Cape Good Hope 1652-1702

7 Wouter Schouten
(Plate 8)

(And see item 14.) He was baptised at Haerlem in 1638, and died in 1704. ‘Impelled by the combined longings for travel and for learning’ he had himself taken on by the Dutch East-India Company as a Ship's Surgeon in March 1658 at Amsterdam. His ‘Oost-Indische-Voyagie...’ appeared there in 1676: there were later Dutch editions, and at least two French translations. The following is translated from the original edition: it was much drawn on by later writers, at times word for word, Hesse (item 42) being an outstanding thief.

He embarked at Texel in the flute* Nieuwpoort, sailing with Dolphijn and the flute Leerdam on April 16, 1658 (Hague codex 4389, folio 48). Channel. Canaries. Abrolhos in June: July still southwards.

Having thus far won towards the South, we now hoped before long on this course to see the Cabo de Bon Esperance, this falling out so well (according to our desires) that as we neared it we found ourselves before the Table Bay, into which, after three days of

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endeavour, we arrived [dr 25/7] safe and happy in front of the Dutch Castle of Good Hope, thanking the Lord GOD for His fatherly aid thus far shown us.

Being come here we found no ships from the Fatherland [Leerdam arrived 8/8 only, Dolphijn not traced], so that we alone guarded the large Table Bay, and from then on we had to make ready to provide ship and crew with all necessities. To this end our diligent sailors brought the sweet crystal fluid from shore, from one of the best-flowing rivers; and firewood for the journey from the African jungles of which sufficient are to be found inland. We also received on board an abundance of good refreshing, consisting of all sorts of beasts, and especially of African sheep, with which we were richly provided. We received also much lovely pot-herbs, besides cabbages, carrots, lettuce, radishes and water-lemons, as also other greenstuffs, which for the most part came from Dutch seeds sown, planted and cultivated here, to the benefit not only of the Dutch living here, but also of the ships touching, who could be thus supplied. But as regards the fruits, these were now scarce, since it was the middle of the Winter. We tried also a cast with the dragnet, and took fully 300.

I went ashore with our Clerk, to observe the state and condition of the place. We then saw with great pleasure and astonishment the pleasant, fine and lovely land of the Cape of Good Hope, being the southernmost point [sic] of Africa, in which we found heaven-high hills, steep rocks, terrible wastes, lovely valleys, fields and farms. There the Dutch farmers now more and more have sought to bring the land around into better conditions, by spading and digging, sowing and mowing, ploughing and planting, and already were bringing butter, cheese, milk and all sorts of fruits and vegetables for sale to the Dutch, especially around and in the Dutch Fort*. In this Castle dwelt the subjects and Servants of the Company, and outside it the freemen* from our Fatherland had settled themselves, each having an eye to his own benefit. The latter, I mean the freemen, build houses of lime and brick and they have well known how to get along as opportunity served in the growth of the Colony here, first begun not long ago, and also to earn a profitable living.

I and my travelling-companion the Clerk made various trips by land here, and also climbed up the Lion-Hill, thus called for its shape as also for the lions that are sometimes shot and taken there. Along our way, as also above on the hill, we found it set with pleasant herbs, long grass and many well-smelling flowers, but with few trees. We went towards its topmost peak, which reaches into the clouds in the misty air, but could not reach the top because of the rocky steeps, although we indeed came near to it. After this in the green valley [Kloof Nek] sloping down between the Lion and Table-Hills we took great pleasure in watching the agile leaping and clambering of the roebucks, little steenboks and such wild animals, which well knew how to make their way upwards by leaping among the steep cliffs and rocks. But our pleasure here did not last long, since in the middle of our close examination we saw a lion not far from us, which, coming into sight from behind the stones and rocks, at once hid itself again in the undergrowth and scrub. This we did not at all regret, since truly the sight scared us. So we returned to the shore,

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[8] From Schouten, item 7. The details of the Lions Head and Rump are exceptionally clear, though the heights of the hills are exaggerated, and the Platteklip Gorge appears to be shown as a ridge (as in his text, page 86). The Fort is reasonably accurate, with the flag on the Reiger bastion. Note the shallops under sail.

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this serving us as a warning not to go thus far inland without a gun.

But nothing brought us more novelty and amusement than looking at the entirely wild men whom we saw along the shore in whole troops. These were Hottentots, thus called by us and other Nations, because of their clucking speech, like the noise of turkeyhens [see Hottentots*, Name]. They, men, women and children, go entirely naked except that sometimes now in the wintertime because of the cold, they hang over their shoulders a smeary, dirty and stinking seal- or other beast-skin, which barely covers their dirty buttocks. By night they creep together in whole troops like beasts under the trees or in the open in ditches and holes. They came daily to us for tobacco. Their food and nourishment was utterly miserable, like their life and condition.

We will tell somewhat more concerning these miserable folk on our return journey, and then also briefly show the conditions of these parts of Southern Africa. Now we resume our voyage.

We had now covered about two thousand miles* of our journey, and had yet another distance of sixteen hundred miles remaining before we could reach our destination, and come to the Capital of the Dutch East (I mean Batavia). And therefore seeking to go onwards, and being now ready, we left [dr 1/8] the Cape de bon Esperance, or the land of Good Hope, after we had thanked the Commandeur Rietbeeck in command there for all his courtesies and had taken a friendly farewell of him. Being come out of the Bay we put out to sea, and set our course southwards (being a hundred and seventy souls) to reach the usual westerly trade-winds.

Batavia, Amboina, Macassar, Ceylon, Coromandel, Malabar (capture of Quilon etc.), Malacca etc. until December 1664.