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Map 1. Map showing the track of Tasman’s ships 14 August 1642 to 15 June 1643, Batavia to Batavia.

Map 2. A. Herrera’s Map of New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and the East Indies, 1601.

Map 3. Detail displaying the central Pacific area, from W. J. Blaeu’s 1602 globe (233 mm) revised after 1618.

Map 5. Hessel Gerritsz’s map of parts of Australia and parts of the East Indies (1618-1628).

Figure 1. A Polynesian sailing vessel observed by the Dutch explorers Le Maire and Schouten, 1616.

Geographical names: I have used modern names as displayed in maps published by the National Geographic Society or printed in volumes of the British Admiralty Pilot series. There are a few exceptions: e.g. Batavia for Jakarta, Van Diemens Land for Tasmania, and Staten Landt for New Zealand, have been left unaltered. Using a modern map, the reader can follow the course of Tasman’s voyage.

Punctuation: I have changed the punctuation and the use of capitals in many entries throughout the journal, to clarify passages and to allow for easier reading. However, these changes in no way interfere with the meaning of any passage.

Longitude: Tasman reckoned longitude eastward from the Peak of Tenerife in the Canary Islands, which is 16º 39' westward of the meridian of Greenwich. Heeres (1898) says 16º 46' westward which is incorrect according to the latest British Admiralty figures.

Watches: The first watch was from 8 pm till midnight. the second or dogwatch from midnight till 4 am and the day watch from 4 am till 8 am. One glass was equal to half an hour.

First person: Not all the entries in the journal were written up by Tasman himself. An entry reading (for example) “Tasman did …” indicates another hand.

Resolutions: Resolutions mentioned in many entries have never been found.

Orientation of maps: Maps in the journal are shown with north at the top.

Dates: In the journal the daily entries are in civil time measured from midnight to midnight but occasionally entries after midnight are included in the entry for the previous day.

Distances. The figures of miles in the journal are fairly certain to be according to Snellius’ measurement of the German mile at the rate of 15 to a degree, namely 7,158 metres, accompanied with a more accurate later measurement of 7,408 metres. (fn. Meyjes, 1919, 199-207.) If the journal figures of miles are multiplied by 4 ½ the sum will give the approximate equivalent in statute miles.

Bearings of geographical features. Meyjes points out, that in the journal, the bearings of the topographical features were not corrected for compass variation. (fn. Meyjes,1919, 199.)

The illustrations in the journal. It has been suggested that Isaac Gilsemans was the author of the original drawings in the State Archives Journal. The journal sketches, some in colour, are all copies of originals now lost. A reference to Gilsemans in a resolution shows that he had some knowledge of the "drawing of lands." (fn. Heeres, 1898, 106-7.) However, it is very probable that some or a number of the drawings were prepared by other officers.

The journal on which this work is based, is a copy of the original manuscript now lost, made after the expedition returned to Batavia. (fn. Other manuscripts, some of which are referred to in footnotes in the present work, are discussed in Schilder (1976 ) and Sharp (1968). In particular a translation of "The Sailors Journal" is included in Sharp (1968).

Preparations for the voyage of 1642-3 Anthony van Diemen, the enterprising Governor General at Batavia (fn. Jakarta.) (1636-45), and the Council of the Dutch East India Company, shared a desire to expand their knowledge of lands in southern latitudes, which the Dutch had discovered in the thirty five years since the first contacts in the north of Australia.

The main reason for voyages was a wish to extend the Company’s field of commercial operations and thus increase its profits. But there was also an interest in finding alternative sailing routes which would be open for shipping throughout the year. The imaginative van Diemen’s commercial awareness, gave him the foresight of a statesman.

The first discovery of a part of Australia occurred in 1605-6. Willem Jansz and Jan Roossengin came in the Dutch vessel Duyfken from the East Indies along the south New Guinea coast and thence to the east side of the Gulf of Carpentaria on the north coast of Australia in about latitude12¼º S. They sailed along the coast to Cape Keerweer, about a degree of latitude further south, and then returned to the East Indies after passing close to the western side of the islands and reefs masking the western entrances to Torres Strait. They arrived back about May 1606. (fn. Details of this voyage are given in Sharp (1963) PP. 16-20.)

The year 1642 appeared to be the right time to unravel the remaining mysteries of the southland. There was a determination to resolve this question finally. The problem required cautious and considered investigation. These plans culminated in the following resolution of 1 August 1642, by which the voyage to the southland was initiated.

This resolution continued to note, that because of the demands of commerce and recent wars, there had been a scarcity of suitable ships, so that little progress in discovery had been made in the preceding years. For this new voyage of discovery the ships Heemskerck and Zeehaen were to be allocated. The whole undertaking was put under the command of Abel Janszoon Tasman and a member of the Council, Justus Schouten, was appointed to draw up the applicable sailing orders or instructions.

Tasman was at this time, an experienced and skilful sailor whose ability had been proved already in the hard and dangerous service of the Dutch East India Company. (fn. See the biographical note below.) It was on the basis of his record with the Company, that he was entrusted by the Governor General with the demanding task of commanding this expedition to the southland.

Evidence to support the real motive of the expedition, is contained in a treatise prepared by Franchoijs Jacobszoon Visscher, described in the resolution as an experienced pilot and chief adviser for the planned voyage.

A copy of his Beschrzjvinge noopende het ontdecken van Suijtlandt of 22 January 1642 was handed to Tasman with the instructions for the voyage. Visscher mentions in his memorandum various alternative possibilities that could be adopted for a more thorough exploration of the southland. Briefly they can be summarized as follows:

Only the first of these four possible plans was included in the instructions and then two alternative routes were suggested. Although Visscher gives no hint of what countries he thought might exist in the higher latitudes, he may well have been influenced by those contemporary maps on which "Beach" is drawn in as the northern tip of a great continent shown lying south of the Indies.

The ships of the expedition were the Heemskerck and the Zeehaen. The Heemskerck, a small pinnace of war, was the flagship. It had sailed to India in 1638 for the first time and was under the command of Yde Tjercxzoon Holman. The flute Zeehaen was under the command of Gerrit Janszoon who died late in the voyage. The Heemskerck had a crew of sixty, the Zeehaen a complement of fifty men. In addition to their own supplies, the ships carried numerous trade items for barter.

Details of the operation of this seven member council, during the voyage, are unknown. Since the minutes of their meetings have been lost the only evidence is to be drawn from entries in the journal. Tasman seems to have convened the council whenever a decision had to be taken concerning the course to be followed. This is of importance because it shows that Tasman made full use of the knowledge and views of his assistants. In the instructions, all officers and men of both ships are called upon to: "acknowledge Abel Janszoon Tasman as their commander and their leader, to respect and obey him as well as assist him in all matters with good counsel and diligent service...."

The instructions handed to Tasman follow; the translation retains the muddled and demanding tenor of the document.

Instructions for the skipper-commander Abel Janszoon Tasman, the chief mate Franchoijs Jacobszoon Visscher, and the Council of the ship Heemskerck, and the flute Zeehaen, assigned to the discovering of the unknown and found southland, the southeast coast of New Guinea, together with the islands located thereabout.

Up to a hundred and fifty years ago, only about one third of the globe (divided into Europe, Asia, and Africa) had been known, and that the kings of Castile and Portugal (Ferdinand Catholicus and don Emanuel) have caused the unknown part of the earth usually named America or New World, (and by the cosmographers divided into North and South America) to be discovered by the very famous sea heroes Christopher Columbus and Americus Vesputius (to their undying glory), as also about the same time, the unexplored coasts and islands of Africa, and East India were first sailed to by the renowned Vasco da Gama and other Portuguese captains.

What inestimable riches, profitable trading, useful exchanges, fine dominions, great might and powers, the said kings have brought to their kingdoms and crowns by this discovering and its sequel and also untold blind heathens have come to the salutary light of the Christian religion. And it is also well known to the experienced, and deemed most highly laudable, by all knowledgeable men, appropriately served other European princes as an example for the discovery of many northern lands.

Nevertheless, up till now, there has not been any serious attempt by any Christian kings, princes, or republics to discover the remaining unknown part of the globe (that situated in the south, and probably almost as large, as is the old or new world). Although it is to be judged for good reasons, many attractive and fruitful lands are located therein, as being in the cold, temperate and hot zones, where necessarily there must be many inhabited places, in the pleasant clime and attractive sky, and because in many lands, situated north of the equinoctial (in the latitude of I5 to 40 degrees) many rich mines, and other treasures are found.

So it is beyond doubt, similar fruitful and rich lands are also situated south of the equator, as the gold- and silver-rich provinces of Peru, Chile, Monomotapa or Soffala (all situated south of the equator) show and indicate as clear examples. Thus it is certainly to be hoped, that the outlay and trouble, which must be incurred in the discovery of so large a part of the world, can be recompensed with certain fruits of gain, and undying fame.

This being so then and since no European colony is situated more conveniently for this very evident discovering, than the town Batavia (like a middle point of the known and unknown Oriental India), so were the Hon Generals, Jan Pietersen Coen, and Henrick Brouwer (our predecessors) in the time of their governing, well inclined to make despatch for discovering of the unknown southern lands, which was prevented by more pressing voyages. Likewise, we also, during our government have inclined greatly thereto, this matter being also recommended as very useful by our superiors.

So it is that we made a survey in the Council of India of the Company’s present naval power, and have found that without curtailment of more important expeditions (war or trade) two suitable ships can be conveniently detached from their immediate duties, and accordingly resolved, no longer to put off the long attempted discovering of the unknown southland, but at once to put it in hand; and to use for it the ship Heemskerk with the flute Zeehaen (duly supplied with all necessaries). We have committed it to the charge of you people, who thereto, are both fitted and desirous, in trust that you will properly and carefully conduct this important voyage with good management, necessary courage and due patience, so that on your return you will aim to answer before us, to our satisfaction.

We shall make no extensive account of the various ways, suggested to us in writing, by expert pilots, on the discovery of the southland, but refer to the copies of the same attached hereto, of which you can make use, according to circumstances. And the following shall serve you as the best way for rule and instruction. Nevertheless, with such understanding, that it may be corrected at all times according to requirement of time, place and occasion, with advice of the council, as and when the service of the Company shall require for the furtherance of our purpose, which we leave committed to your trusted management and experience.

