CEYLON. 
which would be best effected by maintaining the King on his 
throne. This last condition he regarded as an essential preliminary, 
without a consent to which, he could not carry on any correspon- 
dence whatever with the Adigaar. With this declaration the 
minister appeared satisfied ; observing that he was afraid the length 
of the conference might occasion some surprise. He requested that 
the Maha Moodeliar might be sent to him on the morrow. 
The Moodeliar, upon his return, reported that he had found the 
Adigaar disinclined to keeping the King upon the throne ; though 
he said that he did pot wish to be King himself, but to govern the 
kingdom under his present title. He asserted that the people were 
discontented with the King, and did not regard him as a lawful 
sovereign ; and that he would fly from Candy on the news of the 
approach of British troops. The Governor here directed the 
Moodeliar positively to inforrn the Adigaar, that if such would be 
the consequence, not a man should be sent thither, as he was deter- 
mined not to make war upon the King. If, however, his Majesty 
should think his person safer at Columbo, than in his own capital, 
he should be hospitably received there, and have an allowance of 
two thousand pagodas per month, for the maintenance of his house- 
hold, which must be repaid by the Adigaar, who should remain at 
Candy with an English garrison, governing the country with abso- 
lute authority, but in the King's name. The Maha Moodeliar 
further said, that the Adigaar made no difficulty in promising a 
considerable tribute in produce of the country. He requested that 
Mr. Boyd might be sent to him. 
At the ensuing conference, the Adigaar told Mr. Boyd, that the 
co^ntry had been inhabited by devils till the time of Seredin? who 
