No. 35. — 1887.] notes on ceylon. 



173 



is very brief : it is as follows : — 11 Anno 1684 to 1685, two other envoys 

 were sent by Heer Pyl to Candi, of whom we have already spoken 

 somewhat. They were two Sergeants, Michiel Ram and Lamsweerde, 

 who went thither, with the promise when they returned that they 

 should obtain an Ensignship. I saw them both after their return 

 thence, Anno 1686, and spoke with them, as I have said elsewhere, but 

 have not mentioned that Raja Singa was then still alive, and was quite 

 86 or 87 years old. Anno 1685 came Heer Henrik Adriaan van Rheede, 

 Lord of Drakesteyn and of Meydrecht, Commissary-General, here as 

 Commissary, the only one (so far as I know) who was ever here ; but 

 what his Excellency did here is unknown to me. Atfer that 

 Raja Singa lived until 12th Dec, 1687, and was then succeeded by his 

 son Mahastane, under the name of Fimala Darma Soeria Maharaja 

 (as was written to me from India, but under the name of Wimele 

 Dalian Soeri, as appears from a memorial of the Governor Simon) 

 whom Raja Singa before his death had very earnestly recommended to 

 live at peace with us, as he also had very strictly done. When the 

 latter became Emperor, he was very superstitious, relying in everything 

 mostly on his priests." 



38 Basaart = 1 bazaar.' See below, note 42, and for various spel- 

 lings see Hob son- Job son, s. v, 



39 Mistiches, i.e. half-castes ; Port, mestico, a mixling. See Hobson- 

 Jobson, s. v. ' Mustees, Mestiz.' 



40 Toepasses, i.e., persons with some European blood in them. On 

 the origin of the word see Hobson-Jobson, s. v. ' Topaz, Topass.' 



41 " Cayman " is of course an American word, but seems to have been 

 used generally by the Dutch in the East in former days. See Hobson- 

 Jobson, s. v. 



42 Passer ==' bazaar ' ! (See note 38.) 



43 That is, for Batavia. 



44 That is, on his voyage back to Holland. 



45 Kaphoh = 1 cabook.' Hobson-Jobson says : — " The word is per- 

 haps the Portuguese cabouco or cavouco, 1 a quarry.' " This seems very 

 probable, and it is likely that the blocks of laterite were called by 

 the Portuguese pedras de cavouco, 1 quarry stones,' and by a process 

 familiar in English the last word after a time came to be retained as 

 the name of the material. Heydt (1744) calls the substance 1 Capoch- 

 stones.' 



46 Tang = ' tank.' On the uncertain origin of this word, so familiar 

 to all residents in India and Ceylon, see Hobson-Jobson, s. v. 



47 Gaalen = GaUe. (See note 26.) 



48 In original negrye = 1 niggery.' 



49 Mousson = ' monsoon.' On the history of this word see Hobson- 

 Jobson, s. v. 



F 2 



