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



stockades in the direction of Chilao on the border of the sea so as to 

 call our troops thither, and by this means secure the territories that 

 he desired. Of this the General soon bad intelligence, and advised 

 those in the camp of everything, in order that they might be ready 

 and on their guard, so as to fall on the enemy suddenly, or endeavour 

 to enter their territories in order to oblige them to desist from that 

 purpose ; and because the place in which they had their camp was far 

 from ours, and in the way there were great impediments in the form 

 of rivers and marshes, they would not be able to overtake them 

 without being discovered ; wherefore it seemed better to enter their 

 territories and attack their city itself, the capital of the SevenCorlas,* 

 where the principal rebels resided, who at that time had gone forth 

 with all their forces, waging war on our territories, because in that 

 city they had their riches, wives, and children. And so they went 

 marching with all haste, without resting night or day, fighting with 

 the enemies who were on guard at several passes ; ancj, reaching the 

 city which they were in search of, albeit they found it fortified with 

 stockades and ditches, they attacked it with such determination that 

 they entered it, a Modeliar who was left there as captain being killed, 

 and many people, and the city was immediately set on fire and burnt 

 with all its wealth, which was much, in order that our men might not 

 embarrass themselves in the sack. 



Having done this, our troops proceeded to retreat in very good 

 order, and avoiding the road by which the chiefs might come to succour 

 their city ; and yet in those by which they retreated they did not fail 

 to have much trouble, for they spent a whole day fighting with 

 garrisons which the enemy had in different passes, whom they always 

 left more or less wounded. 



This affair having come to the knowledge of the Princes who were 

 carrying on the war in our territories, they left all and hastened 

 thither ; and on the march our troops fell upon them and attacked the 

 garrisons that remained in their stockades, and with the death of some 

 and the flight of others drove them out of our territories, and further- 

 more entered into those of the enemy, where they did much damage, 

 and captured many spoils. This took place between November past 

 and the end of April of this year in which we now are of 1598 ; the 

 tyrant D. Joao felt these things most keenly, because, besides the 

 reputation that he lost with the Chingallas, he was now less dreaded 

 by our people, who had killed his chief Captains and Modeliars, the 

 rest of whom were so cowed that they now carried on the war feebly, 

 and against their wishes, which were new weapons with which our 

 troops continued fighting with them. 



* I do not know if this was Kurunegala or Mattegarna, which Father 

 Manoel Barradas describes in 1613 as "capital of the Seven Corlas or 

 ConseUws? (See Monthly Lit. Reg., IV., p. 155.) — D. W. F. 



