No. 47. — 1896.] capture of last kandyan king. 109 



Ehalapola* and Molligoda, Disawa Pilima Talawwa, the 

 Tamby Mudaliyar and the Malay Muhandiram, the people of 

 Yatinuwara and Udunuwara, Ekneligoda Mohottala of Saba- 

 ragamuwa, Delwela Mohottala, Mahawalatenne Mohottala, 

 and several other chiefs, with a large concourse of people, 

 crossing over the river. The company consisted of such a 

 great host that they were five days in crossing the ferry. 

 Intelligence having been received that the king was at 

 Medamahanuwara, we marched in that direction along with 

 these reinforcements. On our way the Malay Muhandiram 

 told us that it was a day's travelling from Teldeniya-Han- 

 wella to Medamahanuwara. We were therefore obliged to 

 encamp in the former village that night. There was a field 

 covering a large area of ground. As the heat of the atmos- 

 phere was greatly enhanced by the large multitude that was 

 gathered together, Ekneligoda Mohottala and I walked out 

 some way ahead at about 3 P.M. Ekneligoda was followed 

 by about 500 of the Sabaragamuwa Kandyans, while Imbu- 

 lanwale Arachchi and Yatipahuwe Kankanama joined me. 

 We had hardly, gone a quarter of a mile\ : when we were met 

 by a lad, about ten or twelve years old, who was running 

 across the field. He was pursued and was soon overtaken by 

 a party of the Sabaragamuwa men, and when brought before 

 us he cried out in great terror, doing us obeisance, " Lords, 

 don't kill me ; I will lead you to the hiding-place of the 

 great god " (meaning the king). The boy preceded us, 

 Ekneligoda holding one end of a creeper which he tied round 

 the lad's waist. We had not long to proceed, when the lad 

 pointed out to us an enormous nuga tree, saying, " There, 

 yonder tree is situated above the palace occupied by the great 



* Dorakumbure Disawa, of Matale, tells me that Ehalapola Adigar 

 remained at the royal granary at Teldeniya, about half a mile from the 

 scene of the king's capture, and sent his men up. In a despatch sent by 

 Lieutenant-Governor Brownrigg to Earl Bathurst (dated February 25, 

 1815) he says that the king was captured by some armed Kandyans sent 

 by Ehalapola Adigar. This task the Adigar (Ehalapola), he continues, 

 undertook with alacrity and confidence, offering to proceed to Dumbara 

 in person. 



