y-two feet in diameter: the
circles were inlaid with brass, and were executed by a celebrated
artist. The southern hemisphere exhibited the discoveries of Tasman and
his predecessors: they formed the pavement of the hall, until
obliterated by the tread of several generations. They were quite
forgotten when Sir Joseph Banks sought information from the inhabitants.
A copy of these works of art was preserved, and displayed the extent to
which New Holland and Van Diemen's Land were known.

The journal of Tasman has been greatly admired: it is clear, laconic,
and devout.[1] It opens with an invocation: "May God Almighty be pleased
to give his blessing to this voyage. Amen." The document is, indeed,
full of pious sentiments: when a long desired breeze liberated the
vessel from port, or refreshment was obtained, or safe anchorage found,
he dots down a thanksgiving. He reckoned his longitude from the Peak of
Teneriffe: the hours he called glasses; his miles were German, fifteen
to a degree.

On the 14th of August, 1642, Tasman embarked at Batavia, on board the
_Heemskirk_, the fly-boat _Zeehaan_, Jerit Zanzoon, master, in company.
They set sail for the Mauritius, and arrived on the 5th of September.
That island, then commanded by Van Steelan, was but little cultivated,
and gave slight promise of its present importance.[2] On the 4th
October, they were ready to depart, but were delayed by contrary winds
until the 8th, when on a change in their favor they stood eastward to
sea. On the 27th, a council being called, it was resolved that a man
should constantly look out at the topmast head; and to encourage
vigilance it was determined, that the first discoverer of land should
receive three reals and a pot of arrack. On the 4th November they saw
patches of duckweed and a seal, and inferred their vicinity to land. The
first pilot, Francis Jacobzs, on the 7th, supported by the advice of the
steersman, thus delivered his opinion:--"We should keep to the 44 deg.
south latitude, until we have passed 150 deg. longitude; then make for
latitude 40 deg. south, and keeping in that parallel to run eastward to
220 deg. longitude, and then steering northward search with the trade wind
from east to west for the Solomon Islands. We imagine, if we meet with no
main land till we come to 150 deg. longitude, we must then meet with
islands." On the 17th, they were in latitude 44 deg. 15' and longitude 147
deg. 3': they concluded that they had already p