CANDY, a kingdom of Ceylon, which occupies the central parts of the island. It is mountainous in its surface; is watered by several small lakes, some rivers of considerable size, and torrents pouring down the ravines. Owing to the damps and noxious exhalations which prevail, the air is extremely adverse to the constitutions of Europeans. The inhabitants are native Cingalese, who have attained to a certain degree of civilization. They manufacture a coarse soft sort of paper from the bark of trees; and make gold chains, rings, and other ornaments. They also paint bows and arrows neatly, and give them a high varnish. The Candians were governed by a despotic monarch; and within the recesses of their impenetrable country they generally set at defiance the Europeans, with whom they [7:6:79]were frequently at war. Their plan of defence was to cut down trees across the narrow defiles which led to their country, to harass the enemy’s flank, to cut ofl’all the stragglers, and, finally, to trust that the deleterious effect of the climate would destroy those whom the sword had spared. The Dutch, with 8000 men, gained possession of their capital, from which, after maintaining themselves in it for nine months, they retreated with great loss, only a small portion of their force reaching the coast. The English having expelled the Dutch from Ceylon, were in 1802 engaged in hostilities with the king of Candy, and occupied his capital with an army, which, being gradually diminished to an inconsiderable detachment, the town was invested by the Candians, and .was surrendered by Major Davie, on condition of being allowed to march to Trincomalee. Contrary to this treaty, the troops, being artfully deprived of their arms, were, along with the sick and wounded, cruelly massacred in cold blood; and Major Davie was detained in captivity, where he died. The capital was again taken possession of by the British in 1815; the sovereign, who had rendered himself odious by his bloody excesses, was deposed from his throne; and the kingdom of Candy annexed to the British dominions.

Candy, the capital of the above kingdom, is situated near the river Mahavilla-Gonga, in a plain, amid mountains covered with wood. It consists of one principal street, with many lanes branching off. Some of the houses are tiled and white-washed, though they are in general poor and mean, being chiefly built of mud, and thatched with straw and leaves. The only buildings of any importance which the town contains are temples dedicated to Boodh. The royal palace consists of two squares, one within the other, the interior containing the royal apartments. It is built of white cement, and has numerous chambers grotesquely painted, the walls of some of them being covered with pier glasses. In the great hall the king was wont to give audience on a throne covered with pure gold, studded with precious stones, and of beautiful workmanship. It is 103 miles from Colombo, and 142 from Trincomalee. Long. 80. 47. E. Lat. 7. 23. N.

Candy, or Sugar Candy, a preparation of sugar made by melting and crystallizing it six or seven times over, to render it hard or transparent. It is of three kinds, white, yellow, and red. The white comes from the loaf-sugar, the yellow from the casonado, and the red from the muscovado.