Jan van der Goes

This article tries to demonstrate that the former governor of Essequibo, Jan van der Goes, was also the Indian prince called Vandergoes met by the English, French, and Dutch in the early second half of the seventeenth century at Cayenne. This hypothesis is supported by detailed information on the career of Jan van der Goes derived from the general meetings of the Zeeland Chamber of the WIC and by appearances of the aforementioned Vandergoes in various European documents. In addition, the incorporation of this Dutchman among the Arecarets reveals a particular Amerindian adaptation to colonization along the Wild Coast.