Skip to content
GenDatabase
Sign in

Cape Council of Policy

338

1665-05-20

Back

Minute details

Entry number
338
Date
1665-05-20
Year
1665

English translation

Since the Houcker-booth de Pimpel (which we had sent from here on the 4th of February last to the islands of Martin Vaz, in order to look for suitable waterways or berths for large ships, and furthermore to see whether good drinking water, some refreshments and suitable timber could be obtained from it) returned yesterday afternoon empty-handed, noting that on that journey the chiefs had been unable to discover more than two small islands (which had been inaccessible because of the steep cliffs), we have now finally found a good opportunity to send the said vessel to the island of Mauritius, as we also did on this occasion. We have understood and decided to clear it with the first, and to use it to that end to bring more people to our 13 settlements there, and again for a year the necessary provisions, as well as other necessities. And since we have been sailing well or poorly from it for almost a year now, either dead or alive, and on such a route we remain quite apprehensive that in the meantime we may also be transported from the said island by the English or may be scattered or lost due to some other inconvenience, it is now also understood that Assistant George Fredrick Wreeden (who recently helped make the aforementioned journey to Martin Vaz) will now also depart from there, in order to remain there in such a case (which God forbid) and to retake possession of the said island de novo with 8 or 10 men from the Company. To this end, the skipper of the aforementioned ship will be instructed to assist him in every way possible, and after completion of the work and proper return of his loaded goods, to attempt to return as soon as possible.

Thus done and resolved in the Fort of Good Hope, 1646, as above.

[Signed:] Z. WAGENAER.

[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA. 1665.

[Signed:] HENDR. LACUS.

[Signed:] CORN. DE CRETSER. Secrets.

Original Dutch transcription

Dewijle de houcker-booth de Pimpel (die wij op den 4en Februarij jongstleden na de eijlanden van Martin Vaz van hier affgesonden hadden, om aldaer bequaeme rheeden, off bhaijen voor groote scheepen op te soecken, en wijders te letten, off op deselve oock goet drinck-water, eenige verversing en bequaem44 timmerhout soude te becomen wesen) gisteren des achtermiddaechs onverrichter sake is comen te retourneren, gemerct op die reijs bij de opperhoofden desselffs niet meer dan twee cleijne eijlandekens (daer vermits de stijle klippen niet was aen te comen geweest) hadden cunnen ontdeckt worden, hebben wij nu eens goede gelegentheijt becomen, om ‘t gemelte scheepie na ‘t Eijlandt Mauritius te senden, gelijck wij oock bij dese verstaen en beslooten hebben, ‘t selve met den eersten weder claer te maken, en tot dien eijnde te gebruijcken, om daermede onse 13 besettelingen aldaer meer volck, en weder voor een jaer de vereijschte provisien, als andere nootdruften toe te brengen.

Ende ten aensien wij nu bijna een jaer lanck van der selver wel off qualijck varen, doot off leven oncundigh gebleven zijn, en over sulcx harentwegen rechtevoort al vrij beducht blijven,45 dat middelerwijle door de Engels[c]he van ‘t gemelte eijlandt oock wel conden vervoert off door eenige andere inconvenienten verstroijt off om ‘t leven geraect zijn, is als nu mede verstaen, dat den adsistent George Fredrick Wreeden, (die jongst al de voorsz reijs na Martin Vaz heeft helpen doen) nu mede derwaerts uijt vertrecken sal, om in sulcken geval (‘t welck Godt verhoede) daer te blijven en ‘t voorsz eijlandt de novo met 8 a 10 man ‘s Comps. wegen weder in possessie te nemen. Tot dien eijnde sal de schipper van de gemelte houcker last gegeven worden, de selve allesins de handt te bieden, en na volbrachten werck, en behoorlijcke overgifte van sijn ingeladen goederen, op het spoedichste trachten weder om te comen.

Aldus gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hope aej46 als boven.

[Signed:] Z. WAGENAER.

[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA. 1665.

[Signed:] HENDR. LACUS.

[Signed:] CORN. DE CRETSER. Secrets.