Cape Good Hope 1652-1702

84 Richard Laycock

Transcribed from xerographs of his log (MR 72), kept in America, from England in March 1695 for Bombay and Ceylon, and now homeward. All his dates are of course Old Style*.

Wednesday 16 [December: dr 26/12] ... we anchored at 2 a Clock in the afternoon abt a league from the Road ... the Sugar Loaf bearing SWt½So, the Table Land SSW½S,

[p. 425]

Charles Mount & the ffort SbWt½Wt, the Lyons Rump SWbS, Penguin Island NWt.

Thursday 17th ... our Pinnace* went ashore to acquaint the Governour what we were & att night the Boat [sic] returned bringing word the Governour was gone to his Country house [Constantia].

Friday 18th ... weighed and stood in for the Road & abt. 2 in the afternoon anchored.... This afternoon we hoisted out our Longboat* & mored our ship with the Best-bower [anchor*] to the Sd. & small Bower to the Nd.... we Lowred our Yards & Topmasts [dr 28/12].

.....

Thursday 24 ... arrived here a Small Dutch ship from Europe [Veenmol, dr 3/1/97] & abt 12 ... the Scarborough an english Hagboat* Capt. Brown from Cales [?] & bound for Bengall [dr 4/1/97].

Monday 28 ffor these 4 days the wd variable ... got up some of our empty Casks & sent them ashore & abt 6 this Ev: arrived a small sloop* from Berbadoes bound to Malagasco [Royal Russell, dr 7/1/97 as ‘brigantine’].

Tuesday 29 ... took our Guns up and mounted them....

Wednesday 30.... Abt 6 this Ev: anchored without the Road four sail [dr 9/1/97] of English men of war from the Coast of Brazile haveing mist the Isle of St. Helena vizt. the Windsor Capt. Warring Commod. the Advice Capt. Acton and the English Tiger Capt. Redman & the Wulter ffireship Capt. Simons.

[No entry for December 31.]

Fryday the 1st Jan [dr 11/1/97] ... abt. 10 this morning the men of war weighed & came to an anchor in the Road and likewise arrived here this morneing the East-India Mercht. Capt. Clark from Europe.

Wednesday 6th. For these five Days ... we are now fetching on board our water. This afternoon arrived here the Sidney Capt. Jefford from Europe [dr 16/1]....

Sunday 10 ... last Thursday arrived here the Maderas Capt. Prickman [dr 17/1].

Monday 11. This morn: a hard Gaile at NWt & a great sea ... so that we lett goe our sheet Anchor* & then heaving in of our Best Bower found the sheet Anchor was foul of him so we sent the Longboat* to weigh the Best Bower but the Buoy Rope broke that we were forced to bend our Stream Cable to the Small Bower & vere him away & soe weigh our Sheet Anchor with the ship but were forced to lett him goe again but Proveing Calme towds. night we weighed him & mored our ship.

Saterday 16. This Day sailed hence the sloop [dr 26/1].

Sunday 17 ... a hard Gaile ...so that we were forced to strike our Topmasts.

Wednesday 20 [got up yards and topmasts, but forced to strike them again: longboat sent for water]

Thursday 21 [longboat brought firewood]

[Then no entry until:]

Thursday 28 [dr 7/2]. This Morning att Six a clock beeing Unmoored Wee houe up our Ancker & Sayled without the Road being in Company with the Three Menn a Warr

[p. 426]

& a fyer Ship that ariued heare and Are Bound for St. Ellena & liquise in Company with three Outwardbound East Indise the Commadour Capt. Tho Warren lay By Besiden Pengwin Iscland & the main about three howers Untill all the Oather ships came up with us & then made Sayle to Sea Wards.... [England October 1697]

Of the other ships mentioned, there are logs for Madras Merchant (MR 110) but containing no entry for the stay in Table Bay; and for Sidney (MR 105 of item 87) but with nothing of interestfor the Cape except a mention that the interloper* Scarborough was a ‘hackboat*’.