the royal ptèseiice altöge'thëï' corresponds with rthe-greatrlcss of
'ööö®iöa.; -Thë ’f£KH$b^dig^&- prime minister is the- only
person WhèJ IS permitted to stand in the royal presence ■ and
even he is obliged to be borne steps lower than his Majesty,
as öö one dares be on a level with Hinr who is descended
from the sun, as all the kings of Ceylon are supposed to 'be.
The business of state is transacted-between the King and the
Adigar in low whispers, so as1 hot to be pverheard'bÿ any one
présent] and any. message. ' from his Majesty, fe ; thé: Mothers, is
Conveyed in the same manner by the Adigar.. :
This extreme caution to prevent the'smallest appearance of
equalization with - royalty is not confined alone to the court,
and to those Who approach his person! Restraining edicts for
the same purpose ■ are attached - to indilffiei^tcJfeii^;>ti*0i^ï0ü|:
the Mhgdéin. ?Mö~ö»ê, for instance, is allowed, to,'whiten thfr
walls of his house, or to cover the . roof with tiles, as these ; are
privileges, reserved t exclusively -!to thc^inonarch. In ■ writing a
letter and folding it up, no óhè is allowed to adopt the method
peculiar to his Majesty.
This very excess of respect, which seems calculated to raise
him so high above all fiis Subjects, has the- effect of greatly
diminishing his personal power.: As the Adigar is the only, organ
of lii's will, and almost the only one: who has any access to 'his
person, th at minister has evidently the power of issuing what
mandates he pleases, and preventing any complaints from reaching
the throne. Thé. present Adigar is a man of great connexions
and intrigue, and in addition to the usual power attached to.
his office, he has also the merit of having raised .the reigning
sovereign to thé throne. From these circumstances th e . minister
éhgfo'ssés the whole government of the kingdom, _ while thé:
princè has little more left him than the name of royalty.
Mfigd<s**i of > C^ndy^Jha»sr « ^ i t e d :upcm it, all th e evils
|p f^m iab ^§ llu t^ ^0 n arq h y : the lqwer orders are . oppressed by
th« an d vtheseui^ihek torn; a re fleeced by the
»yereigb! uiMft -Knaxr.gmes4a.,terribcl£«/pktuE©do£ £hr idyranny
edWdisod 1$ the prince- who «eignedMqriwgihissi^ptivity^,'but,>
W.hethgv#om3 theifeaaMaf: a revolt which ® .experienced^ dr frte i
a'lcMngp^of ^ircnmsta®§es,f{the. kings, of iCandy.sihoeVhis tim#
have :jnare -miidHess towards*
' their sitbiee|s. • ^ ®he A fear who , rare always
fehd^9fenl^©#llW<;io .^Cthe Assistance-d£. <£he rebellion»., , ha.»
no doubt contributed greatly f a : prevent the, exeesSes.tqfarbri
tr ary $ goydrnment. The ;; present, > king- is .by farj the, mildpt
prih0fe-itha* has «vhr" hitherto:. ovmu thei-Canrhans: Me
appear« to* fee | attpdhedto us, although the Adigar k said
^ Cwath ^jealous; eyste ft
- The -I^ingS'bf Candy cafifeiets to be the -greatest ftri®de»;in:,the
and e^Isadotirs,; by tfa© st&tte he maintains to
#afce - good Ms/ipreteh^ohs. ' ' He is the ponly prinpe iin India,
m’^ -'as th© Cdhdians teP y n tt, in the #hole worid, who wears
d'-drOwuc ■/
v ;Wheh ;the.'%i»g dppfar§iin^phUc, he Is always attended frith
what in- the eyes of a: Candiatt appears magnificence^ .although to
.to ;:Mde®peaht;it may A n Scarcely. vdesei^ring -that’: name/ He
iseWbm-‘makes5! biteu©fo.i a hone, or tefephant, ^fout is . geqeraily
■carried in a palankeen.: - A number of his guards .and persons
of th e1 -first■rank always iaecqnaip&ny h im w h ile iy profusion .of
■flags and'streamers pfewhife callqo mr C'loth/rhre c^rrisd before
*the procession. In these ' are painted mr. wove! of a red. colour
figures .o f t h e suni :df elephants, »-tigers, ydragbns,. and many
other hideous creatures,. The- richest - of them, however, thoygh
m m 2