Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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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by
KARIN JEKABSON-LEMANIS
Like all colonists who had come before, the Courlander expedition was unsuccess-
ful.
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,
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.
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:
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
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
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:
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.
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.
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.