Explaining ship traffic fluctuations at the early Cape settlement 1652–1793

Abstract

The first Europeans to settle in South Africa arrived in 1652 to establish a halfway station for ships sailing between Europe and the East Indies under the command of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). The settlement was intended as a place of recovery for VOC ships and sailors and, perhaps more importantly, as a source of fresh produce for passing ships. Consequently, it is not surprising that historical descriptions of the early Cape Colony contain many references to ships and their role in economic life.