Notas introductorias sobre la propuesta

It was another Dutch navigator, Abel Tasman (1603-1659), who reported the first European experience of the southern limitation of Terra Australis. Tasman had been dispatched by the highly-successful Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC), or Dutch East India Company, from their capital in Batavia (Jaykarta). The VOC had established control of much of the Portuguese spice trade by then, and had centres from Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean, and north to Formosa. Tasman had already explored the northern Pacific Ocean east of Japan, when he was requested by the Governor General of the VOC, Anthony van Diemen, to make his next voyage south. This expedition was motivated by the possibility of finding new resources in the lands to the south (in particular gold), as well as charting a route to Chile more direct than via Madagascar, in order to counter Spanish control of trade there. The voyage was strictly commercial, with no scientific objectives. James Backhouse Walker, in an address to the Royal Society of Tasmania in 1885, argued that what prompted the Dutch was,

Plain practical business and the hope of profit for the Company… Consequently the instructions (were) specially precise in their injunctions to enter in the journal full particulars of the productions of the countries, what sort of goods the people had for trade, and what they would take in exchange.165

165 _{James Backhouse Walker, Abel Janszoon Tasman: His Life and Voyages, Read before the}

Royal Society of Tasmania on the 25th November 1895 (Hobart: William Grahame, Government Printer, 1896). p. 30.

Nevertheless, a direct reading of Tasman’s instructions provides valuable insight into the influence of previous European incursions into Antipodean lands, with clear directions that the navigator should exercise caution,

In landing with small craft, extreme caution will every-where have to be used, seeing that it is well known that the southern regions are peopled by fierce savages, for which reason you will always have to be well armed and to use every prudent precaution, since experience has taught in all parts of the world that barbarian men are nowise to be trusted, because they commonly think that the foreigners who so unexpectedly appear before them have come only to seize their land, which (owing to heedlessness and over-confidence) in the discovery of America occasioned many instances of treacherous slaughter…166

Clearly these instructions were intended for the safety and preservation of the lives of the VOC crewmembers, rather than out of sympathy for native peoples. They indicate not only a caution about what might be expected of ‘natural men’, but an

acknowledgement of the reality of their experience at the hands of Europeans. Ultimately however, it is profit that was emphasized to Tasman as the priority,

… on which account you will treat with amity and kindness such barbarian men as you shall meet and come to parley with, and connive at small affronts, thefts, and the like which they should put upon or commit against our men, lest

punishments inflicted should give them a grudge against us, and by shows of kindness gain them over to us, that you may the more readily from them obtain information touching themselves, their country, and their circumstances, thus learning whether there is anything profitable to be got or effected.167

166 _{Antonio Van Diemen et al., 'Instructions for; Skipper Commander Abel Jansz. Tasman,} Pilot-Major Franchoys Jacobsz. Visscher, and the Council of the Ship “Heemskerck” and the Flute “De Zeehaen,” Destined for the Discovery and Exploration of the Unknown and Known South Land, of the South-East Coast of Nova Guinea, and of the Islands

Circumjacent', in Robert Mcnab (ed.), Historical Records of New Zealand (Electronic edn., New Zealand Texts Collection, 2; Wellington, NZ: Victoria University, 1914). p. 10. 167 _{Ibid. p. 11.}

The instructions go on to specify the gathering of (what might be called in later years) ethnographic data on the inhabitants of Terra Australis, although these too are

predicated on the potential for establishing trade,

So far as time shall allow, you will diligently strive to gather information concerning the situation of their country, the fruits and cattle it produces, their methods of building houses, the appearance and shape of the inhabitants, their dress, arms, manners, diet, means of livelihood, religion, mode of government, their wars, and the like notable things, more especially whether they are kindly or cruelly disposed; showing them various specimens of the commodities you have taken with you for that purpose, so as to learn what commodities and materials are found in their country and what things they are desirous of obtaining from us in return: all which matters you will carefully note, correctly describe, and faithfully set forth in drawings, keeping for the purpose an ample and elaborate journal, in which you will set down an exact record of all that may befall you, that on your return you may be able to lay a proper report before us. The instructions go on to direct the expedition, in the ‘unlikely’ event of encountering ‘any country peopled by civilized men’, to show them ‘greater attention’ in order to ascertain the availability of gold and silver, which was desperately needed at the time in order to address a severe imbalance of trade with Asia.168 Heading south from Mauritius, Tasman failed to locate the Chilean coastline and instead turned eastward along the 40th latitude, sighting land on 24 November, 1642. The following day, while waiting for favorable weather to permit a landing, he brought his officers together for a ship’s council,

This land being the first land we have met with in the South Sea and not known to any European nation we have conferred on it the name of Anthoony Van Diemenslandt in honour of the Honourable Governor-General, our illustrious master, who sent us to make this discovery…169

168 _{Fernandez-Armesto, Pathfinders: A Global History of Exploration.}

169 _{Abel Janzoon Tasman, Abel Janzoon Tasman's Journal of His Discovery of Van Diemen's}

