TO THE COURT OF CANDY. 
389 
in such a manner, that three sides of the grove were en- 
compassed by water, while the fourth was enclosed by thick 
hedges of bamboes and betel trees. This extensive cocoa- 
tree garden lies immediately under very steep and lofty hills, 
which command a most romantic view of the surrounding 
country. It forms part of the King’s own domains, and is 
the place where his elephants were usually kept and 
trained. 
Hitherto the river was navigable by our boats, and enabled 
us to have a large proportion of our stores and provisions 
conveyed by water, as it run in such a direct line with our 
march that we encamped close to its banks. From Ruanelli 
up to Candy it is shallows rocky, and much narrower, so 
that boats cannot proceed along it without great difficulty, 
and those only the small canoes of the natives. From Rua- 
nelli to Col umbo, tlie distance by water is about sixty miles; 
and such was the rapidity of the current occasioned by the 
dreadfully lieavy falls of rain which happened during our 
stay here, that a boat could go down to Columbo in eight 
hours,, and for most part of the way, the only exertion re- 
quired of the boatmen was to keep clear of the rocks, 
stumps of trees, and sand-banks, which happened to obstruct 
their course; wdiile in returning to Ruanelli, it usually took nine 
or ten days of excessive labour. The facility of the convey- 
ance from hence to Columbo by water proved afterwards of 
the highest utility, on account of our sick ; as several of our 
