DESCRIPTION OF THE WEST COAST OF THE SOUTH
LAND, BY THE CAPTAIN SAMUEL VOLKERSEN,
OF THE PINK, "WAECKENDE BOEY,"
which sailed from batavia on the first of january,
1658, and returned on the 19th of april of
the same year.
Translated from a Dutch MS. in the Royal Archives at the Hague.
The South Land has, on its coasts, downs covered with grass
and sand so deep, that, in walking, one's foot is buried ankle-deep, and leaves great traces behind it. At about a league
from the shore there runs a reef of rock, on which here and
there the sea is seen to break with great force. In some
places there is a depth of from one, one and a half, to two
fathoms, so that a boat can pass, after which the depth becomes greater up to the shore; but it is everywhere a dangerous coral bottom, on which it is difficult to find holding
for an anchor. There is only one spot, about nine leagues
to the north of the island, and where three rocks are joined by
a reef, that shelter is afforded for a boat, and there one can
effect a landing, but the ground is everywhere rocky. Further from the coast there is a raised ground, tolerably level,
but of a dry and barren aspect, except near the island, where
there is some foliage. In nearly thirty-two degrees south
latitude there is a large island, nearly three leagues from
the continent, with some rather high mountains, covered
