The king of Candy is the sole proprietor of all the territories occupied by his own subjects, who live in a state of the most abject dependence: and the fear of punishment is the only principle which secures their allegiance. They are all poor, possessing only the mere necessaries of life. Their huts are mean, and destitute of furniture. They have, however, arrived at a considerable degree of perfection in agriculture: but have made only a small progress in the art of numeration. Whatever wealth the nation possesses is concentrated in the crown, and a small number of courtiers.

The government is pure despotism, and the king is invested with the power of condemning his subjects to death without trial. The neglect of any royal edict as soon as detected is immediately punished by the execution of the offender; and such acts of tyranny are far from being un

common.

The monarchy, however, is elective: but by the laws of the country, the sovereign must be chosen from a race of Malabars, who are not the original natives of the island. The electors consist of a small number of noblemen, who are the only courtiers, as well as the governors of provinces. The king is looked up to as an idol, before whom the courtiers prostrate themselves on the ground; and while performing to him acts of the most abject adulation, rule his subjects with arbitrary sway under the mask of the royal authority.

These courtiers, or public ministers, are acute, distrust

ful, and prone to duplicity. In the transaction of business, they are, in the highest degree, dilatory, delighting in procrastination, and bigoted to tedious customs and punctilious forms. In the depth of political finesse, they are even a match for Gallic subtilty.

From the circumstance of the monarchy being elective, and the line of choice not being distinctly marked, the country is agitated by constant factions, conspiracies, and rebellions: and the court is inflamed by jealousies, rivalship, and discord.

For some centuries past, little intercourse has subsisted between the Candians and Europeans. Even in time of peace a Candian rarely approaches any of the British settlements. The little trade which the Candians carry on with other nations, is either transacted within their own territories or on the frontiers. This reserve proceeds from the policy of the government, which, having often suffered from the aggressions of other powers, now wishes its subjects to remain peacefully employed at home. The only persons privileged to go abroad are the priests. of Buddha, who wander, unchallenged, at all times, over all parts of the island; and, during war, serve both parties as spies.

The Candians are independent of foreign commerce, and import little besides cotton cloths of the finer sorts. Their own country produces every thing that is necessary for their subsistence; and salt is found so near to their frontiers, that

no hostile power has yet been able to prevent them from being plentifully supplied.

"This place of Leawava," says Knox, meaning the natural salt pans of Magam, "is so contrived by the providence of the Almighty Creator, that neither the Portugueze nor Dutch in all the time of their wars could ever prevent this people from having the benefit of this salt, which is the principal thing that they esteem in time of trouble or war; and most of them do keep by them a store of salt against such times. It is, as I have heard, environed with hills on the land side, and by sea not convenient for ships to ride; and very sickly, which they do impute to the power of a great God, who dwelleth near by in a town they call Cotteragom, standing in the road, to whom all that go to fetch salt both small and great must give an offering."

They pride themselves on having maintained the independence of their country from time immemorial; and, although in a condition not better than slaves, exult in a species of barbarous liberty. The great men wear an aspect of confidence and cheerfulness; and appear more at ease in the company of Europeans than the timid Cingalese. What Knox wrote upwards of one hundred and twenty years ago, concerning the manners of this people, carries with it the stamp of truth, in almost every instance which has come under the observation of later travellers. An extensive knowledge of the world is not to be found amongst Eastern