Cape Council of Policy
750
1684-11-28
Minute details
- Entry number
- 750
- Date
- 1684-11-28
- Year
- 1684
English translation
Due to the resignation of the Rev. de Man, as a second person, also became vacant, the position of fiscal in loco, which position must be filled with a competent person, for the maintenance of justice and the prevention of all private actions. Consequently, the sub-merchant Albert van Breugel, or at least a designated Secretary, was promoted to this end, the secretaryship being again delegated to the assistant Johannes Guiljelmus d' Greevenbroeck,26 both of whom are of good capacity to perform their respective duties.
Considering that the present shopkeeper Joannes Mulder,27 a soldier, has been entirely ineligibly called upon for this position and is unable to express the greatest satisfaction regarding the performance of this function, it is understood that he should be discharged and replaced by the former commercial bookkeeper and packhouse master Cornelis Linnes,28 as well as garrison bookkeeper Jan Hendrick Blum,29 who has already performed this function to his complete satisfaction for some time.
Noted and the aforementioned Honourable Commissioner. now proposed is the dilapidated state of the existing water corn mill,30 whereby, in principle, the fact that it is not located in a suitable place due to the continuous lack of water for grinding in the South-East or dry season, the existing miller is barely able to grind as much corn as the Company. monthly to feed the garrison population, and consequently not being able to accommodate the private households and the citizens in general, which gives rise to major complaints and dolefulness every day, wherefore it has been agreed with common advice that at the first opportunity, when the necessary materials and woodwork have been gathered in stock, a new water mill will be built, either in the Tafelvaleij on or near the mountains or elsewhere, where it will be deemed that there will be sufficient water for continuous grinding throughout the year, so that the Comp. and the specific details can be satisfactorily agreed upon, which will also prevent the inconvenience that passing ships often suffer when hauling water through the mill, especially during dry season.
Also, the Commander of the Stel presented to his Honour how the Company's sheep, through breeding, had now increased to a large number and were no longer needed. it is important to preserve these, and especially the young lambs, from mortality during the rainy season, and it is therefore necessary that in some places, where there is good and suitable space, some cages be erected as shelter for the sheep. It was deemed appropriate and understood that this should also be done at the first opportunity, since the Comp. no special expenses will therefore have to be borne to have four such sheep pens constructed, namely one at Clapmuts to store 2,000 sheep, one in Hottentot Holland of similar size, one at Rietvaleij to accommodate a thousand goats, and one at a certain location, Cuijlen Gent, also to accommodate 1,000 boar sheep under the roof, which will significantly reduce the mortality rate among the aforementioned livestock.
Whereas the Noble Lords Majors in the Country have sent us by their Highnesses. have been pleased to write successive letters to the effect that from now on no woodwork, and especially planks, may be decorated, as the ship's holds would be too expensive for this, since it is in the opinion of your Honor. usually comes to a standstill in the ships, whereas here we generally find ourselves short of planks for the necessary repairs and other incidents, as we could still reasonably get our hands on some of the woods, provided we had a suitable sawmill at hand, which was also considered necessary, but since here we will have enough to do first with making what has already been arrested, without having to do other work, as long as it is not completely absolved, to let go of the thoughts so as not to turn everything upside down at once, it has been decided that we should avert the thoughts of that for the time being and with that, until to supersede, when one has more time available.
Due to great necessity, it is considered that a capable and well-navigated vessel be continuously at hand here, in case of ships arriving here, and sometimes, due to their numerous dead and impotent crews, unable to save themselves or sail to this ship. As God has given, several examples of this are given in Comps. ships have been in the utmost extremity and danger due to such coincidences, without having a well-sailed vessel at hand here to send out assistance with people and refreshments in such an occurrence, for which purpose the two large chalioups present are completely unsuitable and unusable due to their bad and very meager sails. It being therefore agreed and understood that at the first opportunity we will present this matter to the Gentlemen our principals from here to the homeland, with the request that their Most Honorable Beloved may be pleased to furnish us with a handy and well-sailed galliot, weighing 30 or 40 lasts, for the purpose of the aforementioned. and that it would further be deemed necessary to be used for the benefit of the E. Company.
