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75 William Dampier
(Plates 56 & 57)
(And see item 101.) From his ‘New Voyage Round the World ...’, London 1697 etc. After many adventures, chiefly in the West Indies and South America, and largely with ‘privateers’ (or pirates!) he found himself employed as a military engineer in the English fort at Bencoolen in Sumatra, but ‘slipped away’ to join Captain Heath's Defence of the English East-India Company. His dates are Old Style*.
And then we set sail for the Cape of Good Hope, on January 25, 1691 ... We had not been at sea long, before our men began to droop, in a sort of distemper that stole insensibly on them, and proved fatal to above 30, who died before we arrived at the Cape [scurvy]. We had sometimes two and once three men thrown overboard in a morning.
This distemper was so universal, that I do believe there was scarce a man in the Ship, but languished under it; yet it stole so insensibly on us, that we could not say we were sick, feeling little or no pain, only a weakness, and but little stomach. Nay most of those that died in this Voyage, would hardly be perswaded to keep their Cabbins, or Hammacks, till they could not stir about; and when they were forced to lye down, they made their Wills, and piked off in 2 or 3 days.
The loss of these men, and the weak languishing condition that the rest of us were in, rendered us uncapable to govern our Ship, when the wind blew more than ordinary. This often happened when we drew near the Cape, and as oft put us to our trumps to manage the Ship. Captain Heath, to incourage his men to their labour, kept his watch as constantly as any man, tho sickly himself, and lent an helping hand on all occasions. But at last, almost despairing of gaining his passage to the Cape, by reason of the Winds coming Southerly, and we having now been sailing 8 or 9 weeks, he called all our men to consult [Council*] about our safety, and desired every man, from the highest to the lowest, freely to give his real opinion and advice, what to do in this dangerous juncture; for we were not in a condition to keep out long; and could we not get to Land quickly, must have perished at Sea. He consulted therefore whether it were best to beat still for the Cape, or bear away for Johanna, where we might expect relief, that being a place where our outward bound East India Ships usually touch, and whose Natives are very familiar; but other places, especially St. Laurence, or Madagascar, which was nearer, was unknown to us. We were now so nigh the Cape that with a fair Wind we might expect to be there in 5 or 5 days; but as the Wind was now, we could not hope to get thither. On the other side, this Wind was fair to carry us to Johanna: but then Johanna was a great way off; and if the Wind should continue as it was, to bring us into a true Trade wind, yet we could not get thither under a fortnight; and if we should meet calms, as we might probably expect, it might be much longer. Besides, we should lose our passage
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about the Cape till October or November, this being about the latter end of March, for after the 10th of May 'tis not usual to beat about the Cape, to come home. All circumstances therefore being weight and considered, we at last unanimously agreed, to prosecute our Voyage towards the Cape, and with patience wait for a shift of Wind.
... In a short time after this, it pleased God to favour us with a fine Wind, which being improved to the best advantage by the incessant labour of these ... men, brought us in a short time to the Cape.
The night before we entered the Harbour, which was about the beginning of April [dr 12/4], being near the Land, we fired a Gun every hour, to give notice that we were in distress. The next day, a Dutch Captain came aboard in his Boat, who seeing us so weak as not to be able to trim our Sails to turn into the Harbour, though we did tollerably well at Sea, before the Wind, and being requested by our Captain to assist him, sent ashore for a hundred lusty men, who immediately came aboard, and brought our Ship in to an anchor. They also unbent our Sails, and did every thing for us that they were required to do, for which Captain Heath gratified them to the full.
These men had better stomachs than we, and eat freely of such food as the Ship afforded: and they having the freedom of our Ship, to go to and fro between Decks, made prize of which they could lay their hands on, especially salt Beef, which our men, for want of stomachs in the Voyage, had hung up, 6, 8, or 10 pieces in a place. This was conveyed away before we knew it, or thought of it: besides, in the night, there was a Bale of Muzlins broke open, and a great deal conveyed away; but whether the Muslins were stoln by our own men, or the Dutch, I cannot say; for we had some very dexterous Thieves in our Ship.
