st ^ ^ i i g sTeififorpeiBerits! into Punukka, or to -check, the progress of
the rebels.
Popular and prudent as the administration of the present Raja had
been>: yet seditious murmurs had long since been known to exist ;
•chiefly because several officers;.nominated' bythe former Raja to the
highest posts of public trust, had been displaced ön his accession-to
the government. . It is said that the Zoom poon óf Tassisudon, and
the Zempi,: were soon obliged to give way to his particular favourites,
while other officers, in various parts of the ebimtry; were also superseded.
| This early use of his authority did not fail to. kindle dissatisfaction
and disgust, among those who suffered from- its exert;jse';
hithfefto indeed; they had been -kept within decent bounds,-.till at
length a turbulent spirit having broken the peace, an avowed rebellion
•ensued. 1 heTiisbanded chiefs were said-to have consulted together,
and confederated with a resolution to revenge their real or Supposed
injuries.! •
During the night of the 26th of June, a large party was posted on
.the bridge, immediately opposite to the house in which we lived; arid a
strong guard also took its station at the palace gates. The alarm having
gone abroad, and the peasantry far and near being called upon to defend
their sovereign, constant additions of force joined the royal standard.
The ploughman and mechanic, arranging themselves under thé banner of
the chief Inhabitant of their neighbourhood, repaired martially arrayed
to the head quartern, whence they were in different divisions, expeditiously
pushed off to relieve the castle of Punukka, concerning which
reports were still various : some asserting that it was not yet taken,
.though'all seemed-éohscióüs'b?lts efEhagfer. se' of thé'Jdâ^,
iWtffligenc'e’arrived,: W ‘«^»'R àjtfs 'trWps^'aibmlr
six miles sou th of Tassisuddh,1 th^®émy;havmg^gaittèd possession' of
Wângoka, after an obstinate'èrffrteafêfMn whichJsdmealîvéswére lókt?"*
The(sâ&iô guards sW*Mepfr{théif'lsfatidrïs,ön'Friday'the
and dthëfs ^éré'plaCedJdó'wör',db.Wii(tlieevalley!^tó prevent"thl,*èir®ïy’s
advance'; f é l with thé- sâme'sü'cèeiss'^tha&,’atferidfed‘,tlte\bife^iôiM!&§f öF
their careeV, fih^ insÉrgeftis'-’thài; tiiörffihg' ismhsrelst'bf'?tfrrëe
villages, within two miles‘of the palace arfd-rio material shew of
resistance ■ appeared1 ready-toftinterrUpt fhéïr pr‘ogTiess'; formas yétVit
would seem, t-hfc strengüh'W-'govfemmenfwas'notMóffected,
weakened by detachmehts, was ''inadequate' to extendffi'esyondM^fentó-'
feïiGe-of its immediate'séat.-’ Consistently with jflanÿéverypoSsXble
exertion was made: strong-pickets were advanced in front, and1 id thé
right "and -left occUpied'-tKe' roads -across the m'èuntàmS-;^dÔüBlê Vigilance
guarded tfae^ gates- of TassikudohJ^hicfi-'^were1, shut against thé
admissionKofc all strangers, except such'tft hail beei)"previouslyîandl
strictly examined; and no Gylohg»wa's, upon àtiÿvpï'ëMicey'permitted'
to go out.
Aflairs now seemed to wear a seriouS1' aspect,-ahdriti*-was4 time, 'We'
thought, for us to look a littl'ëfi to oürdèfencev?:àé€'ordin'gIy. Ii>bglin!
to riib up our àrmsVaa'd;muster'oür S^ëk^bf anffîuflitiffifas a-ïn'ÿà^'arw
preparatory to a siege : not doubtihg. that, if the dêMgiÿbF ’thèrinsur*
gents was to' bring their assault home.ftö-thëïRiij'Pfiid'()óf., dur'ehat'eaii'/
as standing-in a veryiimportknt pöiïïftlbf view^woSld^ltfvè^attrâëtécf
their earliest, regards | Rut whether .the’ ’rebds'&fere' ’dâriiîW»,tô^voidr