Page:The Western Mail - Christmas 1897 - Page 7.jpg

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 * rowspan="3" width="20%" | with a south wind, bearing east; having a strong roll from the south-south-west, they next went east by south. On the 22nd at noon, they found themselves in southern latitude 29 deg. 19 min; the wind was south, their course northeast; then the steersmen guessed that they were about 15 leagues from the wreck of the ship. On the 23rd, having reached a latitude of 28 deg. 14 min, with the wind south-west, their course east, they guessed that they must be alongside the coast, and, therefore, during the night they drifted for two watches with the sail partly brailed.

Having proceeded till the morning of the 25th, they found themselves at noon at a southern latitude of 27 deg. 56 min. They found that, as usual, during those 24 hours the current had taken them northward; they saw a good many breakers, and imagined they also saw some islands and surf, but this appeared to be caused by the reflection of the sun; they had then the wind south and more or less by east During the first watch of the night it ran south-south-east, wherefore they took their course westerly; it then became calm, but the sea ran terribly high from the south-south-west On the 26th, at noon, their latitude was 28 deg. 5 min., the wind was south by west, the sea high and hollow; in the afternoon the wind changed to south-south-east, they then took their course westward; when they had run like this about nine or ten hour glasses, the high seas compelled them once more to steer east. On the 27th it was calm during the greater part of the day, so that they steered boldly westward; at noon their latitude was 28 deg. 13 min; then the seas began to roll from the south; towards evening a cool breeze rose from the south-west, wherefore they sailed south-east, but during the night they were again repeatedly becalmed.

On the 29th their latitude was 28 deg. 10 min., the wind was south-east by south; the weather was rough; the mainsails were lowered half-mast, so that again they lost latitude; in the evening they bore seaward, sailing all night south-west by west. On the 30th at noon, their latitude was 29 deg. 55 min.; the wind was south-east by south, the seas rolled high from the south-south-west. On the 31st, before noon, it was very calm, they took their bearings, and found that they were in latitude 29 deg. 49 min. After noon the wind rose from the west; they took their course north-east by east, not knowing how far they still were from the land. In the morning the wind ran round to the south-east and the east-north-east. On the 1st September, with variable winds, they reached a latitude of 29 deg. 16 min., they found it impossible to get round to the east On the morning of the 2nd the wind ran north with a top-sail breeze; at noon their latitude was 30 deg. 16 min.; they then found that they were driven rapidly south; in the evening the wind veered to the north-west, wherefore they sailed north-east by north. On the morning of the 3rd, the wind was west. They saw much seaweed floating, and therefore took their course east.


 * width="20%" | five miles’ distance from the continent they cast the anchor in a depth of 27 fathoms on a clear bottom, the night was calm, the weather splendid, with a south by east wind.

27, 28 or 29 fathoms a sandy bottom. At 11, before noon, they lost sight of the main land, being then in southern latitude 28 deg. 59 min., close to a point of the reef jutting out west-south-west of them. The bottom was dirty and sloping, at a depth of 50 or 60 fathoms of water. In the afternoon a calm set in, so that the current took them right west, and a good deal west they left the breakers behind. They guessed that then they were about eight miles from the main land. This calm lasted all night, and they drifted so close along the breakers that they could hear their roar the whole night. On the morning of the 6th the breakers were out of sight. About 11 the wind came from the west-north-west. They were again approaching the breakers being at noon in latitude 28 deg. 44 min. Then it began to blow very hard from the north-west, so that during that afternoon
 * width="20%" | they went somewhat south again, in order to approach the land exactly at 28 deg. 20 min. The wind was south-west, and the sea high. In the afternoon, two hours before sunset, they sighted the breakers again, from which they guessed they were still two miles away. Then, dropping the lead-line, they found splendid sandy bottom at 100 fathoms; but, having come half a mile nearer and sounded again, they touched a dirty stony bottom at 30 fathoms. Therefore, during the night, in the second watch, they turned seawards; and continued so till the day watch, when they turned again landward, in order to approach the shore.


 * width="20%" | dore, and welcoming him, but begging of him to return immediately to the ship, as there were a party of miscreants on the islands about the wreck, who intended to come in two boats and seize the yacht on its arrival.

