▁expedition ▁spons ored ▁by ▁the ▁Dutch ▁West ▁India ▁Company , ▁the ▁riv als ▁of ▁the ▁V OC , ▁to ▁seek ▁Terra ▁Austral is ▁and ▁to ▁open ▁a ▁western ▁trade ▁route ▁to ▁the ▁" Sp ice ▁islands ". ▁His ▁fleet ▁consisted ▁of ▁three ▁ships , ▁the ▁Ar end , ▁the ▁Th ien h oven , ▁and ▁A frika ans che ▁G ale y ▁and ▁had ▁ 2 2 3 ▁men ▁on ▁crew . ▁ ▁Rog ge ve en ▁first ▁sa iled ▁down ▁to ▁the ▁F alk land ▁Islands ▁( which ▁he ▁renamed ▁" Bel gia ▁Austral is "), ▁passed ▁through ▁the ▁Stra it ▁of ▁Le ▁Ma ire , ▁and ▁continued ▁south ▁to ▁beyond ▁ 6 0 ▁degrees ▁south ▁to ▁enter ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Ocean . ▁He ▁made ▁land fall ▁near ▁Val div ia , ▁Chile . ▁He ▁visited ▁the ▁Juan ▁Fernández ▁Islands , ▁where ▁he ▁spent ▁ 2 4 ▁February ▁to ▁ 1 7 ▁March . ▁The ▁expedition ▁later ▁arrived ▁at ▁E aster ▁Island ▁( R apa ▁N ui ) ▁on ▁E aster ▁Sunday , ▁ 5 ▁April ▁ 1 7 2 2 ▁ ▁( where up on ▁he ▁reported ▁seeing ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 - 3 , 0 0 0 ▁inhabitants ). ▁ ▁Rog ge ve en ▁chart ed ▁the ▁location ▁of ▁six ▁islands ▁in ▁the ▁Tu am ot u ▁Arch ip el ago , ▁two ▁islands ▁in ▁the ▁Society ▁Islands , ▁and ▁four ▁islands ▁in ▁Sam oa , ▁losing ▁his ▁flags hip , ▁A frika ans che ▁G ale y ▁at