248 Dominions of Cmuhj, 
trable woods and mountains. The passes which _ lead “tlirougu 
these to the coasts are extremely steep and difficiilt, and 
scarcely known even by the natives themselves. As soon as, 
vre advance from ten to twenty miles from the coasts a coun- 
try presents itself greatly diifering from the sea-coast both in 
soil, climate, and appearance. After ascending the mouiitains 
and passing .the. waoods, we fmd ourselves in the midst of a 
country not advanced many stages beyond the first state of 
improvement, and w'hich we are astonislied to find in the 
neighbourhood of the highly cultivated fields which surround 
Colnmbo. As w^e advance towards the centre of the island 
the country gradually rises, and. the Vvoods and mountains which 
separate the several parts of the country become more steep 
and impervious. 
It is in the midst of these fastnesses that the native prince 
still preserves those remains of territory and power wdiich have 
been left him by successive invaders. liis dominions are now 
much reduced in size; for, besides the whole of the sea-coasts 
which wnre of any value, the Dutch, in their various attacks 
durino' the last century, have contrived to get into their pownr 
every tract from which they could 'derive either emolument 
or security. Those provinces which still remain to him are 
Nourecalava and Hotcourly towards the north and north-west; 
while Matuly, comprehending the districts of Bintana, Velas, 
and Paiioa, with a few others, occupies those parts more to 
the eastward. To the south-east lies Ouvah, a province of 
some note, and whence the king derives one of his titles. The 
western parts are chiefly included in the provinces of Cotemal 
and liotteracorley. These different provinces are subdivided 
into corles or districts, and entirely belong to the native. 
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