A Continuation of a Voyage to New Holland by William Dampier

W >> William Dampier >> A Continuation of a Voyage to New Holland

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

A CONTINUATION OF A VOYAGE TO NEW HOLLAND, ETC. IN THE YEAR 1699.

Wherein are described,

The Islands Timor, Roti and Anabao. A passage between the islands Timor
and Anabao. Kupang and Laphao Bays. The islands Omba, Fetter, Banda and
Bird. A description of the coast of New Guinea. The islands Pulo Sabuda,
Cockle, King William's, Providence, Gerrit Denis, Anthony Cave's and St.
John's. Also a new passage between New Guinea and New Britain. The
islands Ceram, Bonao, Bouro, and several islands before unknown. The
coast of Java, and Straits of Sunda. Author's arrival at Batavia, Cape of
Good Hope, St. Helena, island of Ascension, etc. Their inhabitants,
customs, trade, etc. Harbours, soil, birds, fish, etc. Trees, plants,
fruits, etc.

...

Illustrated with maps and draughts: also divers birds, fishes, etc. not
found in this part of the world, engraven on eighteen copper plates.

...

BY CAPTAIN WILLIAM DAMPIER.

...

LONDON,

Printed for James and John Knapton, at The Crown in St. Paul's
Churchyard.

1729.

...

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER 1.

The Author's departure from the coast of New Holland, with the reasons of it.
Watersnakes.
The Author's arrival at the island Timor.
Search for fresh water on the south side of the island, in vain.
Fault of the charts.
The island Roti.
A passage between the islands Timor and Anabao.
Fault of the charts.
A Dutch fort, called Concordia.
Their suspicion of the Author.
The island Anabao described.
The Author's parley with the Governor of the Dutch fort.
They, with great difficulty, obtain leave to water.
Kupang Bay.
Coasting along the north side of Timor.
They find water and an anchoring-place.
A description of a small island, seven leagues east from the
watering-bay.
Laphao Bay.
How the Author was treated by the Portuguese there.
Designs of making further searches upon and about the island.
Port Sesial.
Return to Babao in Kupang Bay.
The Author's entertainment at the fort of Concordia.
His stay seven weeks at Babao.

CHAPTER 2.

A particular description of the island Timor.
Its coast.
The island Anabao.
Fault of the charts.
The channel between Timor and Anabao.
Kupang Bay.
Fort Concordia.
A particular description of the bay.
The anchoring-place, called Babao.
The Malayans here kill all the Europeans they can.
Laphao, a Portuguese settlement, described.
Port Ciccale.
The hills, water, lowlands, soil, woods, metals, in the island Timor.
Its trees.
Cana-fistula-tree described.
Wild figtrees described.
Two new sorts of palmtrees described.
The fruits of the island.
The herbs.
Its land animals.
Fowls.
The ringing-bird.
Its fish.
Cockle merchants and oysters.
Cockles as big as a man's head.
Its original natives described.
The Portuguese and Dutch settlements.
The Malayan language generally spoken here.
L'Orantuca on the island Ende.
The seasons, winds, and weather at Timor.

CHAPTER 3.

Departure from Timor.
The islands Omba and Fetter.
A burning island.
Their missing the Turtle Isles.
Banda Isles.
Bird Island.
They descry the coast of New Guinea.
They anchor on the coast of New Guinea.
A description of the place, and of a strange fowl found there.
Great quantities of mackerel.
A white island.
They anchor at an island called by the inhabitants Pulo Sabuda.
A description of it and its inhabitants and product.
The Indians' manner of fishing there.
Arrival at Mabo, the north-west cape of New Guinea.
A description of it.
Cockle Island.
Cockles of seventy-eight pound weight.
Pigeon Island.
The wind hereabouts.
An empty cockleshell weighing two hundred fifty-eight pound.
King William's Island.
A description of it.
Plying on the coast of New Guinea.
Fault of the charts.
Providence Island.
They cross the Line.
A snake pursued by fish.
Squally Island.
The main of New Guinea.

CHAPTER 4.

The mainland of New Guinea.
Its inhabitants.
Slingers Bay.
Small islands.
Gerrit Dennis Isle described.
Its inhabitants.
Their proas.
Anthony Cave's Island.
Its inhabitants.
Trees full of worms found in the sea.
St. John's Island.
The mainland of New Guinea.
Its inhabitants.
The coast described.
Cape and Bay St. George.
Cape Orford.
Another bay.
The inhabitants there.
A large account of the author's attempts to trade with them.
He names the place Port Montague.
The country thereabouts described, and its produce.
A burning island described.
A new passage found.
New Britain.
Sir George Rook's Island.
Long Island and Crown Island, discovered and described.
Sir R. Rich's Island.
A burning island.
A strange spout.
A conjecture concerning a new passage southward.
King William's Island.
Strange whirlpools.
Distance between Cape Mabo and Cape St. George computed.

