2J>0 mih's. In the night we lay by. for fear of overshooting this headlany holding their hands abroad at several distances from the ground. At night our boats came aboard with wood, and tho 176 EARLY AUSTRALIAN TOYAGES. uext morning I weut myself "witli botli boats up ihe river to tlie watering-pLiee, carrying -with me all sucli trifles and iron- work as I tlionglit most proper to induce them to a commerce with us ; but I found them very shy and roguish. I saw but two men and a boy. One of the men, by some signs, was persuaded to come to the boat's side, where I was ; to him I gave a knife, a string of beads, and a ghiss bottle. The fellow called out, '' Cocos, cocos," pointing to a village hard by, and signified to us that he would go for some ; but he never returned to us : and thus they had frequently of late served our men. I took eight or nine men with me, and marched to their houses, wliich I found very mean, and their doors made fast with withies. I visited three of their villages, and, finding all the liouses thus abandoned by the inhabitants, who car- ried with them all their hogs, &c., I brought out of their houses some small fishing-nets in recompense for those things they had received of us. As we were coming away we saw two of the natives ; I showed them the things that we carried with us, and called to them, " Cocos, cocos," to let them know that I took these things because they had not made good what they had promised by their signs, and by their calling out " Cocos." "While I was thus employed the men in the yawl filled two hogsheads of water, and all the barre- coes. About one in the afternoon I came aboard, and found all my officers and men very importunate to go to that bay where the hogs were said to be. I was DAMPIEK'S ACCOUNT OF NEW HOLLAND. 177 loth to yield to it,fo;iriiig tlicy would deal too rourjhly with tho natives. By two o'clock in the afternoon many black cloud.s gathered over the land, which I thought would deter them from their enterprise ; hut they solicited me the more to let tliem go. At last I consented, sending tliose commodities I had ashore with mo in the morning, and giving them a strict charge to deal by fair means, and to act cautiously for tlieir own security. Tho bay I sent them to was about two miles from the ship. As soon as they were gone, I got all things ready, that, if I saw occasion, I might jLssist tlieni with my great guns. When they came to land, the natives in great companies stood to resist them, shaking their lances, and threatening them, and eome were so daring as to wade into tho sea, liolding a target in one hand and a lance in tho other. Our men lield up to tiiem sucli commodities as I had sent, and made signs of friendshi}), but to no purpose, for the natives waved them off. Seeing, therefore, they could not bo prevailed upon to a friendly commerce, my men, being resolved to have some j)rovision anujng them, fired some muskets to .scare them away, which had the desired effect upon all but two or three, who stood still in a menacing posture, till the boldest dropped his target and ran away. They suppo.sed ho was shot in the arm; ho and some others felt tho smart of our bullets, but none were killed, our design being rather to frighten than to kill them. Our men landed, and found abundance of tame hogs running 178 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. among tlie houses. They shot down niue, which they broTight away, besides mauy that ran away wounded. Tliey had hut little time, for in less than an hour after they went from the ship it began to rain ; wherefore they got what they could into the boats, for I had charged them to come away if it rained. By the time the boat was aboard and the hogs taken in it cleared up, and my men desired to make another trip thither before night ; this was about five in the evening, and I consented, giving them orders to repair on board before night. In the close of the evening they returned accordingly, with eight hogs more, and a little live pig ; and by this time the other hogs were jerked and salted. These that came last we only dressed and corned till morning, and then sent both boats ashore for more refreshments eitlier of hogs or roots ; but in the night the natives had conveyed away their provisions of all sorts. Many of tliem were now about the houses, and none offered to resist our boats landing, but, on the contrary, were so amicable, that one man brought ten or twelve cocoa-nuts, left them on the shore after he had shown them to our men, and went out of sight. Our people, finding nothing but nets and images, brought some of themjaway, which two of my men brought aboard in a small canoe, and presently after my boats came off. I ordered the boatswain to take care of the nets till we came at some place where they might be disposed of for some re- freshment for the use of all the company. The images I took into mv own custodv. DAMPIER'S account of new HOLLAND. 179 In the afternoon I sent the canoe to the place from whence slie had been brouglit, and in her two axes, two hatchets (one of them helved), sis knives, six looking-glasses, a large bunch of beads, and four glass bottles. Our men drew the canoe ashore, placed the things to the best advantage in her, and came off in the pinnace Avhich I sent to guard them ; and now, being well-stockeen two islands, lying about four leagues a.sund<»r, with iiitrwards opened three more islands, and some land to the southward, which we could not well tell whetlu^r it were islands or part of tlie main. Tlicse islands are all higli, full of fair trees and spots of great savaniuihs, as avcII the Burning Isle as the rest; but the Burning Isle was inoro round and peaked at top, very fine land near the sea, and for two-thirds up it : we also saw another isle Bending forth a great smoke at once, but it soon vanished, and we saw it no more ; we saw also anuuig these islands three small vessels with sails, which tho people of Nova Britannia seem wholly ignorant of. The 11th, at noon, having a very good observation, I found myself to the northward of my reckoning, and thence concluded that wo had a current setting north- west, or rather more westerly, as the land lies. From 188 EARLY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. tliat time to tlie next morning we liad fair clear weather, and a fine moderate gale from south-east to east-hj- north : but at daybreak the clouds began to fl}', and it lightened very much in tlie east, south-east, and north- east. At sun-rising, the sky looked very red in