When you get near the northern extremity and the east coast of the South-land, you will diligently inquire whether it yields anywhere sandal-wood, nutmegs, cloves or other spices; likewise whether it has any good harbours and fertile tracts, where it would be possible to establish settlements, which might be expected to yield satisfactory returns.  In a word, you will suffer nothing to escape your notice, but carefully scrutinise whatever you find, and give us a full and proper report on your return, by doing which you will render good service to the United Netherlands and reap special honour for yourselves.

In places where you meet with natives, you will either by adroit management or by other means endeavour to get hold of a number of full-grown persons, or better still, of boys and girls, to the end that the latter may be brought up here and be turned to useful purpose in the said quarters when occasion shall serve.

The command of the two yachts has been entrusted to Jan Vos, who during the voyage will carry the flag, convene the council and take the chair in the same, in virtue of our special commission granted to the said Vos for the purpose.

Given in the Fortress of jacatra, this 29th of September, A.D. 1622 [*].

[* Unforeseen circumstances prevented the expedition from setting out (Letter of the G.-G. and Counc. to the Managers, 1 Febr. 1623).]

* * * * *

XIV.

(1623).  VOYAGE OF THE SHIPS PERA AND ARNHEM, UNDER COMMAND OF JAN CARSTENSZOON OR CARSTENSZ, DIRK MELISZOON, AND WILLEM JOOSTEN VAN COLSTER [*] OR VAN COOLSTEERDT.—­FURTHER DISCOVERY OF THE SOUTH-WEST COAST OF NEW GUINEA.  DISCOVERY OF THE GULF OF CARPENTARIA.

[* He replaced Meliszoon after the latter’s death in February.]

I.

JOINT VOYAGE OF THE TWO SHIPS.—­VOYAGE OF THE PERA BY HERSELF UNDER CARSTENSZ, AFTER THE ARNHEM HAD PARTED COMPANY WITH HER [*].

[* This took place on April 27.]

A.

Letter of the G.-G. and Counc. to the Managers of the E.I.C, dated January 3, 1624.

...In the month of January 1623, Governor Van Speult dispatched from Amboina the yachts Arnhem and Pera, for the purpose of concluding treaties of friend ship with the natives of Quey, Aroe and Tenimber, and of further discovering and {Page 22} exploring the land of Nova Guinea; as Your Worships may gather from the enclosed document, the islanders aforesaid have of their own free will placed themselves under the obedience and dominion of their High Mightinesses the States-General of the United Netherlands, and have promised to come and trade with our fortresses in Banda and Amboyna.  From there the yachts ran over to Nova Guinea and skirted the said coast as far as 17 deg. 8’ Southern Latitude our men landed in sundry places, but found nothing but wild coasts, barren land and extremely