Map of the fort Nieuw-Vlissingen

Title Leupe: Kaart van de Bay en 't fort Nieuw Vissingen, op 't Eylandt Tabago.

Johannes Vingboons’ map with a bird’s-eye view shows the fort Nieuw-Vlissingen to the left. The fort and settlement were located on Tobago near the modern-day town of Plymouth at the Great Courland Bay. Close to it, fields for growing tobacco can be spotted (‘Toubac veldt’). These fields also occur on the other side of the bay at the southern point of the island, which was defended by a palissade and a cannon. The latter is aimed inland to defend against attacks from the indigenous population. While the ground plan differs slightly from the draft made by Gerritsz in 1628-1629 of the same area (VELX; FOL. 191) and Vingboons’ depiction dates two decades afterwards, it can still be safely asserted that this map shows the first Dutch settlement in the region which dates from 1628-1636.

North is lower left.