You shall then, in the morning, early, after completion of mustering. go under sail together, and endeavour to come out of Selat Sunda as quickly as possible, setting course in order to get soon into the southeast trade wind, with which you shall take your way westward to the island of Mauritius (running in sight of Rodrigues) and anchor within the southeast harbour before the fortress of Frederick Hendrik, then deliver our accompanying letters, with the embarked goods for that island, to the commander Adriaen van der Stel.

You shall duly and quickly supply your ships with water, firewood, and supplies, but spend in that place no longer a time than 14 to 16 days, or at the most till the 12th or 15th October, taking care that the crews are duly refreshed in this time, and during it, fed only with fresh food, for which we have given to the commander van der Stel, the necessary orders. He shall be helpful to you according to ability, and as needed, permit hunting of wild animals.

As above stated, you shall, after obtaining supplies of the necessaries about mid-October, or somewhat earlier, sail from Mauritius, setting course with the trade wind as close as possible southward, as high as weather and wind shall allow, to about the south latitude of 36 to 38 degrees. Outside the easterly trade, you will get the variable winds, with which you must always make the best tack, in order to come southwards, until you come into the westerly prevailing wind, on which you shall sail as close as possible, to the south, until you encounter the unknown southland, or as far as the latitudes of 52 to 54 degrees inclusive.

And if you discover no land in such latitudes, you shall set the course to due east, and sail as far as the longitude of the east end of New Guinea, or indeed of the Solomon Islands, situated in longitude of about 220 degrees, or until you may meet with land. In such case, be it at the start, or when you have sailed more easterly, you shall sail (as said) eastward, by the discovered coast or islands, following the trend of the same.

All lands, islands, points, bights, inlets, bays, rivers, shoals, banks, sands, rivers, rocks and reefs etc., which you will meet with, and pass, you must chart thoroughly, and describe, and also the form and appearance, duly draw to which end a draughtsman has been provided for you. Also carefully noting, in what altitude or latitude, what kind of trend and distance, the coasts, islands, capes, heads or points, bays and rivers, are situated from one another. What notable mountains, as marks, hills, trees, or buildings (whereby one may know these) are to be seen thereon. Also what depths and shallows of bottoms, submerged rocks, projecting reefs at the points, shall be situated. How and by what marks these are conveniently to be avoided.

Likewise, whether the bottoms are hard, sharp, soft, flat, sloping or steep. Whether one may reach them with the lead, or not. By what marks, one finds the best anchor places in roadsteads and bays. How the openings and rivers trend in, and are to be navigated, what winds in these regions blow, how the currents run, whether ebb and flow are controlled by the moon or winds, what changing of monsoon, rain and drought you find.

Further attentively observing and noting, what expert navigators ought to observe, and can be useful in future, to the navigating of the discovered lands. The suitable time of the year, as the summer weather, long days, and short nights, will be very useful for the forthcoming discovering and observation of all the things mentioned.

Wherefore you must nowhere waste time, or consume needlessly, but use the best of the summer and good weather, when you will be able to sail on, both by night and day, which in the shortening of the days, and with dark moons, cannot be achieved, so as to get everything in sight, for which it is of the greatest importance, to discover much quickly and in short time.

As above mentioned, you shall discover the encountered land, to eastwards, or meeting with no land, follow the east course to the longitude of New Guinea, or the Solomon Islands, unless you, on mature deliberation, might find more appropriate, to sail only to the longitude of the east end of the known southland, or the islands of St Pieter and Francoijs, and then setting your course due north, to run in sight of the same, following thence the coast eastwards, so as to discover how far it extends, and whether this discovered southland is joined to New Guinea about Cape Keerweer, or is indeed separated from the other by channels or passages.

Whereupon, the north coast, by the traversing of one of the channels, could be conveniently discovered to westward, to Willem's River. But since it is to be surmised probable, these lands join one another without division, and is uncertain, if you would be able to follow its south coast, because of northeast trend, and the encountering of the easterly trade wind up to New Guinea, and thus be clearly obliged, for that purpose to go and find the westerly winds southwards. Or else to turn westward to Batavia, along the land of Eendracht. So we think the first proposed method to be better, namely to sail as far as the longitude of New Guinea or the Solomon Islands, to the east.

We say then (as above mentioned) our thought to be (in case you meet with no land in sailing eastwards to the southern latitude of 48, 52 to 54 degrees) not to seek the same more to the south, but you shall follow the east course, as far as the longitude of the east side of New Guinea and with approval of the council, thence the Solomon Islands or another 100, I50 to 200 miles farther east in order the better to be assured of a passage from the Indian Ocean into the South Sea, and to prepare the way, for finding after this conveniently a short passage to Chile.

Having come on the indicated course to the longitude of the Solomon Islands, or 100 to 200 miles farther east, and with the southeast trade wind, to discover the same on a west course, otherwise to be able to sail south or north of the islands (in case they are islands) to the east coast of New Guinea and along it, north and westward, as far as about the island of Halmahera.

There, we do not doubt you will discover some channels or passages to the south, in order to pass through conveniently and advantageously, you shall try to be thereabout in the unsettled month of April, in order with the variable winds, to get through (if it is practicable) to east of Ceram and the islands Cauwer, Queij and Arou to Cape Keerweer, which is advantageous to occur before the strong blowing of the east monsoon, otherwise difficulties in getting by the south so far east, would be encountered.

Now from Cape Keerweer (located in 18 degrees) you shall navigate to westward alongside the coast of that land, as far as Willem's River (located in 21 degrees in the Eendracht Land) with the southeast trade wind (according to trend of the same) observing, writing down and noting what is indicated, heretofore, on the discovering of the unknown southland, particularly to ascertain carefully and correctly, whether between New Guinea and the land of the Eendracht, namely the aforementioned places, Cape Keerweer and Willem's River you can perceive any channels or passages to the south, on which much depends, to come quickly into the South Sea.

What instructions were given in the year 1636 to Commander Gerrit Pool for the discovery of this unknown region, you can see from copy of the same, of which you may on occasion make us.

From Willem's River, where we hope you will be about the month May or June of the coming year, you must direct your course for the middle of the island of Java, in order with the east monsoon to sail along the south coast of the same, and conveniently come between the west point of that land and Panaitan [Prinsen] within the strait of Selat Sunda to Batavia.

In order not to sail on any unknown lands, shoals or rocks, to prevent mishaps from these, as far as is in man's power, you shall continuously have due lookout kept, and set an appropriate reward, for him who first sees, and perceives, unknown lands or dangerous shallows, and this is as much as we have deemed necessary to instruct you of the courses and sailings, for discovering of the unknown southland. What further you may require and may happen, we shall leave to your good command, seaman's knowledge, and disposal of the council.

Proceeding then to other matters, which you on your forthcoming voyage have carefully to attend to, and to pursue, you are thus recommended in the discovering of lands, at the appropriate time and place, now and then to come to anchor, always seeking and choosing convenient bays or roadsteads, where you can lie with the least danger, for which the two accompanying tingangs will be very useful, particularly for discovering of bays, shoals, havens and rivers, etc when you have come near New Guinea and the land of the Eendracht, or in the southeast trade wind on peaceful seas.

You shall use great care, at all places, in landing with small craft, because it is apparent, the southlands are peopled with very rough wild people, for which reason you must always be well armed and carefully on guard, since in all parts of the world, it has been found by experience, no barbarous people are to be trusted, because they usually think, that the people who appear so exceedingly strange and unexpected, come only to take over their lands, which (because of carelessness and easy trust) has caused many a treacherous murder in the discovery of America.

For which reason, the barbarous people whom you may meet and come to speak with, you shall make contact with properly and amicably, small affronts of thievery, or other things, which they might visit on our people, you shall let pass unmarked, in order not to cause any enmity towards us by punishing them, but by showing of good countenances, attract them to us, so that you may the better find out, in what circumstances they and their lands are, and whether anything useful is to be got or done there.

Of the nature of the lands, what fruits and livestock be there, what sort of structure of houses, the form and appearance of the inhabitants, their clothing, weapons, customs, manners, food, livelihood, religion, government, war, and other notable things, particularly whether they are good or ill-natured. You shall as time allows, duly try to observe, showing them various samples of the goods, given for this purpose, in order to find out what wares and materials they have, and what they want of ours in return, all which you shall keenly observe, properly draw and correctly describe, keeping for this purpose a full, and suitably extensive journal, in which all your encounters are completely noted, in order therewith on your return, to be able to make an appropriate report to us.

If you visit any land populated with civilized people (as is not likely), you shall take more account of them, than of the wild savages. You shall try to get in conversation and acquaintance with the leaders and subjects, informing them, you come there to trade, showing the samples of the wares, given for this purpose, as you shall be able to see in invoice, duly observing what they esteem, and to what goods they are most attracted, particularly finding out what wares are among them, likewise about gold and silver, and if it is valued by them, representing yourself to be not eager for it, in order to keep them unaware of the value of the same. If they should give you gold or silver in any bartering, you must conduct yourself as if you did not value this specie, showing copper, spelter and lead, as if these minerals were with us, of greater value.

All insolence and hostility of the crew towards the discovered peoples, you will carefully prevent, and take care no harm is done to them in their houses, gardens, craft, property or women etc. Likewise no inhabitants brought away from their land against their will, but if any are somewhat willingly inclined thereto, you may then duly bring these hither.In case on this voyage, any rich, or for the company profitable lands, islands, or passages are discovered, then we shall in the recompensing of performed pains and labour, be not ungrateful to the leaders and all the well conducted crew, but honour with such reward as we shall find their performed services merit, on which you can altogether rely.

The ships are manned with one hundred and ten able men, namely Heemskerck with sixty and Zeehaen with fifty, and also victualled with all necessary supplies for twelve and with rice for eighteen months.

Let therefrom the ordinary ration of two meat and one bacon day a week, and one and a half mutchkins of arrack a day, be regularly distributed and all properly controlled. Two casks of strong arrack goes in each ship, and is to be distributed sparingly in the cold for the peoples’ health, but particularly use the fresh water very controlled, so that you fall into no necessitous want thereof, and in order to seek the same, are not delayed on your voyage or obliged to turn fruitless and with business unperformed.

