On Board The Unity
1761-1763

• Loss of a stream anchor – May 1762
• Lethal accident of a West-African – May 1762
• Drifting waterbarrels – May 1762
• Entering Berbice – June 1762
• Drained anchors of brandy – June 1762
• Loss of the sloop – December 1762
• Desertion of two sailors – December 1762

Loss of a stream anchor – May 1762

We, officers employed by the honorable directors of the Commercie Compagnie of the city of Middelburg, Zeeland, sailing on the ship D’Eenigheijd, declare as requested by our captain Jan Menkenveld that we lost our stream anchor on the 4th of May 1762. We were anchored in Elmina, when the buoy rope of the anchor broke. We managed to catch it [the anchor or the buoy rope??] again. However, shortly after, the stream anchor’s rope close to the anchor broke due to a strong wind and a high sea. This caused the anchor to disappear in the sea. After several failed attempts to catch the anchor, we had to acknowledge that the stream anchor was still somewhere near the coast of Elmina when we departed for America.

We hereby close our declaration, having given reasons for the loss of our stream anchor.

Actum on board of the ship D’Eenigheidt on May 10th 1762

Chief mate, Daniël Pruijmelaar
Second mate, J. Schutz
Derdewaak, Adriaan de Puijt

Lethal accident of a West-African – May 1762

Copy
Statement on the lethal accident of a West-African in Elmina

We, the undersigned officers and sailors Daniël Pruijmelaar, Petrus Couperus, Johannis Coijwijk Jan Eward, Anthonie Colombo, Otto Westman en Jacobus Rankin, all in service of the Hon. Commercie Compagnie of the city of Middelburg in Zeeland appointed to the snowship The Unity, hereby declare on request of our captain Jan Menkenveld to whoever this may concern:

Thus do I declare, first deponent, Daniël Pruymelaar, that on the Upper Coast, I was forbidden by the previously mentioned captain Jan Menkenveld to allow the canoe negroes to talk to our slaves, because we had not mastered the negroe language fully enough to know what passed between them. I was also told not to allow them to sell or trade edible goods or other goods to our slaves in order to prevent all incidents between the free negroes and our slaves. Yes, it even happened that the free negroes, even when warned several times, went to the slaves with fish and other foods which the slaves bought. They were in in such danger that they would have lost their lives if they had not received help from the officers and ship’s folk.

The first deponent also has a letter dated the last 24th of April and received here at the roadstead from the captain Jan Menkenveld, with the following content: that if sometimes the rowers of the watercano talk to the slaves we should not allow this and duly find out whether the slaves were scared by them. On the … [not filled out] of April two man slaves were lost without anyone knowing, and missing in the morning without knowing the cause of it. So it happened on the … [not filled out] of April in the forenoon, when the watercanoe came on board, I saw that the negroes from the watercanoe were trading their foodware with our slaves for leaf tobacco. Since this was still in hands of the free negroes and since, according to previous orders my duty was to provide in this, I went down the man-rope to retrieve the tobacco, after I had knocked away the slaves who were sitting on the edge of the board with a whip in my hand. (Since this is often used and taken in hand on a slave ship to castigate the slaves if they hit each other or wrangle, which happens often). Once in the canoe, where I was visiting the baskets, three negroes had jumped out of the canoe. At this jumping out of the negroes I was so aghast, that I had forgotten to look after the tobacco. I also do not know where it was left. I also saw that there were one or more sharks near the ship which took away one of these negroes. I saw blood drifting on the water; dismayed, I left the canoe and went on the ship, without having beaten the canoe negroes. At this point, the mentioned canoe nogroes were the first to ship off to the shore with 6 empty barrels and without waiting for the others or their bottle of liquor.

Further do I declare, 2nd deponent, Petrus Couperus, surgeon on this ship, that since I was in the waist to bandage the slaves, I saw the chief mate enter the canoe after he had first gotten rid of all the slaves sitting on the board because it was seen that they were again trading their tobacco for cantjes [food]. I also saw the chief mate standing in the canoe; as soon as he wanted to visit the aforementioned baskets of the canoe negroes, three of these jumped overboard while holding themselves to the sloop tugger. They were laughing at the fact that the chief mate was so deceived, knowing that the officer would not following them into the water. In this they gave themselves away, also because it was forbidden from them to associate with the slaves, let alone trade with them. From this it was clear that they already had the tobacco in their canoe. At this, I returned to my bandages. However, as soon as I had started again I heard: “A shark ate one of the negroes”, at which I again looked over board. I saw nothing but a piece of lung, which was also eaten by the sharks. I also declare that the chief mate touched the negroes with neither hand nor finger, let alone hit them.

