No. 37.-1888.] capture of Colombo. 



407 



nies of his Eegiment which are garrisoned at Point de Galle, he made 

 with my knowledge and consent an arrangement with M. Monneron 

 to convey part of the five companies to Tuticorin, in which case the 

 remainder can be transported with La Fidele, and the other two sloops 

 go to Point de Galle to carry over the two companies. 



Agreably to this arrangement La Fidele goes now with two hundred 

 and fifty men, and the other two sloops have already been despatched to 

 Point de Galle with their passports in order to embark there the two 

 companies. I have to request, therefore, that you will please provide 

 them, with all possible speed, with the necessary water and firewood^ 

 and send them back to Colombo with a passport. 



I have, &c, 



J. G. van Angelbeck. 



Colombo, November 12, 1795. 



APPENDIX B. 



[Percival's " Account of the Island of Ceylon," 

 pages 112-118.] 



The English landed at Nigombo in February, 1796, when they made 

 themselves masters of it without opposition. 



After the taking of Nigombo, General Stewart, with the 52nd, 73rd, 

 and 77th regiments, three battalions of Sepoys, and a detachment of 

 Bengal artillery, marched to attack Columbo. The road through 

 which he had to pass presented apparently the most formidable 

 obstacles. Those rivers which add so much to the beauty and richness of 

 the country, and those woods which afford so much comfort to the 

 traveller, presented so many bars to the march of an army, and 

 opportunities to annoy it. For twenty miles the road may be con- 

 sidered as one continued defile, capable of being easily defended 

 against a much superior force. It was intersected by two broad, deep, 

 and rapid rivers, and several smaller ones, besides ravines whose 

 bridges had been broken down. Each side of the path through which 

 our army marched was covered with thick woods and jungle, from 

 whence the enemy had an opportunity of destroying their adversaries, 

 without even being seen themselves. In such a situation General 

 Stewart every moment expected an attack, and was exceedingly 

 surprised, as were all the officers, at being suffered to pass through 

 such a strong and difficult country without the smallest opposition. 

 Nothing can give a more striking idea of the degraded state to which 

 the Dutch military establishments at Ceylon were reduced, than their 

 suffering an enemy to advance unmolested in such circumstances. 



85—90 G 



