58 $ 
JOURNAL OF THE EMBASSY 
set up at proper distances. It was well-known that a far 
easier road than that pointed out to us was known to the 
Adigar. Had we taken a direction either more to the west 
or to the south, as the Dutch were accustomed to do, we 
should have escaped many of those inconveniences to which we 
were daily subjected. The minister seemed indeed to have 
pitched upon the most difficult and intricate paths for us, in 
order that we might suffer the more in our march. The cir- 
cumspection with which we were constantly watched, shewed 
how little confidence the Candians reposed in the good faith 
of Europeans. At the distance of two or three miles from 
our encampment lay a large body of the king’s troops, con- 
sisting, as we were informed, of seven thousand men with 
some elephants. This body we never saw, as they kept a 
few miles a-head of us the whole way, and were cautious 
always to remain just out of our view. None of our 
officers were allowed to approach them, or to have an op- 
portunity of observing their numbers. I attempted to 
ascertain how far report had been correct in this point; 
but although I contrived to pass several of their parties 
unmolested, I was forced to return without having effected 
my object as prudence forbade me to venture farther alone 
against their inclinations. Beside the regular troops, the 
whole inhabitants of this part of the country were assembled 
in arms, and lay in every direction around us. Some of 
them often came among us ; and whenever any of us 
walked out from our encampment, we seldom failed to 
