d mountainous. But as the land bore eastward from us,
and we could not have got higher without considerable inconvenience, we
do not know whether it forms an unbroken coast-line, or is made up of
separate islands. In the former case it might well be a mainland coast,
for it extended to a very great length. But only the Lord knows the real
state of affairs. At all events it would seem never to have been made or
discovered by any one before us, as we have never heard of such discovery
[*], and the chart shows nothing but open ocean at this place. According
to our skipper's estimation in his chart the Strait of Sunda was then
N.N.E. of us at about 250 miles' distance; according to the second mate's
reckoning the direction was North East, and according to the first mate's
estimation North East by North. These statements, however, proved
erroneous, since we arrived east of Bali on a north-north-east course. So
that consequently this land bears from Sunda Strait south-south-west, and
ships must arrive in Java eastward of Sunda Strait on a north-by-west or
northern course; on which those who come in sight of this land from
eastward and wish to go to Bantam, may safely base their course. This
much by way of advice...

[* Dirk Hartochs's discovery had not come to their knowledge then.]

On board the ship Seewolff lying at anchor before Jacatra, this 20 of
June, 1618.
Your Worships' obedient Servant
PIETER DIRCXSOON 1618.

B.

_Letter of Skipper Haevick Claeszoon van Hillegom to the Managers of the
E.I.C. at Amsterdam, dated June 24, 1618._

Laus Deo. On board the ship Seewolf lying at anchor before Jaeketerae,
this 24th of June 1618.

Right Worshipful Beloved Gentlemen My Lords Directors of the United
Company at Amsterdam, with friendly greeting, the present, after my best
wishes for the {Page 12} well-being and health of my Worshipful Noble
Masters, serves to express my hope that Your Worships may have duly
received, through Pieter Gertsz, skipper of the ship Enckhuyzen [*], my
letters of the 22nd of March, written in the Taefel Bay, recounting what
had happened on our voyage up to said date. The present further serves to
inform Your Worships of our progress up to this day, as follows. We set
sail from the Cape de bon Esperanse on the 24th of the same month...

[* See _supra_ A.]

On the 5th of May we got into Latitude 28 deg. 26' South, when we saw numbers
of birds many of which seemed to be land-birds, such as a whi