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i;f

THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES

TWO HAPPY YEAES

IN CEYLON

: ;

CEYLON.
'

And we came
Tlieir breath

to the Isle of Flowers

met us out on the

seas,

For the Spring and the Middle Summer

Sat each on the lap of the breeze

And the red passion-tiower to

And the dark-blue clematis,

the

cliffs,

clung

And, starred with myriad blossoms.

The long convolvulus

huni?."

-e^

TWO HAPPY YEARS

CEYLON

IN

BY
C.

F.

GORDON CUMMIXG
AUTHOR OF

'AT HOME IN

FIJI,"

"A LADY'S CRUISE IN A FRENCH JILAN-OF-WAR,"

THE SANDWICH ISLF5,'

THE HIMALAYAS AND ON INDIAN PLAINS,'

FIRE FOUNTAINS OF

GRANITE CRAGS OF CALIFORNIA,'

'

IN

'

IN

THE HEBRIDES,' VIA CORNWALL TO EGYPT,'

WANDERINGS IN CHINA
'

'

'

ILLUSTRATED BY THE AUTHOR

IN

TWO VOLUMES
VOL. IL

NEW YORK
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS
743 & 745 BROADWAY
MDCCCXCII

All Rights reserved

^ est:

CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME.

riCAP.

XIV.

XV.
XVI.
XVII.
XVIII.

XIX.

RATNAPURA

GEMS,

BADULLA AND HAPUTALE,

23

SOME PAGES FROM A BROTHER'S DIARY,

56

BATTICALOA,

76

rOLLANARUWA,
TRINCOMALEE

107

SAAMI

ROCK,

XX. TRINCOMALEE TO GALLE,

XXI.
XXII.
XXIII.

16.3

SOUTHERN COAST,

192

RETURN TO COLOMBO,

227

NATIVE POLICE,

243

XXIV. IN

THE PLANTING DISTRICTS,

XXV. ASCENT OF ADAm's PEAK,

XXVL THE TUG OF WAR

272

310

THE BATTLE OF DIVERSE CREEDS

346

IN CEYLON,
XXVII.

140

CHRISTIAN WORK IN CEYLON,

389

INDEX,

431

tl^

000-1

ILLUSTRATIONS TO THE SECOND VOLUME.

SHRINE ON THE SUMMIT OF ADAM

SHADOW OP THE PEAK,

PEAK, AND THE

THE GAL-VIHARA, HOCK TEMPLE AT POLLONARUA,

THE WATA DAGE OR ROUND TREASURE-HOUSE,

THE JETAWANARAMA VIHARA AND KIRI DAGOBA,

THE SAAMI ROCK AT TRINCOMALEE
SUNSET,

WORSHIP

THE LILY SHORE NEAR TRINCOMALEE,

Ffontispiece.

to

face pCigC 106

ii

116

ii

120

AT

.11

142

ii

160

196

COFFEE FIELDS ON THE SLOPES OF ALLEGALLA PEAK,

ii

276

Adam's peak, from maskelya,

324

DOUBLE CANOES,

TWO HAPPY YEAES IN CEYLON.

CHAPTER
RATNAPUEA
To

XIY.
GE]\IS.

The City of Rubies Adam's Peak apparently triple

Full moon festivalFireflies and glow-wormsVisit
to the gem-pits Red sapphires and blue rubies Other gems.
Ratnapiirn,

Rest-house8

T'lE Bishop most kindly arranged that I should

him and

his daughter

visitation, riding

on one

of

accompany

his extensive rounds of

and driving circuitously right across Ceylon

the journey from Colombo on the west coast, to Batticaloa

on the east
lincc

of the Isle, to

occupy a month

inland throuffh the district of

thence travel-

Tamankadua

to visit the

ruins of the ancient city of Pollanarua, and so vid Trincomalee

to Jaffna, in the

We

extreme north

of the isle.

accordingly started from Colombo in the beginning of

August, following the course of the beautiful Kelaui Eiver

right inland,

i.e.,

due

east, halting the first

and the next at Avissawella,

river scenery,

varied foliage
VOL.

II.

all

night at Hauwella,

the time rejoicing in lovely

embowered in most luxuriant and infinitely

all manner of palms, feathery bamboos with
A

RATNAPURA

line trees, witli tlie richest

under-

bananas, ferns, caladiuni, and innumeraUe

Ijeauti-

velluw steins, and

bri^lit

rrrowtli of

GEMS.

ful plants.

One

fairy-like

detail

was the abundance

places literally

of exquisitely

which

delicate climbing ferns, of several varieties,

in

some

mat the jungle and veil tall trees with their

One of these is identical with that whose

graceful drapery.

beauty
it

the

so fully recognised

is

Wa

wreathed

Kalou,
it

by the Fijians that they

" the fern of

call

God," and in heathen days

around the ridge-pole of their temples.

In Ceylon

it is

cut wholesale, and laid as a covering over

thatch, its long, glossy, black stems, like coarse horse-hair,

actin" as rain-conductors.

Near Avissawella

I sketched a

very peculiar covered bridge, with wooden pillars supporting

a hi"h thatched roof,

which was thus protected.

Our route lay thence south-east to Eatnapura, skirting

Adam's Peak that we obtained a suc-

so near the base of

cession of grand views of

it

towering above white clouds

beyond the nearer wooded ranges.

As

seen from this side,

a f^roup of three stately peaks tower so conspicuously above

all their

triple

blue brethren, that they seem to form one majestic

mountain, and one of these peaks,

Samanala,

or "

what

hiirher

Holy

Foot).^

nephew

" of the

known

as the

Baua

Sacred Mount, appears some-

than the true Sri Pada (the mountain of the

grand view of this group

is

obtained from

below a wooden bridge at Eatnapura, looking up the Kalu-

Ganga

or Black

Eiver, the whole framed in

whose stems and boughs are covered with

dark

trees,

parasitic ferns.

Picturesque groups of natives of divers nationality, in bright

draperies and with

gaily-coloured

umbrellas or palm-leaf

sunshades, crossing the bridge, add

See chapter

.\xv.

life to

the scene.

All

A SKETCHERS UNCERTAINTIES.
arouud are abrupt rocks, high peaks, and

forest.

small fort on

Kandyau

with

hills clothed

rocky hillock

village at its base during the

protected

wars, and

is

the

now

pleasant spot from which to watch a peaceful sunset.

(After leaving Eatnapura,

direction, these three

still

driving in a south-easterly

now more

peaks,

distant,

tower to a

greater and apparently uniform height, with fewer inter-

For the benefit of future sketchers,

vening ranges.

mention that they are seen

mile-post, with a

57^

surrounded

to

may

great advantage from the

foreground of luxuriant rice- fields

with clumps of

bamboo and

all

manner

of

palms.)

Here, as in

sified

rise

by

mountainous countries, one's enjoyment

all

of these glimpses

the upper regions

of

when

perhaps inten-

After watching a glorious sun-

their uncertainty.

or sunset,

is

these lofty

summits are

glorified

by

the flood of golden light, or one of those clear mornings

when

every crag and ravine can be plainly discerned, you

turn away for a

is

little

while,

and when you look

again, there

nothing whatever to suggest the existence of a mountain

So he who would

only quiet banks of fleecy clouds.

sketch such scenes must have his materials ever at hand,

and take

We

for his motto,

found

all

fully situated,

comparatively

"Eeady, aye ready."

the rest-houses along this route delight-

and commanding such views that there was

little

temptation to leave

during the hottest hours of the day.

before
at

me

their cool

As

I write, I

shade

have

sketches of the Kalu-Ganga from the rest-house

Eatnapura, of the Kelaui-Ganga from Hanwella Fort,

and many another suggestion

dreamy

shores,

where

visions of delight.

of cloud-reflecting rivers aiid

foliage of all loveliest forms blend in

RATNAPURA

These rest-houses
are kept

up

all

accommodation of

the

for

GEMS.
travellers

along the principal roads, under the occa-

sional supervision of a committee of the gentlemen in charge

of

They

the district roads.

are each in charge of a native,

The furnishings

with one or more coolies to assist him.

consist of table, chairs, crockery, knives, forks, spoons,

and

very rude bedsteads, every traveller being supposed to carry

his

own bedding and

ding,

it is

"Where there

musquito-nets.

bed-

is

essential to turn over the cushions and anything

of the nature of a mattress, as being only too likely to con-

ceal centipedes

and scorpions

possibly snakes.

The

rest-

house keeper provides food, but of course in unfrequented

districts

when

it

is

guests

only

may

fair to

according to a fixed

On

him have
Each

let

be expected.

notice beforehand
detail

is

charged

tariff.

the principal roads some of these houses are quite

luxurious, but in out-of-the-way districts

which were very much the

reverse.

we halted at some
Some of the road

bungalows yield shelter and nothing more

for

instance,

that at Aralupitya, on the Batticaloa road, which consisted

of

two minute rooms of sun-dried

on each side

of the

mud

(whitewashed), one

open space which acted as dining-room.

Happily the projecting thatch, supported on rude wooden

posts,

afforded

some

from

shelter

course such houses are liable

creatures,

and
is

to

the

blazing

sun.

be inhabited by

more objectionable than even swarms

of

Of

many
flies,

their natural spider foes, while the high-pitched thatch

invariably the

from graceful

home

of

a menagerie of divers reptiles,

little lizards to

large and energetic rat-snakes,

which are the true rat-catchers of Ceylon.

The verandahs

of even the best rest-houses are invariably haunted

dogs and carrion crows,

all

by pariah

too familiar, and all seeking

what

HIDEOUS MASKS.

An

they ma}' devour.

aiiibulam

is

a rude rest-house for

native travellers, raised eight or ten feet on a foundation

masonry, so as to be above the miasma which always

of

clings to the ground.

