They still had the north-western end of Papua or New
Guinea between them and Banda, from which they were distant at least
twelve degrees of longitude.
- E.]
On the 8th, continuing their course W.N.W. having a high island on the
starboard, and another somewhat lower to larboard, they anchored in the
afternoon in 70 fathoms on a good sandy bottom, about a cannon-shot from
the land, at an island in 3 deg. 40' S. which seemed an unhealthy place,
yielding nothing of any value except a little ginger. It was inhabited
by Papuas or blacks, whose ridiculous mode of dress, and their own
natural deformity, made them appear little short of a kind of monsters.
Hardly any of them but had something odd and strange, either in the
bigness or position of their limbs. They had strings of hog's teeth hung
about their necks; their noses were perforated, in which rings were
fastened; their hair was frizled, and their faces very ugly. Their
houses also were extremely singular, being mounted on stakes, eight or
nine feet above the ground. Before noon of the 9th, they anchored in a
more convenient bay, in 26 fathoms, on a bottom of sand mixed with clay.
There were two villages near the shore, whence some canoes brought off
hogs and cocoas, but the Indians held them at so dear a rate that the
Dutch would not buy any of them.
Though they had now sailed so long upon this new land, yet were they
unable to determine with any certainty if it actually were the coast of
New Guinea, as their charts neither agreed with each other, nor with the
coast in view. This coast for the most part ran N.W. by W. sometimes
more westerly, and at other times more northerly. Yet they held on their
course W.N.W. along the coast, having quiet weather though dull winds,
but assisted by a stream or current setting along the coast to the
westwards. Proceeding in this manner, they came into the lat. of 2 deg. 58'
S. at noon of the 12th. Continuing their course on the 13th and 14th,
the coast in sight was sometimes high and at other times low. The 15th,
still pursuing the same course, they reached two low islands about half
a league from the main, about the latitude of 2 deg. 54' S. where they had
good anchorage in 45 and 46 fathoms. Seeing the country well stored with
cocoas, two boats well armed were sent with orders to land and procure
some cocoa-nuts. But they were forced to retire by the Indians, in spite
of their muskets, at least sixteen of the Dutch, being wounded by arrows
and stones thrown from slings.
In the morning of the 16th, they sailed in between the two low islands,
and anchored in a safe place in nine fathoms. They landed that day on
the smaller island, where they burnt some huts of the natives, and
brought away as many cocoa-nuts as gave three to each man of the
company. The barbarous natives became now more tractable; as on the 17th
they came to make their peace-offerings of cocoas, bananas, ginger, and
certain yellow roots [turmeric] used instead of saffron. They even
trusted the Dutch so far as to come on board, when peace was entirely
restored, and their hearts won by a few nails and beads. They continued
bartering on the 18th, for cocoas and bananas, procuring fifty nuts and
two bunches of bananas for each man of the company, with a smaller
quantity of cassava and papade. These cassavas and papades are East
India commodities, the former being also to be had particularly good in
the West Indies, and far preferable to what they got here. The people
make all their bread of this substance, baking it in large round cakes.
This smaller island, which is the more easterly, the natives named
Mosa; the other over against it they call Jusan, and the farthest
off Arimea, which, is very high, and about five or six leagues from
the coast of New Guinea.[129] These places had probably been visited
before by Europeans, as they had among them some Spanish pots and jars.
They were not nearly so much surprised at the report of the great guns
as the others had been, neither were they so curious in looking at the
ship.
[Footnote 129: These names are not to be found in our modern general
maps, though certainly infinitely better for all the uses of geography
than the absurd appellations so much in use among voyagers. - E.]
On the 21st at noon, sailing along the land as before N.W. they were in
lat. 1 deg. 13' S. The current drove them to a cluster of islands, where
they anchored in thirteen fathoms, and were detained all day of the 22d
by storms of thunder and rain. Setting sail in the morning of the 23d,
six large canoes overtook them, bringing dried fish, cocoas, bananas,
tobacco, and a small sort of fruit resembling plums. Some Indians also
from another island brought provisions to barter, and some vessels of
China porcelain. Like other Savages, they were excessively fond of beads
and iron; but they were remarkably distinguished from the natives in the
last islands, by their larger size, and more orange-coloured
complexions. Their arms were bows and arrows, and they wore glass
earrings of several colours, by which latter circumstance it appeared
that they had been previously visited by other Europeans, and
consequently that this was not to be considered as a discovery.
The 24th, steering N.W. and W.N.W. and being in lat. 0 deg. 30' S. they
sailed along a very pleasant island, which they named Schouten's Island,
after their master,[130] and called its western point Cape of Good Hope.
The 25th they passed an extensive tract of uneven land on their larboard
hand, stretching from E.S.E. to W.N.W. The 26th they saw three other
islands, the coast stretching N.W. by W. The 27th they were in lat.
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