55 



which were the Pilot-Major and Sr. Gilsemans, was obliged 

 to return on board. We went on with our long-boat (chalowp), 

 coming close under the shore into a little bay which lay 

 W.S.W. from the ships. The surf broke at such a rate that 

 the land could not be approached without danger of the boat 

 being dashed in pieces. We ordered the said carpenter to 

 swim ashore by himself with the pole and Prince's flag, and 

 remained with the long-boat lying to the wind. We made him 

 set up the said pole with the flag at the top in the earth before 

 a decaying iree, the lowest one of a group of four noticeable 

 high trees standing in the form of a crescent about the middle 

 of this bay. This tree is burnt just above the foot, and is 

 indeed the tallest of the other three,* though it appears to be 

 not so high, since it stands on the declivity of the cluster. It 

 has at the top above its crown two high dry branches sticking 

 out, so uniformly set about with dry twigs and branchlets that 

 it looks like the great horns of a stag. Moreover, on the 

 undermost side there stands a very green and round well- 

 crowned branch, the shoots of which, by their even proportion, 

 made the said tree very elegant and like the top of a larding 

 pin. After the head carpenter had accomplished the matter 

 above rehearsed, in view of me, Abisj, Jansz Tasman, the 

 Skipper Geriut Jansz, and the Junior Merchant Abraham 

 Coomans, we rowed the boat as near to the shore as we dared 

 venture, and the said carpenter swam back again to the long- 

 boat through the surf ; when, after accomplishing this matter, 

 we rowed back again on board, leaving the above-mentioned 

 as a memorial to posterity and to the inhabitants of this 

 country, who did not show themselves, although we suspected 

 that some of them were not far from there, and kept watchful 

 eyes on our proceedings. 



We did not look for herbs, for on account of the roughness 

 of the sea no one could reach the shore save by swimming, so 

 that it was impossible to bring anything to the long-boat. All 

 day the wind was mostly northerly. In the evening took 

 observation of the sun, and found 3° N.E. variation. With 

 sunset got a strong north wind, which rapidly increased to so 

 violent a storm from the N.N.W. that we were constrained to 

 strike both yards and to let go our bower anchor. 



4th December. — With the dawning .of day the storm 

 abated. The weather moderate, and the wind being off shore 

 W. by N. Hove in the bower anchor again. The said 

 anchor being hove up and got above water, saw that both 

 flukes were so far gone that we got home nothing but the bare 

 shaft. Weighed the other anchor also, and got under sail, in 



* Sic in original. 