About fourteen days ago the super-cargo, Jerome Cornelisz, the chief of these scoundrels, had been captured by him. Four of his principal counsellors and accomplices, viz. — The assistant, David van Seevanck, Coenraldt van Huyssen, Gysbert van Welderen, and Cornelis Pietersz, of Utrecht, soldier, had been killed. These had repeatedly come across to fight him and his men, but every time they had been bravely kept off; then they had used traitorous and sinister means to conquer and murder them, offering them peace through the intermediation of their minister, Gysbert Sebastiaensz, whom they forced to go backwards and forwards. When they came to conclude the peace with solemn oaths, promising to forget and forgive all that had passed, David van Seevanck and Coenraldt van Huyssen tried to bribe some soldiers to treason, offering them each six thousand guilders, if, when they returned
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hard, that they had to take down the top sails. On the morning of the 9th, they once more turned to the land, being at noon in latitude 29 deg., and spending the rest of the day in turning to and fro; in the evening a severe storm blew from the north-west, and they found it difficult enough to keep going with the reefed sails. On the 10th the wind was west, with a topsail breeze, having hoisted the sails again they reached at noon the southern latitude of 29 deg. 30 min.
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 * width="20%" | they tacked. Finding that the current took them a good deal north-west, in the evening they turned again seaward from the breakers, having a dirty rocky bottom at 40 fathoms. This dry land extended south-east and north-west. In the evening such a stiff breeze arose that the whole night through they had to sail with a half-mast sail, and to take the wind variously. On the morning of the 7th the weather calmed down, so that they could once more hoist the sails. At noon they were in latitude 29 deg. 30 min. They then turned north to get sight of the mainland. Then, as the wind blew sharper, from the west-northwest, they were obliged to turn seaward. On the 8th at noon, being in latitude 29 deg. 7 min., they took their course north-east, so that in the evening they again sighted the breakers; they therefore bore west-southwest seaward all night; with a north-west wind. Then it began to blow so

On the morning of the 11th it was calm, but the sea was high, the wind blew from the west-south-west, so that they could not gain any distance north without approaching the breakers, at noon they reached the latitude of 28 deg. 48 min., with variable winds. All that night they sailed with a reefed sail. On the morning of the 12th they set sail again in an easterly direction, till at noon they found themselves at 28 deg. 13 min. Therefore,
 * width="20%" | south-east, so that they could not weigh the anchor, and had to lie still all day. On the 15th, the wind continued with equal force till noon, then it became calmer, so that they could lift the anchor on board and wind it up; having set sail, they reached at noon the latitude of 27 deg. 14 min. The wind was south-south-east, and they tacked all day in order to advance south; in the evening they found that they had made two miles. It was dark, and they anchored again in a clear sandy bottom at 30 fathoms depth. On the morning of the 16th, at daybreak, they weighed the anchor again, and took their course more or less south, with a west-south-west wind. In the afternoon the wind changed to west, then to north, so that they could sail west. Towards evening they saw the wreck of their ship Batavia, and the Commodore was seen from the high island, though the mates said it was not one of the islands. At two o’clock in the night they anchored in a clear, sandy bottom at 27 fathoms depth.


 * width="20%" | next day after the conclusion of the peace, these men would side with them and help to kill the others. But Webbye’s men had understood this, and, perceiving that it was aimed at their life, they killed these fellows, and captured their captain, as related above. He further described how that same morning, one rebel, named Worter Loos, who had been proclaimed chief after the capture of the former Captain, Jerome, had attacked them with two boats full of men, whom they had bravely resisted, and kept off, four of Webbye Hays’ men having been severely wounded in the fray. When the Commodore had learnt all these sad tidings with deep regret, he immediately rowed aboard again, ordering Webbye Hays to row back to his people and to bring the prisoner, Jerome Cornelisz, to the ship, which was done as ordered. But before the Commodore could get to his ship he saw a rowing boat with people approaching round the southern point of the high land, wherefore he prepared for defence, with the intention, if possible, to overpower and capture the scoundrels. Meanwhile he continued his course to the ship.


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