NO. 39. — 1891.] ACCOUNT OF CEYLON. 



of the name of Sendemann,* had, together with his servant 

 Joan de Roes, deserted to the Portuguese, Anno Christi 164*6. 

 When he saw ihat we were victorious, and that the fortress 

 would fall into our hands, he advised them to put a fuse to the 

 powder that was stored underneath the fortress of N eg umbo, 

 that if we entered we should be blown up along with it. 

 Some of the prisoners told us about it, among them a 

 Capuchin father, whom our people had taken with them into 

 the fortress and who wished to save his clothes and his skin, 

 and not to try to mount into heaven before his proper time. 

 Our Governor, Mr. Francisciis Char rm ,| offered a reward of 

 forty rixdollars to any one who would venture clown and 

 remove the fuse. When the man got into the cellar, the fire was 

 only two thumbs' length from the powder, so God's grace 

 and power alone prevented the catastrophe. A German, who 

 had taken the Father prisoner, being in a great rage that he 

 had been silent so long, and said nothing about it until he 

 was in danger himself, took his gun and shot him down at 

 our Commander's side, who said, " My fine fellow, do not 

 come nearer ; if you do not wish to give quarter, do not 

 carry it out on me." 



Anno Christi 1643 a large fleet came before the town 

 of Goa with instructions to make peace with the Portuguese, 

 on condition that if they still were in possession of the 

 fortress of Negrumoo, they should keep it, if not, and the 

 Portuguese wanted to risk another assault, they should be 

 free to do so. They, however, had not the desire, and 

 next year (1644) a treaty was published for a ten years' 

 armistice. 



Now that we had peace it was resolved upon the instiga- 

 tion of the Portuguese, Anno Christi 1645, that war should 

 be made against the King of Candi for the sake of ele- 

 phants. 



As the Hollanders had no tame elephants, the Portuguese 



* Sendeman ; Jan de Rons (Dutch ed.). 

 f Frangois Charon (id.). 



