The Dutch East India Company has often been in a state of variance with the king of Cochin, who, according to his surname, is called _Perumpadapil_, and resides at _Terpunatre_[75], a place lying east of Cochin, on the other side of the lake which separates the possessions of this prince from those of the Dutch. On the 18th of April, 1792, I received a letter from Father Francis a Sancto Elisæo, in which he gave me a circumstantial account of the last disputes between the Dutch and _Viròlam Tamburàn_, the present king of Cochin. King _Mutta Tamburàn_, of the family of _Perumpadapil_, a quiet peaceable man, with whom I had an interview at _Ciovare_, in the year 1787, died of the small-pox. He was succeeded by his younger brother _Viròlam Tamburàn_, of whom I had several times an audience at _Mattincera_, where he frequently sent for me to the palace, as he wished to be made acquainted with different particulars respecting the affairs of Europe. He spoke Dutch exceedingly well, and was desirous of learning English also. As he was a brave, enterprising man, possessed of considerable talents, and no little share of pride, he could not bear the idea of being satisfied with the income enjoyed by his predecessors. He, therefore, exercised every kind of oppression against the merchants; caused three of the overseers of the temple _Tirumala Devossam_ to be put to death, because they would not resign to him any part of the treasure belonging to it; plundered the shops; carried away the merchants’ property, and asserted that he alone had a right to rule the Pagan Indians, as since the earliest periods they had always been under the dominion of his forefathers. This last claim was, without all doubt, agreeable to the principles of justice. The sovereigns of the country had by no means sold the district around Cochin to the Portuguese; they merely gave permission to Vasco de Gama and his followers to establish themselves there as merchants: and the Dutch, by whom the Portuguese were expelled, had made themselves masters by force of that city and neighbourhood. But what avails such rights against the power of cannon? In a word, the Dutch broke into the palace of _Viròlam Tamburàn_ at _Mattincera_; took from him all the merchandise he had seized; and compelled him to retire to _Terpunatre_, where he is now so hemmed in that it is impossible for him to stir. The following places, and some other towns, belong to this prince: _Nhàrica_, _Candenàda_, _Perimanùr_, _Angicaimal_, _Udiamper_, _Mullaventurutti_, _Pallicarè_, _Cenòtta_, _Ciovàre_, _Pucòtta_, _Arshtamiciare_, and _Puttencera_.