Disastrous voyage

Rare account of the Batavia wreck

Murder and Mayhem

Batavia struck Morning Reef, Houtman Abrolhos (off Geraldton, Western Australia) on 4 June 1629. Most of the crew and passengers scrambled to safety on the islands and the commander, Francisco Pelsaert, took the ship’s sloop to search for water and then on to Batavia (Jakarta). In his absence, upper merchant Jeronimus Cornelisz and a small group of supporters waged a reign of terror characterised by murder, rape and torture.

A group of fifty men, led by Wiebbe Hayes, isolated themselves on an island and built a coral enclosure for protection. Cornelisz tried to negotiate with them but was captured and some of his followers were executed. On his return with a rescue vessel, Pelsaert dealt with the remaining mutineers; a formal trial was held on the island and Cornelisz and eight supporters were hanged.

This book is opened at the woodcut of the fight on the island to which Wiebbe Hayes and his supporters had retreated. The woodcuts in this book are the earliest printed views of any part of Australia.
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