16 Annals of the South African Museum. 



Captain Bobert Cavertree also came in the same year to Saldanha, 

 where he bartered many sheep and oxen for old iron. 



Alexander Sharply was in Table Bay on July 4, 1608. He took 

 in about 400 (?) head of cattle. In 1608, July 13th, the Ascension 

 and Union anchored in Table Bay, and left on September 25th. 

 " Viewing over the stones where the ships that are bound outward 

 and homeward do use to set their names, when we found Captain 

 Keeling, Captain Hawkins, Captain Middleton and divers others, 

 being passed towards the Indies, vizt., Capt. Middleton in July 

 1607, and Captain Keeling the month of December ditto anno." 



In the year 1609 Captain Keeling on his home voyage took some 

 sheep, " the fattest he had ever seen," from Eobben Island, 

 and left lean ones, obtained on the mainland, in their place. 



In 1610 Captain Nicholas Downton, with the Peppercorn and the 

 Darliui/, and Sir Henry Middleton in the Trades Increase, arrived 

 in Table Bay. 



Sir Henry Middleton found a letter buried underground, according 

 to agreement made in England with his brother, but so soiled by 

 damp that he could " not read any part thereof." Downton touched 

 again, outward bound, on June the 15th, 1614 ; but lie was not so 

 successful this time in revictualling his ship " Eefreshing of flesh 

 we had in a manner none ; we had some little fish by our continual 

 endeavours in the river. Set sail and put to sea, the 2nd of July." 



Keeling's fleet of 1615 was also in Table Bay outward bound in 

 that year. From it were landed at Eobben Island ten convicts from 

 the Old Bailey, to make a settlement. These are the men alluded 

 to by Thomas Arthington. 



But no inscription left by the commanders of the ships above 

 mentioned has been as yet recovered, with the exception of one of 

 Sir Henry Middleton's ships, the Hector, and of Saris' vessel, 

 the Thomas. 



Stone V. 



In preparing the foundations for one of Mr. Garlick's stores, at the 

 foot of Adderley Street, the workmen found a fragment of stone 

 bearing an inscription on each side. The original stone is in the 

 possession of the Cape Town Corporation. 



The date of the arrival and departure coincide with that of the 

 outward-bound fleet commanded by John Saris, of which the Thomas 

 was one, together with the Hector and Clove, and it is therefore to 

 be assumed that the inscription is that of the Thomas. 



It will be noted that in one corner of the stone there is what 



