Map of Matapica and surrounding creeks

Title Leupe: Kaart van Matapica en omleggende Kreken.

This map shows all lots around the Matapica, Warapa, Caabbus, Tapuripa Creeks to the north of the Commewijne and Cottica river.

The first land assignments in this area were made shortly before the middle of the eighteenth century.

The reclamation of the low-lying parts farther from the river began before c. 1757, starting along Warapa and Marapica Creeks, for which purpose however a system of drainage and supply channels had to be constructed.

This map gives a total view of all these lots and shows most land has been cultivated.

The anonymous map covers the area from a little to the west of Warapa Creek to what was then the eastern end of the newly excavated Tapoeripa Canal, which later had its own entrance to the sea and would finally be extended as far as Mot Creek.

The owners whose names are noted in the parcels on the Tapoeripa Canal received their deeds, to which the Directors of the Society still formally had to give their consent, from the government in December 1757; the consent was obtained at the beginning of 1758.

The fact that the purpose of the map was to show the Directors the land grants of which they had to approve makes it possible to date the map to 1757.

The annotation about the altered course of the creek is a reference to a 1776 petition submitted to the Directors by Jan van de Poll, on behalf of the then owners of the three most northeasterly parcels on the map, Jan Gerhard Wichers and Nicolaas Olivier Pelichet.

Scale of 180 Chains of 66 Rhineland feet = 41 ‘strepen’.

Taken from: [fol.] 71.