Cape Good Hope 1652-1702

88 William Erle

(See also item 83.) Transcribed from xerographs of his log (MR 107) kept in Sampson. His dates are of course Old Style*. In his homeward passage from Bengal, on April 20 at noon ‘Cape Degull’ bore ‘Et½So, Cape Falso NbEt, the Table Land NNWt.’

Thursday 21. Yesterday about 2. a Clock in the afternoon we Doubled about Cape Bona Esperance ... in the afternoone we bent our Sheet cable & best bower [anchor*] Designing if Possible to morrow to get into Table Bay ... at 6 this morng: the Table Land Et½No the Shugor Loafe EbNo½No....

Friday 22d ... at 12 this noone the Table Land bore SEbEt the Lyons Rump ESEt Dista 7 Leags: Eveing Variato [Declination*] by a Amplitd 10^o 47′ NoWtly....

Satturday the 23 ... Yesterday about 1 a Clock I see 3 Shipps to the NEtwd: which came out of Table Bay I suppose they were English homeward bound Shipps from Suratt. I Shewed my Collours and Fired a Gun and in a Small Time after it was answered with another and I perceived their English Collours [see below].... 6 a Clock this morng: sprung up a fine Easey Gale NEtly so I stood in ESEt the Fogg continued very thick insomuch that I could not see the Land till nere 8 a Clock then it cleared and Wee se Penguin Island and a Small Time after se about 12 Shipps in The bay shewing Dutch Collours [dr 8/5 etc.] Comeing by one of them they haild us and Wellcombd us with the Good news of Peace in Euerope presently after that a boat came on board us [dr 3/5] and Gave me an Acott: of the 3 Shipps I se Yesterday that they were the Sidney [item 87] from Fort St Geo: the Charles [item 86] and Septer [no log] from Surratt between 12 & 1 a Clock I came to with my Sheat Anchor* in :6: fa watter I salluted the Fort with 13 Gunns which they answered with the same afterward fired 7:3 & 1 which were all answered Gunn for Gun then we hoisted out our Longboat* unbent the best bower cable From the small bower Anchor* and bent the stream cable to the spare anchor and with a small anchor and Harser [Hawser] Carried out with our Long boat to the Wtward

[p. 442]

and moored with our sheate anchor* to the Nwd Green point bearing NWtbWt ... we Lowred Downe the Maine & fore Yard....

Sunday 29 ... wee Lowred our Topmast [?s] & bent the best bower cable then hoisted up the spare Anchor from the maine hatchway and set the Carpe[nter] about stocking of it ... in the afternoone the Wind abated and it Proved faire weather then we cleared the after part of the Gun Deck and towd [toward] Eveining sent The Long boat a shore with 10 buts for watter which they brought off the same night.

Monday 28.... Some Dutch Captns and Gentlemen being on board I fired 34 Gunns at Times Recd on board 19 Butts of Watter this Day sailed a Dutch Shipp for India [dr 5/5]: The Calckers went about Fisining* [?] the Shipp without board.

Tuesday 26. This Day Recd on board 20 buts of watter ... this afternoone sailed a Dean Shipp for India [dr 6/5] we gott the spare anchor over on the Larboard side.

Wednesday 27. This morn: gott up our Topmast [?s] & Yards Recd on board 4 butts of watter....

Thursday the 28. This afternoone sailed out 9 Dutch Shipps bound for Europe [dr 8/5].... I ordrd my Longboat* ashoare for my sick People & a but of salt and some other Things at night Weighed our spare anchor with the Long boat Designing if Possible to saile the next Day I Recd on board 59 butts of watter and 7 sheep at this place This Day I was Invited to the Governr to Dinner I presented to the Gover 2 bales of fine Rice and to the Phisical [Fiscaal*] one.

Friday 29. Att 2 a clock This morng hove short on the sheet cable faire weather with very Little wind & calme till a bout 10 a clock sprung up a fine gale Soly [Southerly] then I weighed and ½ an hour after 10 a clock got to saile ... I salluted the Fort with a 11 Gunn they answered with 9 I return One they One and I one moore....

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