BOOK REVIEW
Title : Travel Diary of Isaac Augustin Rumpf
The
Dutch Governor of Ceylon
(1716
- 1723)
Translated and edited with an
introduction and indices by K. D. Paranavitana
Publisher : The Department of
National Archives, Sri Lanka under the Netherlands – Sri Lanka Mutual Cultural
Heritage Programme.
Reviewed by Hemantha Situge
blog : Hemantha Situge@blogspot.com
e-mail : hsituge@gmail.com
The splendid book entitled :
“Travel Diary of Isaac Augustin Rumf The Dutch Governor of Ceylon (1716-1723)”
translated from the medieval Dutch language edited with an introduction and
indices by Prof. K. D. Paranavitana published by the Department of National
Archives Sri Lanka under the Netherlands – Sri Lanka Mutual Cultural Heritage
Programme was launched at the auditorium of the National Archives on 05th
July amidst of an august gathering with Ambassador for Netherlands in Sri
Lanka. Her Excellency Joanne Doornewaard as the Guest of Honour and under the
patronage of Hon. Minister of Education Akila Viraj Kariyasawam gracing this momentous
occasion.”
The translator Prof. K. D.
Paranavitana should receive an encomium as there are several National Archives
of Sri Lanka publications accredited to him. They are viz. Firstly, the
translation of the Memoir of the Governor Daniel Overbeek to Julius Stein van
Gollenesse 1743 published in 2009, Secondly, the translation of the Memoir
Commandeur Librecht Hooreman to Jacob de Jong 1748 published in the same year, and
also edited the Dutch and English Dictionary written by Simon Kat in 2014.
Prof. K. D. Paranavitana also
deserves a special word of appreciation as this translation of the Dutch
Governor’s diary emerges as the second publication after 100 years. The earlier
such publication was done by Sophia Anthonisz Colombo in 1914 entitled : “Gerrit
de Heere’s Diary of occurrences during the four of Governor of Ceylon from
Colombo to Jaffna July 9th to September 3rd in 1697”.
The special novel feature that is
found in this tome is that it contains the original Dutch language version
published from pages 147 to 351 and 20 facsimile colour plates on the Dutch
forts he visited and the projects initiated. The translator has taken all pains
to meticulously prepare the indices on personal names, place names, seacrafts
and add a useful bibliography to this invaluable book.
The diary provides an in situ
comprehensive graphic description on the Governor’s tenure of Office.
At page 39 of this book this
reviewer could trace the name of Don Phillip Dahanaike the earliest ascendant
of Galle a well-known family Dhananayake’s, grandfather Wijeyananda Dahanayake
former Prime Minister of Ceylon. Dr. Wijeyananda Dahanayake requested this
reviewer to go with two of his letters. The first letter was addressed to the
then Surveyor General the other to the Director of National Archives to trace
more particulars on his grandfather which was then proved futile.
Thus it has been revealed thanks
to Prof. Paranavitane that Don Philip Dhananijke Appo was a schoolmaster of the
School of Akuressa where his father
Dhanaike Maddoemarale (Maddumarala)
was school master for 32 years his brother has served for 8 years after the
departure of his brother Don Phillip has served for 12 years. The span of
school services is 52 years by the family of Dhanayake’s at Akuressa is indeed
a landmark by a Sinhalese family. Curiously the photograph of the oriental
scholar Diyonisus Sepala Pandita Dahanayake, father of famed ‘W’, was traced by
the family only from the library of Wijeyananda Viharaya of Weliwatte Dangedera,
Galle as its main dayaka of the Dayakasabhawa.
This travelogue eminently edited
by Prof. K. D. Paranavitane would fill a void that hither to existed on the era
of Governor Isaac Augustin Rumpf (1716-172). The Director of the National
Archives Dr. Saroja Wettasinghe has shouldered the onerous task to release of
this publications in the national interest. Dr. Wettasinghe enthusiasm have
infused new lease of life by the release of several National Archives publications.
No doubt Prof. Paranavitane’s contribution would be a sine qua non to
facilitate the researches in the National Archives in the future.
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