However,

need not have digressed into the matter

of

we were

so

rest-houses while speaking of Eatnapura, where

speedily carried off to the charming

family (Mrs. Atherton).

cess,

home

of a

most kind

very pretty Singhalese prin-

Kumarahami Eckmalagoda, came with her

father,

Eckneligoda, to luncheon, and to invite us to their house

for the

evening

namely, the Perehera, or proces-

festivities,

sion iu honour of the

August

full

These continue every evening

moon.

fur a

week.

described the festival as observed at Kandy,^

I have already

when

the trea-

sures from all the temples are carried to the river, and at an

auspicious

moment

the priests cut the water with golden

swords, and rapidly

empty and

refill

their

temple water-

vessel at the very spot thus struck.

At Eatnapura

the ceremony was very weird.

First there

was a rather pretty dance by a company of women.

These

were quickly succeeded by a very horrible apparition

men

dressed to

masks suggestive

demons

represent

and wearing

of divers diseases.

It is

odd

of

hideous

to see

the

conventional expression by which every variety of bodily

ailment

is

depicted

fever

by a red

face,

deafness by a

vacant look, lameness or paralysis by twisted

by

distorted features, projecting eyes,

faces, idiotcy

and mouth drawn

The masquers who thus personated the powers

each carried a three-pronged flaming torch,

up.

of evil

which they

brandished while dancing a wild whirling dance, occasionally refreshing the torches
^

by throwing on them a resinous

See chapter

x.

RATNAPURA

GEMS.
The

gum, wliich produced a burst of flame and smoke.

whole scene was truly demoniacal.
After the dance

we adjourned

Saami house

to the temple,

a house of

Dewale

or

a small

Buddhist Vihara alongside.

{i.e.,

Hindoo

which

is

gods), with

think that no priest of either religion was present, only

whom

temple headmen, of

our host, Eckneligoda, was chief.

the ]hiddhist temple a silver relic-shrine was

First from

brought forth with great pomp, carried by the temple head-

man, before whose footsteps white carpets were spread and

above the relic
sprinkled with white jessamine blossom
;

was borne

white canopy and an umbrella.

Then from the temple

nmch-venerated
brought forth.

Eama

himself

demon king
Sita,

of

of

Saman Dewiyo,

bow and

gilt

They are

have been placed here by

Lanka, who had carried

wife of Eama.

Eama, a

three arrows were solemnly

said to

he had therewith

after

alias

These precious

slain
off

relics

Eawana, the
the

beautiful

were sprinkled

with the holy M-ater preserved since the previous year, and
placed in the mysterious ark, very
in

much

like those

Arkite ceremonies in the Himalayas.

palanquin with rich hangings, about 4

It is

feet

used

really a

6 inches by

The four bearers

white, and had their

20 inches, and slung on a central pole.

who carried it were each robed in

mouth covered with a strip of white

The foremost

linen.

couple carried a large silver umbrella of honour.

of white carpet

was

also spread for these to

Each temple possesses one

is

only used on this

pilgrims start from

to reach
feast,

festival.

Colombo

Kataragam,

of these

We

strip

walk on.

sacred arks, which

had seen a party

of

some time previously, in order

far in the south-east, in

and they carried

their deo or

time for this

god in a similar ark.

MOONLIGHT PROCESSION.
having been

precious arrow

Tlie

7
started,

satisfactorily

bow was next carried downstairs with equal solemnity,

Then the
and the mystic wand of the Kapuwas followed.
the

Juggernath car was dragged out

small

rather

pretty

only 12 feet high, with a crimson body on very

object,

large gilt wheels,

and forming a three-storied square pagoda,

each storey having a white roof with bells at the corners.

Amid much blowing

headmen who
cious

devil-dancers

going before the

ark,

and

with

astounding head-masks

men on

one of which overshadowed

more

carrying

foot

another

precious

They made a sun-wise procession round the temple,

arrow.

and then,

had

horns and shouting, the pro-

carried large honorific umbrellas above pre-

objects,

umbrellas,

of

formed in the moonlight, elephants bearing

then

cession

as

it

was Saturday night and somewhat

we

late,

come away.

to

The

drive

home by

moonlight, through

vegetation

was a dream of beauty, and

marvellous loveliness,

of

the

breeze was scented with a general perfume of orange blos-

som, citron, and lime, blossoms of the areka palm, temple

flowers,
of

and jessamine, each by turn sending us a breath

delicious fragrance

and the dark

foliage

overhead and

around us was illuminated by the dainty green lanterns

of

myriads of

luminous

beetles,

Hashing to and

fro

in

mazy dance, like glittering sparks, while from many a

roadside bank came the far more brilliant, but likewise
intermittent, light wliich tells of the presence of u glow-

worm,

a fat white

the case of our

As

grub about two inches in length.

own garden

centipede, the light

is

in

more

attractive than the light-bearer.

When

captured, the light of the Ceylonese firefly proves

to be a very tiny glimmer, but that of the

glow-worm

is

so

IIATNAPURA

GEiMS.

one to read even small print by

brilliant as to enable

men have experimented

Scientific

light.

as

its

whether

to

was extinguished on the death of the creature,

and so have killed poor glow-worms, and extracted from
this light

the

tail

a gelatinous fluid so

they could read by

I

Monday

returned on

and the

ark,

highly phosphorescent that

its light,

to the

and found a great

Dewali

to sketch the car

going on, at which

fair

invested in sundry oddities.

Gem

But previously the great

Notary of Ratnapura

(owner uf three-fourths of the native town) had sent his

morning

carriage in the early

where white awnings

all

made ready

that

liad

to

we might

sit in

see the whole process of digging

ferous gravel,

and

the " illan," as

its

it is

convey us to his geui-pits,

been erected, carpets spread, and

the utmost comfort to

and washing the gemmi-

various stages of examination.

dug up, and placed

called, is

First

in wicker

baskets,

which are washed in a stream close by to get rid of

the clay

then the gravel

is

washed

in long sloping

wooden

troughs, with divisions, at intervals, of perforated zinc, with

holes of various

the smaller

sizes.

By

these

the largest and then

first

stones are kept back, so

that

only the fine

gravel passes through the last grating, thence to be transferred to the final trough for critical inspection.
It is a curious sight to see the keen, eager faces of the

^loormen (Mahommedans), to
belong, and

who

sit

whom

most

of the

gem-pits

perched on raised seats overlooking the

great troughs wherein a long row of coolies (all but naked)

are sifting
yield

some

exterior

and washing the gravel, which, perchance, may

gem, only to be recognised in its rough

priceless

by experienced

eyes,

but which a clever

would detect as quickly as his master, so that the

coolie
latter

GEM-PITS.

needs to practise keen vigilance to prevent any attempt at

concealment of treasure
for a second,

distracted

Should his attention be

trove.

some precious gem may be swal-

lowed, as the only possible means of securing

man on

duty

trough, and

sits

it.

So the

with hawk-like eyes intently fixed on the

must not even wink

till

his successor relieves

Another walks about keeping a general look-out,

guard.

just to " mak' sicker."

These Moormen, who are

in white,

fine, tall,

with high white calico hats and large sun-umbrellas,

look quite the superior race

among

and cutting gems

the

commoner

but

all really

their squad of workers,

They keep the trade

with neither clothes nor turbans.

polishing

well-built men, dressed

chiefly

of

own hands

in their

stones are intrusted to provincial lapidaries,

good gems are forwarded to the mastei"S of

the art, most of

whom

in

live

Colombo.

Unfortunately

they adhere with rigid conservatism to their primitive tools

and system
size

of cutting, so as to retain the largest possible

and weight at the

the size of Ceylon

sacrifice of brilliancy

gems

is

their value equally enhanced,

by European

No
visit,

consequently

generally greatly reduced, and

when they have been

re-cut

lapidaries.

stone of any value was found on the occasion of our

but the Gem-Notary invited us to breakfast at his

house, and there exhibited his

own

priceless collection of

sapphires of every size and shade of colour, and also showed

us the whole process of cutting and polishing.

"gemmer"

is

said

lacks of rupees.

This great

to

have amassed a fortune of twenty

He

confesses to having cleared 800,000

rupees from one alluvial mine near llatnapura

and one

of

some huge gneiss rocks from beneath which he had washed out 20,000 rupees' worth of

his relatives pointed out

RATNAPURA

10

OEMS.

sapphires, the average price in Ceylon of a good sapphire

being G a carat; hut of course a specially fine or large

stone

commands

a purely fancy price, according to

some wealthy purchaser may

" The Land
is, par excellence,

be willing' to

pay

for

what

Ceylon

it.

being

of the Sapphire," these

abundant and rubies comparatively rare, therein proving

the converse of Burmah, where the ruby is pre-eminent and

so

sapphires comparatively scarce.

Eatnapura, as
Rubies,"

implied by

is

is

abundance and value

found in
of

crags

of the precious stones

which

down from

The City

of

which have been

inaccessible

of course suggests that

all fables of

if

mountain

these only could be

gems could be obtained

reached, such wealth of

outshine

"

alluvial deposits, chiefly in the beds of clay or

its

gravel washed

line

name,

its

the centre of the district chiefly noted for the

would

as

Eastern romance.

Though gem-bearing

deposits exist in other provinces,

and many precious stones are annually collected from the

many

beds of rivers and from extemporised gem-pits in

Sabaragamuwa and some

parts of the Isle, this province of

parts

of

the

JMorawa Korale

number and the most

I believe that in

a variety of

gems

have supplied the largest

perfect gems.

no other country
as in

Ceylon

is

there found so great

in fact,

true diamonds,

emeralds, and turquoise are said to be the only absentees.

Sapphires, rubies, topazes, amethysts,

garnet,

alexandrite,

chalcedony, chrysoberyl, pleonaste, jacinth, carbuncle, dia-

mond-spar, aquamarine, cat's-eyes, moonstones, and tour-

malines are abundant, and

fortunate "

The

total

gemmer "

every

now and

again

some

picks up a treasure worth a fortune.

absence of diamonds

Golconda diamond-mines

lie so

is

singular, as the

famous

near in Southern India.

