Map of New Guinea (1)

In June and July 1616 the Eendracht of Jacob le Maire and Willem Schouten approached and passed the northern coast of New Guinea, round the north of Halmahera (“Gilolo”) and sailed on to Ternate. They first encountered a number of islands to the east of New Guinea. At some of these they managed to establish some trade for supplies. They then reached a volcanic island at the shore of New Guinea (Kar-Kar). They had in fact passed islands belonging to the Solomon Islands, New Ireland and New Britain before reaching New Guinea. Along the coast of New Guinea they frequently stopped to trade at islands off the coast, including at the Insumoar group and the Biak islands, which they named Willem Schouten islands. The line on the map shows the route taken by the expedition.