CHAPTER 5.

The Author's return from the coast of New Guinea.
A deep channel.
Strange tides.
The island Ceram described.
Strange fowls.
The islands Bonao, Bouro, Misacombi, Pentare, Laubana, and Potoro.
The passage between Pentare and Laubana.
The island Timor.
Babao Bay.
The island Roti.
More islands than are commonly laid down in the charts.
Great currents.
Whales.
Coast of New Holland.
The Trial Rocks.
The coast of Java.
Princes Isle.
Straits of Sunda.
Thwart-the-way Island.
Indian proas, and their traffic.
Passage through the Strait.
Arrival at Batavia.

CHAPTER 6.

The Author continues in Batavia Road to refit, to get provisions.
English ships then in the road.
Departure from Batavia.
Touch at the Cape of Good Hope.
And at St. Helena.
Arrival at the island of Ascension.
A leak sprung.
Which being impossible to be stopped, the ship is lost, but the men saved.
They find water upon the island.
And are brought back to England.

MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

MAP. A VIEW OF THE COURSE OF CAPTAIN WILLIAM DAMPIER'S VOYAGE FROM TIMOR
ROUND NEW BRITAIN ETC.

TABLE 5. TIMOR.

TABLE 6. TIMOR.

TABLE 7. TIMOR AND OTHER ISLANDS BETWEEN IT AND NEW GUINEA.

TABLE 8. NEW GUINEA.

FISH, BAT AND BIRD OF NEW GUINEA:
THIS FISH IS OF A PALE RED ALL PARTS OF IT EXCEPT THE EYE TAKEN ON THE
COAST OF NEW GUINEA.
STRANGE AND LARGE BATS ON THE ISLAND PULO SABUDA IN NEW GUINEA.
THIS BIRD'S EYE IS OF A BRIGHT RED.

TABLE 9. NEW GUINEA.

TABLE 10. NEW GUINEA ETC.

TABLE 11. SQUALLY AND OTHER ISLANDS ON THE COAST OF NEW BRITAIN.

FISHES TAKEN ON THE COAST OF NEW GUINEA:
THIS FISH FINS AND TAIL ARE BLUE ON THE EDGES AND RED IN THE MIDDLE WITH
BLUE SPOTS ALL OVER THE BODY BUT THE BELLY WHITE.
A PIKE-FISH CONGER ON THE COAST OF NEW GUINEA.
THIS FISH IS A PALE RED WITH BLUE SPOTS ON THE BODY, THE LONG TAIL BLUE
IN THE MIDDLE AND WHITE ON THE SIDE.
A FISH.

TABLE 12. NEW BRITAIN.

FISHES TAKEN ON THE COAST OF NEW GUINEA:
THIS FISH HIS FINS AND TAIL IS BLUE WITH BLUE SPOTS ALL OVER THE BODY.
FOUR FISH AND A CRUSTACEAN.

TABLE 13. DAMPIER'S PASSAGE AND ISLANDS ON THE COAST OF NEW GUINEA.

TABLE 14. ISLANDS ON THE COAST OF NEW GUINEA.

TABLE 15. GILOLO AND OTHER ISLANDS BETWEEN IT AND BOURO.

BIRDS OF NEW GUINEA:
THIS BIRD WAS TAKEN ON THE COAST OF NEW GUINEA.
A STATELY LAND-FOWL ON THE COAST OF NEW GUINEA DESCRIBED.
A STRANGE LAND-FOWL ON THE ISLAND CERAM.

TABLE 16. BOURO AND OTHER ISLANDS BETWEEN IT AND AMBO.

...

CHAPTER 1.

NORTH FROM NEW HOLLAND FOR WATER.

THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM THE COAST OF NEW HOLLAND, WITH THE REASONS OF IT.

