Plett History: The San Conzales

In 1630 the San Conzales, in the company of two other ships, was returning from India to Portugal via the Cape route. Captained by Fernao Lobo de Menezes, the San Conzales was forced to cast anchor in the bay called Formosa due to bad leaking. The ship's fate was to be decided by the very men that perished with the boat. It was decided that the ship could be floated again should the water in the holds be pumped out. One man was sent down to clean out the pump. Not returning a second man went down to investigate and when he did not return one more went down to investigate. Sensing that something might be amiss the people in charge thought it wise to tie a rope to the fourth person going down. He discovered three dead bodies and almost died himself. (Presumable because of large amounts of carbon dioxide gas trapped in the bottom of the hold) By now arguments has aroused on the ship and 100 seamen left the ship to go on land. 133 sailors stayed behind believing that they could still save the ship. A southwesterly gale struck the bay on that night in August. The San Conzales and
the 133 men that stayed on board perished.

Seeing what happened to the ship the 100 survivors began building habitations using what ever they could find. Captain Menezes, realizing that he was not fit to continue his rein gave the men permission to select another leader. They elected Roque Borges.

The survivors settled in and began building on their two vessels that would take them home. Finding the soil was excellent they planted various seeds such as pumpkin, melons, cucumbers, onions and coriander. They also lived of the rice and other foodstuffs rescued from the ship and fish caught in the bay. It is also known that they traded with the Koi-San people for cows and sheep. The stayed 8 months. And thus the story of the first European visitors to Bahia Formosa.