Tasman continued sailing along the coast until on 1 December, finding a good

harbour and calm weather, it was decided to land on what is now known as Tasman’s Bay in Van Diemen’s Land. The following morning, two boats were sent out to find water, food and timber. Tasman had been warned, following the deaths on Jansz’s voyage, that the land ‘was in some places inhabited by wild, cruel, black savages, by whom some of the crew were murdered.’170 The advance party was therefore heavily armed, including ten musketeers, all with pikes and sidearms. Pilot-major Francoys Jacobsz and the second mate made the following report,

That they had heard certain human sounds and also sounds nearly resembling the music of a trump or a small gong not far from them though they had seen no one. That they had seen two trees about 2 or 2½ fathom in thickness measuring from 60 to 65 feet from the ground to the lowermost branches, which trees bore notches made with flint implements, the bark having been removed for the purpose; these notches, forming a kind of steps to enable persons to get up the trees and rob the birds' nests in their tops, were fully 5 feet apart so that our men concluded that the natives here must be of very tall stature, or must be in

possession of some sort of artifice for getting up the said trees; in one of the trees these notched steps were so fresh and new that they seemed to have been cut less than four days ago. That on the ground they had observed certain footprints of animals, not unlike those of a tiger's claws.171

They reported finding fireplaces and piles of shells, and when they saw smoke, they decided that this was a signal from their commanders to return to ship. It can be easily imagined that these observations, together with the warnings on the reputation of native people on the Australian continent, are likely to have the precipitated a hasty return to the ship.

When our men had come on board again we inquired of them whether they had been there and made a fire, to which they returned a negative answer, adding

170 _{Nicholas Dean Brodie, 1787: The Lost Chapters of Australia's Beginnings (Richmond,} Vic: Hardie Grant Boooks, 2016). p. 68.

171 _{Tasman, Abel Janzoon Tasman's Journal of His Discovery of Van Diemen's Land and New}

however that at various times and points in the wood they also had seen clouds of smoke ascending. So there can be no doubt there must be men here of extraordinary stature.172

The Dutch, having not seen Tasmanian Aboriginal people directly, were clearly alarmed by the prospect of a race of giants, perhaps due to lingering notions of monstrous Antipodeans not yet relieved in their minds. As a result, no further attempt was made to land, let alone explore the vicinity. Even the obligatory raising of the flag of the Prince of Orange was carried out by the ship’s carpenter, made to swim ashore,

We went to the south-east side of this bay… we carried with us a pole with the Company's mark carved into it, and a Prince-flag to be set up there, that those who shall come after us may become aware that we have been here, and have taken possession of the said land as our lawful property… We then ordered the carpenter aforesaid to swim to the shore alone with the pole and the flag… This work having been duly executed we pulled back to the ships, leaving the above- mentioned as a memorial for those who shall come after us, and for the natives of this country, who did not show themselves, though we suspect some of them were at no great distance and closely watching our proceedings.

The unwillingness of the commanders to return to shore was repeatedly blamed on high seas in Tasman’s journal. Given that this was the first landfall that the small fleet of two ships had made, and with knowledge of the death of numerous Dutch sailors during similar voyages, it is not difficult to conclude that it was cautious fear that kept Tasman from making a direct record of those responsible for the evidence of

occupation that they found. This is confirmed by the narrative of Hendrik Haelbos, Tasman’s surgeon, who says the commander, ‘from the forest heard a shrill sound from singing people. he took fright and went back on board, and saw thick smoke between the trees.’ 173

172 _Ibid.

173 _{Duyker, The Discovery of Tasmania: Journal Extracts from the Expeditions of Abel}

With no drawings of Tasmanian Aborigines resulting from the visit, the only visual legacy left from this 1642 encounter is a series of maps (fig. 17), detailing a broken coastline, and framing a blank hinterland canvas that would be left for later navigators to fill in.

Figure 17 - Abel Janzoon Tasman, Charts showing Fredrick Hendrix Bay with Maria Island, 1642, from Tasman (1965).

Tasman’s cautiousness was vindicated less than a month later, when he encountered Maori warriors while sailing up the coastline of New Zealand. On 19 December, the two Dutch ships were surrounded by seventeen Maori canoes and, assuming this was a friendly greeting, a cock-boat was sent out to meet them. Unknown to the Dutch they were being engaged by war canoes. The cock-boat, carrying six crew was immediately rammed and boarded, and five of the sailors were beaten to death. A drawing of the scene (fig. 18), carefully describing the circumstances of the violent encounter, was later published. This provides a putative indication of the style in which Tasmanian Aborigines might have been depicted if Tasman had lingered in Van Diemen’s Land long enough to sight the Pydairrerme people, whose fires and campsites they had seen.

Figure 18 - Isaac Gilsemans, Natives of New Zealand, 1642, woodcut, Algemeen Rijkarchief, The Hague. Tasman (1898).