Chap.XXX. J Defcription 0/ C E Y L O N. 
Some 
Dutch 
that we had lofi; a conliderable number of 
men by the Iprmging of a Mine, be was 
very glad to hear the contrary after- 
wards. The 26th of January early in the 
Morning a Letter was delivered from our 
Head Factor at Gale^ John Kroon^ that the 
sHt>s ar- Ships the P^J^/ewce, the Bengale^ the Black 
uvd. ^"'^ '■^^ Grey-hound from Tajouan by 
the way of Mafulipatan^ loaden with 
Merchandizes from Pcrfta^ and the Flie- 
/^i«<i belonging to thofe of Suratte^ were 
arrived there, and that he had ordered 
them to fail for Columho. Two Spies 
TwoSfks come lately out of the City, to view the 
hangd. Condition of our Attacks and Batteries, 
were hang'd two days after. 
At the fame time Letters were brought 
into the Camp, dated the lafl: of Novemh. 
at Malacca^ intimating, that the la^th^ 
i%th and igth of November 1555. the 
Ships the Vlieland^ Black Bullj Arnemuy- 
den and the Sweet-briar^ were arrived 
there from Tajouan^ their Loading being 
valued at 1349435 Gilders at the firft 
hand : and tlut the Svoeet-briarj the Dom- 
burg and Lion were with a good quantity 
of Tin of Malacca Cent to Bengale. The 
Cargo of thefe Ships confifts commonly 
of Japonefe Silver, Bars of Copper, 
Alum, Gold, China Tea, and Sugar of 
Formofa^ befides a confiderable quantity 
of Tin of Malacca. Upon the Coaft of 
Aialahar., and in Ceylon (where they com- 
monly arrive at the fame time) they load 
with Cinnamon, Pepper and Cardamom. 
They generally make a long Voyage : 
For they fet fail from Batavia to Japan 
and Tajouan in May^ and come to Malacca 
in December: From thence they fleer 
their Gourfe by the Nicebares to Ceylon^ 
or Bengals., or Coromandel (but never 
from thefe Places to Ceylon, but fome- 
times return from Bengale or Ceylon to 
Alalaccaox Batavia^ and from thence by 
Advices Malabar to Suratte and Per/ia., and return 
jrnm Ma- jp May to Ceylon (and fometimcs ftrait- 
lacca. ways to Batavia) and fo further with 
their Cargo (they have taken in at Su- 
ratte or in Perfa) to the Coaft of Coro- 
mandel., where being loaden with Linen 
Cloth, painted Callicoes and other Mer- 
chandizes, they return to Batavia in June 
or July. By Letters from John ThyfTen 
Governour of Malacca., advice was given 
that the Tin Trade (thechiefefl of that 
Country) had been but very indifferent 
that Year. 
Tm De- But it is time to return to the Siege of 
fcrtersgive Qolumho. The laft day of January two 
tfthTcon- Portugutfe Deferters, who had m__ade fhift 
dition of to let themfelves down by Ropes from 
fhecity. St. Stephens B2i\:iou J reported, that many 
Vol. IIL 
of their Comrades were willing to defert CvV^ 
for want of Pay, but that they were f^^H^ 
ftriaiy guarded •, that the Garifon con- 
fifted ftill of 650 Europeans., and they 
had Rice for two Months longer ; that 
they ftill rely'd upon the promifed Suc- 
cours of 6 Galeons. Soon after we faw 
a whole Troop of haif-ftarv'd Wretches 
coming out of the Town •, but 1 20 were 
forced to return without Relief. The 
iithoi February about 500 of them, Men, 
Women and Children, being forced by 
extremity of Hunger, came to the Gene- 
ral's Quarter imploring his Mercy •, but 
they were forced back into the Town 
along the Sea-fhore near the Baftion of 
St. >/;«. In the mean while the Empe- 
ror fent the following Letter totheGe- 
neral. 
Raja Singa Rajou. 
OU R Imperial Majefty has former- The Em- 
ly (thro God's Mercy) been vie- 
torious over our Enemies '^^ 'Mahane, ^^^^^^^^1 
where I routed their whole Army ^^/. 
commanded by DonConJlantinoj after 
which laying Siege to Columbo., I had 
my Head Qiiarters in the Garden of 
Lewis Gomes Pinto. It then pleafed 
God to atflict me with a Diftemper, 
which the Viceroy having got notice 
of, he defired me to return to Candy 5 
which I did accordingly, leaving my 
Brother Carnana Smga King of Ouve, 
mth the Prince ot ri/iapalla, to com- 
mand the Siege, who put no fmall Ble- 
miOi upon our Imperial family. 
Whilfl they were imployed in that 
Siege, the treacherous Portuguefes hav- 
ing at that time forced a Multitude of 
ftarved Wretches out of the City, 
they had mix'd with them certain Vil- 
lains, who fet all our Works on fire. 
Wherefore I hope your Excellency 
will keep a ftrift Guard ^ lor I can't 
forbear, for the Love and good Incli- 
nations I bear to your Excellency, to 
put you in mind, that the Portuguefes are 
a moft perfidious Nation, and that even 
my Forces are compofed of divers forts 
of People : So that your Excellency 
ought to have a particular regard for 
your ownPerfon,which will be a iingular 
Satisfaftion to me. For you mull know, 
that there being variety of People in 
the Ifle of Ceylon., who have ferved 
divers Princes, and are us'd to Ravages 
and Rapines, thefe are generally trea- 
cherous, and not to be truiled by your 
Excellency, tho perhaps they will en- 
deavour to obtain your Favour by 
Bbbbb 2 " Flat- 
