of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope. 347 



By this judicious proceeding, he was at the end of the month 

 in possession of 350 sheep, 130 cows, 25 of which gave milk ; 

 1 bull, and several oxen and calves. The lions and jackals 

 gave him considerable trouble; — and, by an immediate use of 

 the Hottentot fig, some of his people were attacked with a 

 dangerous flux. 



He now first threshed wheat grown at this place ; and form- 

 ed the idea of having his corn sown in the low lands beyond 

 the Salt River, where the south-east wind was not so violent 

 as in the Table Valley. He proposed to have these lands cul- 

 tivated by free people. 



Thus, with the increase of his local knowledge, VanRiebeck 

 extended his plan, according to the intentions of his employers. 

 His prospects, and the circle of his operations became 

 gradually more enlarged. On the return of the yacht Good 

 Hope, from Saldanha Bay (having left Table Bay on the 2d 

 December preceding), he received some hundred seal-skins, 

 in good preservation ; and likewise a useful journal, kept by 

 F.Verburg, of what had passed during this second voyage.* 



But the daily progress of his operations was now disturbed, 

 by news that war had broken out between Holland and Eng- 

 land. This information was brought by the Galiot Black Fox, 

 which arrived here on the 18th of the month, having left the 

 Texel on the 4th September. 



He assembled his Council, and formally communicated"!" — 

 " That the Galiot Black Fox had arrived express, with advice 

 and notice of war between the States of Holland and the Com- 

 monwealth of England, Avith orders to forward this intelli- 

 gence to Batavia by the first opportunity." The Good Hope 

 was consequently sent to that place ; and it was resolved — 

 " To work at the fortifications with the greatest despatch, to 

 put them into the best possible state of defence," to which 

 end a reward of one month's wages was promised to the peo- 

 ple, the moment the Fort should be in such state. And it was 

 also resolved — "To send the Galiot to Ilobben Island, to salt 

 penguins and young seals for the people, in lieu of the Dutch 

 provisions, of which there was not more than for a fortnight's 

 consumption ; whilst the supply of bread could scarcely last 

 longer than a month." 



With the most spirited efforts every one wrought at the 

 fortifications, which advanced rapidly. And it soon proved 

 fortunate that the ramparts were raised sufficiently high to 

 resist the attacks of wild beasts ; for shortly afterwards the 

 lions one night seemed determined to enter the Fort to de- 

 vour the sheep kept there. Attracted by the scent, they 



* This relates principally to seal-catching. 



t Records of Council, Sunday, 19th January, 1653. 



