▁coast ▁of ▁Africa . ▁The ▁next ▁recorded ▁European ▁sight ing ▁of ▁the ▁Cape ▁was ▁by ▁Vas co ▁da ▁G ama ▁in ▁ 1 4 9 7 ▁while ▁he ▁was ▁searching ▁for ▁a ▁route ▁that ▁would ▁lead ▁directly ▁from ▁Europe ▁to ▁Asia . ▁ ▁Table ▁Mountain ▁was ▁given ▁its ▁name ▁in ▁ 1 5 0 3 ▁by ▁Ant ón io ▁de ▁S ald anha , ▁a ▁Portuguese ▁adm iral ▁and ▁expl orer . ▁He ▁called ▁it ▁Tab oa ▁da ▁c aba ▁(" table ▁of ▁the ▁c ape "). ▁The ▁name ▁given ▁to ▁the ▁mountain ▁by ▁the ▁K ho i ▁inhabitants ▁was ▁Ho eri ▁' kw ag go ▁(" se a ▁mountain "). ▁▁ 1 6 5 2 : ▁Ar rival ▁of ▁the ▁Dutch ▁ ▁The ▁area ▁fell ▁out ▁of ▁regular ▁contact ▁with ▁Europe ans ▁until ▁ 1 6 5 2 , ▁when ▁Jan ▁van ▁R ie be e ck ▁and ▁other ▁employees ▁of ▁the ▁Dutch ▁East ▁India ▁Company ▁( D utch : ▁Vere enig de ▁O ost - Ind ische ▁Comp ag nie , ▁or ▁simply ▁V OC ) ▁were ▁sent ▁to ▁the ▁Cape ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁half way ▁station ▁to ▁provide ▁fresh ▁water , ▁veget ables , ▁and ▁meat ▁for ▁passing ▁ships ▁trav elling ▁to ▁and ▁from ▁Asia . ▁Van ▁R ie be e ck ' s ▁party ▁of ▁three ▁vessels ▁land ed ▁at ▁the ▁c ape ▁on ▁ 6 ▁April ▁ 1 6 5 2 . ▁The ▁Cape ▁was ▁under ▁Dutch ▁rule ▁from ▁ 1 6 5 2 ▁to ▁ 1 7