VOYAGE OF THE "PERA" AND " AERNEM " 41 



" Drooge Bocht " and their belief that they were at last making 

 satisfactory progress. R. L. J.] 



" In the morning of the 13^, the wind SE. by E., being in 24 fathoms, the fore- 

 mentioned land still in sight, and of the same character as before, course SW. Midday- 

 latitude 12 53'. For the rest of the day and night, with the wind as above, and on 

 various courses, tried to make southing, and in the 24-hours' day [noon, I3th-I4th ? 

 R. L. J.] sailed 22 miles [88 minutes] on a SW. course. 



" On the i^thy the wind E. by W., course S. by E., in 10, II, 12, 13 and 14 fathoms, 

 parallel to the land. At midday the latitude was 13 47', and the land out of sight. 

 For the rest of the day and the whole of the night, with diverse winds and on different 

 courses, in 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2$- fathoms, we tried to get the land alongside [i.e., changed 

 the course as much as possible to the east. R. L. J.]. [SEE MAP D.] Towards 

 daylight [i5th], we were so near it that we might have recognised persons on the 

 strand. [This must have been at, or near, CAPE KEERWEER, where the " Duyfken " 

 turned back. R. L. J.] 



" On the 15^, in the morning, the wind strong from the east, course S. by E., 

 in 3 and 2^ fathoms, along a bank which lies about a mile from the mainland. At 

 midday the latitude was 14 30'. [SEE MAP F.] The land which we have hitherto 

 seen and followed extends S. and N., and is low and without variety, and in some 

 places has soft, sandy beaches. Near midday the wind dropped, and we ANCHORED, 

 having sailed II miles [44 minutes] south. Great volumes of smoke being visible 

 on the land, the assistant supercargo l was ordered to land, with both boats, duly 

 manned and armed, and was specially enjoined to use his utmost endeavours in the 

 interests of our Masters. On the return of the boats in the evening, the assistant 

 supercargo reported that the boats could get no nearer than a stone's-throw to the 

 beach, in which a man would sink to his middle, but that they had seen, in various 

 places, BLACKS emerging from the bush, while others were hiding in the scrubs. They 

 therefore sent one of the hands of the boat ashore, with pieces of iron and beads tied 

 to a stick, in order to attract the blacks. And so, as nothing else could be done, and 

 night was coming on, they turned back. [The anchorage must have been approxi- 

 mately in 14 40' S. lat. R. L. J.] 



" In the morning of the i6th (Easter Day), wind E. Set sail, course S. by E. 

 Midday latitude 14 56'. Anchored in the evening in 5^ fathoms, having sailed S. 

 io miles [42 minutes. This distance from the last anchorage would give the position 

 about 15 S. R. L. J.] 



" In the morning of the 17^, the wind S. by W., with rain, and the tide setting 

 to the S. At noon, the wind E., so made sail, course S. by W., in 4^ fathoms, along 

 the land. Towards evening the wind dropped, anchored on the ebb, and I, personally, 

 with both boats properly furnished, landed, and with the party went a long way 

 inland, finding a level, fine country, with few trees, and good soil all about for planting 

 and sowing, but, so far as we could make out, absolutely without fresh water. Nor 

 did we see any human beings, or even signs of them. At the edge of the sea, sandy, 

 with a fine beach, and abundance of excellent fish. [This anchorage was probably 

 a little south of the principal mouth of the MITCHELL RIVER. R. L. J.] 



" In the morning of the i$th, the wind ENE., course S. by W., along the land. 

 About midday, in 3^ fathoms, clay bottom, having seen persons on the beach, we 

 anchored, and the skipper of the ' Pera ' was ordered to row ashore with both boats 

 armed for defence. Later in the afternoon, when the boats returned, the skipper 

 reported that as soon as the party had landed a great mob of BLACKS, some with arms 

 and some without, had come up to them, and were so bold and free as to touch the 

 men's muskets and try to take them off their shoulders, and in fact, wanted to take 

 everything they thought they might have use for. These being kept interested with 



1 In the " Summary Extract " of the Journal, this officer's name is given as PIETER 

 LINTIENS. The inscriptions at Aru and Queij Islands spell it Lingtes. R. L. J. 



