Part 19

(They) have not done much worth mentioning, for at the place where the chart [*] they had with them, led them to expect an open passage, they did not find any such, so that they could not get to the island they wished to reach...[**]

Done in the Castle of Nassauw at Nera in the island of Banda, this 16th of May, A.D. 1623. (signed) ISACK De BRUNE.

Letter from the Governor-General Antonio Van Diemen to "Commander" Gerrit Thomaszoon Pool, February 19, 1636.

Worshipful, Provident, very Discreet Sir,

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With the present we also [*] send you a chart of the coasts made A.D. 1623 by the Yachts Pera and Arnhem, together with a small map of the South-land as surveyed by divers ships coming from the Netherlands, both of which may be of use to Your Worship [**]...

Done in the Castle of Batavia, February 19, A.D. 1636.

(signed) ANTONIO VAN DIEMEN

Instructions for Pool, Febr. 19, 1636.

...Failing ulterior instructions, we desire you to sail as quickly as possible from Banda to Arnhems and Speultsland, situated between 9 and 13 degrees Southern Latitude, discovered A.D., 1623, as you may further see from the annexed chart [*]...

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Letter from the Governor-General and Councillors to the Managers of the E.I.C., December 28, 1636.

...[The ships of Pool's expedition touched at] the native village of Taranga, situated at the south-western extremity of Arouw, and then sailed southward, hoping to be able to run on an easterly course in order to execute their orders; they, however, met with strong south-east winds and very high seas besides; in 11 degrees S.L. they discovered vast lands, to which they gave the names of Van Diemen's and Maria's Land, and which we suspect to be Arnhems or Speults's islands, though they extend in another direction than the latter [*].

The council of the said yachts, finding they could not run on an eastern course, after discovering and surveying Arnhem's Land twenty miles to westward, resolved to steer their course northward again past the islands of Timor and Tenember, and thus return to Banda, where they arrived on July 7...

Instructions for Tasman, 1644.

...The third voyage was undertaken from Amboyna in the month of January 1623 with the Yachts Pera and Arnhem, commanded by Commander JAN CARSTENS, for the purpose of entering into friendly relations with the inhabitants of the islands of Key, Arou and Tenimber, and of exploring Nova Guinea and the South-lands, on which occasion alliances were made with the islands aforesaid and the south-coast of Nova Guinea was further discovered...but owing to untimely separation the Yacht Arnhem, after discovering the large islands of Arnhem and Speult, returned to Amboyna unsuccessfully enough, while the Yacht Pera, continuing her voyage, navigated along the south coast of Nova Guinea as far as a shallow bay in 10 degrees, and afterwards along the west coast of the same land as far as Cape Keer-Weer, whence she further explored the coast to southward as far as 17 degrees near the Staten river, where she saw the land stretching farther to westward, after which she returned again to Amboyna...

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XV.

(1623) VOYAGE OF THE SHIP LEYDEN COMMANDED BY SKIPPER KLAAS HERMANSZ(OON) FROM THE NETHERLANDS TO JAVA.--FURTHER DISCOVERY OF THE WEST-COAST OF AUSTRALIA.

Journal kept on board the ship Leyden from the Texel to Batavia, 1623.

Laus Deo. This 9th day of July, A.D. 1623 in the ship Leyden...

On the 15th do. Latitude 27° 15'; during the last twenty-four hours we sailed 16 miles East by North and East-north-east...At noon we saw a large dead fish floating near our ship, with a great many birds perched on its carcase.

On the 16th do. Latitude 26° 27'; sailed 16 miles in 24 hours North by east...

On the 17th do. Latitude 27° 23'; from last night sailed 16 miles East-south-east...

On the 18th do. Latitude 27° 25'; sailed 24 miles East-south-east, East by South and East-north-east, on the whole keeping an eastward course...

On the 19th do. Latitude 27' 20'. sailed due east 20 Miles in 24 hours...

On the 20th do. Latitude 27° 20' sailed 20 miles these 24 hours North-east, East-north-east and East, with a light breeze, fair weather, and a West-south-west wind; course held east.