Cape Council of Policy
44
1654-04-02
Minute details
- Entry number
- 44
- Date
- 1654-04-02
- Year
- 1654
English translation
Although our last resolution of the 18th Passo. had resolved no other than to station the ewes on Robben Island and to keep the rams there to slaughter when necessary, it has nevertheless been noticed that the sheep there become three times as fat and heavy as here, so that we have therefore also approved the 9 stx. rams, which are still here with us and nowhere near growing as well as fat, to be added to that: so that they may also become fat and coarse, as we notice that both the rams and the ewes do on that island132 and to keep our sheep pasture there at all, as is apparent, so that there is still some trade in sheep, to the amount of 2 to 3,000 stx within 1 or 2 years. to have sheep, which usually grow as large as a big yearling calf, so that if anyone wants to add anything, they could quickly have enough to provide for the ships, leaving double for refreshment and for our food, which would generally be necessary, as one was brought from the island and weighed 170 lb. found heavy, which had not yet matured for over 11 months, and ten young had been born from four ewes within 10 months, which is truly excellent and desirable, as well as well deserved: to maintain a stable there with some people for the care of the livestock, such a herd has been started with four men, as per our previous resolution, in view of their progress. It is also understood that our rabbits (which we have in cages here) will be planted with it, in the hope that, since the soil is suitable, they will find suitable space and footing, as well as breeding will take place, as there is nothing of the sort here, and until now we have had much fruitless effort in the cages.
Furthermore, the skipper of the galley the Rode Vos (who will depart there on the moored boat at the first possible opportunity, God permitting) has ordered us to return with a consignment of dried sealskin, peguins, and dirty eggs (which are in abundance): to see if the pigs will be able to feed on this, since the ships can only be provided with so little ore or groats that our people will not be able to eat anything except a tenth, and it is necessary to keep the mouth open with the fruits from the garden, because last year no rice was sent from Batavia, and so this year with the If no return trip is expected, it will necessarily have to be avoided, whether to Madagascar or elsewhere, as the daily ration of bread and meat, without other food, cannot drive away hunger, nor can they be kept to such hard work as they have to do here daily in various matters, and even for the first time, as a new location is not expected to be occupied.
Thus done and resolved in the Fort of Good Hope on the date and year as above.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1654.
[Signed:] JANN SIJMESEN.
[Signed:] FR. V.BURGH, Secrets.
Furthermore, the skipper of the galley the Rode Vos (who will depart there on the moored boat at the first possible opportunity, God permitting) has ordered us to return with a consignment of dried sealskin, peguins, and dirty eggs (which are in abundance): to see if the pigs will be able to feed on this, since the ships can only be provided with so little ore or groats that our people will not be able to eat anything except a tenth, and it is necessary to keep the mouth open with the fruits from the garden, because last year no rice was sent from Batavia, and so this year with the If no return trip is expected, it will necessarily have to be avoided, whether to Madagascar or elsewhere, as the daily ration of bread and meat, without other food, cannot drive away hunger, nor can they be kept to such hard work as they have to do here daily in various matters, and even for the first time, as a new location is not expected to be occupied.
Thus done and resolved in the Fort of Good Hope on the date and year as above.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1654.
[Signed:] JANN SIJMESEN.
[Signed:] FR. V.BURGH, Secrets.
