Balts in the Caribbean: The Duchy of Courland's attempts to colonize Tobago Island, 1638 to

1654
Author(s): KARIN JEKABSON-LEMANIS
Source: Caribbean Quarterly, Vol. 46, No. 2 (June 2000), pp. 25-44
Published by: University of the West Indies and Caribbean Quarterly
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40654122 .
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 25

Baits in the Caribbean: The Duchy of Courland's attempts to

colonize Tobago Island, 1638 to 1654

by

KARIN JEKABSON-LEMANIS

The Caribbean island of Tobago is southernmost of the West Indies.

Twenty-six miles long and seven miles wide, this fish-shaped island has verdant
mountains, beautifulwhite beaches, crystallinewaters and an abundance of exotic
flowers and trees. Tobago is best known as the legendary desert island of Robin-
son Crusoe and home of Swiss Family Robinson: both literaryworks evoke an
image of a newly discovered tropical paradise, still unspoiled. The romance that
surrounds the island today masks its turbulentpast.
The history of Tobago in the seventeenth century is one of the most
dramatic of any area in the Caribbean. The combination of climate, soil and
excellent harbours made the island an attractive target for European explorers.
Tobago was foughtover some 20 times by the Spanish, Dutch, English, Courlan-
ders, and French as well as marauding pirates and privateers. They all occupied
this rich prize at one time or another, but the little-knownCourlanders from the
Baltic were the most tenacious of all.
This article using Latvian archives and documents, is a study of the Duchy
of Courland's three attempts to colonize Tobago Island from1638 to 1654.1 It asks
how the attempts were made by this tinyindependent Baltic Sea duchy, and what
were theirconsequences? To adequately cover Courland's motives forcoloniza-
tion would need to be addressed in a separate treatise.
Colonization has been a subject of vast historical literatures,large parts of
which have concentrated on the powerful European maritime nations. The pur-
pose of this article is to re-examine colonization in terms of a smaller state that
encountered additional and unusual problems in attemptingto be a colonizer. In
fact,the way in which the Duchy of Courland colonized Tobago Island differedfrom
all other contemporarycolonialism. It is hoped that this study of Courland's colonial
policies will shed new lighton the historyof colonization generally.
This article also contributes to the small but growing and sometimes
erroneous debate about the Duchy of Courland's colonizing ventures during the
seventeenth century. Works by English historians - Burns (1965) and Southom
(1952); Dutch historian Goslinga (1971); and Latvian historians, Spekke (1957),
Dunsdorfs (1937-1980) and Balodis (1991) - are based mostly on secondary
sources, which often prove to be inaccurate and misleading. There is stilla need

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26

fora completeaccount of Courlandas a coloniserbased upon primarymaterials,

especially fromLatvianarchives.This articleis a step inthatdirection.
The Duchy of Courland
The Duchy of Courlandwas a fiefof the UnitedKingdomof Poland anc|
Lithuania. GothardKettler,the last Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights,had
of Courland on 5 March 1562 as a rewardforhonourable
obtained the territory
service fromthe Kingof Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania.2
The tinyvassal state comprisedan area of only27,000 square kilometres
witha small populationof approximately200,000 inhabitants.Itconsisted of two
westernprovincesof modernLatviawhichare situatedon the Peninsula of Cour-
land (Kurzeme) and the Plains of Semigallia (Zemgale), between the Baltic Sea
and the Gulfof Riga. The capital of the countrywas Jelgava and the principal
frost-freeportswere Ventspilsand Liepaja. The duchyestablished itsown admin-
istrativeand judicialstatutesthroughitsconstitution,
the FormulaRegiminis. The
constitutionrecognised the duke as a free and independentprince,who was not
subordinateto the Polish Kinginperson, butonlyforhis fief.
The centralfigureis Duke James Kettlerof Courland(1610-1681), godson
of KingJames I of England,who came to powerin 1638 and reigneduntilhis death
on New Year's Eve in 1681 .
Underthe directionof Duke James, between the years 1638 and 1656,
over two hundredducal ships were built one hundred-and-twomerchantships,
sixty-onearmed men-of-war, unarmedmen-of-war
thirty and eleven vessels of an
unknowntype.3
Tobago Island of Despair': The firstand second attempts at coloni-
sation
The discoveryof new lands in the Caribbean aroused greatinterestin the
sixteenthand seventeenthcenturies. Contemporarywritersaffirmed the magni-
tude and significanceof the colonies withvarious connotationsof paradise in the
new lands of the Caribbean. Innocence, simplicity, and abundance, all
fertility
qualities which in Renaissance Europe seemed unattainable,had made their
appearance in the reportsof ChristopherColombus and AmerigoVespucci, and
these reportswere seized upon by enthusiasticreaders. They encouraged an
appetite forwealth, trade and colonies whilstalso enhancing the reputationof
rulers.
There is ample evidence ofthe excitementexhibitedinEurope bythe news
of Columbus1discovery. Columbus' firstletterhad been printedand published
nine times in 1493 and had already reached some twentyeditionsby 1500. The
frequentprinting of this letterand the reportsof much later explorers;such as
Girolamo Benzoni's La Historiadel Mondo Nuovo Venice (1565), Nicolas Mon-
ardes' JoyfullNewes out of the Newe Founde Wolde London (1577), Jean Lery's

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 27

Histoire (fun Voyage fait en la Terre du Brésil, autrement dite Amérique Lq

Rochelle (1578), R. Hakluyt's Discourse of Western Planting London (1584),
Machuca Vargas* Milicia y Descripción de las Indias Madrid (1 598) and Jean Bodin
The Six Bookes of a Commonweale Paris (1606); all testifyto the great curiosity
and interestaroused in sixteenth and seventeenth century Europe by news of the
discoveries of new lands.4

Following the well-established patternof other maritimepowers, the Duchy

of Courland in the mid-seventeenth century entered the European scene as a
competitorforcolonies in the West Indies. By this time, Spain had already claimed
possession of the most favourable islands. Duke James, believing that wealth
could be readily extracted fromthese distant lands, wanted a share of the riches
that Spain gained fromcolonisation. The Lesser Antilles became a battleground of
the expanding European empires fightingfor the remaining uninhabited islands.
Thus, as historianNewton writes,swarms of colonists in the 1630' s poured like flies
upon the rottingcarcase of Spain's empire in the Caribbean, and withinten years
the West Indian scene was changed forever5
The Duke of Courland was determined to gain Tobago, a small Caribbean
island in the Lesser Antilles.6 His interest in Tobago dates from his early years
spent in the United Provinces, where he studied shipbuilding and economics at the
Universityof Rostock from1634 to 1636. James spent much of his time in Zeeland
where the Dutch Tobago colonists originated and he almost certainly heard details
of their failure in Tobago. Nevertheless, James choice of this particular island
seems curious. Tobago Island was not in high demand. It was named by the
Spaniards as one of the islas inútiles a useless island. This term given by the
Spanish explorers of 1535 denoted all the Caribbean islands of the Lesser Antilles.
They called them inutiles because they afforded no prospects of gold and silver
unlikethe Greater Antilles. The prevailing northeast trade wind made the approach
to the islands fromthe Atlantic easy, but to sail back to them fromthe centres of
Spanish power furtherwest was extremely difficult. Moreover, the islands of the
Lesser Antilles had dense forests that made them unsuitable for cattle raising,
which forSpanish colonists was an essential industry.

