In January 1623, the yachts _Pera_ and _Arnhem_, under the command of JAN
CARSTENS, were despatched from _Amboina_, by order of His Excellency Jan
Pieterz Coen. Carstens, with eight of the Arnhem's crew, was
treacherously murdered by the natives of New Guinea; but the vessels
prosecuted the voyage, and _discovered_ "the great islands ARNHEM and the
SPULT." * They were then "untimely separated," and the Arnhem returned to
Amboina. The Pera persisted; and "sailed along the south coast of New
Guinea, to a flat cove, situate in 10° south latitude; and ran along the
West Coast of this land to Cape Keer-Weer; from thence discovered the
coast further southward, as far as 17°, to STATEN RIVER. From this place,
what more of the land could be discerned, seemed to stretch _westward_:"
the Pera then returned to Amboina. "In this discovery were found, every
where, shallow water and barren coasts; islands altogether thinly peopled
by divers cruel, poor, and brutal nations; and of very little use to the
(Dutch East-India) Company."

[* In the old charts, a river Spult is marked, in the western part of
Arnhem's Land; and it seems probable, that the land in its vicinity is
here meant by THE SPULT.]

POOL. PIETERSEN. 1636.

GERRIT TOMAZ POOL was sent, in April 1636, from _Banda_, with the yachts
_Klyn Amsterdam_ and _Wezel_, upon the same expedition as Carstens; and,
at the same place, on the coast of New Guinea, he met with the same fate.
Nevertheless "the voyage was assiduously continued under the charge of
the supra-cargo Pieterz Pietersen; and the islands _Key_ and _Arouw_
visited. By reason of very strong eastwardly winds, they could not reach
the west coast of New Guinea (Carpentaria); but shaping their course very
near south, discovered the coast of Arnhem, or Van Diemen's Land, in 11°