Briefwisseling oor Kaapse sake 1778-1792

[p. 401]

XXXVIII. H. Cloete to Swellengrebel,
Constantia, 1.3.1788

The matchlock, your gift to my son, is almost as good as my crack huntinggun. I shall delay the pursuit of red partridges at the Steenbrasems River, till I have told you of the fine hunting and fishing place I have bought. Our friend De Kock, who had a hernia as big as a cow's udder, is completely cured and often rides across the Hottentot-Holland Pass from his farm to Stellenbosch. His wife had another child. He attended the October military exercises at Stellenbosch along with the young folk and when all his friends had to be carted off, during the night he sat on his waggon and drove across the mountains to his home. (Cloete also thanks Swellengrebel for the tobacco, wine and seeds which he received and starts to answer a question on the amount of money that would be needed for a private person to settle comfortably but unmarried, to farm at the Cape.) As you know from personal experience nothing is more certain than uncertainty and instability. Thus in 1786 10 muid wheat fetched Rds. 150 and barley Rds. 70. This year there was a rich harvest and 10 muid wheat will fetch about 17 or 18 Rds., perhaps less. In 1783 I sold my common Stellenbosch wine for Rds. 70, but in 1787 many wine farmers have not been able to sell their wine for Rds. 15. This year, 1788, there was such a big harvest that prices will probably be as low as Rds. 8. Yet we had so much rain in Sept.-Dec. that we were afraid of losing the grain harvest. We did not, but the rains flooded the salt pans. Salt is expensive, wine cheap and the farmers drink more wine than water! So you see your question is difficult to answer. What do you need to run a farm and live in comfort? If you began with a little capital you could carry on, unless unlucky in the form of a fire, or your slaves died or some other setback occurred. If you came and had a million guilders available in Europe you could transfer them here at a premium of up to 20%. You could lend them here at 6% interest or buy a good farm for 20 or 25 thousand guilders and live like a lord at the Cape. For money is scarce and farm prices are low.

Some continue to incur debts recklessly. Let me give you an example. The son of Jacob Villjé, commonly called Jacob Madera, living near the Silvermine, bought the farm Libertas from cousin Hofman. This month at the auction of his late mother-in-law, the widow Du Toit who lived in Goudini, he bought an African slave, who can just about manage an oxwaggon, and a slave-women, (capable of hemming shirts for slaves only) for Rds. 2 600; and other purchases pro rata. He could not pay the full purchase price of the farm, but had to provide surety and pay interest at 6%. Another instalment is now due, and he will be unable to meet that.

[p. 402]

With the foreknowledge of the Governor I have started a fishery at Strandfontein between Zwarte Klip and Muysenburg. D.J. van Reenen has a similar one near Zwarte Klip, about half an hour from mine. We have become partners and have a boatswain with 6 good slaves working as fishermen. Two men with two pack-horses take turns to go to the Cape with fresh fish. There is often more fish than a packhorse or even two can carry in addition to what we retain for our table. Some months we earn more than Rds. 130. We net haarders by the waggon load, while ‘Poeskop’ and steenbras help to cover expenses.

Opposite my fishery is the Mallegaasen island and near the island is a broad submerged reef where all sorts of Cape sea-fish are caught, including three kinds, one which Capt. Adonis, first master-fisherman, named Red Poeskop, a second kind which is very scarce, called a black Poeskop, which is delicious and a third, of which up to 20 are caught in a day, in size and colour like a Roman, except for its head and mouth. Some call it a Cape Kaalkop. I had almost forgotten the large Red Steenbras; soles, oysters ... Old Marius, who was a slave of Jacobus Blankenberg and then worked for J. van der Spuy, dom. Serrurier and finally for me, made all this possible.

Now that we are older and our teeth are becoming too blunt to chew meat with ease, a table laden with fish is the right food. I wish that you my friend could be with us to enjoy these meals.