Despite the Spanish disdain, on firstappearance Tobago Island seemed to

be quite favourable. It had no gold or grazing areas, but its climate, soil and
excellent harbours made the island an attractive target for European settlers. The
best surviving account is a much later Latvian report commissioned by Duke
Kazimirs, James' successor, which favourably described itas a fertileisland:
1 . Tobago is one of the finest Caribee islands
with its moderate tropical temperatures. The is-
land is approximately 30 German miles.

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28

2. The island is abundant with riches of rare and

beautiful trees; red, yellow, black, brown and ce-
dar trees.

3. At present the natural vegetation of the island

includes many varieties of superb fruits, nuts,
lemons, bitteroranges, oranges, bananas, cassa-
vas, sweet potatoes, guavas, red peppers and
much more. There are also many palm trees that
provide large capóes as well as Indian corn and
peas that grow to fullsize in only a month.
4. There are many differentkinds of fish as well
as large and small turtles.

5. The island is also home to wild boars, pigs, red

hares and rabbits.

6. There are also many species of birds.

7. Tobago island also has a fine port named The

Cool Enclosed Cove*. It is the only port in the
Caribbean that can accommodate well over one
hundred ships as well as being a perfectplace for
shipbuilding.
8. There are no hurricanes.7

There also exists a literarydescription of Tobago. The island of Tobago

was the haven for Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe's fictionalhero in The Life and
Strange Suprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe of York, Manner (1719). Ap-
parently Defoe had visited the island in 1659 and his novel described the hardships
of livingin Tobago: the fictionalCrusoe lived as a hermiton an uninhabited island.
I poor Robinson Crusoe, being shipwrecked dur-
ing a dreadful storm in the offing,came on shore
on this dismal unfortunate island, which I called
the Island of Despair.8

In fact, at the time there were hundreds of European colonists on Tobago

- Courianders, Zeelanders and English settlers, and
clearly Defoe used the island
as a literarydevice. Yet in one respect his usage was appropriate, forthe fictional
character of Robinson Crusoe aptly called Tobago lhe island of despair1 - a fitting
term forthe real lifehardships and difficultiesforeigncolonists faced on the island.

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 29

The character Robinson Crusoe was depicted as having landed on the

southwest coast of Tobago Island where he then established his camp on the
island's highest hill. This is the exact site of the Courlanders Fort James. Crusoe
mentions Tobago's neighbouring islands Cabagua and Coche, which are visible
fromthis elevated site, and gives what must have been a contemporary view of the
fort:

My next work was to view the country,and seek a

proper place formy habitation...Where I was, I yet
knew not; whether on the continent, or on an
island; whether inhabited; whether in danger of
wild beasts or not. There was a hill not above a
mile fromme, which rose up very high and which
seemed to overtop some other hills,which lay as
in a ridge fromit northward[the actual site of Fort
James]. I travelled fordiscovery to the top of that
hill,where, after I had with great labour and diffi-
culty got up, I immediately saw my fate, to my
great afflictionthat I was in an island, environed
every way with the sea, no land to be seen, ex-
cept some rocks, which lay a great way off,and
two small islands, less than this [Cabagua and
Coche islands] which lay about three leagues to
the west.9

Before Duke James venture in 1639, Tobago's colonising historyhad been

bleak. Between 1614 and 1639 three powerful maritimenations; Spain, the United
Provinces and England; had unsuccessfully triedto colonise lhe Island of Despair1.
Colonel John Scott, a contemporary English naval officerwho resided in the island
of Barbados, documented the numerous European attempts made at colonising
Tobago Island. Scott states that entrepreneur Juan Rodriguez, was the firstto
make an attempt at colonising Tobago Island in 1614. Rodriguez wished to
produce tobacco for the rapidly expanding European market, but he abandoned
the project afterfour months:
...it was once attempted to be planted by Johan-
nes Roderigo fromSpaine. But ye Natiues [Kali-
nos tribe]being then upon itin great Numbers soe
discouraged him that after the expending of four
months Tyme in Courting the Indians to a Trade,
& finding it Bootlesse as all other his attempts,
and Sicknesse fallingamongst his Soldiers which
occasioned Mutanyes, the sixth of May 1614
(he) bare up the weake Condition, they found in a

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30

few weekes (the greatest part of them) Graves.

Fromwhence we may conclude that Soldiers or
Planterslongaboard, weakened bywantand Sea
are noe fittsubject mattereitherforattackingor
plantingCollonies inye West Indies.10

