id project once more in hand
at the present time; and that to this end the Lord Admiral...[*] shall
dispatch from Amboyna or Banda the ship de Jager with any other small
yacht that should lie at anchor there, or happen to put into port, in
order to the discovery of the lands aforesaid; seeing that it is much
more convenient to visit those parts starting from here than from the
Netherlands, and that the same can now be done without any inconvenience
or detriment to the Company. And if in Amboyna or Banda no other yacht
besides the ship de Jager should be found available, then the Lord
Admiral shall be free to assign the ship Morgenster for the said
purpose...

[* Steven Van der Haghen.]

B.

_Resolution of the Governor-General and Councillors, October 21, 1616._

...Considering the confident inclination to the said voyage evinced by
the Lord Advocate Dedel [*], and the importance of this enterprise being
conducted with great skill and judgment, it has been determined and
resolved to employ the Advocate aforesaid in the said voyage, to the end
that all things may be conducted in good order, with the requisite
courage and resolution, for which purpose the Hon. Advocate will now
depart for Amboyna with the Lord Admiral...

[* Cornelis Dedel, LL. D.]

C.

_Letter from the Governor-General LAURENS REAEL to the Managers of the
E.I.C., May 10, 1617._

...Mr. Cornelis Dedel, LL. D., had by us been dispatched to this place
[*] from the Moluccas, that with two or three yachts and pinnaces he
might proceed to the discovery of the Southern lands, which undertaking
had heretofore once more by order of...Admiraal Verhagen been engaged in
by Jan Rossangin [**]. But when lying at anchor in Amboyna...Dedel's
ships were employed on other services. [***]

[* Reael was then staying in Banda.]

[* This almost certainly refers to the voyage of 1605-6 under Willem
Jansz. and Rosengein.]

[* Although, as we see, the project was not carried into execution, I
have thought it good to print the above documents, because they bear
testimony to the earnest intention of the Dutch authorities in India once
more to undertake the discovery of the "South-land" (at the same time the
matter was by no means lost sight of in the Netherlands, as is proved by
a resolution of the Managers of the E.I.C., of October 1616); [and]
because document C in the text is _presumably_ fresh evidence for the
voyage of 1605-6.]

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