Cape Council of Policy
26
1653-10-01
Minute details
- Entry number
- 26
- Date
- 1653-10-01
- Year
- 1653
English translation
Since the rainy season is not yet over, but the weather remains wet every day, so that seal fishing will not be possible for the time being, since the skins must be dried and collected in dry weather. And now that the time of the Saldanha expedition is drawing near here, it is therefore presumed that they might well be near the Baija of Saldanha with their cattle, so that in the meantime some trade could be done there as well as here and stimulated by ours (to be sent there); as well as what might be lured and urged here early to bring down a large number of elephant teeth and other merchandise, besides their cattle, with one another. So it is not despite still needing a galley full of wood for the lime kilns from Houtbaijken, after careful consultation (taking one thing and another into account) for the benefit of the E. Company, the galley De Rode Vos (managed with 15 persons and properly victualled for 3 months for the benefit of 25 eaters) was found good on Friday the following day after the baija of Saldanha for the purpose of setting off as aforementioned: in order to do as much trade as possible with it there as aforesaid (finding the Saldanjers there): in order to exercise and observe the trade annually at two places75: as well as with an embassy also as much fish (there being very abundant) with the same. to have galley crews caught and salted to feed the people lying here and on the galley, if possible, to the addition of which Caep's salt will be given from here, all of which is sufficient to take care of, since during the rainy season the catching and skinning of seals as mentioned above cannot be demanded, and of necessity fish must be caught and salted for the people on this land daily, which would pose a considerable threat to the fortifications and gardens, etc. laboring, and the chiefs, also bearing in mind, to bring us some samples of the shark skins (falling there and apparently also being worth money): so that we may see with us whether such a species as in Japan is also being used, and more broadly, under instruction, to use them.76
And since the fort is now sufficiently intact and almost entirely complete, it is also understood that, in accordance with the resolution of the January 19th Passo, the people will be landed here specifically for their hard work, on their behalf. will each be credited with one month's wages, as promised by those who helped build it from the beginning, at the outbreak of the English war, to bring the fort into service as quickly as possible, as can be speculated about below the aforementioned date.
Thus done and resolved in the Fort of Good Hope on the date and year as above.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1653.
[Signed:] JACOB REYNIERSZ.
[Signed:] ELBERT CORNELESZ KES.
[Signed:] FR. V.BURGH, Secrets.
And since the fort is now sufficiently intact and almost entirely complete, it is also understood that, in accordance with the resolution of the January 19th Passo, the people will be landed here specifically for their hard work, on their behalf. will each be credited with one month's wages, as promised by those who helped build it from the beginning, at the outbreak of the English war, to bring the fort into service as quickly as possible, as can be speculated about below the aforementioned date.
Thus done and resolved in the Fort of Good Hope on the date and year as above.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1653.
[Signed:] JACOB REYNIERSZ.
[Signed:] ELBERT CORNELESZ KES.
[Signed:] FR. V.BURGH, Secrets.
Original Dutch transcription
Dewijle ‘t regenmousson noch niet ten ende is: maer dagelix noch al even nat weer blijfft, waer door de robbenvanghst noch voor eerst niet sal cunnen bij der hant genomen worden vermits die vellen met droogh weer moeten gedrooght ende opgegadert sijn, Ende jegenwoordigh de tijt van der Saldanhars compste herwaerts begint te naecken, dierhalven te presumeren sij de selve nu omtrent de baija van Saldanha met haer vee wel mochten wesen, sulcx dat daer ter plaetse ondertusschen wel eenigen handel soowel als hier soude cunnen gedaen ende door de onse (daer te senden) g’animeert: mitsgaders wat vroegh hier gelockt ende aengemaent mogen worden om wat veel oliphants-tanden ende ander coopmanschappen nevens haer vee met eenen mede aff te brengen, Soo is niet tegenstaende noch wel een galjot vol hout tot de kalckovens uijt Houtbaijken van noden hadden, nae goet overlegh (op ‘t een ende ‘t ander genomen) ten dienste van d’ E. Comp., goet gevonden ‘t galjot de Rode Vos (met 15 personen gemant ende behoorlijck voor 3 maenden ten behoeve van 25 eeters gevictualieert) Vrijdagh74 aenstaende na de baija van Saldanha ten eijnde voormelt aff te vaerdigen: omme als voorhaelt (de Saldanjers daer vindende) met deselve aldaer sooveel handels te doen als mogelijck sal wesen: omme alsoo jaerlijx op twee plaetsen den handel te exereren75 ende waer te nemen: mitsgaders met eenen ende empassant oock soo veel vis (daer seer overvloedigh wesende) met do. galjotsvolcq te laten vangen ende insouten tot spijsinge van ‘t hier ende op ‘t galjot leggende volcq, als doenlijck sij, waer toe Caeps sout van hier mede gegeven sal worden sulx alles genoeghsaem waer te nemen is, vermits doch geduijrende den regentijt aen ‘t vangen ende villen van robben als voorsz niet can gevordert worden, ende nootsaeckelijck moet vis gevangen ende ingesouten sijn voor ‘t volcq hier aen lant noch dagelijckx vrij swaer aen de fortificatie ende thuijnen &a. arbeijdende, ende d’ opperhooffden met eenen oock indachtigh blijvende ons eenige monsters van de haijevellen (daer vallende ende apparent oock gelt waerdigh wesende) mede te brengen: omme bij ons te mogen sien off oock sulcke soorte is als in Japan getrocken worden als breeder bij instructie deselve ter hant te stellen.76
Ende dewijle ‘t fort nu genoegsaem in deffentie ende bijna t’ eenemael voltoijt is, Soo is oock mede verstaen dat men conform de resolutie van den 19en Januarij passo. specialijck genomen, het volcq hier aen landt voor haren swaren gedanen arbeijt op hun reecq. sullen doen crediteren elck voor een maent gagie, gelijck deselve namentlijck die ‘t van den beginnen hebben helpen maecken op de becomen tijdinge van den Engelsen oorloge om ‘t fort metter haest in deffentie te brengen is beloofft, als onder voorsz datum nader is te speculeren.
Aldus gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hoope ten dage ende jaere als boven.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1653.
[Signed:] JACOB REYNIERSZ.
[Signed:] ELBERT CORNELESZ KES.
[Signed:] FR. V.BURGH, Secrets.
Ende dewijle ‘t fort nu genoegsaem in deffentie ende bijna t’ eenemael voltoijt is, Soo is oock mede verstaen dat men conform de resolutie van den 19en Januarij passo. specialijck genomen, het volcq hier aen landt voor haren swaren gedanen arbeijt op hun reecq. sullen doen crediteren elck voor een maent gagie, gelijck deselve namentlijck die ‘t van den beginnen hebben helpen maecken op de becomen tijdinge van den Engelsen oorloge om ‘t fort metter haest in deffentie te brengen is beloofft, als onder voorsz datum nader is te speculeren.
Aldus gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hoope ten dage ende jaere als boven.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1653.
[Signed:] JACOB REYNIERSZ.
[Signed:] ELBERT CORNELESZ KES.
[Signed:] FR. V.BURGH, Secrets.