Kkarré of the Cochoquas1,2

M, #18926

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Last Edited03/05/2019
NotesOn 10 January 1672 Kkarré of the Cochoquas, Dhaurrij of the Cochoquas, Ttentshe of the Cochoquas, Achtonij of the Cochoquas and Chamtagou of the Cochoquas were apprehended near the cavalry stables after they were said to have attacked and seized a free shepherd and robbed him of everything in his pockets. They were subsequently identified as from the same people as Gonnoma of the Cochoquas.3
On 11 January 1672 some Cochoqua sent by Gonnoma of the Cochoquas arrived at the Fort with 8 beautiful cattle and 5 beautiful sheep, to exchange for the release of their fellow Cocoqua, namely Kkarré of the Cochoquas, Dhaurrij of the Cochoquas, Ttentshe of the Cochoquas, Achtonij of the Cochoquas and Chamtagou of the Cochoquas. However, they were sent back without their request being heard by an official.4
On 14 January 1672 the Cochoqua delegation arrived at the Fort again with more cattle in an effort to trade for the release of Kkarré of the Cochoquas, Dhaurrij of the Cochoquas, Ttentshe of the Cochoquas, Chamtagou of the Cochoquas and Achtonij of the Cochoquas. They were ignored.5
On 24 January 1672 the delegation sent by returned yet again with even more cattle to exchange for Kkarré of the Cochoquas, Dhaurrij of the Cochoquas, Gonnoma of the Cochoquas, Ttentshe of the Cochoquas, Achtonij of the Cochoquas and Chamtagou of the Cochoquas. This too was rejected.6
On 3 February 1672 the Cochoqua delegation arrived yet again with a considerable offering of cattle and sheep to exchange for the freedom of Kkarré of the Cochoquas, Dhaurrij of the Cochoquas, Ttentshe of the Cochoquas, Chamtagou of the Cochoquas and Achtonij of the Cochoquas. This too was refused.7
On 10 February 1672 at a meeting of the council Kkarré of the Cochoquas, Dhaurrij of the Cochoquas, Ttentshe of the Cochoquas, Chamtagou of the Cochoquas and Achtonij of the Cochoquas. were sentenced. Details of a trial were not included in the journal. Three were to be scourged, branded and banished to Robben Island for 15 years. Two were to be thrashed and sent as convicts to the island for 7 yeaers.8
On 11 February 1672 the physical punishments ordered the previous day, that is, three were scourged and branded and two were thrashed, were imposed on Kkarré of the Cochoquas, Dhaurrij of the Cochoquas, Ttentshe of the Cochoquas, Chamtagou of the Cochoquas and Achtonij of the Cochoquas. The journal does not specify who received which sentence.9
On 18 February 1672, Kkarré of the Cochoquas, Dhaurrij of the Cochoquas, Ttentshe of the Cochoquas, Chamtagou of the Cochoquas and Achtonij of the Cochoquas were sent to Robben Island to serve out their sentences.10
On 31 October 1672 some delegates sent by Gonnoma of the Cochoquas who were also relatives of Kkarré of the Cochoquas, Dhaurrij of the Cochoquas, Ttentshe of the Cochoquas, Chamtagou of the Cochoquas and Achtonij of the Cochoquas, the five Cochoqua banished to Robben Island, came to the Fort to offer the governor Isbrand Gosken, ten choice cattle as a ransom in exchange for their relatives. The governor refused to meet with them nor were they successful in securing the freedom of their kin.11
On 5 January 1673 the (unnamed) sergeant returned from Robben Island to report that Kkarré of the Cochoquas, Dhaurrij of the Cochoquas, Ttentshe of the Cochoquas, Chamtagou of the Cochoquas and Achtonij of the Cochoquas had escaped the previous night in a small boat. They had not been assisted and the scribe of the journal notes that this was a very bold act and illustrated the desire for liberty from slavery. This last comment is interesting but it is unclear whether the scribe meant that the all convicts were considered to be in slavery or if this applied only to Khoe convicts, or indeed the entire indigene population.12
On 6 January 1673 the governor Isbrand Gosken despatched two horsemen to search the shoreline, as far as the beach opposite Robben Island, for the five fugitive Khoe, namely Kkarré of the Cochoquas, Dhaurrij of the Cochoquas, Ttentshe of the Cochoquas, Chamtagou of the Cochoquas and Achtonij of the Cochoquas. Although the journal and resolutions are silent on the outcome of the search, a notation was added to the original sentence that the boat had been found and the fugitives were deemed to have landed safely. They thereafter disappear from the record. It is not inconceivable however, that they were able to make their way to their people and thereafter successfully hidden from the settlers.13

