1631
Autshumato taken to Batavia and trained as an intermediary
English mariners took Autshumato, a leader associated with the Goringhaicona, on a voyage to the East Indies in 1631; after learning English, he returned to the Cape as an intermediary.
View in timelineIn 1631 English mariners took Autshumato, a leader associated with the Goringhaicona at Table Bay, on a voyage to the East Indies. The later institutional account identifies the destination as Batavia and says that he learned English during the voyage. After returning to the Cape, he could communicate with visiting English crews and act as an intermediary in trade and correspondence.
The record survives mainly through later summaries and variant spellings of his name. It does not establish the voyage’s exact itinerary, the circumstances in which he travelled, or that he accepted a permanent role as an English agent. His later use of Robben Island as a base belongs to the following event.
Significance
The voyage connected Autshumato’s local authority and knowledge of Table Bay with the languages and maritime communications of visiting English ships.
Why it matters
The voyage connected Autshumato’s local authority and knowledge of Table Bay with the languages and maritime communications of visiting English ships.
Disputed interpretations
Later institutional accounts call the group ‘Strandlopers’ and describe Autshumato as an English agent, but the surviving summaries do not establish whether the voyage was voluntary, how long he remained in Batavia, or the precise ship and itinerary. ‘Autshumato’, ‘Harry’, ‘Hadah’ and ‘Herry’ are variant forms in the later record.