I 
to the Court of Candy. 407 
hitherto the tapals or letter-bags had to be conveyed by a 
circuitous route along the sea-coast by Manaar and Jafnapa- 
tain, and double the distance of that proposed through the 
Candian territoi’ies. The king however would on no account 
accede to this proposal ; but expressed his decided aversion to 
any intercourse or connexion existing between his subjects and 
the Europeans. At the same time, however, he expressed a 
desire to live on amicable terms with the British, whose power 
he acknowledged to be far superior to that of the Dutch. 
Whatever further transpired with regard to the objects of the 
embassy was too much the result of conjecture to be set down 
in an authentic narrative. 
Between this audience and the following one for the purpose 
of taking leave, several messages and conversations took place 
between general Macdowal and the Adigar on political topics. 
The greatest precaution was employed by the Candians to pre- 
vent any intercourse between those of our escort, particularly 
the Malays and Malabars, and those in the king’s service. 
Our soldiers who attended the general to the court were pre- 
vented by every possible means from conversing with the na- 
tives. In spite of these precautions, however, several pieces 
of information were procured which may be turned to advan- 
tage hereafter. Several Malays in the king’s service found 
an opportunity of expressing their sorrow at not having it in 
their power to return to Columbo with their old companions. 
Most of those Malays had been slaves to the Dutch, and had 
on account of ill treatment made their escape to the Candian 
territories. They would have gladly returned to their former 
masters, and submitted to any punishment for their desertion, 
rather than live in continual apprehension from the caprices of 
despotic and barbarous court. 
/ 
