THE STORY OF THE ST JOHN - A YEAR IN UNTAMED COUNTRY

One of the classic shipwreck stories of the Indian Ocean’s history is that of the St. John, commanded by the inept captain Don Manuel de Sousa Sepŭlveda.  On 3 February 1552 she left Katsjin on the Malabar coast of India bound for Portugal. The ship carried an overload of pepper and other merchandise. On 12 May after a journey of two months they reached the coast of Natal. A violent gale sprang up from the north. The rudder, mast and sails were lost. Beginning to drift as she was battered by wave after wave, she was buffeted slowly towards the Umzimvubu mouth near Port St. Johns. A lifeboat was launched to find a suitable landing place. The captain, his wife, children and 30 protegee embarked the only large lifeboat. He also ordered for provisions, weapons, gunpowder and linen to be loaded on the life boat. Sepūlveda wanted to build a small caravel from the lumber in an attempt to reach Sofala in the north. After Sepūlveda and his crew landed safely they managed to land the lifeboat twice before it went down with the crew and provisions. Many people perished when they were washed off the lifeboat. In the meantime the cable of the St. John snapped. The remaining Portuguese and slaves suffered all the tortures that living people could endure. More than a hundred souls perished. The lowered a small boat which was crushed against the side of the ship. Forty men later reached shore in it, however. A few minutes later the St. John snapped in two. Approximately 500 persons survived, many maimed by the debris.It was the richest Portuguese merchandise ship that left the East since the discovery of India.The first thoughts of the castaways were to prepare some sort of shelter with the debris. They wanted to stay a while in order for the injured to recuperate.Three days later eight natives arrived with a cow indicating that they want iron. The captain offered them six nails. Five other natives arrived and told them not to trade the cow for iron. After twelve days the 500 survivors set off on their journey to Mozambique. Due to compulsory detours and in order to prevent estuaries they could only manage to travel 300 miles in the first month. A slave carrying Sepūlvedas eleven year old child abandoned him. An offer of 500 cruzados to assist the weak was declined.Many were killed by hostile natives, succumbed of hunger and first and became the prey of wild animal. A cup of water was sold for 10 crusados. They soaked a buckskin in water and ate it. After 3 months only 200 castaways reached the southern bank of the Lourenço Marques river. A friendly native chief assisted them in crossing the river and warned them about a hostile chief further north. Sepùlveda not in his right mind wanted to kill the oarsmen with his sword. His bold wife Donna Leonora however, convinced them to row further.Further north they met another chief who promised them food and lodging if they lay down their arms and disperse in small groups. Despite Dona Leonaras protests, Sepùlveda agreed. They were robbed of all their posessions and scattered in all directions when another disaster struck. This time they were robbed of all their clothes. The aristocratic Dona Leonora dug a hole with her hands to cover her naked body. She refused to leave this shelter. Leonara requested André Vas the helmsman to proceed with the journey. She also told  him should he one day reaches Portugal or India he must admit that he had deserted her and her family. While  Sepùlvedas was looking for food both his children and wife died. The bereaved man walked into the bushes, never to be seen or heard of again.On 25 May 1553  only 25 of the castaways reached Mozambique safely, including Pantaleao de Sa a family member of Dona Leonora.