40 
THE ISLAND OF CEYLON. 
encircles the territories of the king of Candy. Owing to the 
richness of the country around Columbo, and its size and po- 
pulation, that city has always been accounted the capital of the 
European dominions in the island ; although in regard to all 
advantages to be derived from it with regard to foreign com- 
merce, Trincomalee is unquestionably of much superior im- 
portance. 
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 1 visited. 
It was at Trincomalee I first touched the shores 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 179*5 sent for this 
purpose from Madras. The force under him consisted of the 
72d regiment, the flank companies of the 71st 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 dis- 
tance of two miles from the fort, to which he afterwards laid 
regular siege. The climate, the nature of the ground, and the 