And so that the voyage following these instructions and our good intent, may be duly controlled and performed, good order kept among the people, law and justice in accordance with the general article letter administered and furthermore what on so dangerous and long lasting a voyage may happen and demand, to the greatest advantage of the Company may be done and performed, so have we appointed the Hon Abel Janszoon Tasman, as commander of both the ships, authorising the same by this to carry the flag on Heemskerck from the main topmast, to summon the council, to preside permanently therein. Accordingly, we command and direct all officers and sailors, nobody excepted, who are appointed to the ships Heemskerck and Zeehaen, to recognize, respect, and obey, the said Abel Tasman as their commander and leader, also in all circumstances occurring, with good counsel and diligent service, to assist for the furthering of the voyage and discovery of the unknown lands as becomes vigilant and trusty servants, and as before us,- on returning each aims to be answerable.

The council of these ships shall comprise the following persons, namely:

By this council, shall all matters occurring for furthering of this voyage and carrying out of our order be controlled and determined, the commander shall in deadlock have two voices, but in matters of justice the boatswains shall also be summoned, as the order of our principals lays down, but in matters which concern the voyaging such as courses and the discovery of the lands etc, the pilot major Franchoijs Jacobszoon Visscher shall have the second voice, and advices of the same be taken in proper regard, this voyage being planned with his communication; the undermates shall also then be summoned, and have advising voices, which the commander shall gather, and decide by the most voices, taking care all resolutions are at once recorded, signed, and duly carried out, for the service of the company.

On the death of the commander Tasman (which God forbid) the skipper Yde Tjercxzoon Holman shall succeed in place of the same, and in all ways, in accordance with these instructions, like his predecessor, command, and be obeyed.

As soon as you have put to sea, you shall, in order duly to stay together, with advice of the council, draw up a good signal document, for which there is the highest relevance for the fulfilment of our project, and provides therein consideration, if through storm (which God forbid) you become separated, how most conveniently you might come together again.

In conclusion of these instructions, we shall wish you the blessing of the All-ruler, asking Him to favour you with manly courage, for fulfilling the intended discovering, and let you return safely, to the extension of His glory, repute of the fatherland, Company's service and undying honour of you all.

In the Castle Batavia the 13th August A^o 1642

And was undersigned Anthony van Diemen, Cornelis vander Lijn, Joan Maetsuijcker, Justus Schouten, Salomon Sweers, Cornelis Witsen, and Pieter Boreel.

All the mainland and islands which you shall discover, visit and land on, you must take in possession for the High and Mighty Lords States General, as Sovereign of the United Provinces, which in uninhabited lands, or which have no lord, can be secured, by the setting up of a stone as a memorial, or planting of our prince flag, for true possession, since such lands rightly belong to the finder and taker.

But in populated lands, or which have undoubtedly lords, the consent of the people or king shall be necessary in the taking of occupation and possession, which is to be fittingly achieved by amicable influence with the presenting of a small tree planted in a little earth, the joint setting up of a stone, or the placing of the prince flag in memory of their voluntary submission, or subjection, all which you shall completely record in your journal, with naming of the persons who shall be present, so as to be able in future times to serve our republic.

Done at Batavia, date as above; undersigned: In the name
of the Hon. Govr General and Councillors of India.
Signed
Justus Schouten

Van Diemen and the Council of the Dutch East India Company issued the instructions for the voyage on 13 August 1642. On the following day, the Heemskerck and the Zeehaen set sail and left Batavia for Mauritius, where they arrived at Fort Frederick Hendrik, on 5 September. Even after that short period, the ships were found to be in need of repair. The governor of Mauritius, van der Stel, in a letter to his superiors, described vividly how the ships had been fitted out in a way quite inadequate for such an arduous voyage.

The expedition then headed south on 8 October. Tasman and Visscher calculated longitude by dead-reckoning; their eastings and westings were expressed in degrees of longitude east of the prime meridian passing over the Peak of Tenerife in the Canary Islands.

After reaching latitude 49 degrees south, and encountering very cold and stormy weather, it was resolved on Visscher's advice to return to 44 degrees south and steer east. This course brought the expedition to discover parts of Tasmania. After leaving the vicinity of Tasmania, it was decided to continue steering east.

Around noon on 13 December, while sailing a course east by north, Tasman sighted the west coast of the South Island in the Hokitika-Abut Head area. He shaped his course northwards, and on 18 December, the ships cast anchor in a bay. The next day, four Dutchmen were killed, when a cock boat from the Zeehaen was attacked by Maori. The bay was named "Mordenaers Baij" (Murderers Bay-modern Golden Bay).

The ships continued to follow the coast, seeking a suitable place to land and obtain provisions and water. In the area of the entrance to Cook Strait, Tasman suspected that a passage existed.

Tasman proceeded north, until on 4 January 1643, the expedition reached the northernmost point on the west coast; naming it "Caabo maria van diemen" (Cape Maria van Diemen), in honour of the wife of the governor-general at Batavia. The final name conferred was "drie koonijgh eylant" (Three Kings Islands), which they sighted on 4 January, and left the vicinity of, on 6 January.

Tasman named the western littoral of the part of the country he discovered, Staten Landt, in honour of the States-General of the United Provinces of the Netherlands, because he believed it was possible, but not certain, that this land joined Staten Landt east of Le Maire Strait, at the southern tip of South America.

The expedition continued on a north-easterly course, making important discoveries in the Tonga group and the Fiji Islands. Then heading west and sailing north of New Guinea, Tasman arrived back at Batavia, on 15 June 1643.

Abel Janszoon Tasman was born at Lutjegast, a small village slightly west of Groningen. Records show that on 11 January 1632 Tasman described as a humble seaman and a widower was married. It is not known exactly when Tasman entered the service of the East India Company. He sailed for the east no later than 1633 probably in a ship belonging to the Amsterdam Chamber of the Company. In 1634 he served as first mate (a fairly senior position) aboard the Weesp, a flute lying at the time off the island of Amboina in the East Indies.

Soon after his appointment as first mate, on 18 May 1634, Tasman obtained his first command. He became master of the Mocha, a jacht. In 1636, Tasman arrived in Batavia and in December of that year he left the East Indies aboard the Banda bound for the Netherlands, where he arrived on 1 August 1637.

Tasman did not remain in the Netherlands for long. He soon signed a new contract with the Company, this time for ten years rather than five. He was given command of a small vessel the Engel bound for Batavia. His wife accompanied him. The Engel sailed on 15 April 1638 in the service of the Amsterdam Chamber, arriving in Batavia on 11 October. On 1 November, he was entrusted with a mission to Macassar on the Engel. Then he sailed to Amboina. In May 1639 he returned to Batavia with a cargo of spices and not long after was entrusted with the mission that forms the basis of these pages. For the 1642-43 expedition Tasman sailed as commander on the flagship Heemskerck.

In 1644 Tasman was given a fresh commission. He was given three vessels for this new expedition, the result of which, was the discovery of a large section of the north coast of Australia,

Information about Tasman’s last years is contradictory and inconclusive. Tasman died probably in the autumn of 1659.

The various portraits often claimed to be of Tasman, are not likely to be genuine. Tasman was not an important figure during his lifetime and it is unlikely that he became a focus of attention among his countrymen.

Yde Tjercxzoon Holman, master of the Heemskerck was born in Jever in east Friesland. He was held in high esteem, as shown by the stipulation in the instructions that if Tasman should die he was to succeed him as leader of the expedition.

Gerrit Janszoon, master of the Zeehaen died during the voyage on 6 June 1643 and an entry in the sailor’s journal confirms this.

Isaac Gilsemans, supercargo on the Zeehaen, a native of Rotterdam, was more than just a mercantile official. Gilsemans was a skilled draughtsman who was probably responsible for the drawings in the journal which are reproduced in this volume. However it should be noted that the extant drawings are all copies of Gilsemans’ original work. The originals have not been found.

Franchoijs Jacobszoon Visscher the pilot major and first mate on the Heemskerck played a very important rôle both before and during the voyage. Visscher was born in Vlissingen, a town which appointed one of the directors of the Zeeland Chamber of the East India Company.

In 1623 Visscher served as first mate in the fleet commanded by Jacques L'Hermite, which sailed through the Strait of Magellan, up the coast of Peru and along the equator across the Pacific to the East Indies. He then seems to have remained in Asia as an independent agent. He apparently worked for some time as a navigator for Asian merchants in Japan and Cambodia, and the Company's representatives in Japan were keen to employ him to survey the coast of Japan. This plan, however, came to nothing because of the deep rooted Japanese distrust of Europeans at the time.

After a short spell back in the Netherlands, Visscher returned to Batavia in 1637 as pilot major in the ranks of the East India Company. His rôle was that of navigational expert, and he was entrusted with mapping the coasts of Hainan and Tonkin. He then returned to Batavia. In January 1642, the Supreme Government received two memoranda from him, one about further exploration of the southland, the other about surveying the area north of Japan.

He produced the memorandum part of which is transcribed below. Visscher's memorandum on the exploration of the southern continent was an important document which outlines several options, some of them quite unrealistic. It is not known whether this proposal was entirely Visscher's own idea, or whether it followed suggestions by higher authorities. Given the interest which the Governor-General, Anthony van Diemen, is known to have taken in voyages of discovery, the latter is quite possible. He also produced a signed chart of part of New Zealand (See Page EBE).

Other persons mentioned in either Tasman’s journal or the Sailor’s Journal include: Carsten Jurriaens, second mate aboard the Heemskerck. Chrijn Hendricxz de Ratte, second mate on the Heemskerck. Hendrik Pietersz, first mate on the Zeehaen. Pieter Nanninghzn Duyts, second mate on the Zeehaen. Cornelis Ysbrandtsz Roobol, second mate aboard the Zeehaen. Joris Claesen van Bahuys, seaman on the Heemskerck. Eldert Luytjens, master gunner on the Heemskerck, who died on I November 1642. Abraham Coomans, subcargo on the Heemskerck. Pieter Jacobsz, master carpenter on the Heemskerck. Cornelis Joppen, quartermaster on the Zeehaen. He was wounded in a skirmish with local inhabitants on the coast of New Zealand on 19 December 1642. Jan Thijssen from Cologne, Tobias Pietersz from Delft and Jan Isbrandtsz were killed in the same incident. Sybrand Cornelissen from Hertogenbosch, quartermaster aboard the Heemskerck, died on 13 February 1643. Jan Pietersz from Melsdorp, steward on the Heemskerck, deserted at Butung on 5 May 1643. Geret Geretsz, cabin boy on the Heemskerck. Henrik Haelbos, surgeon; a report of the expedition based on his private notes was published in 167I.

