150 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON): [VOL. XI. 



There is still a copy in existence among the papers of the " East 

 India Co." in the State archives. 



The Governor-General and Council of India wrote to the Directors 

 in their letter of the 19th December, 1671, about this Bystervelt : — 



" Of Raja Singa and his Court the reports are seldom to be relied 

 on, as the news which reached Colombo was of such a nature that but 

 little dependence could be placed on it. However, upon the return on 

 the 28th October of the soldier Bystervelt, who volunteered to go to 

 Candia, we were able to ascertain the true state of affairs ; but being 

 too elated with his safe return to give a verbal report, he undertook 

 to furnish a written one comprising all his adventures, which we 

 expect to receive shortly. 



" Mr. van Goens mentions in his journal of correspondence dated 

 October 29th, that that individual was handsomely dressed in the 

 Singalese style with two gold chains, a silver hilted sword on the left 

 side and a knife with a golden hilt on the right, and that he was escorted 

 to Gourbeville by 40 highland lascoreens, &c." 



Van Goens was much pleased with his conduct, as appears from 

 his letter of the 19th of December, 1671, when sending Bystervelt's 

 promised report. He says : — 



" We announced in our last to your Excellencies the return of our 

 soldier Bysterveldt, and his promise to send in a written report, which 

 we hereby enclose. 



" Your Excellencies will perceive therefrom that we have not 

 mistaken Raja's disposition, and it has never been made so clear to us 

 as it is now what we may expect from him. 



" The soldier, who was promised an ensignship if he could procure 

 the release of our prisoners, seemed to have been made of better stuff 

 than any other messenger we had sent previously to Candia. He 

 courageously and boldly told the King and his false courtiers the truth ; 

 and managed at the peril of his life to obtain his liberty and return to 

 us in spite of the machinations of the courtiers to ensnare him into 

 some offence, an example of which your Excellencies will find in his 

 report." 



