No. 9. — 1856-8.] district of nuwabakalAwiya. 



157 



Both here and at other parts of the district, I have met with 

 and copied numerous inscriptions ; but regarding these deem it 

 unnecessary at present to do more than state, that the charac- 

 ters employed are not to be found in any of the alphabets in 

 my possession. 



Fiscal Arrangements. 



This district always formed an integral portion of the 

 Kandyan Provinces, being specially entrusted to the third Disawa 

 for the time being. The last of these appears to have been 

 Talgahagoda Disawa, who seems to have resigned about the 

 year 1833. It was about this time that the district, as it now 

 exists, was formed by adding some portions of Matale and 

 Seven K6 rale's. 



Until a few years ago, the native headmen consisted of Maha 

 Wanni Unnehes,Wanni Mudiyanses, andKariyakarannas, all these 

 being connected with both the Revenue and Police Departments, 

 At present we have Divisions, Korales and Tulanas, under 

 Rateinahatmayas, Korales, and Lekamas ; of the first there are 

 3, of the second 17, of the third about sixty. 



Ratemahatmayas receive £2 10s. per mensem, besides five 

 per cent, on the revenue collected from their divisions, 



Korales receive five per cent, on their collections, and hold, 

 free of tax, such lands as they possess within their own Korales. 



The Lekamas, unlike the two other grades, are at present 

 regarded solely as Police Vidanes. As a matter of fact, however, 

 they remain, as formerly, general assistants of the Korales ; and 

 this arrangement ought, I think, to be again formally sanctioned. 

 They hold, free of tax, such of their lands as lie within their 

 own Tulanas, aud do not receive stated salary, nor percentage. 



It is probable that the system of allowing headmen to hold 

 land tax free, will soon be altogether done away with. It has 

 been maintained, probably with the intention of obtaining the 

 services of men personally interested in their own divisions ; 

 but this object can be otherwise secured, and a constant source 

 of demoralization cut off. At present, quantities of land, are to 



