302 THE DISCOVERY OF AUSTRALIA 



some fires excepted, and a few black naked men. Neither 

 were any remarkable animals or birds observed, except, 

 principally in the Swan River, a species of black swans, 

 three of which they brought to us alive, and they would 

 have been sent to your Nobilities had they not died one 

 by one shortly after their arrival here." And this was 

 Marco Polo's Beach ! 



Exploration In 1705 ships were sent to explore the North- West 

 North-West coast - ^ n s pite of Tasman's map, the idea persisted 

 coast, 1705. that, somewhere between Cape Keerweer and Willem's 

 River, existed a passage leading Southward or Eastward 

 to the South Sea. In 1699 Dampier sailed along the North- 

 West coast in the Roebuck, and had " a strong suspicion " 

 that Tasman's solid coastline was in reality " a kind of 

 archipelago of islands," and that somewhere behind 

 this screen there was perhaps " a passage to the South 

 of New Holland and New Guinea into the great Eastward." 

 Dampier sailed on to Timor, and perhaps explained 

 his views to the Dutch Governor there, whom he 

 describes as " a civil, genteel, and sensible man." But 

 it is also likely enough that the Dutch were already aware 

 of the inevitable imperfections of Tasman's survey. Indeed 

 one may reasonably guess that Tasman himself gave 

 information in his Journal of 1644, which is now lost, 

 that would indicate these imperfections, and the necessity 

 of further search on the long and difficult coast. 



The search The Dutch, then, in 1705 thought it worth while to go 

 for passages. Qver the North- West again. The "Instructions" were 

 to sail to " Van Diemen's Land in Hollandia Nova " 

 (i.e. the Van Diemen's Land not of the South-East, but 

 of the North- West), " which is said to consist altogether 

 of islands, a matter which will then be cleared up." They 

 were to sail thence Eastward, and to explore the whole 

 Gulf of Carpentaria. They were diligently to observe 

 whether there was any passage. But, in case such a passage 

 was found, they were to take special care not to run too 

 far into it, "lest you should be carried away by currents." 

 The Dutch seamen returned with the report that they 

 had thoroughly explored the " North- West corner of 



