Cape Good Hope 1652-1702

[p. 54]

[9] From item 9, Cap: de bona Esperanza

9 Albrecht Herport
(Plates 9 & 10)

(See also item 17.) His ‘Neue Ost-Indianische Reisebeschreibung’ was published at Berne in 1669, and reprinted at The Hague in 1930. No complete English translation seems to exist, although the parts dealing with Ceylon were translated in ‘Germans in Dutch Ceylon’ (Colombo 1953) with my notes and two of the plates. An especially interesting feature of the book is that these plates, although redrawn and signed by some other draughtsman, were obviously based on sketches made by Herport himself on the spot, and not on the imaginations of artists who had never left Europe, like most of those in the earliest travel-books. This is obvious if his view of Table Mountain (Plate 9) is compared with a photograph - with, for example, the frontispiece of one edition of the Cape Town guidebook published by the Cape Peninsula Publicity Association: its accuracy makes it possible to say just where Herport sat to make his sketch, on the Bloubergstrand. (The foreground is, of course, an example of such ‘imaginations’, with Europeanised Hottentots and an armour-plated rhinoceros such as these were thought to be in early days.)

[p. 55]

Herport was born at Berne, and enlisted as a soldier with the Dutch East-India Company in Amsterdam, sailing on May 29, 1659 from Vlie in Malacca (Hague codex 4389 folio 49). Moorish pirate driven off in the Channel. Rationing from June 10: for each daily a can* of water and the eighteenth part of a can of brandy, and weekly four lb. of biscuit. July 20 crossed the Equator ‘in great and almost intolerable heat, so that more than the half of us lay sick, and for several days on end three or four died daily.... On the Line it happened that a soldier, by name Peter Anderes, forgetfully lay by night in the moonlight, by which for about a month his mouth and eyes were twisted to the side, but after this returned as they had been.’ Rations reduced on September 2 to half a can of water and 2½ lb. of biscuit; ‘and similarly also all the other victuals’.

On the 21st of September we saw a Nord-Capper, this being a small kind of Whale, and also some sea-dogs, from which the Master and the Mates could see that we must not be far from the coast of Africa, as also they found from the altitude of the sun at noon. Therefore the Master ordered, that diligent watch for land be kept by day and night, and at the same time promised 6 rixdollars and 4 cans of Spanish wine to him who should first sight the same.

On the 25th in the early morning there was a glad shout from the foremast of ‘Land! Land!’ which caused no little joy among us all. About an hour later we could all see the land, and recognised it for the coast of Africa and for the Promontory Caput bonae Spei whither we were bound. About 3 in the afternoon we passed between [sic] the Roben and Taxen [Dassen] Islands, and came safely into the harbour and dropped anchor there [but dr 5/10]: that same night we must strike our yard and topmast [read ‘yards and topmasts’] because of the heavy winds. And water was now issued freely, which caused so great a joy among us, that it cannot be described in words, and would appear incredible to any who had not himself experienced it, since before this many had only one desire, once again to drink his fill of water before his death, which desire however he could not fulfil until now. Next day the longboat* and the two shallops* were launched and rowed to the land, where our Master was very well received by the Commandeur at the Fort, who at once sent us 2 cows and 6 sheep, as also all sorts of green vegetables such as cabbage; and among these also radishes, which we, from our great longing and hankering for fresh food, ate with leaves and stalks, and drank the lovely fresh water as if it had been good new wine.

In this harbour there lay at anchor also another ship, named the Erasmus, of Rotterdam, which the year previous had sailed with the fleet from Batavia on the island of Java, but had been driven away from the fleet by a storm, and came here only after 9 months [dr 25/9: see also in item 10]. During this time they suffered great lack of food and drink, so that most of the crew died therefrom, and as a result the ship could hardly be handled. Also she was so damaged that she must be bound thrice with iron chains, so that she should not completely fall apart.

[p. 56]

Short Description of this Promontory of Africa, called Capo de Bona Sperança.

This land is the outermost point of Africa towards the South [sic]. There are many high hills there, of which three are named as the chief: the first, Table Mountain, because the top looks as flat as a table; the second, Lion Hill; and the third Wind Hill or Devil's Hill. Below the Table Mountain the Dutch East-India Company has a strong fort, well garrisoned with soldiers, to keep the country here safe.

The Place is held by the Dutch only in order that the ships coming from Holland or the Indies may be able to provide themselves with fresh food and drink and other necessities, and if they have any sick on board can leave them there to be cured.

There are many freemen* there (which were sent thither from Holland with their wives and children [sic]) who cultivate the land with grain and all sorts of garden-fruits. The company itself does much trade there with the natives, giving tobacco, beads, copper wire, as also brass and copper Nurnberg-wares, in exchange for cows, sheep, and other things which the natives give for these.

These natives, who are an ugly race of people, are called Hottentots. They are black-skinned, their hair is like wool (in which they resemble the natives of Angola). They live like savages of little intelligence. They smear their hair with a certain cut up herb [see Hottentots, Buchu*] mixed together with lard and the fat of sheep and cows, and hang in their hair little mussels and other seashells. Their clothing is the undressed fur or hide of goats, sheep, or also of wild beasts, and around their private parts they have only a scrap of fur. The women have on their arms and legs many brass and copper rings, as also in their ears.

When the Dutch kill any sheep, cattle, etc., they (the Hottentots) take the guts between their fingers and press out the dung: then they lay the same on a fire, let it roast a little and so eat it; and what they cannot eat they wind around their arms and legs. Round their necks they wear many pieces of tortoise-shell, also red and white beads.

From the males in their youth the right testicles* are cut away, because they are by nature very hot for the female sex.

Their religion or divine service is addressed to the sun and the moon, which they honour and pray to. When the moon is full or new they come together the whole night on the seashore, and make a large fire and dance around it, with great shouting and much playing on drums and other instruments.

These folk are very swift runners, and skilled in stone-throwing and the use of Hassagayen, which they throw by hand; and are also very skilled with bows* and arrows.

In this land are many wild beasts, such as lions, which come by night below the Fort and dig up the dead from the graves around. There are also many rhinoceroses, tigers, elephants, wild horses [Zebras or Quaggas], porcupines (which dwell in the jungle and are shot by the hunters and eaten as a very tasty game: they defend themselves by shooting their spines [sic] at the dogs), also deer, which are as large as an ordinary horse.

[p. 57]

The sheep which the natives have are much like our sheep, except for the tail which is very wide and long, and very fat: sheep are met with having tails of thirty pounds weight and more. As well as various sorts of apes and baboons there are also many ostriches here, which lay their eggs here and there to be incubated by the sun [sic].

In the port there is an abundance of good fish; also Sea-Cows, having the head and forefeet something like cows, and very good to eat. Also a sort of small whales called Nord-Capers, and another sort of fish called by the Dutch Trillfisch, which are round and blown out in shape but not very large; and if anyone touch this fish, his hand and whole arm are lamed, but soon recover of themselves....

After we had lain nine days there we were ordered aboard, and began to raise the anchor and set the sails, and on the 3rd of October [dr 22/10] sailed out to sea with a salute of 3 guns....

Then Cocos Islands, Java, Formosa. 1663 at capture of Cochin and Cannanore. Ceylon until 1666, then Batavia for repatriation.