No. 58. — 1907.] JOAN GIDEON LOTEN, F.R.S. 



225 



zou hebben t' observeeren,"* of which Prof. Veth says that 

 the document is very circumstancial, whilst the conclusion 

 testifies to the calm deliberation of the author ; also a " Ruwe 

 Schets der behuizingen binnen 't casteel Colombo met dier 

 bewoonderen in de jaren 1756-1759. "f 



That his departure from Colombo was accompanied by 

 special ceremonies appears from a document, printed in the 

 journal named, entitled " Project van het Cerimonieel dat 

 g'observeerd zal dienen te worden zo aan de wal als op de 

 schepen, ten dage van het vertrek van den Wei Edelen Groot 

 Achtbaren Heer Joan Gideon Loten, Raad Ordinair van Ne- 

 derlandsch India en afgaande Ceylon's Gouverneur en Direc- 

 teur op den 18" Maart A 1757."} 



Loten at that time took de Bevere with him, as appears 

 from the plates prepared by the latter in the course of the 

 year 1757 at Batavia, and the paintings containing birds, 

 inter alia pigeons, kingfishers, and woodpeckers, which Loten 

 managed to shoot or catch in the neighbourhood, as well as 

 of Molucca parrots brought to Batavia. 



In accordance with his intention Loten returned home in 

 1758, and indeed as admiral of the return fleet, reaching 

 his native soil in June of that year (Tijdschr. Hist. Gen. 1860, 

 pp. 112-113). The voyage was not entirely free from 

 mishaps ; during the passage, in a mutiny on board, his goods 

 were plundered, whereby among other things he suffered great 



* " Proposed Regulation comprising the orders that would have to 

 be observed in case of any unexpected alarm." 



-f " Rough sketch of the dwelling-houses inside the Colombo castle, 

 with their occupants, in the years 1756-1759 [? 1757]." Possibly a copy of 

 this interesting document exists among the Dutch archives in Colombo. 



| ' ' Plan of the ceremonial that shall be observed both on shore and 

 on the ships on the day of the departure of the most honourable Mr. 

 Joan Gideon Loten, Councillor Ordinary of Netherlands India, and 

 retiring Governor and Director of Ceylon, on the 18th of March 1757." 

 (See R. G. Anthonisz's Rep. on Dutch Rec. 109.) Loten was succeeded 

 by Schroder or Schreuder (who arrived at Colombo on 27th September 

 1756), a man of very different temperament, under whose rule broke out 

 a war with the Sinhalese that lasted over six years and cost the Dutch 

 an enormous sum in addition to much loss of life (see Ceylon Lit. 

 Reg. v. 84). 



