At the time, Robben Island was uninhabited with an abundance of seals and penguins. The first explorer to round the Cape was Bartolommeo Dias, in 1488, but it is unclear whether he or his men actually visited the Island. Thus the first recorded landing at Robben Island was 10 years later (1498) of a group of Portuguese soldiers who sought refuge on the Island and stayed in a cave. They reportedly stayed a few days to get fresh water from the Island’s spring and presumably feasted on the penguins and seals during their stay.
