On the snowship The Unity of the Commercie Compagnie
this 2nd of May at the roadstead of Castle ElminaGhanad’Elmina
Honorable directors of the Commercie Compagnie,
Dear Sirs,
My last letter to your honorable was dated the first of January 1762, written according to the attached copy at the roadstead of BuchananLiberiaGrand Bassa, with eleven slaves onboard. We left on the third of the month to trade down the coast.
On the 9th of February we anchored at Grand LahouCôte d'IvoireCape Lahou with one hundred slaves. There we found the ship The Jacoba Maria, captained by David Soloni of Vlissingen, who left south on January 11th.
On the 20th of January the frigate The Guinean Friends, commanded by Captain A. Meijer, dropped anchor next to us. We departed on the 22nd with 272 slaves, leaving Captain Meijer in good well-being.
On 5th of March we anchored at the roadstead of GhanaAxim, from which we left on the 21st with 288 slaves, having traded down the trading offices.
We dropped anchor at the roadstead of d’Elmina on the 12th of April with 305 slaves, where we took in some water and firewood and assembled barrels.
We also found the frigate The Publicola here, commanded by the captain Jacob van Bel of Rotterdam, here for slaves. The snowship The Jacoba Maria, captained by David Soloni of Vlissingen came here too. Both of them were ready to sail. Tidings also arrived of captain Den Hollander, Casteleijn and captain Hermans, that they were on the Windward Coast.
After the all-wise and wonderful provision of the Almighty and while praying for and in expectation of His blessings, we departed today for the coast of America with 319 heads of living slaves and 7 dead slaves. There was therefore a total of 326 traded slaves; the traded tusks amount to 3.611 lb. and 322 lb. pieces of elephant's tusks or small tusksscrivellors, together 3.933 lb.
We also have some cargo goods leftover since trade here is extremely difficult due to all the English goods, and also due to the constant war conducted by the negroes among each other. Little gold, therefore, came from deep inland.
I hope to be able to inform you of the further circumstances of my journey at my arrival (granted by God) in the West-Indies, together with a transactional account of the cargo. However, at this moment I do not know where I will arrive.
I have nothing further to report to your honor since my departure from the homeland except that three of my crew members have died: Roelof Sievart, born in Breeswijk in Norway, died on December 24th 1761 at the roadstead of Groot Basa; the boatswain’s mate Hans Cramer of Copenhague, who fell overboard and drowned on January 1st 1762; and on February 22nd of 1762 we received tidings from the boat, which had been out trading, that the sailor Maarten Cappel, born in Vlissingen, had drowned.
Regarding the rest, thanks be to God that I and my officers and crew remain in good health, such as I would wish to see in you and your family.
With which, after greeting you and your honorable family and recommending them to God’s holy protection, I respectfully sign,
Honorable sirs,
Your honorable, obedient servant,
Jan Menkenveld
