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Cape Council of Policy

481

1672-12-28

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Minute details

Entry number
481
Date
1672-12-28
Year
1672

English translation

The Governor in Raade (reinforced by Commander Hubert Hugo) was informed of the misfortune of the former chief of staff to Mauritius, sub-merchant Jurriaen Fredric Wreede, by the capsizing of a certain sailing vessel on February 29th last, as it was his intention to explore some nearby islands more closely. And how, at that time, the concern for these and no one else chosen for the purpose subsequently lapsed, and finally came to the attention of one Pieter Philippe Col,109 sent by the aforementioned Commander Hugo with the hooker d’Goutvinck towards there, the management of the Company. matters have been handled very carelessly, and have even led to mutinies there on several occasions, as well as being involved in many blunders due to lack of knowledge and lack of understanding, and such is to be feared for greater disaster if measures are not taken in a timely manner. Therefore, everything having been considered according to its importance and having been thoroughly considered, it is understood that the aforementioned E. Hugo, appointed from the fatherland as commander and supreme governor of the said island, should depart there with the first to take up his position there, and to implement the necessary remedial measures, so that everything may be put in order and on its rightful place all the more quickly, and our Lords Principals there may be served properly, as then, since the yacht d' Pijl had already been revictualled and had been fitted with everything necessary for the voyage, the supplies for Mauritius had been embargoed and consequently it had once become ready to sail, as His E. accepted, as soon as weather and wind permit, they would transport him aboard and further the voyage in God's Name; Likewise, the three freemen and their families will also go to Mauritius, recently supposedly at their own request, but due to the imprudent and malicious induction of the provisional governor Pieter Philippe Col, which has effectively deprived them of all means of subsistence, sent back from there by the Governor, to prevent other incoming colonists from going to that island due to bad information, from absconding.

And although the aforesaid Commander Hugo is of good sentiment, if it should be seen fit with us, to send again to Madagascar or to give consent to undertake 'the hunt d' Pijl from Mauritius, so that within a period of 2 to 3 months we would be able to trade in slaves at Magelage on the said soil, provided that we have Spanish Reales and enough rice to feed ourselves; Thus, considering the current state of affairs, and the fact that the French are entrenched in Madagascar, it is unknown to us how far they have expanded there, and how much more they have undoubtedly discovered and explored from it, just as the English also visited the aforementioned trading post with their ships to fetch slaves, as both were now at war, and it has been decided and resolved after mature deliberation, so long as God will grant us peaceful days again, the voyage to fetch slaves and further exploration of the Majorcan Islands from here to Mauritius will be halted and postponed, as well as the yacht d'Aijl, after the E. Hugo has reached Mauritius. arrived, to be relieved as soon as possible of the goods containing them for the said island, and then, without delay, to be dispatched to Batavia with the prepared ebony, and with which the cargo projected for the Majots' trade will also be sent. And that His said E. will retain only as much of it as is necessary for the benefit of the people for one, or at least two, years.

Thus, having considered the aforementioned Commander's proposal to have more men than the garrison estimated by the Majors, it was approved, but upon further approval from the homeland or from Batavia, it was agreed that 17 more men would be retained than the number of 50, including 14 people on the Chaloup de Boogh and sent from Madagascar to Mauritius. This, in view of the current state of war, means that, initially, a considerable amount of work will have to be done to achieve some defensive position, without, however, exceeding the aforementioned number.

It has been further reported by Commander Hugo that some cash, brought to him on the voyage through Madagascar and Moslem, had been invested from his own capital in the trade for the Emperor's Company, and that some cash was also required from the money allowed by the Majors to take along on behalf of his Emperor's children, to be supplied to the garrison there on a regular basis. It has been approved, from our to set aside ƒ4,000 for Mauritius: to be able to serve in all such cases and not to be embarrassed.

Finally, on this occasion, the Council, reinforced by the presence of the late Commander Hugo, has been informed by His Eminence Governor how resolutely it had been decided yesterday evening to hold the merchant of the ship Oldenburgh, which was moored there, on behalf of Joan Joachim Pauli, hostage in his lodgings, in the most civil manner, as had not escaped the attention of a certain chief surgeon of his gen. ship (being hasty about the perilous circumstance of one of our citizens) with advice, action, money and food, in accordance with the well-founded edict,113 dated 21 and house against which was emanated by public chime, to assist, and to try to provide means for his escape, as not only the imprisoned surgeon, but the merchant himself voluntarily admitted, and because the said conquest ship has placed itself under our protection and canon, as well as exercised our friendship, and is consequently subject to the common laws as well as the inhabitants, especially because the said edict expressly contained the clause (that foreigners would not be allowed to do such), and we ourselves In order to have justice found qualified on this matter, and furthermore to consider what we have to do in this matter, in order to maintain our competent right and not give His Majesty of Denmark grounds for offensive action, it has been decided, after mature advice and with unanimous consent, that the captain and merchant of the aforementioned Oldenburgh will be requested by commissioners the following morning to have a written declaration drawn up, signed and handed over to us of the quality of the salary received upon their arrival from the 11th of this month until the present, and the reception of the Comps. ways to her, and after that the same will have been granted, the said merchant will then be instructed by the said commissioners in the most civil manner, to depart from our lampposts to his modest boat, without it being possible to come ashore again at any time that the ship might still remain here, without prejudice to the license to the captain and other persons sailing on that land, to fetch their necessary provisions from land, with the restriction, however, that, (God's weather and wind permitting) they will be obliged to transport them ashore in the evening before sunset, without being allowed to land during the night in navigable weather, to do so in the future to prevent misfortunes (as mentioned above).

