Account using surviving documents concerning the wreck of the Dutch ship Batavia off the West Australian coast in 1629, and the mutiny, murders, rapine and rescue that made it notorious. The focus is on the commander, Francisco Pelsaert, with an account of his life and times and his translated journal. The 11 documents in the Appendix include the author's successful search for the wreck. First published in 1963, the new edition has an introduction by Frank Broese of the department of history in the University of Western Australia.