Another Orangkay being Presented with a Rummer of Wine, pour’d out the Wine, and setting the Rummer on his Head, went away with great joy.
Some of the Governors view’d the Ships, not onely above, but also below the Decks, and being brought to the Guns, they desir’d to know the use of them; whereupon one being Discharg’d, it so affrighted them, that had they not been held, they had all leap’d overboard.
Provisions were daily brought by the Southlanders to the Hollanders in great Vessels, surrounded by many lesser; still as they put their Oars into the Water, they made a hideous noise.
Tasman bringing some empty Vessels upon the Deck, thereby to make them understand that he wanted fresh Water, the Orangkays pointed to the Shore; whither they went with two Boats, which return’d without Water, the Inhabitants themselves being forc’d to dig Pits to get the same.
Mean while other Southlanders coming aboard, the Pilot and Boatswain’s Boy blow’d on their Trumpets, another play’d on a Flute, and a fourth on a Violin, whilst some of the Seamen Dancing, so amaz’d the Natives, that they stood like senseless Creature, gaping with open Mouth upon them.
Tasman looking into a Grammar which contain’d the Language of the Solomons Isles, found that many words which were us’d by these People, had a great similitude with those of that Language.
Besides these Men, there came likewise a great many Women aboard, all of them extraordinary tall, especially two, who might justly be stil’d Giantesses; one whereof had Mustacho’s; both ran, and embracing the Chirurgeon Henrick Haelbos, desir’d carnal Copulation with him, and seem’d to quarrel one with another about him: Others confidently put their Hands into the Hollanders Breeches, their Husbands giving consent thereunto: All of them had thick, curl’d, black Hair, which they colour’d red, and comb’d with ten little round Sticks ty’d together on the top, and left wide like Teeth at the bottom; yet some of them let their Hair hang down in long braided Locks; they shave their upper Lips, but keep a square Beard on their Chin; yet amongst the old People there were some whose Cheeks were overgrown with Hair: Their manner of shaving is with the Teeth of certain Fish made fast to a Stick; they all went bare-headed, except some few, who ty’d a square piece of Stuff, wrought of Leaves or Feathers, above their Eyes against the Sun; the upper parts of their Bodies were all naked, but about their Middle some wore a Girdle, others a Mat of Clappes Leaves, others a Cloth not unlike Chinese Paper, about the lower parts of their Bodies. The Womens Apparel differ’d little from the Mens, excepting that their Aprons reach’d farther down, viz. to their Knees. They barter’d their Clothes against Nails. Some of the Orangkays, being Entertain’d in the Cabbin, wonder’d to see a Bullet that was Discharg’d from the Quarter deck, fall into the Water at so great a distance. They wore about their Necks Mother-of-Pearl, white Cockles, sweet-smelling Flowers, green Leaves, or the Nails which they had gotten of the Hollanders: Some of the aged Women wanted both their little Fingers, and the young ones the upper Joints of them, which the old Men also wanted: Haelbos pointing at the Stump, ask’d the reason of it, but one of them laying his Hand under his Chin, made strange Signs, out of which he could apprehend nothing.
On the twenty third of January, a second time Tasman went ashore for Water, carrying Spades and Pick-axes with him, to dig Pits with. Two of the Hollanders Boats going close together, in each of which were three Southlanders, Tasman call’d to his Rowers to pull stoutly; which the Southlanders in Tasman’s Boat observing to tend to their Rowing the swifter, laugh’d and hooted at their Countrey-men that were in the Sea-Cocks Boat, when they chanc’d to get beyond them. Tasman in his going ashore discover’d several Isles at a distance, was kindly Entertain’d, and towards the Evening carry’d by four Men through the Water, on a Mat made fast betwixt two Poles, to his Sloop, whither they also brought nine Hogs, and fresh Water digg’d out of Pits.
Tasman being got about the Point of the Island, saw the Hemskerk under Sail; wherefore Rowing aboard the Sea-Cock, he was inform’d that she had slipt her Anchor; whereupon following her, he got sight of another green Island the next day, along the Shore whereof ran several People with Sticks, on which hung white Cloths: some of them came aboard, and brought with them what Provisions the Island afforded. The Inhabitants barter’d Clappes, Pisang, Fowls, Hogs, Mother-of-Pearl Fish-hooks, Stone Axes, little Stools, great Clubs, with a black Point as long as a Man’s Arm, and hooked, against Trifles. The Hollanders were also stor’d here with fresh Water. The People both in Language, Habit, and Customs, were very like those of the first Island, but were not altogether so courteous. One of the Southlanders stealing a Half-pike out of the Boat was forc’d by his Companions to restore the same.
The fore-mention’d Haelbos relates, That going ashore with some Soldiers, he saw their Houses, which he found to be built after a strange manner, viz. some of them were round like Towers, Wider at top than at bottom, and without any Holes for Air, but all built close of Canes, which were stuck in the Ground; other Huts were cover’d with a long Roof of Pisang or Clappes Leaves, resting on Posts; under which kind of Building Haelbos shelter’d himself against a mighty Shower of Rain, found divers young Men and Women sitting on Mats, and an old Woman, blind through Age, lying by them on the Ground, and Fanning her self with Pisang Leaves: The Men going away, signifi’d thereby a kind of Invitation to the Hollanders to go to the Women, who not receiving the Entertainment they expected, rose altogether on a sudden, and Singing, Danc’d about the Hollanders. The Men had on their Shoulders and Breasts, Scars of half an Inch deep, and an Inch long; upon some of which, being fresh and bleeding, the Flyes sat. They eat after a strange manner, for stripping off the outmost Rinds of the Clappes with their Teeth, and breaking the hard Shell against their Elbows, they pull out the Kernel, and eat the same. Whatever Flesh-meat they eat, they never throughly boyl or roast it, but make it onely just warm. They sleep on the Ground upon Mats, and lay their Heads on a little woodden Cricket with four Feet. They take great pride in their Hair, and those that have not long Hair of their own, use Perukes.