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



469 



we shall also be supported by the auxiliaries which the 

 king has promised us, and which we may confidently expect 

 if once we have got a firm footing in the island ; by which 

 time we hope to be able to employ our " blacks " against 

 those of the enemy, and our own soldiers against the 

 Portuguese forces, and with the help of God defeat the 

 latter. 



Thus done and resolved in the ship " Prins Hendrick," lying 

 at anchor 1 mile north of Columbo, date as above. (Signed) 

 Francois Caron, Jan Thysen, Willem van der Beecq, Marten 

 Vinck, Reyndert Weybrantsz, Steven Pietersz, Pieter 

 Vinckboous. 



Friday, January 8, 1643. 



MS.fol. 127. 



Whereas last night we arrived in the roadstead before 

 Negumbo with the whole fleet, excepting the yachts 

 44 Landvoort," " Grol," and " Wingurla," 

 we have in order to gain time resolved that four of the 

 largest ships, to wit, " Frederick Hendrick," " Wesel," "Ams- 

 terdam," and " Den Snoecq" shall remain at anchor before the 

 canal, on account of the shallowness of the water ; that the 

 soldiers of the said ships shall be sent on board the smaller 

 vessels, which shall run to a depth of three fathoms as soon as 

 the wind from the sea shall begin to blow harder, or by night 

 shall be tugged with cables (?) ; 



we meanwhile awaiting there the three yachts afore- 

 mentioned, which have still on board two companies of 

 musketeers and one ditto of matchlock men, in order after 

 this to land with the whole of the army, together with two 

 mortars and four small field pieces ; the sloops and all the 

 large boats to be each of them strengthened with a ditto 

 field piece, that under cover of the same we may with 

 greater security set foot ashore ; 



furthermore, regard being had to the order and form which 

 ought to be observed with the present forces, both in the 



