56 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



of the 1 4th, so that there was no opportunity for a solar obser- 

 vation. 



The latitude attributed to the anchorage at the Van Spult 

 Inlet must therefore have been more or less of a guess based 

 upon dead reckoning. The guess made by the navigators was 

 10 50'. Carstenszoon must have overestimated the distance 

 sailed in the afternoon of the I3th. Had the " Per a " reached 

 the latitude of 10 50', Barn Island and Red Island could not have 

 escaped observation, and indeed the high land of Prince of Wales 

 Island must have appeared a much more striking object than the 

 low-lying mainland. In view of what took place on the following 

 day (i4th May), the probability is that the observed inlet was 

 where the modern chart shows a breach in the coast-line, in 

 10 59'. The Van Spult is, therefore, probably a mouth of the 

 JARDINE RIVER. The principal channel of that river (which has 

 been carefully surveyed almost to its head), discharges into the 

 Gulf in 10 54', and the Jardine Brothers, in 1865, found the tide 

 to flow up it for about 6 miles, even in a very wet season. It is 

 quite possible, however, that another mouth, that named the 

 Van Spult, carries fresh water down to the beach. The point 

 could easily be settled, even by a party on foot, as the inlet is, 

 apparently, not more than 10 miles west of Jardine's crossing of 

 the river at his camp 87. After the landing party rejoined the 

 " Pera " on I4th May, 1623, the narrative continues as follows. 

 R. L. J.] 



" Towards evening \i^th May], we were about one mile from three little islands, 

 of which the southmost was the largest [WooDY and WALLIS ISLANDS] and some 

 5 miles [20 minutes] to the north, by our estimate, was mountainous land [PRINCE OF 

 WALES ISLAND], which, however, it was impossible to approach by reason of shoals ; 

 for in almost every direction in which we took soundings very shallow water was 

 found, and we sailed for a long time over 5, 4, 3, 2$-, 2 and i fathoms, or even less, 

 and at last were obliged to anchor in i^- fathoms, without knowing where to look for 

 greater or less depths. After sunset, therefore, we sent out the boat to take soundings, 

 and water deeper than 2, 3 and 4^ fathoms was found, to which, very well pleased, 

 we brought the yacht, and anchored in 8 fathoms, thanking God Almighty for His 

 unspeakable grace and mercy on this occasion, as on all others. 



" In the morning of the 15^, the wind SE., good weather, thereupon set sail, 

 course W., which took us into shallower water, such as 2, 2^- and 3 fathoms ; altered 

 course to SW., where we had 3^, 4, 5 and 6 fathoms, or more. Lost sight of the land, 

 which, because of the shoals, reefs and banks, as well as of the easterly winds, it was 

 not possible to reach and follow further. This was agreed to, and it was resolved 

 to avoid all the obvious dangers which would be encountered if we continued to coast 

 the land any longer to TURN BACK and, firstly to shape our course for the Vleermuis 

 Eijlant. We therefore stood out to sea, westwards, in 9^ fathoms and upwards, and, 

 keeping west, made 17 miles [68 minutes] in 24 hours, finding no bottom in 27 fathoms. 



" NOTE. That in our landings between 13 and 11, we only saw blacks or savages 

 twice, and that they received us with even greater hostility than had the men further 

 south ; also that they have some knowledge of muskets, of which, apparently, they had 

 learned, to their great cost, from the men of the ' Duyfken,' who landed here in the 

 year 1606. 



