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.
Major, Richard Henry
Australia -- Discovery and exploration; Discoveries in geography -- Portuguese; Voyages and travels
After midnight in the second watch of the 29th, they perceived an island
before them, which they left on their starboard or right side, and at
day-break found themselves near the cove which lies upon the west side
thereof, from whence they continued their course towards the west
north-west. By pursuing this route one gives a wide berth to the shore
at the bottom of this cove, but nears it again before the Trowuen
Islands are reached. About mid-day they found themselves in latitude 6°
48´, and that by reckoning they had made thirty miles, the course lying
west north-west, about three o’clock in the afternoon. They passed
between these two islands, and saw upon the more westerly one a great
quantity of cocoa-nut trees. About evening they were still distant one
mile from the south point of Java, and at the third bell of the second
watch found themselves exactly between Java and Prince’s Island. On the
morning of the thirtieth day they were near the coast of Prince’s
Island, and made only two miles that day. Towards evening a slight
breeze sprung up from the land.
The weather moderated on the 1st of July, and at mid-day they were still
full three leagues distant from the island called Dwaers-inden-wegh,[22]
the wind being inconstant. About evening the wind blew from the
north-west, so that they gained the island of which I speak. The night
was calm, and they were constrained to row.
On the morning of the second, being opposite to the island called
Toppers-hoëtien, they were forced to remain at anchor till nigh eleven
o’clock, expecting the sea breeze; but it rose so slightly that they
were compelled to continue rowing, and found by the evening that they
had only advanced two miles. At sunset they perceived a sail astern
opposite to the island Dwaers-inden-wegh, whereupon they reached the
coast and cast anchor there, resolved to await its coming. When the
morning came they boarded this vessel, hoping to obtain assistance and
arms for their defence against the Javanese in case they were at war
with the Dutch. They found the vessel accompanied by two others of the
Company, in one of which was Ramburgh, counsellor to the Company.
Pelsart went on board his vessel, and having recounted to him with grief
the accident that had befallen him, sailed with him to Batavia.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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