This analysis ofSpanish failurewas accurate. As shall be shown,othercolonisers

were defeated bythe same obstacles.
1
Fourteenyears later,the Dutchtookan interestinTobago.1 Jan de Moor,
Burgomasterof Flushing,sent Jacob Maersz to command the Zeelander settle-
ment in 1628. However, the settlementof fifty-six colonists failed because of
disease and attacks by the indigenoustribes.AnotherDutch attemptwas under-
taken in 1632 with200 colonistsfromFlushing,underthe leadershipofCornelisde
Moor, son of the Burgomasterof Flushing. The colony however faced major
oppositionfromSpanish colonists. In 1636 theywere attackedby Diego Lopez de
Escobar, Governor of Trinidadwho wanted to assert Spanish sovereigntyof
Tobago. The Spanish raid on Tobago, which involvedsome 400 Spaniards and
3,000 nativesoldiersoverwhelmedthe settlers. Theirsmall fortsoon surrendered
and Cornelis de Moor was captured and sent to Spain, but later returnedto the
UnitedProvinces.12
The English triedto colonise Tobago the followingyear in 1637. It is
believed thatJames Hay, the firstEarl of Carlisle, sent out privateships to take
possession ofBarbados in 1629, butthereis no evidence thatHay's colonistseven
arrivedon Tobago Island. Eightyears laterthe Englishagain attemptedto settle
Tobago, when Reverend Nicholas Levertonled a partyof PuritansfromBarbados
in 1637. Once again, disease and the Kalinos provedstrongerthanthe settlers. A
thirdEnglishattemptat colonisingTobago was made in 1639 by RobertRich,Earl
of Warwick. Rich sent out a partyof colonists under the command of Captain
Marsham,but inan attackin 1640 Marshamwas killedand the survivorsretreated
to Trinidad:
The 9thofOctober,1639 One Captaine Massam,
withbetween 2 and three Hundred English at-
tempteda Settlementthere,butthe Indiansfrom
St.Vincentsdid stronglyGaule themfromtimeto
time pretendingthey were not the owners of it.
Manyof themwere Murderedby the Indiansand
Captain Masâamm likewisedyed of ye Wounds
he receiued at Tobago. Those of his collonyleft
SayledforTrinidada,1640.13

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 31

The Duchy of Courland's firstcolonising venture in 1639, like all previous

European expeditions, was a failure. In 1639, only months after Duke James had
come to power, he sent his firstcolonists to Tobago with the approval of King
Charles I of England, who claimed sovereignty over the island.14 The English had
by then made at least five recorded unsuccessful attempts at colonising Tobago,
under the directionof - James Hay (1627), Philip Herbert (1628), Nicholas Leverton
(1637), Captain Massam (1639) and the Earl of Warwick (1639). It seems as if
Tobago, having been a failure, was now being offered by Charles I to anyone
willingto tryand who more appropriate than one of his relatives?
The historiographyon matter of claims to ownership is confused. Ander-
sons, Southorn and Goslinga believe that King James I of England granted Tobago
Island to Duke James in 1610 as a christening gift.15 Their assertion is doubtful
because King James I had granted the island to the Earl of Carlisle and later to the
Earl of Pembroke. Moreover, ifit had been a giftfromJames I, a grant fromKing
Charles I in 1639 would have been unnecessary. Therefore, it seems the grant of
1639 was the starting point of the English 'passing over1 of the island to Duke
James.
In his firstattempt, Duke James sent 212 Couronian peasants to the West
Indies in the hope of establishing the firstsettlement.16 The colonists arrived in
Tobago on 25 February 1639 and the colony failed within months because of
assaults made by the native inhabitantAriwakos. An anonymous author wrote of
Duke James1 firstexpedition in Tobago (1749):

Ten years afterthe failureof the Dutch colony, the

Duke of Courland, James, our King James I god-
son, a capable prince, an intelligentand gifted
man, who aimed to broaden his duchy's trade
dealings and shipbuilding industry,sent one or
two ships to America's seas to find some unin-
habited islands that could be colonised. His du-
cal agents have stated that Tobago island is very
fertile.17

In 1684 John Esquemeling, an English buccanneer also wrote of the

Courlandefs firstattempt at colonising Tobago:

It is widely known in Europe, that the Duke of

Corland founded a collony on Tobago. As well as
this, for a long period of time, the Corlanders did
not send any more men; Tobago was leftto the
settlers who had firstarrived.18

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32

The primarysources printed by Mattiesen and Juskevics about this first

settlement reveal that the Couiiander colonists were criminals who were sent to
Tobago as punishment forcrimes committed against the state.19 It is not clear from
where these peasants were recruited,but in my opinion these criminals came from
the ducal domains in Jelgava and not fromthe nobles' estates, since the nobles
would have been unwillingto relinquish theirlabour force forDuke James' colonial
venture. These men chosen for Courland's firstcolonial venture had no maritime
experience, they were neither soldiers nor sailors, and as forthe colonial experi-
ence, John Scott's following description aptly described them as 'new hands1.
According to Scott, the Courianders stood littlechance of survival because of their
inexperience in the tropics:
The Duke of Coriand sent a ship thitheraccom-
modated withTrade to buy itof the Indians and to
take possession on it in his Right ... these people
being new hands, as they phrase them in those
parts, and haueing noe experienced Planters in
theirCollonie, and people that come soe farrfrom
the Northward and not any amongst them that
knew what was food or Phisick in their proper
Seasons, did occassion their mouldering to noth-
ing, 212 men.20

Like all colonists who had come before, the Courlander expedition was unsuccess-
ful.

Why criminals were chosen as the firstcolonists can be readily explained.

There was no time to recruitexperienced seamen or farmers and in addition, the
duke could not affordto pay relatively high wages for experienced free men. On
his ascension, James immediately strove to send his firstexpedition to Tobago that
same year. Criminals held no social ranking in society, they were not landholders,
and they were not free: in other words they could serve as transported labour.
According to my reckoning, these convicts remained in Courland forthe harvest in
September and departed in November later forTobago Island, which accords with
the known fact that the Courlander colonists aftertwelve weeks at sea, arrived in
Tobago at the end of February.
Despite this firstdisastrous attempt at gaining Tobago, James undertook
another expedition in 1642 only three years later. James wasted no time in
arranging another expedition as Courlands domestic situation was turbulent.The
powerfulCourlander nobilityhad lost confidence in Duke James over this firstfailed
colonising venture. The nobles had writtennumerous letters to the Polish King
asking for James dismissal. Therefore when James learned of the firstcolonys
failure, he quickly gained the Earl of Pembrokes consent to undertake a second

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 33

attempt, arranged for a Dutch captain to lead this colonial venture, constructed a
new double-decker ship and secured foreign colonists. Duke James had decided
this time to send only foreign colonists to Tobago. As Courland did not have a
surplus population, and, followingthe firstcolonial disaster that resulted in the loss
21
of 212 Courlanders, James could not spare any more men.
Duke James arranged for the second expedition to be headed by the
experienced Dutchman, Captain Cornelius Caroon, who had previously been
employed by the Dutch West India Company. He now sailed on Couriands behalf
with300 Zeelander settlers, but there is no evidence to show that any Courlanders
accompanied them. These colonists, like the others who had come before, per-
ished at the hands of the indigenous Ariwakos tribe, probably being caught in the
midst of native politics as wars between the Ariwakos and Caribs flared. The
seventy remaining survivors had retiredto Pomeroon (British Guinea). Again we
read fromScott's account, our only source of evidence:
The Duke of Corland maketh a second attempt,
by people from Zealand under the command of
one Captain Coroon ... a Gentleman of good con-
duct. But his old Masters of Holland haueing an
Eye that way advised him to carry a faire Corre-
spondancy with the Arrawacoes which he did to
the Disgust of the Careebs of St. Vincents, whoe
tooke theire advantage, and distroyed a great part
of that hopefull Colonie. While they were in this
distresse ye Arrawacoes fromTrinidada came to
their reliefe, where there was but 70 leftof 310
whome they releiued.22

