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Voyages
1656–1658

The search for the Vergulde Draeck

On 28 April 1656, seven survivors of the wrecked VOC (Dutch East India Company) ship Vergulde Draeck sailed the ship’s boat from Cape Lechenault, north of present-day Perth, to Batavia. They left behind 68 other survivors, including the captain, Pieter Albertsz. A rescue mission mounted by the Goede Hoop and the Witte Valck found no trace of the survivors.

The Vinq and the Veenenburgh, en route to Batavia, were sent to join the search for the Vergulde Draeck, which had had been wrecked on the west coast of Australia in April 1656. Bad weather, however, prevented both ships from landing and they gave up the search after four days.

Two years after the sinking of the Vergulde Draeck off the coast north of present-day Perth, the Dutch ship Elburg, captained by Jacob Pieterszoon Pereboom, was ordered to search for survivors of the wreck.