172 JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CBYLON). [YOL. XVIII. 
the envoys set out by way of Sammanturai, and, arriving at 
Pangaragammana on the east bank of the Mahaweli-ganga 
on November 19, were received the same evening by Raja 
Sinha in his residence on the west bank of the river. 
To him they presented their credentials in the form of a 
letter^^ from the Governor of Palikat, dated October 20, 1637, 
acknowledging receipt of the King's missive of the previous 
year, reminding Raja Sinha of the wars which the Dutch 
nation had for some time been carrying on with the Portu- 
guese, and stating that if the King would grant them the 
export trade in cinnamon they would be pleased to supply 
him with arms and ammunition to fight the Portuguese. 
The letter added that, if this were agreed to. a message 
would be sent to the Admiral of the Dutch fleet before Goa 
for the detaching of some vessels to transport cinnamon or to 
help the King. Frequent interviews took place between the 
King and the envoys, during which the former received 
from his cousin, the Prince of Matale, a letter^^ which had 
been addressed to him by the Portuguese Governor of 
Colombo, complaining bitterly of Raja Sinha's bad faith in 
dealing with the Hollanders, whom he described in no 
measured language. He added that he had informed the 
Viceroy at Goa of the King's treachery. 
On November 27 Raja Sinha dispatched the Dutch envoys, 
sending with them three Sinhalese deputies to view^and 
report on the Hollanders' fleet at Goa. He also addressed a 
letter,^^ dated from "Vintane, November 28, 1637," to the 
Admiral of the Dutch fleet before Goa. In this letter, which 
was delivered to Admiral Westerwold on December 19, the 
King stated that he sent his deputies to conclude terms with 
the Admiral ; that he wished five ships to be sent to capture 
the fortress of Batticaloa and erect another in that port, 
and to take away all the cinnamon that might be there 
that he learned that the Admiral was to leave Goa for 
Jacatara in April, calling, if possible, on the way thither at 
Colombo, whence he was to send three ships for the capture 
of Batticaloa,^^ that he himself would proceed to Colombo, 