THE ISLE OF GEMS.

But Nature keeps

all

11

these treasures enfolded in such

ugly crusts that only a practised eye can ever guess which
of

all

less

the fragments of coarse gravel

gem.

cinnamon-stone,

Here and there

jealous concealment.

its

truth the pricecousin, the

first

the only exceptions

almost

are

is in

and

I think that the garnet

to this

in the forests of the

eastern and southern provinces there lie masses of gneiss

which
of

literally

gleam in the sunlight by reason

sparkling

tiny

garnets

cinnamon-stone presents

embedded

in

myriads

of

The

the rock.

the same unveiled style,

itself in

certain great rock-masses being so thickly encrusted there-

gem

with that

collectors occasionally carry off large pieces

in order to extract the cinnamon-stones at their leisure.

Very beautiful masses

the tunnels on the

of garnets

new

were found while cutting

of railway above Haputale,

line

with individual crystals about a quarter of an inch in

length,

and there too were found lumps

in colour

from a rich red

to a

of quartz ranging

milky white, and some of a

clear blue, said to prove the presence of true cobalt.

If only

Mother Earth would yield

all

her crystals ready

polished like the glittering garnet, then Ceylon would really

be a fairy Isle of

Gems

for not only

do her hidden trea-

sures include almost every recognised precious

the three I have named, but her

list

variety owing to Nature's freaks

in

ing,

to

whereby she assimilates

stone

save

acquires inconceivable
the

different

matter of colour-

stones so closely as

prove hopelessly confusing to the eye of any ordinary

mortal.

For instance, when we talk

of

think of lovely rich blue crystals

recognise as legitimate

members

sapphires,

we

and though

naturally

it is

easy to

of the family innumerable

shades ranging from the deepest invisible blue,

too

dark

RATNAPURA

12
to be

of

any ornamental use,

to the palest clear azure,

to be

becomes extremely perplexing

stals,

GEMS.
shown pure white

it

cry-

strangely resembling diamonds, and yellow crystals,

exactly like cairngorms or topazes, and to be assured that

they are

all

W.

Mr. E.

sapphires.

who

Streeter,

the

is

great authority on these matters, enumerates the colours of

Ceylon sapphires as " azure-blue, indigo, dark-red, violetblue, poppy-red, cochineal, carmine, rose-red to rose-white,

milk-white, yellow-white, French-white, lemou-yellow, and

green

"

have also seen a clouded sapphire of a greenish

opalesque colour, said to be due to water in the stone.

In

like

colour.

manner true rubies

are found of every shade of

spinel naturally suggests a lovely rose-coloured

may

gem, but here we

see sparkling bright blue spinels.

In point of commercial value the rose-tinted rubies of Ceylou

rank lower than the blood- red rubies of Burmah, and I

am

told that the Singhalese

have discovered a method of

enriching their colour by wrapping them in shell-lime and

exposing them to intense heat.

The Ceylonese

ever, is considered to excel that of

fire,

Burmah

stone,

how-

in brilliancy

and

and very valuable blood-red rubies are sometimes found.

One weighing 26

carats,

and valued

at

5000, was found at

Eatnapura in 1889.
There
I

am

one variety both of ruby and sapphire which

is

told, peculiar to

ruby and star-sapphire, both

of which,

when

skilfully cut

and polished, reveal a luminous six-raved

star of light

a blue or red ground.

gem.

do not

same cause
cat's-eye

It is a very lovely

know whether

am

on

the starry rays are due to the

as the beautiful light in the

that, I

is,

Ceylon, namely, the asteria or star-

luminous olive-green

told, is attributed to the

particles of asbestos, a theory

presence of

which seems confirmed by the

and moon-stones.

cat's-eyes

gem which

successful imitation of this

crocidolite, a

On

13

manufactured from

is

mineral closely related to asbestos.

the other hand, the Chinese succeed in so cutting a

pearly shell as to produce a very pretty so-called cat's-eye,

with a luminous internal ray.

The true

cat's-eye

peculiar to

is

Very

Ceylon.

fine

Eakwane, though

stones are often found at Eatnapura and in

the finest specimens have generally been found in the gem-

Morowa Korale

pits of

This

by the caprice

which

ing to
it

considerably farther south.

one of the gems the value of which

is

affected
to

district,

gem

holds

and

price rises

its

European

of

according

manner exasperat-

in a

falls

specially

is

fashion,

In the Oriental market, however,

speculators.

steady place, being especially

prized

by the

Malays.

In 1889 a splendid cat's-eye was found in the

trict of

coffee dis-

Dikoya, said to be the largest and most valual)le

yet discovered.

It

was picked up by a man who was un-

loading a cart of earth, and at once sold for thirty rupees.

The purchaser
secured for
carats.

it

When

resold

3000.
cut, it

700 rupees, and the next owner

for

it

In

its

uncut state

was reduced

to

170

it

weighed 475

carats,

and was

purchased for 9000 rupees by a merchant who valued

the London market at 30,000 rupees.

original stone

weighing 6i carats was sold

(The nominal value of the rupee

depreciation of silver

land

is at

its

present about

value

is

2s.,

when

600 rupees.

for

but owing to the

transmitted to Eng-

Is. 5d.)

Another lovely luminous

stone, supposed

formerly found in other countries, but now,

in Ceylon, is tlie moonstone,

suggestive of moonlight.

it for

small piece of the

which has

It

is

to
I

have been

believe, only

a soft silvery lustre

found in some places so

RATNAPURA

It

GEMS.

abimdaiitly that the supply exceeds the demand, so

it

coin-

niauds a very low price, and exceedit)g pretty ornaments in

bought

really good taste can be

The M(jrowa Korale has

specimens
in

of the Czar, in

menon

also yielded almost all the fine

whose dominions

The

covered in the far north.

light its colour

candle-light

it

is

was

it

peculiarity

is

appears to be of a vivid crimson

its

ruby

of

dis-

commercial value

is

this stone, I

is

pheno-

am

of

told

barely one-twentieth that of a

Sometimes a stone

good quality.

and oxide

attributed to the presence of copper

that

first

that by day-

a rich bronzed green, whereas by gas or

Beautiful and interesting as

lead.

very small sum.

a very lovely gem, the alexandrite, so called

of

honour

for a

is

found, and dis-

tinguished as an alexandrite cat's-eye, which by daylight

is

dark-green, with a cross line of white light.

This at

night assumes the ruby colour aforesaid.

very remarkable feature in the beautiful collection of

gems exhibited

in

Ceylon Court at the Indian and

the

Colonial Exhibition in 1886 was the extraordinary variety

of

sapphires of various colours, no less than fifty different

tints being there exhibited.

gems

of the Isle

ful care of

how

uu wonted

to

me and many

topaz,

if

every variety of colour,

blue,

it

the

all

inquisitive

disguised in

bent on a masquerade.

departing from

hue, comes out in fancy dress.

brown,

another

recognise familiar stones,

colours, as

Even the

all

Mr. Hayward, who, with unwearying courtesy,

endeavoured to teach
pupil

Beautiful specimens of

were gathered together under the watch-

Xot

its

traditional golden

with assuming

satisfied

from pale amber

to

the richest

occasionally indulges in various shades of red or

and there have been found harlequin specimens com-

bining blue and yellow in the same crystal

Occasionally

A GEM AMULET.

15

the topaz assumes a faint sea-green, so exquisitely delicate

that even experts disagree as to whether such a stone
really a precious blue topaz

which

case,

by a freak

of

or " only

is

an aquamarine," in

the gem-market,

its

value would

be greatly deteriorated.

How
I

truly absurd are these fantastic standards of value

remember one

of

my

sisters

taking a

topazes to be set by an eminent jeweller,

greatly, and,

assuming them

number of Welsh
who admired them
gave ber a large

to be Oriental,

But on her mentioning where she

had found them, and expressing regret that she had not colestimate of their value.

lected more, his countenance fell as he exclaimed, "

topazes

Oh, in that case they are worth a mere

You can understand

Welsh
"

trifle

that here, where, in addition to the

innumerable skilful frauds of the trades in

sham

siems.

Nature herself does so much to puzzle the unwary, the

purchase of precious stones
of

is

not altogether a wise form

investment for non-professional travellers.

Moormen

In

fact,

the

take very good care that these shall never even

see their really valuable stones,

which they keep securely

concealed, and like to retain as secure property.

As

regards the topaz, not only are

its

own

varieties of

colour perplexing, but there are other stones amongst which

the untutored eye finds

it

hard to distinguish.

little-prized cinnamon-stone, a crystal of a rich

brown

tint

is

the

orange-

description which also applies to the zircon

or jacinth, wliicli, however, ranges in colour

or delicate pink to fiery sparkling red.

rare,

Such

warm

and consequently highly valued.

from clear gold

The

latter are

very

Some specimens

are

The zircon is sometimes worn as

owner from evil spirits and to assure

tinged with olive-green.

an amulet to guard

its

the blessing of sound sleep.

Closely akin to

it

are the red

RATNAPURA

16

GEMS.

jacinth and the white or grey jargoon, which

known

as the Ceylon or

is

commonly

Matara diamond.

Then comes the tourmaline, a lovely sparkling gem

which, however, not being the fashion,

of

is

small value.

