[1652]
Commonwealth in England. Louis XIV of France for the whole fifty years. Dutch war with Portugal continues. June 30 England declares war on Holland.
Background - from official documents in the archives
9/4 ... Commander van Riebeeck went ashore early in the morning, where today he marked out the Fort* completely ...
24/4 ... We went ashore with all our baggage and family to stay there in a wooden hut ...
27/4 ... suitable for cultivation, if only there were enough men for it ... [Chinese or Malays] or even also Hollanders ... who could be allowed on certain terms to work some plots of land ...
15/5 ... This afternoon we gave the Fort the name of Goede Hoope, by orders of our Lords and Masters ....
26/6 ... we had a cast made with the net, which was so filled that the purse tore entirely away, and yet fully 10 thousand fish were taken....
22-24/8 ... planted some medlar and quince pips ... when it begins to be warmer we intend to plant some lemon- and apple-pips which we brought from the Fatherland....
26/9 ... The men begin to grumble at the continual toilsome work ... also at the food....
2/10 ... resolved to put the oil-burners on this side of the Salt River behind a high sand-dune just within the mouth of the said river ... on this same sand-dune a small redoubt [Duynhoop] ... is to be built of sods....
12/10 ... all who can use a spade set to dig in order to raise the walls [of the Fort] somewhat higher (being as yet only 7 feet high)....
2/11 ... we have today reduced the bread ration by ½ pound....
11/11 ... the food is getting so scarce that in future it will be impossible to give the men what they need, much less their fill....
14/11 ... we hope to have a reasonable quantity of [seal*] skins ... by the time the return-fleet arrives, and to send them to the Fatherland ... they would be worth a great deal of money ...
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