Being thus got safe to an anchor, the sick were presently sent ashore, to quarters provided for them, and those that were able remained aboard, and had good fat Mutton, or fresh Beef, sent aboard every day: I went ashore ... where I remained ... till the time of sailing again, which was about 6 weeks. In which time I took the opportunity to inform my self of what I could concerning this Country, which I shall in this next place give you a brief account of, and so make what haste I can home.
The Cape of Good Hope is the utmost bounds [sic] of the continent of Africa towards the South, lying in 34 d. 30 m S.lat. in a very temperate Climate. I look upon this latitude to be one of the mildest and sweetest for its temperature, of any whatsoever; and I cannot here but take notice of a common prejudice our European Seamen have as to this Country, that they look upon it as much colder than places in the same lat. to the North of the Line. I am not of their opinion as to that: and their thinking so I believe may easily be accounted for from hence, that whatever way they come to the Cape, whether going to the East Indies or returning back, they pass thro a hot Climate: and coming to it thus out of an extremity of heat, 'tis no wonder if it appear the colder to them.
.....
But to proceed: This large Promontory consists of high and very remarkable Land; and off at Sea it affords a very pleasant and agreeable Prospect. And without doubt the
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[56] Captain William Dampier
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Prospect of it was very agreeable to those Portuguese, who first found out this way by Sea to the East Indies; when after coasting along the vast Continent of Africk, towards the South Pole, they had the comfort of seeing the Land and their Course end in this Promontory: Which therefore they called the Cape de Bon Esperance, or of Good Hope, finding that they might now proceed Eastwardly.
There is good sounding [Agulhas Bank] off this Cape 50 or 60 Leagues at Sea to the Southward, and therefore our English Seamen standing over as they usually do, from the Coast of Brazil, content themselves with their Soundings, concluding thereby that they are abrest of the Cape, they often pass by without seeing it, and begin to shape their course Northward. They have several other Signs whereby to know when they are near it, as by the Sea-Fowl, they meet at Sea, especially the Algatrosses [Albatros], a very large long winged Bird, and the Mangovolucres [Cape Gannet], a smaller Fowl. But the greatest dependance of our English Seamen now is upon their observing the variation [Declination*] of the Compass, which is very carefully minded when they come near the Cape, by taking the Suns Amplitude mornings and evenings. This they are so exact in, that by the help of the Azimuth Compass, an Instrument more peculiar to the Seamen of our Nation, they know when they are abrest of the Cape, or are either to the East or West of it: And for that reason, though they should be to Southward of all the Soundings or fathomable Ground, they can shape their course right, without being obliged to make the Land. But the Dutch, on the contrary, having settled themselves on this Promontory, do always touch here in their East India Voyages, both going and coming.
The most remarkable Land at Sea is a high Mountain, steep to the Sea, with a flat even top, which is called the Table Land. On the West side of the Cape, a little to the Northward of it, there is a spacious Harbour, with a low flat Island [Robben Island] lying off it, which you may leave on either hand, and pass in or out securely at either end. Ships that anchor here, ride near the main Land, leaving the island at a farther distance without them. The Land by the Sea against the Harbour is low; but backt with high Mountains a little way in, to the Southward of it.
The Soil of this Country is of a brown colour; not deep, yet indifferently productive of Grass, Herbs and Trees. The Grass is short, like that which grows on our Wiltshire or Dorsetshire Downs. The Trees hereabouts are but small and few; the Country also farther from the Sea does not much abound in Trees, as I have been informed. The Mould or Soil also is much like this near the Harbour, which though it cannot be said to be very fat, or rich Land, yet it is very fit for cultivation, and yields good crops to the industrious Husbandman, and the Country is pretty well settled with Farms, Dutch Families, and French Refugees, for 20 or 30 leagues up the Country; but there are but few Farms near the Harbour.
Here grows plenty of Wheat, Barley, Pease, &c. Here are also Fruits of many kinds, as Apples, Pears, Quinces, and the largest Pomgranates that I did ever see.
The chief Fruits are Grapes. These thrive very well, and the Country is of later
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Years so well stockt with Vineyards, that they make abundance of Wine, of which they have enough and to spare; and do sell great quantities to Ships that touch here. This Wine is like a French High Country White-wine, but of a pale yellowish colour; it is sweet, very pleasant and strong.