Little is known about the ships. Drawings of the two vessels are included in illustrations in Tasman’s journal. (See below.) The Zeehaen, a three-master specially suited for transport, was a flute, fitted out in 1640 and sent to Cambodia by the Amsterdam Chamber. The Heemskerck was a 120-tonne jacht, also fitted out by the Amsterdam Chamber and sent to Batavia in 1639. After Tasman's expeditions it was sent to the west coast of India, where it took part in the blockade of Goa, capital of Portuguese India. The Heemskerck was then part of the flotilla commanded by Wollebrand Geleynssen de Jongh and Commander Blocq and charged with exacting an apology from the Shah of Persia for offences against the Company. The Heemskerck was also selected for an experimental expedition to fish for pearls on the pearl banks of Bahrain in 1645, but the idea was ultimately abandoned.

Cartographic aspects of Tasman’s voyage and Tasman’s discoveries publicised

The cartography associated with the charts included in Tasman’s journal and the development of world and Pacific maps following his voyage, is outside the scope of this book. The topic has been adequately dealt with by Sharp (1968) and Schilder (1976) and the interested reader is referred to these books.

However, the following brief references are appropriate. There was little delay before Tasman's discoveries appeared on maps and globes. One or more Dutch publishers surreptitiously obtained data from the Dutch East Indies and printed maps which included Tasman's name Staten landt and place-names beside part of New Zealand's west coast. Later the Amsterdam publisher Joan Blaeu in association with an official or officials of the Dutch East India Company devised the name Zeelandia Nova.

Bound in with a signed copy of Tasman’s journal of the voyage, is a manuscript chart of New Zealand known as the SAJ (State Archives Journal) chart The data in this chart and a chart attributed to F. J. Visscher are probably derived from a chart, now lost, which shows a gap in the coastline in the Cook Strait area. The name "Staten Landt" appears in the SAJ chart and in Tasman’s journal.

Three important manuscript maps that are derived from sketches made during Tasman’s voyage are: "Bonaparte Map" [Go to page EBE1 via the Contents Page.], "Eugene Map", and "Bowrey Map."

Journal or description drawn up by me, Abel Janszoon Tasman, of a voyage made from the town of Batavia [fn. Jakarta] in the East Indies, relating to the discovery of the unknown southland in the year of our Lord 1642, the 14th of August. May it please God almighty to give hereto His Blessing on this work. Amen. [fn. As already mentioned in regard to the instructions, this account of the journal is not a literal translation of a manuscript but it is presented as a readable version based on a number of publications but mainly on the original Dutch manuscript..]

14 Aug. 1642. Sailed from the roadstead at Batavia with two ships, to wit: the yacht Heemskerck, and the flute Zeehaen. In the evening the Zeehaen grounded on the island of Rotterdam (fn. A small island in the Bight of Jakarta.) but got afloat again without notable damage. Then we continued on the voyage heading for Selat Sunda.

15 Aug. Towards evening I met Mr Sweers of the yacht Bredam and learned from him that a quelpuert. (fn. quelpuert is an earlier name for a galiot (or galliot) which was usually a small boat propelled by sails and oars but in this case was probably a small Dutch cargo-vessel), which came from the Netherlands, lay at anchor at the point of Banten. In the evening, we anchored in twenty two fathoms off Anger Lor. Since the Heemskerck was not fit to proceed further in her unseaworthy condition, we set about carrying out repairs.

16 Aug. At our anchorage, the wind was northeast and we noticed a strong current flowing through Selat Sunda. In the evening, with the land breeze, we raised our anchors and shaped our course so as to pass between the Panaitan Islands [Prinsen] and Rakata. (fn. Named Krakatau in earlier maps or generally known as Krakatoa.)

17 Aug. In the morning, we had the Panaitan Islands southwest of us and Rakata northwest by north. Our course was southwest by west with the wind southeast.

At noon, we had the southernmost of the Panaitan islands east-southeast from us five miles.

In the afternoon we drifted in a calm. This day we resolved that from Selat Sunda, we shall sail 200 miles southwest by west as far as the fourteenth parallel and from there, west-southwest as far as the twentieth parallel; then we shall sail directly west to the island of Mauritius.

18Aug. At noon, we estimated our position as 6º 48' S, 123º 20' E. As resolved with the council on the 17th we sailed thirteen miles, the course kept southwest by west. At night, it rained hard with thunder and lightning.

19 Aug. At noon, we calculated our position as 8º 38' S, 120º 35' E. We kept our course by estimation, southwest by west but after sailing thirty six miles, found ourselves more to the south. A topsails breeze southeast by east. (fn. This term refers to a wind in which topsails could be set without danger.)

20 Aug. At noon, we calculated our position as 10º S, 118º 30' E. A southeast by east topsails breeze. We kept our course southwest by west and sailed thirty six miles. Good weather with smooth water.

21 Aug. At noon, we calculated our position as 11º 12' S, 116º 42' E. A moderate topsails breeze southeast by east. After sailing thirty two miles, we estimate the longitude of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands has been reached (fn. Sharp - 1968, 63, in his fn 3, points out that the Cocos or Keeling Islands were no doubt east of Tasman’s position because he underestimated his westings.)

22 Aug. At noon, we calculated our position as 13º 31' S, 114º 40' E. A topsails breeze. We steered a southwest by west course and sailed thirty six miles.

23 Aug. At noon, we calculated our position as 13º 57' S, 112º 23' E. The wind southeast with a steady breeze. We kept our course southwest by south and sailed forty miles. The sea still ran high from the southwest and south-southwest.

24 Aug. At noon, we calculated our position as 14º 29' S, 109º 41' E. The wind southeast with a steady breeze. We kept our course west by south and sailed forty miles.

25 Aug. At noon, we observed our position as 15º 13' S, 107º 20' E. but we estimated our latitude as 15º 28' S. The wind southeast with a steady breeze. We kept our course a little to the west of west southwest and sailed thirty eight miles.

26 Aug. At noon we observed our position as 16º S, 105º 12' E. but we estimated the latitude as 16º 7' S. A moderate south southeast topsails breeze. We kept our course a little to the west of west southwest and sailed thirty six miles.

27 Aug. At noon we calculated our position as 16º 40' S, 103º 32' E. The wind from the southeast but in the evening it turned east with a light topsails breeze. We steered west-southwest and sailed twenty six miles.

28 Aug. At noon, we estimated our position as 17º 7' S, 102º 22' E. The wind variable with a dark sky. We kept our course west southwest and sailed eighteen miles.

29 Aug. At noon, we estimated our position as 17º 50' S, 100º 34' E. In the afternoon, variable winds. At three glasses being out in the first watch we again had the wind from the south southeast (fn. Reckoning according to earlier data in this page the time would have been 9.30 pm); a topsails breeze. We kept our course west-southwest and sailed twenty eight miles.

30 Aug. At noon we estimated our position as 18º 51' S, 97º 58' E. The wind southeast with light rain showers. We kept our course west-southwest and sailed forty miles. About noon, the Zeehaen broke her spritsail yard in pieces.

31 Aug. At noon, we estimated our position as 19º 55' S, 95º 14' E. The wind south-southeast, unsteady with drizzle. We kept our course west-southwest and sailed forty two miles. Early in the afternoon, I consulted with the skippers and mates and together we estimated our position as 19º 48' S, 95º 44' E. The latitude and longitude figures are averaged calculations.

We continued our course west-southwest till the evening and then steered west, believing we were in the same latitude as the island of Mauritius.

1 Sept. 1642. At noon, we estimated our position as 20º 28' S, 92º 19' E. The wind southeast; a steady breeze with a drizzle. We kept our course west by south and sailed forty two miles.

2 Sept. At noon, we estimated our position as 20º 28' S, 89º 29' E. The wind east-southeast with a steady breeze and drizzling rain with high seas. We kept our course west and sailed forty miles.

3 Sept. At noon, we calculated our position as 20º 36' S, 86º 56'E. A moderate breeze from the east-southeast and good weather. We kept our course west and sailed thirty six miles.

4 Sept. At noon, we estimated our position as 19º 55' S, 85^o 13' E. The wind a moderate to soft breeze. We kept our course west northwest and sailed twenty six miles.

About midnight, we saw land and thereafter lay to for the rest of the night with reduced sails.

5 Sept. In the morning seeing that the land was the island of Mauritius we made for it and came to anchor there about 9 o’clock. We calculated our position as 20º S, 83º 48' E. We were by our earlier estimate fifty miles east of Mauritius when we saw it.

[On the next page in the SAJ are coastal profiles of Mauritius with legends in Dutch The captions below are English renditions of the Dutch legends.]

6 Sept. I sent six sailors, three from the Zeehaen and three from our ship the Heemskerck, with one of our undermates to the wood to assist the hunters in catching and bringing off wild game.

At noon, we saw a ship outside the bay and about four hours afterwards she came to anchor near us. We learned that this ship, the Arent sailed from Texel in the Netherlands, on 23 April last, in a fleet comprising the ships Salamander and Zutphen, the yacht Leeuwerick and the galiot Visscher.

At the Cape Verde Islands the Arent separated from the rest of the fleet which continued the voyage to Batavia. The Arent brought supplies such as victuals and ammunition, and also soldiers and seamen for Mauritius, according to a report given to the commander at the island, van der Stel.

In the report, it was explained that on 27th last, they arrived at Rodrigues which they mistakenly believed was Mauritius because it lies in approximately the same latitude. At Rodrigues, they found a French ship in the roadstead but because of language difficulties and evasive explanations, they were confused as to whether she had come from Dieppe or from the Red Sea. It was gathered their intention was to run for the island of Réunion or perhaps Madagascar. They sailed in company with the French ship from Rodrigues, but on the 5th instant at noon separated from her, although in the evening they had her still in sight. When they reported to the commander that she set her course west-southwest, he sent forthwith some men to the northwest side of Mauritius, to investigate whether the Frenchmen had landed. He presumed that they might well have sought to deceive the Dutch garrison, and attempt to cut some ebonywood, in which case they were bound to prevent them doing this.

7 Sept. Almost the whole day was occupied attending to ropes and tackle. Since our rigging is old, weak, and not much to be depended on, we added three more large ropes to the rigging on both sides of the main- and foremast, in order to steady the same.

8 Sept. In the morning I sent four of the he-goats of the eight received yesterday to the Zeehaen. I sent for one more sailor from the Zeehaen to join one of ours to land and help the hunters and others who were sent on the land on the 6th instant.