Furthermore, noting that, through successive land expeditions northward from the Cape, two years ago, at the suggestion of certain captains of the Namacqua nation, a Cooperberg has been discovered, situated at the southern latitude of … gr … min31. The ore brought from there by our own expedition and smelted by Commander van der Stel, his E. declares that he found it to be very rich in copper, and consequently of merit that the Company. that work was taken up in this regard, as there seem to be good advantages in it, but on the other hand it was considered that the ore or the mineral could hardly be brought back there via the country road in 32 minutes, due to the remote location of the place and the difficulty of the roads, but it should be investigated whether the ore could be collected from there by water and brought back, which according to the statements of the municipal council. nation could be done conveniently, because the Cooperberg in question would not be more than 7 or 8 miles from the sea beach and moreover a suitable bay or inlet for the shelter of a small vessel. So it was decided to discover the truth of one thing and another, with the first opportunity to send a hooker or other vessel, that would be at hand, during the turn of the monsoon, namely in the month of April, towards the aforementioned place, to sail along the coast with the then still blowing easterly winds, and after having done research into the constitution, situation of the place, and how far the aforementioned. Cooperbergh is situated inland and with what facility the ore could be brought to the beach there, or it would be completely impossible to get there with the north winds. Well The voyage can be completed within three to four weeks, after which investigation will be completed, it will be possible to make a final decision on this matter. After consulting with our Honorable Mentors in the Netherlands regarding the true nature of this matter, they will have to await their advice, whether to vigorously pursue this project or abandon it entirely.
Lord John the Baptist Dubert, having purchased from the Company in the month of July of this year a certain dwelling house situated in this Table Valley near the Company. horse stable, without any hereditary certificate having been granted to him up to that date, wherefore as has now been requested, he has consequently agreed that a gross certificate in form be granted in his favour, containing the size of 616 rods and 8 feet.
Original Dutch transcription
Door ‘t optreeden van den opgem. de Man als secunde persoon, meede open en vacant zijnde komen te vallen de plaets van fiscael in loco, welcke gedieningh met een bequaem persoon weder dient te werden gesuppleert, tot hanthavingh der Justitie en weeringe van alle particuliere handelingen, zijnde gevolglijck daer toe gepromoveert den ondercoopman Albert van Breugel, althans g’eligeert Secretaris, zijnde ‘t secretarisschap weeder gedeefereert aen den adsistent Johannes Guiljelmus d’ Greevenbroeck,26 welcke beijde persoonen tot het waerneemen van haere respective bedieninge van goede capaciteijt zijn.
Geconsidereert den presenten winckelier Joannes Mulder,27 een soldaet zijnde, gants oneijgentlijck tot die bedieningh is gevordert en ‘t beste genoegen ontrent ‘t waerneemen van die functie niet en comt te geeven, Soo is verstaen hem daer van te dechargeeren en in zijn plaets te stellen den geweesene negotie boechouderen packhuijsmeester28 Cornelis Linnes, mitsgaders tot guarnisoen boechouder Jan Hendrick Blum29 als die bediening nu al eenigen tijt meede tot volcomen genoegen bekleete-waergenomen hebbende.
