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From: "Editor" <>
Subject: Piekenierskloof Pass Re: [ZA] Lawrence Green books on the Cape area
Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2003 21:27:39 +0200
References: <NIBBLDMCOOKADHIGPLKOOEBLCDAA.dlaing@rti-ddsp.org.za>
Hi Deborah
Possibly it didn't have any earlier name, not one given by Europeans that's
come down through recorded history, although I'm quite sure the Bushmen (or
San) who first led Van Meerhoff's predecessor Daenckaert to this Pass had
their own name for it, lost now.
There's nothing at all about Piekeniers or Piekenaarskloof in Rosenthal but
it is Piekenierskloof on modern maps. Raper's dictionary of SA place names
has this:
Piekenierskloof. Mountain pass between Piketberg & Citrusdal, over the
Olifants River Mountains. The name, meaning 'pikeman's ravine', refers to
the practice of posting sentinels & pickets to defend farmers against
Khoekhoen* marauders, in early times. It is stated, too, that in 1675
musketeers and pikemen were sent after Gonnema's Khoekhoen after a Khoekhoen
raid but that the pikes were too heavy to carry over the mountains whither
the raiders had fled.
ENDS
*Khoekhoen is simply a different orthography or spelling for Khoikhoi, the
people the early settlers called Hottentots.
Regards
Maureen
----- Original Message -----
From: "Deborah" <>
To: <>
Sent: 05 December 2003 11:00
Subject: RE: [ZA] Lawrence Green books on the Cape area
Hi Solvej
Thanks for that, but then what was Piekenaarskloof previous name?
-----Original Message-----
From: Solvej Vorster [mailto:]
Sent: 05 December, 2003 10:01 AM
To:
Subject: RE: [ZA] Lawrence Green books on the Cape area
Hi Deborah,
The Versveld Pass is the one that goes up the Piketberg Mountain, and is not
the same as the Piekenaarskloof Pass. When I first travelled along the pass
(Versveld) it was such an unexpected surprise to find orchards of apple,
pear, peach and orange trees. The contrast at the top of the pass (known as
Piket-Bo-Berg) is incredible, as are the views.
Regards,
Solvej
-----Original Message-----
From: Deborah [mailto:]
Sent: 05 December 2003 09:00
To:
Subject: [ZA] Lawrence Green books on the Cape area
Hi Maureen
I have 4 books in my possession, "Beyond the City Lights, with about 5 pages
on Piketberg (old spelling probably Piquetburg) and a mention of "Versveld
Pass", (is this the Piekenaarskloof Pass?),for which Piketberg is
famous...This is also part of the "wheatland country", and the book provides
names of farm once/still in the area and the owners names....It gives
further info on the building of the road up that way by Versveld 2nd book
"In the land of afternoon" states "Zebrakop is thehighest peak of the
Piketberg range", makes mention of the Anabaptists in the area, as well as
the hottentot conflict. The 3rd book has no index, and contains more info
you're looking for, is "Old Cape Highway's".... Maureen, I can type up info
at home this weekend, and email you monday or if you have a fax, I could
just as well fax you the relevant pages on Piketberg, if you so wish. This
book also has maps which are quite interesting. One in particular, is the
Western coast line with all its towns up to SPringbok. and Ookiep. I would
however, recommend you obtain a copy of this book, as it does contain a
wealth of information regarding distance, name places, etc. The 4th Book,
which I "cleverly" didn't bring to work and which is mentioned in one of the
aforementioned, "Once we were free" or similar such words, i will also
review. All of these books name people who moved into the Cape interior,
from Cape
Town, and those researching this area, would do well to obtain copies. It
also makes such good reading, as he "brings the places alive"... as was my
experience with his book on Namibia, and which I used as my Tour Guide book
on our trip there. I can do look up's for people. Regards Deborah
-----Original Message-----
From: Editor [mailto:]
Sent: 03 December, 2003 4:57 PM
To: Deborah
Subject: Re: [ZA] van Meerhoff and Meerhofskasteel/Kasteelheuwel
Thanks, Deborah
I read most of his books (our local library had the lot) when I was growing
up in the Western Cape, but back then I had no idea how interconnected so
much of SA's history was with my own family history. I see copies of Green
in secondhand bookshops from time to time, should start collecting them,
perhaps.
Kind regards
Maureen
----- Original Message -----
From: "Deborah" <>
To: "Editor" <>
Sent: 03 December 2003 03:59
Subject: RE: [ZA] van Meerhoff and Meerhofskasteel/Kasteelheuwel
There is one book specifically written by Lawrence Green about the old cape
roads, I will look for you. Regards Deborah.