Scotch cairngorm, that

It is so like a yellow zircon or a

I for one despair of ever being able to distinguish one from

the other, or indeed from the clirysoberyl, though the latter

sometimes assumes an
These lead on

more

aesthetic sage-green peculiar to itself.

to chrysolites,

and

sundry other stones

to

or less precious.

gems
seems abundant, they are found to have undergone the same
process of disintegration as the rock in which they were once
In some alluvial

districts

embedded, and crumble

to

where the promise

atoms at a touch

of

so that there

are streams, such as the Manick-Ganga, or Elver of Gems,

in the south-east of the Isle, the sands of

composed

of

glittering

particles

of

which are

quartz,

literally

mica,

rubies,

sapphires, and other crystals, which, gleaming in the sunlight beneath the rippling waters,
of

some Eastern

seem

like the realisation

fable, till closer inspection

proves them to

be so thoroughly pulverised as to be literally worthless to

the gem-seeker, albeit so fascinating to the eye which can
recognise beauty apart from intrinsic value.

gem

sands are the trainers of the great

These crystal

family, for though

not destined to be themselves exalted to high estate, they

supply a polishing material of great value in the hands of

the gem-cutter.

Such
cradles

suggest that

rivers

there

somewhere near

must be abundance

coloured quartz

as

near Ratnapura, as

is

if

occasionally

of

such

scale.

rock-

lovely

rose-

found in large blocks

Nature had wished

ruby colouring on a wider

their

She

tu carry out her

certainly

must have

GEM-SEEKERS.

somewhere among the

established her favoured laboratory

great hills of

Sabaragamua, whose crumbling crags have

scattered such precious

and over

To

fragments in

every rocky ravine

these alluvial plains.

all

a race so keenly addicted to gambling as the Sing-

halese,

the possibilities

such glorious

of

reward the gem-seeker are

number

prizes

and so a very large

irresistible,

the natives adopt this profession,

of

the neglect of their fields and gardens.

up and

somewhat

to

During the dry

when

season between Christmas and Easter,

are well-nigh dried

may

as

the

streams

their gravelly beds laid bare,

hundreds of the poorer classes devote themselves

to search-

ing for such crystals as the sweeping torrents of the previous

months may have brought from many a remote mountain.

But the wealthier gem-seekers, who can

outlay, find

by sinking

it

more remunerative

such points as they judge

pits in the plains at

They

to be hopeful.
gravel, soil,

dig through layers of recently deposited

and cabook

miferous gravel, which

till

lies

they reach the

from

Eatnapura stands

the surface.

to

afford preliminary

work systematically

five to

" illan " or

twenty

feet

gembelow

the centre of a great

in

gravel-bed some thirty miles square, and

all

thus buried

but pits have been sunk in every direction by gemmers,

ancient

sunk

Of the

modern.

or

to a

depth of 80 to 100

latter,

some are now being

feet.

The cabook

is

hard

deposit of plum-pudding stone formed of water-worn pebbles

embedded
or pockets

in

hard

clay.

In this are

many

natural jewel-cases washed

currents of ancient rivers, and in these

gems have found a

resting-place.

The

ciicular hollows

out by the eddying

many

of the finest

illan is

generally

found beneath the cabook.

I

spoke of
VOL.

II.

"

preliminary outlay," but indeed this

B

is

not

IIATNAPURA

18

GEMS.

The necessary equipineut of

a few mamotees or spades,

excessive.
consists of

gemming party

a few crowbars, a

long iron sounding-rod, called " illankoora," for gauging the

illan,

dug

and a few baskets of

to a

depth of

split

When

bamboo.

they have

or six feet, should the sides

five

seem

four jungle-posts are inserted, one

likely to give way,

at

each corner, and cross-beams round the sides and centrebeams.

As

the digging goes on, this frail support

wise deepened

the gravel

till

up and washed

in the

mining, gemming

is

is

bamboo

reached, where
baskets.

of toil,

and

abandoned as

finally be

of every ten pits sunk, only

In that one, however, there

and these are called " dallam

about nine rupees,
for

any precious

stones,

and

of one per cent.,

very

much more

other

pit

may

rare.

may

involve months

useless.

It is said that

it

"

is

scarcely a basketful of

some

kind of gem,

inferior

and sold by the pound,

in the proportion

course really valuable ones are

However, even the occasional find

of a real treasure suffices to keep

up the excitement.

two years ago, quite a poor man

instance, about

at

having been minutely searched

which are found

of

scooped
all

one pays.

gravel which does not contain

after

it is

like-

As with

exceedingly speculative.

prove workable in a few days, or

is

For

tried his

luck in a gem-pit, and straightway lighted on a sapphire

of

such value that a knowing hand at once secured

it

for

600, and a few days later doubled his money by selling

it

in

in

Colombo

for

1200.

It

was expected

to fetch

3000

London.
Unfortunately,

although

some

very

poor

agricultural

labourers certainly eke out their scanty living by working

in gem-pits,

most

the poorer class

is

of the

money thus won by gemmers

said to be squandered in

of

gambling and

LEGISLATION IN REGARD TO GEMMING.

some

drinking, so that perhaps (though

ently involved)

injustice

not altogether to

is

it

19

appar-

is

be regretted

tliat

recent Government ordinances have imposed a certain check

on promiscuous digging.

Under the rule of the Kandyan kings, the right of digging for gems was a royal monopoly, and the inhabitants
of certain

were told

villages

was hereditary,

office

who superintended

also

the

The
headmen

British

rule this

purpose.

this

that

of

Under

work.

the

for

of!'

was

as

monopoly was dropped, and the gemming industry was

thrown open to all men, with the sole restriction that no
one might dig on Crown waste lands without a license.
Portions

Government land were

of

sold

at

high prices

expressly as gem-lands, and the right of private individuals

gems

to seek for

any way they pleased on

in

their

own

land was never questioned.

In 1890, however, when European companies decided

to bring

European

Gem

for gems, a

be equal to an

and

gains,

is

capital to

commence systematic mining

Ordinance was enacted, which

said

said to

is

tax of 10 per cent, on problematic

initial

have practically killed the native

to

industry and stopped

the

work

some 20,000

of

diggers.

It enacts that a license costing five rupees

must be obtained

whatever locality

in a man's

for every pit opened, in

own garden
is

and

further

sum

of

even

75 cents, per head

levied for every person taking part in the

next three months.

licensed for

may

license
fined

One

fifty

of

influx

employment
or

suffer

tlie

six

extra worker

mouths'

the chief dangers of mining

of

in the

in that pit be exceeded, the whole

be cancelled, and
rupees

work

Should the number of persons thus

water into the

pit,

is

may

be

imprisonment.

that of a sudden

necessitating

an immediate

RATNAPDRA

20

accession of lielping hands

care to risk

such

penalties

and as the formalities

GEMS.

but of course no

men would

their

neighbours,

in

lielping

to be observed in altering a license

generally involve a delay of three or four days, the

diate result of this legislation has
of a

very large number of

At

imme-

been the abandonment

pits.

present, reports concerning systematic

company being reported

1000 worth of gems in a week, while

siderably, one

expended about 5000 on sinking

pits,

to

work vary conhave recovered

another, which had

only recovered gems

worth about 400, and one gentleman who had sunk 1000
got nothing at

eyes of

all.

These not being endowed with the lynx

the Moormen, are naturally suspicious that their

gems have been

pilfered,

and regret that the regulations

of

the African diamond-fields are not introduced into Ceylon.

There, they say, a
session a

gem

for

man

while in Ceylon the

the

man who

locked up for having in his pos-

is

which he cannot account

man who

holds a

dares to suggest that

it

satisfactorily,

gem can

prosecute

has not been honestly

obtained.

Doubtless a solution

for

all

these difficulties will

be

found in course of time, and there seems every prospect

that the

gem

treasures of

Ceylon will from

developed on a more scientific system.

to

try and discover those

time be

this

The great

object

is

mountain geese which lay these

precious eggs; in other words, to find the matrix

whence

the sun and rains and rivers have extracted those speci-

mens from which we gather such suggestions concerning

that hidden treasury.

It has

been proved that in Burmah

limestone forms the matrix of the ruby, so the

be done in Ceylon

is

to

examine

all

first

thing to

the veins of limestone

along the course of the Ratnapura Eiver from

its

source in

PLUMBAGO.
the heart of the mountains.

If

21

once rubies and sapphires

can be detected in these, then the work of mining could be

begun

in real earnest, with

good prospects of remunerative

results.

Those who are interested in mineralogy find abundant

food for study in the very varied minerals thrown out of the
gem-pits, including infinitesimal atoms of gold, which,
ever, is

Mica

is

how-

not found in quantities that would pay to work.

found pretty

and iron

freely,

is

abundant

in certain

districts.

But the only mineral

much importance

of

plumbago, in which there

It is

is

a very large trade, hitherto

is

almost entirely in the hands of natives,

the plains.

Ceylon

in

who

dig for

it

in

thought probable that the companies who

go to the mountains in search of gems will there also find

the cradle of the plumbago, which they hope to work by
horizontal

tunnels

at

far

and without the

expense,

less

danger from water which attends the deep excavations in

the low country.
to a

In some of these, shafts have been sunk

depth of upwards of 200

use of pumping machinery.

feet,

It

is

ing carters, packers, and carpenters,

for

necessitating the free

estimated that, includ-

who manufacture

casks

the export of this mineral, about 24,000 persons are

employed
carried

in connection with this industry,

which

is

chiefly

on in the north-western and western provinces,

though the southern province likewise yields a

But three-fourths

of the

whole supply

is

fair

share.

dug from

pits in

the Kalutara and Kurunegala districts.

It is often

found at Eatnapura and elsewhere in large

kidney-shaped masses lying loose in the

so large

soil,

and

also forms

an ingredient in the gneiss rocks that these seem

speckled with bright

silver.

"When

this rock

decomposes,

it

RATNAPURA GEMS.

22

when newly dug

to any shape, but quickly hardens when
It is a valuable material for the manu-

resembles yellow brick, and

out, it

can be cut

exposed to the

air.

facture of firebricks, as

The annual export

it

is

so soft that,

resists the greatest heat.

of pure

plumbago from Ceylon

(chiefly

to the

United States and Europe) amounts

cwts.,

valued at about two and a half million of rupees.

