Ship of Fools

The capture and transport of slaves from Africa to America has been catalogued in numerous books, films, television shows (Roots is one of the more memorable examples). Similar acts of brutality occurred before and since the famed triangular trade route surfaced between Europe, western Africa, and the newly formed colonies in the Americas. Besides being captured, many Africans were simply given away as slaves by their kings in return for goods such as beads, shells, textiles, brandy, horses, and guns. Contemporary American politicians have played the race card from time to time to differing effects. The concept of reparations has haunted generations of African-Americans after the failure of "40 acres and a mule" to help their community rise above the degradations imposed upon them by simply evil men - white or black, as seen by the antecedents of the slave trade. Africans had been traded for centuries before the triangular trade began.

None of these details substantiate the truly horrific loss of life under demeaning circumstances. Nonetheless, it is intriguing to see how the past funds our present and future, most notably in the funding of historical studies. Today's NY Times online profiles marine archaeologist Jaco Boshoff and his attempt to find the remains of a Dutch shipwreck that hosted both a slave mutiny and their eventual capture. Much of the ship's tempestous journey has been well-documented, in letters and court archives, and is now stored in Cape Town, South Africa. In a nutshell: the Dutch East India company sent the Meermin to Madagascar in search of slaves for its burgeoning new settlement at Cape Town. On the way back, half of the 147 slaves - including women and children - rebelled against their captors and attempted to steer the ship back. Both slaves and captors utilized cunning and skill in getting their way. Whereas the slaves were able to mutiny after being assigned to the menial task of cleaning spears, the crew members fought back by stealthily guiding the ship to what the slaves thought was Madagascar. Meanwhile, officials in Cape Town became suspicious after sighting a still-born ship without a flag, and readied their arms for mutinous slaves. Total casualties amounted to nearly 60 dead Dutchmen and dozens of slaves drowned, shot, or chained to bondage.

Artifacts of the tumultuous trip include bayonets, pistols, ropes, and compasses. The Meermin's fate was less fortunate, left to drown out in the sand at the mouth of the Heuningries River. This is now the site of Boshoff's current search. Shackles, spears, and other remnants of the prison-like conditions on ship would point him towards the bounty of all treasure-troves: the last remaining wreck of the Meermin. While the majority of Boshoff's funding has yet to be secured, aptly named mining conglormerate Anglo-American has given him a $40,000 magnetometer and a field assistant to help him during the search. Even more intriguing is the Dutch government, who will gladly donate should Boshoff find actual pieces of the wreck.

I am hesitant to continue the expository tone of this piece. It ignores the human toll coldly acknowledged as collateral damage in the midst of terrible times. The birth of new countries is rife with convoluted tales and stories with grizzly ends that the slaves and crew members met. Projects such as Boshoff's shed another light on the story, and it's the responsibility of both him and his funders to insure that the wreck is salvaged without too much pomp and circumstance, but rather, with the slow, solemn mourning that should have accompanied its demise.