Thus resolved and arrested in the Fort of Good Hope, date above.

[Signed:] ISBRAND GOSKE.

[Signed:] ALBERT VAN BREUGEL.

[Signed:] DIRCQ JANSZ SMIENDT.

[Signed:] H. CRUDOP. In R. and Secrts.

Original Dutch transcription

Bij den Gouverneur in Raade (versterct met den Commandeur Hubert Hugo) gerapporteert wesende het verongelucken van het gewesen opperhooft tot Mauritius den ondercoopman Jurriaen Fredric Wreede, door het omslaan van sekere zeijlchaloup in dato 29en Feb. jongstleden, so als voorneemens was eenige nabij gelegen eijlanden nader te gaan ontdecken, Ende hoe dat staande desselfs tijt ooc daernae het gesach aen dese en geene uijt ‘et gemeen daertoe gekoren vervallen zijnde, mitsgaeders laest gecomen is tot eenen Pieter Philippe Col,109 van de opgemelde Commandeur Hugo metten hoeker d’ Goutvinck derwaerts afgesonden, de directie van ‘s Comps. saeken seer slordigh toegegaan hebben, selfs ooc tot diverse maelen aldaer muijterijen zijn geweest, mitsgaeders bij gebrek van kennisse en onverstant in veele misslaegen comen gecommitteert te werden, en zulx te dugten staat voor meerder onheijl, so daerjegens niet tijdigh wert versien, Soo is, alles naar haar importantie geconsidereert ende rijpelijk overwogen zijnde, verstaan dat den E. Hugo voormelt, gedesigneert uijt ‘t vaederlant tot çommandeur en opperste gesaghebber van ‘t geseijde eijlant, met den allereersten behoorde derwaerts te vertrecken, om zijn functie aldaer waer te nemen, ende d’ nodige redressen in ‘t werc stellen, ten eijnde also alles dies te spoediger in ordre en op zijn regte ploij geraeken magh, ende onse Heeren Principaelen aldaer naer behoren gediend mogen werden, gelijc dan, dewijl ‘t jacht d’ Pijl albevorens gerevictualieert ende van alles ‘t geen tot de reijse nodigh heeft gehadt, versien is, desgelijx g’embarqueer[rt] de behoefte voor Mauritius gevordert en bij gevolgh t’ eenemael zeijlvaardigh geworden, gemelte Zijn E. aannam, soo haast weer ende wint toelaet, sigh naer boort te sullen transporteren en d’ reijs in Godes Naame bevorderen sal; desgelijx daermede naar Mauritius zullen overgaan de drie vrijluijen met haare familien, onlangs quanswijs110 op hun eijgen versoek, doch door onvoorsigtige en quaade inductie van den provisionelen gesaghebber Pieter Philippe Col, ende dat haar genoegsaam alle middelen benomen heeft om te connen leven, per de Goutvincq vandaer te rugh gesonden, tot voorcominge dat in aanstaande andere aencomende coloniers door quaade informatie van na dat eyland te gaen, niet t’ absterreren.

Ende hoewel den voorschreven Commandeur Hugo van sentiment is, indien bij ons goet gevonden conde werden, andermael besendinge te doen naer Madagascar off wel consent draegen met ‘et jacht d’ Pijl van Mauritius t’ ondernemen, binnen den tijt van 2 a 3 maanden op Magelage den gezeijden bodem vol slaeven te negotieren soude wesen, mits tot den incoop hebbende Spaansche Realen en genoegsaame rijs om te spijsigen; Soo is, ingesien zijnde de constitutie van de jegenwoordige bedenckelijke tijt, en dat d’ Francen op Madagascar vast geseten zijnde, ons onbekent is hoe verre zij haer aldaer hebben uijtgebreijt, en van haar ontwijffelijc meer en meer ontdect en bevaeren wert, van gelijcken ooc d’ Engelse die voorseijde handelplaets met haare schepen om slaven te haelen aandoen, als met beijde nu in oorlogh wesende, naer rijpen b’raade verstaan en geresolveert, tot soo lange dat God de Heere weder vredige daegen te beleven sal gelieven te verleenen, de voijagie om slaeven en verdere ontdeckingh van d’ Majotsche eijlanden van hier off Mauritius te doen, sal werden gestaect ende wtgestelt, mitsgaeders het jacht d’ Pijl , nae dat den E. Hugo tot Mauritius zal wesen aangecomen, ten spoedigsten ontlost van d’ inhebbende goederen voor ‘t geseijde eijlant, voorts sonder uijtstel na Batavia gedimitteert met het gereetleggende ebbenhout, mitsgaeders ooc daermede sal voortgesonden werden het cargasoen tot den Majotsen handel geprojecteert geweest: Ende dat Zijn gemelte E. alleen daeraf zal aanhouden, soo veel ten behoeve van ‘t volc voor een, off uijtterlijc twee jaer nodigh is.

