Cape Good Hope 1652-1702

89 Robert Betton

Transcribed from xerographs of log [MR 111] kept by John Conaway, First Mate in Fame, sailing for Madras in February 1697, and now homeward bound from there. All his dates are Old Style*, but it will be noticed that he shows the year in both Styles.

Annon 1698/9. Satturday the 21: [January: dr 31/1] ... at 11 a clock wee Anchored in 9 fath. Watter abt. 2 Miles from the Road the fort bearing SW.½W the Shugger lofe SWbW.¾Wly. and the Westermost part of the Lyons Rump pot. [point] bore Wt ... when we came in the Deans Commander [dr 8/1] saluted us with 9 Gunns and showed their Colours and wee Answered and we Answered [sic] them with 9 for thanks after Dinner I sent the Purser on shore to pay my Respects to the Governer and to Accquaint him from whence wee came and to know wether he wou'd Allow us to Come in to the Road to Watter and Refresh our men abt. 5 in the eveng. the Purser came on board who told me he had granted Liberty but pleaded a Scarcity of fresh Provisions which is their Custom when Mined to Raise their Price.

Sunday 23 This morning att 4 of the Clock wee Weighed after wee had Runn Out a warp* of about 300 fath. and hove in till we came nere a-Peak* then it being calm wee

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stopt our Shipp by our Long boats Anchor and Runn out our Warps again of near 400 fath. then wee had a small breeze came in at NW. but Continued not Long that wee Gott our boats ahead and Towed in till wee came into 7 fath. Watter and then Anchored with our best bowr Anchor* to the NWd. and small bower to the SE ... Charles Mount SSW att our Comming to an Anchor wee saluted the Fort with 12 Gunns in hopes to Oblidge the Mighty Hogan Mogans [hogen mogendheid] but after their old Brutish Manner they returned us 11 in Answer Under No Colours Nor any of their shipps showed us any but the Two Deans whare More Civill in the Afternoon I went on shore and with me Mr. Thredcroft one of the Counsell at Madderass to Pay my Respects to the Governer who wee Understood was gon in to the Country which Caused us to Wite till Late in the Eveng. att which Time he being Come home wee went to him a second Time to demand Permission which in abt. ½ an hours Time wee had Granted after wee had stood att the Gate till our Eyes was Allmost out with the Sand then he Admitted us into a long Unfurnished Roome [? omitted: and being come therein, he made many close enquiries of me concerning] my Business name and Burthing [Burden] Names and force of the shipp. No. of men and from Whence wee came I made him Answer I did belong to the Honble East India Company and Desired that I might have Liberty to Watter and Refresh my men he Answered me Couldly that wee Might Watter but as for Provisions they whare scace and Could not be spared and so I was Dismist with out sitting down or being Asked to drink and I do Intend they shall be as little the Better for me as Possible I can I Attempted to Go on board Again but it blew hard that wee could not. [W.A. was now Governor, though he did not take over officially until 11/2.]

Munday 23 This morning being heartily Werey of the showes [?] and civility of the people I made an Attempt to Gett on board again but After a great deale of Trouble was forced to Return on shore Again the Wind and sea being so Great that wee could not Gett off, but In the Afternoon wee Gott on board again....

[24th Watering. 25th ditto, Danes sailed homewards dr 4/2. 26th watering. 27th ditto and wood.]

Satturday 28. This morng. gott upp our Yards and Topmast[?s] ... two of the Dutch shipps sailed bound for Battavia [dr 7/2]....

Sunday 29. Att 5 this morng. sent our Longbt. to Weigh our Small bower ... att 7 Gott him on board and hove short* on our best bower ... the Signall on the Shugger lofe hill was made as Usuall when Anly [sic] shipp was Comming In to the Bay ... seeing her to have English Collours I went on board and it proved to be the America an Interloper* in the Afternoon the other Dutch shipp Sailed [dr 8/2]....

Munday 30 [dr 9/2] This morng. att 6 a Clock wee weighed ... and att 4 being Well out Lay by and Gott in our Boats and stowed our small bower Anchor....

[England June 27, New Style*.]