NO. 40.— 1890.] EMBASSY TO KANDY, 1671. 



355 



HENRICUS VAN BYSTERVELT'S* EMBASSY 

 TO KANDY. 



Translated from the Dutch by F. H. de Vos, Esq., Advocate. 



Translation. 

 REPORT written according to orders from the 

 Hon. Rycloff van Goens, Ordinary Councillor of 

 India, Governor, Admiral and Commander- 

 in-Chief of this Island of Ceylon, with the 

 Dependencies thereof, by me, the undersigned 

 Henricus van Bystervelt, having journeyed to the Court of 

 Candia on February 22 of this year [1671 A.D.] to deliver to 

 His Majesty, Ragia Sing a Raju, the letters which were 

 then handed over to me, including in short the principal 

 events, the conversation had by me at various times with 

 His Imperial Majesty, and further what was done in the 

 service of the Honourable Company during my stay at the 

 aforesaid court. 



When I, the undersigned, had, after repeated application 

 and volunteering of my services, obtained from your Excel- 

 lency, on February 21, leave to depart in the service of the 

 Honourable Company with a letter to greet His Imperial 

 Majesty, I, on the same day, started with Haccroegammene 

 Rale and Jasonder Rale, both Ambassadors from His Majesty, 

 and arrived about evening at the pass Nacklegam, where we 

 lodged the night. We left next morning, arriving at Gourbe- 

 vele f where we were received with great honour ; and having 

 spent the night and starting from thence next morning, came to 

 Citawaecke the same day, when I was welcomed and received 



* Regarding Henricus van Bystervelt, see Journal R.A.S. (C.B.), Vol. XI., 

 No. 38, p. 149 ; Christophorus Schweitzer (Reysen), Dutch ed. (Utrecht, 

 1694), pp. 392-3 ; Ceylon Literary Register, Vol. IV., pp. 115-6. 



