62 CEYLON BRANCH— ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY". 



Seven years afterwards a disturbance was raised in the Alut- 

 coor corle in the Negombo district by Roman Catholics, which 

 had to be put down by a Military detachment. The scho- 

 larchal commission had reported to Government that this pro- 

 vince was a strong hold of popery. Government ordered cer- 

 tain persons who had erected Roman Catholic Chapels, under 

 penalty of hard labour in chains, to break them down. Upon 

 which two were destroyed, but when they proceeded to a third, 

 they were violently opposed by a croud of women. Upon 

 which the Dessave of Negombo sent off some Mohandi- 

 rams and Lascoreens to enforce the orders, but these were 

 attacked on their way near Topoe by about 1000 men, 

 principally fishers, who rushed out of the jungle, wounded 

 several, obstructed their return, as also any communication of 

 the intelligence to Negombo. This circumstance obliged the 

 Governor to send thither a detachment of 48 Europeans and 

 96 Native soldiers with their officers and a number of armed 

 Lascoreens with their chiefs ; instructing the Lieutenant, De- 

 save and Chief of the Mahabadde, to bring the insurgents to 

 their duty. Their orders were to proceed with circumspection 

 lest the natives should fall upon them from their hiding places 

 along the road ; and not to adopt severe measure until milder 

 efforts proved ineffectual. On their arrival their first measure 

 was to seize 53 dhonies of the fishers lying on the beach, 

 which contained provision and other articles, and confirmed the 

 suspicion that it was the intention of the insurgents in case they 

 should be pressed hard to take refuge to their boats. With 

 the help of the Corale of the Alutcoorcorle they apprehended 

 several of the ringleaders who were sent up to Colombo under 

 escort. On their arrival at Topoe and Pallanchene they found 

 all the native dwellings deserted, and the people collected in a 

 Island on the confines of the Company's territories. Several 

 messages went backwards and forwards between the insurgents 

 and the Military detachment of the Dutch, but the natives would 



