{This is in response to What Pegman Saw, a weekly prompt challenge. The task is to write 150 words about the area indicated on Google Maps street view. In this case, our destination is Bamboi, Ghana, in West Africa. But I went a little further afield, exploring Ghana, in general, and its colonial years, under Dutch and British rule. And whatever else was going on, in the world, at the time [1697-1782.] I came upon this aptly-named fort, and composed the following. }
Just a small fort.
A stone trading lodge, at first. Barely a two-story house.
Then, the Dutch West India Company agreed to fortify it. Helping the King of Acron: pinned in, flanked on either side, by British forts.
In those heady days of trading–gold and ivory, yes, and slaves–you’d think the Dutch would have been more willing to part with their coin.
Instead, we waited.
Five long years.
Eighty more, and the British took over. Ours was one fort, out of many.
Shirley’s Leander, with fifty guns, easily overcame our twenty. His sloop, the Alligator, had nearly that many, on board!
Meanwhile, back in Amsterdam, a pudgy man, named Adams, cajoled the Dutch to recognize his new-born, New World state.
The Dutch took their time.
Yet, consider our brothers, chained and bound for newly-recognized shores. Who could fathom their long wait, to once again, be recognized as men?
Ghana has a long history. There is a slave trade. There was ivory and Gold Trade. Most Europeans were there. At the same time, slaves were moving to Americas.
You bring the history of this place alive, Andrea, and I love the ancient black and white photo you unearthed. Great research and storytelling.
Thank you kelvin. It is a cool photo, isn’t it. You know its old, when no names are attached to it. ?. I enjoyed perusing the articles about this time and place. Lots going on that we have trouble understanding. Sounds like colonialism and slavery at their heart were cash cows and thats part of why so many people became complicit, despite their moral scruples.
Greed is the greatest motivator – then and now. Sadly. ??
Great story. The Dutch East Indies company was the spearhead for all kinds of gnarly imperialism in Africa and Asia both, a pernicious vanguard.
Yes, the history is relatively new to me, with my rather patchy American education, but here goes:
According to this article, the Dutch West India Company was kind of an short-lived (20 years) offshoot of the Dutch East India Company, dealing with West Africa and the Americas. Besides privateering (including, once, snapping up an entire Spanish fleet, carrying silver from the Americas) they also managed to trade more slaves during the years 1663 and 1664 than the Portuguese and English combined. At one point the Dutch even had a stake in Brazil.
The First West India Company ended in 1674, when it was unable to repay money it owed. A second one of the same name was created in 1675, to continue the slave trade and handle some conflicts with the Eguafo Kingdom on the Gold Coast (Ghana) from 1694-1700. It lasted till 1792, by which time it couldn’t defend its own colonies, and all its properties reverted then to the Dutch Republic. They tried to start it again in 1800 but it didn’t work.
The events of my story take place between 1697 and 1782, so the article I consulted is likely referring to the Dutch West India Company, Second Edition.:)
I did think it was ironic that the British took these forts in 1782, to continue the slave trade, and at the same time, John Adams, who I understand to have been virulently and precociously anti-slavery, was visiting the Dutch, to convince them to recognize the United States. It was at that time ruled by the Continental Congress under the Articles of Confederation (the Constitution was adopted in 1789, and at that time George Washington became President and John Adams his Vice President.) Later, the US would, of course, become one of the greatest defenders of and profiteers from the institution of slavery.
I also learned that the Dutch called themselves the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands, similar to the US’s own name. I also learned that in the 1600’s the Dutch came up with a plan, the Grand Design, which was to steal the slave trade from the Portuguese and the British and create a monopoly for themselves. No wonder that they were the Wall Street of their age: profit before all.:) End of history lesson!
PS, I love “gnarly imperialism!”
such density here – but that is what we get to do with 150 words and if we have time – so good job on history and flow.
Thank you prior! You don’t have ready made symbols like this fort fall into your lap everyday!
Elegantly written. I’m with Rochelle, the last line is a punch to the gut!
Thanks so much Karen. Sometimes that’s exactly what we need.
So much told in so few words. I admit I went to read the link you provided, just for clarification!
I did enjoy this.
Sorry if I was too obtuse. Its a skill I picked up in law school. ?. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Nah… it’s part of the fun of this exercise…
You’ve been very ambitious with this story, which includes some of the history of the fort, a comment on how the Dutch failed to secure an empire, and the burgeoning and iniquitous slave trade. Your contrast between the power of empire-building nations and the powerlessness of those enslaved by them is effective. Could it have been more effective, do you think, if you had replaced some of the bare-bones history with a character to give empire a human face? Just a thought.
I guess I leaned further into history than fiction this week. And, being no expert, I had only the wherewithal to put a thin veneer across the whole thing.
Thanks for your insight, Penny. I’ll try to be more relatable next time. 🙂
If there was a character, at all, in this piece, I imagine it be an omniscient voice, the character of a nation or people, spanning centuries and having the rare and remarkable skill of comparing past and present, and recognizing what’s important.
Dear Andrea,
A lot of story crammed into 150 words. Of course historical fiction is my favorite to read or write. A little light shone in a dark corner of history. The last line is sucker punch to the gut. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thank you, Rochelle. That’s what i was aiming for. ?