ability make Brazil the earliest, as it was the nearest, destination of Dutch trade in America.

It will be noted that as yet, so far as the records show, the trade is with recognized Spanish settlements, and therefore not of a sort to create a territorial title. Of Guiana or of direct trade with the Indians, there is thus far no mention.

But in 1596 there was published in England a book which set the imagination of all Europe on fire-Sir Walter Raleigh's Discoverie of Guiana. It called universal attention to the wealth of these coasts and to the advantages of trade with the natives. The Netherlands were not the last to feel its influence. Already before the end of 1596 one begins to hear in the records of the States-General of the trade with the West Indies; and on March 24, 1597, the merchant-banker Hans van der Veken, of Rotterdam, was granted a commission for two vessels, "manned with Germans and other foreigners, to go to the coast of Guinea [in Africa], Peru and the West Indies, and there to trade and bargain with the savages," this commission "containing also request to all princes and potentates to let these ships and their crews pass freely and in peace thither and return again to these provinces." Guiana is not yet mentioned; but, in the children's phrase, we are growing warm. On September 3 of this same year (1597) the States-General were requested by Gerrit Bicker and his associates, merchants of Amsterdam, "who have it in mind to equip two ships, so as to send them to a certain coast and haven of America Peruana, being a place where never any from these [Netherlands have been, and which is also not held by the Spaniards or the Portuguese," to grant them freedom of convoy both going and coming, "and this for two full voyages, if so be that God Almighty should be pleased to bless their first voyage as they hope, and this out of regard to the great sums they will lay out on this voyage and the risk therein lying." Whereupon it was resolved to grant them the desired convoy "to a certain coast and haven of America Peruana, provided that they shall lade in the aforesaid ships no forbidden goods, and that they shall further be bound, on their return, to bring satisfactory evidence. that never anybody from these lands has traded to the aforesaid haven, and shall make true report in the meeting of the StatesGeneral of their experiences, with specification of the places where they have been and have carried on their trade." And "it is

Prof. Burr's statement.

ment.

Prof. Burr's state the understanding," goes on the record, "that like freedom shall be granted to others who shall likewise desire to go to other unknown havens." "But this," ends this significant passage, "the deputies of Zeeland declared themselves uninstructed to grant."

The encouragement was not lost; for but three months later, on December 15, 1597, Jan Cornelisz. Leyn, of Enkhuisen, and his partners, having it in mind with two ships "to sail to the land of Guiana, situate in the realm of Peru," sought freedom of convoy for their first six voyages, both going and returning. Whereupon it was voted to grant their request, but only for the two voyages "which they have it in mind to make with their two ships to the unknown and unnavigated havens of America, to wit, to the land of Guiana, situate in the Kingdom of Peru, as herein specified;" and this upon precisely the same conditions as to lading and report as in the preceding case. And a week later, on December 23, the Estates of Holland voted aid toward the arming of this expedition "to Guiana, in the Kingdom of Peru."

"Het Landt van Guiana gelegen in het Coninckryck van Peru" clearly we have in these expeditions the very earliest Dutch voyages to the Guiaua coast. And luckily, to make the matter doubly sure, we have left us from one of these voyages, and that the first, the stipulated final report to the States-General. At least, there is no reason to doubt that the ship's clerk, Cabeliau, whose "report concerning the unknown and unsailed course [voiage] of America, from the river Amazon as far as the island of Trinidad," still rests in the archives of the States-General, and who sailed from Holland in a squadron of two ships on December 3, 1597, was the scribe of this expedition to "America Peruana."

They were able to report that "in this voyage we have discovered, found, and navigated more than twenty-four rivers, many islands in the rivers, and various havens besides, which have hitherto neither been known in these provinces nor sailed to therefrom; nay, more, were before our voyage unknown to any map or geographer." And to this statement, Cabeliau, "as clerk of this expedition," makes affidavit. It was the certificate demanded by the States-General, and its validity was conceded, for on October 19, 1599, the freedom of convoy conditioned upon it was without protest awarded by the States-General to Gerrit Bicker and Company, "having made the voyage to America Peruana," as already

on August 11 it had been to their colleagues "returned from Guiana, in the Kingdom of Peru."

