The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-04-25
Misrfllanruas..
How Van Diemen's Land was Dis
covered.

Anthony Van Diemen, Governor Of Bata
via, had daug hter whose name was Maria
Since she was not only charming and accom-
pshed, but also the only child of rich papa
who was Governor of the Dutch East Indies :
Maria,s image was impressed on many heart
and she had no lack of suitors. There were
great men among them; but with maiden.lke
perversity, Maria most favored poor young
sailor-a handsome, dashng fellow, who was
very skilful in his business, but who had no
pockets nor no use for any. The young sailors
name was Abel Jansen Tasman.
He was devoted to Maria's heart and soul,
had exchanged pledges with her, and had
brought matters to So serious pass, that the
proud father determined to put the young ad
venturer quietly snd courteuusy out of sight;
the doing SO he took to be better and more
fatherly course than the institution Of great
family quarrel. That his Maria should become
Mrs. Tasman, he knew was thing not for
a moment to be thought Of Whoever won
his daughter must have wealth and patent of
nobility. She was no fit ns,te for poor sail.
Or Tasman, however, could not be easily dis
, missed from dangling after her. The Batavian
traders had at that time vague notion that
trail land, somewhere near tie South Pole ard
Van Diemen determined to send Tasman ont
to see about it. If he never came bark it
would be no matter but at any rate, he would
be certainly a long time gone. Van Dieman
therefore fitted out an expedition, aud gave
to young Tusman the command of it.
Off the young fellow Set, in the Year 1912,
and like an eramored swain us he was, the
first new ground he discovered a considerable
stretch of land, now forming a we'll known
English colony he named afler his dear love,
Van Diemelr's Land, and put Miss Van Die.
mems Christian name beside her patronymic,
by giving the name of Maria t. a small AL
Joining island close to the southeastern eyircmi
ty of the new ia,id That land- Van Denau's
land-we have of late begun very generally to
call alter its dscoverrr, Tasmania.
Continuing his journey southwark. the young
sailor anchored his ships on tue 18th OF De.
cember, in sheltered bay, which lie called
Mondeuare> (Murdrr'>) Bay, berau>r the na
tives there attacked hi >I Us, and Killed three
of his men, Trave ling ON, he r.scll",l. after
some davs. the island which he called after tiie
three kings. because he saw thrtn oii the "a>t
Of the Epiphany aud then coming "p"n New
Zealand from the north, he called 1t, i'll Il pa
trio'ic way, after The States IT Holland, Staten
Land bat the extreme n'';thrrn i"'lIt q! II, Il
fine h"lc head. .ll'i, jutimg "ui lnI' the sen,
strnYg as his love. he rn'iird again Cape Ma
ria. For he had gone oul resolved! not indeed
to carve her name uu trunks u trees. but
to d. his mistress the same sort nf honor III n
way that would be ubler, nlanlier, and more
enduring.
After long and prosperous voyage, grAced
by one or two more discoveries, Taslnan came
back to Batavia He had more than earned
his wife; for he had won for himself sudden,
high reuown, court favor, rsnk and fortune.
Governor Van Dien'an got a famouS son in law,
and there was no cross to the rest nt the Gil
reer Of the most comto' table married couple,
Abel and Maria Tl>man did not make an"th
er Journey to New Zraland; it remained un-
visited until 1869, when it was re discovered by
Capt. Cook, who very quick y recognized it As
a portion Of the land that had heen first seen
by the lovelorn saiior.-Ucken's Household
Words.