A nice day to all…
This is the first of our stories about animal bravery and courage, which happened in Table Bay – South Africa, many years ago.
Story Teller: Patrick
A dairy farmer’s bravery and self sacrifice to help sailors, has lived on for 200 years.
Cometh the Hour, Cometh the man (and horse)
The wrecking of the Jonge Thomas in 1773 was nothing special. She was just another that was sunk in Table Bay by north-westerly storms. However, what made the difference was one man. And a horse.
The Jonge Thomas was in Table Bay on June 1 with several other merchantmen when the weather turned nasty. As the gale increased all the ships dropped additional anchors and prepared to ride it out. Unfortunately this was no ordinary storm.
Worst placed of all was the Jonge Thomas, carrying 207 men (some reports say 191) and captained by Barend de la Maire. By 5am that morning there was only one anchor left and that was dragging. De la Maire decided to beach the vessel while he could still choose the spot, so the anchor was cut and with light sails set, the ship made for the level stretch just north of the mouth of the Salt River. Unfortunately, the captain was not aware that the Salt River was in spate, with its mouth blocked by a sandbank. Even more unfortunately, at the moment of impact the Jonge Thomas swung broadside to the beach. Less than two minutes’ pounding from the gigantic waves broke the back and she snapped in two at the mainmast which crashed overboard.
By mid-morning the authorities, callously ignoring the men clinging to the wreckage, sent a detachment of about 30 soldiers to protect washed up cargo from being stolen. The lieutenant in charge of the party immediately erected a gibbet and posted men to warn everyone that the first person approaching any goods would be hanged. Then the soldiers closed their ears to the cries for help and proceeded with their task.
Though quite a few sailors had been drowned when the ship broke up, there were still many survivors clinging to the vessel, among them the captain. The shore was so close that many tried to swim for it. A few exceptionally strong swimmers succeeded but most were caught in the current from the Salt River and drowned.
Then up rode Wolraad Woltemade, a dairy farmer, who was bringing lunch to his son, Christiaan, one of the soldiers.
Angered that nothing was being done to help the sailors Woltemade urged his horse into the sea. As they approached the wreck Woltemade turned the horse and called for two men to jump into the sea and grasp its tail. Two did so and was dragged ashore.
Woltemade returned immediately and rescued another two sailors. He repeated the feat until he had drawn 14 men to safety. When he dismounted to rest the exhausted horse, a great cry of despair went up from the wreck. Despite the pleas of his son, Woltemade mounted the horse again and rode back into the water. Realising this was probably the last trip, the men lost all restraint. As the poor animal neared, half a dozen jumped into the water and grasped it: one man caught it by the bridle, dragging its head under. Horse, rider and sailors disappeared beneath the waves.
Woltemade’s name has lived on as a byword for courage but few know the name of the real hero – the horse. It was Vonk (“Spark” in English).
We would like to pay tribute to Vonk and his human friend, Wolraad…
