Cape Good Hope 1652-1702

33 Gerrit Vermeulen

(See also item 20.) In 1673 he was time-expired, and therefore wished to return home for discharge.

I then returned to Macassar, to ask leave to return to Batavia; but when I came there, I lost all hope of this, since I learned there that our Nation was at war with the French and English, and therefore imagined that no one would be allowed to leave. But I was very opportunely attacked by a certain palsy in my limbs, which gave me reason to ask for my return; which I obtained, by the help of some of my friends who were much esteemed by the Governor. So I left Macassar on October 13, 1673, in a little ship, taking six weeks to reach Batavia, with no roof but the sky to shelter me from rain, wind and sun, since I lay stretched out without being able to move; and during this time I had nothing to eat but dry rice. So after six weeks I came to Batavia, at which I was as happy as if I had already reached Europe. Being come there I handed myself over to the Indians to be cured, and in a month my palsy was so far decreased that I was able to walk. I therefore decided to leave for Europe, since the fleet was then made ready to return to the Fatherland, although there was great anxiety since the enemy were much feared: but while we were thus undecided there fortunately arrived two ships from Holland bringing good news [of the Peace of Breda]. Eight large ships [by Valentyn Hollandse Tuin, Burgt van Leyden, Prins Willem de Derde, Beemder, Nieuw Middelburg, Buuren, Hof van Breda, Spanbroek] were being loaded to send to the Fatherland: it should be mentioned that the ships leave Batavia for Holland once only in the year, between November and February. We hastened to leave Batavia because the Monsoon* was already half over, and we should have great difficulty in reaching the Cape.

We left Batavia on the 4th of February of 1674; and no sooner was I aboard than

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I wished that I had stayed ashore, since I must help to wash down and clean the ship and do all the work of a sailor. In a word, I was almost in despair; but when I saw that all this work and trouble was aimed only to the speedier attainment of our purpose, and considered the journey of the Children of Israel to the land of Canaan, which lasted for forty years and in which they suffered great hunger and thirst, I thought myself fortunate since I saw that my journey would last for a few months only.

We arrived at the Cape of Bone Esperance three months after leaving Batavia, but not without great danger on the way, since in the latitude of Madagascar a heavy squall blew our foremast overboard, which made it impossible for us to keep up with the fleet. It can well be imagined what toil had to be endured, since despite this we must continue our voyage. I was free from all this toil, since I had again become palsied, and lay on a sea-chest at the mercy of the waves which at every moment broke over me. Nevertheless, we reached the Cape eight days before our fleet came there [dr 25/4 Beemster, 2/5, 5/5 others: he was therefore in the named ship] so that our crew was already half refreshed. But I remained in a pretty bad state in the Hospital*, whither I had been taken, and could hardly eat, and must therefore make do with what I was given, so that I suffered great hunger: since each of us, fully two hundred in number, received daily not more than two ounces of bread, and a piece of mutton as big as an egg, as can be imagined since a sheep must be divided into two hundred pieces.

When our fleet was refreshed and provided with everything, all those in the Hospital who were fit and able must go aboard again. Not wishing to be among the last, for fear of being left ashore, I went into the shallop* to embark; but I was greatly disappointed since when I was seen walking on three legs I was sent back to the Hospital. Then I lost all hope of completing my journey, and greatly feared to have to remain at the Cape; and indeed one is as badly treated there as in Turkey, since the soldiers there must continually labour, and have nothing to eat but dry rice only, so that I wished myself back at Batavia. At last I decided to go aboard for the second time, where I was received with much difficulty. During the fifteen days that we yet remained in the roadstead to await our Vice-Admiral, I was in great fear lest I be sent ashore again were I seen thus lying flat, so that for three weeks I hid behind the casks which were set between the two upper decks.

Having long awaited our Vice-Admiral's ship [Middelburg: dr 13/11/74], and seeing that she did not arrive, we weighed anchor [dr 3/6] and set our course for the island of Fernando, sixty miles from Brazil and on three-and-a-half degrees from the Equator, to see if our Vice-Admiral were there, since this was the place agreed upon should any of our ships be unable to reach the Cape de Bone Esperance; but on arriving there we found no ship, nor any sign which he should have left had he been there. It was judged that his ship had been lost, since, while we were at the Cape, a ship had been seen from the top of a hill [Lions Head: the sighting not in dr] lying there near the shore, which steered directly for the Cape, but which suddenly disappeared because of the contrary wind, and therefore it was believed that she was lost because all her crew lay sick and could barely work her.

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This island Fernando is only seven miles around, and has for some time been uninhabited. Before this it was inhabited by the Portuguese, since it is very fertile, and they would not have left it could they have remained there in peace; but the Dutch privateers in the last war repeatedly attacked and despoiled them, since they had no fortress or defence and dwelt there only as farmers. There are various strange things on this island: for example on the top of a hill lying near the sea is a stone image carved by nature, which looks just like a monk and is therefore called Fernando [Noronha, but named for the 1504 discoverer]. It is about twenty fathoms thick and a hundred high. A great number of large birds is found there, which let themselves be killed with sticks without taking to flight: they are as large as herons and very good to eat, although they have a gamy smell. We caught many fish on lines there, but found no fresh water. We also took a great quantity of wild goats, our skipper and the officers being continually out hunting.