Furthermore do I declare, third deponent Johannis Coijwijk, that here on the Upper Coast captain Jan Menkenveldt charged us multiple times that no free negroes were allowed to speak to the slaves, nor sell or trade food. He also told us that the free negroes were not allowed to go with their foodware among the slaves because their lives would be endangered and their goods taken away from them, and they did not need it. Also the slaves were not permitted to buy; they had nothing to pay with. However, if the free negroes safely entered the quarter deck with their foodwares then the captain could buy it for the slaves. Yes, this what happened here: the free negroes came on board with fish and had mingled with the slaves. The fish was taken from them and they were beaten, since the slaves were resentful towards the free negroes; it would have cost them their lives had not the chief mate and the ship’s folk ousted them. At this the aforementioned chief mate took the fish away from the slaves and gave it back to the owner, ordering them to immediately go into the canoe, which they did.

I also declare that while we were laying with the ship at the roadstead here, a letter signed by captain Jan Menkenveld and sent to the first officer Daniël Pruijmelaar passed through my hands. It dated the 24th of april, and stated that sometimes the rowers of the water canoes spoke to the slaves. The first officer should definitely not allow this and should find out whether the slaves had been frightened.

Also in the morning of the [not filled out] of April two man slaves were missing, who had been taken away without anyone’s knowledge. I do not know the cause of this, of which a report has also been made by order of the first officer to the captain. So it also happened on the [not filled out] of April in the forenoon, that I was busy in the cabin and the water canoe came onboard with water when I heard: “A shark took one of the negroes”. As I came to the quarter deck I saw blood drifing on the water. I went back into the cabin and did not see anything else.

Furthermore do I declare, fourth deponent Jan Edward, standing on the ship’s board to help hand over the empty barrels into the canoe, and I, fifth deponent Anthonie Colombo, being in the sloop on the side of the ship, that we saw the negroes take leaf tobacco from the water canoe. We then saw the first officer coming to the man-rope, at which the negroes threw the tobacco out of the canoe and the largest negroe of the three jumped out of the canoe. When the first officer entered the canoe to search for the tobacco, the other two negroes jumped out of the canoe. However, we did not see them hit by the chief mate. There was one or more sharks near the ship, who took one of those canoe negroes. At this, they left for the shore without wanting to take in more barrels.

Furthermore do I declare, sixth deponent Otto Westman, that I was busy handing over empty water barrels into the canoe. I saw the slaves trading their tobacco and wanted to warn the first officer. He was already coming and chased the slaves off board. When the first officer entered the canoe, three negroes jumped out of the canoe; I saw one of these canoe negroes being torn away by one or more sharks.

Furthermore do I declare, seventh deponent Jacobus Rankin, that as I was standing on the board I saw the chief mate enter the waist in order to knock off the slaves on the board, since they were trading their tobacco to the canoe negroes for food. Since the first officer was on the man-rope, the largest of three negroes jumped out of the canoe. When the chief mate was the in canoe to visit the baskets, the other two jumped out of the canoe. At this point, one or more sharks near the ship took away one of these canoe negroes. I did not see that the canoe negroes were indulsted by the chief mate, let alone hit.

We, the undersigned, hereby close our declarations, giving reasons of the knowledge in this text of that which we have heard, seen, been present at and which is still fresh in our memories. This, should the need arise, may be presented under oath.

Actum on board of said snowship The Unity this [not filled out] May 1762, at the roadstead of Elmina.

Signed,
Daniël Pruymelaar
P. Couperus
Johannis Coijwijk
Jan Ewardt
This + is the signature of Anthonie Colombo

Drifting waterbarrels – May 1762

Declaration of the officers concerning the floating away of eleven empty aums on the coast of African Guinnee 1762.

We, the officers employed by the honorable directors of the Commercie Compagnie of the city of Middelburg, sailing on the ship The Unity, declare that on the 5th of June 1762, we experienced a strong gust of wind from the ENE and also from the E, accompanied by a high sea. We were floating in front of the coast of Chama, attached with two anchors. During this gust of wind, two of our water canons capsized, floated away, but were also picked up again. However, we lost eleven of our water barrels. Nine of these were bought by our captain Jan Menkenveld during our stay at Elmina.

We hereby close our declaration for the loss of the eleven aumes, having given the reason of it (it was an emergency situation).