Many and
best

varied are

Cumberland

its uses,

to

about 240,000

in supplying the lead for our

pencils, blacking for our stoves,

and an

important requisite in polishing steel guns and steel armour

for warships

it is

also largely used in colouring

in photographic studios, in piano

even in hat
softness

factories,

where

and smoothness

it

is

and organ

dark glass

factories,

and

used to give a peculiar

to felt hats

So what with plumbago and gems, the minerals of Ceylon

travel over a very wide range of the earth.


:;
;

23

CHAPTER XV.
BADULLA AND IIAPUTALE.
priests Belihul-Oya
Haputale PassThe
railway The Happy Valley Mission The Ella Pass Badulla
Ants and ant-eaters In Madool.'^enie Burning the forest A Roman
Catholic procession Strange compromises Forest conservancy
Chena-farming Lantana The Park Country Rugam tank.

Ratnapura to Batticaloa Festival cars Polite

A pink rainbow BacluUa Haldummulla

From Eatnapura we

travelled by easy stages to

Haldum-

mulla, halting for the nights at Pelmadulla, Belangoda, and

Belihul-Oya, passing through most beautiful scenery and

meeting

many

exiles

from the old country, to

sight of other white faces

was an unmistakable

At Pelmadulla we explored
noted

the

pleasure.

the Buddhist Yihara, and

with interest the prevalence of triple symbolism

saints sitting

on clouds, each holding three lotus blossoms

three gods looking

three fishes, &c.
significance
is

whom

down from heaven on a murder scene

To this the priests seemed to attach no

and yet in

their ordination service each question

repeated thrice, which

is

surely suggestive of

some mystic

meaning.
I sketched a great gilded festival car, tliree storeys high,

and two very odd great gilded candelabra on wheels, each

five

storeys high,

i.e.,

with

five tiers of

crystal

lamps on

;;

BADULLA AND HAPUTALE.

24

These are wheeled

gilded and painted brandies.

cession with the great idol car,

April-May

a year, at

tlie

Singhalese

New

The

which

is

which

festival,

pro-

in

only taken out once

is

that of the

Year.

round

priests gathered

watch the sketch, and

to

my

many sacred shrines which I had

many lands. They declared that
had thereby indeed acquired much merit ^ They were

attendants enlarged on the

and sketched

visited
I

in

guilty of

making such very complimentary speeches that

could not resist putting the courtesy of one friendly priest

to a cruel test

by asking whether he would be very sorry

whereupon he

craftily

if,

woman

in his next transmigration, he should be born a

answered that when that happened,

then he would be glad, which I thought a very neat answer.

But he dared not shake hands with anything

this life

In
to the

so

bad in

all

climate

this district the

growth

of tropical plants

ramparts receive and refract the

is

peculiarly favourable

for

while the great rock-

full

heat

the

of

sun's

burning rays, numerous streams rush down from the mountains,

this

keeping up an abundant supply of moisture.

warm damp atmosphere

world flourish

all

lovely things of the green

exquisite tree-ferns and wonderful creepers,

which interlace the larger

in

trees

Strange orchids find a niche on

an intricate network.

many

a bough, as do also

very brilliant fungi, purple, yellow, or red.

feature of these jungles
1

Some

are

So in

One remarkable

that one never sees a dead tree

is

more discriminating.

was one day sketching in the temple

of Tiendong, a great Buddhist monastery in China, vrhen a kindly old priest,

who had watched my work with

great interest, asked quite sadly what was

the good, and what merit could there be in

really reverence the Poossas,

derings in China," vol.

ii.

i.e.,

p. 41.

my

doing

all this, if I

the saints and their images

did not

See ""Wan-

LOVELY PINK RAINBOW.

the white ants dispose of them
districts,

where whole

and the number

2o

except in the plautation

all,

have been felled and burned,

forests

charred trees fairly beats even these

of

industrious workers, whose

huge

nests,

form such conspicuous features in the

rather castles,

or

forest.

In swampy places and along the banks of streams hereabouts

tliere

grows a peculiar sort of bamboo, very

and devoid

slim,

in order to

of all lateral branches.

and

seems to exist

supply ready-made fishing-rods.

The view from the rest-house

charming

It

tall

at Belihul-Oya is especially

the house stands on the brink of a clear rocky

stream, which rising in the grand Maha-Eliya, alias Horton

Plains, rushes

down

a deep-set valley from a grand amphi-

theatre of intensely blue hills.

name

the

of Welawe-ganga,

little

and so

lower

it

assumes

traverses the green

province of Uva.

Just before sunset the whole

Looking eastward, the sky and

scene

hills

was transformed-

were

all

flooded with

the loveliest rose-colour, the valley bathed in ethereal

while

whole was spanned by a strangely luminous

the

yellow and pink rainbow, losing

I

trees.

lilac,

itself

have never seen anything

in a

mass

of

else in the least

dark
like

that fairy archway.

Brilliant

many

We
till

dragonflies

skimmed

green

saw strange

they flew away,

;

crests

On

pure

scarlet, others

emerald-

splendid butterflies floated joyously in the sunshine.

also

alive

some

over the surface of that bright stream, and

leaf-insects, so like green leaves, that,

it

was impossible

to believe

them

to

be

and grasshoppers with red bodies and bright yellow

hopped about us

in

the following day

most inquisitive

we drove

on,

country and along the base of great

style.

always through lovely

hills,

whose tumbled

BADULLA AND HAPUTALE.

26

fragments lay in huge boulders at

and

base of precipitous

we came to Haldummulla, 3250 feet above the

where we were enfolded in genial kindness, Miss Jermyn

crags,
sea,

tlie

till

I in

one hospitable home, and the Bisliop at another.

number

neighbours had assembled to meet the

of the

Bishop and attend the Sunday services, which were held

in

the courthouse, and bright hearty services they were.

It is a beautiful spot, lying as it does at the foot of a

grand mountain range, yet looking down over a vast expanse

of cultivated land, chiefly coffee,

which flow hidden

rivers,

and

tant, lies the glittering sea,

distinguish ships,

and a sea

far

of forest

through

away, seventy miles dis-

on which we could sometimes

and before sunrise we could discern the

From our next halt, at

we could distinguish the exact position of far
Hambantota by the gleaming light on the saltpans.

sea both to the east and south.

Haputale,
distant

We

women-folk had two days

of

delightful rest

amid

these pleasant surroundings, while the Bishop diverged to

meet a party
This was the
as really
far

of planters

district in

first

beautiful, these

above us on the one

to the

low

and hold service

which

coffee estates struck

grand sweeping

side,

at Lamastotte.

hillsides,

me

rising

and on the other sloping down

outstretched before us, all clothed with

district

the glossy verdure of the low bushes, something like small

I'ortugal

laurels,

and

all

covered

with

fragrant

blossom,

white as newly fallen snow.

At

that time

available

foot

of

King

Coffee reigned supreme,

producing in most districts an

Since then

it

effect

of great

but

monotony.

has passed through very evil days, and in

large districts has been wholly supplanted

products

and every

land was given up to this one culture,

it

is

by tea and other

pleasant to learn that in this district.

27

HAPUTALE.
where

was so pre-eminently luxuriant,

it

a large proportion

has recovered, so that coffee once more holds a foremost

place in the province of Uva.

We

Haldummulla and

left

much

there with

to

(all

and upkeep)

the famous Haputale Pass, 4550 feet above

we reached

tlie sea,

and mounted the steep ascent

regret,

roads, both as regards engineering

by admirable
till

the warm-hearted friends

all

where a small roadside village offered

rest

and shelter

for the tired bullocks

weary wayfarers, and a halting-place

which had dragged up heavily laden waggons.

Xever has any place undergone more rapid change than

has been wrought here within the last two years.
long-desired railway, which

Uva and
is

to

bring

it

is

communication

into direct

For the

open up the province of

to

witli

Colombo,

dividing range at Patipola, which

cross the

above Haputale, at a height

of

6223

feet

is

just

above the

sea,

thence descending to the south-western plains.

Hitherto the railway terminus has

five

Nuwara

miles from

Eliya,

and the

been at ISTanuoya,

difficulties of

making

a railway over the twenty-five miles of mountain and crag

which separate Nanuoya from Haputale seemed well-nigh

insurmountable.

Now, however,

difficulties

all

conquered by skilful engineers and the patient

army

of five

cluding

thousand workers, chiefly Tamil

many

Singhalese and

European

direction.

daily rice

and

all

And

Moormen

for all

and

beer,

of

all,

coolies,

an

but in-

of course,

this great

is

now

also unfortunately of a nest of too

and gin shops, to say nothing

which are responsible

lawlessness.

of

under

body of men

other necessaries must be provided, and

the once quiet village of Haputale

life,

are being
toil

for a grave

a centre of busy

tempting arrack,

an opium den, all

amount of crime and

of

BADULLA AND HAPUTAI.E.

28
Tlie railway

Nanuoya

to

work

divided into two sections

is

and patenas, but

crossing comparatively tame grassy hills

involving a rise of about 1000

to

Summit,

cliffs

one from

Summit, passing below the Elk Plains, and

rising

1673

and ravines.

At

feet over a

the actual

and

of about three miles,

feet,

the other from Haputale

rocky chaos of shattered

summit there

at a point not

a level

is

from

far

there, in

the direction of Nanuoya, will be the station for the Horton

Plains, the ^rand sanatorium of the future, whicli lies only

about three miles

weakest

the line

off

women and

children

of

will

railway

be

able

that

so

the

without any

conscious effort to breakfast at Colombo and sleep on these

breezy plains, where already a comfortable rest-house and

most lovely garden await their coming.

