Scarce c.18th engraving of Three Kings Island, New Zealand with Tasman’s two ships, the Heemskerck and Zeehaen.
The Island is situated at the northern end of the North Island of New Zealand.
Abel Tasman bestowed the name Drie Koningen Eyland (Three Kings Island) on 6 January 1643, three weeks after he became the first European known to have seen New Zealand. Tasman anchored at the islands when searching for water. As it was the Twelfth Night feast of the Epiphany, the day the biblical three kings known as the wise men visited Christ the child, he named the main island accordingly. Tasman also named a prominent cape Cape Maria van Diemen, after the wife of Anthony van Diemen, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). These are the only two geographic features in New Zealand to retain the names given to them by Abel Tasman.
After the original sketches and drawings of Isaac Gilsemans, official cartographer to Tasman’s expedition. Lying just to the north of Cape Maria van Diemen they sighted the Drie Koningen Eyland, so-named in commemoration of the Feast of Epiphany. Here they hoped to land and take on water, but once again poor weather prevented them doing so. The view shows Drie Koningen Eyland in perspective, viewed to the North west in 40 fathoms of water. An anchorage can be seen in the lee of the island, with two club-wielding Maori surveying the Dutch vessels from the island’s hilltop.
From Prevost, Abbe. Histoire générale des voyages : ou, Nouvelle collection de toutes les relations de voyages par mer et par terre qui ont été publiées jusqu’à présent dans les différentes langues de toutes les.. Paris
References:
Sabin, J. A Dictionary of Books Relating to America, from its Discovery to the Present Time. New York. (1936) 1967: 65403.
Hill, J. The Hill Collection of Pacific Voyages. San Diego 1974: p.241.
Phillips, P. A List of Geographical Atlases in the Library of Congress. Washington 1973: 5991.
Collections:
National Library Australia: Bib ID 6058912
Library of Congress Washington D.C.: 05041509
State Library New South Wales: RB/DQ909.8A
Bibliotheque Nationale de France: Identifier: ark:/12148/bpt6k201024v
State Library Victoria: RARESF 910.8 P929H
