S. B. Karalliyadda’s article on Knox { Sunday Island 14/6] was most interesting, but I have some reservations about the accuracy of some of his statements.

He claims that Knox maintained a diary in captivity and that these "notes and records were later published in London". This is absolutely inaccurate. Prisoner Knox never had access to the reams of paper, pen and ink for 19 years of diary keeping. What is truly amazing is his gift [like Marco Polo] of total recall when he got down to writing his "Historical Relation".

It is also interesting to know where SBK read of the beef-eating and barbecues by Knox’s fellow prisoners. As beef-eating was taboo among the Sinhalese it beggars belief that these prisoners’ Sinhala Buddhist neighbours would have tolerated cattle slaughter and beef eating by their English prisoners. As ‘barbecues’ seem to be an American phenomenon unknown to these 17th century English sailors - it is unlikely they could ‘barbecue’ anything, let alone that banned commodity - beef .

I also find difficult to swallow SBK’s assertion that on account of these prisoners’ brewing skills and ‘beefy’ appetites that "native villagers got used to consuming liquor and eating meat". I wonder from where he got this information.

There is, however, a fascinating snippet from Knox that has not received much publicity. He ‘adopted’ a little Sinhala girl and even taught her English! Knox never ceases to amaze.