Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-10-11


preceded by the detachment under the
command of lieut.. Mylius, of the 1st Cey-
Ion regiment, and accompanied by Mr..
D'Oyley, who on his arrival at Hakkeytu-
gala, i'm the forenoon of the same day.
found the detachment already there, and
learnt that they had ialleu in with party
of the kings people, and after a sharp re-
81 stance, but without loss on our side, had
killed three and wounded one, and captur-
Ell a number of persons, two Of whom were
near relations to the king, and men of
leading consequence, and almost all were
related or allied to him.
This account dated the 10th, reached
me on the 18th, and the same day the pri-
soners were sent in when conferred
with, they claimed with earnestness their
connection with the Est India company's
government. principal man, by name
Motal Sawney, made merit ofhaving re-
ceived presents and marks of distinction
from the gentlemen in authority under the
presidency of Madras. Being asked as to
the kings hiding place. and the force along
with him, he said it was several days since
he had seen him he was then in Dombe-
ia, he could not say ifhe continued III the
same place, but if not, he could only go to
Iiintentac that his court was in great
measure dissolved, and that there were no
principal sirdars or chiefs remaining with
him. These communications were by no
means made III the way of willing infor-
iner, br appear to have been true. The
dispersion of the court we had every rea-
son to believe, as on that and 90 the fol-
lowing day, several Nayakars Gas they are
called) or relations of the king, surrender
ed themselves.
In so far also as regarded the kings
place of retreat, the account of the prison
er agreed with the daily report received
from Mr.. D'Oyley, who represented him
to be still in Dombera, but did not ven
ture to flatter himself or me that he could
succeed in al once cutting MIN oil from es-
Gaping to the mountains. His letter of the
18th stated, that the king had fled from his
last known place OF hating, and that the
inhabitants of two villages had appeared,
and promised to cooperate in searching
Tor him. The latest reports that Mr..
D'Oyley could then communicate were,
that the king was concealed in a forest
about a league aud half from Nldinya
and he had sent detachment to endeayor
to intercept him.
On the 18th, in the morning had the
satisfaction toknow, by letter from Mr..
D'Oyley of the same date, that the king
was in our hands he had been surrender
ed the preceding evening in the precincts
OF Media Maha Nuwera, (the place from
whence he was reported to have fled) b,
the people of Dombera, in conjunction
with some armed Kandyans, sent by Ebey-
lapO Adikar. and taken prisoner with two
OF his wives, in the house of Aratehy Ia
subordinate head many at place called
Gallethawaite, about mile beyond Media
Nuwera. His two remaining wives, and
his mother we're known to be at Han.
weyle. short distance off, and being sent
for with conveyance and an escort, were
brought to Fuduya.
have since learnt, that the few Mala-
bar attendants remaining with the king,
made same resistance and wounded one Of
the assailants, on which the party retired
a few PAGES, and fired upon the house =
that the king th?n came cut and delivered
himself up. 1t further appears that his
prisoners bound him and reviled him, and
/ tear plundered him of some articles of
value.
AS norcgular troops or any British Off
Ger was present. it was impossible to give
full relief such of the clothes as could be
recovered were returned. The Adika
claims, and with seeming justice, consider
ing the sentiments he must entertain to-
wards the King, some merit in having by
strict orders saved his life and great pro-
liability arises from what did pass, that no.
thing less than high authority could have
induced them to spare him. In another
view, this is one Of the many facts which
concur to shew, that the feelings of the
people towards him (exemplified in this his
favorable prOvince) to be when Invested of
the terrors of tyrannical power, no other
than those ofhatred and contempt.
Besides the property taken by Major
Kelly, further captures, TO considerable
amount, have been made, and information
has been received of many places where
more treasure is bid.
In military view, the resistance, and
consequently the danger has been compa-
ratively trifling but il would be the high
est injustice to estimate, by the Inadequate
opportunities which have presented them
selves, what might have been achieved III
the occasion had called forth the full exer-
ton OF the troops. OF fatigue and hard
ship of weather. they have had considera-
bic trials, the roads being indescribably
rugged, with {, equehtly Interruptions.