56 



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



Letter K. 



Extract from a letter dated April 19, 1765, written from Colombo by a 

 Captain of the Militia to .... • 



The capture of Candia will certainly be considered by many as 

 glorious and fortunate for the Company. The first epithet I put on 

 one side, as it cost some blood, so that I may ascribe it to chance. 

 However, the praise lies on the side of the victor. As for the second, 

 God grant that a happy result may crown our expectation. Every one 

 however, makes reflections ; in this case I know my own inability, as I 

 am totally ignorant of Indian politics. Yet, however ignorant one 

 may be of it, the present situation obliges me to make the following 

 candid observations. Candia has been captured and plundered, and 

 even the holiest temples and pagodas of the Candians and Sinhalese. 

 Some of them, it is said, have been razed to the ground. Already 

 there are diverse rumours, which give cause for thinking that because 

 of these things every possibility of reconciliation, as well with the 

 Emperor as with his subjects, has wholly and entirely disappeared. 



The prince has retreated with most of his treasure and different 

 armies to the mountains, which are far more inaccessible than Candia 

 itself, and where they never can be starved out — at least so say the 

 natives. All their armies are in communication with each other, and 

 it seems that as yet not the slightest attempt has been made to attack 

 them there. With what forces can we do so? When the troops 

 issue forth out of Candia, they come immediately and assail them in 

 the rear. If the magazines are withdrawn, how will it be with the 

 communications, for all the roads from Colombo to Candia are even 

 yet quite dangerous ? 



May Heaven grant that these and many other of my innocent 

 reflections may turn out for the best, and that, 'ere long, we may receive 

 a new Governor of Ceylon, whose talents can overcome all old and 

 new difficulties, &c. 



Letter L. 



Extract from a letter dated May 1 , 1 765, vjritten from Colombo by one of 



the Members of the Council to *f* 



The spectacle of the confusion in which we live at present has so 

 embroiled me also, that I do not know with what to begin and how to 

 end. My last letter ended, however, with the march of our army to 

 Candia. In order that I may mention to you, more or less in order, 

 the events which have occurred, I shall begin only with the arrival of 

 our advance guard, commanded by Mr. Feber, before the sacred river, 

 at the distance of less than a league from the court of Candia. Here 

 the king at once sent a letter with the request that we should not 

 advance further. Meanwhile that he would at once send ambassadors 



* Lacuna in manuscript. — A. E. B. f Lacuna in manuscript. — A. E. B. 