Citations

  1. [S664] H.C.V. Leibbrandt Compiler, (Castle Street, Cape Town: W.A. Richards & Sons, 1902), pp.40-41. January 11th. Departure of the Uydam. During the afternoon some Hottentoos brought us, nominally for the redemption of their 5 incarcerated comrades, 8 beautiful young cattle and 8 similar sheep, but they had to return unheard, as the wantonness of that nation is daily becoming more extravagant, so that an exemplary punishment is required as a deterrent to others, and the more so, as the prisoners belong to the tribe of Gounoma, by whose doings last year two of the burghers had been so cruelly massacred.. Hereinafter cited as Journal 1671-1674, 1676.
  2. [S629] Personal communications between Mansell Upham and Delia Robertson, 2010-present. "     KKarré
    "     Dhaur(r)ij
    "     TTentshe / TTentche
    "     Act(h)onij
    "     Chamtagou / Khamtagou.
  3. [S664] H.C.V. Leibbrandt Compiler, Journal 1671-1674, 1676, p.40.During the afternoon the mounted guard brought in five wanton Hottentoos tied to one another with ropes and charged with having attacked and seized a certain burgher shepherd in the veld near the Cavalry stables, searched his pockets, and robbed him of everything they contained. They were also on the point of carrying away with them a large portion of his troop of sheep, but the mounted guard had followed them with their horses, and recovered the booty from their thievish hands. [Upham notes these were the individuals.]
  4. [S664] H.C.V. Leibbrandt Compiler, Journal 1671-1674, 1676, pp.40-41.During the afternoon some Hottentoos brought us, nominally for the redemption of their 5 incarcerated comrades, 8 beautiful young cattle and 8 similar sheep, but they had to return unheard, as the wantonness of that nation is daily becoming more extravagant, so that an exemplary punishment is required as a deterrent to others, and the more so, as the prisoners belong to the tribe of Gounoma, by whose doings last year two of the burghers had been so cruelly massacred.
  5. [S664] H.C.V. Leibbrandt Compiler, Journal 1671-1674, 1676, p.41.The Hottentoos, who were here with their cattle on the 11th, as a ransom for the prisoners, returned about noon with more cattle, but they had to do with the deaf.
  6. [S664] H.C.V. Leibbrandt Compiler, Journal 1671-1674, 1676, pp.42-43.The men of Gounema's kraals again appear at the fort in the afternoon, in order once more to request the liberation of the incarcerated for a considerable number of cattle, which they had brought with them, but the smoke of their sacrifice was beaten down and rejected as unpleasant, so that they returned in the evening to their huts as wise as they came.
  7. [S664] H.C.V. Leibbrandt Compiler, Journal 1671-1674, 1676, p.43. The friends of the 5 incarcerated Africans once more offered a considerable quantity of cattle and sheep for their liberation, which were, however, again refused, and they were made to understand that we intended very soon to make them feel otherwise, as the conceit of these vagabonds is becoming unbearable.
  8. [S664] H.C.V. Leibbrandt Compiler, Journal 1671-1674, 1676, p.44. The Council of the Fortress strengthened by the Burgher Councillors, passes sentence on the five Hottentoos (see above). Three were condemned to be scourged and branded and work for 15 years on Robben Island "ad opus publicum." The two others who were not so guilty, but merely voluntary particpators (conspirateurs) in the cattle theft, were to be thoroughly thrashed and serve as convicts on the Island for 7 years (see Criminal Roll and Book of Sentences).
  9. [S664] H.C.V. Leibbrandt Compiler, Journal 1671-1674, 1676, p.44. After the sentences had been publicly read from the balcony, they were carried out on the place of execution, and the culprits were made to feel the result of their wantonness.
  10. [S664] H.C.V. Leibbrandt Compiler, Journal 1671-1674, 1676, p.44. The condemned Hottentoo convicts were today conveyed to Robben Island, to serve out their time there.
  11. [S664] H.C.V. Leibbrandt Compiler, Journal 1671-1674, 1676, p.85. Some Hottentoos of Gounema's kraals and relatives of the five convicts on Robben Island this day offered the Governor ten beautiful choice head of cattle as a ransom for the five, but they could obtain neither audience nor their wish.
  12. [S664] H.C.V. Leibbrandt Compiler, Journal 1671-1674, 1676, p.104. After the usual evening meeting, the sergeant returned from the Island and reported that the five Hottentoos confined there had escaped during the previous night in the small boat. They had done this without anybody's knowledge or assistance: truly a very bold venture on the part of such brutal people, to entrust themselves to the waves of the ocean in such a small craft, which can only be managed with two oars and without any mast showing an example of a desire of liberty from slavery.
  13. [S664] H.C.V. Leibbrandt Compiler, Journal 1671-1674, 1676, p.104. The Governor being curious to know what had become of the five fugitive Hottentoos, despatched two horsemen along the shore, as far as the beach opposite Robben Island to look for them.
 

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