Part 16
M.--The Dessave de Bitter is to employ the Lieutenant Claas Isaacsz in the Public Works Department on his return from Putulang after the transport of the elephants, being a capable man for this work. The most necessary work must be carried out first. Last year the Commissioners, Messrs. van Keulen and Petitfilz, presented the son of the deceased Don Philip Sangerepulle with a horse and a sombreer [83] by order of His Excellency the Governor, apparently because he was the chief of the highest caste, or on account of his father's services. Much has been said against the father, but nothing has been proved, and indeed greater scoundrels might be found on investigation. I now see that Mr. Zwaardecroon, because no act of authority was shown to him, has rejected this presentation and ordered the Political Council here from the yacht "Bekenstyn" on March 29 of this year to demand back from the youth this horse and sombreer. This having been done without my knowledge and consent, I countermand this order, and expect Your Honours to carry out the orders of His late Excellency the Governor. [84] With regard to the administration of this Commandement, I have stated what was necessary under the heading of the Form of Government at the conclusion of the Memoir to which I herewith refer. I will only add here that since then I have had reason to doubt whether my instructions with regard to the Political Council and the manner in which the administration is to be carried out has been properly understood. I reiterate therefore that the Dessave de Bitter will be looked upon and respected as the Chief in the Commandement during the absence of the Commandeur, and that to him is entrusted the duty of convening the meetings both of the Political Council and of the Court of Justice. Also that he will pass and sign all orders, such as those for the Warehouses, the Treasury, the Workshop, the Arsenal, and other of the Company's effects. Further, that when he stays over night in the Castle, he is to give out the watch-word and see to the opening and the closing of the gates, which, in the event of his absence, is deputed to the Captain. The Dessave will see that order and discipline are maintained, especially among the military, and also that they are regularly drilled. He is further to receive the daily reports, not only of the military but also of all master workmen, &c.; in short, he is to carry out all work just as if the Commandeur were present. Recommending thus far and thus briefly these instructions as a guidance to the Administrateur and the Political Council, and praying God's blessing--
I remain, Sirs, etc., (Signed) GERRIT DE HEERE.
Jaffnapatam, August 2, 1697.
NOTES
[1] Note on p. 40.
[2] "Want, de keuse van zyne begraafplaats mocht van nederigheid getuigen--zoolang de oud Gouverneur-Generaal onbegraven was had hy zekere rol te spelen, en zelf had Zwaardecroon maatregelen genomen, op dat ook zyne laatste verschyning onder de levenden de compagnie waardig mocht wesen, die hy gediend had."--De Haan, De Portugeesche Buitenkerk, p. 40.
[3] Van Rhede van der Kloot, De Gouverneurs-Generaal en Commissarissen-Generaal van Nederlandsch-Indiƫ, 1610-1888.
[4] That of Laurens Pyl.
[5] These figures at the end of paragraphs refer to the marginal remarks by way of reply made by the Governor Gerrit de Heer in the original MS. of the Memoir, and which for convenience have been placed at the end of this volume. See p. 96.
[6] Hendrik Adriaan van Rheede of Drakestein, Lord of Mydrecht, High Commissioner to Bengal, Coromandel, Ceylon, &c., from 1684-1691. For a fuller account of him, see Report on the Dutch Records, p. 39.
[7] Elephants without tusks.
[8] Thomas van Rhee, Governor of Ceylon, 1693 to 1695.
[9] The old plural of opperkoopman, upper merchant, the highest grade in the Company's Civil Service.
[10] Veddas.
[11] Tanjore.
[12] Zinc.
[13] Probably bullock carts, from Portuguese boi, an ox. Compare boiada, a herd of oxen.
[14] Palm leaves dressed for thatching or matting, from the Malay kajang, palm leaves.
[15] Chanks.
[16] These figures are taken from the original MS. It is difficult to explain the discrepancy in the total.
[17] This is the pure Arabic word, from which the word Shroff in our local vocabulary is derived.
[18] See note on p. 16.
[19] Accountants, Tamil.
[20] A variation in spelling of chicos. See p. 21.
[21] Commandeur Floris Blom died at Jaffna on July 3, 1694, and is buried inside the church.
