The next
year, the Land of Edels was found, and received its name from its
discoverer. In 1620, Batavia was built on the ruins of the old city of
Jacatra; but the seat of government was not immediately removed from
Amboyna. In 1622, that part of New Holland which is called Lewin's Land
was first found; and in 1627, Peter Nuyts discovered between New Holland
and New Guinea a country which bears his name. There were also some
other voyages made, of which, however, we have no sort of account, except
that the Dutch were continually beaten in all their attempts to land upon
this coast. On their settlement, however, at Batavia, the then general
and council of the Indies thought it requisite to have a more perfect
survey made of the new-found countries, that the memory of them at least
might be preserved, in case no further attempts were made to settle them;
and it was very probably a foresight of few ships going that route any
more, which induced such as had then the direction of the Company's
affairs to wish that some such survey and description might be made by an
able seaman, who was well acquainted with those coasts, and who might be
able to add to the discoveries already made, as well as furnish a more
accurate description, even of them, than had been hitherto given.
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