Little will travellers over the

tremendous

way

difficulties

completed line dream what

have been overcome in preparing the

for their easy journey over a region

which can only be

described as a chaos of huge crags, break-neck precipices,

dangerous and impassable gorges, necessitating a continuous

series

of

heavy cuttings, viaducts, embankments, and long

tunnels through solid rock.

seven tunnels follow

will

be sorely

in

such rapid succession that travellers

tantalised

magnificent scenery

In the course of a single mile

all

by too rapid glimpses of the

around

mountains

seamed with

rocky ravines, clear sparkling streams glancing among huge

boulders or dashing in foaming cataracts over sheer precipices to the

cultivated lands far below

over with enormous

estates all sprinkled

large

as

cottage,

sunny lowlands

of

tea

and

rocks,

and then the vast panorama

Uva,

rice stretching far, far

its

away

coffee

each as
of the

vast expanses of grass-land and

to the ocean.

But whatever they see can convey no idea

of the

toil

BROAD OR NARROW GAUGE?

and danger faced by those who traced

menced

construction

its

of their

29

this road

and com-

hair-breadth escapes as

they crept along rock ledges of crumbling quartz or gneiss,

with a wall of mountain above, and a sheer precipice below

from 300

500

to

feet in depth, or zigzagged

by giddy tracks

the face of crags where goats could scarcely climb

down

for pleasure.
Still less will

the

they realise

landslips, in one of

pitiless rains

disheartened

boulders, earth,

terrible

which seven poor fellows were buried

while another brought

alive,

of

how

and soddened the earth, occasioning

coolies

and

down a thousand
Awful

gravel.

cubic yards

gales likewise, for

days together, have positively endangered the lives of the

and proved a powerful argument in favour of

adhering to the heavier carriages of a " broad gauge " line,
workers,

rather than yield to the temptation of constructing a cheaper

"

narrow gauge

" as

was urged by some economists, and most

vigorously and ceaselessly opposed by the veteran Editor of

the

Ceylon Observer.'

It is said that " a turn

was the joy

when

island

menced

of

begun

half ended,"

is

and great

the isolated planters on this side of the

railway was actually com-

long-desired

the

and energetically has

it

been pushed on by

all

concerned.

So

my

village will

now

recollection of

seem

as a

dream

anticipate the time

Thence,

leaving

Haputale as a lonely mountain

all

when

which

is all

it

will

beautiful

drove about a couple of miles

wella,

remote past to those wlio

of a

rank as a busy town.

scenery

down

behind

us,

we

the pass to Bandara-

grassy, like an average tract of English

downs.

In this immediate neighbourhood another amazing trans-

BADULLA AXD HAPUTALE.

30

formation has occurred, namely, the formation of the Hapu-

Happy Valley

tale
of

of

Mission, where the Rev. Samuel Langdon

Wesleyan Mission has originated a whole group

excellent institutions, as a beginning of good work in
the

this

till

paratively few Europeans found their

fewer

knew anything

when they
tion

Even

about 180,000

of

upwards

of

lie

here,

besides

villages,

among

and

still

and utterly

were startled

an agricultural popula-

Singhalese,

800

over the numerous valleys

downs which

way

residents

old

realised the existence of

inhabiting

very recently com-

of the wretchedly poor

inhabitants.

ignorant

neglected

most grievously neglected region

hitherto

because so remote and isolated that

many

Tamils,

which are scattered

the grassy foothills and

between the mountainous Central Pro-

vince and the ocean, forming part of a region about the size
of "Wales,

which has quite recently been created a

distinct

province, namely, that of Uva.

In the whole

of that vast district there

were

the last year or two only eight schools for boys

for girls
i.e.,

and although

in

some

till

within

not one

villages there are paiisala,

Buddhist-temple schools, in most cases the priest in

charge can neither read nor write himself; indeed, in some

large villages not one

Could

Christian

villages, a

man, woman, or child can read.

schools

now be

established

in

these

very great step would be gained, as otherwise

the Government grant will go to aid this wretched j^^nsala

system of indigenous education, and

difficult

to secure a footing

But except

in the

bourhood, very

town

little

of

it

will then be far

more

now vacant

field.

than in the

Badulla and

Christian

its

immediate neigh-

work was attempted

till

quite

recently, the various missionaiy bodies being totally unable

to find

men

or

money

to carry

it

on.

AX OPEN DOOR.

Now
number

who

a very limited

and Wesleyan missionaries, whose work

to village, preaching

from village

consists chiefly in walking

to all

made by

small beginnings have been

of Episcopal

31

will listen to them, and almost everywhere they

and

are received with kindness,

Only

with apparent interest.

their message

in

is

often heard

some places the people

so sunk in misery and immorality that

are

all their faculties are

dormant and amendment seems to themselves impossible.

They say, " We must steal and sin if we would live. What
you say

is

good, but

cannot help

it

by poverty and vice and

are

us,

The almost invariable

disease."

any

attitude towards religion of

and even temporal discomfort

sort

is

surrounded as we

is

one of total apathy,

accepted as the inevitable

result of having failed to obtain merit in a previous stage of

existence.

Nowhere have

these

met with any

preachers

active

opposition, but they find a wide-spread dissatisfaction with

Buddhism, and especially with the

people

some

frequently

whom

priests, of

speak in terms of contempt.

are nominally

Eoman

these

Though

Catholic, the majority,

while

professedly Buddhist, are in truth devil-worshippers, sunk

in depths

malignant

of

gloomy

spirits in

and

superstition,

praying

order to avert evih

As

only to

regards the

beneficent teaching of Buddha, not only the people, but even

many

of the priests, are so ignorant of its first principles,

but
that any argument founded thereon is utterly wasted
many listen gladly to preaching which tells of hope both
;

for

this

pioneers

life
is

and

for

the future.

So the report of these

that everywhere they find an open door, and

that nothing save lack of

men and

them prevent them from carrying

these 800 villages.

of

the

means

Word

to

support

of Life to all

BADULLA AND HAPUTALE.

32

Some

years ago the Wesleyans opened a successful school

for girls in l^adulla,

whole

Uva,

of

about the

size of

quite recently the only one in the

have just observed,

Here about

Wales.

now

ing girls are

till

^Yhich, as I

a district

is

fifty bright,

happy-look-

being well brought up in a good Christian

home, where they are taught clean, tidy habits, and are
trained to definite work, so as to be able in after years to

own

earn their

living.

Mr. Langdon, however, could not rest

definite footing

had been obtained

satisfied

till

in the heart of the

neglected district, and gradually his

scheme

grand

most
took

definite form.

Having obtained from Government a grant

of fine

perfect climate, with an annual rainfall

and within easy reach

lagers,

200 acres

of

valley-patena at this spot, noted for good

of

about 9000

soil

and

90 inches,

of

of these poor vil-

he has established a home for orphans and desti-

tute children, where all shall receive " such a training as,

under God's blessing, shall make them good, honest, and

industrious

men and women."

The children under nine

years of age are taught in an elementary school, and older

ones in the industrial school.

Here

also are a convalescent hospital

children,

and a hospital

for

where bright wards gay with coloured prints and

the loving care of skilful attendants seem like a foretaste

of

heaven to the poor

little

sufferers

from their miserable homes.

who

are brought here

But owing

to

scarcity

of

funds, only a few wards are as yet furnished, and from the

same cause the devoted superintendent and

his wife are

often compelled to refuse admission to the other depart-

ments, in

many

caste girls,

cases, especially that of sorely

tempted half-

where they know that rejection means

perdition.

THE HAPPY VALLEY MISSION.

In his very
at

Mr. Langdon

latest letter,

33
his grief

of

tells

having been compelled to refuse admission to poor

orphan children who were without food or

to work, but old in suffering
as

many

is

the only

need

At nine

funds improve.

evident that

is

it

stands

it

years of age girls are drafted off from the eleat

Haputale

to a girls'

home and orphan-

BaduUa, which was opened in 1889

in

This

of further support.

mentary school
age

till

where starving children are

in Ceylon

received without payment, but

in great

but he had already received

as he dared to undertake

home

little

young

shelter, too

orphans and destitute

girls

but so excellent

receive

to

the training

is

there given, that the managers are besieged with requests

to receive the daughters of respectable parents as boarders,

and

already numbers

it

same

fifty

as that given in the

girls at Ivaiidy,

nurses

as

service

namely,

and

Wesleyan

all

The

pupils.

that can

tuition

the

is

Industrial School for

fit

domestic

girls for

under-ayahs, or

for

wise

house-

They are taught cooking, biscuit-making, dress-

keeping.

making, sock and stocking knitting, sewing, and mat-weaving.

No
tion

caste prejudices of

is

any kind are allowed; the educa-

religious throughout,

without compulsion, no pre-

shown to Christian children.

manner transferred when nine years
the industrial school, which can receive nearly

ference whatever beiug

Boys are
age to

in like

Happy

and

in
of

Valley,

industry, such as carpentry, smith-work, shoemaking,

agriculture,

and instead of growing up

to

to

friends

VOL.

be truthful and useful,

own

and a comfort

to

and neighbours.
II.

and

be loafers and

lying vagabonds, they are taught to earn their

and

workshops are duly instructed in various branches

hundred, but they remain in the

its

of

living,

their

BADULLA AND HAPUTALE.

34

Boys and
ments

educated according to the require-

girls are also

of the Public Instruction Code.

Many

of the poor little creatures arrive at the

Home

a most filthy condition, apparently not having been

for

in

washed

months, but allowed to run wild in the villages, and

weeks together

even

for

after

them

no one

in the jungle, with

Such

any way.

in

which Mr. Laugdon hopes

to

is

to look

the raw material from

produce valuable agents for

the regeneration of Uva, taking for his motto the verse,

"

A little child shall lead them."

