The Honorable Mr. Daniel Heins, Extraordinary Councillor of the Dutch East Indies and Commissioner of this residence, having been informed by the Honorable Mr. Governor and the Council how at the end of the year 1695, under the commanding skipper Jasper de Leeuw, the frigate Noortgouw had also arrived here from the Fatherland, in order to remain here for the time being, in accordance with the esteemed letter of their Honorable Great Commander, the Lords of the Secret Affairs, at their Honorable's further order, and how this would also be done at our iterative request to the Lords. Our Majores, in the year 1696, under the flag of the E. Commander Hendrik Pronk, had sent us from the fatherland the frigate, the Soldaat, to be retained for the service of this government, both in maintaining close communication with the dependent island of Mauritius, and also to be used for the slave trade to Madagascar, and to which end it had already been done once to these islands with good success, and how the aforementioned Council, having been ordered by the high Indian government last year, had to transport the salvaged goods from the wrecked ships Waddinxveen and Oosterland to the fatherland, with a good batch of ebony, coming from the aforementioned Island Mauritius, because these goods could not be adequately distributed among the ships of the previous year's first shipment, the E.E. was therefore forced to moor the aforementioned frigate Noortgouw there, which had also departed for the homeland on April 3rd in company with the return ship De IJssel. That the frigate De Soldaat, in order not to remain ashore here empty, had been projected in the meantime to transport some goods and supplies to the island of Mauritius, and from there to cross over to Madagascar to purchase a good number of slaves, to be used here as on Mauritius in the service of the E.E. Company, and also to find the Ridderschap (Knighthood) after the missing ship. However, before its departure there, the ship 't Huijs te Kraijesteijn unfortunately ran aground here. Therefore, its E.E. were compelled to change their intention to this one, deeming it more necessary to send the soldier with the salvaged patriotic goods, cash, and other goods and crew from the aforementioned stranded ship, along with its ship's officers, directly from here to Batavia, with a humble request to the High Indian Government, that they would (as one cannot be well here without a ship) allow that frigate or another more suitable vessel to sail over the aforementioned islands for the sake of returning to us as before. But that instead of this, from the esteemed letter of the aforementioned High Indian Government of the 6th of December. it had become apparent that her Highness had, for reasons, wished to use the aforementioned frigate, the Soldaat, for a cruiser in the Eastern provinces, with permission to support the intended investigation of the aforementioned ship, the Ridderschap, in Madagascar, that the said Governor and the Council there would be able to provide her with another suitable small ship that could come to her from the homeland with goods for the Cape or otherwise. And since they appeared here on the 8th of this month, the small ship called Peter and Paul,84 is sufficiently loaded with equipment and other goods for this government. So, after careful consideration of all that has been mentioned above, it was approved and agreed upon for the aforementioned small ship, after that the four chests of money and the other cargo were given to his Highness. The Governor-General and Council of India are consigned to Batavia, provided that the letters and papers from there have been deposited and distributed on the ships moored here for Batavia. To detain here, and as soon as the harvest permits, to be sent to Madagascar for the purpose stated above, and to detain here after his return and completion thereof, at such time and time as may be otherwise determined by our Lord Principals or the High Government in India.
Thus arrested and decided in the Castle of Good Hope on the day and year as stated above.
[Signed:] DANIEL HEINS.
[Signed:] WILHEM ADRIAEN VAN DER STEL.
Our Commissioner, undersigned by the Governor and the Council in person, had demonstrated to us how the Compton horse stable had become completely outdated and dilapidated over the years, so that Compton draft horses and mules could no longer be safely stabled there, and could easily collapse in a storm: requesting (for this reason and to prevent any dangers that might otherwise arise) to my Commissioner that we would grant his Honor permission to erect a new horse stable in a different and more suitable location. to extrude.
As we consider the matter entirely necessary and largely in the interests of the E. Compe., we hereby agree and comply with his request in Ede, recommending that this work be continued as soon as possible, while ensuring that all parties have the necessary management.
Cape of Good Hope, March 15, 1699,85
[Signed:] DANIEL HEINS.