I had spent about 5 weeks in ranging off and on the coast of New Holland,
a length of about 300 leagues: and had put in at 3 several places to see
what there might be thereabouts worth discovering; and at the same time
to recruit my stock of fresh water and provisions for the further
discoveries I purposed to attempt on the Terra Australis. This large and
hitherto almost unknown tract of land is situated so very advantageously
in the richest climates of the world, the torrid and temperate zones;
having in it especially all the advantages of the torrid zone, as being
known to reach from the equator itself (within a degree) to the Tropic of
Capricorn, and beyond it; that in coasting round it, which I designed by
this voyage, if possible, I could not but hope to meet with some fruitful
lands, continent or islands, or both, productive of any of the rich
fruits, drugs, or spices (perhaps minerals also, etc.) that are in the
other parts of the torrid zone, under equal parallels of latitude; at
least a soil and air capable of such, upon transplanting them hither, and
cultivation. I meant also to make as diligent a survey as I could of the
several smaller islands, shores, capes, bays, creeks, and harbours, fit
as well for shelter as defence, upon fortifying them; and of the rocks
and shoals, the soundings, tides, and currents, winds and weather,
variation, etc., whatever might be beneficial for navigation, trade or
settlement; or be of use to any who should prosecute the same designs
hereafter; to whom it might be serviceable to have so much of their work
done to their hands; which they might advance and perfect by their own
repeated experiences. As there is no work of this kind brought to
perfection at once I intended especially to observe what inhabitants I
should meet with, and to try to win them over to somewhat of traffic and
useful intercourse, as there might be commodities among any of them that
might be fit for trade or manufacture, or any found in which they might
be employed. Though as to the New Hollanders hereabouts, by the
experience I had had of their neighbours formerly, I expected no great
matters from them.

With such views as these I set out at first from England; and would,
according to the method I proposed formerly, have gone westward through
the Magellanic Strait, or round Tierra del Fuego rather, that I might
have begun my discoveries upon the eastern and least known side of the
Terra Australis. But that way it was not possible for me to go by reason
of the time of year in which I came out; for I must have been compassing
the south of America in a very high latitude in the depth of the winter
there. I was therefore necessitated to go eastward by the Cape of Good
Hope; and when I should be past it it was requisite I should keep in a
pretty high latitude, to avoid the general tradewinds that would be
against me, and to have the benefit of the variable winds: by all which I
was in a manner unavoidably determined to fall in first with those parts
of New Holland I have hitherto been describing. For should it be asked
why at my first making that shore I did not coast it to the southward,
and that way try to get round to the east of New Holland and New Guinea;
I confess I was not for spending my time more than was necessary in the
higher latitudes; as knowing that the land there could not be so well
worth the discovering as the parts that lay nearer the Line and more
directly under the sun. Besides, at the time when I should come first on
New Holland, which was early in the spring, I must, had I stood
southward, have had for some time a great deal of winter weather,
increasing in severity, though not in time, and in a place altogether
unknown; which my men, who were heartless enough to the voyage at best,
would never have borne after so long a run as from Brazil hither.

For these reasons therefore I chose to coast along to the northward, and
so to the east, and so thought to come round by the south of Terra
Australis in my return back, which should be in the summer season there:
and this passage back also I now thought I might possibly be able to
shorten, should it appear, at my getting to the east coast of New Guinea,
that there is a channel there coming out into these seas, as I now
suspected, near Rosemary Island: unless the high tides and great
indraught thereabout should be occasioned by the mouth of some large
river; which has often low lands on each side of its outlet, and many
islands and shoals lying at its entrance. But I rather thought it a
channel or strait than a river: and I was afterwards confirmed in this
opinion when, by coasting New Guinea, I found that other parts of this
great tract of Terra Australis, which had hitherto been represented as
the shore of a continent, were certainly islands; and it is probably the
same with New Holland: though, for reasons I shall afterwards show, I
could not return by the way I proposed to myself to fix the discovery.
All that I had now seen from the latitude of 27 degrees south to 25,
which is Shark's Bay; and again from thence to Rosemary Islands and about
the latitude of 20; seems to be nothing but ranges of pretty large
islands against the sea, whatever might be behind them to the eastward,
whether sea or land, continent or islands.

But to proceed with my voyage. Though the land I had seen as yet was not
very inviting, being but barren towards the sea, and affording me neither
fresh water nor any great store of other refreshments, nor so much as a
fit place for careening; yet I stood out to sea again with thoughts of
coasting still alongshore (as near as I could) to the north-eastward, for
the further discovery of it: persuading myself that at least the place I
anchored at in my voyage round the world, in the latitude of 16 degrees
15 minutes, from which I was not now far distant, would not fail to
afford me sweet water upon digging, as it did then; for the brackish
water I had taken in here, though it served tolerably well for boiling,
was yet not very wholesome.

