Six Feet Under
Ah, dead people! Not quite the everyday topic, isn’t it? Nobody likes talking about the dead, We always try to avoid this subject so as not to remind ourselves that we, too, will die one day. However, when we talk about History, especially the History of Colonization and Settlement, we cannot neglect this topic. Now, this blog will not be about the ‘dead’ per se, but about the ‘house of the dead.'
But first, let’s dig holes!
Often within the early days of settlement, the very first thing that governors or settlers must do is dig holes to bury the dead. Why? The answer is quite simple; Journeys from the mainland to the soon-to-be colonies were very long and dangerous. Many did not survive sickness and storms. Not to mention the pirates that roamed and ruled the seas. Those who perished in the middle of the sea were sent overboard, while those who died close to land were buried on the land itself. When you think about it, it's quite sad. The sailors endured extremely long journeys at sea only to die when reaching the land. Fortunately, the method of transport has greatly improved since then. Anyway, in Mauritius, the first settlers were the Dutch. They, too, had to bury men in the land when they came to settle for the first time. The "tomb business" however must have started long before the Dutch. Sailors such as the Arabs and the Portuguese had come across the island before them.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire
Adriaan van der Stel was the second governor of Mauritius from 1639 to 1645. Adriaan had visions and dreams. He wanted to rebuild Fort Frederik Hendrik and make it stronger. He had arrived at the island with 70 men. Out of his 70 men, 40 were sick. One would wonder why he came with sick people when he needed strong and healthy men to work. The Dutch were quite superstitious, as most people were at that time. You see, the island's climate was like no other. It was a tropical island and that meant warmth and moisture all year round that gave rise to lush vegetation. Combined with the beautiful sandy beaches and turquoise blue waters, it was similar to what authors would describe in books: a Paradise Island. The Dutch somehow thought that the island was magical.
So, Adriaan believed that the island would heal his men (his men thought so too). However, he was soon disappointed. 23 of those considered as "invalids" died. The 17 who had actually recovered left for Batavia. Ironic, isn't it? These men left Batavia because they were sick and came to Mauritius in order to heal but instead end up dead. Much to Adriaan's shame, his first work as a governor involved making tombs for his lost men.
Not the best way to start, isn't it?
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