[* For an account of the miseries and horrors which took place on the islands of the Abrolhos during the absence of Pelsert, the English reader is referred to Vol.  I. p. 320 to 325 of Campbell’s edition of Harris’ Voyages; but the nautical details there given are very incorrect.]

TASMAN. 1644.

It is not from any direct information, that ABEL JANSZ TASMAN is placed as the next discoverer upon the western coasts of Terra Australis; for, as has been already observed, no account of his second voyage has ever been made public, or is any such known to exist.  It is, however, supposed, with great probability of truth, that, after the examination of the North Coast, he pursued his course westward along the shore to the North-west Cape, conformably to his instructions; but that he did not go further southward along the Land of Endragt than to the tropic of Capricorn, where he quitted his examination, and returned to Batavia.

The chart published by Thevenot, in 1663, gives a form to the Western Coasts, and joins them to the northern Van Diemen’s Land; but it is evident from Tasman’s instructions, that the part between De Witt’s Land and Cape Van Diemen was unknown to the Dutch government at Batavia in 1644.  And since there is no account of its having been seen during the intermediate nineteen years, it may be concluded that the North-west Coast was first explored by him; and Dampier says (Vol.  III. p. 96), that he had Tasman’s chart of it; though none bearing his name can now be found.*

[* The French editor of the Voyage de Decouvertes aux Terres Australes, published in 1807, Vol.  I. p. 128, attributes the formation of the North-west Coast in the common charts to the expedition of the three Dutch vessels sent from Timor in 1705.  But this is a mistake.  It is the chart of Thevenot, his countryman, published forty-two years previously to that expedition, which has been mostly followed by succeeding geographers.]

The notes of burgomaster Witsen show, that the North-west Coast was visited by Tasman; and as they give the earliest information of the inhabitants, and are curious in themselves, they are here transcribed from Mr. Dalrymple’s Papua.

“In lat. 13 deg. 8’ S. lon. 146 deg. 18’” (probably about 1291/2 deg. east of Greenwich), “the coast is barren.  The people are bad and wicked, shooting at the Dutch with arrows, without provocation, when they were coming on shore:  It is here very populous.”

“In 14 deg. 58’ S. lon. 138 deg. 59’ (about 125 deg. east), the people are savage, and go naked:  none can understand them.”

“In HOLLANDIA NOVA,* in 17 deg. 12’ S. (lon. 121 deg. or 122 deg. east) Tasman found a naked, black people, with curly hair; malicious and cruel, using for arms, bows and arrows, hazeygaeys and kalawaeys.  They once came to the number of fifty, double armed, dividing themselves into two parties, intending to have surprised the Dutch, who had landed twenty-five men; but the firing of guns frightened them so that they fled.  Their prows are made of the bark of trees:  their coast is dangerous:  there are few vegetables:  the people use no houses.”