The tame Animals of this Country are Sheep, Goats, Hogs, Cows, Horses, &c. The Sheep are very large and fat, for they thrive very well here: This being a dry Country, and the short Pasturage very agreeable to these Creatures, but it is not so proper for great Cattel; neither is the Beef in its kind so sweet as the Mutton. Of wild Beasts, 'tis said, here are several sorts, but I saw none. However, it is very likely there are some wild Beasts, that prey on the Sheep, because they are commonly brought into the Houses in the night, and penn'd up.
There is a very beautiful sort of wild Ass in this Country, whose body is curiously striped with equal Lists of white and black; the Stripes coming from the Ridge of his Back, and ending under the Belly, which is white. These Stripes are two or three Fingers broad, running parallel with each other, and curiously intermixt, one white and one black, over from the Shoulder to the Rump. I saw two of the Skins of these Beasts, dried and preserved to be sent to Holland, as a Rarity. They seemed big enough to inclose the Body of a Beast, as big as a large Colt of a Twelvemonth old.
Here are a great many Ducks, Dunghil Fowls, &c. and Ostriges are plentifully found in the dry Mountains and Plains. I eat of their Eggs here, and those of whom I bought them told me that these Creatures lay their Eggs in the Sand, or at least on dry Ground, and so leave them to be hatch'd by the Sun [sic]. The Meat of one of their Eggs will suffice two Men very well. The Inhabitants do preserve the Eggs that they find to sell to Strangers. They were pretty scarce when I was here, it being the beginning of their Winter; whereas I was told they lay their Eggs about Christmas, which is their Summer.
The Sea hereabouts affords plenty of Fish of divers sorts; especially a small sort of Fish, not so big as a Herring [Harder]; whereof they have such great plenty, that they Pickle great Quantities yearly, and send them to Europe. Seals are also in great numbers about the Cape; which, as I have still observed, is a good sign of the plentifulness of Fish, which is their Food.
The Dutch have a strong Fort by the Sea side, against the Harbour, where the Governour lives. At about 2 or 300 Paces distance from thence, on the West side of the Fort, there is a small Dutch Town*, in which I told about 50 or 60 Houses low, but well built, with Stone-walls; there being plenty of Stone, drawn out of a Quarry close by [as in item 37].
On the backside of the Town, as you go towards the Mountains, the Dutch East India Company have a large House, and a stately Garden walled in with a high Stone-wall.
This Garden* is full of divers sorts of Herbs, Flowers, Roots, and Fruits, with curious spacious Gravel-walks and Arbors; and is watered with a Brook that descends out of the Mountains: which being cut into many Channels, is conveyed into all parts of the Garden. The Hedges which make the Walks are very thick, and 9 or 10 foot high: They
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are kept exceeding neat and even by continual pruning. There are lower Hedges within these again, which serve to separate the Fruit-trees from each other, but without shading them: and they keep each sort of Fruit by themselves, as Apples, Pears, abundance of Quinces, Pomgranats, &c. These all prosper very well, and bear good Fruit, especially the Pomgranat. The Roots and Garden Herbs have also their distinct places, hedged in apart by themselves; and all in such order, that it is exceeding pleasant and beautiful. There are a great number of Negro Slaves brought from other parts of the World; some of which are continually weeding, pruning, trimming and looking after it. All Strangers are allowed the liberty to walk there; and by the Servants leave, you may be admitted to taste the Fruit: but if you think to do it clandestinly, you may be mistaken, as I knew one was when I was in the Garden, who took 5 or 6 Pomgranats, and was espy'd by one of the Slaves, and threatned to be carry'd before the Governour: I believe it cost him some Money to make his peace, for I heard no more of it. Further up from the Sea, beyond the Garden, towards the Mountains, there are several other small Gardens and Vineyards, belonging to private Men: but the Mountains are so nigh, that the number of them are but small.
The Dutch that live in the Town get considerably by the Ships that frequently touch here, chiefly by entertaining Strangers that come ashoar to refresh themselves; for you must give 3 s. or a Dollar a day for your Entertainment; the Bread and Flesh is as cheap here as in England; besides they buy good pennyworths of the Seamen, both outward and homeward bound, which the Farmers up the Country buy of them again at a dear rate; for they have not an opportunity of buying things at the best hand, but must buy of those that live at the Harbour: the nearest Settlements, as I was informed, being 20 miles off.