After we had been there for four days we weighed anchor to continue our voyage. Fifteen days after leaving there we saw a Portuguese ship coming from Brazil and bound for Lisbon. When we neared her, the skipper came aboard to show his Pass*. He was asked for news from Europe, and told us that peace had been made between the English and the Dutch, which greatly rejoiced us. This Portuguese skipper was very well received on board our Admiral, and many toasts were drunk, at each of which a gun was fired. This ship came most conveniently for us, providing us with tobacco, which we lacked, and we bartered linens and other things for tobacco and sugar. When the evening came the Portuguese skipper took leave of our Admiral, to return to his ship, and was saluted by five guns as he went into his boat, to which his ship replied with seven guns. Our Admiral thanked him with three more, to which he replied with five. This was a fortunate day for us, since all our skippers were gay, and gave their crews wine, so that everyone was contented. Three weeks after this we had more definite news of the peace between the English and the Dutch, meeting a small English ship coming from England and bound for New England, which also told us that peace had been made. Thus we were no longer so apprehensive as we had been until then, since we no longer should have to fight more than one enemy. Three weeks later we sighted three warships, which caused us great perplexity, since we did not know if they were friends or foes; but when we neared them we saw that they were Dutch warships, sent out to await and escort us. It cannot be doubted what joy this gave us. From these ships [cruisers*] we received all sorts of refreshment, which made us forget all the discomforts we had suffered, since during all our voyage we had received nothing but rice and dry food. We got also much refreshment when we were near an island which lies behind Scotland [Northabout*] since as we sailed by, the inhabitants came aboard with small vessels laden with fresh mussels, fish and fowl. We bartered linen and old shirts for fish and fowls, and each of us provided himself for the rest of the journey, which would not be longer than ten days. Those who live on this island live as if savages: they have no bread to eat, but only dry fish which they use in place of bread. There are many sheep there, and one can buy a large leg of mutton for

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two stivers.

After we had received this food and refreshment we were less content than before, since now we had no thought other than of getting ashore now that we were so near home, and the days seemed to us like months. Six days later we saw from afar off a little herring-fisher, which made for us since he was sure that we were the East India fleet, and when he neared us he welcomed us after his manner. Our Admiral had the shallop* launched to bring her skipper, so as to have verbal news from him, which however was not very good news for us, since his companion, another fisherboat, had been taken by the privateers from Dunkirk, and he himself had twice escaped by rowing. We were greatly astonished that we should meet with such danger so near land. Our Admiral sent this fisherman to Amsterdam, to take the news of our coming to the Proprietors of the Company, promising him more money than he would have won with all his fishing, and he had been under way only three days.

Two days after this we saw in the evening a Dutch privateer which had lost one of her masts. We made for her, and on nearing her asked if we were yet far from the coast: he said that we were not more than fifteen miles from the Texel, although we could not think that we were so near there. We passed that night in great impatience, hoping to enter the next day. When day broke each looked out as closely as he could, to spy land, since our skipper had promised a certain sum of money to him who should first sight land. We sailed slowly onwards, since we awaited our fleet, which was so far behind us that we could not see it. At ten in the morning we saw five towers, which we thought were five little ships since they were on the seashore; but at last we found that they were churches, so that we were near land. An hour later we sighted land, and found ourselves at the place where we must enter: we therefore took in all our sails, and fired our guns to advise our fleet following us. We let fly all our flags, setting them to our masts. An hour later we saw a galliot* making directly for us, to put a pilot aboard us to bring us in. We entered that same day, a Sunday, at three in the afternoon. On the right side of the passage a village lies, called de Helder, the inhabitants of which ran out of church, and stood on the shore to call Welcome! Welcome! to us. All the ships that lay in the roads welcomed us with firing of their guns, and we thanked them in the same fashion. When we were come in the pilot who had brought us in also welcomed us, and said we were now out of danger. At once the bells were rung, so that each should be given wine, and I can add that we were unbelievably happy. Soon after we took in our sails and let fall our anchor, but as soon as it had reached the ground such a strong wind arose that we must strike our topmasts and lower our yards. When this wind was over, a little ship was sent to Amsterdam to take the news to the Lords Proprietors, who came on the following Wednesday morning to us with many vessels, to take the folk to Amsterdam. When they were come aboard the bell was rung to assemble everyone on the upper deck. When we were assembled, the Proprietors asked if we were well content, and when we had replied Yes, they said to us: The Company thanks you for the good service that you have shown it, and releases you from your oaths - since it must be mentioned that when one comes

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aboard to sail for the Indies, everyone must take such an oath. Being thus freed from our oaths we went into the vessels to go to Amsterdam, where we arrived that same evening at ten o'clock, so that we must remain in them all that night. Next day we came ashore at Amsterdam, where my astonishment was as great as when I first arrived at Batavia.