CO882-(1-2) — Page 94

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TIC.O. 882

1

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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the circumstance of their arrival and settlement.

In the district of Neura-kalawya, amongst a popu- lation of 53,000, there were when I served there, not more than ten or twelve low-country men dis- tributed over an area of 2000 square miles, their circumstances were enveloped in mystery, and their associates were of the lowest caste."

In Oovah, amongst a population of nearly 60,000 souls, there are perhaps fifty low-country men over an area of 2,500 square miles.

"But what influence can these low-country men, even supposing (for sake of argument) their num- bers to be greater, over the Kandyans?

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"We all know that the influence of a native arises entirely from his property and means of assisting his dependants. Property consiste en- tirely of rice lands; and the records of the Culcher- ries show that of these, Kandyans are the sole pro- prietors, and therefore that they alone have infu- The idea that ence in the country. marauders from the low country could cause any disturbances in the central provinces, or could i- fluence the Kandyans to place themselves in open hostility to Government, is entirely fallacious, and could only have emanated from persons having no practical knowledge of the country," (Page 85).

4th. Next, as to the assertion that no chiefs and Chiefs its grand agents.

only a few priests were implicated in the rebel- lion:---

I have had occasion already to revert to the evidence, which utterly contradicts this assertion.

• The Chief Justice more than once during the trials of the prisoners remarked how little the common people were really concerned as promoters of the insurrection, being nothing more than instru- ments in the hands of the chiefs.

And the Deputy Queen's Advocate mentions that Sir Anthony Oliphant was so struck with the great number of Aratchies implicated (headmen

of minor rank, but of family of influence) that he remarked, at oue of the trials, that “it appeared

to be a rebellion of petty headmen."

Stewart's Letter, page 36.)

Mr. Stewart mys, “that the

and manbars of chiefs' familias,

common people, were all more

the insurrection." (Page 87). And olser

(Mr. C.

67

repeats "the headsmen, petty and high, were nearly all disaffected or actual participators in the attempt to mbvert British authority." (Page 46).

Mr. De Saram, the police magistrate of Gam- pole, with the best opportunities for observation and information, attests the same fact. He "It is utterly preposterous to suppose this rebellion, so long in contemplation, could have arrived at na- turity without the knowledge and connivance of the chiefs and headmen; and the withholding of information from the Government, and the sudden- ness of the disturbance, afford the strongest proofs of their disloyalty, and their co-operation in the And I hesitate not to say,

movement.

that an opinion to the contrary can only come from persons utterly ignorant of the country and its inhabitants.” (Page 59).

Mr. Caulfield, the Government Agent of the north-western province in which Kornegalle is situ ated, says, “in that district there are about 700 of the most disaffected headmen I ever met with.”. (Page 146.)

Writing on the 6th October, 1849, he says, “Twelve months have now slapsed since the out- break. I have aguit and again traversed the dis- tries in my offoli espnetty, and I still retain the conviction that with very few examptions indaad, the chief and Hudlina in the seven Kerk ware disa.f- fected and participated more or less in the rebellion, and loan that expildit my opinion and convictio ilk the statemeśli hamrded before the Commisjon must have

personis utšerly ignorent of the peop

cowniky of which

1851, 189.)