A very important feature of

tory home, the

Ceylon.
are all

Its

first

the Mission

a reforma-

commenced

thing of the sort ever

dormitories, offices, teaching,

is

in

and workrooms

pronounced admirable, as are also the flourishing

farm and orchard, which are being worked entirely by lads

who, under the former system, would have been serving
their apprenticeship in crime in the various prisons of the

The farm

Isle.

pigs,

is

well stocked with cattle, sheep, goats,

and poultry, and

rice- fields, garden,

and

it

has a small tea and coffee estate,

dairy.

This reformatory, which

hundred boys,

is

is

capable of accommodating a

about three-quarters of a mile distant

from the orphans' home, so there need not be injudicious

amalgamation

of

young criminals with other

former have started on a

delayed amid such totally

Mission

of the
in

is

new
new

lads, till

the

rarely long

tack, wliich

is

influences.

The

situation

perfect, being a beautiful elevated plateau

very healthy isolated situation.

There

is,

however,

a resident doctor to watch over the health of this rapidly

increasing
^

community, and every account

Story of the

London.

Happy Valley

Mission.

By

of

it

tells

of

the Rev. Samuel Langdon.

DOWN THE ELLA

bright,

happy young

faces,

35

PASS.

already proving

how

trulj'

they

respond, physically and morally, to the care bestowed on

them.

Another good work now commenced

various districts of

Uva and

for the benefit of

other hitherto neglected parts

of the country has been the establishment

of field-hospitals.

by Government

group of cottages with

mud

walls and

thatched roofs are erected in some isolated spot.

which a larger bungalow

are the wards, beside

pensary and dwelling for the medical

Of course there

is

always a

little

officer

These

acts as dis-

and dispenser.

preliminary prejudice

against foreign methods of treating the sick, but very soon

this

is

overcome, and the wards are sometimes crowded

with poor

sufferers,

obtaining skilled

thankful to have the opportunity of

relief.

Leaving Bandarawala, we drove

Pass,

to the

head of the Ella

and suddenly found ourselves looking down a magniformed by a whole series of mountains, some

ficent valley

crowned with majestic

crags,

forest, others all terraced

tion of mountain-rice,
in the deep blue

that " Ella "

must apply

and

gloom

means a

some

with

still

partially clothed in

infinite toil for the cultiva-

all alike

vanishing from our view

of the ravine far below.

waterfall or rapid,

to the great

which

am

told

in this case

Magania Eiver, which rushes down

the gorge far out of sight, suggesting during what countless

ages the mountain torrent must have toiled and fretted ere
it

carved for

itself this

mighty channel.

Beyond these nearer mountains lay outspread the beautiful Park Country, stretching right away to Batticaloa and
The district is well named, for in truth it is one
the sea.
broad expanse of

fine

open park of good pasture-land and

sweet short grass, well watered by several large rivers and

BADULLA AND HAPUTALE.

36

numerous

clear streams,

and interspersed with clumps

Near the base

fine old trees.

of the great central

of

moun-

tains are ranges of low rocky ridges, partly clothed with

lemon-grass,

tall

much

higher than a man, sometimes grow-

ing to a height of twelve

those
it is

who have

to force a

It

feet.

dense and tangled, in others

Some

the rock crevices.

terribly punishing to

is

way through

In some places

it.

grows in

it

tall tufts

from

of the plains are so covered with

lemon-grass that, as the wind sweeps over

is

it, it

like

an

nudulating sea of waving corn.

Plight

away from the mountains the Park

itself is

studded

with detached masses of granitic gneiss, like fortresses of

giants,

but beautified by trees of large growth, which have

contrived to find root in the crevices.

There being no rest-house at this place, quite an ideal

temporary bungalow had been prepared for the Bishop

bamboos and strong posts filled in and thatched

with stout aloe leaves and jaggary and talipot palm leaves,
all the inside being draped with calico, and decorated with

framework

of

the graceful blossoms of the cocoa and areca palms (like

This

bunches of splendid wheat).

bungalow was

large

divided into central dining-room, with side bedrooms and

dressing-rooms
of

all

complete.

A very handsome

welcome) was erected in front

fortable

stable

and house

for

pandal (arch

the

servants

at

This really was luxurious camping in the wilds

Hearing

of a small

in search of

it.

and a com-

of the house,

the back.

rock-temple in the Ella Pass, I started

It proved rather a long expedition, ending

in a scramble across paddy-fields

and along a

hillside.

It

proved to be a very small temple amid most picturesque

surroundings, huge rock-boulders, fine old Eo-trees, templetrees loaded

with fragrant blossom, and

tall

palms.

Within

BADULLA.

37

the temple are sundry odd paintings and images of coloured

clay
its

amongst others, one

of a large cobra coiled up, -with

head forming the canopy above a small image of Buddha

upon the

sitting cross-legged

In looking over

my

coils.

sketches, I see that under a crag at

the head of the pass I have written Sri Pada Keta, which
suggests

possession of a holy footprint, probably a

its

imitation of that on

modern

Adam's Peak.

Descending the pass by a steep zigzag road, and followluxuriant clumps

ing the course of a river fringed with

of

bamboo, we came to Oodawere, a pretty and hospitable

home, further embellished by a number of

which, as

have already mentioned, are really gorgeous

robed in purple and gold,

trees,

" potato-trees,"

that

to

is

say, they are

loaded with blossoms like our brightest potato-flowers, only

three times as big.

(This was in the

Thence we drove on
pretty

little

town

and well- watered

in the midst of a grassy

There

side

a considerable

is

of

August.)

Uva, a very

and well- wooded

about 2200 feet above the sea-level,

plain,

and surrounded on every

form.

month

to Badulla, the capital of

by

fine hills

amount

of very varied

of rice culture

round

the town, which seems like an island crested with cocoa-

palms rising from a sea

of velvety green.

It

was here that

the Buddhist people erected a neat Christian church to the

memory

of

his wise

and impartial rule

Major Pogers, in token of

their appreciation

of

in this district.^

That church, which has now been considerably enlarged

and

beautified,

was charmingly decorated

Bishop's arrival,

in

honour of the

and an exceedingly graceful pandal was

erected at the entrance to the churchyard, the road for a

considerable distance being bordered with fringes of torn

'

See chapter

viii.


BADULLA AND HAPUTALE.

38

yellow banana leaves, the effect

with the pandal,

number

is

of

wliich, in

connection

very light and characteristic.

of Europeans

liad

assembled to meet the

Bishop, so there were full congregations and pleasant social

Several

gatherings.

geous

dress,

full

Kandyau

with

the

chiefs appeared in their gor-

brocade jackets,

large-sleeved

"peg-top" shaped swathing of

fine

muslin, and wonderful

jewelled hats.
I

sketched the whole scene from the old

now
of Moormen and Malays,

used as a courthouse, where

many

fort,

which

is

very varied groups

Tamils, Singhalese, and Burghers

came and went the livelong day. Fine hills, rich foliage,
cocoa and areca palms, and cosy-looking red-tiled buildings combined to make up a very attractive scene, blue and
white convolvulus matting the nearer shrubs, and the balmy
tall

air fragrant

am

with the scent of rosy oleanders.

among many

told that

been the

formation of a small

feature in a landscape,

An

excellent

new

and

feature

of

desirable fruit-trees

always a pleasant

lake,

also of a

park and racecourse.

a botanic

is

garden for the acclimatising of

way

recent improvements have

and experimental

all possible novelties in

and vegetables.

the

Already the

apples and pears of Badulla are making their mark, and

potatoes weighing upwards of a

pound each

are a delightful

reminder of Britain, dearer to her exiled sons than the most

ambrosial tropical

fruits.

I found another sketching ground at the Kataragam

Devale, an old Hindoo temple to Skanda, the god of war,

which attracted our unwilling attention by the deafening

noise of

its "

services " daily at 5 a.m.

truly a very odious neighbour.

happily less noisy.

It

and

all

the evening

The Buddhist Vihara was

and a dagoba

of considerable size

DOMESTIC USE FOR GRAVESTONES.

from about

date

some

of

wont

are

200,

A.D.

the calm

they are

so

of old age

39

distinguished

by

otherwise Buddhist temples

those of the Hindoo gods in the terrific

to rival

noise produced by the roar of shell-trumpets, the beating of

drums, and the shriek of

I

was

shrill brass pipes.

told of a curious carved stone at another temple,

on which

is

which was

"

sculptured a short two-headed snake, a sight of

good

for

broken bones

"

we

so of course

set

out in search of this interesting object, but failed to find

the temple.

But there are stones

more pathetic

of

interest in the old

cemetery, some of which date as far back as the " rebellion"

of 181718, a time
their wives in

when

must have been

One crumbling

beset with anxieties.

of a

the lives of British officers and

these remote forts

young bride only sixteen years

that of Mrs. Wilson,

Stratford-on-Avou,

who came

and died

in

sorely

stone marks the grave

Another marks

of age.

from her home at

here

aged twenty-four.

1817,

She was the wife of the Government Agent, who shortly

afterwards was shot by an arrow, and whose head was cut
off

and exposed on a

tall

Her grave

pole.

is

protected by

the roots of a fine old Bo-tree, which have enfolded

marking

it

as sacred in the eyes

otherwise a neglected cemetery

whence

to

abstract

is

ready-hewn

for grinding curry-stuffs

upon

punished when detected, but

of the

its

thus

whom

simply a valuable quarry

flat

stones just suitable

Of course

it,

natives, to

this sacrilege is

perpetration

the temptation ever- recurring, so that

is

easy and

many and many an

old gravestone has vanished in all parts of the Isle.

In

all this district

we heard

grievous complaints of the

ravages wrought by white ants, and of the ceaseless vigilance

necessary to guard against their advances.

In native houses

BADULLA AND HAPUTALE.

