No. 62. — 1909.] dutch embassy. 



199 



Moho$?ala, and Walgampaye Muhandiram were to return to 

 court and report matters ; and that His Majesty had ordered 

 that the Ambassador should be informed accordingly. He 

 expressed his gratitude, as usual, and begged the same might 

 be conveyed to His Majesty. This they undertook to do, and 

 started on their return journey, the Ambassador accompanying 

 them as far as the bank of the river, at which they were highly 

 gratified. After a short interval a Gebalanarala* arrived from 

 the Maha Gabadawa with a few vessels containing food,| 

 cooked in the Sinhale fashion, as a present to the Ambassador. 



On the morning of the 9th the Ambassador forwarded to 

 His Excellency the letter which he had prepared the previous 

 morning, but for the despatch of which no permission had been 

 received till the evening. At three o'clock the same afternoon 

 Dehigama Nanayakkara Mohottala and Patitipola Muhan- 

 diram came from the Maha Wasala to make the usual 

 inquiries, the Mohottala adding the same message as before 

 regarding an early audience ; in reply to which the Ambassador 

 begged that his humble and loyal thanks might be conveyed 

 to His Majesty. After which the chiefs inspected the letter 

 and presents, and after a short conversation started on their 

 return journey after being served with betel and arecanut, 

 the Ambassador sprinkling them with rose water and accom- 

 panying them as far as the river bank. 



Nothing further happened till on Wednesday, the 13th, a 

 Gebalanarala appeared with two trays of slabs of jaggery 

 (hakuru poru) from the Maha Gabadawa and presented them 

 to the Ambassador. 



Again, on the 20th, a Gebalanarala appeared with a present 

 of dried deer flesh and jaggery for the Ambassador. At three 

 o'clock in the afternoon of the same day, Dehigama Nanayak- 

 kara Mohottala and Pattipola Muhandiram came to make the 

 same inquiries as before, with an explanation of the delay in 

 granting him audience and with a promise to do so in a few days. 

 The Ambassador replied as on the previous occasion, after 

 which the chiefs returned with the same ceremonies as before. 



* Four such were attached to the Maha Gabadawa. Their duty was 

 to see to the packing and preserving of the stores. 



f Adukku pettiya, the usual present to a specially honoured guest. 



