JOURNAL 



OF THE 



ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY, 



CEYLON BRANCH. 



WOUTER SCHOUTEN'S; ACCOUNT OF CEYLON. 



Translated by Ph. Freudenberg, Esq., Consul 

 in Ceylon for the German Empire. 



(Read June 26, 1886.) 



Introduction.! 



F Wouter Schouten, the following information 

 is given in A. J. van der Aa's BiograpJiisch 

 Woordenboek der Nederlanden (1874) : — 



Schouten (Wouter), born in 1638 at Haarlem, devoted 

 himself to surgery, and after a severe examination 

 was sent to Amsterdam as a surgeon, and was appointed 

 assistant surgeon on one of the ships of the East 

 Indian Company. Being later on promoted to chief surgeon, he 

 remained seven and a half years in the service, and in the Moluccas 

 was present at many severe engagements, both by sea and land. Having 

 returned to his Fatherland (1665), he settled in his birthplace, and 

 appears to hkve then written and published his Oost Indische Voyagien, 

 which were so widely read that in 1740 a third edition saw the light 

 at Amsterdam. 0. Z. van Haren testified of this book of travels that 

 few travels afforded more pleasure in reading. For many years he 

 kept a barber's shop at Haarlem, taught many pupils, obtained an 

 extensive practice, and was universally esteemed. 



* The apology offered to the translator in the footnote to Saar's Account 

 of Ceylon (Vol. XI., No. 39, 1889, p. 233) is equally due for the delay 

 in issuing 1 the present Paper. With the ready co-operation of Mr. D. W. 

 Ferguson, the Editing Secretary is at length able to pass it through the 

 press. — B., Hon. Sec. 



f Compiled by Mr. D. W. Ferguson. 



8-93 b 



