63 
of Ceylon. 
subject each to its own independent sovereign. In process of 
time, however, the whole country was reduced under the do- 
minion of the King of Candy, and divided by him into a few 
great provinces, from which several of the numerous titles he 
still retains were derived. These provinces were Candy, Coi- 
toLi, Matura, Dambadar; and Sittivacca, which included the 
rich districts on the west coast. The chief of these provinces 
was Candy ; it was situated in the centre of the island, and 
honoured with the royal residence. The King holds his court 
there to this day ; and though all the other provinces have 
been more or less encroached upon, no part of Candy has 
ever been reduced to permanent subjection under a foreign 
power. These provinces were subdivided into districts, known 
in that country by the name of corks, and corresponding to 
our shires or counties. These subdivisions are still continued 
in the parts Avrested from the natives by the Dutch ; and the 
government of each of them is given to the ciAol and military 
officers Avho hold posts in their vicinity. 
The great divisions of the island now are reduced to two ; 
the one comprehending those parts under the dominion of Eu- 
ropeans, and the other those Avhich still remain to the natiA^es. 
In the map prefixed to this volume, the boundaries of these 
two divisions are distinctly pointed out ; and it Avill be observed 
that the European dominions, like a ring, completely encircle 
the territories of the King of Candy. OAving to the richness 
of the country around Columbo, and its size and population, 
that city has always been accounted the capital of the Euro- • 
pcan dominions in the island ; although in regard to all ad- 
vantages to be derived from it as a naval and military station. 
