the Dutch should make so great account of the southern countries as to
cause the map of them to be laid down in the pavement of the Stadt House
at Amsterdam, and yet publish no descriptions of them. This mystery was
a good deal heightened by one of the ships that first touched on
Carpenter's Land, bringing home a considerable quantity of gold, spices,
and other rich goods; in order to clear up which, it was said that these
were not the product of the country, but were fished out of the wreck of
a large ship that had been lost upon the coast. But this story did not
satisfy the inquisitive, because not attended with circumstances
necessary to establish its credit; and therefore they suggested that,
instead of taking away the obscurity by relating the truth, this story
was invented in order to hide it more effectually. This suspicion gained
ground the more when it was known that the Dutch East India Company from
Batavia had made some attempts to conquer a part of the Southern
continent, and had been repulsed with loss, of which, however, we have no
distinct or perfect relation, and all that hath hitherto been collected
in reference to this subject, may be reduced to two voyages. All that we
know concerning the following piece is, that it was collected from the
Dutch journal of the voyage, and having said thus much by way of
introduction, we now proceed to the translation of this short history.

The directors of the East India Company, animated by the return of five
ships, under General Carpenter, richly laden, caused, the very same year,
1628, eleven vessels to be equipped for the same voyage; amongst which
there was one ship called the _Batavia_, commanded by Captain Francis
Pelsart. They sailed out of the Texel on the 28th of October, 1628; and
as it would be tedious and troublesome to the reader to set down a long
account of things perfectly well known, I shall say nothing of the
occurrences that happened in their passage to the Cape of Good Hope; but
content myself with observing that on the 4th of June, in the following
year 1629, this vessel, the _Batavia_, being separated from the fleet in
a storm, was driven on the Abrollos or shoals, which lie in the latitude
of 28 degrees south, and which have been since called by the Dutch, the
Abrollos of Frederic Houtman. Captain Pelsart, who was sick in bed when
this accident happened, perceiving that his ship had struck, ran
immediately upon deck. It was night indeed;