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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MARCH, 1902.
and 100 dollers. Soe wee left them. We sayled in this vessell towards Columbo, being a Citty iņ Zolon which the Dutch lately tooke from the Portugalls. Meeting a storme att sea in our tottering egshell wee were put by our port, being in greate danger. Wee putt into Caliputeen, being a small barbour in the King Candies countrey, an utter enemie to all whyte men. Wee not knowing, for wee can not heare of any English that were ever in those seas, sent some of our best Mercbants to treat with them for a pilot, which they detayned, as it is thonght, to a perpetuall imprisonment, and I scaped very hardly. Soe wee tooke too of their men and sayled away as fast as wee could having [leaving ?] behind us fifteenes men wandering in the woods, which can not possibly scape the Tirants hands. Now wee Bayle towards the mayne Land of India, but theese two Rogues did pilate ug upon a bae [bar ?] of sands, called by the Portuguees Adams bridge, fondly conseyving that once to be paradice - I am sure now it is the purgatory, for they have lost almost all their power in India by there pride and cowardice. Here wee sustayned & nother shippwrack, but these two doggs were either drowned or gott away in the dark night. My selle Was faine to swim a greate way for my life, but by the hands of providence I recovered shore, and, amongst the rest, came to Monar [Mannar], a garison of the Dutch, where I gott victualls enough. And from thence to the Generall my Lord Rickloff (Rijklof van Goens], who made much of mee, and his Major generall proffered mee to take Armes, but I refused, saying I would hazard an other shippwrack, before I would be entertayned in any other service then that of my honourable Masters the East India Company. Soe that they sent me 200 Leeagues in a small open boate, and that in winter. Soe wee mistooke our port, and with noe small trouble and danger wee came to the coast of Cormadell, to a place called Porta Nova, from whence wee travelled five hundred miles upon bulls; thus comeing safe to St. George, where I was much commiserated. The President gave me a peese of flowered Eatten to make me clothes, and many other things; and findeing me inclyning to recreation he gave me a cast of brave falcons, which have killed many. Herons sence; alsoe greyhounds. I must not omitt how the foxes come to the Castle gates to kill our poultry. They have bere good fighting Cocks, and they fight them with penknive blades instead of gavelocks. This is a place healthfull, using all kind of recreation save hounds; all sort of provisions being to cheap; onlly sack is too deare, yet wee have other good drinke to remember our freinds. Withall I have the absolute comand of the soldiers, within and without, and have divers Captaines under me, for wee have 600 men in dayly pay, viz. 100 white and 500 black. This place was beseedged twise within this too years. But my fine boy is dead, which has been very neare the occason of my death, for I lay sick bopelese above a moneth and am not yet recovered ; and to add to my griefe, my honorable freind the President (Henry Greenhill] is very sick and can not live ten dayes, and in his stead is one Mr. Chambres, who claymes kindred with those [of] our country. He is worth 50,000 1. as I am credibly informed, yet a batcheler. He hath shewed me divers curtesies in my sickness and bids me not question but that he will be as loving to me as his Predecessor. Deare Șir, I have noe more but my prayers for you and my good sister, with the sweet pledges of your Love. I shall not tempt providence soe as to say but that I hope I may be unto them servisable, though att present I want the assistance of others. It is heare as in other places : "empty hands never catch hawlkes." I have here signified unto you misfortunes which I beleeve few men can paralell, as my shippwrack twise in one voyage, my one sicknesse, 10.se of Estate and freinds, continuall feare of being murthered, soe that I need not any thing to add to
Kalpitiya, or Kalpentin, about 90 miles N. of Colombo. . This should be 'ton,' making thirteen in all left behind (see Trevina's narrative, given later).
These unfortunate men became fellow-captives of Robert Knox, who often mentions them in his well-known narrative. Eleven of them were still living in 1670. Repeated efforts to procure their release proved unavailing; bat two (Thomas Kirby and William Day) managed to make thoir son pe in April, 1688. William Vassall and Thomas March wrote to Madras in Marob, 1091, that they and Richard Jell, of the Perria Merchant', company, together with eight other Englishmen, were still alive, but" in a very miserable condition;" and this is the last that was heard of them.
These probably included a large proportion of Portuguese and Mestizoes or baltoastes. A return of the Madras garrison, dated January 18th, 1658 (1. O. Recorde: 0. C. 2643), gives 24 English soldiers (inolading a geant, a ganner and two corporals) and 49 - Portugalle and Mistataca."
