History
The Amstelland was an East India man of the flute type, built for the Chamber of Amsterdam of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). She departed on 7 September 1751 from Texel on a voyage to Batavia, but a gale drove her off course to the east on 18 September and she ran ashore on the island of Sylt on the coast of Germany.
The ship was probably heading to Königshafen (literally: king’s haven), an anchorage near List, to seek shelter during the storm, but it ran aground at the north-westerly promontory of Sylt. This promontory became known as Ostindienfahrerhuk (literally: East India man's hook), a toponym still used today. According to a local chronicler (Christian Peter Hansen), the wreck was situated in the surf-zone and its massive frames were still visible in his time, a hundred years later. According to the chronicler, the wreck was laden with timber, mill-stones, and prefabricated iron fittings for windmills, but he made no mention of the cargo of silver bars, which must have been on board according to VOC records. Given the islanders’ fastidious dealings with the law and their disinclination to return the lawful share of salvaged goods to the owner, it would not be surprising if this was a well kept secret amongst the salvagers, as the silver did evidently not find its way into the island’s written record
Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
Excerpt from Hansen's 1856 published chronicle, in which he reports that the shipwreck was still visible in his time.
Description
Yard: Amsterdam
Tonnage: 850 tons, 425 last
| Skipper | Hendriksz. Hoek, Hilde |
|---|---|
| People on board | 87 |
| Length | 136 Amsterdam feet (38.5 m) |
Status
According to - as yet - unconfirmed reports, the site was rediscovered by amateur wreck divers.
References
- Lijst van alle zoodanige Schepen in soorten als bij de Generale Oostindische Compagnie zijn gemaekt oft gekocht als gehuurt alsmede waer oft de zelfde zijn agter gebleven ofte verongelukt als genoomen en verbrand, vermist.
- Hansen, C. P. (1856).
Chronik der Friesischen Uthlande.
Altona: Lange. - Pickford, N.
The Atlas of Shipwrecks & Treasure: The History, Location, and Treasures of Ships Lost at Sea. - Dutch-Asiatic Shipping.
Details of voyage 3530.1 from Texel.
