In June 1685 a French ship bound to Siam put into Table Bay, having on board an embassy sent by Louis XIV to the government of that country. Accompanying the embassy were six missionaries of the Company of Jesus, among whom were two astronomers provided with the best instruments of the day. The missionaries were treated in the most courteous and considerate manner by the high commissioner and the commander, though they were not permitted to conduct public worship on shore The pleasure house in the Company's garden was assigned to them for an observatory, and there they made astronomical observations during the few nights of their stay at the Cape. From an eclipse of one of Jupiter's satellites they calculated the difference of time between Paris and their station to be one hour, twelve minutes, and forty seconds, which is about eight minutes too much, so that they laid down the African coast-line two degrees too far east. The variation of the magnetic needle they found to be eleven degrees and thirty minutes west.

In the year 1685 the directors renewed the attempt to induce emigration from the Netherlands to this colony. They distributed notices throughout the provinces, offering to industrious families free passages to the Cape, farms in full property as large as each could cultivate, and a supply of agricultural implements, seed, and cattle, at cost price on credit.