Colenbrander, Assistant-Keeper, of the State
Archives of the Hague.]

For this and this only, was the object I had in view in selecting the
materials for the present work: once more, as completely and convincingly
as I could, to set forth the part borne by the Netherlanders in the
discovery of the fifth part of the world. I have not been actuated by any
desire to belittle the achievements of other nations in this field of
human activity. The memorial volume here presented to the reader aims at
nothing beyond once more laying before fellow-countrymen and foreigners
the _documentary evidence_ of Dutch achievement in this field; perhaps I
may add the wish that it may induce other nations to follow the example
here given as regards hitherto unpublished documents of similar nature.
Still, it would be idle to deny that it was with a feeling of national
pride that in the course of this investigation I was once more
strengthened in the conviction that even at this day no one can justly
gainsay MAJOR'S assertion on p. LXXX of his book, that "the first
authenticated discovery of any part of the great Southland" was made in
1606 by a Dutch schip the Duifken. All that is asserted regarding a
so-called previous discovery of Australia has no foundation beyond mere
surmise and conjecture. Before the voyage of the ship Duifken all is an
absolute blank.

II.

CHRONOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE DUTCH DISCOVERIES ON THE MAINLAND COAST OF
AUSTRALIA.

If one would distribute over chronological periods the voyages of
discovery, both accidental and of set purpose, made by the Netherlanders
on the mainland coast of Australia, it might be desirable so to adjust
these periods, that each of them was closed by the appearance in this
field of discovery and exploration, of ships belonging to other European
nations.

The first period, extending from 1595 to 1606, would in that case open
with the years 1595-6, when JAN HUYGEN VAN LINSCHOTEN, in his highly
remarkable book entitled _Itinerario_, imparted to his countrymen what he
knew about the Far East; and it would conclude with the discovery of
Torres Strait by the Spaniards in 1606, a few months after Willem Jansz.
in the ship Duifken had discovered the east-coast of the Gulf of
Carpentaria, the latter discovery forming the main interest of this
period.

The second period may be made to extend from 1606 to 1622, i.e. from the
appearance of the Spaniards on the extreme north-coast of the fifth part