With these intentions I put to sea on the 5th of September 1699, with a
gentle gale, sounding all the way; but was quickly induced to alter my
design. For I had not been out above a day but I found that the shoals
among which I was engaged all the while on the coast, and was like to be
engaged in, would make it a very tedious thing to sail along by the
shore, or to put in where I might have occasion. I therefore edged
farther off to sea, and so deepened the water from 11 to 32 fathom. The
next day, being September the 6th, we could but just discern the land,
though we had then no more than about 30 fathom, uncertain soundings; for
even while we were out of sight of land we had once but 7 fathom, and had
also great and uncertain tides whirling about, that made me afraid to go
near a coast so shallow, where we might be soon aground and yet have but
little wind to bring us off: for should a ship be near a shoal she might
be hurled upon it unavoidably by a strong tide, unless there should be a
good wind to work her and keep her off. Thus also on the 7th day we saw
no land, though our water decreased again to 26 fathom; for we had
deepened it, as I said, to 30.

WATERSNAKES.

This day we saw two water-snakes, different in shape from such as we had
formerly seen. The one was very small, though long; the other long and as
big as a man's leg, having a red head; which I never saw any have, before
or since. We had this day latitude 16 degrees 9 minutes by observation.

I was by this time got to the north of the place I had thought to have
put in at where I dug wells in my former voyage; and though I knew, by
the experience I had of it then, that there was a deep entrance in
thither from the eastward; yet by the shoals I had hitherto found so far
stretched on this coast, I was afraid I should have the same trouble to
coast all along afterwards beyond that place: and besides the danger of
running almost continually amongst shoals on a strange shore, and where
the tides were strong and high; I began to bethink myself that a great
part of my time must have been spent in being about a shore I was already
almost weary of, which I might employ with greater satisfaction to my
mind, and better hopes of success, in going forward to New Guinea. Add to
this the particular danger I should have been in upon a lee shore, such
as is here described, when the north-west monsoon should once come in;
the ordinary season of which was not now far off, though this year it
stayed beyond the common season; and it comes on storming at first, with
tornadoes, violent gusts, etc. Wherefore quitting the thoughts of putting
in again at New Holland, I resolved to steer away for the island Timor;
where, besides getting fresh water, I might probably expect to be
furnished with fruits and other refreshments to recruit my men, who began
to droop; some of them being already to my great grief afflicted with the
scurvy, which was likely to increase upon them and disable them, and was
promoted by the brackish water they took in last for boiling their
oatmeal. It was now also towards the latter end of the dry season; when I
might not probably have found water so plentifully upon digging at that
part of New Holland as when I was there before in the wet season. And
then, considering the time also that I must necessarily spend in getting
in to the shore through such shoals as I expected to meet with; or in
going about to avoid them; and in digging of wells when I should come
hither: I might very well hope to get to Timor and find fresh water there
as soon as I could expect to get it at New Holland; and with less trouble
and danger.

On the 8th of September therefore, shaping our course for Timor, we were
in latitude 15 degrees 37 minutes. We had 26 fathom coarse sand; and we
saw one whale. We found them lying most commonly near the shore or in
shoal water. This day we also saw some small white clouds; the first that
we had seen since we came out of Shark's Bay. This was one sign of the
approach of the north-north-west monsoon. Another sign was the shifting
of the winds; for from the time of our coming to our last anchoring
place, the seabreezes which before were easterly and very strong had been
whiffling about and changing gradually from the east to the north, and
thence to the west, blowing but faintly, and now hanging mostly in some
point of the west. This day the winds were at south-west by west, blowing
very faint; and the 9th day we had the wind at north-west by north, but
then pretty fresh; and we saw the clouds rising more and thicker in the
north-west. This night at 12 we lay by for a small low sandy island which
I reckoned myself not far from. The next morning at sun-rising we saw it
from the top-masthead, right ahead of us; and at noon were up within a
mile of it: when by a good observation I found it to lie in 13 degrees 55
minutes. I have mentioned it in my first volume, but my account then made
it to lie in 13 degrees 50 minutes. We had abundance of boobies and
man-of-war-birds flying about us all the day; especially when we came
near the island; which had also abundance of them upon it; though it was
but a little spot of sand, scarce a mile round.

I did not anchor here nor send my boat ashore; there being no appearance
of getting anything on that spot of sand besides birds that were good for
little: though had I not been in haste I would have taken some of them.
So I made the best of my way to Timor; and on the 11th in the afternoon
we saw 10 small land-birds, about the bigness of larks, that flew away
north-west. The 13th we saw a great many sea-snakes. One of these, of
which I saw great numbers and variety in this voyage, was large, and all
black: I never saw such another for his colour.

THE AUTHOR'S ARRIVAL AT THE ISLAND TIMOR.

We had now for some days small gales from the south-south-west to the
north-north-west, and the sky still more cloudy especially in the
mornings and evenings. The 14th it looked very black in the north-west
all the day; and a little before sunset we saw, to our great joy, the
tops of the high mountains of Timor, peeping out of the clouds which had
before covered them as they did still the lower parts.

