42 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



iron and beads, an opportunity was espied, and one of them was seized by a string 

 which he had round his neck and taken on board the boat. The others who were on 

 the beach made a great hubbub and outcry, but those who were concealed in the 

 bush remained there. The said people are pitch black, thin in body, and stark naked, 

 with basket-work or nets round their heads. As regards their hair and figure, they 

 are like the blacks of the coast of Coromandel, but they seem to be less cunning, bold 

 and wicked than the blacks at the west end of New Guinea. Their weapons, some 

 of which we are bringing with us, are assegais, shields, clubs and sticks about i fathoms 

 in length, and are not so formidable as those we have seen among other blacks. As 

 regards their manners and policy, and the nature of the country, Your Worships will 

 in time perhaps be able to elicit some information from the captured blacks, to whom 

 I refer you. [This day's diary concludes with the following curious passage, which, 

 although omitted by Heeres, no doubt because of its irrelevancy, is here reproduced, 

 as given by Van Dijk, because of its reference to two members of the ship's company 

 who are not mentioned elsewhere. R. L. J.] 



" The same day, the slave assigned to us (?) [medgogeven Jurebasse] at Aru, after 

 having been ill for two days, had an intolerable pain in his liver, and consented to be 

 opened by the barber, when there was to be seen much congealed blood, which had 

 overrun the heart, and this had evidently been the cause of his death. 



" On the I9th, the wind SE., so we stayed where we were, and as the yachts were 

 found to be almost out of firewood, the skipper of the ' Pera ' went ashore, with both 

 the boats duly manned and armed, and when the men were engaged in cutting it, 

 a large party of BLACKS more than 100 in number, came upon them, and tried all sorts 

 of tricks to take them by surprise and club them [' den clop te geven ']. Out of this 

 the necessity arose to fire two shots, whereupon they fled, one of them being hit and 

 having fallen. Such of our people as penetrated further inland observed many 

 weapons, and brought some away as curiosities. On their march they also saw many 

 human bones in different places, from which it may be safely presumed that the New 

 Guinea blacks [the crew thought they were still in New Guinea. R. L. J.] are cannibals, 

 and when hungry do not spare one another." 



[EDITORIAL NOTE. I conjecture that the scene of the landings 

 of 1 8th and I9th April must have been about 15 17', or 17 

 English miles N. by E. of ANGERAM MISSION STATION. R. L. J.] 



" On the 20th, the wind SE., got under sail, course SSW. At noon, with the ebb 

 tide running from the south, anchored in 3$- fathoms in clayey bottom, and the skipper 

 was ordered to land, with both boats duly prepared for defence, and make careful 

 observations, as far as time and place should allow. On his return in the evening, he 

 informed us that a very strong surf covered the beach, so that he could not get near 

 it, still less land. [This was probably about 3 miles north of Angeram Mission 

 Station. R. L. J.] 



" In the morning of the 2ist, the wind SE., set sail, course SW., along the land. 

 At noon, lat. 15 38'. In the evening, anchored with the ebb, in 3^ fathoms. [Say 

 15 50', or about 30 miles S. by W. of Angeram. R. L. J.] [SEE MAP H.] 



" In the morning of the 22nd, the wind ENE., course S. Midday latitude 16 4'. 

 Towards evening, the wind being W. by N., anchored in 2\ fathoms about a mile from 

 land. [Approximately 16 9'. R. L. J.] 



" On the 2^rd, the wind NNE., stiff breeze, set sail, course SSW., in 3$-, 3, 2\ 

 and 2 fathoms, clay bottom, along the land. Midday latitude 16 32'. For the rest 

 of the day, tried to get south, with variable winds. Towards evening, anchored in 

 3 fathoms close to the land. 



" On the 24^, the wind E. by S., course SSW., in 2\, 3^ and \\ fathoms, clay 

 bottom, along the land. Midday latitude 17 8". [SEE MAP M.] 



" Item. This same day, the Council having been convened, the question was 

 submitted by me whether it would be advisable to sail further south : that, after 



