These Wannias, by birth subjects of the Company and by descent no
more than ordinary caste Bellales, have in the course of time become
very conceited, and imagine that the title of Wannia is one invested
with awe and so important that, although they have received it from
the Company, they do not need to respect the Company or those placed
in authority here; and they seem to be in doubt whether they ought to
show their due obedience by appearing before its officers. It was on
this account that His Excellency van Mydregt gave special orders in
his reply of November 29, 1690, that one of the Wannias should always
stay at the Castle, each taking his turn for three months. Why this
order has not been carried out I do not know. Moreover, it appears
that Don Philip and his son, the young Don Gaspar, Master of the Hunt
in Ponneryn, together with his brother-in-law Don Gaspar Ilengenarene
Mudaliyar, has gone to Colombo instead of presenting himself here at
the Castle, as I had summoned them to do, as may be seen in the ola
of January 14, 1696, and in the resolutions of Council of the 16th
of the same month. I do not know how they obtained audience, but
they were received with even greater honour than they ever received
from the Governors or Commandeurs here. This was the first time they
ever went to Colombo. Still less am I able to say what transpired
between them and the Government of Colombo, because when I was there
I was not admitted to the meetings of the Political Council, and was
only an eye-witness of the outward show. I do not also know for what
reason the said Wannia Majoraals were kept here since their return,
and why they were not sent back to their forest for the capture of
elephants, unless it was because they acted as adjutants or auxiliaries
to the Opperkoopluyden [9] Jan van Keulen and Pieter Petitfilsz, as
I heard that during my absence they acted as Commissioners in this
Commandement. Perhaps these matters are better known to Your Honours
than to myself, because you were present here at the time. Yet I do not
know whether you realize that this action has made these people more
conceited than ever, and that they mention it here exultingly. This
is proved also by the fact that their arrears have greatly increased
since this trip to Colombo, and I have been privately informed that
the Master of the Hunt, Don Gaspar Nitcheachaderayen, has, on his own
authority and as if he were a sovereign, caused one of the Lascoreens
and one of the hunters of his father-in-law, the old Don Gaspar, to
be put to death; which has caused great enmity between these two and
Don Philip Nellamapane. It is also said that the old Don Gaspar is
desirous of revenging himself for this action, so that two people who
were such great friends and made such a stir here by going to Colombo
have not only become bitter enemies, but by this murder have also
given cause for consequences of a serious nature. It will therefore
be Your Honours' duty not only to hold an inquiry with regard to
this matter when an opportunity offers, but also to watch the future
conduct of these people. In the beginning of 1696 some Waddassen
[10] also entered the lands of the Wannia Don Diogo Poevenellemapane
and committed acts of hostility, whereby the brother of Cottapulle
Oediaar, cousin of the said Don Diogo, had been killed, because the
latter wrote an ola to the Administrator Biermans while I was away at
Colombo and the Dessave was commissioned to the pearl fishery. As he
complained publicly to both of us in the month of October of the same
year, saying that this happened for no other reason than because he
would not act in collusion with Don Philip Nellamapane or join with
the seditious company on their trip to Colombo, knowing that he could
find here competent rulers. Chedoegawale Mapane of Tinnemerrewaddoe
spoke to the same effect. Amblewanne, whom Your Honours wanted to
take his turn of staying here at the Castle, has been prevented from
doing so by the severe illness of one of his friends. I am obliged
to mention all these particulars here in order that Your Honours may
be able to keep an eye on the Wannias and their conduct. I wished to
do more in this matter, and would have made an effort to discover
and punish the murderers, but I was not in a position to do this
because it seems that the Government of Jaffnapatam has no longer
any influence in Colombo. This is apparent from the fact that while
these Wannias were not only heard, but also treated with great honour,
unknown to their ruler, I was even personally insulted by being kept
out of the Political Council. I considered it inadvisable on my part
to bring any charges against them at that time, and I think it would
be for Your Honours to do thus.[4]