350 An Historical Account ofihe Formation, SfC. 



further in the interior than the Saldanhians, induced by the 

 favourable report of the Dutch, which others of their country- 

 men had spread, arrived to barter their cattle for copper and 

 tobacco. Elephants and hippopotamus' tusks Avere sometimes 

 exchanged for small pieces of tobacco, or copper wire ; and 

 the Commander, experiencing daily the advantages of the sys- 

 tem of moderation and kindness which had been recommended, 

 did his utmost to cultivate the good opinion entertained by the 

 natives. He obtained 16 very fine cows in one day ; and be- 

 fore the end of this montb, received from two homeward- 

 bound ships, 6 lasts or 12 tons of rice 



May. — The occurrences in May were less remarkable. An 

 observation of Van Riebeck, that English vessels had formerly 

 been into the beautiful bay at the back of Table Mountain ; 

 and his account of three homeward-bound ships having sailed 

 from this place with secret instructions, are, in the commence- 

 ment, the only circumstances worthy of notice. At this period 

 we first find in a judicial sentence, the words " cum expensis," 

 a term used in our Courts of Law, signifying that the persons 

 condemned should pay the costs of suit. It is also stated that 

 6 breeding sheep were sent to Robben Island, to try if they 

 would breed there. There is a vacuum in the diary from the 

 14th to the 23d of the month ; about which time the East or 

 whale point of the Fort was completed; and Van Riebeck 

 hoped that the West point would, " with God's permission," 

 be finished before the end of the following month. 



He was now occupied, with his usual diligence, in cutting 

 beams and posts in the forests behind the Table Mountain, to 

 build a store-house or magazine. He went there with some 

 Hottentots, whom he wished to carry these pieces of wood to 

 the Fort. He succeeded the first day with six; but after- 

 wards, he states, they would not work, and made signs of being 

 too much fatigued from the labours of the preceding day. 

 Meanwhile he made preparations to put oxen to a timber- 

 wain, and this first attempt here to employ the ox for the pur- 

 pose of draught, succeeded extremely well. Finally, the 

 gathering of shells and wood, for the first lime-kiln, concluded 

 the business of the month. 



j un ». — A singular circumstance is mentioned in the com- 

 mencement of June. The captain of the Galiot Red Fox ar- 

 rived here on the 2d, and reported to Van Riebeck that, by 

 an error in the pointing of the compasses, he had been for 

 nearly three months unable to make the port; and that 12 

 days before he had fallen off above 200 miles to the northward. 

 The crew was consequently in an uncommonly sick state, and 

 experienced the utility of this place of refreshment, by the 

 vegetables and meat, which from his abundance he most cheer- 

 fully supplied. 