9 Sept. I sent one of our carpenters with seven to eight sailors from both the Heemskerck and the Zeehaen to the wood, to cut timber.

In the afternoon I wrote an order to the officers of the Zeehaen, instructing them to give not more than half a mutchkin of arrack a day to their ship’s company as a ration. (fn. An old Dutch measure of capacity, equal to a little over half a litre. See also the remarks in the instructions above.) The local commander van der Stel reminded me that the Hon. Govr. General and Councilors of India gave positive instructions to give only one small glass of arrack to his people and that only to those who are cold, wet, and dirty. In order to maintain peace among the men, and prevent discontent, ill-will and envy as far as it is in my power, I have therefore deemed it best to serve out only half a mutchkin of arrack to our men, while we are lying in this roadstead.

10 Sept. I asked that the Hon. van der Stel be brought to the Heemskerck by our skipper Yde Tjercxzoon Holman. We conferred as to whether it would not be necessary for our ships and helpful for the Company, before departing from here to continue our voyage, to fix a meeting place. This is important since the Hon. G. General and Councillors of India in our instructions, quite expressly and solemnly require this. After further consideration, I had all the skippers and uppermates and undermates assembled on the ship and proposed to them that they should give their views in writing. I needed their opinion on a rendezvous in case we separated through rough weather, storms, or other mishaps, which we do not hope for and may the Good God prevent. When having heard all opinions we shall resolve what may be needed for the greatest advantage of the Company and the furtherance of our voyage.

In the evening we received eight he-goats and two pigs from the shore. Our carpenter, Jan Joppen also came on board and reported that the shore party had cut some beams but at that place no more suitable timber is to be had.

11 Sept. In the morning, our skipper together with the aforementioned carpenter, went in the boat to the wood to bring thence timber. Then they brought the timber to the fortress Frederick Hendrik to be sawn into planks of the most suitable sizes. (fn. Named after Frederick Hendrik, 1584-1647, Prince of Orange and Count of Nassau, who was at that time, Head of State of the United Provinces. Tasman also conferred this name on some of his discoveries as will be seen in later entries.)

In the afternoon, I sent four he-goats and one pig to the people on the Zeehaen.

12 Sept. In the morning, our boat went for the second time to the wood and brought again some logs to the aforementioned fortress. Towards evening, we received again twelve head of he-goats of which we sent half the number to the Zeehaen.

Our skipper reported that one of our sailors, a man named Joris Claesen van Bahuys, in working with a log which was to be sawn on land has hurt himself severely, whereupon I immediately sent our chief and assistant barbers to attend to the patient and give urgently needed help.

13 Sept. Today nothing worth mentioning occurred except we have sent a bag of rice for our people working in the wood and put a cheek on our mainyard. (fn. A cheek is a sidepiece on a mast, supporting a crosstree.)

14 Sept. We have again received from the land, four head of he-goats and two pigs and we delivered half the number to the flute Zeehaen.

In the evening, the people sent on the 6th instant by Hon. van der Stel returned reporting that there was no trace in any bays of the Frenchmen suspected of landing.

15 Sept. In the morning, I sent our boatswain and boatswain’s mate with a number of sailors and a quantity of cordage, to land to make rope.

16 Sept. The yacht Cleyn Mauritius sailed from here ten miles round the coast to bring back a cargo of ebonywood. The yacht sailed in place of the Arent which, being anchored near the entrance could not get out because of the strong wind.

Towards noon, the councils of the ships Heemskerck, Zeehaen, and the yacht Arent, as well as the Council of the Fortress of Frederick Hendrik, were summoned on board the Admiral by the Hon. Commander van der Stel, and at this meeting Tasman made submissions which were resolved and may be seen in the resolution issued today.

Towards evening our undermate Chrijn Hendricxz de Ratte, whom on the 6th instant we had sent to assist the hunters in the wood, returned to the ship bringing with him ten head of he-goats.

Today I have ordered one of the undermates on the Zeehaen to go to the wood in our second-mate’s place.

17 Sept. In the morning I sent our other undermate Carsten Jurriaens with six sailors to the wood to cut firewood.

Towards evening, we gave the people of the Zeehaen four head of he goats of the ten received yesterday.

Today, we have by order of Commander van der Stel, following the resolution of yesterday, uplifted the following from the yacht Arent on behalf of our ship and the Zeehaen, namely:
6 cables both small and large.
1 roll of canvas.
20 pulleys both large and small.
½ hide pump-leather.
6 small clewlines.
1 kedge anchor.
a quantity of flathead nails.
4 pieces of horn with which to mend the lanterns.

18 Sept. Nothing happened today worth mentioning except we have applied a cheek to our foremast at the back. Also, from the land, we received six head of pigs, from which we gave three to the quartermaster of the Zeehaen, in the evening after dark.

19 Sept. The carpenters have calked the ship on the outside, stopped all the leaks they could find, pitched properly the seams, and further overhauled everything.

20 Sept. I went out shooting with Mr van der Maerzen, undermerchant and second-in-command at the fortress Frederick Hendrik. We set off early in the morning round the west of Mauritius and returned to the ship towards noon with thirteen wild birds.

This day, we have had brought from the land, a number of sawn planks and also had some rope made ashore.

21 Sept. In the morning, the yacht Cleyn Mauritius, cleared the bay, and set sail for her destination, which was to fetch ebonywood for the cargo of the Arent. From the 16th instant when she left this roadstead, she had been unable to beat out, owing to the strong east southeast tradewind.

This day, we made a new maintop and also a cheek on the foremast together with the foremast’s topyard.

22 Sept. In the morning with Gerrit Janszoon skipper of the Zeehaen, and a number of sailors, we went with axes to the wood to provide ourselves with good timber for topyards, anchorstocks, and mizzen-yards etc., for the forthcoming voyage. We returned in the evening, bringing a round piece of timber suitable to use for a cheek on a topyard, and also with an anchor-stock for the Heemskerck and two of the same for the Zeehaen.

23 Sept. We brought three anchor-stocks and a round piece of timber for a topyard and a quantity of firewood from the wood, and a boatload of water from a running spring east of Fort Frederick Hendrik.

24 Sept. Today we got a sloopload of firewood and three boatloads of water from the land. Towards the evening, we received from the hunter’s sloop, five he-goats and three pigs, from which we have sent three head of goats and a pig in a boat to the Zeehaen.

At night, in the second watch, we received on board one more boatload of water stored in seven casks.

25 Sept. In the morning, at daybreak we had a soft breeze from the land, first from the north-northeast but later it developed somewhat fresher from the northwest by west and west-northwest. This is still the first land breeze, which we have had as long as we have lain anchored here.

Today two sloops of firewood and two boatloads of water were fetched from the land. Also today, our pilot-major Franchoijs Jacobszoon Visscher with Isaac Gilsemans made a survey of the coastal area.

26 Sept. I have summoned the council of the Heemskerck and the flute Zeehaen and we resolved to set out from here on approximately the 4th October, as is to be seen more fully by the resolution of today.

27 Sept. I sent our second mate Chrijn Hendricxz de Ratte to the wood to cut firewood.

28 Sept. I have sent our sloop and boat to the wood to bring firewood thence.

29 Sept. Continued to send for firewood with the sloop and the boat. The yacht Cleyn Mauritius returned today bringing one of the runaway Madagascar slaves.

30 Sept. We have still been busy fetching firewood. Towards the evening we received from the land ten head of he-goats.

1 Oct. 1642. Still continuously busy in bringing firewood with the sloop and the boat. Towards the evening we received nine head of cattle including he-goats and she-goats from the land.

2 Oct. Still engaged in bringing firewood and barrels filled with water which are emptied daily.

3 Oct. Continued still to bring water and firewood with the boat and the sloop. In the dark, we received seven head of cattle, to wit two pigs, four he-goats, and one she-goat.

4 Oct. This being the prearranged day to set sail we could not because of the contrary wind, so we were forced to remain at anchor. I therefore sent the pilot-major Francoijs Jacobszoon Visscher with the second mate of the Zeehaen, Hendrik Pietersz to take soundings at the eastern entrance where we intended to sail. They found in the highest water and that in spring tide, no more than scarcely thirteen feet.

5 Oct. The contrary wind still continuing, we could not beat out of the bay, so I sent our sloop and the undermate Carsten Jurriaens out to fish with the dragnets. On returning they brought back a capital lot of fish for the whole crew.

6 Oct. We warped the kedge anchor to get out at the southeast entrance, and kedged a second time, but were compelled to give up, owing to the strong contrary wind. Towards the evening, we learnt that the men dispatched to find the runaway Madagascar slaves, had returned without having seen any of them. Today, we again got a capital lot of fish for the whole crew.

7 Oct. The wind from the more easterly hand. Still busy with the kedge anchor. In the evening we came to anchor under the islands in front of the bay in seventeen fathoms. A foul bottom. This bay is very hard to come out of, because the southeast wind here blows continually. Captains who have no need to visit ought not to come here.

[On the next page in the SAJ are two coastal profiles of Mauritius with legends in Dutch The captions below are English renditions of the Dutch legends.]

8 Oct. In the morning the weather rainy with a light land breeze and whirlwinds. We raised our anchors, but through contrary winds, had to let them drop again.

About 8 o’clock we got a northeast by east wind, raised our anchors and ran out south-eastward to the open sea for which God be praised and thanked. The southern extremity of this island of Mauritius lies in the southern latitude of 20º 12' S; longitude 78º 47' E. We shaped our course to the south-southeast since we had the wind northeast with a soft and moderate breeze. At noon, we turned our course to south by east.

9 Oct. At noon, we calculated our position as 21º 5' S, 78º 47' E. We kept a southerly course and sailed thirteen miles with good weather and a light breeze from the southeast.

This day, we drew up a resolution respecting the crew’s meals, as may be further seen from the same resolution. In the evening, we had the island of Mauritius still in sight.

10 Oct. At noon, we estimated our position as 21º 54' S, 78º 11' E. We kept our course southwest by south and sailed fifteen miles. A soft and moderate breeze.

Towards daybreak, the sea began to run high from the more southerly hand and we found that our mizzenmast was quite broken at the partner, so that we had to put two cheeks on it.

11 Oct. At noon we estimated our position as 23º 28' S, 77º 51' E. The wind easterly with a soft topsails breeze. We kept our course south by west and sailed twenty four miles.

