No. 38.— 1889.] THE DUTCH IN CEYLON, 1602-1757. 75 



Company would have more trouble from the young King than 

 his father could give them in his old age. 



Heer Pyl also said he could, after the experience of many 

 years, affirm that the Singalese were in general bad and 

 treacherous by nature, and only remained honest until oppor- 

 tunity offered for perpetrating their rascalities ; that the 

 present King was very easily offended when thwarted, and 

 the Company nattered him to the utmost to conciliate him 

 and facilitate the gathering of the cinnamon ; also that the 

 lowlanders are a simple and inoffensive people, but the 

 mountaineers are much more determined, so much so that 

 5,000 of them could easily disperse 12,000 of the lowlanders, 

 if unassisted by Europeans — the rumour of the approach 

 of the mountaineers being sufficient to make them take to 

 their heels. It would therefore be seen that these poltroons 

 could not very well be exchanged for European soldiers, as 

 they were only to be depended upon so long as our soldiers 

 were in the field. 



In January, 1683, Governor Pyl had the satisfaction of a 

 peaceful in-gathering of the cinnamon, which amounted to 

 8,400 bales ; but he had the vexation of hearing that the 

 Ambassador Mierop still remained at Ampe with the presents, 

 having no opportunity of advancing nearer to the Court, 

 which was chiefly attributable to the King's indulgence in 

 strong drink and opium, and consequent loss of memory. 

 In consequence, the chiefs had things all their own way, and 

 prevented the Ambassador from approaching the Court, their 

 only wish being to prevent a genuine peace with the 

 Company, although dissimulating to the Ambassador and 

 professing their desire for peace. He was not slow to pay 

 them off in the same coin. 



About this time their Excellencies despatched two volun- 

 teers, named Anthony van Lamswaarde and Michiel Ram, 

 from Batavia with a letter for the King, in order to use every 

 effort towards inducing His Majesty to promote the desired 

 peace. These messengers, however, fared no better than the 

 former one, being compelled to remain at Ampe Attaly. 



