408 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. X. 



Neither want of skill or prudence on the part of the officers, nor want 

 of discipline on that of the soldiers, could have produced such dis- 

 graceful effects. It is only to the total extinction of public spirit, of 

 every sentiment of national honour, that such conduct can be 

 attributed. A thirst of gain and of private emolument appears to 

 have swallowed up every other feeling in the breasts of the Dutchmen ; 

 and this is a striking warning to all commercial nations to be careful 

 that those sentiments, which engage them to extend their dominions, 

 do not obliterate those by which alone they can be retained and 

 defended. 



If their unmolested march seemed unaccountable, the circumstances 

 which followed still more surprised our British soldiers. The first 

 obstacle which opposed itself to General Stewart was theMutwal river 

 at the distance of about four miles from Columbo, and here the enemy, 

 who made their appearance for the first time, seemed determined to 

 dispute the passage. Nature had done everything in her power to 

 render their resistance effectual. The river was here half a mile broad 

 and ran in such a direction as nearly to cut off and insulate for three 

 or four miles, that tract of country which immediately presented itself 

 to our army. A little neck of land on the south side afforded the only 

 entrance to this tract, which from its strength was called the Grand- 

 pass. A battery erected by the Dutch on the Columbo side commanded 

 the passages, and General Stewart was of course obliged to halt. The 

 army lay here for two days preparing themselves for a difficult enter- 

 prise, when they were astonished to learn that the Dutch had thrown 

 the guns of the battery into the river, evacuated the post, and retreated 

 precipitately into the garrison of Columbo. The British at first 

 doubted the truth of the intelligence, and then supposed it was a 

 stratagem of the enemy to draw them across, and afterwards attack 

 them with advantage. As no opposition, however, now presented 

 itself on the other side of the river, it was resolved to carry over the 

 army, which was speedily effected on rafts of bamboo, and a few boats 

 from our ships lying at anchor off the mouth of the river. Our troops 

 then encamped in a large grove of cocoanut trees, with a Malay village 

 in front. The position was very advantageous, as the river from its 

 winding course protected our right flank and rear, while the left was 

 skirted by a very thick wood or jungle, which extended nearly to the 

 Black Town of Columbo. Our ships, which lay at no great distance, 

 were ready to furnish the army with everything necessary. It was of 

 this last circumstance that the Dutch took advantage to excuse their 

 pusillanimous conduct in abandoning such an excellent position. They 

 said they were afraid of troops being landed from the ships between 

 them and the fort of Columbo, and thus cutting off their retreat. But 

 those who are acquainted with the situation of the country will look 

 upon this as a very poor palliation of their cowardice ; as even 

 supposing we had attempted to land troops between them and the 



