of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope. 251 



" which have been resolved upon, a Placaat, of which the 

 " draft has been prepared, shall be published on board all the 

 " vessels, and afterwards affixed at the proper place on shore ; 

 " which will appear from our Placaat Book of this date.* 



" Thus resolved and done, on board the ship Dromedary. 

 " on the day and year above-mentioned. 



(Signed,) " Jan van Riebeck, 1652, 

 " David Coning, 

 " Jan Hoogsaet, 



" SvMON TURVER, 



" P. van Helm, Secretary." 



* This Placaat was published on the 9th April, 1652, and was as follows : 

 "-Jan van Riebeck, Senior Merchant, and Commanding on behalf 

 of the Honourable Directors of the General Chartered Dutch 

 East India Company, the Fort which tbey have directed to be 

 built, Ships, and what appertaineth thereto, and of the Territories 

 which they may hereafter take into possession, at the Cape of 

 Good Hope, with the concurrence of his Council, hereby maketh 

 known : 

 " That whereas we have been ordered by the Honourable Directors 

 before-mentioned, to build for them, with the assistance of the ships 

 Dromedary, Heron, and Hope, which are for the purpose intended, at 

 the Cape of Good Hope, such fort and fortification as shall be found ne- 

 cessary for the defence of the territory which is to be taken possession of, 

 on behalf of the Company. 



" And as in such the business which we are to commence, it is necessary 

 that we should act with great caution, and be particularly circumspect 

 towards the savages of the said country, who are exceedingly uncivilized, 

 so that we may be on our guard in every thing, and in a state of defence ; 

 and that no cause of dissatisfaction may be given by us, or our people, to 

 that nation; but that, on the contrary, every kind of indulgence may be 

 shewn them, and thus, by our friendly behaviour, to give them an inclina- 

 tion to trade with us, in order by this method to obtain a great supply of 

 cattle, and to suffer less from them in our plantations, and that we may 

 thus be able to cultivate and grow such things as may be required for the 

 refreshment of the Company's homeward and outward bound ships, which 

 is the first and principal object of our employers ; and whatever else may 

 in the course ot time be considered necessary for the service of the Company. 

 " In order, therefore, to prevent all ill consequences, and to promote the 

 said objects, as well as for the preservation of good order and discipline 

 amongst the common people, who have acted with but little dignity, we 

 have resolved, for the above purpose, as was done by Resolution dated the 

 8th April, 1652, to draw up the following Articles in the form of a Hacaat, 

 and, after reconsideration and approbation of the Council, to publish and 

 affix the same at this place, together with some parts of the General Artikel- 

 brief, which may be serviceable to them, namely : 



" in the first place, that each and every person on board the three "re- 

 said ships, as well sailors as soldiers, engaged in the service of the Company 

 upon oath of the General Artikel-brief, shall, upon our order, be prepared 

 and willing to go on shore with such implements, and to do snch work as 

 shall be pointed out to him, in order to complete the fort which is about to 

 be built, &c. and to work at the same with the greatest industry, and to see 

 that others do so' likewise, as every honest servant is in duty bound, without 

 any deception, whether on the part of any soldier or sailor, or whomsoever 

 it may be. 



" And that no one may have reason to complain that he has more to do 

 than another, all the guards shall be divided equally, as well amongst the 

 ■~<ildiers as the sailors, without any one being excepted •, unprejudiced, how- 

 ever, the right of the Commander, should he be pleased to go and make ili- 



