Page 33 - Bulletin 22 2019

30

Swartklip

The Drietal Handelaars was a Dutch East Indiaman of 502 tons on hire to the Amsterdam
chamber of the DEIC, and commanded by Kornelis de Vries. She was homeward bound from

Batavia, having left there on 27 February 1789 with a cargo of eastern products. On 16 May
1789, while on anchor in False Bay, the south-easter blew up and she dragged her anchors

until going up onto the rocks at Swartklip. Surprisingly, no lives were lost.

Strand

The Benefactress was an American barque of 540 tons, commanded by Capt. Elridge. She
was on a voyage from Yokahama to New York with a cargo of tea. She struck a reef off Cape

Agulhas, but was taking on too much water and was forced to run ashore near the Lourens

River on 19 November 1870.

Gordon’s Bay

On 22 September 1800 the Benjamim, a British sloop was wrecked at Gordon’s Bay during a

north-west gale while proceeding from False Bay to Table Bay. All aboard perished.

The Robert was a British ship of 595 tons, built in 1843 at New Brunswick, and commanded

by Capt. Sayer. She sprang a leak while on a voyage from Maulnein in Burma to London,

with a cargo of teak. She ran ashore at Mostard Bay near Gordon’s Bay during a south-east
gale.

Gordon’s Bay to Rooi Els

The Sarpine was a Portuguese man o’ war commanded by Ignatius Ferreria. She was

wrecked near Hottentots Holland in 1691 during a south-east gale, while on a voyage from
China and Japan with ambassadors for Lisbon. (Figs. 1.33 & 1.34.) Only five people

survived.