144 



ROBERT KNOX. 



name of beer; the supply ships from Holland used to arrive 

 only once in a twelve-month ; and the soldiers, like all brave 

 warriors of ancient and modern times, would have their 

 beer. It is no wonder then, that in going over the multifa- 

 rious records of the Dutch period, that I happened to light 

 on a notice of Robert Knox and his companions in the 

 sad state of their captivity. 



The first notice that I happened to discover is to be 

 found in the 2nd volume of the Dutch records, in a Minute 

 of Council, dated Saturday, 18th September, 1660. In 

 this document mention is made, not indeed of the arrival of 

 the frigate Ann (which was commanded, as is well known, 

 by Captain Knox, senior) at the Bay of Cottiar, but of its 

 sudden departure, " sailing away from Cottiar, and leaving 

 her Captain and some of the crew in captivity among the 

 Kandians." The Government is also informed by the 

 authorities at Trincomalee, that the crew of the English 

 vessel had come on shore at Cottiar, cleared the jungle, and 

 cut palisades with great labour and trouble, with the view 

 of erecting a fortification ; and that a raging fever had made 

 great havoc amongst them, sweeping away nine of them, 

 and leaving twenty-five in a miserable condition. The 

 Council express their astonishment on hearing these things, 

 and appear to be at a loss whom to blame the most, whether the 

 Kandian monarch, whom they suspect of bad faith, or their 

 good friends and allies the English ; and finally resolve to 

 adopt effectual measures for securing the island against 

 foreign invasion, and guarding against the treachery of 

 Rajah Singha. The next notice occurs in the 7th volume, 

 where we find a Minute of Council, dated Monday the 

 21st, and [Thursday] the 24th October, 1669, which an- 



