132 
Harbour 'of- Columbo. 
too sliallow to allow ships of a large burden to pass ; and 
several, when driven by the violence of the gales from their 
anchorage, have been wrecked here. On this account it is not 
imcommoii to fire at vessels approaching too close to it, in 
order to warn them of their danger, and prevent them from 
anchoring within a certain distance. 
Columbo v/as particularly unfortunate in the loss of its first 
three governors after it came into our hands, all in the space 
of one year. The first was colonel Petrie, of the seventy- 
seventh regiment. In December 179^5 general Doyle arrived 
from England with half the nineteenth regiment, to succeed 
general Stewart in the command, but died on the June fol- 
lowing, sincerely regretted. Colonel Bonne vaux of the Com- 
pany’s service, the next senior officer on the island, succeeded 
him ; but had only arrived three or four days at Columbo, 
from his former command at Point de Galle, when he was 
killed by his curricle overturning as he drove out through one 
of the gates ; ami was buried within a week after his prede- 
cessor. After his death, general de Meuron, colonel of the 
Swiss regiment in our service, who was sent by the govern- 
ment of Madras to investigate into the revenue departments, 
with temporary rank over the officers in the island, took upon 
him the command, which he retained, till the Honourable 
Frederick North w^as sent out from England as governor of 
Ceylon. The conduct of this gentleman to every class of peo- 
ple, since his arrival on the island, is such as to entitle him 
to their warmest attachment ; and to make them wish that his 
residence among them may be prolonged much beyond that of 
his predecessors. 
To every fort in India is attached, on the outside of the 
