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JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XI. 



They then took leave of me, and I asked them to 

 tell the Emperor truthfully that I was ready, and that I 

 relied on his Imperial promise, which he himself had given 

 me, otherwise that I would still desire to lose my life for 

 the service of the Honourable Company and the honour of 

 the Emperor, as I had proposed to His Majesty the last time 

 I appeared before him, and that then, as now, I was prepared 

 to keep my word. Finally, they took their leave, and I 

 accompanied them to the gate of my house, and they betook 

 themselves to the Imperial Court to acquaint His Majesty 

 with what I had told them. 



No sooner was it day than the Emperor said to some 

 of his chiefs "Alas! there are some coolies wanting to 

 carry the baggage, and it has also rained much." Wherefore 

 I at once said "Fiat, let there be no coolies!" and I 

 caused all the presents of the Emperor to be brought out- 

 side the house, and placed them on a white cloth, and I 

 asked my lascoreens to call together Dessave Oedepalate, 

 Tompune Baterale, Oedenoere- Baterale, and two other 

 Bales. When they came to me, I said : " You wished yester- 

 day that I should ask for a thousand or a thousand and a 

 half coolies ;" (and as there were wanting only a few, as I had 

 to gottway) "you are not yet ashamed of your lies [adding] 

 that I, in order that the Imperial word should be true, would 

 abandon the presents seen by them, if coolies are not brought 

 to [carry] them; and that as regards the rain which had fallen, 

 it could not frighten me, but that I would out of love obey and 

 carry out the order of the Emperor (whether it were to go 

 through fire and water), and that in the service of the Honour- 

 able Company." The chiefs, who kept watch outside my court,, 

 wished that the presents be hidden or locked up. Whereupon 

 I tore my shirt and Cingalese clothes in anger, and put on my 

 Dutch clothes, thus to go to the Emperor ; which I did not do, 

 as all the chiefs bowed down before me. 



Thereupon, I received orders from the Emperor himself ; 

 but I delayed four days on account of the rain and other 

 obstacles. During this time I and my lascoreens suspected 