12 Oct. At noon we calculated our position as 25º 18' S, 77º 51' E. The wind a soft topsails breeze from the north with good weather, a clear sky, and smooth water.

We kept our course south and sailed twenty eight miles. We have also put a cheek on our mizzenmast.

13 Oct. At noon, we estimated our position as 27º 26' S, 77º 51' E. We kept our course south and sailed thirty two miles. The wind from the northwest in the morning with rain and a topsails breeze.

14 Oct. At noon we calculated our position as 29º 20' S, 78º 45' E. We kept a south-southeast course and sailed twenty nine miles. The wind west and west-southwest with a topsails breeze. At night, at the end of the first watch, the wind changed to the south southeast and we turned to the west.

15 Oct. The wind southeast and east-southeast with a dark sky and a stiff breeze. At noon, we estimated our position as 29º 45' S, 78º 57' E. We kept a south-southeast course and sailed seven miles.

16 Oct. The wind south and south-southeast and also a topsails breeze southeast and east-southeast. At noon we had the position of 31º 17' S, 78º 13' E. We kept a south-southwest course and sailed twenty five miles.

17 Oct. Calm and then a westerly wind. We kept a course south-southeast and sailed nine miles. At noon, we calculated our position as 31º 51' S, 78º 26' E. Towards noon, we got a soft topsails breeze. The wind as before.

18 Oct. Good weather and the wind westerly with a topsails breeze. At noon we calculated our position as 33º 56' S, 78º 56' E. We kept a course south by east and sailed thirty two miles. Towards the evening the Zeehaen hove to leeward whereupon we forthwith made towards her. They called out to us that the wales, in which the shroud bolts stand, gave way, so that clamps had to be put on.

19 Oct. About 9 o’clock, we got the wind from the south southwest with drizzly rain and it also became dead calm. At noon, we estimated our position as 36º2' S, 80º E. We kept a south southeast course and sailed thirty four miles with a topsails breeze. In the afternoon, we got the wind from the southeast and we tacked to the west.

20 Oct. Foggy weather with drizzly rain. At noon, we estimated our position as 36º29' S, 79º 25' E. We kept a southwest course with variable winds and improving weather. Sailed ten miles. Towards evening, the south-southeast wind fell almost to a calm.

21 Oct. Variable winds alternating with calm periods. At noon, in calculating our position as 36º 22' S, 79º 25' E, we found that we had drifted two miles to the north.

22 Oct. Dark, drizzly weather with a westerly wind and a steady breeze. At noon we estimated our position as 38º 11' S, 78º 57' E. We kept our course south by east and sailed twenty eight miles.

23 Oct. In the morning the wind began to blow hard from the west-southwest so that we took in our topsails. At noon, we estimated our position as 40º 18' S, 80º 46' E.

We kept our course to the southeast by south. At times we got heavy rain showers.

24 Oct. In the morning, we took in our bonnets (fn. Bonnets are extra pieces of canvas fastened to the foot of a sail to catch more wind.), lowered our foresail to the stern, and scudded with the mainsail only. We dared not put her on the wind because of the strong gusts which we had. This wind was mixed with hail and rain to such an extent, that we feared the ship would not survive it, but at noon the storm abated somewhat, so that we hauled to the wind. We could not see the Zeehaen, for which reason we hauled to the wind to stay for her.

At noon, we estimated our position as 40º 42' S, 83º 11' E. We kept a course east by south and sailed thirty miles. We had the wind southwest and south with a violent storm; we looked out carefully for the Zeehaen, but could not see her.

25 Oct. In the morning, I sent a man to the masthead to look out for our consort which he saw astern. We were very glad to see her. With the weather somewhat better, we again set our bonnets and drew the foresail up the mast. Towards noon, the flute ship Zeehaen came up again to join us.

At noon, we estimated our position as 39º 58' S, 84º 11' E. We kept a course north-northeast and sailed or drifted twelve miles. At noon, we shaped our course to the southeast with a steady breeze from the southwest.

26 Oct. Good weather, the wind from the southwest by west, a topsails breeze. At noon, we calculated our position as 41º 34' S, 86º 10' E. We kept our course southeast and sailed thirty two miles. The sea still ran high from the south-southeast so we changed our course to southeast by south and south-southeast.

We hailed the Zeehaen and learned that this day a man died on their ship. As we were speaking to them her topyard broke and they immediately put on one carried as a spare.

Today we calculated our latitude as 41º 40' S and our averaged longitude as 86º 14' E.

27 Oct. In the morning, before the serving of breakfast, we saw a good deal of rockweed and manna grass drifting by. Therefore I had the flag flown, whereupon the officers of the Zeehaen came aboard our ship. I convened the council and at the meeting we considered the instructions from the Governor-General and Councillors of India concerning sightings and being aware of land, shoals, blind rocks, etc. Members of the council were questioned on the merits of observing such signs of land by keeping a man constantly at the masthead, to look out for land, shoals, blind rocks, and other dangers and we also discussed what should be fixed as a reward for sightings. So the council approved the plan to have a man constantly on the look-out and the man who first sights land, shoals, blind rocks, etc., shall be rewarded with three pieces of eight (fn. A piece of eight is an old Spanish peso.) and a canne of arrack (fn. A canne is an old Dutch measure equal to about one litre.); this is more fully explained in the resolution of today’s date.

At noon, we estimated our position as 43º S, 88º 6' E. We kept a southeast course and sailed thirty miles. The wind westerly with a topsails breeze and drizzle. At night, we lay to, under reduced sail.

28 Oct. At daybreak we set our course again to the south southeast in dark and foggy weather. Still saw weed drifting about. At noon, we estimated our position as 44º 47' S, 89º 7' E. We kept our course south-southeast and sailed twenty nine miles. The wind northwest and west with a topsails breeze.

We saw also, fragments of trees drifting by as if they were leaves of wild banana trees. At night, we lay to, with reduced sail since we dared not sail on because it was so foggy. However, the sea soon began to get smooth. At times we fired a musket shot and at other times also, a great gun.

29 Oct. In the morning we proceeded again and set our course south-southeast. We hailed the officers of the Zeehaen because we thought that it would be best, so long as the fog continues, to set our course to the east. Having hailed our friends of the flute ship Zeehaen, we called out to them whether it would not be best and wisest since during this fog and darkness it is very dangerous and hardly possible to recognise known land, let alone to be able to discover strange lands, to set the course to the east. They thought this idea not ill-advised especially if the prospect was for clearer weather and a brighter outlook.

Therefore, I have convened the ship’s council and the under mates and informed them what we have made known to the officers of the Zeehaen during our hailing. Also we have made known the advice and good thinking of the Zeehaen people. I then asked what they would judge as best, whereupon their unanimous opinion was in accordance with that of the Zeehaen people. Details appear more fully in the resolution of today’s date.

At noon, we set our course to the east with a north-northwest wind with a topsails breeze. We estimate our position as 45º 47' S, 89º 44' E. We kept our course south-southeast and sailed seventeen miles.

30 Oct. At daylight, we sailed again and shaped our course to the east, with a clear sky and a topsails breeze from the west. At noon, we calculated our position as 45º 43' S, 91º 51' E. We kept our course east and sailed twenty two miles.

31 Oct. Towards noon, a drizzling rain started, with fog while the wind stiffened and grew stronger and stronger, so that we took in our topsails. At noon, we also took in our mainsail and scudded with the foresail. The wind and sea were running very angrily.

At noon, we estimated our position as 47º 4' S, 95º 19' E. We kept our course east-southeast and sailed fifty miles. We held our course to the east after we had a storm from the west.

1 Nov. 1642. In the morning, with the weather somewhat improved, we made more sail. At noon, we calculated our position as 46º 9' S, 99º 9' E. We were very surprised to find ourselves so far north, because our estimation was that we were in latitude 47º S and now find our latitude to be 46º 9' S. We kept our course easterly and sailed forty miles, but if we make allowance for the error in our estimation, our course is east by north half a point more northerly.

In the afternoon, the weather became foggy, the wind turning to the northwest with a light breeze. We saw a great quantity of rockweed floating by and shaped our course to the southeast seeing that we were so far northward. At night, we lay to under reduced sail.

2 Nov. In the morning, we sailed again and shaped our course to the southeast. The wind northwest with a steady breeze. We proceeded with our mainsail set and under very foggy conditions. We kept our course east-southeast and sailed twenty five miles.

At noon, we estimated our position as 46º 47' S, 101º 23' E. We still saw much rockweed drifting about. At night, we lay to with reduced sail because we dared not sail on in the fog.

3 Nov. The wind southwest with a strong breeze. We sailed again and set our course to the southeast; got at times heavy squalls with hail and snow and great cold.

At noon, we calculated our position as 46º 47' S, 103º 58' E. We kept our course east by south and sailed twenty seven miles. Between the squalls, we had reasonable visibility, so that at night we proceeded. Still at times, we saw some rockweed drifting about. I observed that we were drifting to the north.

4 Nov. Wind and weather as before and our course still southeast. At noon, we set our course to the east. We estimated our position as 48º 25' S, 107º 56' E. We kept our course southeast by east and sailed forty miles.

In the afternoon, I asked our skipper and mates their longitudes and southern pole latitude which we averaged with mine, to give our position as latitude 48º 28' S, longitude 107º 25' E. (fn. This reference to the southern pole latitude is probably the clearest indication in the journal that Tasman calculated his latitude from observing both the meridian altitude of the sun and also the Southern Cross. A second reference to taking the latitude at night is given in the entry for 24 April 1643. May -1973, 9 - explains: “The Regiment for the Southern Cross was provided about 1505. It happens that when the constellation called the Southern Cross stands vertically in the heavens above the pole, an instant that could be determined by viewing the top and bottom stars of the cross against a plumb line, the stars are in the meridian and have their maximum altitudes. The bottom star, a Crucis, was then said to be 30º from the south pole of the heavens and it followed that if 30º were subtracted from its observed altitude one obtained the altitude of the pole and therefore the latitude direct. This constellation is visible for some distance to the north of the equator and so the north latitude would be obtained by subtracting the altitude from 30º".)

After making comparisons and averaging the figures, I summoned the ship’s council and the undermates and proposed a plan which is set out at length in the resolution of today but is mentioned here briefly.

Towards the evening, we saw again various lots of rockweed drifting and also a great many tuna near and around the ship.

Our boatswain’s mate and one of the sailors have also seen a seal, from which we surmise that some islands might be about here because these beasts will not swim deep in the sea. We therefore dared not venture to run on full sail, but after cook’s serving, have stood to the north with reduced sail.