For the Spanish, Dutch, English and now Courlanders, the greatest diffi-
culty colonising Tobago was the opposition of its numerous native inhabitants.
in
This problem was outlined by John Scott:
This Island is in length Nine Leagues, and in
breadth in noe place exceeds four; Several! small
Islands about it but of noe great Consequence.
The Length of the Island is East and West, the
east and Northerne part are much more uneuen,
the West and Southeme part being very Levell
but not soe well watered. The Goodnesse of the
Land hath occassioned seuerall to attempt its
Settlement, but haue either with ye Feauor and
Ague or by the handes of the Natiue Proprietors,

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34

found littleother wellcome then a Resting place

fortheir Bones.23

The 'Native Proprietors' Scott refers to were the indigenous tribes of

Ariwakos, Carib (also referredto as Caribbees) and Kalinos. The Kalinos tribewas
found solely on Tobago Island, but its population is not known. The Ariwakos and
Caribs were migratoryraces found in the Greater and Lesser Antilles. Both the
Ariwakos and Caribs who lived on the neighbouring islands of Cabagua and
Coche, found no difficultynavigating from island to island in their canoes. They
came to Tobago forfresh drinkingwater, which was scarce on their islands and for
its ample food supplies. Tobago had dense forests that were ideal forhuntingand
over thirtyrivers and sea inlets that provided good fishing areas. Presumably
these visits were the cause of the conflicts between the Ariwakos, Caribs and
Kalinos tribes. In the sixteenth century, the three native tribes also had new
competitors for land - the Europeans. The presence of both the indigenous tribes
and European colonists created greater competition forfood and water resultingin
frequent confrontations. Ralegh gives an account of Christopher Columbus1 first
hostile encounter withthe tribes in 1498:

...after that they discovered many more which

they named the Virgines, which the naturals of
the countrey call the Cari bas, forthat the men of
that countrey are good warriers, and shoote well
in bowes, they poison their arrowes with an
herbe, whereof he that is hurt dieth, biting him-
sette like as a mad dog doth.24

Scott also described Tobago as was one of the most difficultislands to

colonise because of the great numbers and opposition of the indigenous tribes:

Tobago, as is apparent from its history,was one

of the worst sites on which to plant a colony so
long as the Carib forces were free to pass in
strengthbetween the Main and the islands.25

Apart fromnative opposition, there were other reasons forfailure. For the
Courlanders the firstand second colonial ventures failed due a combination of
reasons. These included - inexperience, bad planning, under-capitalisation, lack of
manpower, the fact that no reinforcements were sent to Tobago to protect the
settlement and to extend cultivationand the inabilityto become accustomed to the
tropical climate and insufficientamounts of equipment, especially medicines. All
these factors contributed to Courlands two failures to colonise. It appears that
Duke James wanted to gain a colony, but forsome reason failed to realise the size
of the task at hand.

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 35

The failureofthe second expeditionforcedDuke James to recognisethese

obstacles and take countermeasuresinthethirdexpedition,where hissolutionwas
to allow the majorityof settlersin Tobago to be foreigners. The use of foreign
colonistsas settlerson Tobago stresses the factthatCourlandwas too smallto be
a coloniser,forthe non-Courlandersby theirnumbershelped the Tobago colony
surviveagainst disease and the hostility
ofthe indigenouspopulation.
The Colonisation of Tobago: The Successful ThirdAttempt
Duke James' aspirationto become a coloniser succeeded withthe third
attempt establisha Tobago colonyon 20 May 1654. However,the way inwhich
to
he finallycolonised Tobago, differsfromothercontemporarycolonialism. What
distinguishedthis patternof colonisationfromthatof the Dutch and English,was
thatthe duke had decided to allow foreigncoloniststo settleTobago on his behalf
- as itwere,a franchisedcolonybutunderCourlandermilitary control.This strategy
was the answer to a specificproblem. Courland's firstand second attemptshad
revealed that the duke's major obstacle at becoming a coloniser was a lack of
manpower. The Duchy of Courland had a small populationand James could not
affordto send any more men fromhis ducal domains. James thereforewanted
Courlandto become a colonisingpower withouthavingto send large numbersof
Courlandersas colonists,thus notdepletinghis own state.
The Courlanderdouble-deckership Das Wappen der Herzogin von Kur-
land armed withforty-five cannons sailed underthe Courlanderflag,a black crab
(often mistaken for a crayfish)on a red background. Duke James chose the crab
as a symbolof the importanceof establishingthe Tobago colony,fortheywere
found in abundance on the island and the colour red was associated withthe
duchy'sprotectorPoland. RegisteredinVentspils,Das Wappen der Herzoginwas
constructedforthe purpose of transporting tropicalproductsto Europe. Twenty-
fiveCourlanderofficers,124 Courlandersoldiers and eightyfamiliesof colonists
fromZeeland, were sent bythe duke to occupy Tobago. Whereas no soldiershad
been sent in the firsttwo colonisationattempts,now in this thirdsettlement,the
soldiers accounted forover one thirdof colonists aboard. Two years later 120
reinforcement CourlandersoldiersarrivedinTobago. The expeditionatteststo the
duke's desire to establishand protecta Tobago colony.
The majority ofcolonistswho arrivedin Courlanderships were foreigners.
The ship's Das Wappen der Herzogin von Kurlandlogbook lists the names of
crewmemberson-board. Allof the surnames are foreign.The captain ofthe ship
was Jan Brandt,ReinertJanssen - firsthelmsman,VictorThim- barber,Albrecht
Todtsen - cook, Hans Schlott - sail master, Cornelss Kogessen - cabin guard,
sailors - Maties Jakobsen, Elle Perssen, Jan Ennesver Kueper, WillemBrandt,
Comeelis Hanssen, Cornelss Cornelssen, Mens Petersen,Jan Andressen,Jürgen
Marcksen, Cordt Elfssen, Hans Larssen, Peter Roloffsen,DirickJansen, Víter
Modtzen, Andres Abrahamsen, Samuel Defuer, Simon Frantzen, Borlet
Romeedier, Peter Janssen, Laurentz Reimontzen,Pieter Dircksen,Jakob Cor-

