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Deense opperchirurgyn in Tafelbaai gekielhaal


C. Venter

Abstract

Danish Chief-Surgeon Keel-Hauled in Table Bay

In December 1672 the Danish ship Oldenborg en route to trade in the East, anchored in Table Bay. It was the duty of Jan Pietersz Cortemünde, the chief-surgeon on board the Oldenborg, to take charge of the medical care of the large number of ill crew members during their stay at the Cape. While Cortemünde and a number of the crew went to collect some herbs for the sick, they were entertained by a Capetonian at his house. The consequences of this social visit was so extreme that Cortemünde became a fugitive from justice and had to hide in the vicinity of the Salt River. After he had been taken prisoner the Court of Justice sentenced him to be keel-hauled thrice in Table Bay. He survived this ordeal and later described his experiences at the Cape in his diary.


In Desember 1672 het die Deense skip Oldenborg op sy handelsvaart na die Ooste in Tafelbaai geanker. Dit was die taak van Jan Pieterz Cortemünde, die opperchirurgyn aan boord van die Oldenborg, om tydens die verblyf aan die Kaap die talle siek bemanningslede medies te versorg. Dit was in die uitvoering van hierdie opdrag dat Cortemünde en 'n paar van die bemanningslede, terwyl hulle na kruie gaan soek het, op uitnodiging deur 'n Kaapse inwoner aan huis onthaal is. Hierdie sosiale kuier het so 'n ernstige nadraai gehad dat Cortemünde 'n voortvlugtige van die gereg geword het en in die nabyheid van die Soutrivier moes gaan skuil. Nadat hy gevange geneem is, is hy deur die Raad van Justisie gevonnis om drie maal in Tafelbaai gekielhaal te word. Hy het die voltrekking van die vonnis oorleef en later in sy dagboek sy ervaringe aan die Kaap opgeteken.


(SA J Cultural History: 2003 17(1): 1-15

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eISSN: 1011-3053