TO THE COURT OF CANDY. 
363 
forward, and marched about three miles further to Apolipitti, 
a small plain surrounded with very high lulls. We had 
scarcely pitched our tents when torrents of rain began to 
descend, accompanied by the loudest and most awful peals 
of thunder that imagination can conceive, while the vivid 
Hashes of lightning succeeded each other so rapidly that 
the firmament seemed to flame in every direction. This 
alarming uproar of the elements lasted for upwards of 
three hours; but although several tents were struck, pro- 
videntially no lives were lost, nor indeed was the least in- 
jury done to any of our troops. 
23d. The General ordered the whole body of pioneers 
and Lascars, accompanied by a company of Europeans and 
one of Sepoys and Malays, to set about making a road 
in our front for the artillery, as the paths through which 
our march lay, besides being exceedingly narrow, was 
so full of precipices and ravines, that without smoothing 
the one, and filling up the other, it was absolutely im- 
possible to proceed. The Adigar, on seeing the men at 
work for this purpose, sent to the General to express his 
disapprobation of this measure ; and remonstrated against 
any of his master’s territory being infringed upon in the 
slightest degree, though he knew that we must either re- 
pair the road, or give up our intention of proceeding 
further. Every thing indeed shewed that this minister was 
by no means much inclined to shew us any favour The 
whole tract which it was intended we should pursue m om 
progress to Candy, was marked out by twigs and bushes 
3 D 
