Briefwisseling oor Kaapse sake 1778-1792

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XXXVII. H. Cloete to Swellengrebel.
News from the Cape for 1787-1788

I ought to have written up my Cape news in the form of a diary. For lack of this I send, not in consecutive order, but as it comes into my mind, the accompanying account of various events of which I have heard from reliable persons.

For some time 100 soldiers, dressed in short blue jackets and black caps, known as the Jager Corps, 12 dragoons, 8 sergeants, 8 corporals and 4 drummers, under the command of 3 officers, have been ready for the defence of Mossel Bay and Plettenberg Bay. But no one knows when they will be sent there. One officer, one sergeant, one corporal and nine privates, together with some artisans, have already been sent to Mossel Bay to guard the flag, and build a sizeable grain-warehouse and other buildings. The granary is already built and now holds 600 muids of corn of the 1786 harvest, according to an agreement previously reached between Jan Gijsbert van Reenen and local inhabitants. Work is proceeding vigorously on the other buildings in order, also in terms of the agreement with Van Reenen, to take in for the Company's account all the wheat and other products of 1787 and subsequent years raised in the district.

An officer, sergeant, corporal, 6 privates and also some craftsmen were also sent to Plettenberg Bay to guard the flag, build a timber-store and other buildings (including accommodation for half the Jager Corps). This follows an arrangement between Van Reenen and various local inhabitants for storing timber from the forests. This had been preceded by the despatch, in October 1786, of the then shipping superintendent Duminy, Egbertus Bergh and J.C. van Reenen, to decide upon the most suitable situation for such buildings and also for the erven to be granted, one to each woodcutter, according to the agreement with Van Reenen.

There is no news of the timber store's having been completed; but it seems that a large amount of timber has been felled. However, we must wait for time to show how this timber will mature should it be left out in the open for long, or piled into the store carelessly or half-green awaiting transport along with the wheat from Mossel Bay. The Company possesses only one ship at the Cape suitable for the trade, the Meermin.

In 1787 we had so good a winter that the harvest already part reaped is such as has not been known for years. It appears to me likely to be impossible as a result, to carry out the Mossel Bay undertaking, and a new discontent may be aroused.

The must-vats are overflowing. Good rains have resulted in the price of livestock beginning to fall. The Company's barter trade with the Caffers

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has just been resumed by two foremen of Company's farms (buyten posten) with armed men and Hottentots - necessary, no doubt, yet I fear it will not result in stabilizing the price of oxen to the benefit of the majority of the inhabitants.

Onkruyt has married Jan de Waal Arendz's widow. Fersfeld died at the end of February - his wife inherits goods and garden. Rustenburg, near Stellenbosch, where Pieter Laubscher lived, has been sold by his son to Jacob Eckstein Pieterz for 70 000 gl., half in cash, half after one year. It includes 50 leaguer-casks filled with wine dating back to old mother Conterman's time. Eckstein's own farm was bought at auction for 26 000 gl. by Melt van der Spuij.

Capt. De Graaf has been appointed Stable-master at Clapmuts in place of Stein, whose son has been made an ensign and also under Stable-master at 80 gl. p.m. Johannes van Aarde's wife is dead. Martinus Melk had second thoughts after becoming engaged to marry David Kriel's daughter. He became re-engaged and broke it off again. At last the marriage took place; yet, as a married man, he lives more dissolutely than ever. His father-in-law is a son of old Hermanus Kriel. The mother is a daughter of Dirk Coetze, known as Red Dirk.

Mr. Rhenius, President of the Council of Justice, is fit and sound and lives in the Castle. Mr. O.G. de Wet is the Company's agent at Rondebosch but has recently vacated the house in favour of the Secunde, it is said on orders from Europe ... Nonje Minnie has married Carl Freeslik's son ... The officer Van Baalen lives in the Castle and is Commandant of Robben Island. An unmanned small boat from one of the ships at anchor was driven ashore on the Island by a strong south-east wind. The Commandant neglected to have it drawn up high and dry; and two prisoners, Meijer and Krieger, seized the opportunity to escape, landing near Blauwberg; and it is said they are now with other false-moneyers in the Great Fish River area ... The officer Thibault (Tiebo in Cloete's original) who transferred to our service and subsequently married little Betje van Schoor, has for some time drawn Rds 50 per month over and above his salary for teaching Cadets. The foundations of the mission school have not yet been laid.

