J. Beames —Notes on the History of Orissa. 
249 
1883.] 
was called Barabati (i. e. twelve batis) from its extent, and is at present 
the principal quarter of the modern town of Balasore, and the residence 
of the wealthiest merchants. 
It is not exactly known when the Dutch first came to Orissa, 
their settlement at Balasore, however, is less advantageously situated than 
that of the English. The latter commands the river and a convenient 
careening creek, and has also better means of access to the native town, 
while the Dutch Settlement, still called “ Hollandais Sahi”, is behind that 
of the English and cut off from the river and the town by Barabati. I 
conclude therefore that the English came here first, as if the Dutch had 
been first in the field, it is not likely that they-would have taken the worse 
site of the two. We do not find any mention of them before 1664 when 
they had a dispute with the English about their mutual boundaries, which 
was settled by the Nawab Shaista Khan. The boundaries are, however, very 
vague and refer to certain trees, roads and ditches which are of course not 
now in existence. The present boundary is very irregular and overlaps the 
land of Barobati in several places. 
From the Cuttack records it appears that they acquired a plot of land 
at Balasore from the Nawab Mataqid Khan ; this officer was naib for Shah 
Shuja son of the Emperor Shah Jahan and was appointed in A. H. 1055= 
A. D 1645 (Padshahnamah, II, 473.) This would make them at least 5 
years 'later than the English, even if we suppose them to have got the 
grant in the very beginning of Mataqid’s tenure of office.* 
The Danish Settlement, now called “ Danemar Dinga” is worse 
situated than the Dutch, being further up the creek and further from the 
town, and it is stated by Stewart that they and the French did not arrive 
in Balasore till 1676. There is a Dutch tomb still standing in the com- 
pound of the old factory, on which is the following inscription : 
“ Michael Jans Burggraaf van Sevenhuisen obiit [ ] Novemb. 1696.” 
The day of the month has unfortunately been broken off in the cyclone of 
July 1871 by a tree falling against it. Stirling is in error in saying (Orissa, 
page 30) that this tomb is dated 1660. It is a huge triangular obelisk of 
brick plastered, about 50 feet high, and the inscription is so high up that a 
mistake might easily be made in copying it from the ground. To make 
sure I climbed a mango tree standing close in front and copied it from a 
distance of a few inches only. The oldest tomb in the English cemetery 
at Barabati is dated 1684 and the inscription runs thus— 
C coat J 
16 \ of >84 
* It’ is probably from this governor that the Parganahs of Matkatabad and 
Matkatnagar take their names. 
