ROGGEVEEN, Jacob

(1659–1729)

   Lawyer and theologian. Roggeveen worked as a notary public in Middelburg, capital of the province of Zeeland. He lived in the Netherlands East Indies from 1706 to 1714. After he returned home, he was banished from Mid delburg because of the publication of his book De val van ’s werelds afgod [The Fall of the World’s Idol, 1718]. It was deemed heterodox, Roggeveen being a member of the sect of followers of Pontiaan van Hattem. With the financial aid of several merchants of the West In dia Company, Roggeveen sailed in 1721 with a fleet of three ships to find a new passage to the “South Land” (Australia). He discovered Easter Island during his journey, as well as some islands of the Pau motu Archipelago and the Samoa Islands. Failing to find Australia, Roggeveen sailed to Batavia, where his ships and cargo were con fiscated because of his violation of the monopoly of the Dutch East India Company. His travel journal was published in 1911.