64 
ToW7i and Harbour 
Trincomalee is unquestionably of much superior importance, 
on account of its excellent harbour. 
As the British dominions in Ceylon skirt the coasts quite 
round in a circle, my description of them must follow the same 
direction. I shall, therefore, set out from the place where I 
first landed, and lead my readers completely round the island 
in the same course in which I travelled it, and endeavour to 
communicate to them those impressions and observations which 
occurred to me at the several places I visited. 
It was at Trincomalee I first touched the shore of Ceylon. I* 
have already mentioned the motives which must have induced 
our government to attempt to wrest this important harbour 
from the Dutch. General Stewart was in 1795 sent for this 
purpose from Madras. The force under him (consisted of the 
72d and 77th regiments, the flank companies of the fist and 
73d, two battalions of Sepoys, accompanied by a detachment 
of artillery and pioneers. The vessels conveying this force came 
to anchor to the south-east of the fort. Here the Diomede 
frigate was unfortunately lost by striking on a sunk rock. 
The general found it most expedient to land the troops at 
about the distance of two miles from the fort, to which he 
afterwards laid regular siege. The climate, the nature of the 
ground, and the situation of the fort occasioned much fatigue, 
and some loss to our troops. Several, both officers and men, 
were killed by the fire from it. During the siege a sally was 
made by a party of Malays in the Dutch service. Being taken 
at first for some of our artillery Lascars, they made their way 
without opposition into one of the batteries, spiked the guns, 
and killed some of our artillery-men, before they were repulsed 
