contents

Introduction to the Resolutions
of the Council of Policy of Cape of Good Hope


Prisoners and bandits

A summary of the categories of prisoners serving sentences on Robben Island was included in the minutes of the Council meeting held on 13 March 1792 (C. 202). The VOC rulers distinguished between four classes of prisoners, namely: 1. prisoners of state (political prisoners and persons condemned to death); 2. Europeans; 3. slaves and Khoi that were banned for the rest of their lives, and 4. slaves and Khoi serving ordinary sentences.

In the first group there were “Indianen” [Indians], mainly princes and priests who were banned from the East for political reasons and sent to the Cape . Because of the danger of giving these Indian “grooten” [great ones] even the slightest opportunity to move among the large number of slaves from the East and hereby inciting them to ill deeds, they were imprisoned on Robben Island.

On 28 April 1744 (C. 122) it was minuted that two exiled “Mahometaanse” [Muslim] priests, Said Allowie and Kadje Mattavan, who were chained to one another were held prisoners on Robben Island.

The Council received word on 18 April 1747 (C. 125) that the Macassar “prinsje” [young prince] Dain Mangilieki, the dismissed Poelem Bankeengs, as well as the regent Dain Manompo and his two sons, and the dangerous councillor and priest of Motjong Kombo were on their way from Ceylon to the Cape. According to an “extract” from the general Resolution of the Castle of Batavia (2.8.1746) they were all regarded as extremely rapacious and mutinous. It was for this reason that they had to be sent to Robben Island immediately after their arrival.

The minutes of 18 February 1755 (C. 133) include a report on Manuel Thuart of “Tutucorijn”. (Tuticorin is a town situated in South Tamil Nadu in South India at the Gulf of Mannar , taken over by the Dutch in 1658.) This Company bandit/prisoner who stayed in the slave lodge, belonged to the “Caste Parua” [Parrua caste] a group of local inhabitants who were christened by the Portuguese and called the St. Thomas Christians. The Parruas came from the coast of “Mandurai” ( Madurai , also Madura) and specialised in pearl diving. The ship Deunisveld developed a leakage near its keel on the starboard side and the officials did not know how to restore it. They realised that they needed the services of “een bequaam Duijkelaar” [a capable diver] to look for the leakage under water. They remembered the former pearl-diver Manuel Thuart who was considered just the right person for the job. On two consecutive days he dived 7 times, staying between 5 to 6 minutes under water to obtain a good look at both sides of the ship. According to him the crevice in the hull could be repaired from the inside. Because Thuart acquitted himself so well of that task the Council of Policy decided that he would no longer be regarded as a bandit. Governor Tulbagh agreed to the recommendation that Thuart should receive 30 rix-dollars as remuneration. Thuart was also appointed as a member of the expedition that sailed with the Schuijlenburg to Mozambique . The expedition was ordered to recover the money and other precious goods belonging to the ship Breedenhoff that had stranded some time earlier in Delagoa Bay . At the Council meeting of 10 February 1756 (C. 134) it was minuted that according to the journals of Captain Hans Harmensz. and “commies” Dirk Westerhof the search had been in vain. After that expedition nothing was ever heard of Manuel Thuart.

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