The Stellenbosch landdrost, in addition to his normal income, receives Rds 400 p.a. as horse-forage allowance. This is on top of the interest on 15 000 gl. for the District's freehold and loan places sold to Ackerman, from which is still withheld a large piece of ground for forage, vineyard and garden. He also enjoys various pieces of furniture which were bought by the District on the departure of the former landdrost De Wet, for the requirement and adornment of the Drostdy, for 3 000 gl. for the use of

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his successor as landdrost, Rijneveld, and subsequently for his successors in turn. It is a very different income from that which Laurens had as landdrost - not more than 20 muids barley and 3 or 4 loads of hay for himself and his servants, though he lived content.

Secretary Faure has married the same Miss Harders as involved B. van Oudtshoorn with the officer of the Regiment Meuron; her figure shows that she had eaten Island Salmon beforehand and the consequence will soon appear.

Adv. Crap, who sailed as a volunteer on the warship Juno on a voyage out and back, on his return in 1786 became engaged to young Miss Annette de Graaff, on the understanding that he must first return from Europe at the first opportunity, and would then journey to Bengal to settle an affair of some consequence, and marry her on his return. He left on 25th September, 1786. In June 1787 a Portuguese ship returning home with the Viceroy of Goa put in. Amongst the passengers was Count Manuel de Locatel. On 2 July his engagement to Miss Annette was announced. The very next day Crap appeared, saying that he had been dropped in False Bay from a French ship, and at once set out on horseback to embrace his beloved Annette. He was refused admission. The two rival suitors, however, got on very well together.

The Viceroy of Goa - who is an understanding and amiable man, who has been a welcome guest of both G. Cloete at Stellenbosch and H. Cloete at Constantia - expressed his pity for Crap and deplored his treatment. This sentiment was widely shared, for Crap, in fact, after receiving a letter in February from Annette imploring his return, finding no other way, had travelled as a stowaway on a Company's ship bound for Bengal, with the connivance of the Captain, J. de Vries; who had reckoned that Crap's marriage to the Governor's daughter would result in this irregularity being overlooked. Crap requested to be allowed to go on to Bengal with De Vries, and permission was given.

On 6 July a great Portuguese Ball was given, at which all the mirrors hanging in the great hall were decorated by Thibault with the bride's and bridegroom's names intertwined - and so remain to this day. She signed a binding wedding contract, with her father, mother and brother and Major Robert Gordon as witnesses. The Count assured her in writing that, as soon as he had obtained the King's permission he would return to marry her. Should he die meanwhile he left her a bequest of 25 000 rupees. One of the bridegroom's travelling companions said he must possess 20 000 to 23 000 Spanish ‘matten’.

The Portuguese ship brought some 80 000 Spanish ‘matten’ worth of blue baftas checked and striped, which are greatly in demand here. Van

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Blerk has already sold a quantity; the remainder is to be turned into money by Jan Cruywagen Jr., Van Blerk himself, and a Portuguese who has remained here. The Viceroy and all the officers lodged with Van Blerk and obtained all their supplies through him. Rather more than a month previously he had lodged the officers of two Spanish ships returning home and had been commissioned with all their supplies. It was a pleasure to see him dealing with the Spanish matten. I watched the farce: He bought straight away from Casper Loots for Rds 800 a carriage that Loots had bought, perhaps a week earlier, for Rds 300, and he made similar bright transactions. Amongst others he bought from Cahman for each of his daughters and himself a beautiful shawl and told people they were presents from the Portuguese. But they are not yet paid for and just now he has no money with which to pay the coolies. How it will turn out, time will tell.

