ave in the new chart given to the same the
name of de Valsch Caep [*]; it is in Lat. 8 deg. 15' South, and about 70
miles east of Aru.

[* The South-west point of Prince Frederik Hendrik island.]

* * *

NOTE

That the land which we have touched at as above mentioned, is low-lying
and half-submerged to northward, so that a large part of it is under
water at high tide; to the south it is somewhat higher and inhabited by
certain natives who have built huts there; so far as we could ascertain
the land is barren, covered with tall wild trees; the natives quite black
and naked without any covering to hide their privy parts; their hair
curly in the manner of the Papues: they wear certain fish-bones through
the nose, and through their ears pieces of tree-bark, a span in length,
so that they look more like monsters than like human beings: their
weapons are arrows and bows which they use with great skill.

* * *

On the 13th the wind was N., the weather fair, and the current stronger
to west than to northward; we set sail in the forenoon, holding our course
W.N.W. in order to get into deeper water; when we had run some distance,
we got into eight feet of water; upon which we turned back and towards
evening came to anchor in 2 fathom.

On the 14th the weather was fair, the wind N. by W., the current running
strongly to S.W., as before; at noon we sent out the two pinnaces to take
soundings; they rowed as far as 2 miles W.N.W. of the yachts, and nowhere
found more than 11/2 and 2 fathom of water; the same day, seeing that the
weather is now getting more constant every day, it was resolved to put up
again the main-topmast in the yacht Aernem, which had been taken down
before on account of bad weather.

On the 15th the wind was N.N.E. with good weather and the current as
strong as before; we set sail at noon with the tide running from the
N.W., hoping to get into deeper water, but having been tacking about till
the evening, we were by counter-currents forced to come to anchor in
three fathom.

On the 16th the weather was good, the wind being N.E. by N.; we set sail
in the forenoon; in the course of the day we had a calm; towards the
evening the wind went round to W.S.W., course held N.N.W. along the
shallows in 21/2 and 2 fathom; in the evening we came to anchor in 3
fathom; we find that in these parts the currents set very strongly to
south-west, as before mentioned, and that the water rises and falls fully
11/2 and 2 f