San Sebastiaan - water works
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Last year on August 8 we went for the first time to the former plantation of San Sebastiaan. Our target then was the the small village opposite the country house; we found a lot of foundations and we also found an indigo tank that was not known before. This year on August 21 we went back to this area. On the Werbata map several dams are visible and also a tanki with a brick wall. These water works were our target for this trip.
We parked our cars at the home of François; Fred arrived in his new car, a very nice 4x4 pickup truck.
We walked from there to the area opposite the country house. There we were greeted by the owner of the country house San Sebastiaan, mister Harold Hollander. He lives with his family in this house since August 1969; he bought it from the heirs Statius Muller including the area next to and behind the house. The area opposite the country house was not available for sale because the government at that time wanted to straigthen the road through that area at the expense of the old buildings (milk house and remains of an old village). Luckily this didn't happen till now. We talked for a while at the gate and then started our hike through the mondi.
Korporaal
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Korporaal is an area roughly enclosed by the Caracasbaaiweg, the Seru Loraweg and the Weg naar Fuik. Largely undeveloped. François has lived close to this area and knew of a well and hofi in this area. The Werbata map showed a tanki and some rois; the later topographical maps (Kadaster 1962 and 1993) showed one or two wells in the Eastern part of the area.
We parked part of our cars at the new Burger King restaurant and the rest of the cars on both sides of the road near Napa. Close to Napa there is a dirt road that leads into this undeveloped area.
From Seru Gracia to Savonet
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On Thursday, August 7, 2014, the archaeology sleuths went once again to the Christoffel park. We had planned for a one-directional hike from Seru Gracia back to the entrance of the park. Christoffelpark management supported us in this plan by allowing one of the rangers to drop us off at the top of the Seru Gracia, so that we could leave our cars at the parking lot of the park. To be prepared for the worst, François parked his car in the park on the parking lot at the foot of the Christoffel mountain. In this way we had a choice either to complete the whole hike on foot or drive the last part.
Bahada di Daniel - Hato plain
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During a previous visit to Bahada di Daniel a suspicious concentration of pillar cacti was seen close to the edge of the middle terrace. Such a concentation of cacti could be an indication of former habitation. Could this be the location of the headquarter of the Spanish cattle farmers? A good reason to investigate this area more closely. Another reason to go to this area and more specific to the Hato plain close to the bull's eye is the rumor that in the cliff between the lower and middle terrace the entrance would be to a very large cave. According to one of the rumors weapons and ammunition was stored here during the second world war. So, if we would find this cave, the smokers have to stay outside. But first we have to find it.
Porto Marie - East of the former plantation house
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In April of this year the archaeology sleuths visited the area South of the plantation house of Porto Marie. This time the area East of the former plantation house was visited. Also there a number of dams and wells or tankis can be found. A specific reason to look in this area and then especially the area in the neighborhood of the two wells that are visible on the Werbata map is the possibility that there indigo tanks could have been built in the past. Indigo tanks normally lie downwind of the plantation house and need water in the neigborhood. Downwind of the plantation house there are no wells, to the South we didn't find indigo tanks near the wells so an area South-East of the plantation house with wells would be a good second choice.
Read more: Porto Marie - East of the former plantation house
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