No. 35. — 1887.] NOTES ON CEYLON. 



155 



to be gained in this warfare, tried to pacify the King of 

 Candien with fair words and rare gif t3 ; but he would listen 

 to nothing, saying that the Hollanders were deceivers, and 

 kept all who were sent to him as envoys, with him in Candien. 

 Moreover, he would not look at the presents sent, but let them 

 remain in the same place where they were brought on their 

 arrival, until they were spoilt and destroyed, in contempt of 

 them : so that he allowed a beautiful Persian horse, that was 

 sent to him as a gift, die of hunger, though he was a great 

 fancier of fine horses. 32 



At last the Governor Laurens Pijl managed by cunning to 

 so get round the King that he began to listen to him. This 

 Governor had utterly condemned the action of the Governor 

 or General who had not kept his word in accordance with the 

 agreement at the commencement of their possession, saying, 

 moreover, that it was not concluded with the permission of 

 the Lords and Masters in Holland : for the whole island with 

 all the fortifications belonged to the King, and that he as 

 Governor only guarded them for his Royal Majesty, as he 

 was not able to defend such a large island against a foreign 

 potentate, and that he was prepared to hand over all the 

 fortresses to his Majesty when it should please him. 



This private letter Pijl had found means of forwarding to 

 the King quietly in the year 1685, when another letter was 

 sent to him in the following manner: Laurens Pijl had 

 learnt that his private letter had not been unpleasant to the 

 King ; he therefore informed the Political Council that he had 

 understood that the King appeared to have become possessed 

 of ears willing to hear some fair promises of favourable 

 intercourse with the Company ; for which reason he deemed 

 it not unadvisable to make a trial for once, and write to him. 

 But as it had been seen that the King detained all who were 

 sent to him, it was resolved to make one more trial, but with 

 his own people, or Cingalese, who live near Colombo. These 

 were instructed regarding all, by word of mouth, to make 

 known to the King the great regard of the Governor, beside 

 a private letter to the King, in which everything was 



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