Dirck Gerritz Pomp
Encyclopedia
Dirck Gerritszoon Pomp, alias Dirck China (1544–1608) was a Dutch sailor of the 16th-17th century, and the first known Dutchman to visit Japan
.
Pomp was born in Enkhuizen
in The Netherlands, and was lodged with relatives in Lisbon
in 1555, to learn Portuguese and train as merchant. In 1568 Dirk established himself as a merchant on the isle of Goa
from where he visited China and Japan aboard Portuguese ships. Although the date of his first visit is not known, he sailed to Japan twice before 1600, and it is recorded that he arrived in Japan on July 31, 1585 for his second visit there, on the Portuguese ship Santa Cruz.
He described Japan as the "isle where there is a lot of silver and where Portuguese ships arrive every year with silk, which is sold for silver".
He returned to Enkhuizen in April 1590 where he talked abundantly about Japan, and befriended the Dutch merchant Jan Huygen van Linschoten, who apparently relied on some of Pomp's information for his book Itinerario.
In the summer of 1598 Pomp was back at sea. He joined a five ship Dutch expedition under admiral Jacques Mahu
with the prima aim of obtaing East-Indian spices, by way of the southern tip of South-America and the Pacific. Should that fail, the expedition would head for silver trade with China or Japan. Notably, among the other adverturers was William Adams
, the first known Englishman to reach Japan. A reshuffle of commands following the death of expedition leader Mahu in 1598 led to Pomp receiving command of the Blijde Boodschap ("Good Tiding" or "Gospel"). Strong and adverse winds dispersed the fleet when it risked the Straits of Magellan late in 1599. The Blijde Boodschap passed the Straits, but was blown off her course Southwardly. According to the account of Jacob le Maire
, Pomp then observed mountainous land at latitude (64°). If so, these were the South Shetland Islands
, and possibly the first European sighting of (isles off) Antarctica
. Other accounts however make no mention of this observation, casting doubt on their correctness. A similar story is told of the Spanish Gabriel de Castilla
in 1603.
Pomp did not make it across the Pacific. The Blijde Boodschap was so short of supplies it entered the port of Valparaíso
mid-November 1599 and was captured by the Spanish. Five years later, in 1604, Pomp was freed in a prisoners exchange and headed for home. He went aboard an Eastindiaman belonging to the Dutch East-India Company in 1606 and seems not to have survived the home voyage.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Pomp was born in Enkhuizen
Enkhuizen
Enkhuizen is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia.Enkhuizen was one of the harbour-towns of the VOC, just like Hoorn and Amsterdam, from where overseas trade with the East Indies was conducted. It received city rights in 1355...
in The Netherlands, and was lodged with relatives in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
in 1555, to learn Portuguese and train as merchant. In 1568 Dirk established himself as a merchant on the isle of Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
from where he visited China and Japan aboard Portuguese ships. Although the date of his first visit is not known, he sailed to Japan twice before 1600, and it is recorded that he arrived in Japan on July 31, 1585 for his second visit there, on the Portuguese ship Santa Cruz.
He described Japan as the "isle where there is a lot of silver and where Portuguese ships arrive every year with silk, which is sold for silver".
He returned to Enkhuizen in April 1590 where he talked abundantly about Japan, and befriended the Dutch merchant Jan Huygen van Linschoten, who apparently relied on some of Pomp's information for his book Itinerario.
In the summer of 1598 Pomp was back at sea. He joined a five ship Dutch expedition under admiral Jacques Mahu
Jacques Mahu
Jacob Mahu was a Dutch Explorer and leader of an expedition of five ships to IndiaThe first expedition, which was organised by Pieter van der Hagen and Johan van der Veeken, consisted of a fleet of five ships and about 500 men.The ships with their initial captains were:* The Hoop, captained by...
with the prima aim of obtaing East-Indian spices, by way of the southern tip of South-America and the Pacific. Should that fail, the expedition would head for silver trade with China or Japan. Notably, among the other adverturers was William Adams
William Adams (sailor)
William Adams , also known in Japanese as Anjin-sama and Miura Anjin , was an English navigator who travelled to Japan and is believed to be the first Englishman ever to reach that country...
, the first known Englishman to reach Japan. A reshuffle of commands following the death of expedition leader Mahu in 1598 led to Pomp receiving command of the Blijde Boodschap ("Good Tiding" or "Gospel"). Strong and adverse winds dispersed the fleet when it risked the Straits of Magellan late in 1599. The Blijde Boodschap passed the Straits, but was blown off her course Southwardly. According to the account of Jacob le Maire
Jacob Le Maire
Jacob Le Maire was a Dutch mariner who circumnavigated the earth in 1615-16. The strait between Tierra del Fuego and Isla de los Estados was named the Le Maire Strait in his honor, though not without controversy...
, Pomp then observed mountainous land at latitude (64°). If so, these were the South Shetland Islands
South Shetland Islands
The South Shetland Islands are a group of Antarctic islands, lying about north of the Antarctic Peninsula, with a total area of . By the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, the Islands' sovereignty is neither recognized nor disputed by the signatories and they are free for use by any signatory for...
, and possibly the first European sighting of (isles off) Antarctica
History of Antarctica
The history of Antarctica emerges from early Western theories of a vast continent, known as Terra Australis, believed to exist in the far south of the globe...
. Other accounts however make no mention of this observation, casting doubt on their correctness. A similar story is told of the Spanish Gabriel de Castilla
Gabriel de Castilla
Gabriel de Castilla , was a Spanish explorer and navigator. A native of Palencia, he was an early explorer of Antarctica. His contribution to knowledge of the Antarctic continent was ignored in his lifetime and long afterwards...
in 1603.
Pomp did not make it across the Pacific. The Blijde Boodschap was so short of supplies it entered the port of Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
mid-November 1599 and was captured by the Spanish. Five years later, in 1604, Pomp was freed in a prisoners exchange and headed for home. He went aboard an Eastindiaman belonging to the Dutch East-India Company in 1606 and seems not to have survived the home voyage.