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Abel Tasman - Explorer (1603 - 1659) |
Abel Janszoon Tasman was a Dutch explorer who
spent much of his life working for the Dutch
East India Company. He was predominantly based
in Batavia (modern day Jakarta) and, after patrolling
the area for smugglers and rebels, he turned
to exploration. His expeditions led him to places
such as Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, Tonga
and Fiji.
This page details facts about Abel Tasman's
life and the events that shaped his history.
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Abel Tasman the Explorer - Fun
Facts for Kids ! |
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Abel Tasman Fact
1: |
In 1603 Abel Janszoon Tasman was born
in Lutjegast, in The Netherlands. There are no records of
his early family or early life. |
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Abel Tasman Fact
2: |
He married Claesgie Meyndrix, and had
a daughter, Claesjen. It is unclear when this marriage took
place, however Claesgie Meyndrix died and, in 1632, Abel
Tasman married Jannetje Tjaerts. |
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Abel Tasman Fact
3: |
Shortly after his second marriage, Abel
Tasman went to the East Indies as a sailor for the Dutch
East India Company. In February 1634 he gained the rank
of First Mate and in May of the same year he was made Captain
of the ‘Mocha’. |
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Abel Tasman Fact
4: |
Abel Tasman was engaged in patrolling
the East Indies, on the lookout for rebels and smugglers,
when he landed on Ceram (now Seram). This ill-judged landing
resulted in tragedy when several of his men were slaughtered
by the island’s natives. Abel Tasman left the East Indies
and arrived back in the Netherlands in 1637. |
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Abel Tasman Fact
5: |
In 1638 Abel Tasman headed back to the
East Indies as Captain of the Engel, accompanied by his
wife. He resumed his previous role until, in 1639, he was
appointed second in command of an expedition to seek out
islands that were believed to exist to the east of Japan. |
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Abel Tasman Fact
6: |
The two-ship expedition, commanded by
Matthijus Quast, left in June 1639. The expedition was beset
by a large death toll (believed to have been caused by disease)
and Abel Tasman returned in November 1639. |
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Abel Tasman Fact
7: |
In August 1642 he was given command
of a two ship expedition to explore the seas to the
south and east. Tasman was accompanied by Franchoijs
Visscher, an experience pilot. |
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Abel Tasman Fact
8: |
The two small ships, the ’Heemskerck’
and the ‘Zeehaen’, sailed from Batavia (now Jakarta)
on 14 August 1642. Heading west, Abel Tasman sailed
to Mauritius where the expedition remained for a
month. Having carried out repairs to the ships and
taken on supplies, Abel Tasman headed south. |
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Abel Tasman Fact
9: |
In early November the expedition
was forced to head north east by the freezing conditions
that they had encountered. On 24 November 1642 Abel
Tasman discovered a land that he named Van Diemen’s
Land. This land, named after the Governor General
of Batavia, was later renamed Tasmania in honour
of Tasman's achievements. |
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Abel Tasman Fact 10: |
On 3 December 1642 he claimed the land
for the Netherlands after planting a Dutch flag near North
Bay. On 4 December the expedition continued eastward and,
on 13 December, became the first Europeans to see the South
Island of New Zealand. |
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Abel Tasman Fact 11: |
Abel Tasman believed it to be a part
of South America and named it ‘Staten Landt’. The expedition
sailed further north and anchored in what is now known as
Golden Bay. Abel Tasman and his men became the first Europeans
to encounter the Maori when they approached Tasman’s ships
in boats. |
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Abel Tasman Fact 12: |
When Abel Tasman put a small boat, with
seven crewmen aboard, into the water the Maori attacked
it leaving three dead and a fourth dying from his wounds.
Tasman named this bay Murderers Bay. |
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Abel Tasman Fact
13: |
Leaving the bay behind, the expedition
sailed east and reached the North Island’s Manawatu
coast the following day. Crossing the strait that would
later be called Cook Strait, the expedition anchored
to the east of Stephens and D’Urville islands where
they celebrated the first Christmas Dinner in New Zealand
while sheltering from a storm. |
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Abel Tasman Fact
14: |
Abel Tasman and his fleet continued
sailing along the west coast of the North Island
to Cape Maria Van Diemen, named after the Governor
General of Batvia’s wife. They continued on to the
Three Kings group of islands where they decided
to put in for water. They changed their minds after
they encountered heavy surf and a rocky shore. They
were also deterred by natives shouting and throwing
stones at them. |
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Abel Tasman
Fact 15: |
Abel Tasman sailed north
east and, on 21 January 1643, landed at the
Tonga Islands where he was able to replenish
their supplies. Continuing on, they passed the
Fijian Islands before exploring part of New
Guinea’s north coast and arriving back at Batavia
on 15 June 1643. |
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Abel Tasman Fact
16: |
The expedition was deemed a success,
however it was felt that Abel Tasman could have
investigated the discovered lands more completely.
Abel Tasman and his men were given a modest reward
for their efforts. |
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Abel Tasman Fact
17: |
On 29 February 1644 Abel Tasman,
once again accompanied by Visscher, sailed along
the New Guinea coast and headed for the north coast
of Australia. While searching between Carpentaria
and De Witt’s Land for a route to the South
Sea, they mapped the north coast of Australia. |
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Abel Tasman Fact 18: |
Having convinced himself that the route
didn’t exist, Abel Tasman returned to Batavia where, as
a reward, he had his rank of Commander confirmed. He also
received a substantial increase in his pay which was backdated
to 1642, when he was originally given the title of Commander. |
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Abel Tasman Fact 19: |
In 1647, having been made Council of
Justice at Batavia, Abel Tasman successfully completed a
mission to deliver letters to the King of Siam (now known
as Thailand). |
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Abel Tasman Fact 20: |
In May 1648 Abel Tasman commanded a fleet
of eight ships sent to raid Spanish ships carrying silver
from the New World. In January 1649, on his return, he was
removed from office for the ill treatment of one of his
crew. In January 1651 Abel Tasman was reinstated. |
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Abel Tasman Fact 21: |
Shortly after his reinstatement, he retired
and began trading as a merchant. On 10 October 1659 Abel
Tasman died in Batavia. |
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Abel Tasman the Explorer
(1603 - 1659) Fun Facts Info for Kids ! |
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