NO. 41. — 1890.] RBBELION DB CEYLAN. 



territories, harassing the friendly natives for the space of a 

 month, and then retiring and intrenching himself in Badulla.* 

 Rumours of these events reached Colombo ; but it was a "far 

 cry " to Uva, and therefore it was difficult to tell how much 

 truth there was in the reports. In order to disarm suspicion, 

 the traitors went to the General and entreated him with tears 

 and cries to allow them to go and avenge the insult. The 

 Governor consulted with his captains, who were divided in 

 their opinions ; but a letter from the new Viceroy of India, 

 couched in harsh terms, and insinuating that the Governor 

 was engaged more in trade than in warfare, decided him to 

 proceed against the Prince of Uva. He accordingly ordered 

 the Mudaliyars to enrol their lascarins, which they did to 

 the number of 13,000 men, the Portuguese troops amounting 

 to scarcely 500, among whom were many boys and old men, 

 not more than 200 being capable of bearing arms. On the 

 25th of August, 1630, the General left Manicravare with his 

 forces, having given over the care of the government to 

 Lancarote de Freitas. With the army went a number of 

 priests and confessors ; and before setting out the soldiers 

 confessed and received the Sacrament of the Eucharist. 

 They then marched forth in the name of the Holy Cross. 



We now come to the last chapter (XVI.) of the book, the con- 

 tents of which are thus summarized by the author: — " Descrip- 

 tion of the Kingdom of Uva and the causes which obliged the 

 General Constantino de Sa y Norona, to penetrate into the 

 mountains, the Prince of Uva purposely retreats, and halts in 

 Retule, the General sets fire to it and encamps there ; con- 

 spiracy of our Disavas with the Prince and the Candian 

 against the General. The resolution which he made against 

 the Kingdom of Uva, putting it to fire and sword ; he fights 

 at a disadvantage with the Prince and the King of Candia. 

 Rebellion of our troops ; the General falls fighting valiantly 

 in battle." 



After a brief description of the kingdom of Uva, the 

 writer tells us that the General did not halt until he 

 reached Badulla ; but when he arrived before that city he 

 found that the Prince of Uva had deserted the place and 

 withdrawn to some mountain fastness, thinking thereby to 

 entice Constantino de Sa still further into the foils. The 

 latter, however, after destroying the city with fire, encamped 

 before it to rest and refresh his men, who were footsore and 

 weary after their long and toilsome march. The traitor 

 Mudaliyars now sent messages to the King of Kandy to 

 acquaint him with the position of affairs ; and now also the 



* Here called Batule, and elsewhere Retule, the initial letter being: 

 evidently a misprint for B. 



