Page 226 - Loss of the VOC Retourschip Batavia, Western Australia, 1629

SHIP'S SUPPLIES Wines
Thereappearstobeasurprisinglackofwinebottleson the site, only a few fragments of glass bottles having been found and a few bottle-tops. Compared wilb the material from the Vergulde Draeck, the collection is quite small. This may be due to the fact that the conditions on Ibe two sites were different. The Vergulde Draeck wreck site, although exposed on a reef, had an area at the base of Ibe reef which gave protection to quite fragile material. Thus it is possible that the glass survived more readily on the Vergulde Draecksite. This does not explain why there was so few of the robust pewter bottle-tops, however; their lack ofsurvivalontheBataviasitemaybethatthismaterialhas been washed over the reef or, more likely, that it was only carried in small quantities on the ship.
PERSONAL ITEMS
According to the Artyckle Brief, the V.O.C. allowed a
certainamountofpersonalpossessionsthatcouldbetaken to the lndies in a sea-chest measuring 5 voet long, by 2 voet wide and high. Senior officers were allowed a second sea- chest as well as additional provisions and fleskelders (a kelder or fleskelder was a small, wooden case containing 15 case-bottles of wine). For furiher details, see Green (1977).
Seal
The seal BA T 3274 is the only object from theexcava-
tion that can be associated, by the initials, with a person known to have been on board the Batavia. Of a family of nine, Gijsbert Bastiaensz,thePredikant, and his daughter, Judith, were the only survivors of the massacres on Bata- via's Graveyard.
Ceramics
The great number and quantity of fme stonewares found on the site raises the question that Ibey may have been personally owned. It would be surprising to find such high-quality ware destined as trade items, especially the fmeWesterwalderwarejugwilbtherepairedpewterhandle BAT 2358. Most of the complete stoneware items were found in the stern section of the ship and it is possible that they were being used for domestic purposes in the cabins of the officers and important passengers. It is, of course, unlikely that the personal ownership question will ever be resolved, but it is interesting to speculate.
SUPPLIES FOR THE INDIES Bricks
See below for bricks and the outward transport of bricks to the Indies.
TRADE ITEMS Manillas
As discussed in the catalogue, these items are somewhat ofamystery.Itishopedthatfurtherresearchmaybedone, particularly on the significance of the fleets of this period calling in at Sierra Leone as it may provide a clue to Ibe presence of maniIIas.
Silverware
This group of material is one of the most interesting
part.ofthecollection,sinceitisclearlyassociatedwiththe recommendations that Pelsaert made to Ibe Company in hisRerrumstrantie.Therelationshipofthesilverwarewith theGreatCameoofCasbarBoudaenandtheRubensVase is of particular interest as it reflects on such issues as Ibe specializednatureofIbetradeintheIndiesandIbequestion of illegal trade. Drake-Brockman (1966) discusses the Cameo and the Vase. The Company was exploring methods of facilitating trade in the Indian sub-continent and Pelsaert's experience as factor in Agra prompted him to write the Rerrwnstranlie in which he recommended specialized items of trade that would be profitable for Ibe Company.
THESIDP
Evidence for the position of the end of the powder- and bread-rooms
It may be noted that the building blocks form a line across the site. On the site plan which has the grid (Fig. 5), this line is about 9 metres from the stern of the ship at the inside point of Ibe gunport. The evidence of tin plate on Ibe lower part of the ceiling planking below the Icoebrug (or orlop deck) suggests that the bread-room encompassed the powder-room on three sides, both rooms having a common boundary at the bulwark to the main hold. Access to the powder-room would have been through a hatch in the floor of the koebrug into the bread-room. Possibly, the bread- room extended down either side of the ship, with Ibe powder-room in-between. Therefore, it is possible that the bread- and poWder-rooms ended at a distance of 9 or 10 metres from the top of the stern-post. This matter will be discussed furiher in the forihcoming Batavia hull construction publication in this series.
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