The Roaring Fourties. BATAVIA in the Southern Ocean.
1629

Watercolor 21" x 29"


It was the Dutch who discovered the strong, steady westerlies that blow almost constantly between latitudes 40 and 50 degrees south. Later known as the ‘Roaring Fourties’, this was a region where the wind and seas blew free and unobstructed around the bottom of the world. From the Cape of Good Hope they provided the Dutch mariners strong, fair winds and a clear path to the east for 3000 miles, at which point they altered course to the north and made for Java.

In 1629. a brand new ship, the BATAVIA, was making her maiden voyage to Java. Built by the Dutch East India Company in 1628, she was a heavily armed merchantman of approximately 1300 tons displacement. On board were 332 men, women and children and the seeds of a mutiny waiting for a chance to germinate. In command of the voyage was a senior merchant, Francesco Pelsaert. The ship’s captain was Arien Jacobsz, who took offense at taking orders from a merchant. The two men were old enemies from a previous voyage. Also on board was Lucretia van der Meylen on her way to join her husband in Batavia, and her maid Zwaantie Hentrix. Added to this mix was Jeronimus Cornelius, third in command and the leader of the impending mutiny. He was later revealed to be a psychotic killer with an uncanny ability to control weaker personalities.

The mutiny would likely have been successful except for one significant event. In the night of June 4th 1629, the BATAVIA ran aground on the Houtman Abrolhos, a group of small islands off the coast of western Australia. The ship was a total loss. Most of the passengers and crew, and some of the food and water were landed ashore safely. Survivors were in a dreadful situation, spread out among the small islands with almost no water. It was now that Jeronimus Cornelius revealed his true character. He had apparently been lusting for power, and with 36 men under his command he began the systematic killing of any who opposed him, including women and children. Intoxicated with blood, lust and power, they embarked on a spree of rape and torture against all the other survivors. Over 120 were killed during this reign of terror.