Tasman’s route to Mauritius
Abel Tasman sailed into the old ‘Grand Harbour’ on the South-East coast of Mauritius on 5th September 1642. There, at the VOC fortress of ‘Fredrick Hendrik’ he met with it’s commander Adriaan van der Stel.
Mauritius was a new colony, having only been established in 1638. It was named after the Dutch Prince Mauritius and lay between the Dutch colonies at Batavia and Cape Town. It was a strategically positioned haven for the many VOC ships on that route, and had an abundant supply of a highly prized commodity; Ebony. As well as keeping the colony a secure refuge for VOC vessels, Adriaan van der Stel was tasked with harvesting ebony for shipment to the European markets...
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