314 JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CBYLON). [VOL. XVIII. 
played an important part in the events recorded in the 
work. 
" The French East India Company chose Madagascar as 
the headquarters of their ships and the ' halfway house ' in 
their trade with the Indies The Company also chose two 
Directors of the General Chamber — the one was De Faye, 
the other Caron, a Dutchman, who was before this a Director 
of the Dutch Company in the Indies. This choice was made 
under the condition that the Frenchman should have pre- 
cedence over the foreigner, notwithstanding that they were 
of equal rank " 
This was in the year 1666, 
We are not concerned with Caron's experiences during 
the next year, but he was apparently in Surat when De Faye 
set out with his fleet (A° 1668) from Madagascar to Surat. 
Chapter 11. of Book IL is devoted to an account of Ceylon, 
which I translate : — 
Chapter IL 
Ceylon is seen. Description of the forts which the 
Hollanders have in this island. 
" On the 24th December (1668) the island of Ceylon was 
seen, and seemed to be at first sight a fine level country, 
but on approaching it we saw many high hills covered with 
trees. On the 25th in the morning, as the French were 
taking soundings in the Bay of Mata,^ there came two 
Dutch ships to see who they were, which at once returned to 
anchor above Cap Rouge^ (which is a bend of this bay, with 
houses, warehouses, and a small fort on which waved the 
Dutch flag). This settlement, which is called Saudry,^ 
was approached by the ship ' The Golden Eagle ' (I'Aigle 
d'or), and at once met a canot^ with a soldier therein, who 
came on orders from the Governor Pieter de Groot^ to 
announce that the French were always welcome wherever 
there were Dutchmen, and that if anyone had anything 
to communicate in writing there were ships in Point de 
Galle ready to proceed to Europe. Heer Goujon got some 