We were now running directly towards the middle of the island on the
south side: but I was in some doubt whether I should run down alongshore
on this south side towards the east end; or pass about the west end, and
so range along on the north side, and go that way towards the east end:
but as the winds were now westerly I thought it best to keep on the south
side, till I should see how the weather would prove; for, as the island
lies, if the westerly winds continued and grew tempestuous I should be
under the lee of it and have smooth water, and so could go alongshore
more safely and easily on this south side: I could sooner also run to the
east end where there is the best shelter, as being still more under the
lee of the island when those winds blow. Or if, on the other side, the
winds should come about again to the eastward, I could but turn back
again (as I did afterwards) and passing about the west end, could there
prosecute my search on the north side of the island for water, or
inhabitants, or a good harbour, or whatever might be useful to me. For
both sides of the island were hitherto alike to me, being wholly
unacquainted here; only as I had seen it at a distance in my former
voyage.

SEARCH FOR FRESH WATER ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE ISLAND, IN VAIN.

I had heard also that there were both Dutch and Portuguese settlements on
this island; but whereabouts I knew not: however I was resolved to search
about till I found either one of these settlements, or water in some
other place.

It was now almost night and I did not care to run near the land in the
dark, but clapped on a wind and stood off and on till the next morning,
being September 15th, when I steered in for the island, which now
appeared very plain, being high, double and treble land, very remarkable,
on whatever side you view it. See a sight of it in 2 parts, Table 5
Number 1. At 3 in the afternoon we anchored in 14 fathom, soft black oasy
ground, about a mile from the shore. See 2 sights more of the coast in
Table 5 Numbers 2 and 3, and the island itself in the particular map;
which I have here inserted to show the course of the voyage from hence to
the eastward; as the general map shows the course of the whole voyage.
But in making the particular map I chose to begin only with Timor, that I
might not, by extending it too far, be forced to contract the scale too
much among the islands, etc., of the New Guinea coast, which I chiefly
designed it for.

The land by the sea on this south side is low and sandy, and full of tall
straight-bodied trees like pines, for about 200 yards inwards from the
shore. Beyond that, further in towards the mountains, for a breadth of
about 3 miles more or less, there is a tract of swampy mangrove land
which runs all along between the sandy land of the shore on one side of
it, and the feet of the mountains on the other. And this low mangrove
land is overflown every tide of flood by the water that flows into it
through several mouths or openings in the outer sandy skirt against the
sea. We came to an anchor right against one of these openings; and
presently I went in my boat to search for fresh water, or get speech of
the natives; for we saw smokes, houses, and plantations against the sides
of the mountains, not far from us. It was ebbing water before we got
ashore, though the water was still high enough to float us in without any
great trouble. After we were within the mouth we found a large salt-water
lake which we hoped might bring us up through the mangroves to the fast
land: but before we went further I went ashore on the sandy land by the
seaside, and looked about me; but saw there no sign of fresh water.
Within the sandy bank the water forms a large lake: going therefore into
the boat again we rowed up the lake towards the firm land, where no doubt
there was fresh water, could we come at it. We found many branches of the
lake entering within the mangrove land but not beyond it. Of these we
left some on the right hand and some on the left, still keeping in the
biggest channel; with still grew smaller, and at last so narrow that we
could go no farther, ending among the swamps and mangroves. We were then
within a mile of some houses of the Indian inhabitants and the firm land
by the sides of the hills: but the mangroves thus stopping our way, we
returned as we came: but it was almost dark before we reached the mouth
of the creek. It was with much ado that we got out of it again; for it
was now low-water, and there went a rough short sea on the bar; which
however we passed over without any damage and went aboard.

The next morning at five we weighed and stood alongshore to the eastward,
making use of the sea and land-breezes. We found the seabreezes here from
the south-south-east to the south-south-west, the land-breezes from the
north to the north-east. We coasted along about 20 leagues and found it
all a straight, bold, even shore, without points, creeks or inlets for a
ship: and there is no anchoring till within a mile or a mile and a half
of the shore. We saw scarce any opening fit for our boats; and the fast
land was still barricaded with mangroves; so that here was no hope to get
water; nor was it likely that there should be hereabouts any European
settlement, since there was no sign of a harbour.

FAULT OF THE CHARTS.

The land appeared pleasant enough to the eye: for the sides and tops of
the mountains were clothed with woods mixed with savannahs; and there was
a plantation of the Indian natives, where we saw the coconuts growing,
and could have been glad to have come at some of them. In the chart I had
with me a shoal was laid down hereabouts; but I saw nothing of it, going,
or coming; and so have taken no notice of it in my map.

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10