Ship logs of 1722 voyage of Jacob Roggeveen

Jacob Roggeveen was the first European to set foot on Rapa Nui and did so in 1722.

Official log of Mr Jacob Roggeveen

Transcribed, translated, and edited by Bolton Glanvill Corney. Published in 1908.

Translated from the German of CARL FRIEDERICH BEHRENS: Der wohlversiichte Süd-Länder y das ist: ausführliche Reise-Beschreibung um die Welt.

Source file (.pdf): The voyage of Captain Don Felipe González to Easter Island 1770-1 p. 93 - 115

5. Our lat. by reckoning was 27 degrees 4 minutes South and the long. 266 degrees 31 minutes, course West ½ South, distance 7 miles, the wind Nor'-Nor'-West to Sou'- West, breeze unsteady, with calms, also thick weather and showers. Saw a turtle, floating weed, and birds. About the 10th glass in the afternoon watch The African Galley, which was sailing ahead of us, lay to to wait for us, making the signal of land in sight; when we came up with her, after four glasses had run out, for the breeze was light, we asked what they had seen. On this we were answered that they had all very distinctly seen a low and flattish island lying away to starboard, about 5 ½ miles off, to the nor'ard and west-'ard. Hereupon it was deemed well to stand on under easy sail to the end of the first watch, and then to lie to and await the dawn. This being decided, the necessary information was given to Captain BOUMAN, who was astern; and to the land the name of Paásch Eyland, because it was discovered by us on Easter Day. There was great rejoicing among the people and every one hoped that this low land might prove to be a foretoken of the coastline of the unknown Southern continent.

6. Had a light breeze out of the South-East, and East-South-East, Padsch Eyland lying West by North 8 to 9 miles from us. Laid our course between West by South and North- West, in order to run under the lee of the Island, and so avoid the dangers of a lee shore. At noon the corrected course was West, distance 10 miles, lat. by reckoning 27 degrees 4 minutes South, and long. 265 degrees 42 minutes. In the ninth glass of the afternoon we saw smoke rising in several places from which we concluded that there were people dwelling on the same. We therefore thought it would be well to consider with the Captains of the other ships whether it were not needful to undertake an expedition ashore, to the end that we might gain a fitting knowledge of the interior of the country. On this, it was decided that both the shallops of the Ships A rend and Thienhoven, well manned and armed, should proceed inshore, and find out a convenient place for landing a party from the boats, and also to take soundings. This decision being come to, we stood off and on for the night with our Ships. Which Resolution is as follows: —

COUNCIL of the Commanders of the three Ships sailing in company held on board the AREND, in the presence of the undersigned.

Monday the 6th of April, 1722.

The President submitting that we had now arrived within a distance of some two miles of the Sandy Island, the which lies in an Easterly direction from the stretch of coast (as yet out of sight) which it is one of the objects of this Expedition to discover, and as we have seen smoke ascending in several places, from which it may reasonably be concluded that the aforementioned Island, although it may be shown to be sandy and barren, has nevertheless human inhabitants; now, therefore the President moves that it would be culpable to proceed in a careless and negligent manner, and that we should stand off and on for to-night with our ships, and that on the arrival of daylight we send close in to the land two well manned shallops, properly armed (that we may be in a state of defence in case of any hostile meeting), and show all friendliness towards the inhabitants, endeavouring to see and inquire what they wear or make use of either as ornaments or for other purposes, also whether any refreshments in the way of green stuff, fruit, or beasts can be procured by barter. Which motion having been discussed, the same is by common assent approved and adopted: and it is farther decided that both the shallops of the Ships A REND and Thienhoven, shall proceed at daybreak, and that The African Galley should follow as close to the land as possible and prudent, covering and defending the said shallops (should need arise). Resolved and attested in the said Ship and on the day above mentioned. (Signed): Jacob Roggeveen, Jan Koster, Cornelis Bouman, Roelof Rosendaal.

7. The weather was very variable, with thunder, sheet lightning and showers. The wind unsteady from the North West, and occasional calms so that our shore expedition could not be undertaken with any prospect of success. During the forenoon Captain BOUMAN brought an Easter Islander on board, together with his craft, in which he had come off close to the Ship from the land; he was quite nude, without the slightest covering for that which modesty shrinks from revealing. This hapless creature seemed to be very glad to behold us, and showed the greatest wonder at the build of our Ship. He took special notice of the tautness of our spars, the stoutness of our rigging and running gear, the sails, the guns — which he felt all over with minute attention — and with everything else that he saw; especially when the image of his own features was displayed before him in a mirror, seeing the which, he started suddenly back and then looked towards the back of the glass, apparently in the expectation of discovering there the cause of the apparition.

