THE SWISS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA 1652-1970 - swissroots-za.ch

4. SHORT HISTORY OF ARRIVALS DURING COMPANY RULE 1652-1795
4.1 Establishment of the settlement at the Cape
The Portuguese pioneered the sea route to the East Indian spice islands in 1498. They
established their supremacy there and gained the monopoly in the spice trade which
they defended successfully for a hundred years. By then the steady drain of manpower
had exhausted the little country and the Dutch and English could oust them. In both
these countries the merchants joined together to form commercial companies with royal
charters which empowered them to conquer and rule territories. The Dutch East India
Company (Vereenigde Oostindiesche Compagnie, abbreviated VOC), constituted by the
Chambers of Commerce (Kamers) of Amsterdam (abbreviated KA). Edam (KE),
Leerdam (KL), Rotterdam (KR) and Zeeland (KZ), gained predominance in Ceylon
(present day Sri Lanka) and the East, with head-quarters at Batavia (present day Jakarta)
and factories as far away as Formosa (present day Taiwan). Generally fleets set out
twice a year when the tradewinds were favourable. If everything went well, they
completed the return trip in 18 months.
Long periods at sea in cramped quarters and with stale food, were the cause of scurvy
and other sicknesses amongst the sailors and soldiers on the ships. This was to some
extent counteracted by making landfalls en route to take in fresh water and food. It was
the report of the crew of the Dutch East-India ship Haarlem, that finally persuaded the
VOC to establish a half way station there, where the crews could recuperate, fresh
produce might be obtained, and the ships repaired. Junior Merchant, later Commander,
Jan Van Riebeeck, was sent out with three small ships and 50 men. Van Riebeeck set
foot on the shore of Table Bay on 8 April 1652 and in the same year the order went out
that henceforth all Company ships were to call there, on penalty of officers losing their
bounty.
On average the ships would stay 26 days at the Cape. During this time the men could
recover their strength, do maintenance work on the ship and take fresh provisions on
board. Initially the Cape was not a popular station. While in port the men were
commandeered off the ships to help with the building of the fort, the little settlement
offered no entertainment and food supplies were at times inadequate. Van Riebeeck’s
men struggled to adapt their agricultural practices to local climatic conditions which at
that time were exceptionally wet and cold. For meat supplies they relied on the sporadic
bartering of beasts from local inhabitants, the nomadic Khoi. At one time food supplies
were so short that the little garrison had to be fed on penguin eggs gathered on Robben
Island. However, within a few years the halfway house was well established and
thenceforth fulfilled its colonial role admirably.
4.2 The Voyage to the Cape
The Dutch sailing ships were beautiful to behold but made no concession to the comfort
of those who sailed in them. Their size changed continuously as the design improved.
The largest ones were of 140 tons standard displacement and 40 metres length. On
average they carried 100 sailors and up to 300 soldiers, as the hired men were
designated. These were all crowded together below deck. Fresh air and light could only
enter the quarters by the few hatches and gun ports, which had to be closed during
stormy and wet weather. The stifling atmosphere in this dark, overcrowded space was
frequently aggravated by heat and smoke from the galley, not to mention the exhalation
of 400 dead tired, seasick and often sopping wet men. Conditions were even worse in
the tropics with the temperature below deck often becoming quite unbearable.
The duration of the sea voyage from Holland to the Cape varied greatly depending on
wind and weather conditions encountered, but on average remained practically
unchanged, namely
in 1659 133 days, the return trip 131 days,
in 1720 139 days, 114 days, and
in 1790 129 days, 112 days.
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