Early Voyages to Terra Australis, Now Called Australia: / A Collection of Documents, and Extracts from Early Manuscript Maps, Illustrative of the History of Discovery on the Coasts of That Vast Island, from the Beginning of the Sixteenth Century to the Time of Captain Cook.

by Richard Henry Major

When you meet and converse with any of these savages, behave well and friendly to them; do not take notice of little affronts or thefts which they practise upon you, because resentment might create disgust; but try by all means to engage their affection to you, the better to learn from them the state of their country, particularly if any thing for the service of the Company may be done there.

You are also to inquire, as much as time will permit, into the productions of their country, the fruits and animals, the buildings, the shape and faces of the people, their clothing, arms, morals, manners, food, trade, religion, government, war, and everything worthy of remark; particularly whether they are peaceable or malicious.

You are to show the samples of the goods which you carry along with you, to inquire what materials and goods they possess, and what is wanted of ours; all which you are closely to observe, well to annotate, and correctly to describe; for which reasons you are to keep a very circumstantial journal, wherein all particulars may be perfectly inserted, by which, upon your return, you may give a satisfactory report to us.

If any country be discovered peopled by a civilized nation (as apparently will not be the case), you may depend more upon them than upon the wild savages; try to converse with their governors and subjects, and to establish an acquaintance; inform them you come there to trade, show them the goods in proper order; for this purpose laden on board of both the yachts and the tender, amounting to the sum of 2,809 guilders, 17 stivers, and 3 penningen, of all which the junior merchants have to keep books in proper order, by which they (when called upon) may be enabled to give a satisfactory account.

Shewing the samples and goods, you and the junior merchants are carefully to remark what goods the strange nations most esteem, and to which they are most inclined; likewise inquire what merchandize and goods they possess, particularly after gold and silver, and whether these metals are held in great esteem; to keep them ignorant of the precious value, seem not greedy after it; if they offer to barter for your goods, seem not to covet these minerals, but shew them copper, tutenag,[^[20]] pewter and lead, as if these were of more value to us. If you find them inclined to trade, keep the goods which they seem most greedy after at so high a value that none may be sold, nor bartered without great profit. Likewise take nothing but what you are convinced will turn out profitable to the Company, which in trading you will learn. It will be particularly necessary to bring samples of the most rare things to be found there, and of all the rest exact account, to see what returns from thence can be made, and for the future may be serviceable.

You are prudently to prevent all insolences and maltreatment of the ship’s crew against the discovered nations, and to take care by no means to insult them, in their houses, gardens, ships, possessions, nor women, etc. Likewise not to carry away any inhabitants against their will, but if a few voluntarily should be inclined to go along with you, then you are permitted to bring them to this place.

We have herein expressed in general our intentions respecting the voyage you are to undertake, but as upon all that may occur no precise orders can be given, we leave the rest to your zeal, vigilance and good conduct, likewise to the council’s prudent dispositions, in a full hope and confidence you will in this expedition be so vigilant as to succeed to the service of the Company, when we will not be backward to recompense your endeavours as you may merit; for if in this voyage are discovered any countries, islands or passages profitable to the Company, we promise you by this to reward the conductors and well-behaving ships’ crew, with such premiums as we shall find their good service to have merited, upon which you all may depend. Likewise you are to fix a competent premium to those who first shall perceive an unknown country, island, shoal, rock, or dangerous foul ground, in order to avoid as much as possible all misfortunes.

To prevent any other European nation from reaping (perhaps) the fruits of our labour and expences in these discoveries, you are everywhere to take possession, in the name and by orders of the Dutch East India Company, of the countries and islands you may arrive at not inhabited by savages; to put up some signs, for instance, plant trees, sow some fruit trees, erect a stone or post, and to cut or carve in them the arms of the Netherlands or of the Company, and in what year and at what time such a land was discovered and taken in possession, declaring further in intention by the first opportunity to send people thither from hence, and to establish a colony, to secure the property nearer to us.

But if it so happeneth (which is not likely) that you discover some countries or islands that may have a polished government, you are to endeavour with its chiefs or governors (in the name as above) to make contract upon the most advantageous terms you possibly can obtain, including a resignation (if they are inclined to do such); or permission to frequent the place exclusive of all other nations; or other advantages for the Company: all which you must note down circumstantially in your journals, expressing the names and qualities of those with whom you shall have treated, to serve the Company when it may be wanted.

In order this dangerous voyage, according to these instructions and our good intentions, may be well regulated and finished, good order kept amongst the crew, right and justice administered conformable to the general articles; and everything (which upon so dangerous and long a voyage may happen and be required) be done and transacted to the greatest service of the Company; we appoint by this the Honourable Abel Jansz Tasman, commodore of the three yachts and the crew which sail with them: we authorise him to hoist the pendant on board the yacht Limmen, to assemble the council, whereof he is to be constantly president: command, in consequence, the officers, soldiers, and sailors (no body excepted) appointed upon the yachts Limmen, De Zeemeuw, and De Brak, to acknowledge and obey him as their chief and commander; to support him, by good advice and assiduity, to the forwarding of the voyage and the ordered discovery of the unknown countries, as is the duty of vigilant and faithful servants, in such a manner as, upon return, every one may be able to answer.