After we had sufficiently beguiled ourselves with him, and he with us, we started him off again in his canoe towards the shore, having presented him with two strings of blue beads1 round his neck, a small mirror, a pair of scissors, and other like trifles, which seemed to have a special attraction for him.

1) The original has coraelen, meaning beads.

But when we had approached within a short distance of the land we saw distinctly that the account of the Sandy and Low Island (so described by Captain William Dampier, in accordance with the statement and testimony of Captain Davis, and of the narrator Lionel Wafer, whose log of this and other discoveries the aforesaid Dampier has made known through the press, and inserted as a prominent feature in his book, which comprises all his own travels and voyages) was not in the least in conformity with our find; and that neither could it be the land which the aforementioned discoverers declare to be visible 14 to 16 miles beyond it and stretching away out of sight, being a range of high land, which the said Dampier conjectured might be the extremity of the unknown Southland. That this Easter Island can not be the Sandy Island is clear, from the fact that the sandy one is small, and low; whereas Easter Island, on the contrary, extends some 15 or 16 miles in circuit, and has at its Eastern and Western points — which lie about five miles from each other — two high hills sloping gradually down, with three or four other smaller hills about their bases which rise above the plain, so that this land is of moderate elevation, and raised above the force of the sea.

The reason why, at first, when at a farther distance off, we had regarded the said Easter Island as being of a sandy nature is that we mistook the parched-up grass, and hay or other scorched and charred brushwood for a soil of that arid nature, because from its outward appearance it suggested no other idea than that of an extraordinarily sparse and meagre vegetation; and the discoverers had consequently bestowed upon it the term sandy.

It may therefore be concluded, in the light of the foregoing explanation, that this Easter Island now discovered will turn out to be some other land lying further to the Eastward than that which is one of the objectives of our Expedition: or else, the discoverers must stand convicted of a whole bundle of lies in their reports, told by word of mouth as well as in writing.

1) About six furlongs.

8. We had the wind South, South by East, and Sou'-Sou'-West, with a reefed topsail breeze, unsteady. After breakfast had been served, our shallop was well manned and armed, and likewise the shallop of the Ship THIENHOVEN, now close in with the land; and having received their orders, they reported that the inhabitants there were very finely clad in some stuffs of all kinds of colours, and that they made many signs that we should come on shore, but as our orders were not to do so, if the Indians should be present in large numbers, that was not permitted. Furthermore, some thought they had seen the natives to have plates of silver in their ears, and mother-of-pearl shells as ornaments about their necks. By sundown, having come into the roadstead, between the Ships Thienhoven and The African Galley, which had already brought to in readiness for us, we let go our anchor in 22 fathoms, coral bottom, at the distance of a quarter of a mile1 from the beach; the Eastern point of the Island bearing East by South, and the West point West-Nor'-West from us.

1) The edited Journal here has a footnote to the effect that the posterity of this generation were not less thievishly disposed than their fathers, and refers to Cook's, De la Pérouse's, and Kotzebue's accounts of their respective experiences with them in this respect.

9. A great many canoes came off to the ships: these people showed us at that time their great cupidity for every thing they saw; and were so daring that they took the seamen's hats and caps from off their heads, and sprang overboard with the spoil1; for they are surpassingly good swimmers, as would seem from the great numbers of them who came swimming off from the shore to the ships. There was also an Easter Islander who climbed in through the cabin window of The African Galley, from his canoe, and seeing on the table, a cloth with which it was covered, and deeming it to be a good prize, he made his escape with it there and then; so that one must take special heed to keep close watch over everything. Furthermore, a shore party of 134 men was organised to make investigations for the purpose of reporting upon our mission.

1) Ubasworteln, a coined hybrid word; from the Malay ubi, a yam, and the Dutch wortel, a root.

2) The term used by Roggeveen is duymen; literally thumbs or thumb's breadths, but the common Dutch expression when inches are meant, of which eleven go to the foot.

3) For Behrens' account, see Appendix I. He states Their ears were so long that they hung down as far as to the shoulders. Some wore white ornaments in the lobes as a special embellishment.

