Dirk Hartog's plate in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Hartog Plate or Dirk Hartog's Plate is either of two plates, although primarily the first, which were left on Dirk Hartog Island during a period of European exploration of the western coast of Australia prior to European settlement there. The first plate, left by Dutch explorer, Dirk Hartog is the oldest-known artifact of European exploration in Australia still existant and is therefore evidence of the first confirmed visit by Europeans. Download high resolution version (1280x960, 246 KB)photo by Adam Carr File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Download high resolution version (1280x960, 246 KB)photo by Adam Carr File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Dirk Hartogs plate in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam Dirk Hartog Island, an island off the coast of Western Australia, was discovered in October 1616 by the Dutch sea captain Dirk Hartog, who was blown off course while sailing from Cape Town to Batavia (Jakarta). ... The European exploration of Australia encompasses several waves of seafarers and land explorers. ... Dirk Hartog (1580—1621), the 17th Century Dutch sea captain and explorer, whose expedition was the second European group to land on Australian soil. ...

The subsequent discoveries, comprising three additional visits spanning 200 years is remarkable considering the extreme isolation of the region.

Dirk Hartog, 1616

Dirk Hartog was the first confirmed European to sight Western Australia. On 26 October 1616 in his ship, the Eendracht he landed at Cape Inscription on the very northern most tip of the island. Before departing, Hartog left behind a flattened pewter plate, nailed to an oak post and placed upright in a fissure on the cliff top. October 26 is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 66 days remaining. ... Events October 25 — Dirk Hartog makes the second recorded landfall by a European on Australian soil, at an island off the Western Australian coast Pocahontas arrives in England War between Venice and Austria Collegium Musicum founded in Prague Nicolaus Copernicus De revolutionibus is placed on the Index of Forbidden Books... The Eendracht was an early 17th Century Dutch ship, launched in 1615 in the service of the Dutch East India Company. ... Pewter plate Pewter is a metal alloy, traditionally between 85 and 99 % tin, with the remainder consisting of 1-4 % copper, acting as a hardener, with the addition of lead for the lower grades of pewter and a bluish tint. ...

The plate bore the inscription:

"Ao 1616, den 25sten October, is hier vangecommen het schip de Endracht van Amsterdam, den Oppercoopmen Gilles Mibais van Luyck; schipper Dirk Hartog, van Amsterdam, den 27sten, dito t' zeijl gegaen na Bantam, den Ondercoopman Jan Stoyn, Opperstierman Pieter Dockes, van Bil, Ao 1616."

The English translation reads:

"1616. On the 25th October the ship Eendracht of Amsterdam arrived here. Upper merchant Gilles Miebais of Luick (Liege); skipper Dirck Hatichs (Dirk Hartog) of Amsterdam. On the 27th ditto we sail for Bantum. Under merchant Jan Stins; upper steerman Pieter Doores of Bil (Brielle). In the year 1616."

Willem de Vlamingh, 1697

Map of Shark Bay area showing Dirk Hartog Island and Cape Inscription

Over 80 years later, in 1697 the Flemish sea captain Willem de Vlamingh also reached the island and discovered Hartog's pewter plate with the post almost rotted away. He removed it and replaced it with another plate which was attached to a new post. The new post was made of a cypress pine trunk taken from Rottnest Island. The original plate was returned to Holland where it still is kept in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam (see image). De Vlamingh's replacement plate contained all of the text of Hartog's original plate as well as listing the senior crew of his own voyage. It concluded with: Flemings (Dutch: Vlamingen) are inhabitants of Flanders in the widest sense of the term, i. ... Willem de Vlamingh (born 28 November 1640, died ?) was a Dutch sailor who explored the southwest coast of Australia (then New Holland) in the late 17th Century. ... The Basin and Bathurst Lighthouse. ... Motto: Je Maintiendrai (Dutch: Ik zal handhaven, English: I Shall Uphold) Anthem: Wilhelmus van Nassouwe Capital Amsterdam1 Largest city Amsterdam Official language(s) Dutch2 Government Parliamentary democracy Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Beatrix  - Prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende Independence Eighty Years War   - Declared July 26, 1581   - Recognised January 30, 1648 (by Spain... The Rijksmuseum Rembrandt van Rijn: The Night Watch 1642 Johannes Vermeer: Milkmaid 1658-1660 Frans Hals: Portrait of a Young Couple The Rijksmuseum (IPA: ; Dutch for Empire Museum) is a national museum of the Netherlands, located in Amsterdam on the Museumplein. ... Amsterdam Location Flag Country Netherlands Province North Holland Population 742,951(1 January 2005) Demonym Amsterdammer Coordinates Website www. ...

