nd in the year 1628;
for, in 1644, _De Witt's Land_ is used as a known term for this part of
the North-west Coast.

PELSERT. 1629.

Thus far, the parts of the Western Coasts have been distinguished by
little else than the dates and limits of their discovery; for, in fact,
this is all that has reached us from these early navigators. The
following account is of a different character: it is extracted from the
twenty-first piece in Thevenot's collection; and, in the table of
contents, is said to be translated from the Dutch.

The _Batavia_, commanded by FRANCISCO PELSERT, struck, in the night of
June 4, 1629, upon a reef, "called by our Flemings the _Abrolhos_ or
Rocks of _Frederick Houtman_," lying off the west coast of New Holland.
At daylight, an island was seen about three leagues distant, and two
islets, or rather rocks, somewhat nearer, to which the passengers and
part of the crew were sent. There being no fresh water to be found upon
these islands, Pelsert had a deck laid over one of the boats; and, on
June 8, put to sea, in order to make search upon the opposite main land:
his latitude, at noon, was 28 deg. 13' south.

A short time after quitting the Abrolhos, captain Pelsert got sight of
the coast, which, by estimation, bore N. by W. eight leagues from the
place of shipwreck.* He had 25 to 30 fathoms, and stood off till
midnight, when he again steered for the land; and in the morning of the
9th, it was four leagues off. He ran that day from five to seven leagues,
sometimes to the north, sometimes to the west; the direction of the coast
being N. by W.: it appeared to be rocky--without trees--and about the
same height as the coast of Dover. A small, sandy bay was seen, into
which Pelsert desired to enter; but finding too much surf, and the
weather becoming bad, he was obliged to haul further off.

[* Thevenot says _six miles_, and does not explain what kind of miles
they are; but it is most probable that he literally copies his original,
and that they are Dutch miles of fifteen to a degree. Van Keulen, in
speaking of Houtman's Abrolhos, says, page 19, "This shoal is, as we
believe, 11 or 12 leagues (_8 ae 9 mijlen)_ from the coast."]

July 10. He kept in the same parallel, upon a wind; the weather being
bad, and his boat very leaky. Next day, the wind was at W. S. W., and
more moderate. He then steered north; for the sea was too high to
approach the shore in safety. On the 12th, Pelsert observed the latitude
t