4) This habit is mentioned by Cook, and by Forster: see the last preceding footnote.

1) Meaning tattooed, doubtless.

10. In the morning we proceeded with three boats and two shallops, manned by 134 persons, all armed with musket, pistols, and cutlass; on reaching the shore the boats and shallops kept close together in order to lay down their grapnels, leaving twenty men in them, armed as above, to take care of them; The African Galley's boat, was mounted besides with two carronades in the bows. Having seen to all these arrangements, we proceeded in open order, but keeping well together, and clambered over the rocks, which are very numerous on the sea margin, as far as the level land or flat, making signs with the hand that the natives, who pressed round us in great numbers, should stand out of our way and make room for us. Having got so far, a corps de bataille was formed up of all the seamen of the three ships, the Commodore, Captains KOSTER, Bouman and Rosendaal leading, each at the head of his own crew. This column, three ranks in width, occupying a position to the rear of the others, was covered by one half the soldiers under the command of Lieutenant NiCOLAAS Thonnar, constituting the right wing; and the left, made up of the other half of the military, was led by Mr MARTINUS KEERENS, Ensign. After thus disposing our forces we marched forward a little, to make room for some of our people who were behind, that they might fall in with the ranks, who were accordingly halted to allow the hindmost to come up, when, quite unexpectedly and to our great astonishment, four or five shots were heard in our rear, together with a vigorous shout of 't is tyd, 't is tyd, geeft vuur! [It's time, it's time, fire!]. On this, as in a moment, more than thirty shots were fired, and the Indians, being thereby amazed and scared, took to flight, leaving 10 or 12 dead, besides the wounded.

1) Some of the gentlemen who travelled over the island, and examined many of them, were of opinion, that the stone of which they were made was different to any other they saw on the island, and had much the appearance of being factitious. Cook, Bibl. no. 16.

These people have well proportioned limbs, with large and strong muscles; they are big in stature, and their natural hue is not black, but pale yellow or sallowish, as we saw in the case of many of the lads, either because they had not painted1 their bodies with dark blue, or because they were of superior rank and had consequently no need to labour in the field. These people have also snow-white teeth, with which they are exceptionally well provided, even the old and hoary, as was evidenced by the cracking of a large and hard nut, whose shell was thicker and more resisting than our peach stones. The hair of their heads, and the beards of most of them, were short, although others wore it long, and hanging down the back, or plaited and coiled on the top of the head in a tress, like the Chinese at Batavia, which is there termed condt.

2) Roggeveen's description of the statues seems to show that he never got close to one of them, but saw them only from a distance of some hundreds of yards. His 'basket' was doubtless one of the coronoid cylinders of tufaceous rock by which most of the figures were surmounted.

1) The door-way is in the middle of one side, formed like a porch and so low and narrow as just to admit a man to enter upon all fours. Cook, Bibl. no. 16.

What the form of worship of these people comprises we were not able to gather any full knowledge of, owing to the shortness of our stay among them; we noticed only that they kindle fire in front of certain remarkably tall stone figures they set up; and, thereafter squatting on their heels with heads bowed down, they bring the palms of their hands together and alternately raise and lower them.

1) They either have but few females among them, or many were restrained from making their appearance, during our stay, says Cook. Cook, Bibl. no. 16.

2) The largest house I saw was about sixty feet long, eight or nine feet high in the middle, and three or four at each end, its breadth at these parts was nearly equal to its height. Cook, Bibl. no. 16.

It was incomprehensible to us how these people cook their food, for no one was able to perceive or find that they had any earthen pots, pans, or vessels.

2) They are built, or rather faced, with hewn stones of a very large size; and the workmanship is not inferior to the best plain piece of masonry we have in England. They use no sort of cement; yet the joints are exceedingly close and the stones morticed and tenanted one into another, in a very artful manner. Cook, Bibl. no. 16.

3) The word in the original is stoep. There is no synonymous expression in English, though 'porch', 'threshold', or 'piazza' each corresponds in a way.

We then, being baulked from making any sufficiently detailed inquiry, concluded that they must have large hollow flint-stones under the soil, which hold water when they set about boiling anything.

These dwellings have no more than one entrance way, which is so low that they pass in creeping on their knees, being round above, as a vault or archway1; the roof is also of the same form.

Friday the 10th of April1, 1722.