In aenmerckinge genoomen en d’ Edle. Hr. Commissaris voornt. voorgestelt zijdnu de bouwvalligheijt van de presente water coornmoolen,30 waer door en wel ten prine cipale dat deselve geensints op een bequame plaets door ‘t continueel gebreck van water om te malen in ‘t Z.Ooster of drooge zaijsoen is g’extrueert, de presente molenaer qualijck maghtigh is om soo veel coorn te malen als de Comp. maendelijx tot spijsinge van ‘t guarnisoensvolcq nodich heeft, en dienvolgende niet vermoogens om de particuliere huijshoudings en de borgers in ‘t generael te connen gerieven, waer over dagelijx groote klagten en doleantien ontstaen, weshalven met gemeen advijs is verstaen dat men bij de eerste gelegentheijt, wanneer de materialen en ‘t houtwerck daer toe noodich in voorraet is versamelt, een nieuwe water coornmoolen sal opregten, ‘t zij in de Tafelvaleij aen of ontrent ‘t gebergte of elders, daer men sal oordeelen ‘t gantsche jaer genoegsaem water te weesen om continueel te connen malen, dat de Comp. en de perticuliere tot genoegen g’accordeert zullen connen werden, waer meede oock sal weesen voorgekomen ‘t ongerieff dat de passeerende scheepen in ‘t waterhalen door de moolen veeltijts insonderheijt in ‘t drooge zaijsoen comen te lijden.
Insgelijx door den Commandeur van der Stel aen zijn Edle. voorgestelt sijnde hoe dat de schapen van de Comp. door aenteelt jegenwoordich tot een groot getal waren g’augmenteert en geen hocken genoech in weesen zijn om deselve en insonderheijt de jonge lammeren in ‘t reegenzaijsoen voor sterfte te conserveeren, en dienvolgende van nootsaeckelijckheijt dat op eenige plaetsen, alwaer goede en bequame wijde is, eenige hocken tot berginge voor de schapen werden opgeregt, Soo is goetgevonden ende verstaen dat almeede met de eerste gelegentheijt, dewijle de Comp. geen sonderlinge onkosten daerom sal behoeven te dragen, vier stux zodanige schapenhocken te laten extrueeren, namentlijck een aen de Clapmuts tot berginge van 2000 schapen, een in Hottentots Holland van gelijcke groote, een aen de Rietvaleij om duijsent bocken te connen plaetsen, mitsgaders een aen seecker oort, de Cuijlen gent., insgelijcx om 1000 moerschapen onder ‘t dack te connen bergen, waermeede in ‘t reguart van de sterfte onder ‘t gemelte vee veel sal uijtgewonnen werden.
Dewijle d’ Edle. Heeren Majores in ‘t Patria ons bij haer Ho. Edle. successive brieven hebben gelieven aen te schrijven van daer voortaen met geene houtwercken en insonderheijt plancken zullen connen werden versien, alsoo de scheepsruijmen daer toe te costelijck vallen, dewijle het haer Ho. Edle. doorgaens aen plaets in de scheepen comt te mancqueeren, daer wij nochtans alhier tot de nodige reparatie en andere voorvallen ons doorgaens om plancken verleegen vinden, daer wij ons gerieff uijt de bosschen noch tamelijck van soude connen magtigh werden, bij aldien een bequaem saagmoolentje daer toe aen de hant hadde, ‘t welck almeede voor nodich wert aengesien, maer dewijl men alhier vooreerst met ‘t maacken van ‘t geen reets g’arresteert is, genoech te doen sal hebben, sonder om andere wercken, soo langh deselve niet t’ eenemael g’absolveert zijn, de gedagten te mogen laten gaen om niet alles te gelijck overhoop te halen, goet gevonden dat men de gedagten daer van soo lange sal moeten afwenden en daermeede, tot na den gelegentheijt wanneer men de handen ruijmer heeft, supercedeeren.
