234 
THE ISLAND OF CEYLON. 
guage signifying a mountain, and udda the greatest or 
highest. 
This province of Conde Udda is even more inacessible 
than the others, and forms as it were a separate kingdom 
of itself. On every side it is surrounded by lofty moun- 
tains covered with wood, and the paths by which it is 
entered seem little more than the tracts of wild beasts. 
Guards are stationed all around to prevent both entrance 
and escape ; for defence they might seem entirely super- 
fluous, did we not recollect that the perseverance of the 
Dutch overcame all these obstacles, and forced a way into 
the very centre of this natural fortification. 
In the district of Tattanour lies Candy the royal resi- 
dence and the capital of the native prince’s dominions. It 
is situated at the distance of eighty miles from Columbo, 
and twice as far from Trincomalee, in the midst of lofty 
and steep hills covered with thick jungle. The narrow and 
difficult passes by which it is approached are intersected 
with thick hedges of thorn ; and hedges of the same sort 
are drawn round the hills in the vicinity of Candy like 
lines of circumvallation. Through them the only passage 
is by gates of the same thorny materials, so contrived as 
to be drawn up and let down by ropes. When the Can- 
dians are obliged to retreat within these barriers, they cut 
the ropes, and then it is impossible to force a passage 
except by burning down the gates, which from their green 
