Sketches from Formosa.

WORK OF THE EARLY DUTCH MISSION 339
further assuring him that he would write to Governor
Traudenius on the various matters alluded to, and promising
that the names of the two brethren which had
been mentioned to him would be put forward for promotion.
And here it may be added that, although there
was little delay in carrying out this latter item of the
agreement, the Archives contain no further references
to either of these brethren, except a brief notice to the
effect that Mr. Agricola returned to Batavia on August ist,
1644. They were both successful in gaining an intimate
knowledge of the native language, arid this was the
reason which chiefly influenced the Council in consenting
to their promotion.
In 1643, the Rev. Simon van Breen was called to
Formosa, and on December I4th of the same year
Mr. Junius again arrived in Batavia, leaving Mr. Bavius
and Mr. van Breen, with the Licentiate, Rev. Hans Olef,
in charge. He was earnestly requested to continue his
services ; but, although Mr. Bavius and the inhabitants
of Soulang had also urged him to stay, he believed it to
be his duty now to return home, and therefore modestly
put aside this request of the Session ; being careful,
however, to make a number of valuable suggestions for
the benefit of the now flourishing Church in Formosa,
which were afterwards attended to by Governor Caron.
He seems to have departed soon after for the Fatherland,
where he died in 1656.
In 1644, the Rev. Joannes Happartius went out to
Formosa, and on November I7th of the same year,
directions were issued to draw up such rules as would
be most suitable for the organization of the native Church,
a further order of the Council being for the compilation
of a " Sakams Dictionarium " which afterwards could
be enlarged into a general Malay, Portuguese, German,
and Sakams Dictionary.