272 JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XVIL 



be made by surprise and stratagem, for the enemy, learning of 

 our arrival, and suspecting we might be minded to attempt 

 the place, will no doubt concentrate all their forces there 

 (which they could do in three or four days at most) and 

 prevent any successful undertaking on our part. 



As respects the town of Galle, we trust that, with the help 

 of God, we shall be able with our present garrison, which at 

 present, reinforced with the 30 men from Coromandel, 10 

 from Battecaloa, and 25 from Batavia, who came to us a few 

 days ago, numbers more than 4.00 men, to resist the enemy, 

 if he should be minded to attempt anything against us, so 

 that we see no difficulty in the preservation and defence of 

 this place. 



Actum Galle, datum ut supra. Jan Thysen, Marten Vinck r 

 Cornelis Claix, Jan van der Laen, Lambert Camholt. 



November 10, 1641. 



MS. page 13. 



Whereas the yachts 44 Lief de " and " Lecq " returned 

 hither from Columbo yesterday, and the Goopman 1 Gerrit 

 Moutmaker has reported that (after sundry negotiations) 

 the exchange of all the Portuguese prisoners, who had 

 been here (except Ignatio Sarmento de Cravalhen) for the 

 Ensign Jan van Westrenen and a boy captured by the 

 enemy in the river of Alycan, 2 and six other men captured in 

 the latest combat which had taken place, on condition that 

 (seeing the number of our men in prison with them was so 

 much greater than the number of their men prisoners with 

 us) we should send to Batavia for three men more, and send 

 them on to Columbo ; 



the Ondercoopman van der Oudermeulen having remained 

 there, whom they do not wish to set free until he shall 



1 Koopman, lit. merchant, one of the higher grades in the service of the 

 Dutch East India Company (see note on p. 265). 



2 Bentota river. 



