Cape Council of Policy
15
1652-11-26
Minute details
- Entry number
- 15
- Date
- 1652-11-26
- Year
- 1652
English translation
Whereas the Lord God has been pleased to make known to us, through diligent research, the very fine opportunity of obtaining for our Lord and Masters a large quantity of seal skins on the islands near and around the Baija Saldanha, as can be seen from the incredible abundance of seals there and the 2,700 skins from certain islands in the aforementioned bay, finely dried, found and brought here, which are quite dense and full of beautiful, fine wool, from which apparently great profits for the E. Compe. hanging, which we believe all the more in view of the heavy far-eastern crews and the great difficulties the French noticed with the found equipment. So it is that, after further experience of the one and the other, we have seen fit to send the yacht Goede Hoope (14 miles from there with the aforementioned consignment of skins reported here) back again (equipped with 25 heads): in order to acquire a good quantity of supplies for the return trip to the Fatherland before the arrival of the return fleet from India, and to place that from the island in the mouth of Saldanha Bay, in order to always have the crew at hand, since there are just as many seals there as on the Island of Elisabeth. are, and for the first time may not miss any more people from our necessary work here on land, to also occupy Dasseneijlant, Will generally remain on the island to catch and skin the seals, 16 men and 9 men on the yacht, to sail ashore and in addition to that also to do some further investigation after any trade or transaction in the aforementioned bay to which it will be deployed, the cargo for date given under proper invoice and bill of lading to the chiefs of the said yacht and still having in their possession, insert do. The hunt is present at that time, once again ready and equipped, with more men and tools for carrying out the aforementioned tasks, etc. The chiefs are to give their request tomorrow: to navigate there again with the first good wind God grants, in the hope that, through the Lord's grace, we will return with blessings.
Thus done and arrested in the Fort of Good Hope on the day and year as above.
[Signed:] JOHAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1652.
[Signed:] SIJMEN PIETER W. TURVER.
[Signed:] Fr. V.BURGH.
[Signed:] P. v. HELM, Secrets.
Thus done and arrested in the Fort of Good Hope on the day and year as above.
[Signed:] JOHAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1652.
[Signed:] SIJMEN PIETER W. TURVER.
[Signed:] Fr. V.BURGH.
[Signed:] P. v. HELM, Secrets.
Original Dutch transcription
Dewijle het Godt de Heere heeft geliefft ons door naerstigh ondersoeck cundigh te maecken, de seer schoone gelegentheijt omme groote quantite robbenvellen op de eijlanden bij ende omtrent de baija Saldanha gelegen voor onse Heeren Meesters te becomen, gelijck te bespeuren is aen de ongeloofflijcke abondantie der robben aldaer ende de 2700 do. vellen van seecker eijlandeken in voorsz baije fraij gedrooght gevonden ende hier gebracht, die vrij dight ende vol van schoone fijne wol sijn, waer aen apparent groote profijten voor d’ E. Compe. hangen, ‘t welck te meer geloven ten aensien van de sware verre oostelijcke equipagies ende groote moeijten aen de gevonden gereedtschappen bespeurt bij de Francen daeromme gedaen te sijn, Soo is ‘t dat wij tot nader ervaringe van ‘t een ende ‘t ander hebben goetgevonden ‘t jacht de Goede Hoope (14en passo. van daer met voorhaelde partije vellen hier geretoerneert) andermael (gemant met 25 coppen) weder derwerts te senden: omme noch voor de comste der retourvloote uijt India een goede quantite tot retour voor ‘t Patria in voorraedt te becomen, ende dat van ‘t eijlandeken in de mont der Saldanhase baij leggende, om ‘t volck altijt bij de hant te mogen hebben, dewijl daer alsoo veel robben als op ‘t eijlant Elisabeth te becomen sijn, ende voor eerst noch geen meer volck uijt ons nodige werck alhier van lant mogen missen, om ‘t Dasseneijlant mede te besetten, Sullende doorgaens om de robben te vangen ende villen, 16 man op do. eijlandeken blijven ende 9 man op ‘t jacht, om aff ende aen lant te varen, ende beneffens dien met eenen oock wat nader ondersoeck te doen na negotie ofte handelinge in de voorgemelte baije tot ‘t welcke g’emploieert sal worden, het cargasoentjen voor dato onder behoorlijcke facture ende cognoissement d’ opperhooffden des gemelten jaghts mede gegeven ende noch inhanden hebbende, invoegen do. jacht jegenwoordigh ten dien fine t’ eenemael weder gereedt ende versien sijnde, met meerder volck ende gereetschappen tot uijtvoeringe der voorgemelte saecken &a. verstaen is do. opperhooffden op morgen haer despesche te geven: omme metten eersten goeden wint die Godt verlenen sal, andermael derwaerts te navigeren, op hope door des Heeren genade weder met zegen sullen retourneren amen.
Aldus gedaen ende g’arresteert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hope ten dage ende jare als boven.
[Signed:] JOHAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1652.
[Signed:] SIJMEN PIETER W. TURVER.
[Signed:] Fr. V.BURGH.
33
[Signed:] P. v. HELM, Secrets.
Aldus gedaen ende g’arresteert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hope ten dage ende jare als boven.
[Signed:] JOHAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1652.
[Signed:] SIJMEN PIETER W. TURVER.
[Signed:] Fr. V.BURGH.
33
[Signed:] P. v. HELM, Secrets.