By these acts the supreme political authority of the Netherlands becomes a witness that the coast of Guiana was theretofore unvisited by the Dutch. An investigator of political titles may well be content with such evidence. Nor is there, so far as I can find, the slightest reason to question its truth.*

This admirable account of early Dutch relations with Guiana, with what else we know on the subject, makes

it clear that the object of those early voyages to Guiana, was, in the first place to harass the Spaniards,† and, in the second place, to gain profit by trade and

* U. S. Commission, Report, i, 134, 135, 139-143, 144-145.

Regarding the request of skipper Jan Cornelisz. Leyen, citizen of Enkhuizen, both for himself and in the name and on behalf of his Company, that in furtherance of their projected voyage to Guiana in the Kingdom of Peru, they be granted assistance by the loan of eight bronze guns, to wit, four of a weight of thirteen or fourteen hundred, and the other four of about two thousand pounds apiece, with all ammunition belonging thereto, for the defence of the ships, on like conditions as have been graciously granted to other laudable sea-voyages, it was Resolved as hereinafter follows:

The Estates of Holland and Westfriesland, having considered the petition and request made in this matter, have resolved that, in furtherance of navigation, the merchants petitioners, for their projected voyage, to be made with two ships to the land of Guiana situate in the realm of Peru, shall be assisted by the credit of the State for two pieces of ordnance, to be borrowed by the petitioners from the cities, each not to exceed two thousand pounds in weight. [Appendix to Case, ii, 5–6.]

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It should perhaps be remembered that it was in this year 1599 that there sailed forth from the Zeeland port of Flushing the Dutch armada under Pieter van der Does, which, after taking a town in the Canaries and avenging at the Isle de Principe that unsuccessful enterprise of Balthazar de Moucheron in 1598 which Berg van Dussen Muilkerk calls the "earliest attempt at colonization from out the Netherlands," sent seven or eight of its ships across the Atlantic to ravage the coast of Brazil. They returned, with great booty of sugar, in the following year. [Note by Prof. Burr in U. S. Commission Report, Vol. 1, p. 147.]

Having, off and on for more than twenty-five years, as set forth in an earlier memorial to Your Princely Highness, sailed the seas to various places, namely, to Guinea, to the West Indies, and lastly with Commandeur Spilbergen through the strait of Magellan along the coast of Chili and Peru and around the world, I think I have during that time observed the right way of attacking the Spaniards where they are weakest and feeblest, as follows. [Extract from memorial of C. J. Vianen of Jan, 25, 1621, in Appendix to Case, ii, 17.]

Early Dutch trade.

plunder. Settlement upon Spanish soil, or the acquisition of territorial rights was hardly thought of.*

The trade then begun continued with more or less regularity during the early years of the 17th century, during which time Dutch vessels sailed along the Guiana coast, and ascended some of its rivers. They were at times driven off by the Spaniards,† but at other times they were successful in capturing Spanish booty, or in

*In the matter of the request of the Burgomaster of Middelburg, Adriaen ten Haeft, setting forth how that in the preceding year, 1598, at heavy cost to himself, he caused to be investigated on the continent of America many different rivers and islands,-and how that in this voyage were discovered various coasts and lands where one could do notable damage to the King of Spain,—and how that he is well minded to send out again two ships, in order, in the country's behalf, to discover certain places, a thing which can not be done so effectively with seafaring folk alone. Wherefore, and in view of the fact that in Holland for the encouragement of exceptional enterprises of this sort great favor is shown to the promoters of such voyages, such as the providing them with cannon, powder, and soldiers, he doth petition that there be granted to his ships from sixteen to twenty experienced soldiers, among them a good Commandant, and doth engage that he will himself provide their rations. Whereupon the representative of the nobility gave verdict that commerce ought here to receive the same favor as in Holland, and that therefore it ought to be learned through the deputies there [i. e., to the States-General] what is done in Holland in this behalf, in order to be able to do the same here; the deputies of Middelburg, however, grant soldiers to the number of 16; those of Ziericzee likewise, to the number of 12, on half wages, subject to the approval of their constituents; those of Goes, Tholen, Flushing and Vere promise that they will send in at once their report to their towncouncils on this point and that the councils will find out what is done in Holland in such cases. [Extract from proceedings of Zeeland Estates, Nov. 20, 1599, in Appendix to Case, ii, 12-13.]

