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



how the last king op kandy* was captured 



by the British. 



The English regiment which was commissioned to capture 

 the king started out in several bodies to Kandy. The detach- 

 ment I accompanied consisted of about 800 Sepoys, Malays, 

 and Bengalis, commanded by Captain De Bushe, Lieutenant 

 Sethan, Ensign Kelaart, the three Kandyan Mohottalas, 

 Kawdumanne, Thorawature, and Karudumanne, and two 

 Captains, Creasy and Kuppan — the latter being a Malay 

 officer. While we were marching through Nagahagedara, 

 a village within the jurisdiction of Lower Dolospattuwa of 

 Seven Korales, some opposition was shown us by some 

 Kandyans under a Nayakkar'sf command. Having won in 

 the skirmish, we continued our march to Kurunegala, and 

 thence left for Matale via Upper Dolospattuwa. From this 

 station we were passing down to Kandy through Gonga- 

 wela road, and on reaching the new ferry at Alutgama we 

 were met by Mr. D'Oyly, Colonels Hardy and Hooke, and 

 a large number of mounted orderlies, captains, and officers, 

 together with a vast assemblage of English, Bengali, 

 Sepoy, and Malay soldiers, including the two Adigars, 



* The prerogative of nominating- a successor to a vacant throne generally- 

 rested with the Chief Prime Minister, with the concurrence of Chiefs ; 

 particularly when there was a break in the natural line of inheritance. The 

 lot fell on Pilima Talawwa, who, according to Tennent, was considered the 

 most illustrious of the lords who claimed royal descent. Some of the 

 Chiefs backed up Buddhasamy, alias Muttusamy, but the Adigar strongly 

 advocated the cause of Kannasamy (the late king's former name), a keeper 

 of the Tampala (Amaranthus paniculatus) plantation. He was a comely 

 youth — about the only good quality in him. In spite of some opposition 

 Pilima Talawwa succeeded in his object, and the lucky young man was 

 crowned king under the title of " Sri Wikrama Raja Sinha." But 

 Pilima Talawwa's days were numbered. He had numerous interviews 

 with the Earl of Gruilford (Governor North), which had for their object 

 the usurpation of the throne and the exercising of supreme power over it ; 

 but he was baffled in the project which he so elaborately devised, and was 

 beheaded in 1812 for an attempt to assassinate his regal nominee. 



t The king's relations went under this title. They lived at Buwelikada 

 and other suburbs of Kandy. 



