Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-02-10
SENTIMENTAL GECGRAPHY

Anthony Van Dieman, governor OF
Batavia, had daughter whose name
was Maria. Since she was not only
charming and accomplished, but also the
only child Of rich papa who was gov
ernor Of the Dutch East Indies, Msria's
image was impressed on many a heart,
and she had no lack Of Suitors. There
were great Nell among them; but with
maiden-llke peryersity, Maria most ia
vored poor young sailor-a handsome,
dashing fellow, who was very skillful in
his business; but who had no pocket. or
no use for any. The young sailors name
was Abel Tansen Tasman. He was de.
voted to Maria, heart and soul; mad ex-
changed pledges with her, and had
brought matters to serious a pass. that
the proud father determined to put the
young advcntureI quietly and courteous
ly out OF sight; the doing so he took to
be better and more fatherlv course than
the institution of great family quarrel.
That his Maria should become Mrs. Tas-
man, he knew very well was a thing not
for moment to be thought of. Whoev-
er Won his daughter, must have wealth
and patent of nobility. She was no fit
mate for poor sailor. Tasman, however,
could not be easily dismissed from dang
ling after her.
The Batavia traders had at the time y
vague notion that there was a vast con.
tinent-an unknown Austral land some
where near the South Pole; and Van Die.
man determined to send Tasman out to
see about it. If he never came back it
would not matter, but at any rate, he
would be certainly be long time gone.
Van Dieman therefore fitted out an expe-
diNon, and gave to young Tasman the
command of it.
OFF the young fellow set, in the year
l642; and, like an enamored swain as he
was, the first new ground he discovered
considerable stretch of land, now form
ing very well-known English colony
he named alter his dear love, Van Die
mans Land, and put Miss Van Dieman 8
Christian name beside her patronymic,
by giving the name of Maria to a small
adjoining island close to the southern ex-
tremity Of the new land. That land
Van Dieman's Land, We have Of late be-
gun very generally to call after its dis
coverer, Tasmania.
Continuing his journey southwark, the
young sailor anchored his ships, on the
eighteenth of December, i'm a sheltered
bay, which he called Moodenar's Muir. |
derer's bay, because the natives there
attacked his ships, and killed three of his |
men. Travelling on, he reached, after
some days the islands, which he called
after the three kings, because he SAW
them on the feast of the Epiphany; and |
then coming upon New Zealand from the
the north, he called it in patriotic way,
after the States of Holland, Staten Land:
but the extreme northern point of it, a.
tne bold head-land jutting out into the |
sea, strong as his love, he entitled again
Cape Maria. For he had gone out re-
solved not indeed to "carve her name
on trunks of trees" but to do his miss
tress the same sort of honor in u way
that would be nobler, manller, and more
enduring.
: After long and prosperous voyage,
graced by one or two more discoveries.
Tasman came back to Batavia. He had |
more than earned his wife; for he had |
won tor himself sudden and high renown
court favor, rank and fortune Governor
Van Dieman got a famoss son-in-lsw,
and there was no Cross to the rest Of the |
career Of the most comfortable married |
couple, Abel and Maria. Tasman did not |
make another journey to New Zealand; il |
remained unvisited until 1899, when it |
was re-discoversd by Capt. Cook, who
very quickly recognised it as portion of
the land that had bsen frst seen by the
lOvc-born sailor.