72 EOYAL ASTATIC SOCIETY (CEYLON BRANCH.) 



November, 1667.— The Council permit Adriaan Baach, as 

 a special favour, to disembark some rice brought from Tutu- 

 coreen, the same being contrary to express orders and very- 

 detrimental to the progress of cultivation here* 



The Council receiving an application from one Clara 

 Van Der Hart, requesting that she may be exempted from 

 paying the duty of 20 per cent., on imported cloth, grant 

 her request, but on the distinct understanding that for the 

 future none should be exempted. 



January, 1668. — The Council learning that the ship 

 " yiaardingen" was sea-worthy, resolve to despatch her to 

 Holland with a cargo of Saltpetre, Pepper, and Cinnamon, 

 along with two other ships. These three vessels to be 

 manned with 185 to 190 men, and to be supplied with all 

 the necessaries for a ten months' voyage. 



It is also resolved that the two ships, the " Wassende Maan" 

 and the " Wapen Van Der Jour," that have arrived from 

 Amsterdam, were to be sent back laden with Pepper, and 

 one of them was to carry a chest of Pearls of the late fishery 

 that was bought in for the Hon'ble Company at 38,582 

 guilders.* The Council moreover learning that these two 

 vessels had performed their voyage to Ceylon in seven and 

 six months respectively, direct that the half reward of 

 300 guilders be given to the former, and the half reward of 

 600 guilders to the latter, as ordered by the Hon'ble Com- 

 pany, which was to be expended in procuring necessaries for 

 the return voyage. 



The Council also set apart the 2nd of February as a day 

 of supplication and fasting, owing to the departure of these 

 ships for Holland, 



The Council learning with pleasure that a new arrival 

 by one of these vessels, in the person of Serjeant Cornelias 



* Guilders, Dutch eoin—38 cents, or 1$. 9^., Rs. 14,661 and 16 cents. 