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36

nelissen, Jan Willemsen, Dierck Jansen, Jan Dussen, Durk Volluie and Jan
Mortensen.26
The only remaining report of Courlanrfs 1654 expedition is that of the
Dutch contemporary historian Baron von Klopmann's dated 1780:

One of the Lesser Antilles, the island of Tobago

was acquired by the Duke of Courland... The first
ship the duke sent to acquire the island, the Das
Wappen der Herzogin von Kurland under the
command of Willem Mollens, landed with 124
men at the island of Tobago and cast anchor on
20 May 1654. As they found it unsettled and
covered withdense forests, they took possession
forthe duke, their lord.27

Thus, on arrival Captain Willem Mollens officiallydeclared Tobago a

propertyof Courland and named the island Jaunkurzeme [New Courland]. As was
the custom withDutch colonial settlement, the new lands, bays and riversthat were
essential to a maritimecolony for farming,waterpower, transport and trade, were
named afterthe ruler. A fortwas erected on the southwestern shore of the island,
called Jekabforts[FortJames] that was surrounded by Jekaba pilseta [Jamestown]
(present day Plymouth). Other names such as Great Courland Bay, James Bay,
Courland Estate and LittleCourland Bay soon appeared. Even the names of cities
and towns in the duchy appeared in Tobago, such as New Jelgava and Liepaja
Bay. These Courtander names helped give the mercantile territoryof Tobago an
identitywhich would seem familiarand amenable to the values which the Europe-
ans had brought withthem, encourage them in adversity and sharpen their ambi-
tions.
The limited informationof the colonists arrival in New Courland comes
mainly from a letterby Captain Willem Mollens, appointed by Duke James as the
firstGovernor of New Courland (1654-1657). Mollens wrote to the duke describing
the conditions on Tobago:
No-one has ruled this island before, Your High-
ness. There are some Spaniards in Trinidad
which is twelve miles from here. I have learned
that the savages here possess some grains of
gold which I have not yet seen. There are also
pearls but again I have not seen these. A lot of
people arrive here, real savages fromSt.Vincent
island. From here they travel to the mainland.
There are also those who arrive from the main-
land. They cause problems, disturbing the

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 37

peace, which does not help and certainly does

not support Your Highness. I will one dav get my
revenge forwhat they have done to us.

Captain Mollens stated that his men were the firstEuropeans to colonise
Tobago, but he was mistaken. The firstrecorded European settlement of Tobago,
as previously discussed, had been by the Dutch, twenty-sixyears earlier. In fact,
the Courlanders had chosen the same area on Tobago to begin a settlement as did
the Dutch almost thirtyyears earlier, but the island's tropical vegetation may have
at firsthidden traces of the old Dutch colony. Mollens indicated nothing of the
previous disastrous colonising attempts made by the Spanish, English and Dutch.
This is particularlycurious as Duke James himself was aware of the Zeelanders'
failed attempts at colonising Tobago, since he had met some of the people involved
between the years 1634-1636 during his stay in the United Provinces. Perhaps
James had not wanted to tell the Captain and thus discourage himfromleading this
most important Courlander expedition, or perhaps Mollens knew but wished to
exaggerate his achievements. Certainly Mollens1 colonists may not have been the
firstEuropeans in Tobago, but they were the firstto complete building fortifications
on Tobago Island.
-
Already by 1658, there were 25,000 inhabitants in Tobago 700 Courlan-
der families (totallingno more than 4,500 people), 7,000 foreigners (mainly English
and Zeelanders), 500 soldiers and 13,000 slaves fromCourland's only other colony
in the Gambia. Since Duke James did not have the militarypower to defend his
rights of ownership on the island, all colonists on Tobago Island were therefore
required to declare theirallegiance to the Duke of Courland. This was the duke's
only way of ensuring that Tobago Island remained under Courland's control. The
primarysources, includingthe followinglistof colonists surnames, stronglysuggest
that even the Courlanders were required to declare their loyaltyto Duke James.
Five of the men listed below were Courlanders. The firstname Jan I. Mulke, is the
Courlander name 'Janis Mulkis1. Burres is 'Burvim' or in the dialect form 'Buris1,
also a Latvian surname. Also Jan Brewer is 'Janis Bruve ris'. Kennisch and
Perkens take on the Latvian writtenform of 'Kenins' and 'Perkons'. There is no
furtherinformationconcerning these colonists.
The following is a declaration of loyaltyby eighteen settlers on Tobago to
Duke James:
We promise and swear to His Holiness our God;
to our Highness and ruling prince, James, the
Duke of Courland and Semigallia, our merciful
Prince and ruler; as well as to Her Highness the
Duchess; and to their subjects of His Highness1
new land, Tobago island, under the protection as
settlers of this appointed Governor Willem

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38

Mol lens: to protect His Highness1 fortifications

and all His Highness1 ships, that are found in
these waters, these ships, as well as the land, will
be strongly protected; our conduct, will be most
fittingof good people, loyal subjects, and, if
deemed by God, will attack the enemies, then we
all together would undertake the task of protect-
ing the previously mentioned land, as well as the
ships and forts, faithfulto the last man, and if
treason occurs, let God forbid,against His High-
ness1 land, fortand ships, as well as against the
ships1 commanders, iftreason should occur, then
we will offerthe best protection possible as faith-
ful subjects; we shall protect all secrets, all that
we are trusted knowing, will not be revealed; and
we strongly swear to comply with these events
and observations, as God as our Saviour,
Signed 10 May, 1655
Jan I. Mulke, Hendrick Bradeck, Willem Burres,
Jan Brewer, Hendrick Adams, Willem Kerst, Sa-
muel Vontz, Henrick Kennisch, Robert Perkens,
Edwerd Good, Joseph Hall, Jan Pitvogel, Rutgert
Kroswegh, Frans Tunstall, Tonas Mose, Jan
Stencks, Anthoni Damny, Wolter Wossid.29
Two years afterthe settlement was established, Duke James sent a small
number of Courlanders to Tobago Island in 1656. As Courland did not have a
surplus population, he encouraged only Courlanders without land holdings to be
colonists, these being servants and serfs, who could be tempted by the offerof
becoming landowners, something almost impossible to achieve in their homeland.
Also, perhaps to ensure that no more Courlanders would be lost, they were sent
only later as reinforcements,so that they arrived on Tobago island months afterthe
colony had been well established and secured.
Courland enforced a most unusual policy of land ownership and distribu-
tion, which was observed by Matthais Beck, the organiser of the Dutch West India
Company and later Governor of the island Curacao. On 1 June 1654, after the
unsuccessful Dutch war with Portugal, Beck fled from Brazil. He spent over six
weeks on Tobago, before being transferredby a Courlander ship to Barbados. On
his returnto the United Provinces Beck addressed the directors of the Dutch West
India Company stating that all men on Tobago both indigenous and colonists -
including servants, serfs and native inhabitants - were landowners and became
free men. Even the Courlander peasants and native Kalinos servants could each

