NO. 53.— 1902.] GALLE DUTCH RECORDS. 329 



Which having been duly weighed by the said Council, 

 after mature consideration of various circumstances apper- 

 taining thereto — in such wise as has been amply set forth in 

 sundry previous resolutions — 



It has been approved of and resolved to send out this very 

 evening to Cogele aforesaid a body of 180 able-bodied men, 

 under command of the provisional Captain Jan van der Laen 

 and Lieutenant Lambert Camholt ; 



But, inasmuch as no confidence can be placed in the 

 promises and words of the Cingalese, and we do not know 

 whether the enemy has already arrived at the aforesaid place, 

 and has there fortified himself and taken up an advan- 

 tageous position ; nor can we learn the number of his men ; 



The aforesaid Captain with his men shall, in order to avoid 

 all disasters, remain on the coast about a mile from this place, 

 until he shall have received reliable information whether 

 the enemy has already appeared there or not — for which 

 purpose there shall be despatched thither four of the most 

 experienced soldiers, together with eight or ten Cingalese, in 

 order to reconnoitre — 

 And if they shall find the 



MS. page 89. 



enemy to have already appeared there, the whole party shall 

 return hither, seeing that in that case there would be little 

 credit to be got ; 



But if contrariwise the enemy has not yet appeared there, 

 the party shall march up to Cogele aforesaid, and immediately 

 despatch a man to us, to give us notice of the same, in 

 which case the Lord President shall follow them to-morrow 

 early with another party of 30 men, in order to help and 

 strengthen them, that there they may be able to perform some 

 notable feat for the benefit of the Honourable Company and 

 for their own honour — which God grant. 



