THE ISLAND OF CEYLON. 
1 ? 
and entirely of mercantile habits, they could not extend their 
views to distant advantages; and if they could accumulate a 
fortune by acts of extortion on the natives, they little regarded 
how prejudicial such conduct might prove to the future in- 
terests of their country. 
The renewed oppressions of the Dutch was the constant 
signal for the renewal of hostilities between them and the na- 
tives. A long course of warfare rendered the Ceylonese both 
brave and dexterous. The Dutch were frequently repulsed 
even in close combat; several of their forts were taken; and 
whenever they attempted to penetrate into the interior parts 
of the island, they seldom failed to lose large parties of their 
men in attempting to force the woods and defiles, or by the am- 
bushes with which their vigilant and active enemy every where 
surrounded them. But European discipline; and Dutch per- 
severance, frequently surmounted all these difficulties. The 
king of Candy saw those woods, which lie looked upon as im- 
penetrable barriers, burst through ; and the Dutch soldiers ap- 
peared in those vallies, where indeed there were no fortifications, 
as their native possessors never supposed they could have been 
approached by a foe. The king was twice driven from his 
capital of Candy, and forced to seek for refuge in the moun- 
tains of Digliggy, the highest and most impenetrable in his 
kingdom. Here, however, he found himself secure from the 
pursuit of the enemy, and contented himself with surprising 
and cutting off their convoys of provisions and stores sent up 
from the coast, till they should of their own accord abandon 
D 