"1697. Den 4den Februaij is hier vangecommen het schip de Geelvink van Amsterdam, den Commandeur schipper, Williem de Vlamingh, van Vlielandt, Adsistent Joan van Bremen, van Coppenhage; Opperstierman Michiel Blom van Estight, van Bremen. De Hoecker de Nyptang, schipper Gerrit Collaert van Amsterdam; Adsistent Theodorus Heermans van de; d`Opperstierman Gerrit Gerritz, van Bremen, 't Galjoot t' Weseltje, Gezaghabber Cornelis de Vlamingh van Vlielandt; Stierman Coert Gerritz, van Bremen, en van hier gezeilt met ons vloot den 12do voorts net Zuijtland te ondersoecken en gedestineert voor Batavia."

English translation:

"1697 The 4th February is here arrived the ship The Geelvinck for Amsterdam. The Commodore and Skipper William De Vlamingh of Vlielandt, Assistant Joannes Bremer of Copenhagen Upper Steersman Michil Bloem of The Bishopric of Bremen The Hooker The Nyptangh Skipper Gerrit Colaart of Amsterdam Assit Theodoris Heirmans Ditto Upper Steersman Gerrit Geritson of Bremen The Galliot The Weeseltie Commander Cornelis De Vlamingh of Vlielandt Steerman Coert Gerritsenof Bremen Sailed from Here with our fleet the also The Southland Further to Explore and Bound for Batavia."

Emmanuel Hamelin, 1801

In 1801, the French captain of the Naturaliste Jacques Félix Emmanuel Hamelin, entered Shark Bay and sent a party ashore. The party found Vlamingh's plate, even though it was half buried in the sand as the post had rotted away with the ravages of the weather. When the party took the plate to the ship, Hamelin ordered it to be returned, believing its removal would be tantamount to sacrilege. DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Italic text ...

Louis de Freycinet, 1818

In 1818 in the Uranie, French explorer Louis de Freycinet, who had been an officer in Hamelin's 1801 crew, rediscovered de Vlamingh's plate and removed it to France where it was presented to the Académie française in Paris. Note that this entry should not to be confused with Charles Louis de Saulces de Freycinet (1828-1923), French Prime Minister Louis Claude de Saulses de Freycinet, (August 7, 1779 - August 18, 1842) was a French navigator. ... The Académie française, or French Academy, is the pre-eminent French learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. ...

After being lost for more than a century, it was rediscovered in 1940 on the bottom shelf of a small room mixed up with old copper engraving plates. The plate was eventually returned to Australia in 1947 and is currently housed in the Western Australian Maritime Museum in Fremantle, Western Australia. The Western Australian Museum, Perth. ... Fremantle Town Hall Fremantle (, ) is a city located within the Perth metropolitan area on Australias western coast, at the mouth of the Swan River, 19 kilometres southwest of Perths Central Business District. ...

See also

• History of Western Australia

The human history of Western Australia spans between the first inhabitants arriving on the northwest coast about 55,000 years ago to events in the twentieth century. ...

References

• History. Dirk Hartog Island. Retrieved on 2006-07-29.
• Favenc, Ernest (1888). Introduction--Part I. The History of Australian Exploration from 1788 to 1888. Project Gutenberg of Australia. Retrieved on 2006-07-29.

2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... July 29 is the 210th day (211th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 155 days remaining. ... Ernest Favenc (1845 – 1908) was an explorer of Australia. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... July 29 is the 210th day (211th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 155 days remaining. ...

External links

• Cape Inscription on Google Maps