[22] Kernels of the palmyra nut.
[23] An irrigation headman in the Northern and Southern Province.
[24] Probably from kaiya, a party of workman doing work without wages for common advantage.
[25] A corruption of the Tamil word pattankatti. The word is applied to certain natives in authority at the pearl fisheries.
[26] Acts of appointment.
[27] From Tamil tarahu, brokerage. Here applied apparently to the person employed in the transaction.
[28] The juice of the palmyra fruit dried into cakes.
[29] The fruit itself.
[30] The palmyra yam.
[31] Palm oil.
[32] See note on p. 15 (cadjang).
[33] Coir.
[34] Bananas: the word is in use in Java.
[35] Durbar.
[36] This has been translated into English, and forms an Appendix to the Memoir of Governor Ryckloff van Goens, junior, to be had at the Government Record Office, Colombo.
[37] The full value of the rix-dollar was 60 Dutch stivers; but in the course of time its local value appears to have depreciated, and as a denomination of currency it came to represent only 48 stivers. Yet to preserve a fictitious identity with the original rix-dollar, the local mint turned out stivers of lower value, of which 60 were made to correspond to 48 of the Dutch stivers.
[38] In China a picol is equal to 133-1/3 lb. avoir.
[39] Probably the Malay word bahar. It was equal to 419 lb. avoir. The word is also found spelt baar, plural baren, in the Dutch Records. A baar is equal to 600 lb.
[40] Florins, stivers, abassis.
[41] These are now known as cheniyas.
[42] Plural of onderkoopman.
[43] The same as chicos. See p. 21.
[44] Pupil teachers?
[45] PardaƵ, a popular name among the Portuguese for a gold and afterwards for a silver coin. That here referred to was perhaps the pagoda, which Valentyn makes equal to 6 guilders.
[46] A copy of these is among the Archives in Colombo.
[47] The Militia, composed of Vryburgers as officers, and townsmen of a certain age in the ranks.
[48] Pen-men, who also had military duties to perform.
[49] The Artisan class in the Company's service.
[50] Sloops.
[51] Same as dhoneys.
[52] Lit. "man searchers." These were probably small boats rowed by men.
[53] Cakes of palmyra sugar.
[54] Coconut shells.
[55] See note on p. 15.
[56] This is what he says: "It was my intention to have a new drawbridge built before the Castle, with a small water mill on one side to keep the canals always full of sea water; and a miniature model has already been made."
[57] He died on December 15, 1691, on board the ship Drechterland on a voyage from Ceylon to Surat.
[58] Cured and dried fish.
[59] Pallars?
[60] See page 21 supra.
[61] The church was completed in 1706, during the administration of Commandeur Adam van der Duyn.
[62] "Van geen oude schoenen te verwerpen, voor dat men met nieuwe voorsien is."
[63] Tanjore.
[64] This is unfortunately no longer forthcoming, having probably been destroyed or lost with the rest of the Jaffna records; and there is no copy in the Archives at Colombo. But an older report of Commandeur Blom dated 1690 will be translated for this series.
[65] Also lost.
[66] The figures are as given in the MS. It is difficult to reconcile these equivalents with the rate of 3 guilders to the rix-dollar. The denominations given under florins (guilders) are as follows:--16 abassis = 1 stiver; 20 stivers = 1 florin.
[67] See note on p. 16.
[68] Hendrick Zwaardecroon.
[69] Customs duty.
[70] Tanjore.
[71] A fanam, according to Valentyn's table, was equal to 5 stivers.
[72] During the early years of the Dutch rule in Ceylon there was, besides the Governor, a Commandeur resident in Colombo. This post was subsequently abolished.
[73] An old Dutch measure for coal and lime, equal to 32 bushels.
[74] See note on p. 42.
[75] A mixties was one of European paternity and native on the mother's side.
[76] Portuguese descendants of the lower class.
[77] The term "qualified officers," here and elsewhere, probably refers to those who received their appointment direct from the supreme authorities at Batavia.
[78] The elephant keeper.
[79] The men who attend on the elephants, feed them, &c.
[80] Durbar.
[81] Customs duty.
[82] Toddy.
[83] Umbrella.
[84] Thomas van Rhee.