On 12th August Mietje Breda and Jacobus Haman were married. Vlekje Blankenberg has married the widow Akkerman and has sold her house to De Lille for 32 000 gl. August 21st. Old Haman died. Aug. 26th Lauren Cloete married Maria van Reenen. He has now become wine-seller and fire-master. Aug. 31st the leases were auctioned according to the enclosed list.

In October, first Margaretha van Engelen died and then, shortly after, her husband Johann. van Citters, whose estate was sold by the Orphan Chambers and his garden was knocked down to the former shipping-superintendent, Duminy, for 25 025 gl. 30th Nov. Johannes Kuhl died. The confidential clerk Joh. van der Riet has bought the garden which once belonged to Mr. A. van Schuur from G. Munnik for 40 000 gl. without any slaves or equipment.

Some time ago, Stellenbosch being without a minister, the service was taken by Rev. Van Aalen. After the service a child of the grandson of the old tailor Muller was presented for baptism. Our friend Mr. Van der Spuy, who is emeritus yet has nevertheless baptized many children, and who now lives at Stellenbosch, stepped out of his pew to perform the baptism. Old Muller waved him away and called to Rev. Van Aalen to come down from the pulpit to baptise the child. Van der Spuy retired and Van Aalen conducted the baptism. The landdrost, it is said, did no more than ask Muller if he had ridden there with the intention of causing a commotion in the church. The answer was ‘no’; and so the matter rests.

Last October Pieter Rous Pouwzoon, married to a daughter of Tieleman Roos, did not answer the roll call, but showed himself daily in a different coat on the drill place - the Braak - and when asked by Captain van As why he did not come armed, gave a mocking answer. We have heard

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no more of the matter though it is now 20th January 1788. There is also the case of Hermanus Bosman's son refusing to serve under a recently-promoted corporal, the son of Jan Hartog.

The Governor and I have long been reconciled. Yet he is led astray by his henchmen, who would do better to advise him to follow Governor Tulbagh's example. Many farmers from a distance are discontented over having to hang about for an audience with the Governor for 4, 5, 6, even 8 days, along with wife, children, servants and particularly their trekoxen, which are often more precious to the farmer than any of their own family. Cousin Klaas loved his nearside ox, Bles, so well that, fearing the ox would lose condition, he set out for home without waiting for the opportunity to settle his affairs, and ran into some marauding Bushmen-Hottentots.

Governor Van Plettenberg left some soldiers behind on his departure, but now nobody seems to be below the rank of corporal. Although you already know of the dispute between the commanding officer Meuron and Sandol, with his supporters, I have described it. Meuron won hands down. Meuron's own brother has arrived here safely. He is a large, handsome man and is soon to be shipped to Ceylon with his officers and the main body of the regiment. It will be replaced by the Wurtemburg regiment. Those who have already arrived appear to be well-built and good-looking. Two preachers have arrived with them.

After the Council of Policy's meeting on 11th December, one could at once discern the disapproval from Europe of various locally-made appointments - e.g. Van Lille from Major was demoted again to Captain and has to repay the difference in salary received in the meanwhile. Similar repayments are to be made in the cases of Thibault, Roets, Major Gordon's children (who had been made cadets at 20 gl. per month) and others.

The warship Holland, wrecked beyond Noordhoek at Olifantsbosch, has been sold for Rds. 36. The purchasers have salved 150 new leaguer casks, as well as European alcoholic drinks. A smoked salmon has been sold for Rds. 37.

Jan Smit of Tilburg has been banished to Robben Island for five years, and thereafter to deportation, for swearing falsely that he had not received 2 000 gl. whereas a receipt in his own handwriting was in the President's hands. His wife is busy selling his possessions.
1788, 4th January. Three ambassadors from Tippo Saib landed and were driven in three stately coaches between two rows of soldiers from the harbour to the door of Cahman where they were to lodge at a cost of 15 piastres a day for lodging only. This was formerly Andries van Citters' house. No members of the Council accompanied them, though a salute was

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fired by all the ships save the English and Danish and by the guns of the Castle. They were met on the wharf by the French King's Captain Monderon.

This comes from your friend, you know who.