Actum of the ship The Unity on the 12th of May 1762

Chief mate Daniël Pruijmelaar
Second mate J. Schutz
Third mate Adriaan de Puijt

Entering Berbice – June 1762

Nr. 5. Declaration on the ship The Unity regarding the entering of the river Berbice, America 1762
We, officers employed by the honorable directors of the Commercie Compagnie of the city of Middelburg, Zeeland, sailing on the ship The Unity, declare as requested by captain Jan Menkenveld that we arrived at the coast of America on June the 25th. Hence, together with our captain Jan Menkenveld we deliberated and decided to enter the river Berbice in order to sell some of our slaves. The reason for this is that some of our slaves are weak and dying daily, as be seen from the journal. If this would not have been the case, we would have sailed to Curacao because we did not consider it a wise idea to enter the Suriname rivers to sell slaves there. We know that in that area slave ships arrive daily who left Africa with or before us and who told us they had Suriname as their destination. Most probably the slaves there are being sold for low prices. However, if it appears that we will not be able to sell all our slaves in the Berbice area, we have decided to sail to Essequebo to sell the remainder there.
We hereby close this declaration, having given reasons for the entering the river Berbice (if need be, under oath).
Actum on board of the ship The Unity, the 25th of June 1762

[signed]
Chief mate Daniël Pruijmelaar
Second mate J. Schutz
Third mate Adriaan de Puijt

Drained anchors of brandy – June 1762

Declaration of the drained anchors of brandy on the ship The Unity in 1762

We, officers employed by the honorable directors of the Commercie Compagnie in Middelburg, Zeeland, sailing on the ship The Unity, declare as requested by our captain Jan Menkenveld, that on the 7th of December 1761we noticed when examining the fore hatchway that an anchor of brandy marked ADP and half an anchor marked KA had drained. The staves of the barrels, which were placed next to each other, had burst, which caused the noted drainage. On the 30th of December 1761, another anchor (marked CVC) drained, again due to burst staves. On the 29th of January, we noticed that again, three anchors had drained, of which two were marked ADP and one CVC. We furthermore declare that on the 15th of March 1762 we noticed that an anchor marked ADP had drained. Again on the 19th of April 1762, three anchors and a half drained: one and a half marked KA, one marked ADP, and one marked CVC, which were all caused by the bursting of the staves.

We hereby close our declaration, having given the reasons of the drainage of the anchors.

Actum on board of the ship The Unity on the 17th of June 1762

Chief mate, Daniël Pruymelaar
Second mate, J. Schutz
Third mate, Adriaan de Puijt

Loss of the sloop – December 1762

Declaration regarding the loss of the sloop

We, officers employed by the honorable directors of the Commercie Compagnie of the city of Middelburg, Zeeland, sailing on the ship The Unity, declare as requested by our captain Jan Menkenveld that we have left our sloop on the shore of Rio Demmerary because we considered it unfit for service due to leakages. Repairs were attempted several times, but all in vain. We also thought it unwise to take a leaking sloop on board – it was no better than firewood, with which we were amply provided already, and we were already on our way home.

Thus completed and passed on board of previously mentioned ship, this […] December 1762

Chief mate, Daniël Pruymelaar
Second mate, J. Schutz
Third mate, Adriaan de Puijt

Desertion of two sailors –  December 1762

Declaration regarding the running away of Anthonie Colombo and Allonse Madroe anno 1762

We, officers employed by the honorable directors of the Commercie Compagnie of the city of Middelburg, Zeeland, sailing on the ship The Unity, declare unanimously that two of our sailors, Anthonie Colombo and Allonse Madroe, have run away on Tuesday November 16th, 1762 while we were anchored in the river Rio Demmerary. In the morning, four of our sailors, among them Anthonie Colombo and Allonse Madroe, were sent ashore to cut firewood in the forest. The above-named sailors did not return on board in the evening, and we understood from the other two men that Anthonie Colombo and Allonse Madroe had become separated from them; they did not know where they had gone. A few days later, on Sunday the 28th of November, Allonse Madroe came back on board. He declared not to know where his fellow sailor was and explained that they had lost each other that night in the wood.

Our captain was told by the director-general of the monopolized colony Essequebo and annexed rivers, etc., that if we would find the two sailors we would have to take them back to the Netherlands; no scoundrel was allowed to remain in that land. Therefore, we agreed to keep Allonse Madroe on board to aid the accomplishment of our journey.

We herewith condemn him to the forfeiture of all his monthly wages and put him on record as a runaway. He may only enjoy the sea fare, without anything else, in accordance with the Dutch Rights of the Sea Law of king Philip, number 78, articles 1 and 2.

Thus completed and passed on board of The Unity, this December 21st, 1762.

[signed]
Captain Jan Menkenveld
Chief mate Daniël Pruijmelaar
Second mate J. Schütz
Third mate Adriaan de Puijt
Boatswain Pieter Piers