Aengesien van groote nodigheijt wert geconsidereert dat een handich, en wel beseijlt vaertuijch continueel alhier aen de hant is, om bij voorval van scheepen die alhier aencomen, en somwijlen door haer meenigvuldige dooden en impotenten niet magtich zijn om haer selven te connen redden, of dese bhaij te beseijlen, gelijck Godt betert verscheijde exempelen daer van zijn dat Comps. scheepen door zodanige toevallen in de uijtterste extremiteijt en gevaer zijn geweest, sonder dat men alhier een wel beseijlt vaertuijgh aen de hant heeft, om bij zodanigen occurentie tot adsistentie met volck en verversingh daer op uijt te senden, waer toe de twee aenweesende groote chialoupen door haer slegte en gants sobere zeijlagie t’ eenemael onbequaem en niet bruijckbaer zijn, Zijnde overzulx goetgevonden en verstaen dat men met de eerste gelegentheijt van hier na ‘t vaderlant de Heeren onse principalen deese zaeck sal voordragen, met versoeck dat haer Ho.Edle. geliefte magh weesen om ons met een handigh en wel beseijlt galjoot, groot 30 a 40 lasten, te versien om ten fine voors. en daer het wijders ten dienste van d’ E.Comp. toe nodich sal werden geoordeelt, gebruickt te werden.
Zijnde wijders in aenmerckinge genoomen hoe dat men door de successive gedane landtochten noortwaert van de Caap ‘t zeedert twee jaren herwaerts, op de aenwijsingh van seecker capn. der Namacquaese natie, is aengeweesen een Cooperbergh , geleegen op de zuijder breete van … gr … min31 . De erts door de onse die derwaerts zijn geweest van daer gebragt en door den Commandr. van der Stel gesmolten zijnde, verclaert zijn E. deselve seer rijck van cooper te hebben bevonden, en dienvolgende van merite dat de Comp. dat werck bij derhant nam, alsoo daerin goede voordeelen schijnen te resideeren doch daer teegen weder geconsidereert dat de erts off het minerael om de verre gelegentheijt der plaets en moeijelijckheijt der weegen genoegsaem onmogelijck in qt.32 vandaer over den lantwegh sal connen werden herwaerts gebragt, maer ondersogt sal dienen te werden off men te water de erts van daer wel soude connen afhalen en herwaerts brengen, dat volgens ‘t voorgeeven der meergem. natie bequamelijck soude connen geschieden, dewijl de bewuste Cooperbergh niet boven 7 a 8 mijlen van de zeestrant soude weesen geleegen en boven dien een bequaem baaijtje off inham tot berginge van kleen vaertuijgh soude leggen, Soo is goetgevonden om de waerheijt van ‘t een en ander te ontdecken, met de eerste gelegentheijt een hoecker off ander vaertuijch, dat daer toe aen de hant sal weesen, in ‘t kenteren van ‘t mousson, te weeten in de maent April, derwaerts aff te senden, om langs de wal met de als dan noch waijende oostelijcke winden tot de voors. plaets aff te sacken, en na gedaen ondersoeck wegens de constitutie, cituatie der plaets, en hoe verre de voorn. Cooperbergh te landewaert is geleegen en met wat faciliteijt de erts aldaer aen strant soude connen werden gebragt of wel in ‘t geheel zulx niet doenelijck oordeelende met de noorde winden herwaerts te koomen. Welcke voijagie bequamelijck in 3 a 4 weecken sal connen werden afgeleijt, na welck gedaen ondersoeck men eerst bequaem sal weesen om hier ontrent finalijck te resolveeren en waer op alvoorens na gegeeven advijs van de ware geschapentheijt dier zaecke aen de Heeren onse Principalen in ‘t vaderlant haer Ho. Edle. advijs sal moeten werden afgewagt, om dat werck met kragt bij der hant te neemen, of in ‘t geheel te declineeren.
Den luijt. Jan Babtist Dubertijn, in de maent Julij deeses jaers van de Comp. gekogt hebbende seecker woonhuijs, staende ende geleegen in deese Tafelvaleij bij ‘s Comps. paerdestal, sonder dat tot dato daer van een erfbrieff aen hem is verleent, waerom als nu is versoeckende, zijnde hem gevolglijck g’accordeert dat daer vansal werden33 t’ zijner behoeve verleent een grontbrieff in forma, inhoudende de groote van 616 roeden en 8 voeten.