THE DUTCH DISCOVER AUSTRALIA 221 



of Quiros, complete the discovery of the great Southern 

 Continent, and finally proceed to Asia. A company 

 was formed called " the Australian Company," l and in 1610 

 Prince Maurice, paying singularly little regard to the 

 chartered monopoly of the East India Company, granted 

 permission "to go to trade in the Kingdoms of Tartary, 

 China, Japan, India, Terra Australis, and the islands 

 of the South Sea." 



In 1615 James Le Maire and Schouten sailed from the 

 seaport of Horn in two ships named the Eendracht and They sail 

 the Horn. Fear of the jealousy of the East India Company ^""^ Cape 

 made them keep secret the real design of their enterprise. 

 But, arriving in the South Atlantic, it was explained that 

 they were " to find another passage other than the Straits 

 of Magellan, to enter the South Sea, and discover new lands 

 and isles towards the South, where, according to some, 

 great riches are to be found." The sailors rejoiced, each 

 looking to make his profit. They found a passage between 

 Tierra del Fuego and a land which they called Staten 

 Land, and believed to be part of Terra Australis. 2 It was 

 not till 1643 that a Dutch captain proved that Staten 

 Land was no continent but an island off Tierra del Fuego, 

 " of about nine or ten leagues in length, destitute of any 

 convenient bay or port." Sailing through the new-found 

 strait, they rounded the cape which they called, after 

 the name of the Dutch town whence they had sailed, 

 Cape Horn. They saw the Western mouth of the Straits 

 of Magellan, and " rendered thanks to good fortune in 

 a cup of wine which went three times round the Company." 

 Billows rolling from the South-West proved to them that 

 no continent existed in that direction. 



Then, sailing North- West, they began, with Quiros for 

 guide-book, the search for Terra Australis. They came 

 to several islands to which they gave names Dog 



1 " Very diverse opinions obtained among the crews concerning 

 this voyage and these ships, which were finally called the Goldseekers, 

 but the aforesaid directors called their assembly the Australian Com- 

 pany " (East and West Indian Mirror, p. 167). 



2 Rainaud, p. 347. 



