These considerations induced several of the Dutch governors to attempt the restoration of tranquillity, rather by conciliatory measures, than by their ineffectual struggles. For this purpose they sent ambassadors to the court of Candy with a variety of valuable presents, and with instructions to gratify the king by all those tokens of respect which have so powerful an effect on uncultivated minds. The letters to him were wrapped up in silks, embroidered with gold and silver, and the ambassador carried them all the way on his head, the highest token of respect known in that country : in these letters they also dignified the king with many of those high titles, which are usually conferred on eastern monarchs. These conciliatory measures never failed to produce a considerable effect. But few of the Dutch governors were either sufficiently enlightened or dis interested to persevere in them. The renewed oppres sions of the Dutch was the constant signal for the renewal of hostilities between them and the natives ; and in con sequence of a long course of warfare, the Ceylonese became both brave and dexterous. The Dutch were frequently repulsed even in close combat ; several of their forts were taken ; and whenever they attempted to penetrate into the interior of the country, they com monly lost large parties of their men in attempting to force the woods and defiles, or by the ambushes which their active and vigilant enemy set to surround them. At length, indeed, they triumphed over all these obstacles. The King of Candy saw those woods burst through, which he looked upon as an impenetrable barrier, and he beheld the Dutch soldiers in those vilifies which he supposed could never have been approached by a foe. Ile was twice driven from Candy, the capital of his dominions, and forced to seek for refuge in the moun tains of Degleggy, the highest and most inaccessible in the kingdom. Here, however, he found himself secure from the pursuit of his enemies, and contented himself with surprising and cutting off the convoys of provisions and stores sent up from the coast, till they should of their own accord abandon Ids dominions. This, after all their victories, tney were constantly obliged to do. The last great war between them was about the middle of the 18th century, and though the Dutch suffered many disasters during the contest, they at length, by depriv ing the Candians of salt at pleasure, compelled them to comply with all their demands. III 1766, the king agreed to a treaty, by which, among other articles, all those parts of the coast which had not formerly belong ed to the Dutch were to be delivered to them ; and they were also to enjoy a monopoly of all the valuable pro ductions of the island, with a great variety of other ad vantages. On the other hand, the Dutch agreed to sup ply the Candians. free of expellee, with salt sufficient for their consumption. But the articles of this treaty were quickly infringed, and scarcely one of the stipulations was actually fulfilled. Frequent rencounters continued to take place between the Dutch and the natives ; but at last both parties became weary of their ineffectual struggles ; and hostilities, as well as every kind of inter course, were broken off as if by mutual consent.
Such was the situation of Ceylon when an attempt was made by the British, in 1782, to obtain possession of the European part of the island. The attack proved unsuc cessful at that time, but was again renewed on the junc tion of the Dutch with the French in the last war. In 1795, a body of English troops landed in Ceylon, and in consequence of the cowardice and want of subordination among the Dutch forces, they found it an easy conquest ; indeed, they scarcely met with the semblance of opposi tion. Since it fell into our possession, we have also been
engaged in war with the Candians. In 1798, the king died ; and Pelime Talawee, the chief adigar, or prime minister, raised to the throne a young Malabar of inferior extraction, and of no talents, who was only a puppet to dazzle the eyes of the people, while he himself ruled with absolute sway. In 1799, the governor, Alr North, had repeated interviews with the adigar, who, in the last of them, requested our assistance in taking away the life of the king, and placing himself on the throne ; and promised, on this condition, to make the British masters of the country. The proposal was rejected with indig nation ; and, in 1800, the governor sent an embassy to the Court of Candy, with the view of forming a treaty of alliance and commerce between the two nations ; but the plan proved abortive, as neither party would accede to the proposals of the other.
After this the Candians appeared to be making pre parations for war in all quarters, and as the government, notwithstanding its promises, delayed to make repara tion for some small outrages committed on our subjects, the British determined to send troops into their terri tories, in order to enforce these claims, and to exact security against the repetition of any similar act. (lav ing communicated this intention to the Candian govern ment, and made new proposals of accommodation, 11 1( h out any effect, our forces entered the dominions of the enemy early in 1803, and meeting with little opposition, soon arrived in the capital. This they found had been evacuated on the preceding day by all the inhabitants, and set on lire in several places. Upon their arrival in Candy, the adigar made proposals of peace, and it was agreed that the king should be delivered over to the care Of the British government, while Pelime Talawee should be invested with the supreme authority, under the title of Ootoon Konturayen, the Great Prince. In CC/WM[11(11a: of this agreement, the city of Candy was evacuated by part of the British forces ; but, after au unparalleled scene of duplicity and treachery on the part of the adigar, the natives attacked the town ; and our troops, under the command of Major Davy, being over powered by numbers, agreed to capitulate, on condition that they slyould all be allowed to march with their arms to our settlements on the coast. They were accordingly permitted to take their departure ; hut they were after wards forced back to the capital ; those of the Malays who refused to enter into the Candian sera ice, were immediately put to death ; all the British soldiers were likewise cruelly massacred, excepting three or four, who either made their escape, or were spared by the Candians. The report of these events filled our settle ments on the coast with alarm and consternation ; and soon after the '..:andians made various descents on our territories, and even meant to attack the capital, but they were happily driven back by our forces. In 1804, they again made preparations for a general attack on our settlements ; but this was prevented by an attack made by us on their own country, which proved on every side successful. In February 1805, they however ventured again to invade our territories, but they were completely routed in every quarter. See l'ercival's ?ccount of ecy/on; Pennant's View of Hindostan, vol. i. ; Cordiner's Description of Ceylon, 2 vols. ; and ../.1siatie Register, vi.