CO882-(1-2) — Page 97

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

TTTĮ

Reference :-

C.O. 882

1

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- |

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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the 6th July, from which the chiefs absented themselves.

I arrived in Kandy the day following, and on

the 8th held the second meeting with the people at the Pavilion, at which I sent for the chiefs, and constrained them to attend, very much against their will.

The effect was what I reported to the Go- vernment, as published in the volume of the Ceylon papers, the dispersion of the crowds with an expression of entire satisfaction as to the question of the taxes; and the suspension of four or five of the most culpable chiefs, who had been convicted of misleading the people and abusing the confidence reposed in them by the Govern-

ment.

From this day, as I have already stated, we hear no more of the taxes; they ceased to be a sub- ject of complaint or agitation; and the chiefs and the Pretender were compelled to throw off the mask; to lay aside all secondary incentives, and boldly to marshal their followers for open war

and the expulsion of the British.

I left Kandy on the morning of the 10th July, rode by Matelle and Dambool, through the extent of the Kandyan Country, and returned by the north-western province to Colombo about the 1st August. I heard of the outbreak at Matelle when at Chilaw, on the day before I reached Colombo, and on the day of my arrival intelligence reached the Governor of the action with the troops at Kornegalle the day before.

In the course of this journey I saw no symptoms of rebellion, and the part of the country I passed through after leaving the Matelle district remained perfectly quiet throughout all the subsequent dis- turbances.

So far from there being any strong panic or un- necessary alarm, I am bound to say that my own feeling and that of every European functionary in the Kandyan provinces was that of too much con- fidence and security, nor was it till within forty- eight hours of the actual outburst of the rebellion at Matelle that the Government had information of its approach.

any

authentic

On the 25th July Mr. Buller received reports First setkentie information.

from the Postholder of Nalande, dated the 22nd

App., Mr. Buller's letters, I & K.

Ibid, L.

Ibid, O.

Ibid, Q.

Misrepresentation of Mr. Buller.

Blue Beck, p. 177.

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and 23rd between Matelle and Dambool, that armed men were collecting in that neighbourhood, reviling the Government, and boasting an intention to levy war against the British.

On the 24th, Golabella, a powerful chief at Matelle, who has since been proved to have been the very head of the conspiracy, wrote to Mr. Buller to report it as a matter he had only just learned, but stated that the outbreak was to com. mence the day following. There can be little doubt that he was correct, and that something had occurred to cause delay, and Golabella's letter, like that of the Maha Nilleme at Matelle and Kanda Polle, Balnaike Nilleme at Kornegalle, was meant to reach the Government too late to be of any service, and merely to act as a device for making peace eventually in case of defeat.

These reports were coupled with rumours that although there were such groups abroad, they were merely robbers in search of plunder, headed by Poorang Appoo, a bandit who had escaped from gaol in the low country, and for whom a reward was advertized in the Gazette.

As these parties were represented to be in the immediate vicinity of Matelle, Mr. Buller lost no time in communicating them to Mr. Waring, the police magistrate there, with instructions to pro. ceed to the place and report the facts to the Government Agent.

On the 26th July Mr. Waring, in reply, wrote to say, "That the parties about Dambool were merely a few escaped convicts and discharged low- country-men, fellows who were annoying the people; and 'a sarjeant and a few police might be sent with good effect." (Appendix Q. to Mr. Buller's letter, 6th December, 1848.)

These communications Mr. Buller submitted for the opinion and advice of the district judge, Mr. Staples, in presence of Loko Banda, the chief of polloo; and Mr. Staples stated that the parties could not be arrested on the information already sent, and without some notnal offence com. mitted.

A private note of Loka Banda to Mr. Bernard, the private secretary of Lord Torrington, has bumm animadverted on, sa evidence that Mr. Buller had. U

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