576 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. XI. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



Calamities of the War. The Idolater of Candia 

 sues for Peace. He sets the Columbo Cons- 

 piracy on foot. The General's Sufferings : 

 His Will and Dispositions. 



It is grievous to write about the misfortunes of a minister 

 through evil luck and not through any fault or misgovern- 

 ment on his part ; for misfortunes in themselves do not take 

 away from the merits of those who suffer, if they have acted 

 with carefulness and prudence : because God sometimes makes 

 things fail for some hidden reason of His own, and not for any 

 fault of the minister who does them. It is, therefore, unfair 

 to judge of counsellors, either good or bad, by the results of 

 their undertakings without careful thought and reasoning. 



Constantino de Sa wisely concluded that to put on a 

 bold front and strike terror into the Candian idolater 

 would do some good at least to the cause, and would keep up 

 the reputation of his arms so long as his forces were increased 

 by the aid he expected from the State ; when he hoped to 

 continue the war with all the means he had in his power. 

 For this reason he undertook the expedition against Candia, 

 which we have just related, showing himself more active 

 than ever. As a brave, gallant soldier, he marched through a 

 great part of that kingdom without the enemy ever once 

 daring to come out and fight him in the open, although he 

 harassed him with ambuscades, which were nothing to the 

 awful loss we caused his people and vassals, whose deaths, 

 tribulations, and danger made the idolater tremble with fear, 

 so that with all submission and humility he made overtures of 

 peace, in the hopes of entertaining and diverting the General 

 until the conspiracy was ripe for execution. 



The cold wet season had set in with vehemence, and the 

 rugged country and bad travelling had so tired our main body 

 that Constantino de Sa, after he had listened to the Candiari > & 

 proposals, was glad to receive them, but waived all decision 

 until he got back to Malbana. He retired so weak and ill that 



