RIGHT IN THE MIDDLEHessel Gerritsz was the most influential and innovating mapmaker of 17th century and the best informed person, without doubt, in geographical and hydrographical matters in Amsterdam and not only in The Netherlands. In 1627 1628 he compiled a rutter for the Dutch West India Company (WIC). The 1625 loss of Dutch Brazil made clear that the next attempt of the WIC had to be more tenacious and that its commanders needed better information about the areas