Cape Good Hope 1652-1702

[p. 255]

51 John Tyrell
(Plate 31)

Transcribed from photographs of Sloane MS 854, British Museum: also partially transcribed in QB December 1952. Log kept in H.M.S. Phenix, bound for India. All dates are of course Old Style*.

27th March 1685. This day at 6 in the Morng we see Severall Corus Trunks [Trombas] and peeces of Trees and 3 albitros by which Sines we did judge that we Could not be far from the Shore at 8 we Se 3 Mangofalugos [Mangas de Velludo, Velvet Sleeves] and at 10 we See the Table Land Bearing ENE distnce by Estimatn 10 Lgs.

....

Ditto we Munted 10 Gunes and Stocked 2 anghors and Clered oure Ship, we Stearing for Saldine bay and at 4 we was abrest of the Suger Lofe, haueing the Cape to beare S by E and at ½ past 7 we Got in betwene Pengwine Island and the Shore and anghored [dr 7/4]....

The 28th Ditto at 6 in the Morning we waighed and New Berthed our Ship goeing furder in and anghored in 7 fadam haueing the westernmost point [Mouille Point] to bear Wt ½ So and the Body of Pengwine Island to beare NNW½W and the Town SWbS and at 8 Came in a great duch Ship [Ridderschap van Holland] which Come from amsterdam and bound for Batauia at 9 our Second Lieutenant, Mr Bingo, went in the Bardg* ashore and the Longboat followed hime, haveing Caske* in her, and found Good wattering the duch was Very Sivill in thayer expression in promising to supply us with any thing that thayer place did afford.

We filled 41 Tunns of Watter and bought Sum Sheep at 2 doller and a halfe each at a hous distane from the Towne about a Mile by a small River in the bay [Salt River ?] but at the Towne they Sould none Under 4 dollers. There is plenty of foules 5 for a doller, and Green Trade as Cabetches, Carrets, Millions [Melons] and Jnions [Onions], but deare they have wine that they make there at 9d a quart the Nearst prise and frute as Quinces plenty and aples Sum Small Quantity in the Companyes Garden*, and other frutes.

From the 28th Until the 31st in which Time we fild oure watter heeld oure Ship and fitted Sum of oure Rigeing and Block which was Chaft and worne. I was a Shore Severall Times the duch Makeing great inquiry for brandy and Chees but it was not Suferd to Come a Shore Except you brought it so that thayer Custom Masters did not see it. Nither is any of the Inhabitance Suferd to goe a board of any Ship for the Gouerner would not admit any one to Come a board of us, only a young man which did belong to hime.

[p. 256]

[31] From item 51. Note the misidentification of the Devil's Peak as ‘Sugar Lofe’, and the two jetties.

[p. 257]

We Sould Sum brandy to the Quantity of 10 Gallone for a doller and a half per Galone and Chees 5 pound for a doller.

We Could not get any Catle, only Sheep are plenty wood is Very Deare in the Time that we lay ther the weather was Moderat and Sumtimes we had gusts of wind and Raine at SSE and So but it did not Last Long the wind Verable from the No to the WNW & to the SE but for the Most part it Laye at the SSE and WNW Moderat gales.

Thayer Moneys are Spanish dolers and they pase but for 4 Shilling they are of all Coines but Small Moneyes is Sumthing Lease.

The 3rd of aprell we had the wind at SSE a fresh gale haueing Ended all our Bisnes we waied at 6 in the Morng [dr 13/4] and at 8 we Lay by for aboat which Came out of the Bay after us, and went on board of the Prudent Mary in which Time we Got in oure boats and Stowed oure anghors.

At 9 we Made Saile at 12 at Noone the Suger Lofe boare ESE ½ E distance by Estimation 3 Lgs and at 4 in the Eveng Cape boanesprance boare SEbE distance by Estimatn 10 Lgs from whence I doe take my depart home God preserve....