By this Account

Five hundred it is surmised 
left in the hold of the ship from the Bay of Luanda
the ship was old it was noted
was on its way to Bahia Todos les Sanctes apparently
was captured with ease it seems

250 were transferred it was noted
from the old ship top heavy hold heavy
along with sufficient water for six weeks and some food 

the voyage was most eventful someone adds
even before the Portuguese ship was sighted coming from Angola
and chased
and captured
and relieved of the best of its cargo 
and abandoned
in no shape to sail or be escorted as was noted

the voyage was most eventful someone added
even before the ship was sighted coming from Angola
the ship’s cook and the ship’s boys committed venus monstrosa 
a category of acts deemed deviant
a capital offence it seems 
unnatural sexual love
a category including sodomy, self masturbation, 
sexual acts between women,
and sexual acts between infidels and Christians 

a pregnant woman was discovered 
disguised as a sailor
who subsequently gave birth to a baby girl 
that died six weeks later as was diligently reported

500 it is surmised left the Bay of Luanda headed for Brazil
250 were transferred by all accounts
from the old ship to the Amersfoort 
VOC ship 
Chamber of Amsterdam ship 

250 were the salvageable cargo it was declared
mostly children
as the Commander reported

Six days food and water left aboard the old ship
that was in no shape to sail or be escorted 
was duly recorded
250 captives remaining in the hold can only be surmised

76 who went overboard en route 
were precisely counted
sick, moribund or dead

170 who arrived at the Cape
(Cape of Good Hope some call it Cape of Torments others say)
were recorded in the Commander’s daghregister 
and conveyed by way of letter to the Heeren XVII 
but every day others died it seems
so minus 32

minus 40 who were sent to Batavia by some accounts
90 by other accounts
the best of the salvageable cargo by all accounts

minus 7 who absconded ran away escaped 
were the healthiest and most energetic allegedly 
and were never recaptured apparently

it seems then by this account
that 22 
of those who occupied the hold 
of the Portuguese ship that sailed from Luanda
remained


Lost Volumes. I. A Tale of Ships