the east near the horizon, and there were many black clouds Ijoth to the south and north of it. About a quarter of an hour after the sun was up, there was a squall to the windward of us ; when on a sudden one of our men on the forecastle called out that he saw something astern, but could not tell what : I looked out for it, and imme- diately saw a spout beginning to work within a quarter of a mile of us, exactly in the wind : we j)resently put right l^efore it. It came very swiftly, whirling the water up in a pillar about six or seven yards high. As yet I could not see any pendulous cloud, from whence it might come, and was in hopes it would soon lose its force. In four or five minutes' time it came within a cable's length of us, and passed away to leeward, and then I saw a long pale stream coming down to the whirling water. This stream was about the bigness of a rainbow : the upper end seemed vastly high, not descending from any dark cloud, and therefore the more strange to me, I never liaving seen the like be- fore. It passed about a mile to leeward of us, and then broke. Tliis was but a small spout, not strong nor lasting ; yet I perceived much wind in it as it passed by us. The current still continued at north-west a little westerly, which I allowed to run a mile per hour. DAMPIER's account op new HOLLAND. 189 By an observatio7i tlio 13tli, nt noon, I found myself 25' to tlio northward of my rockoninf^ ; wliotlior oeca- sionod by bad steerage, a bad account, or a current, I could not determine ; but was apt to judge it might l>e a complication of all ; for I could not think it was wholly the current, the land hero lying east-by-.south, and west-by-north, or a little more northerly and southerly. We had kept so nigh as to seo it, and at farthest had not Ijeen above twenty leagues from it, but sometimes much nearer ; and it is not probable that any current should set directly off from a land. A tide indeed may ; but then the flood has the same force to strike in upon the shore, as the ebb to strike off from it : l)ut a current must have set nearly along shore, eitlier easterly or westerly ; and if anything northerly or southerly, it could bo but very littlo in comparison of its east or west course, on a coast lying as this doth ; which yet we did not i)erceive. If therefore we were deceived by a current, it is very probable that the land is here disjoined, and that there is a passage through to the southward, and that tho land from King William's Capo to this placo is an island, separated from New Guinea by some strait, as Nova Britannia is by that which wo came through, Biit tliis l)('ing at Ix'st but a probable conjecture, I shall insist no fartlier upon it. Th«! 14th we passed l)y Scoutrn's Island, and Provi- dence Island, and fojind still a very strong current setting to the north-west. Ou tho I7th wo saw a iiigh mountain 190 EAULY AUSTRALIAN VOYAGES. on the main, that sent fortli great quantities of smoke from its toj) : this volcano we did not see in our voyage out. In the afternoon we discovered King "William's Island, and crowded all the sail we could to get near it before night, thinking to lie to tlie eastward of it till day, for fear of some shoals that lie at the west end of it. Before night we got within two leagues of it, and having a fine gale of wind and a light moon, I resolved to pass through in the night, which I hoped to do before twelve o'clock, if the gale continued; but when we came within two miles of it, it fell calm : yet afterwards by the help of the current, a small gale, and our boat, we got through Ijefore day. In the night we had a very fragrant smell from the island. By morning light we were got two leagues to the westward of it ; and then were becalmed all the morning ; and met such wliirling tides, that when we came into them, the ship turned quite round: and tliough sometimes we had a small gale of wind, yet she could not feel the helm when she came into these whirlpools : neither could we get from amongst them, till a brisk gale sprung up ; yet we drove not much any way, but whirled round like a top. And those whirlpools were not constant to one place but drove about strangely : and sometimes we saw among them large ripplings of the water, like great over-falls making a fearful noise. I sent my boat to sound, but found no ground. The 18th Cape Mabo bore south, distance nine leagues ; by which account it lies iu the latitude of 50' south, UAMi'ltliS ACCOUNT OF .NEW HOLLAND. lUl and meridian distance from Caix? St. George one thou- saud two liundred and forty-tliree miles. St. Jolm's Isle lies forty-eight miles to the east of Capo St, George ; which being added to the distance between Cape St. George and Cape Mabo, makes one thousand two hundred and ninety-ono meridional parts ; which was the furthest that I was to the east. In my out- ward-bomid voyage I made meridian distance between Cape Mabo and Cape St. George, one thousand two hundred and ninety miles ; and now in my return, but one thousand two hundred and forty-three ; which is forty-seven short of my distance going out. This dif- ference may probably be occasioned by the strong wes- tern current which we found in our return, which I allowed for after I perceived it ; and though wo did not discern any current when we went to the eastward, except when near the islands, yet it is probable we had one against us, though wo did not take notice of it be- cause of the strong westerly winds. King William's Island lies in the latitude of -V south, and may 1x3 seen distinctly off Capt? Mabo. In the evening we passed by Cape Mabo; and after- wards steered away soutli-oast half-east, keeping along the shore, which licro trends south-easterly. The next moniing, seeing a largo o|H?ning in the land, with an island near the south side; I stood in, thinking to anchor there. When we were shot in within two leagues of the island, the wind came to the west, which blows right into the opening, I stood to the north shore, 192 EARLY AUSTSALIAN VOYAGES. intendiug, Avlion I car.io pretty iiigli, to send my boat into the opeiiiiig', aud sound, before I would venture in. "We found several deep bays, but no soundings within two miles of the shore ; therefore I stood oif again, then seeing a rippling under our lee, I sent my boat to sound on it ; which returned in half an hour, and brought me word that the rippling we saw was only a tide, and that they had no ground there. Printed by Cassell & Company, Lnuited, La lielle .Sauvaga. 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