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this survey Van der Stel paid particular attention to the lay of the land and resources to be
found at what was known as Ysselsteyn Bay, and which he would rename as Simon’s Bay.
Van der Stel’s later report on this expedition served to highlight how wild and for the most
part undisturbed by settlers the southern Peninsula remained at this time, with but few
exceptions.

As early as 1685 miners were busy sinking test pits in what is still known today as the
Silvermine Valley. This work, however, proved fruitless and after a few years, was
abandoned. Then in 1699 Van der Stel himself was granted, in addition to the land he already
held in Constantia, all the land surrounding Zeekoevlei. Then as a further concession the next
year he was granted the right:

“To use the whole area of the Steenberg (de geheel Steenberg door and langs) to
graze and quarter his stock, to plough and sow, to hunt freely both large and small
game and also to fish throughout the area without hindrance” (20) .

This lease is a bit unusual in that normally land grants such as this were issued for one year
only, although they could be renewed. In this case it was issued to Van der Stel ‘for the
duration of his life’. Also it was signed by the visiting V.O.C. Commissioner, Wouter
Valkenier, instead of the governor at that time who happened to be Van der Stel’s son,
Willem Adriaan, and who normally would have had charge of such matters (21) . This was no
doubt to ensure that should someone in the future challenge the legality of this grant, there
could be no hint of impropriety on the part of the Van der Stels. Simon van der Stel held this
land until his death in 1712 at which time a second lease was issued to the effect:

“the legal representatives of the late former governor Simon van der Stel are permitted
to graze and quarter stock for the period of one year behind the Steenberg” (22) .

This lease was signed by Pieter de Meyer - Secretary to the Council of Policy and obviously
was granted to allow the family time to conclude the Van der Stel estate. That the Van der
Stel grant extended as far south as Cape Point seems certain as Francois Valentyn, who
visited the Cape in 1685, 1695, 1705 and 1714, records that Van der Stel’s land was “fully
three days’ journey across” (23) . It is open to question, however, how far down the Peninsula

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