Sixthly, regarding the opinion sometimes advanced, that notable profits might be obtained through diverse products and fruits which might be found or raised on the mainland of America, between Brazil on the east and the river Orinoco on the west, in and about the river Amazon.

I answer, that several of our Netherlanders have as yet attained little by the aforesaid means, although up to now they engage there in peace. ful trade; and if an attempt were made with superior force to gain the land there and by such cultivation introduce the products of Brazil and the West Indies, the Spaniards would beyond doubt seek forcibly to prevent this, the more so as thereby their navigation to Brazil and the West Indies would be impeded. It therefore is my opinion that, in view of the imminent danger of war, little can be achieved there. [From memorial of C. J. Vianen, Jan. 25, 1621, in Appendix to Case, ii, 17.]

+ Dutch vessels attempting to pass up the Orinoco in 1602-3, were

quietly trading with the natives at places from which Early Dutch trade. the Spaniards were at the moment absent.

The earliest date at which Dutch settlement in Guiana is known is 1613.* In that year they were established in the Corentyn; possibly also in the Amazon, the Wia

"prevented by the multitude of Spaniards whom they found there." [U. S. Commission Report, ii, 26].

*

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To all this evidence drawn from other sources should be added that, positive and negative, of the English colonizers, Leigh, Harcourt, and their fellows, whose ventures about the Wiapoco were in precisely the region where Dutch settlements are earliest vouched for by the Spanish papers. Yet, though we have from these undertakings several reports of one sort or another, and though evidence of rival Dutch enterprises would unquestionably have been of value in allaying the hesitation caused by the Spanish sympathies of King James, we find in them no mention of Dutch settlements outside the Amazon. Harcourt in 1608 made a careful exploration of the coast as far west as the Marowyn, and in his detailed Relation (printed in 1613, and reprinted in Purchas's Pilgrimes, 1625, vol. iv, pp. 1267–1283), he expressly says (p. 1278 of Purchas):

I took possession of the Land, by Turfe and Twigge, in behalfe of our Sovereigne Lord King James: I took the said possession of a part, in name of the whole Continent of Guiana, lying betwixt the rivers of Amazones, and Orenoque, not being actually possessed, and inhabited by any other Christian Prince or State; wherewith the Indians seemed to be well content and pleased.

The territory granted him by the English King's charter stretched from the Amazon to the Essequibo. [U. S. Commission Report, i, 161.] * This silence of the English explorers as to Dutch settlement in Guiana can not weaken the force of the positive Spanish testimony, which makes it certain that as early as 1613, and at least until 1615, the Dutch were settled on this coast. But, in view of it, it is very unlikely that, save in the Amazon, they were there much earlier; and both the English and the Spanish evidence, as well as the Dutch, suggest that these earliest Dutch settlements may have perished in their infancy, and in part or wholly at Spanish hands.

To these must be added the testimony of the later Englishman, Major John Scott, who, not far from 1670, in his account of the colonization of Guiana, wrote thus of what he thought the earliest Dutch settlement:

"The fifth colony consisted of about 280 Zealanders, with two small ships, landed their men at Cayan, anno 1615, but could not bring the natives to a trade; were often gauled by the Indians, and were at length forced to quit their post. Returned to Zealand the same year."[U. S. Commission Report, i, 164–165.]

Teodoro Claessen, resident in Amsterdam outside the old "Haarlemmer Poort," at the sign of the town of Leyden, is establishing a settlement on the River Viapoco, and another on the River Caena (Cayenne), which have been started with a hundred men, divided between the two settlements, which are situated two degrees one from the other. Here the settlers collect a species of silk found on the tobacco plant, and “palo de litre," red with black spots. [Blue Book, Venezuela No. 3 (1896), p. 206.]

Earliest Dutch Settlements.