by the British. 119 
assistance to fight by themselves. Their contempt for their 
former masters, and their admiration of the valour of our 
troops, has served to render the Malays our most sincere 
friends, and they are now formed into a steady and well-dis« 
ciplined regiment in the British service. 
These facts with regard to the easy capture of Ceylon Tend 
to throw the severest reflections on the Dutch garrison there ^ 
but by no means serve to show that the enterprise on our 
part was not attended with the greatest danger. The opposi^ 
tion of even a very small body of men must have occasioned 
much difficulty and loss to us, how'ever great general Stewart’s 
military talents, and however brave the troops he commanded. 
Nature, indeed, seems to have done every thing in her power 
to secure the approaches to Colombo on this side. 