5 Nov. In the morning still rather foggy, gloomy, and dirty weather with a dark grey sky. We again set sail and at first ran east by south because the previous night we had drifted to the north. At noon, we estimated our position as 48º 25' S, 110º 55' E. We kept an easterly course and sailed thirty miles.

6 Nov. Got a storm from the west with hail and snow. We scudded with a foresail, which was scarcely at half mast. The sea was very violent and our people began to be afflicted by severe cold.

At noon, we estimated our position as 49º 4' S, 114º 56' E. We kept a course east by south and sailed forty nine miles.

Notes drawn both from the terrestrial globe and from the large chart of the South Sea and on 7th November anno 1642 handed to the Hon. Commander Abel Janszoon Tasman with my advice;

First
So the terrestrial globe shows the easternmost of the Solomon Islands to lie in the longitude of fully 220 degrees reckoning the said longitude from the meridian of the islands of Corvo and Flores. (fn.. Although Tasman measured longitude from a line passing over the Peak of Tenerife in the Canary Islands he carried a terrestrial globe in which the prime meridian was based on the islands of Corvo and Flores in the Azores. Corvo is 31º 15' west of Greenwich. W. J. Blaeu the Amsterdam globe-maker and publisher produced a 233 mm terrestrial globe in 1602 (see Foncin and Roncière, 1963). An updated version of this globe in which the prime meridian passes over the islands of Corvo and Flores was almost certainly the globe carried by Tasman. Extant 1602 globes (e.g. in the collection of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich), show Le Maire Strait indicating that Blaeu revised the globe some time after 1618 to include some of Le Maire’s discoveries. A glance at a reproduction of a photograph of the updated 1602 globe demonstrates the situation as Visscher saw it on 7 November 1642 (see Map 3). The figure 220 and the associated meridian are clearly visible at the eastern extremity of the “Insulae Salomons.”)

But according to the longitude reckoned from Tenerife in the Canary Islands and which is at present generally in use [the easternmost of the Solomon Islands lie] in the longitude of 205 degrees barely, and lie in the globe in the latitudes of 7 degrees up to 14 to 15 degrees south of the equator. (fn. This statement confirms that Visscher reckoned the difference between Corvo and Tenerife as 15º whereas the true difference is 14º 36’. For further elucidation of the problem and longitude questions associated with the voyage see Brian Hooker (1990).

This being so, we shall follow the great chart of the South Sea using the longitude starting from the Peak of Tenerife, which is generally used in our day. (fn.This large chart of part of the Pacific was drawn by Hessel Gerritsz. In 1617 Gerritsz, who had earlier been an apprentice in W. J. Blaeu’s Amsterdam workshop, received the appointment of cartographer of the Dutch East India Company. This gave him access to secret reports, journals and charts of explorers. The chart referred to by Visscher has been lost but it was almost certainly a later version of a chart, dated 1622, now preserved in the Bibliothèque nationale, de France, Paris. (See Map 4 – page EBE1 – an enlarged section of this chart is reproduced in Schilder, 1976, page 46.)

First we have Batavia situated in longitude 127º 5' E and the southwest point of Celebes 11º 20' more to eastward, so that we get for the longitude of the southwest point of Celeb.................138º 25' E.

Now, from the southwest point of Celebes to the easternmost islands of the Solomons where the chart reads “Hoorentse eylanden islands (fn. i.e. Îles de Horne.), we reckon 47º 20' so that we get for the longitude of the Horne Islands 185º 45' E. (fn. Parts of the Solomon Islands were discovered by Àlvaro de Mendaña, a Spanish explorer, in 1568. Mendaña had set out westward across the Pacific with an expedition of two ships from Callao, Peru, in 1567. Cartographers consistently misplaced Mendaña’s discoveries in maps. Mendaña made a second Pacific voyage in 1595 and among a number of discoveries he made were some of the islands in the Marquesas group.)

Now from the Horne Islands to the Cocos (fn. i.e. Tafahi.), or Verraders Island (fn. i.e. Niuatobutabu). discovered by Willem Schouten, I reckon still more to eastward 8º 15', so that for the longitude of Cocos and Verraders Island I get 194 degrees East.

Should one wish to consider the Horne Islands, situated in longitude 185º 45' E, to be the easternmost of the Solomons, then the charts and the globe would show a difference of about nineteen degrees; but if one should look upon the Cocos and Verraders Island, situated in 194º E longitude and 17½ degrees South latitude, as the easternmost of the Solomon Islands, then the difference between the chart and the globe would amount to no more than 11 degrees, the globe placing the islands 11 degrees more eastward than the chart. Now to avoid all mistakes, I think it is best to disregard the indications to eastward, both of the globe and of the chart.

Hence my advice is, that we should keep to the 44th degree south latitude until we shall have passed the 150th degree east of longitude, and then run north as far as the 40th degree south latitude, remaining there with an easterly course, until we shall have reached the 220th degree of longitude, after which we should take a northerly course, so as to avail ourselves of the trade wind to reach the Solomon Islands and New Guinea by running from east to west.

I cannot but think that, if we find no land up to 150º E longitude, we shall then be in an open sea again, unless we should meet with islands; all which time and experience, being the best of our teachers, will no doubt bring to light.

Signed
Franschoijs Jacobszoon [Visscher]

(fn. It is appropriate to mention the Pacific voyage of Jacob Le Maire and Willem Corneliszoon Schouten. Le Maire's expedition was a significant prelude to Tasman's voyage of 1642-3, the later part of which followed Le Maire's track for extensive distances. In January 1616, the Dutch ship Eendracht, with Le Maire as leader of the enterprise and Schouten as chief navigator, passed the entrance to the Strait of Magellan. They found and entered a passage from which land extended away to the east-southeast. The expedition’s officers called this land Staten Landt. (In 1643 Hendrik Brouwer circumnavigated the land demonstrating its insularity - see page 114, fn 2) Their newly-found strait was named Le Maire Strait in honour of Le Maire’s father Isäac. The explorers discovered and named Cape Horn and headed into the Pacific. After traversing the Tuamotu group, Le Maire discovered the Tongan islands Tafahi and Niuatobutabu on 10 May 1616. They called Tafahi 'Cocos', and Niuatobutabu 'Verraders' ('Traitors'). On 14 May they passed Niuafo'ou, which they named 'Goede Hope' ('Good Hope'), and shortly thereafter decided to make a northing to pass round New Guinea in the north. On 19 May they discovered Îles de Horne. On 2 June 1616, two days after leaving Îles de Horne Le Maire identified Niuafou and Îles de Horne with the Islands of Solomon of Àlvaro de Mendaña (see page 63, fn 2), an error which the Dutch cartographer Hessel Gerritsz incorporated into his map of the South Sea a version of which was carried by Tasman (see page 31 fn 1). On 20 June the explorers came to an atoll which they did not name. On 22 June they discovered the Tauu Islands, which they named after the Dutch island Marcken, and on 24 June the Green Islands and Feni Islands, which they named respectively 'Groene Eylanden' and 'S. Jans'. On 25 June they reached the east coast of New Ireland and sailed northwest along it. On 2 July they passed a large inlet with high land beyond it which was in fact the eastern approach to the straits dividing New Ireland from New Hanover. On 3 July the coast of New Hanover was seen to trend south. They sailed west to encounter the north coast of New Guinea which they followed to Waigeo and thence to Batavia round the north of Halmahera. The first account of Le Maire’s journal was published in 1618 but attributed to Schouten; this book, Iournal ofte Beschryvinghe van de wonderlicke reyse ghedaen door Willem Cornelisz Schouten … 1615, 1616, en 1617, became widely distributed in numerous editions and in different languages including the edition noted below. Le Maire’s authorised version was first published in 1622 under the title, Spieghel Avstralische Navigatie … Iacob Le Maire, … . This account was also included in other publications including the edition noted below. References in Tasman’s journal indicate that he was familiar with more than one account, with maps and plates of the voyage. Tasman received from van der Stel at Mauritius a copy of the printed book, De nieuwe werelt (Amsterdam, 1622). This book is in three parts: 1) A. Herrera “Novis Orbis” which contains accounts of a number of voyages through Le Maire and Magellan Straits plus separate accounts of the voyage of Le Maire by both Le Maire and Schouten. Also Herreras’ map of the Malay Archipelago, the north coast of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands is reproduced (Map 2 – above). As well, Le Maire’s vocabulary of the inhabitants of parts of the Solomon Islands (i.e. the Îles de Horne, Tafahi, and Niuatobutabu) and parts of New Guinea and the surrounding lands is included. so that he might more easily establish relations with the natives. Also present is the plate (Numero 2) illustrating a Polynesian vessel - see Page EBE1) Cevallos’ “Eyghentlijcke Beschryvinge Van West-Inden.” 3) Spieghel der Australische Navigatie door … Jacob Le Maire. See Map 6 – Page EBE1 - for a reproduction of Le Maire’s chart showing his Pacific traverse in 1616.)

In the morning, the wind still westerly, with hail and snow, so that we had to run on with a furled foresail as before. We considered it best to head north again, whereupon we made the following decision with the ship’s council together with our undermates, since we could not hail our friends on the Zeehaen, much less bring them to the Heemskerck.

First, we should shape our course to the northeast and run as far as latitude 45º to 44º south, then, having reached 45º south or indeed 44º to set our course to the east as far as longitude 150º E, as the resolution states fully to which I here refer.

At noon, we estimated our position as 47º 56' S, 119º 6' E. We kept our course northeast and sailed forty five miles.

8 Nov. In the morning with the weather somewhat better, we set our topsails. We kept our course northeast and sailed thirty two miles with drizzly, rainy, misty weather and variable winds but mostly a westerly.

At noon, we estimated our position as 46º 26' S, 121º 19' E. We ran on at night with reduced sail.

9 Nov. The wind southerly with a grey sky and a topsails breeze. At noon, we estimated our position as 44º 19' S, 124º 20' E. A calculation of our latitude does not square with our estimate. We kept a northeast course and sailed forty five miles. We saw still daily rockweed drifting about.

