422 Appendix, 
addition to the hostilities of the Candians on the inhabitants of Putland, and of the 
environs, as mentioned in my dispatch ot the 23d inst., six men who have been detained 
Ml Candy for three or four months, came to me this day to inform me that there are 33 
ethers detained there (at a place called Cacuria collet), seven leagues from Putelang, and 
400 bullocks, including the 100 bullocks already mentioned; 200 more are also detained 
farther in the interior of Candy, and that they were robbed of all the merchandise they 
carried to Bodee in that country, and that one man of a neighbouring village was mur- 
dered by them, whose son (a little boy) came to complain to me ol the murder of his 
father ; they say, that every road leading out of the country is strictly guarded by armed 
men ; those men say, that they have been very ill-treated and beat, and that those who 
are detained are also very ill used. 
I have the honour to be, &c. 
(Signed) Lieutenant O’Connell. 
Putelang, June 26, 1802. 
To Lieutenant Morice O' Connelly Commandant at Putelang. 
Sir — I have forwarded to Point de Galle your letter of the 26th inst. to be laid before 
his excellency the governor. The information you have communicated is no doubt of a 
very important nature, and, if properly authenticated, will demand that his Excellency should 
take vigorous measures to prevent any repetition of such outrages. I am directed to re- 
quest that you will examine the persons who have given you that information, in a parti- 
cular and detailed manner, and make them confirm what they have asserted upon oath, 
that remonstrances may be made to the court of Candy upon the specific grounds of 
complaint. I have the honour to be, &c. 
(Signed) Robert Arbuthnot, 
Columho, July 2, 1802. Chief Sec. to Government. 
To Robert Arhuthnot, Esq. Chief Secretary to Government, 
Sir— I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 2d inst. and 
request that you will be pleased to assure his Excellency, that I should think the high res- 
pect I have for his Excellency, and my attention lor the welfare of the inhabitants of 
this district, to be violated by conveying unfounded intelligence of the illegal proceedings 
of the persons holding some authority under the government of Candy, so destructive to 
the prosperity of this country. I have assembled the principal persons in Putelang, 
whose names I mention in the detail, and who have been sworn, and their signatures 
put to their informations, and are perfectly conformable to the information 1 already 
stated. 
The same day I had the honour to write to you my second letter on the subject, major 
Evans arrived at eight o’clock at night here, and the principal inhabitants assembled, both 
to offer him their respects, and to complain to him of the detention of their cattle and 
the seizing of their merchandise, as well as keeping 33 men of their district in durance, 
and ill treating them for five months past. Major Evans would have written to govern- 
ment on the subject, had they and I not told him, that I wrote to government the same 
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