ade his way through
Torres Straits, between New Holland and New Guinea, which had a short
time before been discovered by Luis Vaez de Torres. It must be
remembered, however, that at this period the whole of the vast region to
the south of the East Indian Archipelago was totally unknown to the
civilised world.

Le Maire and the other officers willingly agreed to this proposal, and
the course was accordingly shaped to north-north-west. Before long they
fell in with another island, but could only get within a league of it,
when they were visited by two canoes, some of the people in them being
allowed to come on board. The natives had not been long in the ship
before, one of them carrying off a shirt, the whole leapt back into
their canoes, and then began shouting and threatening to throw their
spears. To show them their folly some muskets were discharged, by which
two of the unfortunate savages were killed, while the rest made off at a
rapid rate.

It strikes one that the Dutchmen were apt to fire unnecessarily at the
savages; but then again it must be remembered that the latter were so
ignorant of the power of firearms that unless the pieces were shotted
they only laughed at the senseless noise, and that they hurled their
spears with such unerring aim that some of the Dutchmen might have been
killed had they not employed the means of defence in their power.

Notwithstanding the death of these two savages, some more canoes came
off on the 22nd from another part of the island, apparently with
peaceable intentions, bringing cocoa-nuts, roots, and roasted hogs,
which they bartered for knives, beads, and nails.

They were, however, quite as well versed in stealing as their
countrymen. Their huts in considerable numbers were seen along the
shore, the roofs being conical and covered with leaves. As Captain
Schouten here found a good place for watering, he detained six of the
islanders on board, and sent three of his own people as hostages to the
King, who treated them with great respect and presented them with four
hogs, giving also strict orders to his people not to interfere with the
boat while watering. The natives stood in great awe of him. One of
them having stolen a cutlass, and a complaint being made to one of his
officers, the thief was pursued and soundly thrashed, besides being
compelled to make restitution. The officer signified that it was well
for the culprit that the King did not know of his crime, for