When Hamel did not return to Netherlands and still remained in Batavia in 1668, his seven mates returning to Netherlands submitted a copy of 『The Journal of Hendrick Hamel』to VOC prior to his arrival.


It was published, entitled『The Jounal of Voyage』which was the first book of 『The Journal of Hendrick Hamel』

This book won amazing popularity among European as well as Dutch people at that time.
It was because this book introduced Corea(=Joseon) that was an unknown land to them. And Netherlands had a great deal of interests in going into East Asia.

The first and second editions of Felsen version were published in 1668 in Amsterdam, entitled 『The Document of the Sperwer Shipwrecked during its Voyage to Japan via Taiwan after Leaving Batavia Port in 1653』.

In the same year, 『The Journal of Handrick Hamel』a version of J. Stichter was printed in Rotterdam. This book contained six illustrations such as internment and clubbing scenes, which were put in later books and became the symbol of 『The Journal of Handrick Hamel』in a sense.

In 1670, its German version came out probably because of the sensational publicity of previous books.

In this way, Hamel's copy published in Dutch, French, and English excited the world's curiosity about Korea. It also provided a lot of information about Joseon. However, there were a number of errors, omissions, addition, and expurgation in the process of double translation, producing some distortionsof the original.

Illustration 1 of a Sichter version in 1668

Illustration 2 of a Sichter version in 1668

Illustration 3 of a Sichter version in 1668

Considering such situation, B. Hoetink published a Hoethink version of『The Journal of Hendrick Hamel』by modifying some errors and replacing those omitted words based on the copy of 1920.

Since this book contained many stories about Korea handed down in Europe and VOC-related documents about Hamel and his mates' shipwreck in Joseon, it is valued as the most pioneering and outstanding research book.