Cape Good Hope 1652-1702

Background - continued

24/4/1672 ... the [return-] fleet raised anchors and set sail ...

19/5 ... a cook's mate in Pijl able to distil brandy ... trial made ... as excellent as could be wished ...

30/5 ... the ships Jonge Prins and Laren ... raised anchor ... in the afternoon those bound for Mauritius set sail, namely the Pijl, Goutvinck and Boogh ...

30/7 ... a ship tacked into the bay, but was compelled to anchor on the far side ...

31/7 ... the flute* Saxenburgh ... left April 16 last ... storm of war between the King of Great Britain and France on the one side against our State on the other ...

2/10 ... arrived ... Zuyd Polsbroek, and in her the Hon. Governor GOSKE ...

14/10 [Census 64 freemen, 53 ‘lent*’, 486 cattle, 6172 sheep, 38 horses, 39 wives, 65 children, 63 slaves]

16/10 ... resolved to take possession of the Hottentots Hollandt in accordance with the orders of our Lords and Masters, and to send thither Serjeant Cruythoff with 12 or 14 men ...

30/11 ... resolved to carry out the exploit at the island of Saint Helena at once, using for this the flute* Cattenburgh and the little ship Vliegende

[p. 166]

Swaan [but the Resolutions of 30/11 have ‘the ships Vrijheijt, Polsbroeck and Cattenburgh with the addition of the little flute Vliegent Swaentje ... 330 men, being 180 soldiers and 150 sailors’]

6/12 ... a ship with Danish colours ... must anchor under the tail of the Lion Hill ...

9/12 ... since it was thought that if the Danish ship came from the Indies she might well continue her homeward voyage via Saint Helena, and ... reveal our designs on that place ... therefore the skipper of the little flute the Vliegende Swaan was sent ... in case she came from the Indies to persuade her to come to the roads ...

10/12 ... the Danish ship Oldenburgh outward bound had had a most disastrous long passage, and was burdened with many sick. [Her Merchant* called on the Governor and was allowed to buy unrestrictedly from the freemen, and was entertained to dinner: had sailed on April 23 with 154 men, losing 16 on the journey, now with 50 very sick and the rest unable to handle the ship]

11/12 ... Oldenburgh reached the roads about 5 o'clock ...

13/12 ... the fleet [see 30/11] raised anchor and set sail ...