Coastline profiles of Marken Island, Papua New Guinea

After finding the Ontong Java group of islands described by Jacob le Maire, the expedition of Abel Tasman was now in waters previously described and charted by Europeans. The main objective now was to reach the island of New Guinea, and from there to return to the Indies archipelago. Sailing in western direction to the north of islands that today are part of the Solomon Islands, the expedition observed another island described by le Maire, which he had called Marcken. Today this is part of the Tauu Islands of Papua New Guinea. While laying before the island, unsuccessful attempts were made by the inhabitants of the island to barter with the Dutch. Tasman describes their coconuts as being of bad quality and they had no interest in the beads and nails the Dutch offered. Another attempt by an indigenous boat to approach was thwarted by sudden winds and the Dutch continued to sail further west towards New Guinea.-Isaac Gilsemans, supercargo on board the Zeehaen, drew these coastline profiles of Marcken in Abel Tasman’s journal as seen to the west at 2 miles distance.