Cape Council of Policy
125
1657-10-16
Minute details
- Entry number
- 125
- Date
- 1657-10-16
- Year
- 1657
English translation
Having anticipated with great anticipation the departure of the Saldanhas, or inhabitants deep in the country, in the hope that a large number of them would be involved, following rumors circulated for a long time about this by the Hottentoes living here. Furthermore, it has been noted that some of them have already spent about two or three days' journey here and around, and are now retreating inland again without appearing here, nor knowing what is wrong with them. Accordingly, it is assumed (in our opinion, and rightly so) that Herrij Caepman and associates are misleading them or preventing them from using the meadows here exclusively, etc.
Thus, it has been observed that necessity of animal husbandry for the E. Compe. and freemen: Especially to promote agriculture and more other matters, not in view of the rainy season which is lasting for a long time and is not abating yet, but because of which the land remains wet and unsuitable for traveling everywhere, nevertheless it is approved and established, to stop some other, however necessary, work and as soon as possible to make a trip inland with a reasonable number of people and drag hoses, in addition to a batch of copper, tobacco, pipes, etc. to see to it that not only the batch of cattle and sheep are to be fed; but also to invite the Saldanhars with all kindness and to give them the assurance that we will make sure that no hindrance or hindrance will be caused to them by Herrij Caepman and his associates, as our opinion remains firm that they are the only ones to have escaped from them; as well as knowing how to base themselves on our agriculture, and that the land is being broken up so much that they would find no pasture for their animals in this area, which was more of a hindrance than what we have been doing,396 as they are becoming very careful and therefore beginning to notice the necessity of the animals; as well as the device hoping that, in the absence of this, we might well be able to leave this residence again,397 etc. Therefore, as previously determined, all preparations must first be made to (if possible) travel inland by tomorrow at the latest, to the aforementioned end.
It has also been resolved to send the seal hunting party, along with the moored boat or small sailboat Peguin, along with eight men, to Saldanha Bay. Since our bacon and meat are almost gone, we will collect and salt some birds, as well as, by the way, retrieve from Dassen Island the two English ships still stationed there, to plant one or more of them on the island, according to the order of the Rev. Mr. van Goens, so that any French, Portuguese, or English might find it difficult to get sheep from the Company or to play any malicious role.
It has also been approved that the chiefs of the general seal hunting party will be given copper, tobacco, etc. to also give: to see the sacrifice in the Saldanha Bay, and also to handle and transport any sheep and young oxen that might fall.
Thus done and resolved in the Fort of Good Hope, date uts.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1657.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1657.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA, Secrets. 1657.
Thus, it has been observed that necessity of animal husbandry for the E. Compe. and freemen: Especially to promote agriculture and more other matters, not in view of the rainy season which is lasting for a long time and is not abating yet, but because of which the land remains wet and unsuitable for traveling everywhere, nevertheless it is approved and established, to stop some other, however necessary, work and as soon as possible to make a trip inland with a reasonable number of people and drag hoses, in addition to a batch of copper, tobacco, pipes, etc. to see to it that not only the batch of cattle and sheep are to be fed; but also to invite the Saldanhars with all kindness and to give them the assurance that we will make sure that no hindrance or hindrance will be caused to them by Herrij Caepman and his associates, as our opinion remains firm that they are the only ones to have escaped from them; as well as knowing how to base themselves on our agriculture, and that the land is being broken up so much that they would find no pasture for their animals in this area, which was more of a hindrance than what we have been doing,396 as they are becoming very careful and therefore beginning to notice the necessity of the animals; as well as the device hoping that, in the absence of this, we might well be able to leave this residence again,397 etc. Therefore, as previously determined, all preparations must first be made to (if possible) travel inland by tomorrow at the latest, to the aforementioned end.
It has also been resolved to send the seal hunting party, along with the moored boat or small sailboat Peguin, along with eight men, to Saldanha Bay. Since our bacon and meat are almost gone, we will collect and salt some birds, as well as, by the way, retrieve from Dassen Island the two English ships still stationed there, to plant one or more of them on the island, according to the order of the Rev. Mr. van Goens, so that any French, Portuguese, or English might find it difficult to get sheep from the Company or to play any malicious role.
It has also been approved that the chiefs of the general seal hunting party will be given copper, tobacco, etc. to also give: to see the sacrifice in the Saldanha Bay, and also to handle and transport any sheep and young oxen that might fall.
Thus done and resolved in the Fort of Good Hope, date uts.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1657.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1657.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA, Secrets. 1657.
