Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs Podcast
Tales of mishaps. misfortune, and misadventures
Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs
Aerial photograph of the small, hook-shaped Beacon Island, also known as Batavia's Graveyard.

Batavia’s Graveyard – Part 2

The Dutch East India Company (Dutch: Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie, or VOC for short) was one of the largest and most profitable companies ever to exist. In 1628, the company built a stunning new flagship, the Batavia. Led by the Upper Merchant Francisco Pelsaert, the Under Merchant Jeronimus Cornelisz, and its Schipper Ariaen Jacobz, the ship left The Netherlands with its fleet in October of 1628 on a voyage to the settlement of Batavia (modern day Jakarta) in the Dutch East Indies.

In Part 2 of Batavia’s Graveyard, the Batavia and its crew depart Table Bay in southern Africa and continue their voyage to the Dutch East Indies. The Schipper, Ariaen Jacobs had just been publicly dressed down in front of the crew for his drunken rowdiness, and both Jacobsz and Jeronimus Cornelisz begin planning a mutiny and a cruel attack on Lady Lucretia Jans. As the ship races across the Indian Ocean, they run into an unexpected archipelago of coral islands, the Houtman’s Abrolhos, off the coast of Western Australia. The Batavia is wrecked, and those on board struggle to make it to dry land. Pelsaert and Jacobsz depart for Java in the longboat to get help, and Cornelisz makes his move and assumes command of the survivors. Dr. Howard Gray joins me again as my guest.

Cover photograph of the book Lucretia's Batavia Diary, by Howard Gray, with a worn looking diary cover and a young woman in 17th century dress.
Lucretia’s Batavia Diary, a novel by Dr. Howard S. Gray

Dr. Howard Gray (B.Sc., Dip.Ed., Ph.D.) joins me as my guest. Dr. Gray is one of the world’s foremost experts about the story of the Batavia, the Houtman Abrolhos archipelago, and Western Australian history. He is the chair of the Batavia Coast Maritime Heritage Association, Reviews Editor for the Australian Association for Maritime History, frequent guest lecturer, researcher, and educational tour guide. Dr. Gray has also authored several books, including the novel Lucretia’s Batavia Diary, and the non-fiction Spice at Any Price.

You can find Dr. Gray’s books at Westralian Books.

A map of Houtman's Abrolhos just off the coast of Western Australia.
Houtman’s Abrolhos is only 50 miles (80 km) from the coast of Western Australia.
Wide aerial photo of the entire Wallabi Group
The Wallabi Group showing the larger islands known as “The Highlands” to the northwest.
Map of the Wallabi Group where the events of the Batavia shipwreck took place.
The islands of the Wallabi Group of Houtman’s Abrolhos. Note the very small size of Traitor’s Island; it is only about 50 m wide.
Aerial photograph of the small, hook-shaped Beacon Island, also known as Batavia's Graveyard.
Beacon Island, or “Batavia’s Graveyard,” in the Wallabi Group of Houtman’s Abrolhos. Survivors of the Batavia shipwreck found their way to this small coral island. The tiny strip of land in the distance is Traitor’s Island.
Close-up satellite photo of Traitor's Island
Traitor’s Island is just a speck of land, about 50 meters long.
A full sized replica of the longboat taken by Francisco Pelsaert, Ariaen Jacobsz, and about 40 others from Houtman’s Abrolhos to the island of Java.
Drawing of a suspicious looking Jeronimus Cornelisz with a ship in the distance.
Pencil sketch of Jeronimus Cornelisz
17th Century drawing of Francisco Pelsaert
17th Century drawing of Francisco Pelsaert
Lucretia van der Miljen was a young woman who may have looked and dressed something like this.

Sources