36 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



the huts being so small and cramped that a man could hardly creep into them, from 

 which we could sufficiently conclude that the natives must be poor and miserable 

 specimens of humanity. We afterwards tried to penetrate somewhat further into 

 the bush, in order to ascertain the nature and situation of the country. As we were 

 returning, a number of BLACKS sprang out of the bush and let fly their ARROWS at us 

 very furiously and with a horrible shouting, wounding a carpenter in the belly and 

 an apprentice in the leg. They also made signals to other blacks to come to their 

 assistance. Being thus hard pressed, we fired three or four muskets at the blacks, 

 killing one stone dead, which utterly took away their courage, and they dragged the 

 dead man into the bush. Being so far from the boats and a very difficult path to travel, 

 we returned, rowed out and went on board. The same day, at low water, we saw a 

 great shoal, extending SE., S. and SW. from us, where we had been with the yachts 

 on the nth. The said shoal stretches fully 4 miles [16 minutes] WSW. and W. by S. 

 of the land or hook, to which has been given in the new chart the name of VALSCH 

 CAEP, and which is in lat. 8 15' S. [really 8 21'] and about 70 miles [280 minutes] 

 east [really SE.] of Am. 



" NOTE that the land which we have touched at, as above mentioned, is 

 low-lying and half-submerged to the north, so that a large part of it is under 

 water at high tide. In the south it is somewhat higher, and here some men 

 inhabit it, and possess huts, but so far as we could ascertain it is barren, although 

 closely covered with tall, wild trees. The men are quite black and naked. Their 

 hair curls, like that of the Papuans. They wear certain fish-bones through the nose, 

 and through the ears pieces of the bark of trees, a span in length, so that they look 

 more like monsters than human beings. Their weapons are ARROWS AND BOWS, with 

 which they are very expert. 



" On the i$th, the wind N. : good weather and the current stronger to west than 

 to north. We got under sail in the forenoon, course WNW. to get into deeper water, 

 and when we had run a short distance we got about 8 feet, upon which we turned back, 

 and towards evening anchored in 2 fathoms. 



" On the i\th, good weather, the wind N. by W., and the current, as before, 

 Itrong to the SW. At midday, both boats sent out to take soundings, and they went 

 fully 2 miles WNW. of the yachts without finding anywhere more than i or 2 fathoms 

 of water. The same day, it was found practicable to set up again the ' Aernem's ' 

 main topmast (which had been lowered because it was useless in the calm weather), 

 for which the weather was now every day becoming more suitable. 



" On the i$tb y wind NNE., good weather, and the current as strong as before. 

 At midday, got under sail, on a tide coming from the NW., in the hope of getting clear 

 of the shoals, but after beating about till towards evening, we were forced by contrary 

 currents to anchor in 3 fathoms. 



" The i6tb, good weather, the wind NE. by E. Got under sail before midday. 

 In the course of the day the wind dropped. Towards evening the wind veered round 

 to WSW. Course NNW. along the shallows, in 2J- and 2 fathoms. In the evening, 

 anchored in 3 fathoms. We have found that in these parts the currents set very 

 strongly to SW., as before mentioned, and that the water rises and falls fully i and 

 2 fathoms at each tide. 



" The ijth, the wind E. in the morning. Thereupon we set sail, course WNW. 

 and W. by N., getting into deeper water, about 5 fathoms. At noon the latitude 

 was 8 4'. In the evening we anchored in 6 fathoms, having sailed WSW. 4 miles 

 [16 minutes]. 1 



" In the morning of the iSth, good weather, the wind W. In the afternoon we 

 set sail, with a rising tide coming from the W. Course SW. by S., in 6 fathoms. When 

 we had got into water deeper than 7 and 8 fathoms, course changed to SE. by E., 

 and ESE., in 10, 12, 14, 18, 20, 26 and 28 fathoms. Towards evening, we went over 

 to E., having sailed from morning to evening on the course first mentioned 5^ miles 

 [22 minutes] and from evening to morning E., 9 miles [36 minutes]. 



1 Carstenszoon's " miles " are Dutch " Leagues," of four minutes (16 to a degree). 



