Transcribed
This is a vocabulary of some 515 words and phrases compiled by Dutch explorers and military men on a reconnaissance mission to Chile from their territories in Brazil. The expedition set out in January 1643 with Hendrik Brouwer as its admiral. The vice-admiral was one Elias Herckmans, Governor of Parahyba, who, upon Brouwer’s death in August 1643, took over the entire expedition. As the most senior officer on the expedition and chief negotiator with the local population, the vocabulary is attributed to him. The details of the process of elicitation, however, are unclear.