34 



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



The detachment under Ensign Smellie, which left Colombo on 

 the 26th of June, afforded the small garrison of Dambadenia a season- 

 able relief on the 30th of the same month. 



On the 2nd of July, a reinforcement of one hundred men was 

 sent from Colombo to assist in accomplishing the evacuation of that 

 post. This party was commanded by Captain Robert Blackall of His 

 Majesty's 51st Regiment, who reached Dambadenia in three days, and 

 after destroying in one night a large quantity of stores and provisions 

 in that depot, completely succeeded in bringing off the garrison. 



Site of the British Fort. 

 Pridham, Casie Chitty, and other writers refer to the fort 

 as having stood on a hill. According to the information 

 gathered on the spot, this could not be so ; it must have 

 stood some distance from Mdligalmnda on a plot of rising- 

 ground, approached by a path, which forms the boundary 

 limit between the villages Dambadeniya and Muttugala, 

 and branches off to the left of the high road. After going 

 along the path about a quarter of a mile, you turn to the 

 right and you come upon the site overgrown with jungle. 

 There are signs of a moat, which it is said surrounded the 

 fort. The villagers say that the ground here abounds in 

 ruins, and that in its vicinity they could not dig deeper 

 than a foot owing to the rocky foundation and debris, pro- 

 bably of the fort, which they came across. 



Service Tenure. 

 Dambadeniya is subject to services to the Dalada Maligawa 

 of Kandy. The following list, which sets out the various 

 pangu, extent of high and low land appertaining thereto, 

 the nature of the services, and the amount of commutation, 

 was prepared by the writer from materials kindly placed at 

 his disposal by Appuhami Lekama of Dambadeniya : — 



* Cordiner, vol. II., pp.. 175-219. — In connection with the remarkably 

 brave and determined manner in which Ensign Grant held the fort it 

 may be mentioned that the natives assert, but unfortunately can give no 

 particulars, that a certain officer in defending this post was shot down, 

 whereupon his wife, with wonderful courage, filled in the breach and 

 assumed command, and held out till succour arrived. 



