On September 9th I was in the latitude of 42 degrees 37 minutes
south, and in the longitude of 176 degrees 29 minutes; the variation
being there 5 degrees to the east. On the 12th of the same month,
finding a great rolling sea coming in on the south-west, I judged
there was no land to be hoped for on that point. On the 13th, being
in the latitude of 42 degrees 10 minutes south, and in the longitude
of 188 degrees 28 minutes, I found the variation 7 degrees 30
minutes eastward. In this situation I discovered a high mountainous
country, which is at present marked in the charts under the name of
New Zealand. I coasted along the shore of this country to the
north-north-east till the 18th; and being then in the latitude of 40
degrees 50 minutes south, and in the longitude of 191 degrees 41
minutes, I anchored in a fine bay, where I observed the variation to
be 9 degrees towards the east.
We found here abundance of the inhabitants: they had very hoarse
voices, and were very large-made people. They durst not approach
the ship nearer than a stone's throw; and we often observed them
playing on a kind of trumpet, to which we answered with the
instruments that were on board our vessel. These people were of a
colour between brown and yellow, their hair long, and almost as
thick as that of the Japanese, combed up, and fixed on the top of
their heads with a quill, or some such thing, that was thickest in
the middle, in the very same manner that Japanese fastened their
hair behind their heads. These people cover the middle of their
bodies, some with a kind of mat, others with a sort of woollen
cloth, but, as for their upper and lower parts, they leave them
altogether naked.
On the 19th of December, these savages began to grow a little
bolder, and more familiar, insomuch that at last they ventured on
board the Heemskirk in order to trade with those in the vessel. As
soon as I perceived it, being apprehensive that they might attempt
to surprise that ship, I sent my shallop, with seven men, to put the
people in the Heemskirk upon their guard, and to direct them not to
place any confidence in those people. My seven men, being without
arms, were attacked by these savages, who killed three of the seven,
and forced the other four to swim for their lives, which occasioned
my giving that place the name of the Bay of Murderers. Our ship's
company would, undoubtedly, have taken a severe revenge, if the
rough weather had not hindered them. From this bay we bore away
east, having the land in a manner all round us. This country
appeared to us rich, fertile, and very well situated, but as the
weather was very foul, and we had at this time a very strong west
wind, we found it very difficult to get clear of the land.
CHAPTER VI: VISITS THE ISLAND OF THE THREE KINGS, AND GOES IN
SEARCH OF OTHER ISLANDS DISCOVERED BY SCHOVTEN.
On the 24th of December, as the wind would not permit us to continue
our way to the north, as we knew not whether we should be able to
find a passage on that side, and as the flood came in from the
south-east, we concluded that it would be the best to return into
the bay, and seek some other way out, but on the 26th, the wind
becoming more favourable, we continued our route to the north,
turning a little to the west. On the 4th of January, 1643, being
then in the latitude of 34 degrees 35 minutes south, and in the
longitude of 191 degrees 9 minutes, we sailed quite to the cape,
which lies north-west, where we found the sea rolling in from the
north-east, whence we concluded that we had at last found a passage,
which gave us no small joy. There was in this strait an island,
which we called the island of the Three Kings; the cape of which we
doubled, with a design to have refreshed ourselves; but, as we
approached it, we perceived on the mountain thirty or five-and-
thirty persons, who, as far as we could discern at such a distance,
were men of very large size, and had each of them a large club in
his hand: they called out to us in a rough strong voice, but we
could meet understand anything of what they said. We observed that
these people walked at a very great rate, and that they took
prodigious large strides. We made the tour of the island, in doing
which we saw but very few inhabitants; nor did any of the country
seem to be cultivated; we found, indeed, a fresh-water river, and
then we resolved to sail east, as far as 220 degrees of longitude;
and from thence north, as far as the latitude of 17 degrees south;
and thence to the west, till we arrived at the isles of Cocos and
Horne, which were discovered by William Schovten, where we intended
to refresh ourselves, in case we found no opportunity of doing it
before, for though we had actually landed on Van Diemen's Land, we
met with nothing there; and, as for New Zealand, we never set foot
on it.
In order to render this passage perfectly intelligible it is
necessary to observe that the island of Cocos lies in the latitude
of 15 degrees 10 minutes south; and, according to Schovten's
account, is well inhabited, and well cultivated, abounding with all
sorts of refreshments; but, at the same time, he describes the
people as treacherous and base to the last degree. As for the
islands of Horne, they lie nearly in the latitude of 15 degrees, are
extremely fruitful, and inhabited by people of a kind and gentle
disposition, who readily bestowed on the Hollanders whatever
refreshments they could ask.
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