No. 55. — 1904.] FRANCOIS CARON. 315 
letters in readiness for the General Chamber in France to 
intimate what progress they had made. 
" Having proceeded three miles further we sighted Point 
de Galle, close to a hill in the shape of a peak which indicated 
the place from afar. A very fine new f ortjwas seen through the 
telescope, many well-built houses, and five big ships at anchor 
in the bay. It was learnt from a soldier sent by the King of 
Sandy^ that the Dutch were at war with the King of Ceylon, 
from whom they had captured many of his subjects, who 
were made to work with iron chains on their legs in the fort 
of Point de Galle. 
" On the 27th, sailing along the southfside, there appeared 
on a small hill a Dutch settlement called Barberin. 
" On the 31st, twenty miles from Point de Galle, was seen 
the city of Colombo, well built, situated on the seaside 
on a well-planted plot of ground affording a very nice view. 
There was on a side of it a large fort, and eight ships were 
seen in the roads. 
" The Dutch are well established in Ceylon, where they 
have there, besides Point de Galle and Colombo, two more 
cities called Negombo and Japhepatnan, and have well 
fortified themselves in the north, west, and south coasts. 
The east coast, as there is no cinnamon there, has not much 
protection bestowed on it. ^,The Portuguese also had formerly 
some forts there, but these have been taken and dismantled 
by the Hollanders. 
" Between 7^ and 8 degrees north there are two places, of 
which the one is called Tinkemale and the other Battecalo. 
This latter is situated in a fine safe bay, into which a large 
river flows. The ships can in full sail go in and out of it. At 
the angle of this bay there is a very suitable place to build a 
fort, which the King of Ceylon would gladly give to any 
nation which could withstand the Dutch, because they take 
away all his cinnamon without paying for it, giving as their 
excuse that they had spent much money in driving away the 
Portuguese. They keep all the cities and forts taken from 
him to themselves, exclusive of those dismantled, without 
