Page 181 - Dutch Asiatic Shipping Volume 1

on mortality in the Cape hospital in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Here we can only mention the results of some limited research of a different kind. On the basis of the Lists in volume 2 it was possible to calculate the numbers of those disembarking at the Cape on the outward voyage as against those embarking again. From these figures - see table 32 - it is clear that on arrival at the Cape many disembarked. Roughly half the number of these afstappers embarked again within this period to continue the voyage to Asia on another ship. The difference per decade between those disembarking and those embarking again should not simply be seen as the deathrate of the sick voyagers who disembarked at the Cape for good. Concealed in this figure could be healthy men, or those who recovered at the Cape, who either travelled on to Asia in the next decade, or soon returned to Europe, or settled permanently at the Cape. But it may be assumed that a majority of those staying at the Cape were sick on disembarkation and soon died there. However, table 32 will have to be looked at with due caution.
Table 32: Numbers of voyagers disembarking and embarking at the Cape on the outward voyage47
1656-1660 1660-1670 1670-1680 1680-1690 1690-1700
1700-1710 1710-1720 1720-1730 1730-1740 1740-1750 1750-1760 1760-1770 1770-1780 1780-1790 1790-1795
Disembarked voyagers ships
800 66 3,000 212 3,200 216 3,500 192 5,400 227
4,400 270 5,600 296 7,100 366 8,400 361 8,700 302 8,200 285
13,900 287 10,200 290 9,600 291 2,200 98
Embarked voyagers ships
700 66 1,800 209 2,200 215 2,500 190 4,000 219
3,300 258 3,000 293 4,100 356 4,700 358 4,500 303 3,800 283 6,800 284 7,900 266
Difference %of voyagers
from Netherlands (table 30)
100 0.3 1,200 3.0 1,000 2.1 1,000 2.9 1,400 3.5
1,200 2.5 2,500 4.4 3,000 4.4 3,700 5.2 4,300 6.0 4,400 5.6 7,100 8.4 2,300 3.2
???? ????
Whatever one may (cautiously) conclude from this, it is quite clear that the Cape as staging post on the voyage played an important role in the carrying of personnel. A n average of 10% of all those embarking in the Republic disembarked at the Cape, either to change ships for the continued voyage to Asia, or to remain at the Cape. Numerically a picture arises of busy embarkations and disembarkations, which doubtless (though we
47 The numbers of VOC-personnel (dis)embarking have been taken from the Lists in vol. 2 and extrapolated for all ships calling at the Cape.