Coastline profiles of Halmahera

The Gelderland, Wachter and Duyfken of the Moluccan fleet of the Fifth Expedition arrived at Ternate, next to the much large Halmahera. on 17 February 1602. The Dutch were welcomed and found their countrymen that had been left behind during the Second Expedition in good conditions. Unfortunately for the expedition under Wolfert Harmensz., the harvests on Ternate had been meagre and there was little trade to be had. On 7 March the ships again departed from Ternate to sail to the Banda archipelago.

Joris Joostensz. Laerle, artist on board of the Gelderland, is seen as the most likely author of these coastline profiles of Schyelloa (bottom) in the journal of the Gelderland. Schyelloa is probably derived from the Spanish and Portuguese names for Halmahera. The text at the bottom says “Scheijlloa”.