Notwithstanding the great plenty of Corn and Wine, yet the extraordinary high Taxes which the Company lays on Liquor, makes it very dear; and you can buy none but at the Tavern, except it be by stealth. There are but 3 Houses in the Town that sell strong Liquor, one of which is this Wine-House or Tavern; there they sell only Wine; another sells Beer and Mum*; and the third sells Brandy and Tobacco, all extraordinary dear. A Flask of Wine which holds 3 quarts will cost 18 Stivers, for so much I paid for it; yet 1 bought as much for 8 Stivers in another place, but it was privately, at an unlicenced House, and the person that sold it, would have been ruined had it been known; and thus much for the Country and the European Inhabitants.
The Natural Inhabitants of the Cape are the Hodmodods, as they are commonly called, which is a corruption of the Word Hottantot; for this is the Name [see Hottentots*, Name] by which they call to one another, either in their Dances, or on any occasion; as if every one of them had this for his Name. The Word probably hath some signification or other in their Language, whatever it is.
These Hottantots are People of a middle Stature, with small Limbs and thin Bodies, full of activity. Their Faces are of a flat oval Figure, of the Negro make, with great Eye-brows, black Eyes, but neither are their Noses so flat, nor their Lips so thick, as
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[57] Pintado Bird from the Dutch edition of item 75.
the Negroes of Guinea. Their Complexion is darker than the common Indians; tho' not so black as the Negroes or New Hollanders; neither is their Hair so much frizled.
They besmear themselves all over with Grease, as well to keep their Joints supple, as to fence their half naked Bodies from the Air, by stopping up their Pores. To do this the more effectually they rub Soot over the greased parts, especially their Faces, which adds to their natural Beauty, as Painting does in Europe; but withal sends from them a strong Smell, which though sufficiently pleasing to themselves, is very unpleasant to others. They are glad of the worst of Kitchin-stuff for this purpose, and use it as often as they can get it.
.....
The Hottantots do wear no covering on their Heads, but deck their Hair with small shells. Their Garments are Sheep-skins wrapt about their Shoulders like a Mantle, with the Woolly sides next their Bodies. The Men have besides this Mantle, a piece of Skin like a small Apron, hanging before them. The Women have another Skin tucked about their Wastes, which comes down to their Knees like a Petticoat; and their Legs are wrapt round with Sheeps-guts two or three Inches thick, some up as high as to their Calves, others even from their Feet to their Knees, which at a small distance seems to be a sort of Boots. These are put on when they are green; and so they grow hard and stiff on their Legs for they never pull them off again, till they have occasion to eat them; which is when they journey from home, and have no other Food; then these Guts which have been worn, it may be, six, eight, ten or twelve months, make them a good Banquet: This I was informed of by the Dutch. They never pull off their Sheepskin Garments, but to louse themselves, for by continual wearing them they are full of Vermin, which obliges them often to strip and sit in the Sun two or three hours together in the heat of the day, to destroy them....
The Hottantots Houses are the meanest that I did ever see. They are about 9 or 10 foot high, and 10 or 12 from side to side. They are in a manner round made with small
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Poles stuck into the ground, and brought together at the top, where they are fastened. The sides and top of the House are filled up with Boughs coursely wattled between the Poles, and all is covered over with long Grass, Rushes, and pieces of Hides; and the House at a distance appears just like a Hay-cock. They leave only a small hole on one side, about 3 or 4 foot high, for a door to creep in and out at; but when the Wind comes in at this door, they stop it up, and make another hole in the opposite side. They make the Fire in the middle of the House, and the Smoak ascends out of the Crannies from all parts of the House. They have no Beds to lye on, but tumble down at night round the fire.
Their Houshold Furniture is commonly an earthen Pot or two to boil Victuals, and they live very miserably and hard; 'tis reported that they will fast two or three days together, when they travel about the Country.