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 39

gain a sizeable property of thirtyMorgens, which was equivalent to 25.5 hec-

tares:30

Because of the loss of our ship's rudder, we with

our soldiers were forced to anchor at Tobago
island, where the Prince of Courland has sent his
colonists. We spent over six weeks there; before
we were able to travel on one of the Prince of
Courland' s large ships fromTobago to Barbados.
During our stay on the island, we had a chance to
observe the island. The island is approximately
as large as Barbados. We also learnt from the
director,the kinds of settlers the Prince of Cour-
land allowed to cultivate the island - the Captain
received 300 Morgens of land, and every picket
12 Reinlands 31: Lieutenant - 24,Comet [the low-
est rank of commissioned officer]- 210, Sergeant
- 180, Corporal - 150, Lands Corporal - 120,Com-
mon soldier or servant - 60, Native inhabi-
tants/Serfs-30

This agreement for distributionof land was forever and therefore once
obtained, could be inheritedby the landowners' successors. The firstthree years
were free of payments, then afterthree years rent is charged, the same amount as
other neighbouring islands, which is very little. The Prince of Courland's director,
previously mentioned, had built a fortwhich is guarded with seven cannons and
surrounded by guards, and is expecting more reinforcements. Barbados is well
settled, and after a few years, there was a shortage of forest land; including
importanttimberplantations, and especially sugar plantations. There are no longer
sugar cane plantations, and other plants are now being cultivated such as cotton
and indigo; like other places, a lot of the land is leftas pastoral ground. Some
people who wish to keep theirsugar plantations used coal which was transported
from England. Many settlers have emigrated to Tobago island, and just like the
Courlanders on Tobago, the Duke of Courland has not only granted each settler
large areas of land, as much as one could physically work and need, as mentioned,
but also supplied slaves which are transported by land and sea fromGuiana and
the settlers pay forthe slaves with native tropical fruits.
As in the firstand second attempts, the Courlanders were again confronted
by the hostilityand attacks of the indigenous tribes. In a letterdated 1 1 August
1654, Governor Mollens addressed the problem of the threat posed by the large
indigenous population. The document confirmed that there were more Caribs,
Ariwakos and Kalinos than Europeans on Tobago. According to Governor Mollens,
he counted 125 Kalinos and between 1,300 and 3,600 Ariwakos every day. The

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40

Courlander ship's Das Wappen der Herzogin von Kurland log book notes that two
of Mollens sailors, Willem Brandtt and Corneelis Hanssen were killed on 20 June
1654 by the Ariwakos:

Your Highness, serene Prince!

Greetings to the Merciful Gentleman! I am in-

forming your noble prince, that along with my
people, I have taken over Tobago - our New
Courland. I have encountered five savage chiefs.
Each chief [from the Kalinos tribe] controls 25
men and has his own canoe made from hollow
wood. With their 25 men they leave for war
against the ariwakos who live on Trinidad island
and on the mainland. These ariwakos arrive here
in 50 to 60 boats, each carrying 25 men. Our
islanders are very afraid of these ariwakos, as
they are devilishly strong and start major fights.
These ariwakos are enemies of all Christians. I
have intentionsof securing friendshipswiththem.
They accept axes, knives and glass/mirrors in
exchange forsleeping blankets which I can in turn
sell to the colonists...32

Governor Mollens knew of the importance of establishing relations withthe

native Kalinos. As a means of promotingsuch peaceful relations, the Kalinos were
allowed to become landholders on Tobago. This was a most unusual policy not
documented in other Caribbean colonies of this period where the native inhabitants
owned land under European rule. Duke James had emphasised the need to
maintain friendlyrelations with the rulers of the indigenous people. This had also
been his colonial policy in Gambia, which he had acquired from the native King
Barra in exchange forannual payments. On one occasion the duke sent a letterof
condolence on the death of his wife to the King of Kombo, writtenin Latin, as this
was the correct language for correspondence on the diplomatic level. Unfortu-
nately it is not known how the letterwas received.33
Aftertwo harduous trials, Courland finally succeeded in establishing a
colony on the Caribbean island of Tobago. In response to Courlands lack of
surplus population, James permitted the majorityof colonists to be foreigners. This
unusual policy seemed successful, as Tobago became a great source of wealth
and prestige forthe duchy from 1654 to 1658.

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 41

Conclusion
The discoveryof new lands in the Caribbean aroused great interestin
sixteenthand seventeenthcenturyEurope; encouragingan appetite forwealth,
trade and colonies. Followingthe well-establishedpatternof othermaritimepow-
ers, thetinyDuchyofCourlandenteredthe European scene as a competitor forthe
islandofTobago.
Colonization proved to be a difficult feat for such a small nation and
resultedin two disastrous ventures. For the Courlandersthe firstand second
colonial attemptsfaileddue to a combinationof reasons, these being - inexperi-
ence, bad planning,lack of manpower,under-capitalization and the fact that no
reinforcements were sent to Tobago to protectthe settlement.
In the thirdexpeditionthe small colonizer,in orderto establish and main-
tain possession of Tobago Island, adopted novel solutions. As Courland did not
have a surpluspopulation,the dukes allowed foreigncoloniststo settleTobago on
his behalf. Thus, Courland became a colonizingpower withouthaving to send
large numbersof Courlandersas colonists. Further,all men on Tobago both
indigenousand colonists includingservants,serfsand nativeinhabitantsbecame
landownersand freemen. Courland'scolonial policies in Tobago differed fromall
othercontemporarycolonialismand highlight the unusual problemsfaced by a
smallerstate inattempting to become a colonizer.

