NO. '41.— 1890.] REBELION DE CEYLAN. 



471 



It was a post usually filled by only the most capable and 

 deserving, for it was the most important one in the Island, 

 to which the whole military force was subordinate. 



The native levies called Lascarins, and the more plebeian 

 Pachas," were under the Modeliares, Aradies, and Disawas ; 

 the first were like the Masters of Camp, and the others the 

 same as Captains of Infantry. They usually lived in their 

 own houses, and were enlisted when the General required 

 their services ; and as a surety for their fidelity they received 

 as salary the rental of villages. 



The pay of the Portuguese was very limited : the General 

 only received 4,000 xarafines (60^ reales), his Lieutenant 

 1,000 xarafines, the Captains 200, and the soldados 20, over 

 and above the ordinary rations of food and drink they got in 

 billeted quarters at the public expense : and in these there 

 was no rigorous law which they did not profess with pain of 

 death, and if peradventure they escaped the bullet, they did 

 not escape the Captain's punishment, so that these quarters 

 may be termed barracks rather than lodgings. 



Besides the ordinary paid soldiery, the four Disawas who 

 governed the provinces had others enrolled and always ready 

 at the General's call, who had the provision of all the places, 

 posts, governments, villages (aldeas), Disawas, regiments, 

 companies' governments, their wages, and other advantages 

 the Island contained at her disposal. 



At this time we held, scattered over it, the fortresses of 

 Columbo, Negumbo, Galle, SoJ rag ad, Beligao, and Manar. 

 The first three contained a great number of Portuguese 

 with the privileges of cities. The chief town of all and 

 capital of the whole empire was Columbo, containing more 

 than a thousand closely packed houses, a city raised on the 

 ruins of Cota, usurper of its dominion and fortunes, and 

 posted at two leagues from it. On the western coast of 

 the Island, surrounded by a lagoon, stood the fort, built on a 

 promontory jutting out into the sea for a short distance, 



* Sig. Paduva. — B., Hon. Sec. 



