NO. 53.— 1902.] GALLE DUTCH RECORDS. 



271 



the town on the landside and other fastnesses and trenches 

 in certain streets inside the place, so that we think that at 

 least 2,000 soldiers would be wanted to conquer the said 

 town without the aid of Raja Singa ; 

 As respects Raja Singa [ 



] 



as he pretends that during the three years' [war], which 

 the Dutch have carried on in this Island, his people 

 have been greatly weakened, to which should be added 

 the consequent revolt of his brother the Prince of Uva 

 against him ; and even if Raja should join us with a con- 

 siderable power, yet none of them would venture to remain 

 with us, but they would all take to flight, as this perfidious 

 people have before done at the taking of Galle ; for during the 

 siege not one of them showed himself, but as soon as the 

 town had been taken they came forth in great numbers from 

 the wood (where they had lain concealed to watch how 

 matters would turn out between us and the Portuguese) not 

 omitting to murder and plunder, so that we think it of little 

 moment whether we have the assistance of the Cingalese 

 or not. 



Touching the present situation of their king we are unable 

 to give any particulars, as we have received no letters from 

 him on this point. 



MS. page 12. 



It will be hardly possible to get the cinnamon under the 

 present circumstances, for the Portuguese carried it to 

 Columbo, as soon as it was cut and prepared, and have been 

 much quicker about it than Raja Singa was last year, when 

 he had to provide us. 



We understand that shortly after the capture, the enemy 

 had removed the best pieces of artillery from the fortress of 

 Negumbo and left a small garrison only in the place to 

 serve as a defence against the Cingalese only, so that we surmise 

 it could offer little resistance ; still the attack would have to 