The President having called together the Commanders of this Expedition, to the end that each one should submit his ideas and opinions concerning the newly found Island, namely, whether in view of this discovery the Resolution considered and adopted by this Council on the 2nd inst. should be punctually observed and fulfilled: or whether, on the contrary, we should proceed on our course another hundred miles Westwards, inasmuch as this land discovered2 (being called by us Padsch Eyland, because it was sighted and discovered on Easter Day) can not be said to be a small, low, and sandy Island, covering as it does an extent of sixteen Dutch miles in circuit and being fairly high land3, the which was lying 8 or 9 miles away from us when The African Galley made the signal of land in sight. As this distance may with safety be deemed correct, seeing that it took us the whole of the following day, with a fresh breeze blowing, to get within a couple of miles or so by eventide. Nor can the aforementioned land be termed sandy, because we found it not only not sandy but on the contrary exceedingly fruitful, producing bananas, potatoes, sugar-cane of remarkable thickness, and many other kinds of the fruits of the earth; although destitute of large trees and domestic animals, except poultry. This place, as far as its rich soil and good climate are concerned, is such that it might be made into an earthly Paradise, if it were properly worked and cultivated; which is now only done in so far as the Inhabitants are obliged to for the maintenance of life. And furthermore, it is quite improper to give this discovery the name of a range of high land; if one supposes that by ill luck we sailed by the Low and Sandy Island without seeing it, the which is not probable, as our course was directed in such wise that we should inevitably have sighted it if so be that this Easter Island is the land which is described as being a range of high land. Therefore one may conclude with good reason that this Easter Island is some other land than any we are seeking, and that one part of our voyage is made good; since it fails to present those characteristics which belong to the land we hope to meet with. The President submits all the above remarks to this Council for consideration, in order to avail himself of its opinions as may be proper.

1) By a curious coincidence, La Pérouse's visit was also made on the 10th of April: sixty-four years later.

2) The parenthesis is misplaced in the Dutch Journal, as edited, where it occurs before the word omdat, 'inasmuch.' It should obviously be after the word 'discovered' as now translated.

3) The highest peak of Easter Island attains 1767 feet. Two others are 1327 and 1323 feet, respectively, above the sea. Cook says, "The hills are of such an height as to be seen fifteen or sixteen leagues."

Whereupon, all these points being attentively noted and maturely weighed, it is unanimously resolved that, indisputably, the above-mentioned Easter Island does not in the least conform to the description of a range of high land, being of only moderate elevation; that, also, it is absolutely impossible that the finer metals should occur here, as we learned by experience from ocular inspection, that the Inhabitants are without any such, and employ as coverings and ornaments only certain produce of vegetable origin; and that they understand sewing these handsomely and neatly together three or four ply in thickness for the sake of warmth and strength. Furthermore that they plait together as ornaments some feathers of the domestic fowl (of which last very few were seen, however) so as to form a circlet worn on the head, and the painting of their faces, and other parts of the body as well, with regular and well proportioned designs after such a manner that one side of the body is in conformity with the other, also some flat shells worn as neck ornaments, and the slit in the ear-lobes plugged with some kind of root (shaped like our parsnips) for adorning the ears. Further, that we have not seen the small, low, and sandy Island which must be the outlier and true sign of that land we are in search of; therefore it is by unanimous assent agreed upon and declared that we continue the course West along the parallel of 27 degrees of South latitude until we shall have sailed another hundred miles, and on arrival there, we are to be guided by circumstances and to take such action as may then be deemed proper.

So resolved in the Ship and on the day above stated. (Signed) Jacob Roggeveen, Jan Koster, Cornelis Bouman, Roelof Rosendaal.

It only remains to say, in concluding the subject of these dwelling-huts, that we did not see more than six or seven of them at the place where we landed, from which it may clearly be inferred that all the Indians make use of their possessions in common.

Finally, as to their seagoing craft, they are of poor and flimsy construction; for their canoes are fitted together of a number of small boards and light frames, which they skilfully lace together with very fine laid twine made from the above-mentioned vegetable product Piet.

