One of the first printed maps and views of New Zealand recording Abel Tasman’s visit December 1642.
Tasmans ships, the Zeehaen and the Heemskerck, are shown moored at Murderer’s Bay on the morning of the 19th December 1642 surrounded by Maori canoes with the ships firing their canons. In the foreground is a close-up view of a double-hulled Maori canoe with twelve rowers, including one standing figure armed with a spear. The hills of Golden Bay are in the background. On the morning of the 19th Maori canoes had approached the Heemskerck so a small boat with seven sailors was sent to warn the second mates. As the Dutch boat approached , two native canoes rammed and attacked the sailors. Only two the quartermaster and two sailors survived. As a result the bay was named ‘Mordenaers Baij’ on the charts.
The map on the lower section of the sheet, shows the Zeehaen and the Heemskerck moored at Admirality Bay, near present day Nelson. Tasman stayed at the bay from 21st to 26th December 1642.
From Francois Valentyn, Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indien, vervattende een naaukeurige en uitvoerige verhandelinge van Nederlands Mogentheyd in die gewesten, benevens eene wydlustige beschryving der Moluccos, Amboina, Banda, Timor, en Solor, Java . Suratte . Choromandel, Pegu, Arracan, Bengale, Mocha, Persien, Malacca, Sumatra, Ceylon, Malabar, Celebes of Macassar, China, Japan, Tayouan of Formosa, Tonkin, Cambodia, Siam, Borneo, Bali, Kaap de Hoede Hoop en van Mauritius, Amsterdam. 1724-1726
