The National Register.
London, England, 1815-08-06 00:00:00

AVG 6.

gang.t. a ut three miles dis'ant from handy; that the
King had quitted the capital, and that the defences at Go-
naront a, anoth r ferry of the same river, about an equal
distance from the city, were abandoned.
A patrole, sent finrward during the night, under the com-
mand of Major Br nvinfigg, reabhed Gonarooha early in the
morning, and folding the river, ascertained the truth of the
intelligence in all its parts. Batteries of a great extent Were
erected here, rcachirr from the common place of crossing
for a considerable distance along the opposite bank, and
commanding the ford ; but were entirely destitute of either
men or guns. Hideous objects of the king's resentment
here presented themselves, in the remains of poor wretches
stuck upon poles on both sides of the river, seven of which
were full in iew at the ferry, and the whole number counted
iu that neighbourhood was nineteen.
Major Moffat, with the advance of the 2d division, being
A few ini'es in front of the general encampment, was, by
Major Bro%%nrigg, on his, return with the patrole, directed
to proceed forward to Gonarooha, in consequence of my
orders to that effect.

On learning the foregoing particu!ars, 1, on the 14th,
dispatched Major Willerman, Deputy Qua:ter-Master-Ge-
nera!, towatds Kandy, with instructions to prevent the pos.
sibility of injury to persons or property, by prohibiting the
entry of the troops within the gates of the city, otherwise
than as guards, under such disposition as Major Willerman
might judge advisable.

Mr. D'Oyley, who had accompanied the patrole the pre-
ceding evening, and remained at Gonarooba until joined by
Major Moffatt's detachment, with which, before the arrival
of Major \V Merman, he had advanced to the city, which
was tort t,d entirely deserted of inhabitants, and stripped of
all property ; empty chests, baskets, and mats, were the
only things found, except some few articles of furniture, not
portable enough, nor of sufficient value to he removed.

The detachment encamped without the gate.
On the I,th, in the morning, I left the position at Ame-
roospoora With Lieut. Colonel O'Connell's division, which I
caused to halt at a convenient place on the hitherside of the
river, proceeding myself to the King's granary, between
Gonarovha and the town, where I passed the night, and on
the following day entered handy with my personal suite
and fixed my quarters in the palace.
In the mean time I had learnt by reports from Major
Hook, that he had been induced to advance, in prosecution
cfa plan formed with ('apt. De Rusiche, who, with his de-
tachment,
.had .ascended.the Jaltoewte Gravet, and was in
communication with the first division, at a short distance to
the left.

lamination which those Officers had received, rendered
it probable that the King was about to Hy, and that the only
ft raining hope of securing bins was by a rapid and secret
roventent of these tvt6 corps.
I was apprized by Major Kelly that he had, after a faint
r sstance by the enemy, possessed himself of the batteries
commanding the ldalgasiuha Pass, and ascended the moon-
Cins. A subsequent letter of the 13th announced the fur-
ther progress of this division as far as Maturate, and by one,
d ited in the afternoon of the same day, at Maugala Dohbada
Ganeure, one day's march from Haugoraukette, received by
me on the 14th, soon after reaching the Palace, I was in-
formed of Major Kelly having seized (together with a great
deal, of treasure) a number of women and children, whom he
considered to be of the King'scamily ; but this idea was after-
wards found erroneous, though .several of the women proved
to be related and allied to persons of the King's retinue. The
treasure is reported to consist of silver coins of diarent de-

E(NSTPR.

scriptions, household implements, and ornament of silver to
the weight of about Moths.,-
No report had been received of Major Mackay's approach,
with the rzth division, from Trincomalee, but I calculated
with confidence that he must be within two or three days
march.

I had learnt by reports from Major-General Jackson, that
notwithstanding the most zealous and anxious exertions on
his part, the movement of the 6th division hau been re-
tarded much beyond the appointed time, by unavoidable
and insurmountable difficulties in the means of cat riage, and
conceiving that the strength and dislmsitiow of the troops
already in the field would prove sufficient to accomplish the
objects of -the campaign, 1 addressed Gen. Jackson on the
15th inst. countermanding the march of the 6th division, and
the return of any portion of it that might be on the march.
It resulted from this situation of the troops, that the King,
who was known to be in the Dessavany of Donibera, with a
small number of adherents, was so environed, as to render
his escape extremely difficult, and if he did succeed in getting
through the pass leading to his last place of refuge, the moun-
tains of Bintenni, Captain Anderson, of the 19th regiment,
commanding the 7th division from Batticalna, would at rive
at that point, with every'probability of intercepting him.

I now made a claim on the Adikir of Eheylapola, for the
performance of his promise to raise the people of these pro-
vinces, so as to prevent the• King's escape, and to ascei Wl>
the precise plaeT of his retreat, to which a detachment might
he sent to mak&him poisoner. _

I This task the Adikar undertook with alacrity anti confi-
dence, offering to proceed to Dombera in person : disposi-
tions were made for the proposed purpose, by preparing a
• detachment to accompany the Adikir, and dispatching ano-
. ther to form a chain of military communication with Major
Kelly's force at Haugeraukette.
Every thing being thus prepared, the Adikar set out for
Dombera on the 16th, preceded by the detachment under
the command of Lieut. Mylius, of the Ist Ceylon itgitnent,
and accompanied by Mr. D'Oyley, who, on his arrival at
Hakkeytugala, in the forenoon of the same day, fund the
detachment already there, and learnt that they had fallen in
with a party of the King's people, and, after a sharp resist-
ance, lint without loss on our side, had killed three and
wounded one, and captured a number of person, two of
whom were near relations of the King, and men of leading
consequence, and almost all we: e 'elated or allied to hint.
This account, dated the 16tii, reachtd me on the 17th,
and the same day the pi isomers were sent in : when con-
ferred with, they claimed with earnestness their connection
with the East India Company's Government. The prfriVipal
man, by name Mutal Sawney, made a merit. of having re-
ceived presents and marks of distinction from the Gentle-
men in authority under the Presidency of Madras. Being
asked as to the King's hiding place, and the force along with
him, he said, it was several days since he had seen him; he
was then in Dombera; he could not say if he continued in
the same plice, but if not, be could only go to Bintenine;
that his Court was lit a great measuie dissolved, and that there
were no principal Sudan or Chiefs remaining with him.
These communications were by no means made in the tone
of a willing informer,;.but appear to have been true. The
dispersion of the Contt we had every reason to believe, as
on that and the following day, several Nayakars (as they are
called) or relations of the King, surrendered themselves.
In so far also as regarded the King's place of retreat, the
account of the prisoner agreed with tyre daily reports re-
ceived from Mr. D'Oyley, who *matted him to be still in
Dombcia, but did nut venttni to flatter himself or me that
•