HocKEN. — Abel Tasman and his Journal. 139 



the water-casks injured and broken to pieces. We immedi- 

 ately ordered the officers of the Zeehaen and the second 

 mates to come aboard us, when we summoned the council, 

 and resolved to lift the anchors, and with an easterly course to 

 run to latitude 22°. Following the foregoing resolution, that 

 we should keep due north to south latitude 17°, and then 

 should steer a due-west course, and run straight in right on 

 the Coques [Cocos] and Hoorense [Home] Islands, and there 

 obtain water and refreshnieuts ; or, if we should earlier come 

 upon any other island, that we should endeavour to do the 

 same there: as is specified in the resolution of this date, lately 

 referred to. Near noon we got under sail, having the island 

 at noon about three miles from us due south. In the evening, 

 at sunset, it was six to seven miles south-south-west from us, 

 the rocks and the island lying south-west and north-east from 

 each other. At night, pretty calm, wind east-south-east. 

 Held our course by the wind north-north-east, the sea run- 

 ning from the north-east. 



Such, then, is the entire and literal translation of that part 

 of Tasman's Journal which relates to his discovery of New 

 Zealand. Time forbids that I should give more than the 

 briefest account of his continued voyage, which is full of 

 interest. Steering north-east, he discovered in succession 

 Pylstaart, now Tropic-bird Island, where are found those 

 birds {Phaethon rubricauda), which occasionally make for the 

 very north of New Zealand, and whose tail-feathers are so 

 highly prized by the Maoris as an ornament for the hair; 

 then three islands of the Tongan Group — Tongatabu, Ana- 

 moka, and Eoa — which he called Amsterdam, Eotterdam, and 

 Middelburg. The stay in this group was lengthy and grate- 

 ful, and made some amends for the inhospitable reception in 

 New Zealand. Here fruit, water, and provisions were pro- 

 cured in abundance from the friendly natives. On the 6th 

 of February Prince Willem's Islands — the Fijis — were dis- 

 covered. The general course then maintained was west- 

 north-west. Several islands were passed, and the coast of 

 New Guinea reached on the 14th April. For more than a 

 month he sailed along the northern coast, and gives an ex- 

 ceedingly interestmg description of the country and natives. 

 Well-recognised points and islands were then fallen in with, 

 and on the loth June, 1643, the vessels dropped anchor at 

 Batavia, after an absence of two years save two months. 

 " God be praised and thanked for a safe voyage. Amen ! " is 

 Tasman's last entry. His Journal is written in a plain, 

 quaint, intelligible style, and abundantly shows that the 

 writer was a bold and accomplished seaman as well as a 

 fortunate discoverer. 