At noon, we shaped our course to the east, in accordance with the resolution of the 7th instant. Towards the evening, we let drift from the back of the poop, the following letter with a copy of the note of the pilot-major Franchoijs Jacobszoon [Visscher] to the officers of the Zeehaen, in a wooden canister-shot case, duly waxed and closely wrapped with a tarred canvas. (fn. See the entry for 7 November above.) The letter duly reached its destination and ran as follows:

After receiving and reading my letter, the people of the Zeehaen have, as a sign that they approved our resolution, flown the Prince-flag. (fn. This is a reference to the flag of the Statholder Frederick Hendrik, Prince of Orange and Count of Nassau.)

10 Nov. Good weather with a southerly wind and a topsails breeze. At noon, we estimated our position as 44º S, 126º 45' E. We kept an easterly course and sailed twenty six miles. At noon, we found ourselves in latitude 43º 20' S. The sea ran very high from the southwest and also at times from the southeast with heavy swells.

11 Nov. Good weather and a westerly wind with a soft breeze. At noon we estimated our position as 43º 20' S, 127º 45' E. We kept an easterly course and sailed eleven miles. We ran up the white flag, whereupon the officers of the Zeehaen came on board our ship and then at a meeting of the full council we resolved that from our present position of about latitude 44º S, longitude 123º 29' E (this longitude figure is reckoned from averaging), we shall sail east as far as 195º E, which is in line with the eastern side of New Guinea as it is delineated in the chart. (fn. The eastern tip of New Guinea lies in 166^o 39' East of Tenerife.)

/The resolution of today’s date, explains more fully the details to which I refer.

12 Nov. Good weather and smooth water with a westerly wind and a soft topsails breeze. At noon, we calculated our position as 43º 5' S, 129º 17' E. We kept our course east-southeast and sailed eighteen miles.

13 Nov. Dark, hazy, foggy weather with a steady breeze. We still see daily rockweed drifting by. At noon, we estimated our position as 44º 16' S, 132º 17' E, and kept our course east by south and sailed thirty-three miles. The wind northwest. At noon, we shaped our course to the east.

14 Nov. Still dark, gloomy, drizzly weather and the wind west northwest, with a steady breeze. At noon, we estimated our position as 44º 16' S, 136º 22' E. We kept our course east and sailed forty four miles. The sea still runs high from the southwest, so that no mainland is yet to be surmised south of us.

15 Nov. Good weather and a steady breeze from the west northwest. At noon, we calculated our position as 44º 3' S, 140º 32' E. We kept our course a little more north from east and sailed forty-five miles. We still saw much rockweed drifting every day.

16 Nov. In the morning, it was very foggy but towards noon it cleared up again. We calculated our position as 44º 10' S, 144º 42' E. We kept our course east and sailed forty five miles with a steady breeze from the west. In the evening we took the sun’s azimuth.

17 Nov. Good weather and a clear sky. We still saw daily much rockweed drifting by. And the sea still comes from the southwest and although we daily see rockweed drifting, it is nevertheless presumed, that to the south, there is no large land because of the rough sea, which still comes high from the south.

At noon, we calculated our position as 44º 15' S, 147º 3' E. We kept our course east and sailed twenty eight miles with a soft topsails breeze from the west. We estimate we have already passed the present known southland, or as far as Pieter Nuyts sailed to the east. (fn. Pieter Nuyts, a high officer of the Dutch East India Company, was on board the Gulden Zeepard (François Thijszoon) on a voyage from the Netherlands to Batavia in 1627. A vast extension of knowledge of Australia resulted from this voyage which resulted from the ship veering off course. Thijszoon surveyed the southern coast as far as the Nuyts Archipelago in longitude 150^o 9’ east of Tenerife. The stretch of coast discovered by the Gulden Zeepaard thus extended from Cape Leeuwin over 17 degrees of longitude. Thijszoon and Nuyts took the Dutch just above half way across the whole southern face of Australia. Since Tasman’s longitude was reckoned as 147^o 3' east of Tenerife he was only as far as a point opposite about Nularbor. See Map 5 – page 325, Gerritsz’s map of parts of Australia and the East Indies; see also Schilder (1976, 106).

18 Nov. The wind northwesterly and then northerly, with mist and drizzle and a topsails breeze. At noon we calculated our position as 44º 16' S, 150º 6' E.

We kept an easterly course and sailed thirty three miles. This day we saw some whales. At night, during the dogwatch we lay to under reduced sail.

19 Nov. Good weather and a northerly wind, then a northwesterly with a topsails breeze. At noon, we estimated our position as 44º 45' S, 153º 34' E.

At noon we observed our latitude as 45º 5', so that we are farther to the south than I earlier estimated.

Towards the evening, a storm arose from the north and then from the northwest, accompanied by hail and snow and very cold weather, so we had to tack to leeward with our mainsail.

20 Nov. The wind west-northwest with hail and snow and a storm in the morning. We scudded on before the wind with our foresail at half-mast. At noon, we estimated our position as 44º 43' S, 155º 58' E.

We kept an easterly course and sailed twenty six miles. We later observed our latitude as 44º 32' S. At night, we lay to with our mainsail set.

21 Nov. In the morning, with the weather somewhat better we again set our topsails, slid out the foresail bonnet, and made our course east-northeast. The wind westerly and then northwesterly with a topsails breeze.

At noon, we estimated our position as 43º 53' S, 158º 12' E, but then we calculated our latitude as 43º 40' S. We kept our course east northeast and sailed twenty six miles. The sea runs very hollow both from the northwest and the southwest. We lay to at night, under reduced sail.

22 Nov. At daybreak, we set sail again, with a westerly topsails breeze. There was a huge swell from the southwest, so that to the south no land is to be surmised.

At noon, we estimated our position as 42º 58' S, 160º 34' E, but then we calculated our latitude as 42º 49' S. We kept our course east northeast and sailed twenty eight miles.

Our compasses did not stay stable as they ought to, or there might be some loadstone deposits near here. It is indeed possible, since our compasses sometimes vary eight points from one moment to another, so that there always seems to be some cause that keeps the needle in motion.

23 Nov. Good weather and a southwesterly wind, with a steady breeze. In the morning, we found that our rudder was broken above the opening of the spindle. So we have fixed a brace to each side and hauled to windward under reduced sail.

At noon, we calculated our position as 42º 50' S, 162º 51' E. We kept an easterly course and sailed twenty five miles.

We found the variation of the compass to be one degree northwest so that the decrease is very abrupt here.

(fn. Tasman is probably referring to the west side of Cape York Peninsula since at that time it was thought that parts of northern Australia already discovered were possibly joined to New Guinea. Part of the west coast of Cape York Peninsula is clearly delineated and named ‘Nueva Guinea’ in Gerritsz’s chart as reproduced as Map 4 and also in more detail see Schilder, 1976, page 46. Luis Vaez de Torres, a Spanish explorer, discovered the passage south of New Guinea in September 1606 but it was not generally made known until 1762. Torres had been associated with Quirós (see page 148, fn 4) but had separated from Quirós before the Torres Strait discovery.)

24 Nov. Good weather and a clear sky. At noon, we calculated our position as 42º 25' S, 163º 31' E. We kept our course east by north and sailed thirty miles; the wind from the southwest and then the south with a light topsails breeze.

In the afternoon, about 4 o’clock, we saw land, which we had east by north from us by our estimate ten miles distant. It was very high land. Towards the evening we saw in the east-southeast, three high mountains and in the northeast two more mountains, but these were not so high as those to the east-southeast. (fn. In the Sailor's journal it is stated and that following noon land was seen right ahead at about 11 or 12 miles (see Sharp, 1968, 273). Sharp (1968, 88, fn 3) identifies the high land and mountains as follows: “This was probably the high land beyond Macquarie Harbour in the west of Tasmania, where various sights of Frenchman's Cap, Mount Sorell, and the Eldon Range would have been had according to the circumstances of cloud, which is usual in the high country in that part of Tasmania. The mountains seen a little later to the ESE according to Tasman's journal were probably those of the Wilmot Range and Mount Direction, while the two seen to the north-east at that time were probably Mount Heemskerk and Mount Zeehan”)

In the evening, in the first glass after the watch was set, I convened the ship’s council with the undermates and asked them whether it would not be best to run farther out to sea. I requested their opinion as to the time when it would be best to do so, upon which it was unanimously resolved to run out to sea at the expiration of three glasses, and to keep doing so for the space of ten glasses. After this, to make for the land again. All of this may be seen more fully in today’s resolution, to which I beg leave to refer.

During the night, when three glasses had run out, the wind turned to the southeast. We held off from the shore, sounded in 100 fathoms, and found a white sandy bottom with small shells. We sounded once again and found black, coarse sand with pebbles.

25 Nov. In the morning, we had a calm. I ordered the white flag and upper standard flown from the stern, whereupon the officers of the Zeehaen with their steersmen. came to our ship where I convened the council. At our meeting we resolved together upon what is more fully set out in a resolution of this day, to which I beg leave to refer to here.

Towards noon, the wind turned to the southeast and then to the south-southeast and the south, upon which we made for the coast. In the evening about 5 o’clock we came close to the coast. Three miles off the coast we had sixty fathoms with a coral bottom. One mile off the coast we had clean, fine, white sand. We observed this coast to be a level land and to bear south by east and north by west.

We calculated our position from observed latitude and averaged longitudes as 42º 30' S, 163º 50' E. We then steered again away from the coast, with the wind turning to the south-southeast with a topsails breeze.

When one comes from the west and one finds that the variation of the compass is four degrees northwesterly, then one may indeed look out for land, because the variation here decreases very abruptly. Here at the coast one has a right pointing compass.

If it happened that one got some rough weather from the more westerly hand, then one may well heave to and not sail on.

As mentioned earlier in this entry, we have arrived at an averaged longitude of 163º 50' E.

This land is the first land in the South Sea that is met by us and is still unknown to European peoples, so I have given this land the name of Anthoonij van Diemenslandt in honour of the Hon. Govr General, our illustrious master who sent us out to make this discovering. (fn. Anthony van Diemens Land – i.e. Tasmania. In regard to identifications in the Tasmania areas discovered by Tasman, the footnotes in the next few pages mainly agree with Sharp (1968). However, readers interested in further discussions on identifications should also consult Duyker (1992), Heeres (1898), Meyjes (1919), Schilder (1976), and Walker , 1896.)

The islets, which are lying around the mainland, so many as are known to us, I have named after the Hon. Councillors of India, as may be seen from the chart which has been made of them.

[On the following three pages in the SAJ are drawings relating to Tasmania with legends in Dutch. The captions below are English renditions of the Dutch legends.]