O.F Mentzel - A complete and authentic geographical and topographical description of the famous and (all things considered) remarkable African Cape of Good Hope

Wherein is described briefly, yet thoroughly, clearly and truthfully the boundaries, internal and external conditions, constitution, form of government, judicial and police systems, military organisation and provisions for defence, revenue, trade, local privileges, urban and rural industries, occupations, customs, habits and mode of life of the Christian as well as of the heathen inhabitants, each in its proper order

ISBN of Reprint: 0-9584522-7-X

In describing conditions at the Cape as he found them in the mid-18th century, Mentzel intended to correct the errors perpetrated by such earlier travellers as Kolb. The first volume contains an historical background, a description of the physical features of the Cape and accounts of the administration and finances of the colony.

Description of the Cape

a month, but nothing else so far as I know. When he passes, the guard falls into line and orders arms, while other sentries present arms. At the approach of the three upper-merchants the sentry on duty would call out “Guardsmen! “ Thereupon the merchants would, generally, give a sign to the sentry and the men would group themselves in single file under the gate and take their hats off.

Among the ordinary members of the Council of Policy are the four merchants.

The first is the director of the bureau, in which all correspondence is conducted with Holland, Batavia and Ceylon. It is the business of this office to issue official notices, letters patent governing promotions, an(I, in short, to deal with all matters that do not fail within the scope of the Offices of Justice, Trade or Pay. This official receives a monthly salary of f6o, a kostgeld allowance of 24 R. monthly, making an annual emolument of f720 and 288 R. He has besides a considerable share in the usual perquisites that appertain to the legal business of his office; it must be noted, however, that he is the most hard-worked member of the Council of Policy.

The second merchant is styled the Dispensir. Lie super-intends the provisioning of the garrison, the ships crews, the hospitals, the slaves, and the Governor’s table. He has charge over the grain-store, the bakery and the mill. Assisted by a Bottelier* he accepts the delivery and checks the quantities of all produce sent in by the farmers, and certifies the consignment notes ; the Governor then issues an order for payment, which is duly honoured by the Pay Office. The authority of the Dispensir extends to all transactions arising from provisions belonging to the Company, such as the victualling of ships, the distribution of rations, and the sale of surplus products. Among the provisions would be included such items as corned-beef, bacon, rice, butter, cheese, olive oil, etc. His salary and kostgeld is the same as that of the first merchant, namely, f720 and 288 R. annually. He is allowed to deduct a certain percentage from the quantities of goods stored to cover depredations of rats or loss of weight by evaporation; any difference in his favour is his lawful perquisite.

The third merchant was in charge of the warehouse and was therefore styled the warehouse-master. Merchandise of all sorts was stored there, such as groceries, iron, steel, copper, brass, lead and tinware ; writing materials. books (namely, bibles and prayer hooks), tools. tobacco and pipes, and generally everything useful for production and manufacture. Although the designation of merchant given to this official was an honorary distinction, yet he might properly be regarded as a merchant. seeing that he sold on behalf of the Company such articles as above-named and also bought such commodities as ivory. etc. The vintage of Constantia, Rondeboscb. and other presses was stored directly on hoard the ships, or in the Company’s cellars. He received the identical salary and kostgeld as the other merchants, namely, f720 and 288 R. annually.

The fourth merchant is called the shop-keeper. He sells wholesale. by the piece, East Indian cotton goods such as chintz, calico. “salemporis.”” gingham, “geraas,” “bastas,” hanegatjes,’ as well as quilts and counterpanes lined with cotton wool and cotton yarns. This storekeeper shares with the garrison book-keeper the duty of paving out half-yearly the wages and salaries due to the servants of the Company— civil, naval and military. Payment is made at. the end of February and at the end of August; all books are balanced on the 31st August. All stores and magazines are then closed for business for a period of fourteen days stocks are taken and the figures are transferred to new account books. To prevent any errors from creeping into the pay-books a general muster is held throughout the Inches at the end of July or at the beginning of August; the names of all persons in the service of the East India Company, from the highest to the lowest, are called over, and each has to answer either in person or through his superior. During this muster the whole garrison is under arms: the officers acknowledge the call by saluting with their spontoons, the drummers by a sharp roll on the drum. The emoluments of this officer too are the same as the foregoing, namely, f720 and 288 R annually. Each of these merchants is allowed, monthly, two loads of fire-wood, but no other perquisite saving the labour of one free-worker, who is generally a tailor by trade. When the merchants are about with sword and staff they are saluted by the sentries, but not on other occasions.