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APPENDIX C. 



INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN IN 1722 BY THE GOVERNOR OF CEYLON DEFINING THE 

 RESPECTIVE RIGHTS OF THE DUTCH, THfi NAYAK, AND THE SETUPATI AT 

 PEARL FISHERIES HELD IN THE GULP OF MANNAR. 



TSxi -ousts from a despatch, dated 20th January 1722, from the [Extraordinary Councillor and 

 Governor of Ceylon, M. J. A. Rumpf, and his Council in Colombo, addressed to the Senior 

 Merchant and Chief Authority at Jaffna, Jacob deJoiig, and his Council there* 



" It is now upwards of 22 years since the Company has indulged its own subjects or 

 strangers with any fishery in the Bay of Condatchy. 



■'• The Valy, or general fishing on the Company's account, is together with the payment 

 for the stones, a double token of the Company's sovereignty over the divers and the Banks 

 from Cape Comorin, north, to Negombo, south ; or at least by these tributes enough is done to 

 show the dominion conceded to the Company over those seas, the bay and the pearl-banks 

 lying there, and the result of the enquiry of the Commissioners for the last three years proves 

 that this claim is indisputably made with greater foundation than that of the Naick to the 

 ships along the coast of Madura, when that Prince, to show his mixed authority, sets up his 

 flag next to the Company's standard at the fort of Tutucoryn, assists in laying down rules for 

 the fishery, exercises magistracy over the hlack people who come to that fishery, permits all 

 misdeeds, except treason, to go unpunished among his own subjects during the time of fishing, 

 and the Company winks at this and receives tax from all pearls carried away from Tutucoryn, 

 but with the exception of 96^ free stones he has no part or share in the produce of the stones 

 sold at the Banks of Madura or Aripo, which payments are received and kept solely for the 

 Company as Lords of these seas and bays ; but at the same time (though it appears rather 

 unreasonable) from old custom, a kind of authority is exercised by the Naick over the Cham- 

 panothy of every nation, which obliges them to give to this Prince ot Madura one day's 

 fishing free of payment, but His Highness, through his ambassadors who came to the fishery of 

 Condatchy, has now and then endeavoured and more especially hi the year 1695, according to 

 the custom of all black people, to institute a claim to enjoy the same tribute from all dhonies, 

 but this has alway3 been boldly refused to him, except with regard to his own subjects from 

 whom he takes this tribute, as the Theuver does from his own subjects, but no further as the 

 Commissioners will find fully explained in the reports of 1694 and 1695, where the Company's 

 absolute and undivided authority, if not along the coasts of Madura, at least in the Bay of 

 Condatchy as being Sovereigns there, in the same way as this is given to Princes on the coast 

 of Madura, etc., etc., etc. 



" The Maniagaars of the Armane and Theuver, as envoys sent to take care of their masters' 

 interests in the Fishery of Aripo, must be treated with politeness and cordiality. The olas 

 which they usually bring with them must be received and forwarded to me, and nothing must 

 be granted to them except what is authorized by old custom, viz., to the Naick 96£, and to the 

 Theuver 60, free Moorish stones, as appears by the lists which I mentioned to you, although 

 the latter Prince, being limited to three boats, was accustomed to have an unequal number of 

 stones in them, which gave rise to frequent disputes ; until at last in the year 1694 it was 

 stipulated that whether the boats were large or small no more than 60 stones were to be 

 employed in them, which yon will unreservedly take notice of ; and if any claim be made, you 

 ■will refer to this rule laid down in 1694 and followed till 1699. And as to his request oj 27 free 

 stones for the Pagoda of Ramanacoil, His Excellency may give as much as he pleases from those 

 60 stones which are granted to him from the Valy which he receives from his oivn subjects, but the 

 pretensions of Peria Tamby, or whoever now fills his place as the Theuver's Marcair, seem 

 better founded. This claim is not a rule, but an act of liberality on the part of the Company, 

 and granted or not, in proportion to the care and favour which he gives to the Company's trade 

 at Kilikerry," etc., etc. 



* Ceylon Literary Register, Volume III, pp. 166, 167. 



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