Matthijs Quast
Encyclopedia
Matthijs Quast was a Dutch explorer in the seventeenth century. He had made several voyages for the VOC
to Japan, China
and Siam.
In the early seventeenth century rumours abounded that two islands could be found in the Pacific east of Japan
. These islands were said to be very rich, and were therefore called Rica de Oro (Rich in Gold) and Rica de Plata (Rich in Silver). The VOC
, urged by one of its merchants in Japan, Willem Verstegen
, wanted to try to find these islands.
Matthijs Quast was chosen to lead this expedition. He was to go to the area by way of the Philippines
, and should also explore the areas north of China, in particular Korea
and Tartary
(Siberia
). He was given two small ships. Quast himself sailed on the Engel (Angel), commanded by Lucas Albertsen, while second-in-command Abel Tasman
was commander of the Gracht (Canal).
Quast left Batavia
on 2 June 1639, and reached the open ocean from Luzon
on 10 July. For several months he crisscrossed the part of the ocean where the islands were supposed to be. Quast was very eager to find the islands, as can be seen from the fact that not only he raised the bonus for the first person to sight land, but also installed severe punishments for falling asleep on watch: one month's pay and fifty lashings for the first offence, double that amount for the second, and death penalty for the third. It was all to no avail, no lands of gold and silver were found.
On 25 October Quast abandoned his search. His ships were in a rather bad shape at the start of the expedition (the VOC would use its good ships for trading voyages with sure profit, not for expeditions like Quast's), and were getting even worse. The crew, which had not had fresh food for a long time, also was decimated by illness. Because of this, Quast found it wise not to go to Tartary as his original orders were, but to depart for Formosa
immediately. By the time he reached Fort Zeelandia
, on 24 November, 41 of his 90 men had died.
The expedition was not successful since the area he chose is a large stretch of open water. His furtherest north was 42° (the latitude of southern Hokaido) and furtherest west was 177° (almost to the international date line). The Bonin Islands had been discovered, and the coasts of Japan mapped in more detail than before, but that was all. No trading possibilities or other things that would interest the VOC had been found. The VOC sent out a second expedition, led by Maarten Gerritsz Vries
, to the same region. De Vries discovered Yeso (Hokkaidō
), Sakhalin
and the southernmost of the Kuril Islands
. Tasman would later make two famous voyages to the seas around Australia
. He died at the age of 75
Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
to Japan, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Siam.
Pacific Expedition
Matthijs Quast has become known for an unsuccessful expedition to the Pacific.In the early seventeenth century rumours abounded that two islands could be found in the Pacific east of Japan
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...
. These islands were said to be very rich, and were therefore called Rica de Oro (Rich in Gold) and Rica de Plata (Rich in Silver). The VOC
Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
, urged by one of its merchants in Japan, Willem Verstegen
Willem Verstegen
Willem Verstegen was a merchant in service of the Dutch East India Company and chief trader of factory in Dejima.- Life :...
, wanted to try to find these islands.
Matthijs Quast was chosen to lead this expedition. He was to go to the area by way of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, and should also explore the areas north of China, in particular Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
and Tartary
Tartary
Tartary or Great Tartary was a name used by Europeans from the Middle Ages until the twentieth century to designate the Great Steppe, that is the great tract of northern and central Asia stretching from the Caspian Sea and the Ural Mountains to the Pacific Ocean inhabited mostly by Turkic, Mongol...
(Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
). He was given two small ships. Quast himself sailed on the Engel (Angel), commanded by Lucas Albertsen, while second-in-command Abel Tasman
Abel Tasman
Abel Janszoon Tasman was a Dutch seafarer, explorer, and merchant, best known for his voyages of 1642 and 1644 in the service of the VOC . His was the first known European expedition to reach the islands of Van Diemen's Land and New Zealand and to sight the Fiji islands...
was commander of the Gracht (Canal).
Quast left Batavia
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
on 2 June 1639, and reached the open ocean from Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
on 10 July. For several months he crisscrossed the part of the ocean where the islands were supposed to be. Quast was very eager to find the islands, as can be seen from the fact that not only he raised the bonus for the first person to sight land, but also installed severe punishments for falling asleep on watch: one month's pay and fifty lashings for the first offence, double that amount for the second, and death penalty for the third. It was all to no avail, no lands of gold and silver were found.
On 25 October Quast abandoned his search. His ships were in a rather bad shape at the start of the expedition (the VOC would use its good ships for trading voyages with sure profit, not for expeditions like Quast's), and were getting even worse. The crew, which had not had fresh food for a long time, also was decimated by illness. Because of this, Quast found it wise not to go to Tartary as his original orders were, but to depart for Formosa
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
immediately. By the time he reached Fort Zeelandia
Fort Zeelandia
Fort Zeelandia may refer to either of three forts, two built by the Dutch and the other renamed by them:* Fort Zeelandia on Formosa * Fort Zeelandia at Paramaribo...
, on 24 November, 41 of his 90 men had died.
The expedition was not successful since the area he chose is a large stretch of open water. His furtherest north was 42° (the latitude of southern Hokaido) and furtherest west was 177° (almost to the international date line). The Bonin Islands had been discovered, and the coasts of Japan mapped in more detail than before, but that was all. No trading possibilities or other things that would interest the VOC had been found. The VOC sent out a second expedition, led by Maarten Gerritsz Vries
Maarten Gerritsz Vries
Maarten Gerritsz Vries, or Fries, also referred to as de Vries, was a 17th-century Dutch cartographer and explorer, the first Western European to leave an account of his visit to the Sea of Okhotsk and the island of Sakhalin.Not much is known about the life of de Vries...
, to the same region. De Vries discovered Yeso (Hokkaidō
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
), Sakhalin
Sakhalin
Sakhalin or Saghalien, is a large island in the North Pacific, lying between 45°50' and 54°24' N.It is part of Russia, and is Russia's largest island, and is administered as part of Sakhalin Oblast...
and the southernmost of the Kuril Islands
Kuril Islands
The Kuril Islands , in Russia's Sakhalin Oblast region, form a volcanic archipelago that stretches approximately northeast from Hokkaidō, Japan, to Kamchatka, Russia, separating the Sea of Okhotsk from the North Pacific Ocean. There are 56 islands and many more minor rocks. It consists of Greater...
. Tasman would later make two famous voyages to the seas around Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He died at the age of 75
External links
- http://www.hendrick-hamel.henny-savenije.pe.kr/holland4.htm
- Original text copied from: http://www.win.tue.nl/~engels/discovery/quast.html with permission.