30 Annals of the SoutJi African Museum. 



unexplained. If it is that of Richard Swanley, the same difficulty 

 reappears, as the upper letter is certainly not an " R." 



Before closing with the inscriptions of one face of the Orphanage 

 stone, it is not out of place to mention that while the Royal James 

 was in Table Bay in 1622, Mr. Patrick Copland, the preacher of the 

 ship, collected from the gentlemen and mariners a sum of 70 8s. 6d. 

 towards the building of a free school in Virginia. 



On the other side of the large heavy slab figures a well-graved 

 inscription and one or two others which are very indistinct. 



The word Will is the abbreviation for William. The ship reached 

 England in the following December. She was a 700 tons vessel, 

 and the approximate value of her cargo was 60,000. Arthur 

 Hatch, who was the preacher on board, went out first in 1619, 

 returning in 1623 ; then in the present voyage, 1626-8, and a third 

 time in the Charles in 1632. 



In his account of the voyage, Andrew Warden, who was second 

 mate says : " September 1 (1628). Got into Table Bay. Caught some 

 seals on Penguin (Robben) Island and made a hogshead of lamp oil. 

 Took in more ballast and a supply of water." 



Stone XII. 



The inscription recording the call of the Star is not graved but 

 written with paint, or tar, and is therefore very faint, although it 

 becomes very legible if wetted. The Star was a bad sailor, and on 

 one occasion, as she proved a great hindrance to the fleet, it was 

 resolved to "leave her behind to make her way to Surat as best she 

 can." She was one of the fleet of 1625, under Weddell and Clevinger, 

 and was sent back to England to convey thither a Persian Am- 

 bassador. By her was sent the news of the fight with the Portuguese 

 off Gombroon, in which Becker, the Dutch Commander, was slain. 

 The Portuguese were "putt to the worst," whereupon the English 

 sailed for Surat. 



In William Minors's account of the homeward voyage of the Scout, 

 which vessel anchored in Table Bay on January 20, 1626, and found 

 there two Dutch ships from Batavia bound for Holland, he states that 

 he, Minors, was sent ashore to look for letters, " but they were taken 

 away befor ; onely wee founde written uppon a stone of the Starr, 

 and the two Dutch shippes ; the Maidvandorph and Weezopp, the 

 14th of October, and there departure thence the 25th of dicto." 



John Howe was Commander of the Star. His instructions on 

 leaving Swally were to make the best of his way to England, keep- 



