Cape Good Hope 1652-1702

72 John Bonnell

Transcribed from xerographs of his log (MR 89) kept in Chandos. All his dates are of course Old Style*. Sailed outwards February 4, 1689 for Madras.

July 1689. Mundy the 15th [dr 25/7].... Anchord* with our best bower and moored with our small bower to the Eastwards with these Bearings ... Pengwin Iland from the NWbNo. to the NbWt: Grenepoint WNWt ... Jameses Mount or lyons Rump W½So. Sugar Loaf WSWt: Wtly. the fflagstaff on the ffort Bastion [Katzenellenbogen] SSWt: wtly: the bridge where we land [Jetty*] WbSo - Charles Mount So½wt: we rod about two miles from the shoar which is to far off but we found here three Dutch Ships [see below] which lay within us and we could not well birth ourselvs any nearer. We came in as I have sayd to the Et: ward of Pengwin Iland (which the Dutch call Robin Iland) but there is very good chanell betwene the Iland and grenepoint ... when yow come near the Iland yow may discern on it two or thre houses were they hoist Dutch colours and while yow are far in the sea yow may discern (if the weather be clear) the Dutch colours on the very top of the Sugar Loaf were a watchman is kept who spreads his colours when he sees ships and in a convenient place guns are mounted with which upon the Aproach of ships

[p. 368]

he alarms the adjacent parts - Att my arivall in this port I saluted the Governour with 13 guns who very civilly as offen as I shott returnd me gun for gun. The Bay in which ride (and which the Dutch call Table Bay) is very spacious ... nearer to the Landing bridge [Jetty] yow ride the better yow secure yow self from the NWt. sea and winde which sometimes is very troublesome in this place - But what the people of this place relate of the force of the SEt. wind is almt. past creditt but may serv to warn us that we must sometimes expect in this place a hard road stead the country is pleasant in many places very rich soil and abounds with many good things -

Att my arivall here I found rideing in the Road three Dutch ships two ready to sail for Batavia [dr 12/7] and one being a flyboat* bound for Holland [dr 3/8, ‘flute’] here were likewise four sloops belonging to the place [not identified] - the same day that we came in arivd likewise a Dutch ship from Holland [dr 25/7] who parted thence the midst of January past had touchd att St. Iago notwithstanding had buryed in their passage 70 men and there Comander and brought many more in very sick their complyment of men when they came out was with seamen and souldiers 260 persons.

The Governour could not spare us any room in the Hospitall* for our sick therefore I was obliged to provide houses in the Town for them which att last I did att the extravagant rate of two spanish dollars for one room for a night three rooms I took att this rate less not being sufficient for the number of sick we had -

Tuesday the 16th: was spent in Landing our sick which were of our ships company 47 and of the souldiers 35 these all helpless and forced to remain on shore besides 25 seamen and souldiers that went on shore to walk every day had their Dyet on shore but returnd on board these being such as were able to walk and needed not the takeing of house att the excessive rate - Lowered our yards and topmasts.

Wednesday the 17th: ... built a float stage and prepared for the heeling our ship to scrub and pay* her.

Thursday the 18th: heeled our ship scrubd her and payd her as far as we could reach [4 died, including ‘one of our french souldiers’ making a total of 53 deaths].

Ffryday the 19th: Imployed our selvs in righting and cleaning our ship and triming of water caske* [another death].

Saturday the 20th: Smoaked our ship with tar sprinkled her with vinegar [another death].

Sunday the 21st: This morning perceivd our best bower anchor* to have started* tho: wee have had noe hard gale to strain on him not withstanding fearing he was foul we fetchd it aboard stopeing our ship with a small anchor and hawser till we carryed it our again this day the two ships bound for India chose to depart tho: not a breath of wind they warped* three or four warpe then a small breeze helpd them out.

Munday 22d: fair weather gave our Larboard Watch leave to goe on shoar to walk -

Tuesday the 23rd: Base dirty weather ... being forced to send our Deal yeol [yawl*] on shoar for Provisions by carelessness of our people on shoar she broke away

[p. 369]

from the bridge [Jetty*] without any person in her and drove cross the Bay and we know not yet what is be come of her -

Wednesday the 24th: untoward weather [no signs of boat].

Thursday the 25th: ... our people found our yeol here a shoar bulged [bilged*] ... this day wee tard our standing rigging [56th death].

Ffryday the 26th: ... our Longboat* made three turns for water this day ... about 4 clo: this morn the Dutch fflyboat* bound for Holland sett sayl [dr 3/8] by whome I sent letters [57th death].

Saturday the 27th: [yawl repaired and brought aboard].

Sunday the 28th: fair weather our men went shore to Walk.

[29th-31st loading stores and water. August 1-5 water, minor repairs, tar.]

Tuesday the 6th: ... our seamen that were put on shoar sick returnd on board well.

Wednesday the 7th: Cloudy hasey weather....

Thursday the 8th: ... the Dutch ship that came in with us sailed hence for Batavia going out betwene Pengwine and grenepoint, about 7 clo: this Evening ... our small bower cable broke we lett goe our Sheet anchor* which together with our best bower brought the ship up....

Ffryday the 9th: ... we ffetched aboard our sheet anchor and our small bower with the p [piece] of cable to it about 50 ffaths hove our ship over into her birth again with a hawser and small anchor then moored with our stream anchor* and cable....

Saturday the 10th: ... stayd fforeward our foremast and sett up our fore shrouds....

Sunday the 11th: very fair weather -

Munday the 12th: ... we got up our yards and topmasts most of our people from the shoar being come off. This day arrived here a Dutch ship from Zealand [dr 22/8] ... bound for the Iland of Zeloan ... hath buryed 22 men brought many sick ... in the afternoon the winde Blowing very fresh strook our yards and topmasts again.

Tuesday the 13th: ... sent our Long boat on shore to bring of all persons belonging to me there and what provisions and grene trade or what els we designed to cary from this place ... some two or three days since we missed three of our souldiers & one of my seamen by favour of the Governour I got souldiers to be sent to search the country one of my souldiers they brought back with them but the other three persons could not be found....

Wednesday the 14th: ... about noon sprang up a fine gale at SbEt: we imbraced the opportunity to sayl about ane of clo: were aweigh and stered of [dr 24/8]....