CANDY, a town of Asia, and capital of a kingdom of the same name, in the island of Ceylon. It has been often burnt by the Portuguese, when they were masters of these coasts. It is situated in E. Long. 79. 12. N. Lat. 7. 35.
We have the following description of Candy by Mr Percival, whom we have already quoted, and who attended an embassy to the king.
"In the district of Tatanour lies Candy, the royal residence and the capital of the native prince's dominions. It is situated at the distance of 80 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 Candians 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 state, and the constant annoyance of the enemy sheltered behind them, would prove an enterprise of time and difficulty. These hedge-rows form the chief fortifications of Candy. The Malivagonga also nearly surrounds the hill on which it stands: that river is here broad, rocky, and rapid; a very strict guard is kept on it, and every one who passes or repasses is closely watched and examined.
"The city itself is a poor miserable-looking place, surrounded by a mud wall of no strength whatever. It has been several times burnt by Europeans, and was once deserted by the king, who retired to a more inaccessible part of his dominions. It is upon occasion of the embassy of General Macdowal, that any information concerning the present state of Candy has been obtained; and even then it could be little more than guessed at, as the ambassador and his suite were admitted only by torch-light, and always retired before break of day. From what could then be observed, the city consists of a long straggling street built on the declivity of a hill; the houses mean and low, but with their foundations raised in such a manner above the level of the street that they appear quite lofty to passers. The reason of this extraordinary taste is to enable the king to hold his assemblies of the people and to have his elephant and buffalo fights in the street, without interfering with the houses. When the king passes along the street, none of the inhabitants are allowed to appear before their houses, or the paths on a level with them, as that would be attended with the heinous indecorum of placing a subject higher than the prince descended of the sun.
"At the upper end of this street, stands the palace, a poor mansion for the abode of a king. It is surrounded with high stone walls, and consists of two squares, one within the other. In the inner of these are the royal apartments, and it is there that the court is held and audiences given. The exterior of the palace and the rest of the city could be but very partially observed by those who attended General Macdowal, owing to the pressure of the crowd, and the dazzling glare of the torches. By every account indeed which I have heard, Candy contains nothing worthy of notice, and from the want of either wealth or industry among the inhabitants, it is not indeed to be expected that any thing could be met with in this straggling village to attract the attention of the traveller."