-----Original Message-----
From: Editor [mailto:]
Sent: 03 December, 2003 2:33 PM
To:
Subject: Re: [ZA] van Meerhoff and Meerhofskasteel/Kasteelheuwel
Thanks, Solvej
Of course, the prolific Jose -- his books on Cape passes are particularly
fascinating. Unfortunately, _Cape Drives & Places of Interest_ doesn't
include Piiekenaarskloof. It's years since I read any Lawrence Green
(another prolific author) -- does anyone know whether he might have written
about that area?
Regards
Maureen
----- Original Message -----
From: "Solvej Vorster" <>
To: <>
Sent: 03 December 2003 01:08
Subject: RE: [ZA] van Meerhoff and Meerhofskasteel/Kasteelheuwel
Hi Maureen,
_Who Really Discovered South Africa?_ was authored by Jose Burman.
Regards,
Solvej
-----Original Message-----
From: Editor [mailto:]
Sent: 03 December 2003 12:52
To:
Subject: Re: [ZA] van Meerhoff and Meerhofskasteel/Kasteelheuwel
Hi All
Further to my own message, in the meantime I went through a box of old
papers & found a photostat of a chapter from _Who Really Discovered South
Africa?_ (stupidly, I didn't note author). I need a filing cabinet!!!
Chapter II (whether 2 or 11, not sure) is entitled "That Way Lies Monomotapa
(Pieter van Meerhoff)". There's a map of the various journeys & it shows
where Van Meerhoff crossed the Olifants in 1661 to turn back for the Cape...
Using this map as a guide & looking at the Reader's Digest Atlas, his party
turned back just about at the point where Vredendal lies today, a bit south
of the confluence of the Olifants with the Doring River. From the Cape,
going west past the Paarl mountains & east past Riebeeck Kasteel, they
crossed the Berg River, proceeded NNW to a bit east of Piquetberg, where
they turned NNE &, after going through what is today Piekenaarskloof Pass,
crossed the Olifants roughly where Citrusdal is. This is ABOVE the valley I
mentioned in my earlier message, although this pass is in the
Olifantsrivierberge. From this point northwards, the mountain range to the
east is the Cedarberg. Somewhere after crossing the Berg River & before
reaching the Pass (which had been shown to Dankaert by Bushmen during the
1660 journey), Pieter named a river full of "bellowing hippoptami" the Klein
Berg River, so it cannot be today's Klein Berg near Tulbagh.
Quote:
**
When they came to the pass [on 10 February 1661], Corporal Cruijthoff [the
expedition leader] decided to remain behind with the cattle, whilst Van
Meerhoof and four men took the Hottentots and crossed, in the hope of
finding a Bushman who would act as a guide. Van Meerhoff took advantage of
this to name the prominent peak at the head of the pass 'Meerhoff's Casteel'
[on 11 February, as his journal entry states].
**
Further on, in the section dealing with the next expedition, which Pieter
led & which left the Cape only 11 days after returning from the previous
one,
Quote:
**
Knowing the route and being in charge of the party, Van Meerhoff wasted no
time and reached Meerhoff's Casteel in eight days. ... Next day they crossed
Piekenaarskloof, to reach the Oliphants River.
**
It would seem we have located his "Casteel" exactly. Any Listers live in
Citrusdal or plan to drive over Piekenaarskloof during the holidays?
I do so love solving these historical puzzles! What did Sir Ken Markham
always call himself? "A detective through time" -- what's happened to Sir
Ken, by the way?
An interesting historical titbit, during the Cruijthoff expedition, Pieter
taught the Namaquas how to smoke!
Quote:
**
In the morning the Namaquas appeared but were extremely wary of the
strangers. Only after the Hottentot guides had held a long shouted
conversation with them, did they approach, slowly. Van Meerhoff lit a pipe
of tobacco and stepped out fearlessly towards the Namaquas. When he reached
them, one of the Namaquas took the pipe out of Van Meerhoff's mouth and
began smoking; he had previously visited the Cape Hottentots.
Next, Van Meerhoff and the interpreters accompanied the Namaquas back to
their encampment (a kraal of 73 huts), taking several pipes and some
tobacco. On arrival Van Meerhoff tried to teach the Namaquas to smoke: "I
gave each one a fine pipe with tobacco. They were eager enough to smoke, but
most of them did not know how. The king (named Akembie) instead of inhaling,
blew the smoke away from him. I took his pipe four or five times and
demonstrated how he should inhale. He began to get the knack of it. While we
were here they all learnt to smoke, both men and women, and indeed began to
get fond of tobacco." Thus were friendly relations established by the 'pipe
of peace'.
