These monsoons pass slightly over the interior, and do not produce any considerable effect. The seasons in the mountains are regulated by different laws, and do not exactly correspond to either of the monsoons. But this part of the island is not entirely free from the dread ful storms which commit such terrible ravages in tro pical climates. There it rains incessantly during the months of March and April, while at that period it is perfectly dry in the low parts of the country: the thun der and lightning are also awful to a degree beyond the conception of a stranger. See Percival's Account of Ceylon ; Cordiner's Description of Ceylon, vol. i.; and Asiatic Annual Register.
On this island there are few towns of any considerable importance. In the province of Tallanour is the city of Candy, the capital of the interior, and the chief resi dence of the prince. It is situated in the midst of lofty mountains, covered with thick jungle. The passes to it are narrow and difficult, and are intersected with thick hedges of thorn. Fences of a similar kind are also drawn round the hills in its vicinity, like so many lines of cir cumvallation ; and through them, the only passage is by gates of the same thorny materials, 'a hick are so con structed as to draw up and to fall down by means of ropes connected with them. When the natives are forced to retreat within these barriers, they cut the ropes, and then it is impossible to force a passage unless by burn ing the gates, which is attended with considerable diffi culty and danger, in consequence of the green state of the bushes, and the constant annoyance which the ene my from behind them give the assailants. These hedge rows are the principal fortifications of Candy. The town itself is a poor miserable place, and is surrounded by a mud wall of no strength whatever. It is about two miles in length, and consists of one broad street, with a num ber of smaller streets, which at different places proceed from it as so many branches. These streets are in ge neral dirty ; the houses are poor and mean ; they are built chiefly of mud, arc thatched with straw and leaves, and have miserably small apertures instead of windows. They are all raised on terraces about five feet above the level of the ground, and there are some stone steps which lead up to every door. A few of the houses at the up per end of the principal street are tiled and white washed. The only buildings of consequence in Candy are some of the temples of Iluddlur, and the palace, which is si tuated at the head of the great street. The latter is built of a kind of cement, which is perfectly white, and is adorned with stone gateways. It is a square of immense extent, but a considerable part of it is not yet completed. In it arc a great number of rooms, the walls of which present a multitude of inscriptions, and are painted with the most grotesque figures. Among others, it contains two temples to Buddhu, one Hindoo pagoda, the ceme tery of the kings of Candy, and an immense variety of arsenals and storehouses. When the British army en tered this city in 1803, they found part of the palace con sumed by the flames, the inhabitants having set it on fire before they evacuated the town. However, many of the apartments were still entire, and contained some elegant sets of glass and china-ware, and a few golden cups adorned with filigree. The walls of one of the
rooms were completely covered with fine glasses, about seven feet high and four feet broad. Another room, supposed to he the place of private devotion, contained a gigantic brass image of Buddhu in a sitting posture, and two smaller figures of a similar form. Amongst some of the stores was found a profusion of soft paper made of the bark of trees: the sheets were rolled up, and some of them measured twenty feet in length. There was also a vast collection of bows, arrows, and walking sticks, exquisitely painted, displaying a richness of var nish, colouring, and ornament, which probably could not be equalled in Europe. The other principal towns in the interior are Digliggy Neur, and Nilemby Neur, both of which are only a few miles distant from the capital. The ruins of some other cities, which appear to have been larger and better built than any of these, skew that the country was once in a more flourishing condition than it is at present.
Of the European part of the island, Columbo is the capital. It is a large and beautiful town, is built on a regular plan, and much in the European style, though few of the houses are above one story in height. That part of it called the fort, is about a mile and a quarter in circumference; it occupies a situation almost insulated, and is defended by 300 pieces of heavy cannon. This division of the town is inhabited chiefly by the British, the Pettah by the Dutch and Portuguese, and the suburbs by the native Ceylonese. Including all these different classes, Columbo, according to Mr Cordiner, contains upwards of 50,000 inhabitants. There is probably no place in the world where so many different languages are spoken, and which displays such a variety of nations, manners, and religions. Besides the European inhabi tants and the proper natives of the island, you find al most every race of Asia : Moors of every class; Mala bars, Travancorians, Malays, Hindoos, Gentoos, Chi nese, Persians, Arabians, Turks, Maldivians, Javeans, and natives of all the Asiatic isles ; Persus, or worship pers of fire, who would sooner allow their houses to be burnt to ashes, and themselves to perish in the flames, than employ any means to extinguish them ; together with a number of Africans, Caffres, Buganese, besides the half casts, people of colour, and other races which proceed from a variety of the original ones. Columbo is a place of considerable trade : in 1802, the customs amounted to 19,1601. The harbour, however, is difficult of access during a considerable part of the year, and is insecure for large vessels. The other principal towns in the British territories, are Trincomalee and Point de Calle. The former is one of the most valuable acquisitions on the island, on account of its excellent harbour, which is of incalculable importance to our In dian possessions, as the whole of the Coromandel coast presents nothing but open roads, so that on the approach of the monsoons, all vessels were obliged to stand out to sea to prevent inc' itable destruction ; awl there are also many parts of the coast which could be approached during only a few months of the year, whereas the har bour of Trincomalee now affords them, at all seasons, a near and safe retreat. See Percival ; Cordiner, vol.