| The wreck of the Batavia on the Houtman's Abrolhos in 1629 gave the Dutch an opportunity to gain a more intimate knowledge of the north-west coast. |
One winter's night the ship ran on the rocks and the passengers became so panic-stricken that the captain, Francois Pelsart, decided to land as many as possible on two barren, rocky islands, and to make all speed for Java in the ship's pinnace for help.
The pinnace crept along the coast as far as the North-west Cape and then struck across for Java. The crew landed at intervals along Australia's coast and described the country around Shark's Bay as "barren and accursed, without leafage or grass, and swarming with flies".
When Pelsart returned in a ship to rescue those left on the islands he found that a party of the ship-wrecked crew had murdered some of the others and had planned to sieze the relief ship and take to piracy.
The plan failed and the murderers were executed, except two, who were left on the mainland to save themselves if they could and then "be able to give trustworthy information about these parts."
Pelsart & The Wreck Of The Batavia
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