An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon in the East Indies: Together with an Account of the Detaining in Captivity the Author and Divers other Englishmen Now Living There, and of the Author's Miraculous EscapeKnox, Robert
History
An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon in the East Indies: Together with an Account of the Detaining in Captivity the Author and Divers other Englishmen Now Living There, and of the Author's Miraculous Escape
Knox, Robert
Sri Lanka -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800; Sri Lanka -- Social life and customs
[Their danger by reason of the ways they were to pass.] From
Anarodgburro it is two dayes Journey further thro a desolate Wilderness
before there is any more Inhabitants. And these Inhabitants are
neither under this King nor the Dutch, but are Malabars, and are under
a Prince of their own. This People we were sorely afraid of, lest they
might seize us and send us back, there being a correspondence between
this Prince and the King of Cande; wherefore it was our endeavour by
all means to shun them; lest according to the old Proverb, We might
leap out of the Frying pan into the Fire.
[They still remain at the Governours, to prevent suspition.] But we
must take care of that as well as we could when we came among them,
for as yet our care was to get to Anarodgburro. Where altho it was our
desire to get, yet we would not seem to be too hasty, lest it might
occasion suspition: but lay where we were two or three dayes: and one
stay'd at the Governors House a knitting, whilst the other went about
among the Towns to see for Flesh. The Ponds in the Country being now
dry, there was Fish every where in abundance, which they dry like red
Herrings over a fire. They offered to sell us store of them, but they,
we told them, would not turn to so good profit as Flesh. The which,
we said, we would have, tho we stayed ten dayes longer for it. For
here we could live as cheap, and earn as much as if we were at home,
by our knitting. So we seemed to them as if we were not in any hast.
[An accident that now created them great fear.] In the mean time
happened an Accident which put us to a great fright. For the King
having newly clapped up several Persons of Quality, whereof my old
Neighbour Ova Matteral, that sent for me to Court, was one, sent down
Souldiers to this High Sheriff or Governor, at whose house we now
were, to give him order to set a secure Guard at the Watches, that no
suspitious persons might pass. This he did to prevent the Relations of
these imprisoned persons from making an Escape, who thro fear of the
King might attempt it. This always is the Kings custome to do. But
it put us into an exceeding fear, lest it might beget an admiration
in these Soldiers to see White men so low down: which indeed is not
customary nor allowed of: and so they might send us up again. Which
doubtless they would have done, had it not been of God by this means
and after this manner to deliver us. Especially considering that
the King's Command came just at that time and so expresly to keep a
secure Guard at the Watches, and that in that very Way that alwayes we
purposed to go in: so that it seemed scarcely possible for us to pass
afterwards, tho we should get off fairly at present with the Soldiers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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