**
Regards
Maureen
----- Original Message -----
From: "Editor" <>
To: <>
Sent: 03 December 2003 08:49
Subject: Re: [ZA] van Meerhoff and Meerhofskasteel/Kasteelheuwel
Hi Sarah
Thanks for all of this. Kasteelberg is, of course, Riebeeck Kasteel.
Van Meerhoff himself named Riebeeck Kasteel in honour of Jan Anthonisz(oon)
van Riebeeck -- just while we're with Jan, why does everyone drop the 'c' in
Van Riebeeck these days? He wrote his own name with one.
Here's Van Meerhoff's own description of where Meerhoff's Kasteel is, from
the English translation of Vol III of Van Riebeeck's Daghregister:
**
11th February. We packed up again and continued north to the Casteel
Meerhoff, a dome-like peak situated on top of the range, like a castle, a
most prominent feature visible from 17 or 18 miles away. We proceeded to a
valley S.W. of this peak and halted there, having marched 2 miles. Beneath
this mountain there are 4 or 5 beautiful springs, alongside which there were
many huts of the Soaquas which they inhabit on and off. A musket-shot's
distance to the north of this Casteel there is a suitable passage for
crossing the mountain range to the Oliphants River, a pass which we had used
on our first journey in the year 1660.
**
The Meerhofkasteel in my Atlas is considerably north of the top curve of the
Oliphants River, where it arches towards the Atlantic, much closer to the
Klein-Goerap river, which is shown on my MapStudio road atlas -- this
touring atlas does give Heerenlogement Cave, much further south, well below
the loop of the Oliphants & near Trawal onnn the N7. I've never been there
but I believe it has graffiti from early Dutch times, including Van
Meerhoff's name (?). The Reader's Digest Atlas does show an elevation of
725ft at Heerenlogement. Perhaps this is the spot?
After writing that, I have just spent an hour trying to follow Van
Meerhoff's description of their journey in the Atlas & I think
Heerenlogement is way too far north. If that's where the graffiti is, it
must have been written on another of the eight (?) expeditions he went on...
He writes of proceeding NNE from Riebeeck Kasteel, crossing the Great Berg
River, naming for the first time the Little Berg River, which is in the
vicinity of Tulbagh. Most of his directions are NNE & they only travelled
between one & a half & two & a half miles per day -- the question now
arises: how long was a Dutch mile? But by the sound of it, they were
travelling up the valley of the Oliphants River towards Citrusdal between
the Kouebokkeveldberge to the east & the Olifantsrivierberge to the west.
What a pity this Kasteel has been lost! Pieter has no other "monument". And
if Eva/Krotwa is the mother of the nation, he's the father.
One would have to find a contemporary map. So I looked in AJ Böeseken's
_Onder suidersterre_. There's a map that shows the journeys led by Willem
Muller (1655), Abraham Gabbema (1657) & Jan van Herwaerden (1658). Pieter
only arrived at the Cape in 1659. These three expeditions only went as far
north as the confluence of the Little Berg with the Great Berg River, which
is inland directly east of Saldanha Bay. But the map for Simon van der
Stel's journey to the Copper Mountains along the Buffels River in 1685-1686
indicates Meerhoff Kasteel precisely where the Reader's Digest Atlas has it,
i.e. north of the Oliphants River, west of Nuwerus, but the Atlas doesn't
indicate that it's a "berg" at all.
It's a mystery!
Regards
Maureen
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sarah" <>
To: <>
Sent: 03 December 2003 01:25
Subject: [ZA] van Meerhoff and Meerhofskasteel/Kasteelheuwel
> Dear Bazett and Maureen
> I could not find Meerhofskasteel but found this on Grey's Pass.
> Construction on Grey's Pass was begun in 1857 and was completed the
> following year. The work was carried out by convict labour under the
> direction of Thomas Bain. It was named in honour of Sir George Grey,
> Governor of the Cape 1854-61.
>
http://www.sahistory.org.za/pages/town&c/villages/westernCape/grey'sPass.htm
.
> I could find Riebeek Kasteel and Riebeek West, also Kasteelberg but
> not Meerhofskasteel. I found a good map for around Riebeek Kasteel,
> click to enlarge map on
> http://www.pamgolding.co.za/areas/riebeekvalley/riebeekvalley.asp.
> I also checked on the routes and places website.
> And another for the West Coast
> http://go-cape.netfirms.com/accom/west/west.htm but the only thing to
> do with Meerhof is a winery. Kasteelberg was described by Van Meerhof.
> Would be good if the riddle could be solved Sarah
>
>
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