Our friends at the Moddergat and Hottentots-Holland, stimulated by our example now have 8 fishing boats, made only of poplar-planks, and used for line-fishing with success. David Malan who lives on Vergelegen, sometimes catches on the hook in one day, with one boat, enough fish to load an ox-waggon. This is the truth!

We have also, on application, been licensed to kill seals on the island, on condition of supplying oil to the Company and we managed to refine 8 leaguers oil. On the 24th of September I bought at the auction of the wid. Wessels good grazing land for my oxen near the sea at the ‘Kleine riviers mond’, paying f7 050. There are no buildings on that farm, but we found all sorts of fish and on land there were geese, wild duck, snipe, pheasants, buck, hares, and red partridge by thousands. I was so delighted that I went again with cousin Hofman and a couple of trumpeters. We had venison and fish, old wine and brandy, tobacco-pipes and good company as long as there was still one drop of brandy to be had. The place can be reached in three stages by ox-waggon from Nooitgedacht. If a certain good friend had been here he could have decided whether this or the Steenbras River were best for red partridges. (I would say that the Steenbras River could not be compared with it.) If he cares to pay a visit, I would offer

[p. 403]

him the same hospitality as at Constantia; or Nooitgedacht, Santvliet or Malbrouk until he had found the opportunity of his choice.

Difficulties in the Netherlands seem to be endless. I have no desire to go there.

Here follows some news that I may trust to paper: The widow Faber, who lost her second husband, Capt. Borg, is now married to Capt. Pouwelsen and is departing with her husband to Batavia. Between Jan. the 1st 1788 and Feb. the 8th the following persons died: Miss Nappa, old Capt. Warneck, Bresler and Dr. Vredenburg. On February 10th, I think, three ‘Africaanen’, viz., Adriaan van Zyl Pietersz, his son, the son of old Pieter Wiesen and another son of Van Zyl, who is absent, behind the Hantam between Namaqua and Kaffer territory plundered 700 to 800 cattle of the so-called ‘Brinas’ alone and shot 100 Brina Hottentots dead. Evidence against them is so strong that I fear for the worst.

The interim-fiscal married the daughter of the major of the Wurtenberg regiment and on the 9th of February G.H. Kruywagen died; on the 12th, old Mr. Atleda. The Avenhorn, provision-ship from Batavia, had smallpox on board and has been quarantined off Robben Island. There were three members of the regiment of Luxemburg on board, homosexuals who have been sent home unpunished and, it is said, paid compensation. Others say the Governor of Ceylon should have hanged them as is the custom along the coast. Since January young Kuhl died and his house in the Gardens was bought with slaves etc. for f41 000 cash by Louis Monneron, and then given to the children of Van Blerk who had gone bankrupt.

Monneron and three further emissaries of Tippo Saib arrived in 4 carriages at Constantia, having asked the previous day for a separate kitchen. They had also asked us to keep in readiness a live sheep, 12 fowls, 30 eggs and 50 lbs. of rice. They arrived on the 27th of January with a great number of servants and cooks and a whole waggon of kitchen-ware; a retinue of French gentleman, dragoons of the Governor in front and behind the coachman. The flag was hoisted, all kinds of musical instruments and the booming of the cannon gave great pleasure. The priest, upon arrival, went to the kitchen and after a prayer, the sheep and fowls were slaughtered and prepared after their fashion. They then went to a separate dining room to enjoy their meal. They ate my dessert, but we feasted on their lovely curry etc. Curiosity brought a great crowd of good friends to my place. One could have walked over their heads! Although my house smelt unbearably of garlic and onions for the day, I received a gracious letter of thanks and a generous present which more than repaid me for my trouble and for the expense.

[p. 404]

In conclusion Cloete thanks Swellengrebel for his presents, promises that his son will send plants. His wife signs her name after a P.S. thanking Swellengrebel for the biscuits which she and Mrs. Colijn, the lady of Klein Constantia, ate with much pleasure.