NOTES

1. This article is based on the author's masters thesis: Karin Jekabson, A Coloniser Doomed to Fail-
ure: The Colonial Ventures of the Duchy of Courland, 1638-1681, The Universityof Melbourne,
1996.
2. A. Balodis, Latvijas un Latviesu Tautas Vesture [The History of Latvia and its People] (Riga:
Kabata,1991), p.395 incorrectlystates that the duchy was established in 1652. The final act as
far as the Livonian Order was concerned actually occurred in November 1561 with the Agree-
ment of Vilna, where the Archbishop and Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights submitted to
King Sigismund II Augustus of Poland-Lithuania. Gothard Kettler agreed to the secularization of
the Order in exchange forthe Duchy of Courland as an hereditary grand duchy owing allegiance
to the Polish Crown. A formal act of submission was concluded with the Pacta Subiectionis on 5
March 1562. See: S.P. Oakley, War and Peace in the Baltic, 1560-1790 (London: Routledge,
1992), p.29.

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42

3. A. Spekke, A HistoryofLatvia(Stockholm:M.Gophers, 1957), p.249, incorrectly

states thatCour-
armed ships. Infact,archivalmaterialre-
land duringJames reignpossessed a totalofforty-four
veals thatthe duchyowned one hundredand two merchantships,of whichforty-four unarmed
ships were builtin Ventspils,Courland.
A compilationofall the Duchyof Courlands ships, theirtype,military
capacityand role,is printedin
J. Juskevics,Hercoga Jekaba LaikmentsKurzeme[The Era of Duke James in Courland](Riga:
ValstpapiruSpiestuves Izdevums, 1931),pp. 274-281.
4. Excerptsofthese originaltextsare printedin J.H. Elliot,The Old Worldand the New, 1492-1650
(Cambridge:CambridgeUniversity Press, 1992), p.102.
5. A.P. Newton,The European Nationsin the West Indies 1493-1688 (Great Britain:A&C Black,
1933), p.64.
6. Spanish colonistsnamed the island Tobago afterthe Y-shaped Indianpipe tabaco used to smoke
tobacco.
7. A Latviancommander'sdescriptionofTobago written on 6 May 1705: '1 . Tobago irviena no visla-
bakam Karibusalam, ar videja siltumagaisu bez straujamgaisa parmainam,apmeram 30 vacu
judzu lieluma.2. Sala irapaugusi ar visadiem dargiemretiemun skaistiemkokiem,ka
sarkaniem,dzeltaniem,melniem,bruniem,melniemun ciedrkokiem.3. Pattagad, kad ta netiek
apstradata,sala aug dazadi skaistiaugii,ka ananass, saukts visu auglu karalis,kokrieksti,
citroni,pomeranees, apelsini,jams, bananas, kaseves, saldie kartupeli, gaje ves, sarkanais pi-
pars un vel daudz citu.Turaug ari lotidaudz palmu koku,kas razo skaistus kapostus,tapat ari
Indijas un Gvinejas maiss un zimi,kas nogatavojas 4 nedelu laika. 4. Turirdaudz zivju,ka ari
lielieun mazie brunurupuci. 5. Tapat tursastopamas daudz palaistumajucuku,pakjecuku,jostuz-
veru,leguanu un sarkano trusujeb zaku. 6. Daudz un dazadu putnusugu, ko nevar sikiuzskaitit.
7. Tur irlaba osta saukta "vesais maiss", kurainav visa Karibija,kurdrosivar novietot100 kugu
un kurirari seviskiertavieta kugubuvesanai. 8. Tobago sala viesulvetrunav...'. This is mytrans-
lationfromthe originalmanuscriptin Latviancatalogued in Juskevics,p234.
8. D. Defoe, The Lifeand Strange SuprizingAdventuresofRobinson Crusoe of York,Mariner,Vol.1
(Piccadilly:JohnStockdale, 1719), pp.24, 25, 68, 72, 87 & 102.
9. Ibid, pp.50 & 51.
10. Colonel J. Scotts manuscriptDescriptionofTobago (1 669) as printedin V.T.Harlow,Expeditions
to the WestIndes and Guina, 1623-1667, Series II, Vol.LVI(London: The HakluytSociety,Bed-
fordPress, 1925), p.114.
1 1. C.J.H. Hayes, Modem Europe to 1870 (New York:Macmillan,1970), p.337, mentionsa Dutch
attemptto colonise Tobago in 1624 whichis notconfirmedin otherdocuments.
12. C. Goslinga, The Dutchin the Caribbean and on the WildCoast, 1580-1680 (Gainesville:Florida
Press, 1971), p.435.
13. J. Scotfs descriptionas printedin Harlow,p.1 15.
14. Balodis, p.397, states thatthisattemptwas made in 1640 whichis incorrect.Goslinga,p.437, in-
correctlynotes thatthisexpeditionwas sent in 1634. A.Bums, Historyofthe BritishWest Indies
(London: Allen& Unwin,1965), p.127, incorrectlystates thatthe Courlandersattemptedto found
a colonyin 1637.
15. See: E. Andersons,VirmieKurzemniekisakari ar Rietumindijassalam' [The Courlandersfirst
experiences in the WestIndies] (New York:Latviesu HumanitaroZinatnuAsociacija Rakstu Kra-
jums II, 1963), p.28; B. Southom, The Gambia. The Storyofthe GroundnutColony(London: Al-
len & Unwin,1952), p.76; and Goslinga, p.434.
16. Southom,p.76, incorrectlystates that600 Couronianswere sent on the firstexpedition.
17. E. Andersons,TurPlivoja Kurzemes Karogi[There Flew the CouronianFlags] (Melbourne:
Gramatu Draugs, 1970), p.82.
18. J. Esquemeling, The Bucaneers ofAmerica. A TrueAccountof theMost RemarkableAssaults
CommittedofLate Years upon the Coasts of the WestIndies by theBucaneers ofJamaica and
Tortuga(1684) (London: Allen& Unwin,1951), p.1 16.

