No. 38—1889.] THE DUTCH IN CEYLON, 1602-1757. 57 



talk, but they could not easily deceive him, and that he feels 

 much concerned at the statement that Heer Hulf t's authority 

 in this country had been conferred upon him at Batavia, 

 while it had in fact been derived from the Netherlands. 



To this was added a postscript from George Blom on 

 behalf of His Majesty, saying that His Majesty directed him 

 to inform Heer van der Meyden that when a place is taken 

 with the assistance of His Majesty's soldiers, the conditions 

 agreed upon should be faithfully carried out without swerving 

 therefrom in any way ; but that at the 'surrender of Colombo, 

 neither the principal rebels nor -the presents in hand were 

 given up to His Majesty, with the exception of two Persian 

 cats, one small boat, &c. 



Heer van der Meyden did not fail to reply to this, in 

 respectful terms ; but the Candian King was not to be 

 satisfied, and inveighed against the Netherlanders bitterly, 

 going so far as even to act treacherously. For it appeared that 

 he secretly invited two Portuguese to come over to him 

 promising to * confer on them the same advantages they 

 enjoyedjduring their supremacy. 



It was also discovered that His Majesty's Lascoreens had 

 broken into the Company's gardens, where the buffaloes 

 and cows were kept, and had done much damage ; that a 

 Arachchi (Arraatze) named Kanangere, hitherto a trust- 

 worthy servant of the Company, had gone over to the King 

 with three hundred Lascoreens, and that more were ready to 

 follow ; also that the Dessaves of Matule and Ouva had 

 signalled with white handkerchiefs to the Commanders of 

 four Portuguese frigates, seen near Galkisse on the 29th of 

 of May, which appeared next day in the roads off Colombo, 

 and that some fishermen had been promised 400 laryns, if 

 they could contrive an interview with one of them. They 

 made an attempt in two boats for this purpose, but had 

 to abandon it on account of the heavy sea. 



News came from Mature that His Majesty's soldiers and 

 their Commanders had forbidden the inhabitants, under 

 pain of severe punishment, to supply us with provisions or 