Soo is mede, geconsidereert wesende het voorstel van den meergemelden Commandeur, om meerder volcq te hebben, als wel het guarnisoen door de Heeren Majores is begroot, goed gevonden, doch op nader approbatie uijt ‘t vaderlant off van Batavia te consenteren, boven ‘t getal van 50 noch 17 coppen te behouden, daeronder begrepen 14 persoonen op d’ chaloup de Boogh bescheijden en van Madagascar naer Mauritius gesonden wesende, en zulx ten insigte den oorloghstijt, als, ter saeke vooreerst al vrij wat werck zal gedaan moeten werden om eenigsints in postuir van defensie te geraeken, sonder nogtans ‘t voorseijde getal te mogen excederen.

Wijders door dickgemelden111 Commandeur Hugo bekent gemaect zijnde, hoe eenige contanten, op d’ voijagie over Madagascar en Mosambijcque bij hem gedaan, uijt zijn eijgen capitael in d’ negotie voor d’ E. Compe. hadde ingeschoten, en zulx waeren van de penningen door de Heeren Majores wegen Zijn Es. kinderen mede te voeren toegestaan, ooc eenige penningen vereijst wierden, omme aen ‘t guarnisoen aldaar op reecq. te werden verstrect, Is goed gevonden, uijt onse cassa voor Mauritius af te steken ƒ4000: om sich in alle voorvallen daervan te connen dienen en niet verlegen te vallen.

Eijndelijc is bij dese occasie, dat den Raat sich tegenwoordigh met d’ presentie van ged.112 Commandeur Hugo versterct vint, door den Heere Gouverneur Zijn E. bekent gemaect, hoe gistern avond spaede resolutoir was verstaan, den coopman van ‘t rhede leggende schip Oldenburgh naemens Joan Joachim Pauli met d’ civielste maniere binnen sijn logement in gijselinge te houden, also niet hadde ontsien sekeren opperchijrurgijn van zijn gen. schip (vlugtig zijnde over ‘t periculeus grijven eener onser borgeren) met raad, daad, geld en mondcost, in vilipendie van ‘t welgefundeerde placcaet,113 dato 21en hujus daerjegens bij openbare clockeslagh g’emaneert, t’ adsisteren, en middelen tot zijn eschappade getracht te verschaffen, gelijck zulx niet alleen den gevangene chijrurgijn, maer hij coopman selffs vrijwilligh heeft bekent, ende dewijle ‘t gemelde coninxschip sich onder onse protexie en canon heeft begeven, mitsgaeders onse vrindschap g’amplecteert, en gevolgelijc d’ gemeene wetten so wel als d’ inhabitanten subject is, te meer, dewijle ‘t genoemde placcaet wel expresselijc die clausule (dat vremde sulx niet zouden bestaen te doen) contineerde, en wij ons om daerover regt te doen gequalificeert vinden, en vorders te considereren gegeven heeft, wat ons in die saeke, om ons competente regt te mainteneren en Sijne Majesteijt van Denemarcken geen redenen van offencie te geven, te doen staet, Is nae rijpen raade met overeencominge van stemmen verstaan, dat den capitain en coopman van gemelde Oldenburgh op morgen aanstaande door gecommitteerdens zullen werden versogt, een schriftelijke verclaeringe te laten ontwerpen, ondertekenen ende ons over handigen van de hoedanigheijt des tractements bij hun zeder ‘t114 arrivement van den 11en deses tot huijden toe genoten, en ‘t onthaal ‘s Comps. wegen aan haar gedaan, en na dat hetselve sullen hebben verleent, den gemelden coopman alsdan door de gemelte gecommitteerdens op ‘t civielste zal werden g’injungeert, van onse lantpaelen naer sijn bescheijden boort te vertrecken sonder dat vermogens sal zijn oijt off oijt, den tijt dat het schip hier nogh mogt comen te blijven leggen, weder aen lant te comen, onvermindert nogtans d’ licentie aan den capitain en vordere vaerende persoonen dier bodem, om haare vereijste behoefticheden van lant te haelen, met die restrictie nog-tans, dat, (Gods weer en wind zulx toelatende) zullen gehouden zijn hun ‘s avonts voor sonnenonderganck naer boort te transporteren, sonder bij vaerbaer weer in de nacht aen land te mogen pernocteren, om in toecomende diergelijke onheijlen, (als boven verhaelt) te prevenieren.

Aldus geresolveert en g’arresteert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hoope datum ut supra.

[Signed:] ISBRAND GOSKE.

[Signed:] ALBERT VAN BREUGEL.

[Signed:] DIRCQ JANSZ SMIENDT.

[Signed:] H. CRUDOP. In R. en Secrts.