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Early Voyages to Terra Australis, Now Called Australia:: A Collection of Documents, and Extracts from Early Manuscript Maps, Illustrative of the History of Discovery on the Coasts of That Vast Island, from the Beginning of the Sixteenth Century to the Time of Captain Cook.Major, Richard Henry

History

Early Voyages to Terra Australis, Now Called Australia:: A Collection of Documents, and Extracts from Early Manuscript Maps, Illustrative of the History of Discovery on the Coasts of That Vast Island, from the Beginning of the Sixteenth Century to the Time of Captain Cook.

Name: Early Voyages to Terra Australis, Now Called Australia:: A Collection of Documents, and Extracts from Early Manuscript Maps, Illustrative of the History of Discovery on the Coasts of That Vast Island, from the Beginning of the Sixteenth Century to the Time of Captain Cook.
Author: Major, Richard Henry

Major, Richard Henry

Australia -- Discovery and exploration; Discoveries in geography -- Portuguese; Voyages and travels

An observation on the 22nd showed them to be in latitude 16° 10´, which
greatly surprised them, as they could not imagine how, in so short a
time, they had been enabled to pass so many degrees; the current
apparently carried them strongly towards the north. By their reckoning
they were found to have made twenty-four miles, the course northerly,
with a fresh breeze at times from the south-east.

They found it impossible to take an observation upon the 23rd, but, by
their reckoning, they had made sixteen miles, their course lying north
by west, the wind this day sometimes veering from east to west, weather
variable, rainy and occasionally calm. In the evening the wind stood at
south south-east.

On the 24th, the weather was dry, fresh, with the wind south-east by
south. About mid-day they found themselves in latitude 13° 10´, the
course twenty-five miles north by west.

On the 25th, the wind blew from the south-east, the weather dry, and
fresh, and the latitude 13° 30´. This day they had advanced by their
reckoning thirty-one miles, north by west, and saw much sea-weed.

The 26th day they were in latitude 9° 56´, the wind south-east, and the
weather dry. This day they advanced twenty-four miles in the same
direction.

On the 27th day the wind blew from the south-east, and the weather being
rainy they were unable to take an observation. After mid-day they saw
the land of Java, in latitude 8° according to their calculations, and
distant about four or five miles. They changed their course to west
north-west, hugging the coast until evening, when they discovered a
point beyond which lay an island abounding with trees. Having made for
this point they found, towards dusk, a bay, into which they entered,
following a course towards the north north-west, and casting anchor in
eight fathoms water, with a hard bottom, they passed the night there.

On the morning of the 28th, they weighed anchor, and rowed towards shore
to look for water, for they were reduced to extremity by thirst. Happily
they discovered a spring, at which they quenched their thirst and
refilled their casks, and towards mid-day resumed their course for
Batavia.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

History

Early Voyages to Terra Australis, Now Called Australia:: A Collection of Documents, and Extracts from Early Manuscript Maps, Illustrative of the History of Discovery on the Coasts of That Vast Island, from the Beginning of the Sixteenth Century to the Time of Captain Cook.

Major, Richard Henry

Australia -- Discovery and exploration; Discoveries in geography -- Portuguese; Voyages and travels

An observation on the 22nd showed them to be in latitude 16° 10´, which
greatly surprised them, as they could not imagine how, in so short a
time, they had been enabled to pass so many degrees; the current
apparently carried them strongly towards the north. By their reckoning
they were found to have made twenty-four miles, the course northerly,
with a fresh breeze at times from the south-east.

They found it impossible to take an observation upon the 23rd, but, by
their reckoning, they had made sixteen miles, their course lying north
by west, the wind this day sometimes veering from east to west, weather
variable, rainy and occasionally calm. In the evening the wind stood at
south south-east.

On the 24th, the weather was dry, fresh, with the wind south-east by
south. About mid-day they found themselves in latitude 13° 10´, the
course twenty-five miles north by west.

On the 25th, the wind blew from the south-east, the weather dry, and
fresh, and the latitude 13° 30´. This day they had advanced by their
reckoning thirty-one miles, north by west, and saw much sea-weed.

The 26th day they were in latitude 9° 56´, the wind south-east, and the
weather dry. This day they advanced twenty-four miles in the same
direction.

On the 27th day the wind blew from the south-east, and the weather being
rainy they were unable to take an observation. After mid-day they saw
the land of Java, in latitude 8° according to their calculations, and
distant about four or five miles. They changed their course to west
north-west, hugging the coast until evening, when they discovered a
point beyond which lay an island abounding with trees. Having made for
this point they found, towards dusk, a bay, into which they entered,
following a course towards the north north-west, and casting anchor in
eight fathoms water, with a hard bottom, they passed the night there.

On the morning of the 28th, they weighed anchor, and rowed towards shore
to look for water, for they were reduced to extremity by thirst. Happily
they discovered a spring, at which they quenched their thirst and
refilled their casks, and towards mid-day resumed their course for
Batavia.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Early Voyages to Terra Australis, Now Called Australia:: A Collection of Documents, and Extracts from Early Manuscript Maps, Illustrative of the History of Discovery on the Coasts of That Vast Island, from the Beginning of the Sixteenth Century to the Time of Captain Cook.

Early Voyages to Terra Australis, Now Called Australia:: A Collection of Documents, and Extracts from Early Manuscript Maps, Illustrative of the History of Discovery on the Coasts of That Vast Island, from the Beginning of the Sixteenth Century to the Time of Captain Cook.

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