264 JOURNAL, r.a.s. (ceylon). [Vol. XVII. 



taken place first on their side, and we on our part have 

 never failed to fulfil our part of the contract ; and further- 

 more that if he should resolve to liberate also the other 

 prisoners captured in the combat, we should procure him 

 an equal number of Portuguese from Batavia instead of 

 them ; if not, to request him to be pleased to send us the 

 names of the said prisoners that we may procure ransom for 

 them. 



Actum in the town of Galle, datum at supra. Jan Thysen, 

 Marten Vinck, Gerrit Moutmaker, Jan van der Laen, Lambert 

 Camholt. 



Monday, September 9, 1641. 



MS. page 5. 



Whereas we have now for four months past been unable 

 to get any fresh victuals from outside, except what has 

 been brought in at great risk by sal lying-parties, and before 

 that time we have obtained nothing from the king's side 

 through his Modliaer and Saban, 1 except what they wanted 

 to get rid of, which has been very little, 

 insomuch tbat the men of the garrison are obliged to support 

 life with their rations of salt meat, bacon, oil, vinegar, &c, 

 which has caused many diseases, as for instance dropsy, 

 dysentery, berri-berri, so that the said garrison gets weaker 

 every day, numbering at present 358 men, of whom at least 

 80 are unable to do efficient duty, therefore, and because, 

 after the disaster of the 9th of August last, we dare no longer 

 venture to send out small parties to procure fresh victuals, 

 the Lord President has set forth these matters to his Council, 

 and submitted to them that there are many things that are 

 not procurable here, and that yet the garrison is sadly in 

 want of, nor is there any likelihood that they will in the 

 first place be obtainable, as the whole country hereabouts 

 has been laid waste by the enemy, 



as also that we have nothing to expect from the false Raja 



1 Saba?idaar, a Sinhalese revenue officer (.see note, infra). 



