CO882-(1-2) — Page 96

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

गय

اسيا

Reference :-

CO. 882

1

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

70

In fact until the beginning of May or June, when the press began to make a bold advocacy of Re publican Government, and to preach resistance to taxation, the movements of the disaffected leaders were conducted with mystery and silence; but early in June the Pretender began to act more openly, and to exhibit himself on this mission with less

reserve.

of re-

In the district of Matelle, and Kornegalle espe- cially, the headmen under this new encouragement began to speak openly their discontent and impa- tience, and Mr. Caulfield, the Government Agent, states, perceiving this newly developed spirit sistance in the headmen and people, he felt fully convinced that nothing but energetic measures supported by a military force could suffice to keep the country quiet. (Letter, p. 14).

In May or June the assistant agent at Korne- galle, twenty miles from Kandy, wrote to me pri- vately to say that the man Dennis was going about the country, and halting at the temples, collecting money, and sowing sedition.

Mr. Buller, 30th June, wrote from Kandy to the same effect, and I thereupon directed him to arrest Dennis as a vagrant, but to avoid excitement by giving him any political consideration.

many

Warrants were accordingly issued, and out for weeks against him: but as these warrants were necessarily put into the hands of the very headmen in whose confidence he was, and by whose sistance he was working, of course the headmen themselves screened and concealed him, and his capture never took place till the insurrection burst out in July.

On the 22nd July Mr. Buller received a singular communication from Madogalle the Ratamabat- meys of Upper Doombera, who had written to his son, then in Kandy, to warn Mr. Buller that a body of rebels had corrupted the Malay troops, and were on the approaching night to seize the town Kandy.

Mr. Wodehouse was then in Kandy,' and' Mr. Buller communicated freely with him as a' mentber of the Executive Council.

The Natamahatmaya was sent for, but being questioned, gave a confused account of his own con- duct, and disclaimed any conndence in his own report.

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Mr. Wodehouse and Mr. Buller equally discre- dited it, and the latter, in communicating it to Government, expressed his belief that the report was entirely without foundation. About the same time fresh reports were received of the movements of the Pretender, who now styled himself a prince, and was said to be levying contributions, with a view to rebellion, but the chief of police, after making enquiry, discredited the rumour, and maid such alarms were constant at the season of the year about the festival of Perchens, when the priests and pilgrims disturb the island with such reports in their peregrinations.

Letters now reached the Government from the Kandyan provinces that the people who had hitherto paid the new taxes" readily, were desisting, and beginning to manifest much dissatisfaction and complaining, especially with the Road Ordinance, which no effectual measures had been taken to explain thoroughly to them.

Instructions were immediately given to the Government officers to proceed through the dis tricts and explain the ordinances to the people, and I myself set out for the Kandyan Province to visit the principal stations, and see that this was properly done,

Mr. Buller proceeded to Doombers on this errand, where the people were murmuring against the taxes, and helda large meeting, at the clow of which the people expressed their entire tion; and the chief assured him that the faction was general, and dissuaded him from any further district,

This conduct of the chiefs, coupled with our present knowledge that they were themselves actively engaged at that very moment in mirepre- senting the taxes, and abusing the confidency of the people and the Government, is sufficient proof that they did not the popple to he undeceived

December

Bet chief

the tapes,

them, the

come into the town for

(Soe Mr. Buller'ʼn laktër,

hence their riotous amemblage two days after,