222 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. XIX. 



I have however with this not yet said all that is to be told 

 of the plates. 



We rightly praise the maker, the skilful artist de Bevere, 

 but should be incomplete and even ungrateful if we did not 

 remember with respect the man who discovered and caused 

 expression to be given to de Bevere' s talent, who indeed prob- 

 ably took a practical interest in the preparation of the plates. 

 I also venture to think that your attention will be well 

 bestowed upon some particulars that I can tell you regarding 

 his career and the further history of the plates. 



The man who set de Bevere to the work and paid him for it 

 was — I have already a while ago named him several times — 

 Joan Gideon Loten, during the years 1731 to 1757 in the 

 service of the Netherlands East India Company, and steadily 

 climbing up to their most important offices. What I can tell 

 you regarding his personality and his services I owe, first, to 

 his own notes, made upon the back of the plates and in a 

 couple of bundles of papers left by him, which form part of 

 the collection ; but second, — having had my attention drawn 

 thereto by that widely-read expert in documents relating to 

 the colonies, Mr. G. P. Rouffaer at the Hague, whom I hereby 

 thankfully mention, — especially to the Kronijk van het His- 

 torisch Genootschap te Utrecht, 16th year (1860), 4th series, 

 part I., wherein on page 106 and following appears a detailed 

 report from the hand of the late Prof. P. J. Veth on papers 

 left by Loten. Of the papers themselves, which I should so 

 willingly have consulted, in the hope of learning further 

 details of the life of the testator, all trace has, alas, since been 

 lost. At least I have not yet, in spite of investigations made, 

 succeeded in finding them again. 



From Prof. Veth's report I borrow the following : — 



Joan Gideon Loten left 28th December 1731,* in the rank of 

 under merchant, by the ship Beekvliet from Amsterdam. The 

 ship formed part of a squadron of five ships, and put to sea 

 from Texel, 4th January 1732. In the beginning of August 

 they arrived safely at Batavia. 



* For information regarding Loten 's parentage and birthplace see 

 Mr. van Houten's second paper below. 



