Map of Sint Michiel Bay

Title Leupe: Plan van de St Michiels Bay, gepeyld den 9 Julij.

Sint Michiel Bay was one of the potential landing places west of Willemstad, and for this reason, several initiatives to fortify it were taken from the early 18th century onwards. Without exception, however, these either remained uncompleted or fell into disrepair. As a consequence, no real fortifications can be seen on this report map by Cornelis Schrijver from 1737; at (B) all that is said is that it is the accommodation where ‘a Horseman lodges at present’. This was the guard permanently posted there who had to ride to Fort Amsterdam to report when danger threatened. Such men were stationed at several outposts on Curaçao. Schrijver proposed to put a new stronghold on the height marked at (A), but in later plans it was judged that this should be built at (C), as shown on the 1754 map by S. Geerts (VEL614).

Also see VEL609B, another copy of this same map.

North is upper left.

Scale-bar of 400 “Treeden” there of 40 90 Amsterdam feet = [approximately 1 : 2,290].