Page:Early voyages to Terra Australis.djvu/196

 48 EXTRACT FROM THE

1st. You shall early to-morrow morning, after mustering your men, proceed to sea in company, and steer your course to Macassar, Amboina, and Banda ; as the service of the Company shall require, and by separate instructions you are commanded, by which you are entirely to regulate your voyage to the above places.

On your arrival at Amboina and Banda, you shall plenti- fully stock your yachts with water, fuel, and all other neces- saries ; in the time you are there the crews are to be supplied with all sorts of fresh provisions, and well provided for the voyage ; for which purpose this shall be an order to the vice-governors' Gerrit Denimer and Cornelis Witzen, to whom you have to communicate your instructions, and de- mand, in writing, the further knowledge they may have of the countries situated to the east of Banda ; and particularly the journal of the commodore Carstens, which we think may still be found there, and be of some service to you on the voyage.

But by this we by no means intend you shall spend any time unprofitably, but dispatch everything so assiduously that you may leave Banda in the latter end of February, when the west monsoon has set in, fixing, with the advice of the council, instructions for the signals at the beginning of your voyage, in which particularly is to be inserted by what method the yachts may join, in case (which God prevent) they by storm or other accidents were separated, upon which event the good success of the intended voyage chiefly de- pends.

After fulfilling your orders at Amboina and Banda, you shall (as is mentioned) in the latter end of February (or sooner, if possible) undertake, in the name of God, the voy- age you are ordered upon, and steer your course eastward, between and in view of the islands Tenimber, Key, and

1 At that time the governor-general, in instructions or issuing orders, styled all the other governors, vice-governors.