THE ISLAND OF CEYLON, 
1(3 
destroyed their villages ; yet the hardships which they encoun- 
tered in forcing their way through a country covered with wood, 
and every where full of defiles, destroyed so many of their 
troops, that all their successes were too dearly purchased ; and 
in the end, they were always obliged to abandon their conquests 
with great loss. The incursions of the natives, on the other 
hand, into their cultivated possessions on the coasts, although 
momentary, and in general easily repulsed, frequently destroyed 
the labours of years. These considerations induced several of 
the Dutch governors to attempt the restoration of tranquillity, 
rather by conciliating the natives, than by ineffectual struggles 
with them. For this purpose they sent ambassadors to them, 
with a variety of rich presents, and with instructions to gra- 
tify the Candian king by all those attentions and tokens of 
respect which have so great an effect on uncivilized minds. 
Their letters to him were vTapped up in silks embroidered 
with gold and silver, and their embassador carried them all 
the way on his head, the highest token of respect known in 
that country. In these letters, the king was dignified with all 
those high-sounding titles which are usually conferred upon an 
eastern monarch ; while the Dutch subscribed themselves his 
humble and loyal subjects, repeating their former assurances 
that their only motive for building fortresses was the security 
of his Majesty’s dominions. These conciliatory measures never 
failed to have considerable effect; but few of the Dutch go- 
vernors were either sufficiently enlightened or disinterested to 
persevere in them. As they were usually men of no education 
