73^ 
A Defcripion 0/ C E Y L O N. 
Baldaus. 
A Boy De- 
ferter 
brings cer- 
tain Ad- 
vice. 
•2 Dutch 
Soldiers 
go 6ver to 
ihs Enemy. 
to be well fecured by a ftrong Sec of Pa- 
lifadoes, reaching from the Sea-fhoar to 
the Fens i and being guarded by four Com- 
panies, thefe were thought fufficient to 
oppofe any Saliy of the Enemy on that 
fide. 
One of onr Soldiers being fome days 
before miffing, we underftood that he 
had fought for flielter with his Majefly 
for a Crime he had committed, which at 
his Majefty's Requeil was remitted him, 
yet not without being difcharg^d from 
our Service. The Dijfave who made this 
Requeft, told the General, that the 
Grapes lent to the Emperor had been ve- 
ry well accepted. 
The \2,th of March a Boy, who had 
deferted the Portuguefes^ came to the Ge- 
neral, and told him in private, that hav- 
ing been let down from the Ballion Cler- 
^oj with a Rope, by iomz Lafcaryns who 
kept Guard there, they intended the next 
Night with the rifing of the Moon, to 
come all over to us, or elfe to deliver up 
theBaflion. The Boy according to his 
own Defire being foundly whipp'd, was 
fent back into the City, to take away all 
fufpicion of a private Correfpondence 
with us. 
Tofecondhis Endeavours a Company 
of the Guards was poiledina convenient 
Place but the Belieged fir'd fo briskly 
from the Baftions of St. Stephen and Sc. 
Philip that Night, that there was no Op- 
portunity of putting it in execution at 
that time. A Toit^cvs Deferter repot ted 
the next Day, that the Baftion of St. 
Stephen was guarded only by 16 Men, 
having queftionlefs difpofed the reft in 
other Places, as being fenfible that the 
gaining of that Baftion would ftand us in 
no great ftead. Six Lafcaryn Deferters 
confirmed the fame foon after, and two 
among them allured the General, that 
the Governor of Columbo had fent a Let- 
ter to the Emperor Raja S'mga. 
The i^th Edmund Ruyfch^ whofe Quar- 
ters were at Milagre^ fent word, that 
Henry William Boogare a Corporal, and 
Peter van Eruyfingen a common Soldier, 
were gone over to the Enemy. The 
fame day ten Lafcaryns well arm'd came 
over to us, and the fame Evening with 
the rifing of the Moon, two Cannon for 
Battery were planted upon the Battery 
againft St. John's Baftion. His Majefty 
having defir'd, that fome Perfon of Note 
might be fent to him, to confer with him 
in private, our tuStovTsbrandGotskens, a 
Native of the Hague, a Perfon equally 
dextrous with his Pen as the Sword, was 
fent with all Expedition thither. About 
the fame time £ome Lafcaryns with their 
\Vives and Children coming out of the 
City, were turn'd back again ; a Letter 
being at the fame time deliver'd to a cer- 
tain Boy for Simon Lopes^ lately gone o- 
ver to the Enemy, intimating, that. If ^Letter t$ 
he would endeavour to make the Negroes in ^^'^ 
the City rife, he Jhould not only dcfcrve 10^^'' 
bi^ Pardon, but alfo a good Reward. 
At Midnight we made a fdfe Attack, a faife 
which put the whole City into fuch an A- AttaciiHt 
larum, that there was nothing to be CoKmi- 
heard but ringing of Bells, and the noife 
of Drums, but in half an Hour all was 
quiet a^ain. The next Day his Majefty 
fent three Deputies, to know the reafon 
of fuch fierce firing ; which being told j 
them, they informed the General that 
Tsbrand Gotskens had not as yet had Audi- 
ence of the Emperor, but would quefti- 
onlefs be admitted the next Day. A Let- 
ter was alfo fent to the General from the 
Emperor Raja Singa, wherein were en- 
clos'd 20 others, one from Antonio de 
Souz.a Coutinho Governour of Columbo^ 
the other from the chief Citizens of that 
City, both dated the lothoi March, in 
which they implore his Majefty's Affif- 
tance. 
RAJA SINGA RAJOV. 
TH E prefent Opportunity has in- The Emps 
vited our Imperial Majefty, to ror's Let- 
difpatch thefe few Lines to your Ex- ^« 
cellency : Two Days ago, being 
Wednefday the j'^th of A<farch, I 
broke up from Guiramibula, and march- 
ing along the other fide of the River 
by the way of Walevoitty, have fix'd 
my Tents in this Place, from whence I 
have difpatch'd immediately fome of 
my Great Courtiers, to notify my Ar- 
rival in the Camp a.t Reygamrvatte^ and 
to enquire after your Excellency's 
Health. I commanded them at the 
fame time (having not as yet an An- 
fwer to fome of your Excellency's Let- 
ters direded to me) to defire you to 
fend a Perfon of Note, unto whom I 
might by word of mouth give an An- 
fwer to the faid Letters. It being 
Night when I arrivM in the Camp at 
Reygamwatte, I could not order the 
Difpofition of my Forces till next 
Morning, when the two enclofcd Let- 
ters were delivered to me, one from 
the Governor, the other from the Ci- 
tizens of Columbo.thQ Contents where- 
^' of 
