 His first major expedition was in 1596, when he sailed to Africa.He then left for Asia on 5 May 1601, from Veere, a seaport on the island of Walcheren in Zealand, in command of the fleet of the company of Balthazar de Moucheron (a trading company before the establishment of the VOC).His ships were the "Ram", "Schaap", and "Lam".