82 
Island of Manaar. 
exactions. Two companies of the nineteenth were immediately 
sent from Nigumbo to the assistance of Major Ford, the com- 
mandant of the place ; but means were found to disperse them 
before the arrival of this reinforcement. These were the 
two companies of the nineteenth which first passed from Ma- 
naar to Trinconialee by land. They crossed the narrow channel 
which, as we have observed, separates Manaar from Ceylon, 
and thence traversed tlie country to Jafnapatam and Trinco- 
malee. Though destitute of tents, and with a very small sup- 
ply of provisions, they persevered, notwithstanding the rainy 
season had rendered the roads almost impassable. They, how- 
> ever, surmounted every difficulty, and suffered little from fatigue.. 
These temporary commotions among the natives, though in 
general repressed with ease, are more frequent than might be 
expected from the ill success wdiich always attends them. At 
Nigumbo and Matura similar insurrections to those at Manaar, 
and from the same causes, took place ; and they were in the 
same manner speedily quelled by the arrival of detachments of 
the nineteenth regiment. Captain Vincent, of that regiment, 
who commanded at Nigumbo, was attacked by a large body of 
the natives belonging to our settlements, on his way to that 
fort from Columbo, accompanied with a small party of Malay 
soldiers; but he maintained a post which he had taken, with 
very great ability, till a body of Eui*opeans arrived to his as- 
sistance. The severe exactions of the Dutch, and the little 
attention they paid to the customs or prejudices of the natives, 
seem to have excited tliis spirit of discontent and insurrection, 
among them: but a different mode of treatment, a mild, but 
at the same time steady enforcement of the laws, will, it is to 
be hoped, speedily put an end to all such commotions..- 
