into the fort, and had nearly .entered; before the Dutch • were
aware of. it. They were found by hs in a state of. the must
infamous disorder and drunkenness; no discipline,“ no ohedieppe,
no spirit. They now began
against the governor, accusing him as the authoijjjjof^that disgrace
which their o,wn conduct h a d ,,bought; upqri} th em ; and.
seemed, m a tumultuous crowd; determined to; display a desperate
courage when it wasr now toO) latef - iThe. Malay. tippps,
alone kept up any appearance Ofndiscipline. Even ,|fiey, how- •
ever, were led away by r th e ; contagious;' example.> of,, the: r e s t;
and several,of them in concert with the |aenbin party ampng5
the Dutch, attacked the governor’s kpuSe, and fired ipto if,
with an intent to kill him; crying aloud .that he had betrayed,,
them and sold them,to the English* Npr was it without mu<%
difficulty that these mutineers were compelled to evacuate,the
fort, and ground their arms.
I t was grateful' to the heart of a" Briton to behold- thg^tea-.
dy conduct and excellent discipline of, pur, troops oq ^ ium i>
casion, when contrasted with the riotous, and shameful conduct]
of the Dutch soldiers. An officer, who; was . jftfe
sured me tliat the Dutch soldiers went so-far as §ven to Strike,
at our men with their musquets, calling them insulting „and
opprobrious names, and even spitting; upon; then!
ed / This ibehaviour : entirely corresponded with;their . former
cowardice, -and was equally .despised by: our ^.qoqntrymen. I
have often’ since Conversed on the subject with the 'Malay officers;
who seemed to,* have embraced entirely' tlie same sentiments
with'iegard fo it. They were all highly; disgusted with
the pusillanimous conduct of the Dutch, particularly inj .tlje
affair a t the Grand Pass, where they left them without any
assistance to fight by themselves. Their contempt for their
former masters, and their admiration of th # valour of our
troops, has served to < render the Malays our most sincere
friends, and they are now. formed into- a steady and well-disciplined
regiment in the British services.“
*;^hese:Jaet§i. with regard to, ;the easy capture of Ceylon* tend
to .throw the severest, reflections on^fh,es Dutch garrison 'there;
but b y 1 no means-Serves to show that the. enterprise on our
part was not- attended; with.-the greatest. danger., j The opposr-
tion - of eveni adyeryisfnall body of* mem must> have.- occasioned
much difficulty and doss ;to us, however great, general Stewart’s
military talents, ;and however ’ brdve the' ‘troopsi he. commanded*
Nature, indeed,/- seems to havfecddne r every thing in her power
to secure the approaches to Columho on this side.-