76 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



THE "BUIJS" (ASSCHENS) 



Emerging from the friendly harbour of Banda on 1st April, 

 the " Buijs " barquentine sailed to the east, and on 23rd April, 

 while in latitude 12 58' S., " sighted the LAND OF CARPENTARIA, 

 recognising what has been named CAPE KEERWEER." The anchor 

 was dropped at sunset. 



On i\th April, the noon latitude was 12 54'. The anchor 

 was dropped at sunset and bearings gave Cape Keerweer 8J N. 

 and " the inner hook near the river " (inlet) ENE. (SEE MAP D.) 



Assuming the correctness of the noon observation of 12 54' 

 (and there is no reason to doubt it), the point of land was not 

 Cape Keerweer, which is in 13 59', but either FALSE PERA HEAD 

 or PERA HEAD itself probably the former, the latter being the 

 " inner hook." The reference to " the revier " (inlet) is obscure, 

 but this may be the fault of the summary rather than of the log. 



Under the mistaken impression that he had identified the 

 Cape Keerweer of the " Duyjkerfs " voyage, Asschens resolved 

 to steer to the north. In the forenoon of 2$th April he cleared 

 PERA HEAD. At noon he was in 12 42' and he anchored at sunset. 



Next morning the northerly course was resumed, and in the 

 forenoon " a red point " was seen to form the northern horn of 

 " a deep bay or bight " (now ALBATROSS BAY) on which the " Buijs " 

 had entered after clearing Pera Head. (SEE MAP B.) The bay 

 was recognised as that which Tasman had designated VLIEGE 

 BAIJ. The Point, which now bears the name of the "DUYFKEN," 

 was charted as ASSCHENS' HOEK, and by right of priority should 

 be so called. The error, however, has so long been condoned 

 by usage as to have become unalterable. 



Leaving this point and keeping close to the land, the " Buijs " 

 was in 12 16' at noon. Smoke was observed on land, and even 

 what appeared to be men and huts. The anchor was dropped 

 at sunset in a position which may be conjectured to have been 

 about 12 2' S., a little south of the mouth of JANIE CREEK, 

 between the PENNEFATHER RIVER (which Tasman had already 

 named the PRINCE REVIER) and MAPOON MISSION STATION. 



Setting sail again at daybreak on 2jth April, the land was 

 found to fall away to the east. As a matter of fact, in coming 

 from the south, the direction of the coast-line changes, about 7 

 minutes short of Mapoon, from N. by E. to NE. Before mid- 

 day, Asschens was abreast of " a revier (inlet) with an island lying 

 off its mouth." The inlet (which had been seen by Tasman) was 

 designated by Asschens the BATAVIA, and by this name the largest 

 river of the Peninsula, ending in Port Musgrave estuary in 

 11 56' S., is now known. It is true that the name of Batavia 

 had already figured for some time on Dutch maps, but it was 

 improperly applied (following de Leeuw) to the inlet which 



