N.N.E. of us at about 250 miles’ distance; according to the second mate’s reckoning the direction was North East, and according to the first mate’s estimation North East by North.  These statements, however, proved erroneous, since we arrived east of Bali on a north-north-east course.  So that consequently this land bears from Sunda Strait south-south-west, and ships must arrive in Java eastward of Sunda Strait on a north-by-west or northern course; on which those who come in sight of this land from eastward and wish to go to Bantam, may safely base their course.  This much by way of advice...

[* Dirk Hartochs’s discovery had not come to their knowledge then.]

On board the ship Seewolff lying at anchor before Jacatra, this 20 of
June, 1618. 
Your Worships’ obedient Servant
PIETER DIRCXSOON 1618.

B.

Letter of Skipper Haevick Claeszoon van Hillegom to the Managers of the E.I.C. at Amsterdam, dated June 24, 1618.

Laus Deo.  On board the ship Seewolf lying at anchor before Jaeketerae, this 24th of June 1618.

Right Worshipful Beloved Gentlemen My Lords Directors of the United Company at Amsterdam, with friendly greeting, the present, after my best wishes for the {Page 12} well-being and health of my Worshipful Noble Masters, serves to express my hope that Your Worships may have duly received, through Pieter Gertsz, skipper of the ship Enckhuyzen [*], my letters of the 22nd of March, written in the Taefel Bay, recounting what had happened on our voyage up to said date.  The present further serves to inform Your Worships of our progress up to this day, as follows.  We set sail from the Cape de bon Esperanse on the 24th of the same month...

[* See supra A.]

On the 5th of May we got into Latitude 28 deg. 26’ South, when we saw numbers of birds many of which seemed to be land-birds, such as a white tropic-bird and a few scissor-tailed ducks, so that I surmised that we were near land.  Two or three days afterwards we saw sea-weed floating in large quantities and long strips.  On the 10th do. we passed the tropic in fine weather.  On the 11th do. we saw land in 21 deg. 20’ S. Lat.:  it was a level, low-lying coast extending to a great length, and bearing mainly south and north, falling off on both sides with high mountains; we could not get near it.  Whether it was a mainland coast or islands only, is known to God alone, but from the signs seen at various times I suspect it to be a mainland.  The compass has one point north-westerly variation here; we saw a good deal of sea-weed floating about, and observed land-birds up to the 16th degree, both of these being signs of the proximity of the mainland.  This land is a fit point to be made by ships coming here with the eastern monsoon, in order to get a fixed course for Java or Sunda Strait; for if you see this land in 21, 22 or 23 degrees, and shape your course north-north-west and north-by-west you will make the western extremity of Jaeva.  I write this as a matter of certainty, seeing that we have made the same on a fixed course, and ships following this course are sure to find it true.  On the 21st do. we saw land, to wit, Kleyn Jaevae; we kept off and on during the night, and at daybreak made for the land, passing through the strait between Kleyn Jaeva and Baely...