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 43

19. O .H. Mattiesen, Die Kolonialund uberseepolitikder Curian¡sehen herzöge im 17 und 18 Fahun-
dert[The Colonialand ForeignPolicies ofthe CourlanderDuke in the Seventeenthand Eight-
eenth Centuries](Stuttgart: Berlag von W. Kohlhammer,1940).
20. J. Scott's descriptionin G. Carmichael, The Historyof the WestIndianIslands Trinidadand To-
bago 1498-1900 (London: AlvinRedman, 1961), p.303.
21 . E. Dunsdorfsin his worksconcerningCouriand's attemptsat colonisationfailsto mentionthis
second expedition.See: Latvijas Vesture,1600-1710 [LatvianHistory](Sweden: Daugava,
1962), Muzigais Latviesu Karavirs[The EternalLatvianSoldier](Melbourne:Loma, 1967) and
Latvijas Vesture[LatvianHistory](Nebraska: AmerikasLatviesuApvieniba,1980).
22. J. Scotfs manuscriptas printedin Harlow,p.1 16.
23. Ibid., p.114.
24. W. Ralegh, The Discoverie of the Large, Rich and Bewtiful Empyreof Gviana, witha relationof
the Great and Golden CitieofManoa (whichtheSpanyards called El Dorado) And of the Prov-
inces ofEmeria,Arromaia,Amapaia, and othercountries,withtheirrivers,adioyning(London:
RobertRobinson,1596), p.32.
25. G . Raynal,A Philosophicaland PoliticalHistoryof theSettlementsand Trade of the Europeans
in the East and WestIndies, Vol. I-IV (Edinburgh:W. Gordon,1976), p.279.
26. Names ofthe crewmemberson board the Couiiander ship Das Wappen derherzogin von Kur-
land thatarrivedin Tobago on 20 May 1654 printedin Andersons(1970), p.1 14.
27. Baron Ewald von Klopmann'sdescriptionofthe Couiiander settlementof 1654: 'Die InfelTobago
wurdeerworbendurchherzog Jacob von KurtandunterkonigKarlI. von England. Sei ¡fteine
der Unitillenunterdem Winde...Das erfteSchiff,das er nach der Erwerbung,um die Pflanzung
vorzunehmen,schidte,wurdeWappen der herzoginvon Kurlandgenanntund wurdecomman-
diertvon WilhelmMollens.Mit124 Mann warfes Unterauf der Infelam 20 Mai 1654. Da sie sie
unbefiedeltfanden,bededt mitdichtenWäldern,ergriffen fienach der allgemeinenGitteund Urt,
nach welcherdie Infeinder neuen Welterworbenwurden,von der InfelBefiz...'.Translationof
the originalprintedin Mattiesen,p.435.
28. Captain WillemMollens' statementconcerningNew Courlandon 1 1 August1654: 'Saja sala bez
Jusu Augstibasvel neviens nav valdijis.Irgan dazi spani Trinidade,kas atrodas 12 judzes no se-
jienes. Esmu uzzinajis,ka mezoniem seit irdazi zelta graudi,bet neesmu pats nevienu redzejis;
ari perles,bet neesmu nevienu redzejis. Seit atrodas lotidaudz cilveku:istimezoni laivas no Sv.
Vincentas.No sejienes vinidodas talak uz cietzemi.Iraritadi,kas nak no cietzemes seit. Vini
rada grutibas, neieveromieru,neko nepalidz un neatbalsta Jusu Augstibu.Es kadreizviniemat-
maksasu parto ko vinimums nodarijusi'.Mytranslationofthe originalin Latvian,printedin An-
dersons (1970), p.109.
29. The keywordsin Latvianare: 'Mes apsolam un zveram Visaugstakajam Dievam, musu
Augstdzim usais Firstarnun valdniekam,Jekaba kungam,Kurzemes un Zemgales hercogam,
musu Zeligajam firstamun valdniekam,tapat augstdzimusajai hercogieneiun valdniecei,ka ari
vinumantiniekiem un pecnacejiem, kopa mes esam seit iekartojusieska paklausigipilsonivina
Augstibaszeme, Tobago sala, Vina protekcija,un nometusiessaja zeme Augstibasnozimeta un
¡ecelta GubematoraVilhemaMollensa parzina...tadmes visi kopa uznemsimiesseviskisargat
augsminetozemi... uzticamilidz pedejam viram...piedavasimvispilnigakoaizsardzibu ka uzti-
cami pavalstnieki'.The originailetterwas in Danish. Despite a wide search I was unable to lo-
cate the originaltext.I have translatedthisdocumentfroma Latvianversion;E. Andersons,
Senie Kurzemnieki Amerikaun Tobago Kolonizadja [AncientCouriandersin Americaand the
Colonisationof Tobago island](Sweden: Daugava, 1962), p.1 14.
30. A Morganwas a land measure formerly used in the UnitedProvinces.One morganequalled 0.85
ofa hectare.See: CollinsConcise Dictionaryand Thesaurus (Great Britain:HarperCollins,
1994), p.485. Andersons(1962), p.1 16, incorrectly morgensequals 21 .3 hec-
states thatthirty
tares,thusstatingthatthe land allotmentswere 4.2 hectares smallerthanthe actual size.
31 . The termReinlanddoes notappear in any referencesource. However,accordingto K.BruelsA
Germanand EnglishDictionary(London: Cassei & Co., 1929), p.476, the wordreineliterally
means 'lo clear, clean, cleaning". Itis myassertionthatreinlandmeans cleared or cultivated
land.

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44

32. In Latvianthe key phrases are 'Mums bija ari iespejams no direktorauzzinatuz kadiem noteiku-
miemprincisatlavisapdzivotun kultivet so salu...to visu uz visiemlaikiemun manto-
juma...AugsminetaisKurzemes princa direktorsiruzcelis fortu,ko apgadajis ar septiniem
lielgabaliemun kareivjurotu...Kurzemesprincisne tikaiatvel ¡kvienamtikdaudz morgenuze-
mes, cik pec vina spejam un iespejam vajadzigs, ka augstak minets,bet ariatbalsta ar vergiem'.
Originalletterwas in Danish. I was unable to locate the originaltext.I translatedthisdocument
froma Latviansource; Andersons(1962), p.116.
33. Captain WillemMoNens'statementconcerningNew Courlandon 1 1 August1654: 'Jusu Gaisiba,
AugstdzimusaisFirst!Lai sveiciens Jusu firstalabdzimtibai,ka es ar saviem laudimesmu
pamemis Tobago vai Jaunkurzemi.Es esmu sastapies ar pieciemmezonu virsaisiem.Katravir-
saisa ricibair25 viriun pasiem sava kanu larva,kas izgatavotano dobta koka. Arsaviem 25
viriemvinidodas kara prêttautu,kas sauças aravaki,kas dzivo Trinidadessala un cietzeme. Sie
aravaki seit atrodas 50 lidz60 laivas, katrapa 25 viru.Musu saliniekiirlotinobazijusies par siem
aravakiem,jo viniirelligistipriun pasak líelas kaujas. Sie aravaki irienaidniekivisiemkristi-
esiem. Man irce ribasar viniemnoslegtdraudzibu.Vinipienem cirvjus,nazus un spogulus un
prelimdod guiamos maisus, kuruses savukartvaru pardotkolonistiem'.Mytranslationfromthe
originalin Latvian,Andersons(1970), p.119.

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