This resolution being carried and signed, Captain Jan Koster suggested, by way of discussion, that it should be a very easy and simple matter to ascertain whether the above-mentioned Easter Island is really the land we are aiming after and towards which we have directed our course, if we were now to make only a short Cruise by sailing 12 miles Eastwards, and that the ships should keep two miles apart from each other, but at the same time resume close company if it should happen that a low and sandy island should be sighted, which would establish the truth that the aforesaid Easter Island is the land we have been minded to discover. And in case we get no view of the said Sandy Island that then also the before-named Easter Island must of necessity be some other land (although lying right in our track) than that towards which our expedition is directed. Furthermore, that if the Sandy Island should be discovered, a Northerly course should be shaped in order to get into the steadier and stronger trade-wind, for the furthering of the second item in our Voyage: since the first would fulfil itself, and thereby terminate, on our meeting with the Sandy Island before mentioned. All the which being considered, was approved and adopted by common assent.

So resolved and determined in the Ship and on the day of the foregoing Resolution. (Signed) JACOB ROGGEVEEN, Jan Koster, Cornelis Bouman, Roelof Rosenpaal.

11. The wind this day was Nor'-Nor'-West and Nor'-West, with a topsail-breeze and rough sea. We laid out the best bower, and sent down the fore and main yards. About the fourth glass of the first watch the ship THIENHOVEN's working cable parted; and, being hailed to know if she wanted assistance, they answered 'No'.

[End of the Extract from Roggeveen's Journal]

NOTE by the editor: The explorers' wish was destined to be disappointed; and the subsequent pages of the Journal contain nothing pertinent to the present subject. No land was sighted on the course due West, along the parallel of Easter Island; and, on the 21st of April, Roggeveen called another meeting of his officers, including this time in their deliberations the Chief Pilots. He concluded that Easter Island must be identical with the so-called Southern Continent of Davis, Wafer, and Dampier, and that the range of high land they were now in search of must be visionary.

Such is the official account written by Mr Jacob Roggeveen, the Commodore of his expedition — an account which, little known as it appears to be even at the present day, should long since have relegated the clap-trap story of the Tweejarige Reize to the realms of legend.

B. G. C.

Report of Sergeant-Major Carl Friederich Behrens

Translated from the German of CARL FRIEDERICH BEHRENS: Der wohlversiichte Süd-Länder y das ist: ausführliche Reise-Beschreibung um die Welt.

Source file (.pdf): The voyage of Captain Don Felipe González to Easter Island 1770-1 p. 224 - 230

From here1 we set our course for David's Land, or a part of the South Land, W.N.W.

1) i.e. the larger or landward island of Juan Fernandez.

2) The Bachelor's Delight, 1687.

3) Lionel Wafer.

We made good way day by day, as the S.E. trade-wind was very favourable to us, and attended us throughout most parts of the South Sea.

4) Phaeton aether eus.

We continued on another 12° to the westward of the longitude above mentioned, and had land birds and sea-fowl about us every day, who kept company with us until we at last sighted an island, on the 6th of April, being our first Easter Day1 at which we were heartily pleased.

1) They had sailed from Holland on Aug. 1st of the foregoing year, 1721.

2) German statute miles must here be meant.

We remained close under the land all night until towards morning, when we stood in in a S.E. direction towards a bay or indentation in the coast to anchor.

1) This number is given in figures, but owing to a defect in the type only the o is printed. It means presumably 50.

Many of them were shot at this juncture; and among the slain lay the man who had been with us before, at which we were much grieved.

No animals were met with, as far as we penetrated on this occasion, except sundry species of birds; but there may be many other animals farther in the interior of the country, as the natives seemed acquainted with pigs when they saw some on board our ships.

The natives prepare their meals in pots made of clay or earth. Each household appeared to us to have its own.

The houses were from forty to sixty feet [schuh] long, six to eight feet [schuh] in width, and of similar height, set up on wooden stakes, daubed over with luting and covered in with palm leaves.

No remarkable furniture was found inside their houses, except some red and white coverlets [decken] which they often use as apparel, and also for sleeping under.

These natives were universally blithe and merry, well-built, strong in limb, not exactly slender, yet nimble on their feet; friendly and pleasant in manner, but submissive withal, and also very timid.

As for their complexion they are brownish, about the hue of a Spaniard, yet one finds some among them of a darker shade and others quite white, and no less also a few of a reddish tint as if somewhat severely tanned by the sun.

1) Pisang is the Malayan generic term for the banana.

The women had their features streaked for the most part with a red pigment, which is of a much brighter shade than any we have anywhere else seen or found; but we do not know from what they make this beautiful colour.

The people had, to judge by appearances, no weapons; although, as I remarked, they relied in case of need on their gods or idols which stand erected all along the sea shore in great numbers, before which they fall down and invoke them.