No. 48.— 1897.] 



DAMBADENTYA. 



33 



He arrived at Dambadenia, the principal station in the fruitful 

 Province of the Seven Corales, on the 1st of May. Spacious bunga- 

 loes had been prepared for the reception of him and his suite, and 

 temporary barracks were erected for the soldiers who formed his 

 escort. The same day the principal headmen of the neighbourhood 

 waited upon him, declared their satisfaction with the change of govern- 

 ment which had taken place, and promised obedience and fidelity to 

 our most gracious Sovereign. 



On the 3rd of May, Pelime Palawve, the Chief Adigar, waited on 

 the Governor, with whom he held a long conference, and fully agreed 

 to the terms which had been drawn up in Kandy by General Mac- 

 dowall and the Second Adigar. Mr. Arbuthnot returned the visit of 

 Pelime Palawve the next day, and tendered to him three copies of the 

 Convention, which he signed and sealed. 



Colonel Barbut, who commanded at Candy, having received notice 

 of the intended conference at Dambadenia, embraced the opportu- 

 nity of paying his respects to Mr. North, and repaired thither escorted 

 by three hundred men of the Malay regiment 



The Adigar, during his interview with the Governor, was observed 

 to tremble, which circumstance was at that time attributed to fear; but 

 it has since been proved that he then meditated to make Mr. North a 

 prisoner, and was only deterred from the attempt by the force of his 

 escort, and the unexpected arrival of the strong detachment of Malays 

 under Colonel Barbut. 



On May 4 " the headmen of the Pale-pattoos, or southern division 

 of the Seven Corales," and those of the Dolos-pattoo, the northern 

 division of the Province," waited on His Excellency " with expressions 

 of fidelity to the crown of Great Britain and of attachment to his 

 person and government." 



At the same time that Candy was taken, the fort of Dambadenia 

 was in a state of blockade. It was a small redoubt, slightly constructed 

 of fascines and earth, and garrisoned by fourteen convalescents of the 

 19th regiment on their way to Colombo, and twenty-two invalid 

 Malays, commanded by Ensign John Grant of that corps. He was 

 repeatedly summoned by the Candians, headed by the Second Adigar, 

 to give up the post. They sent in a flag of truce every day for 

 upwards of a week ; offered him a supply of coolies to carry off the 

 sick, and solemnly declared that they would allow the detachment to 

 march out unmolested, with their arms, and whatever else they chose 

 to take with them. Ensign Grant, though in a feeble state of health, 

 almost incapable of walking, would listen to none of their proposals. 

 He strengthened the shelter of his fortification with bags of rice and 

 stores of provision, and sustained almost an incessant fire from a mob 

 of several thousand Candians for ten days. His men lay sheltered 

 behind a breastwork, and only took an occasional aim at the enemy i 

 when they came very near. 



16—97 D 