Original Dutch transcription
Alhoewel bij onse laeste resolutie van den 18en passo. geresolveert hadden niet anders dan d’ oijen op ‘t Robbeneijlant te stellen ende de rammen hier te houden om te slaghten als ‘t noot waere, soo is ‘t nochtans gemerckt de schapen aldaer wel driemael soo vet ende swaer worden als hier, dat wij dierhalven jegenwoordigh oock goetgevonden hebben de 9 stx. rammen, hier bij ons noch sijnde ende nergens na halff soowel in wasdom ende vettigheijt groeijende, daer mede bij te brengen: om oock soo vet ende groff te laten worden, gelijck wij mercken dat soo wel de rammen als de oijen op dat eijlantdoen132 ende t’ eenemael onse schaepsweijd[e] aldaer te houden, als sijnde apparent, soo der maer eenigen handel van schapen noch bij kompt om daer binnen 1 a 2 jaeren 2 a 3000 stx. schapen te hebben, die daer ordinairis wel soo groot worden, als een cloeck jarigh calff, soo dat aen de selve, alsser nochwat133 wil bijcomen, in corten tijt door aenteelinge wel soo veele souden hebben, als dubbelt over voor de scheepen tot ververssinge ende t’ onser spijsinge doorgaens van node sal wesen, alsoo hier een van do. eijlant gebracht ende gewogen sijnde 170 lb. swaer bevonden hebben, ‘t welck noch boven 11 maenden niet out was, ende waren van 4 oijen binnen de 10 maenden tijts thien jongen geworpen, dat voorwaer treffelijck ende gewenst is: mitsgaders wel meriteert: om aldaer met eenigh volcq tot bewaringe van dat vee, besettinge te houden, sulcx rheede met 4 man begonnen hebben als per onse voorige resolutie te sien sij, Is oock verstaen onse conijnen (alhier in hocken hebbende) daermede te planten, op hoope dat vermits de santgronden bequame plaetse ende voetsel vinden: mitsgaders mede wel aenteelen sullen, alsoo der hier doch niet van voor compt, ende tot dees tijt veele vergeeffse moeijten in de hocken mede gehadt hebben.
Blijvende wijders den schipper van ‘t galijot de Rode Vos (ten dien eijnde per d’ opgeboeijde boot met d’ eerste bequaeme wint door Godes toelatinge sullende derwaerts vertrecken) g’ordonneert, met partije gedrooght robbenvleys, peguijns ende vuijle eijeren (daer overvloedigh sijnde) te retourneren: om te proberen off hier de verckens mede sullen cunnen voeden, de wijle doch van de scheepen soo sober van erten of gort cunnen versien worden, datter ons volcq alleen op ‘t tiendedeel niet mede spijsen cunnen, ende nootsaeckelijck van de vruchten uijt den thuijn den mont moeten open gehouden worden, om dat ons verleden jaer geen rijs134 van Batavia is gesonden geweest, ende soo ons dit jaer met de noch te verwachten retourvlote geen rijs toecomt, sullen nootsaeckelijck selffs135 daer om uijtsien moeten ‘t sij na Madagascar of elders, alsoo op ‘t rantsoen broot ende de vleijs dagen, sonder ander potspijs ‘t volcq den honger niet can verdreven, nochte oock aen soo swaren arbeijt gehouden worden, als de selve hier dagelijcx in diversse saecken doen moeten, ende noch voor eerst als sijnde een nieuwe plaetse niet staet af te nemen.
Aldus gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hoope ten dage ende jaere als boven.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1654.
[Signed:] JANN SIJMESEN.
[Signed:] FR. V.BURGH, Secrets.
Blijvende wijders den schipper van ‘t galijot de Rode Vos (ten dien eijnde per d’ opgeboeijde boot met d’ eerste bequaeme wint door Godes toelatinge sullende derwaerts vertrecken) g’ordonneert, met partije gedrooght robbenvleys, peguijns ende vuijle eijeren (daer overvloedigh sijnde) te retourneren: om te proberen off hier de verckens mede sullen cunnen voeden, de wijle doch van de scheepen soo sober van erten of gort cunnen versien worden, datter ons volcq alleen op ‘t tiendedeel niet mede spijsen cunnen, ende nootsaeckelijck van de vruchten uijt den thuijn den mont moeten open gehouden worden, om dat ons verleden jaer geen rijs134 van Batavia is gesonden geweest, ende soo ons dit jaer met de noch te verwachten retourvlote geen rijs toecomt, sullen nootsaeckelijck selffs135 daer om uijtsien moeten ‘t sij na Madagascar of elders, alsoo op ‘t rantsoen broot ende de vleijs dagen, sonder ander potspijs ‘t volcq den honger niet can verdreven, nochte oock aen soo swaren arbeijt gehouden worden, als de selve hier dagelijcx in diversse saecken doen moeten, ende noch voor eerst als sijnde een nieuwe plaetse niet staet af te nemen.
Aldus gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hoope ten dage ende jaere als boven.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1654.
[Signed:] JANN SIJMESEN.
[Signed:] FR. V.BURGH, Secrets.