Their common Good is either Herbs, Flesh, or Shell-fish, which they get among the Rocks, or other places at low Water: for they have no Boats, Barklogs, nor Canoas to go a Fishing in; so that their chiefest subsistence is on Land Animals, or on such Herbs as the Land naturally produceth. I was told by my Dutch Landlord, that they kept Sheep and Bullocks here before the Dutch settled among them: and that the Inland Hottantots have still great stocks of Cattle, and sell them to the Dutch for Rolls of Tobacco: and that the price for which they sell a Cow or Sheep, was as much twisted Tobacco, as will reach from the Horns or Head to the Tayl; for they are great lovers of Tobacco, and will do any thing for it. This their way of trucking was confirmed to me by many others, who yet said that they could not buy their Beef this cheap way, for they had not the liberty to deal with the Hottantots, that being a priviledge which the Dutch East India Company reserve to themselves. My Landlord having a great many Lodgers, fed us most with Mutton, some of which he bought of the Butcher, and there is but one in the Town; but most of it he killed in the Night. the Sheep being brought privately by the Hottantots, who assisted in the Skinning and Dressing, and had the Skin and Guts for their pains: I judged these Sheep were fetched out of the Country, a good way off, for he himself would be absent a day or two to procure them, and two or three Hottantots with him. These of the Hottantots that live by the Dutch Town, have their greatest subsistance from the Dutch, for there is one or more of them belonging to every House. These do all sorts of servile work, and there take their Food and Grease. Three or four more of their nearest Relations sit at the Doors or near the
Dutch House, waiting for the scraps and fragments that come from the Table; and if between meals the Dutch people have any occasion for them, to go on Errands, or the like, they are ready at command; expecting little for their pains; but for a Stranger they will not budge under a Stiver.
Their Religion, if they have any, is wholly unknown to me; for they have no Temple nor Idol, nor any place of Worship, that I did see or hear of. Yet their mirth and nocturnal pastimes at the New and Full of the Moon, looks as if they had some Superstition about it. For at the Full especially they sing and dance all Night, making a great noise: I Walked out to their Huts twice a these times, in the Evening, when the Moon arose above the Horizon, and viewed them for an hour or more. They seem all very busie,
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both Men, Women and Children, dancing very oddly on the green Grass by their Houses. They traced two and fro promiscuously, often clapping their hands and singing aloud. Their Faces were sometimes to the East, sometimes to the West: neither did I see any motion or gesture that they used when their Faces were toward the Moon, more than when their backs were toward it. After I had thus observed them for a while, I returned to my Lodging, which was not above 2 or 300 paces from their Huts; and I hear them singing in the same manner all Night. In the grey of the Morning I walk'd out again, and found many of the Men and Women still Singing and Dancing; who continued their Mirth till the Moon went down, and then they left off: Some of them going into their Huts to sleep, and others to their attendance in their Dutch Houses....
As for these Hottantots, they are a very lazy sort of People, and tho they live in a delicate Country, very fit to be manured, and where there is Land enough for them, yet they choose rather to live as their Fore-fathers, poor and miserable, than be at pains for plenty. And so much for the Hottantots: I shall now return to our own affairs.
Upon our arrival at the Cape, Captain Heath took an House to live in, in order to recover his health. Such of his men as were able did so too, for the rest he provided Lodgings and paid their Expences. Three or four of our men, who came ashore very sick, died, but the rest, by the assistance of the Doctors of the Fort, a fine Air, and good Kitchin and Cellar Physick, soon recovered their Healths.... But we were now so few, that we could not sail the Ship; therefore Captain Heath desired the Governour to spare him some Men; and as I was informed, had a promise to be supplied out of the homeward bound Dutch East India Ships, that were now expected every day, and we waited for them. In the mean time in came the James and Mary, and the Josiah of London, bound home [as dr 2/6]. Out of those we thought to have been furnished with men; but they had only enough for themselves; therefore we waited yet longer for the Dutch Fleet, which at last arrived: but we could get no men from them.
Captain Heath was therefore forced to get Men by stealth, such as he could pick up whether Soldiers or Seamen. The Dutch knew our want of Men, therefore near 40 of them, those that had a design to return to Europe, came privately and offered themselves, and waited in the night at places appointed, where our Boats went and fetched 3 or 4 aboard at a time, and hid them, especially when any Dutch Boat came aboard our Ship....
About the 23d of May we sailed from the Cape, in the Company of the James and Mary, and the Josiah, directing our course towards the Island Santa Hellena.... [Downs September 16.] |
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