Original Dutch transcription
Tot heden met groot verlangen hebbende te gemoet gesien, d’ afcompste van de Saldanhaers offte inwoonders diep uijt ‘t landt, met hope van de selve een groot getal bestiael soude te handelen wesen, achtervolgens de geruchten al van overlangh door de Hottentoos hier omtrent woonende geloopen, wijders oock gemerckt dat eenige van deselve al tot ongeveer 2 a 3 daghreijsens hier bij ende omtrent sijn geweest, ende nu weder te landewaert inwijcken sonder hier te verschijnen, nochte te weten wat daeraen hapert, ende volgens dien gepresumeert wordende (onses gevoelens ten rechten) dat Herrij Caepman, ende consorten haer ‘t een off ‘t ander wijs maeckt, offte tegen houdt om de weijden hieromtrent alleen te gebruijcken &a,
Soo is ingesien de nootsaeckelijckheijt van bestiael voor d’ E. Compe. ende vrijeluijden: Insonderheijt om den lantbouw ende meer andre saken te vorderen, niet jegenstaende de regentijt wat langh is duijrende ende noch niet affneempt maer ‘t landt daerdoor overal nat ende onbequaem blijfft om te reijsen, echter evenwel goetgevonden ende vast gestelt, eenich ander hoewel nodich werck stil te laten staen ende hoe eer hoe liever met een redelijcken trop volcx ende draeghossen een tocht te landewaert in te doen neffens partije coper, tabacq, pijpen &a. omme te sien niet alleen daer voor partije beesten ende schapen te reuijlen; maer oock de Saldanhars met alle vrundelijckheijt aff te nodigen en de verseeckeningh te geven, dat wij wel sullen maecken ende versorgen haer geen belet off hinder door Herrij Caepman, ende consorten aengedaen worde, alsoo onse opinie vast blijfft, dat sijluijden d’ eenige beletters van de luijden hare affcompste sijn; mitsgaders hun oock wel weten te fondeeren op onsen lantbouw, ende dat het landt daerdoor soo veele gebroocken wordt, dat sijluijden geen weijden voor haer bestiael hieromtrent souden vindenende wes meer tot belet voorsz dienende396 als wordende seer slim ende daerdoor wel beginnende te mercken de nootsaeckelijckheijt van ‘t bestiael: mitsgaders apparaent hopende, dat wij bij onstentenisse van dien dese residentie wel weeder397 mochte verlaten &a. sulcx dan als voorsz vastgestelt blijfft alle preparaden ten eersten te maken om (mogelijck sijnde) over morgen ten langsten te landewaert in te reijsen ten eijnde voorsz.
Is oock geresolveert ‘t Robbejachtjen neffens de opgeboeijde boot offte cleijne chaloup Peguijn gesamentlijck met 8 man te senden na de Saldanha-baij : om vermits ons speck ende vleijs bijna op is, wat vogels te halen ende in te souten mitsgaders empassandt van ‘t Dasseneijlandt te halen de twee Engelse stucken daer noch leggende omme deselve offte een van die na de gelaten ordre van d’ E. Hr. van Goens te planten op ‘t Robbeneijlandt , ten eijnde eenige Francen, Portugesen offte Engelse daer te min gelegentheijt mochten vinden Comps. schapen aff te halen offte eenige quade part te spelen.
Sijnde oock goetgevonden d’ opperhooffden des gem. Robbejachts partije coper, tabacq &a. mede te geven: om te sien offer in de Saldanhabaij oock wat schapen ende jonge ossjens te handelen mochte vallen, ende over te brengen.
Aldus gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hope datum uts.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1657.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1657.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA, Secrets. 1657.
Soo is ingesien de nootsaeckelijckheijt van bestiael voor d’ E. Compe. ende vrijeluijden: Insonderheijt om den lantbouw ende meer andre saken te vorderen, niet jegenstaende de regentijt wat langh is duijrende ende noch niet affneempt maer ‘t landt daerdoor overal nat ende onbequaem blijfft om te reijsen, echter evenwel goetgevonden ende vast gestelt, eenich ander hoewel nodich werck stil te laten staen ende hoe eer hoe liever met een redelijcken trop volcx ende draeghossen een tocht te landewaert in te doen neffens partije coper, tabacq, pijpen &a. omme te sien niet alleen daer voor partije beesten ende schapen te reuijlen; maer oock de Saldanhars met alle vrundelijckheijt aff te nodigen en de verseeckeningh te geven, dat wij wel sullen maecken ende versorgen haer geen belet off hinder door Herrij Caepman, ende consorten aengedaen worde, alsoo onse opinie vast blijfft, dat sijluijden d’ eenige beletters van de luijden hare affcompste sijn; mitsgaders hun oock wel weten te fondeeren op onsen lantbouw, ende dat het landt daerdoor soo veele gebroocken wordt, dat sijluijden geen weijden voor haer bestiael hieromtrent souden vindenende wes meer tot belet voorsz dienende396 als wordende seer slim ende daerdoor wel beginnende te mercken de nootsaeckelijckheijt van ‘t bestiael: mitsgaders apparaent hopende, dat wij bij onstentenisse van dien dese residentie wel weeder397 mochte verlaten &a. sulcx dan als voorsz vastgestelt blijfft alle preparaden ten eersten te maken om (mogelijck sijnde) over morgen ten langsten te landewaert in te reijsen ten eijnde voorsz.
Is oock geresolveert ‘t Robbejachtjen neffens de opgeboeijde boot offte cleijne chaloup Peguijn gesamentlijck met 8 man te senden na de Saldanha-baij : om vermits ons speck ende vleijs bijna op is, wat vogels te halen ende in te souten mitsgaders empassandt van ‘t Dasseneijlandt te halen de twee Engelse stucken daer noch leggende omme deselve offte een van die na de gelaten ordre van d’ E. Hr. van Goens te planten op ‘t Robbeneijlandt , ten eijnde eenige Francen, Portugesen offte Engelse daer te min gelegentheijt mochten vinden Comps. schapen aff te halen offte eenige quade part te spelen.
Sijnde oock goetgevonden d’ opperhooffden des gem. Robbejachts partije coper, tabacq &a. mede te geven: om te sien offer in de Saldanhabaij oock wat schapen ende jonge ossjens te handelen mochte vallen, ende over te brengen.
Aldus gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hope datum uts.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1657.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1657.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA, Secrets. 1657.