Mss Eur Mack Trans XIV.15

Extract of a diary held by Mr Gerrit de Heere, Governor and Director of the Island of Ceylon &ca as well by himself, as by his order by the Secretary Gerrit van Tholl, regarding the most principal matter and occurrences in his journey to and visit on the Coast of Madura till Tutocoreen [Tuticorin], that it may serve at the same time as a Report of his performances to their excellencies the Right Honorable Sir William van Outhoorn, Governor General and the Lords Councellors of Netherlands India at Batavia, whose pleasure and approbation are required to some points of our provisional dispositions therein contained, beginning with the 8th of September and ending with the 2nd of October of the year 1699.

The extract bears date 29 September.

Contains some account of the people and system of government of the Madura country, the pearl fishery, Moormen (i.e. South Indian Muhammadans of partly Arab descent), the first arrival of the Portuguese at Tuticorin, the expansion of the power of the Naik of Madura, the relations of the Portuguese with him and the local inhabitants, the extension of Dutch trade from Ceylon to the Madura coast, troubles with the natives, capture of Tuticorin by the Dutch in 1658, troubles between the Hindu and Christian natives ("Parrewas"), efforts of the Roman Catholic priests to oppose the Dutch Company, ineffectual attempts of the Dutch to make friends with the Naik of Madura, open hostilities in 1669 followed by a defeat of his forces by the Dutch (which was not approved by the authorities at Batavia), further troubles and decrease of trade, wreck and plundering of a Danish ship in 1698, reinforcement of the Dutch garrison, &c.

Translated from the Dutch of 3 (a) Supra.