E GULF OF CARPENTARIA, THE NORTH-
AND NORTH-WEST-COAST OF AUSTRALIA BY THE SHIPS LIMMEN, ZEE MEEUW AND DE
BRACQ UNDER THE COMMAND OF TASMAN, VISSCHER, DIRK CORNELISZOON HAEN AND
JASPER JANSZOON KOOS.

A.

_See_ Frederik Muller and Co's _Tasman Folio._

B.

_Letter of the Governor-General and Councillors to the Governor of Banda,
November 29, 1644._

...We shall not recount here how...Tasman had coasted along the land of
Nova Guinea and the South-land without finding any channel or opening up
to Willems River, from where he has returned hither through Sunda Strait,
but would refer Your Worship to the annexed extract from their journals,
which we request you to peruse with attention, and to order...Dortsman
[*] or any other person whom you shall charge with the voyage to
Timorlaut, in case their plans touching these islands should succeed
speedily and prosperously, and they should still have time at their
disposal, to make for the great river which our men have christened
Waterplaets, in 12 degrees Southern Latitude and 1601/4 degrees Longitude,
to sail up the same river landinward, in which there is the less
difficulty, since the river, being deep and wide, can be sailed up by the
yacht, which can conveniently turn, veer and tack in it...

[* Adriaan Dortsman had been ordered on a voyage of discovery east and
south of Banda. This voyage took place in 1645 and 1646, but Australia
was not visited on that occasion.]

* * * * *

{Page 73}

XXVIII.

(1648). EXPLORATORY VOYAGE TO THE WEST-COAST OF AUSTRALIA ROUND BY
THE SOUTH OF JAVA, BY THE SHIP LEEUWERIK, COMMANDED BY JAN JANSZOON
ZEEUW.

A.

A.

_Instructions for the officers of the Yacht den Leeuwerik...June 27,
1648._

Having learned by the ships last arrived here from Banda, what poor
rice-crops they had in those quarters last year, so that, had not they
received some timely supplies of this grain from Amboyna, they would have
been put to exceeding inconvenience; and having besides seen from the
letter of Governor Cornelis Willemse van Outhoorn that also this year
they are under serious apprehensions of the like scarcity, in case
supplies from Batavia should be long in coming.

Therefore we have lately resolved in our Council to make an express
shipment thither at this time of year...chiefly and principally that, if
this voyage should have the expected success, which may the Almighty
grant in His mercy, we may in future be sure that such voya