No. 55.— 1904.] RAJA SINHA II. AND THE DUTCH. 199 
In November some presents were sent to the King/^^ but 
in the same month Maatzuyker wrote to the Council at Batavia 
that no lasting peace was to be expected with Raja Sinha, 
notwithstanding all his professions.^^^ A short letter of 
Maatzuyker's to the King, dated March 25, 1648, elicited no 
reply, and on September 10 the Dutch Governor wrote to 
His Majesty, that, after waiting in vain for eleven months for 
tidings of Maarschalk, he now learnt that the King had 
entered into an alliance with the Portuguese, and request- 
ing if this were true that the Dutch commissary be sent 
back. On October 27, however, Maatzuyker wrote to the 
King, expressing his pleasure at learning that the above 
report was false, and that His Majesty was about to send back 
Maarschalk and the other Dutch prisoners, and to reply to 
the various letters sent to him. Maatzuyker also stated that 
another ambassador would be sent in place of Maarschalk.^^^ 
The Governor's rejoicing, however, seems to have been some- 
what premature, for on March 30, 1649, we find him writing 
from Negombo^o^ to Raja Sinlia : " A horse has arrived at 
Gale, worthy to be ridden by a king. His Majesty's order is 
requested that it may be sent up. Some trifles and fruits 
will be sent to His Majesty with it." He added that he had 
received a letter, dated the 9th current, from the King, in 
which he learnt with much sorrow of the latter's illness, 
but he also learnt therefrom that his disava was doing the 
Dutch all possible injury and preventing their passage, 
while all was open to the Portuguese.^^^^ On April 10 
Maatzuyker again wrote from Negombo to the King, 
complaining of his action in preventing the Dutch from 
obtaining cinnamon, whilst he permitted the Portuguese to 
do so.2^2 On the same day a letter^^^ arrived from Raja 
Sinha, to whi^h Maatzuyker replied on the 20th,2^^ express- 
ing pleasure at the King's recovery, and his surprise at His 
Majesty's objecting to anything being brought to Negombo, 
on the ground that this place was fortified and held by the 
Dutch contrary to his wish. To prove that this was not the 
fact, Maatzuyker referred the King to his own letter ol' 
