of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope. 351 



The letters received by this ship, although only duplicates 

 of former communications, caused him to assemble the Coun- 

 cil on the 3d, when it was resolved to despatch the Black Fox 

 to Persia and Surat, to make known the news of the recently 

 declared war. Two meetings of Council were held on this 

 subject, in the records of which* we find every thing men- 

 tioned that gave rise to this expedition; and such further 

 interesting objects as he then had in view. A short time 

 previous he had listened to the suggestions of a certain Ger- 

 man priest, named Marthinus Martini, who had communicated 

 many things to him ; amongst others, that near the Rivers Os 

 Montos d'Ourou, between 6 and 700 miles round the Cape, on 

 the eastern coast, in 28° 30', Rios de Reyos in 25° 30', Rio 

 de Cuamo and St. Jorgo in 18° and 19° South latitude, trade 

 might be carried on in gold, ivory, ebony, slaves, &c. Van 

 Riebeck proposed to have this examined by the Galiot during 

 her intended voyage, and appears to have entertained the 

 idea that Sofala was the Ophir to which Solomon sent for 

 gold.t The members of Council, however, possessed resolu- 

 tion enough to advise him to the contrary; and this enter- 

 prise was postponed till orders should be received from the 

 Directors in Holland, to whom, on the 4th of May, he had 

 written a long letter on the subject : containing also a full 

 description of his situation at that period. J 



The Galiot sailed on the 9th, and the greater part of the 

 month was spent in having the beams brought to the Fort 

 upon the wain, drawn by two oxen. He received daily 2 or 3 

 beams, and had 8 oxen trained, so that they might be changed 

 from time to time. He observed that during this month, as 

 in the former year, many of his people became ill, and some 

 also died. Amongst the latter, the Commander regretted 

 principally a sailor named Cornelis Claasz, of Haerlem, who 

 used to catch every day a great number of partridges ; at that 

 time very abundant near the Fort. 



July. — The month of July commenced under more favoura- 

 ble circumstances. He had a good stock of provisions, and 

 could treat his people with arrack and tobacco ; which, at that 

 inclement season of the year, were very beneficial. The for- 

 tifications were carried on with ardour: the timber-wain was 

 of considerable service. He had 80 cows, and obtained weekly 

 two pounds of fine yellow butter; possessing, besides, 130 

 sheep, and an abundance of vegetables. But on account of 

 the cold wet weather, the cattle-trade with the natives now 

 stood still. About the middle of this month he sowed wheat, 



* Records, 3d and 5th June, 1653,— 19th and 20th meetings, 

 f Notes of the Hon. J. W, Roll on letters despatched 23d April, 1653, and 

 letter to Directors, dated 4th May following-. 

 \ Book of Letters, despatched 4th May, 1653. 



