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



supplemented to a great extent by the writer's own imagination. As 

 regards both dates and facts, the Paper could be shown to be more 

 than inaccurate — to be positively untrue. He did not know whether 

 Members of the Society were acquainted with a book by Captain De 

 Bushe, one of the leaders of the British forces who headed the 

 detachment from Negombo, entitled "Letters from Ceylon" — letters 

 dealing with the part he played in the expedition. In that book it 

 would be seen that the figures as to the number of troops from the 

 various parts of the Island which marched into Kandy were widely 

 different from those given by the writer of the Paper. Nov did 

 the names of the officers correspond. These inaccuracies threw 

 considerable doubt on the authenticity of the account. 



Mr. Wage also spoke on the subject, being invited to state whether 

 he had heard anything from the descendants in Sabaragamuwa of the 

 Chief Ekneligoda, who, the supposed eye-witness alleged, had ill- 

 treated the Kandyan King at the time of his capture. Mr. Wace said 

 he had not heard anything of the sort ; nor that any great ill-feeling- 

 existed between the chief and the king. Considering the length of 

 time which had elapsed between the events recorded and the 

 publication of them in 1861, it was not at all likely that they could be 

 correct. 



Mr. Harvard said that he thought they would be wrong in totally 

 discrediting the Paper. It was full of inaccuracies and numerical 

 exaggerations ; but it contained undesigned coincidences which looked 

 as if it really was written by an eye-witness. It was probably the work 

 of a man who was present at the events described, but whose memory 

 had become confused during the intervening years. 



5. The reading of Mr. F. H. Modder's Paper on " Ridi Vihare," of 

 which notice had been given, was postponed owing to the lateness of 

 the hour. 



6. A vote of thanks was accorded to the writers of the Papers read, 

 on a motion proposed by Mr. Staniforth Green and seconded by Mr. 

 C. M. Fernando. 



7. The Meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the Chair, 

 proposed by Mr. Justice Lawrie. 