40

an extra plaster of cow-dung

and

walls,

considered

is

applied to the floors and

is

efficacious

but somehow super-

Europeans do not appreciate

fastidious

ciently to introduce

it

homes

into their

remedy

this

white ants do muster strong, their great earth

six feet in height,

being

common

ground

The

Near some

roadside objects.

of the tanks the

green hillocks about three feet

little

these also are ant-hills overgrown with grass.

ants, of all sizes

very different
is

castles, five or

six or eight in circumference at the base,

strewn with

is

in height

and

suffi-

But certainly the

and

One

foes.

is

colours,

have two singular and

the strange

which

little ant-lion,

the hideous larva of an insect like a small dragonfly.

It is

an oblong hairy creature, only about half an inch long,

\vith a

very large stomach and a very small head.

two large arms and

six legs,

with which

backward, but so slowly that

So

without stratagem.
iu the sand,

it

and buries

makes

move

a small funnel-shaped pit

There

it

bottom with only

lies in

ant which ventures too near the edge

and begins

contrives to

could never capture a dinner

it

itself at the

eyes and arms visible.

it

It has

wait for any rash

as soon as one does

to slip down-hill, the ant-lion throws sand at

and so helps

it

down, wlien he sucks

its

it

and then

its life-juices

jerks out the corpse.

The other

foe

is

on a much larger

as the great-scaled ant-eater

it,

it

nese and Indian ant-eater

of

is

up the

its
'

known

creature,

South America,

ants.

head between

Ma7iis jjcntadactyla.

The Ceylo-

clothed in a coat of mail, being

covered with hard plates of clear horn, and

hides

is

has no vestige of teeth, only a long

glutinous tongue with which to lick

it

and

a very different

however, from the ugly hairy ant-eater

although, like

scale,

its legs

and curls

when

frightened

its tail

Myrmecophaga.

beneath

BURNING THE FOREST.

it

and right over

senting

its

head, which

men combined

strength of several

"

pengolin," which

ball.

The

could not uncoil that

Hence its common name,

derived from a Malay word meaning

creature against

little

covers completely, pre-

an armour-plated

appearance of

the

it

41

is

its will.

" to roll up."

with

It breaks into the ants' citadels

claws,

It is a pretty creature,

feet

makes

and grows

Being

length.

in

its

sharp powerful

licks out the garrison with its long slender tongue.

and

rather a nice

pet,

to about three or four

tamed and very

easily

though

its

seven or eight feet into the ground makes

troublesome,

its

is

It climbs trees as

never seen by day.

but

steals

back to

its

It

stage

first

was a school
which

of gneiss.

upward,

Mahadova, where the owner

cordial

of Ceylon,

where there

by most singular ridges

upward,"

still

many

of

we reached

till

nice dogs gave us

of the

most characteristic sights

and one which remains stamped on

most awesomely grand scenes

to conceive.

tract of

60

lain for

level, all

of

that the

is

possible

acres of dense forest, clothing

some weeks drying

may mention

means

my memory

it

both sides of a deep mountain gorge, had been

but

Madoolseme.

to Passara,

as one of the

cat,

welcome and most luxurious quarters.

Here we witnessed one

had

can dig

then on to Yapane, above

rises a hill naturally fortified

"

nimbly as a

in the district of

be examined

Then

somewhat
it

wanders about during the night,

was right up-hill

to

it

hole at dawn.

The Bishop's next work lay

The

it

claws being so powerful that

through anything.

gentle,

habit of burrowing

method

economising labour.

felled,

and

in the sun.
of felling is ingenious as

Beginning

at

the lowest

the trees are half cut through on the upper side

BADULLA AND HAPUTALE.

42

gradually the regiment of woodcutters ascend,

they reach the summit,

cut,

and

which
of

fall

in their

memory

turn

fallen,

When
to

down

till

the last

and the glory of the beautiful

forest is

of the

all

the hillside,

only a few trees here and there

past,

for a little longer.

the timber

when

on the next, and so on, like a row

fall

remaining standing

a day

the topmost trees are entirely

with a crash, carrying with them those below,

ninepins crashing

ranks have

when

at last

till

is fairly

the wind

is

dry, then the planter waits for

moderate and in the right direction

blow the flames away from his plantations or reserved

forest,

On

and then the blaze begins.

the present occasion

ward, and then

places,

fire

we were posted

well to wind-

was applied simultaneously

and spread with amazing

velocity,

till

in

all

many

the

fires

joined in one wild raging sheet of flame in the depths of

the valley, whence fiery tongues shot heavenward mingled

with dense volumes of smoke of every conceivable colour,

white, blue, yellow, orange, and red, changing every

moment

and covering the whole heaven with a hot lurid glow, while
the thundering crash of falling timber and roar of the

mad

flames were deafening.

We
ticles

ran rather a narrow risk of contributing some parof

manding

charcoal

to

the coflee, having taken

position, so as to look right

down

up

com-

the gorge, in a

corner of reserved forest, beneath the cool green shade of a

group of beautiful tree-ferns and beside a clear streamlet,

in

which

it

was refreshing

to

bathe

our scorched

Happily we obeyed a shout from more experienced

who bade
did,

us

faces.

friends,

come down quickly, which we most unwillingly

and only just in time

for hardly

had we done

so,

when

the flames swept upward in resistless fury like corkscrews,

43

CLEARING THE FOREST.

twining upward and onward.

We

focated,

and soon the whole patch

one sea

of

fire,

neif'hhourincr

ride along a

coffee.

mad

conflagration of the previous day.

die out too soon,

and the timber

Sometimes
insufiiciently

is

and the

furiously,

spread

the land cooled than an

is
it,

soil

army

coolies

of

how

soil

No

inserted,

and

artificial

dizzy the precipitous height

terrace

after

roots.

the

wherever a

must be

a wliile, as its roots expand, a small

must probably be

built,

afford

to

and prevent the rains from washing

from their

over-

rockier

the

(indeed,

crevice can be found, there a precious little bush

space

is

and cut square holes in every possible corner,

no matter how rocky the

better), or

to

from among the blackened ruins of

scorched to such a depth as to be grievously injured.

sooner

was

Next morninfr we had occasion

Sometimes they rage too

burnt.

forest

ravages to some

great luck in the matter of burns.

is

fires

reserved
its

narrow path overlooking the scene, and only a

the forest told of the

There

of

which even extended

veil of blue SDQoke curling

the

rushed away half-suf-

all

them

the earth

Nothing can be more hideous than the

country at this stage.

After a while, however, matters improve, and by the time
the coffee shrubs attain their proper

size,

the whole country

becomes densely clothed with glossy green, and though the

black stumps and great charred trunks remain standing for

many

a year, they do gradually decay, or else become so

bleached by the sun that the coffee-fields resemble a gigantic

cemetery, with headstones utterly without number.

Twice a year the whole country appears

as

if

for

a few days

covered with a light shower of snow, each bush being

veiled with

blossom.

wreaths

composed

of

tufts

of fragrant white

These in due time give place to bunches of green

BADULLA AND HAPUTALE.

44
which

berries,

tempting
these

the

to

eye,

but

by machinery, and

is

scarlet

insipid

two precious coffee-beans

lie

bushes

become

eventually

the

to

the red pulp

Within

is

removed

except as manure for the

useless,

sort of cannibalism is

not

it

then dried in the sun, and the skin or

which each

very

cherries,
taste.

The beans

?
"

parchment

"

are

with

coated must be removed, after which they are

is

ready for roasting.

When

the coffee

dry,

is

it is

up

tied

in sacks of a given

weight (each so heavy that few Englishmen would care to

carry

half a mile),

it

and these are carried by the

many

their heads for

coolies

on

a weary mile over hill and dale to

the nearest cart-road.

The dress
have

of

the coolies

is

remarkable.

Some indeed

save an old grain

sack covering
o the
o
head and shoulders, and affording a miserable shelter from
clothinc;
o

little

the pitiless rain

but the majority are provided with an old

regimental coat, scarlet, blue, or green, no

So

colour.

clothes

I think their original wearers

matter what

this is the final destination of our military old

nise their trig apparel

when

would scarcely recog-

thus seen in combination with a

turbaned head and lean black legs swathed in dirty linen.

You cannot
to go
clean,

and

to

sensation in coffee

it

is

where the

home.

The

stores

come

in useful for every-

All manner of public meetings, from church services

balls, are

orthodox seat

me

new

dry beans are piled up in huge heaps, like grain in

a granary at
thing.

think what a

rest in one of the great coffee stores,

to the

held in them, and coffee-bags are the most

;

rather hard, however

good honest coffee heap,

commend
on which many a tired
;

for comfort,

planter has slept without a sigh for spring mattresses.

On

that

same day (August

30), at

Mahadova, we chanced

A ROMAN CATHOLIC PROCESSION.

to

witness

another strangly

what the Tamil

Saami

(i.e.,

45

scene, namely,

characteristic

coolies themselves described as a

Roman

This was a

idol) festival.

Catholic

Catholic pro-

cession, in which, however, I believe all the coolies, of

We

ever creed, took part.

heard their shouts in the far

and presently they came in

distance,

winding down a

sight,

steep path through the coffee, or rather winding

down

dale, in order

shrines)

in

to visit all

up

the Saami houses

neighbourhood, carrying with

the

what-

almost life-sized images, in very

hill
(i.e.,

them

and
idol

four

open shrines, which

tall,

were simply canopies on poles, painted crimson and yellow.

]\Iuch the largest of

these,

shaped like a gigantic crown,

contained an image of the Blessed Virgin

contained St. Sebastian, and a fourth

two

of the others

Anthony.

St.

All

were borne on platforms on men's shoulders.

With
and

of

the exception of the cross on the top of each shrine,

innumerable gaudy banners, there was nothing what-

ever to indicate that this was not a Hindoo festival, accom-

panied

by

all

the usual adjuncts

the

firing of guns, the

beating of tomtoms, and wild dancing of half-naked brown

men
at

with white turbans, dancing

the

in

festivals

honour

of

all

the way, precisely as

their gods,

and led by the

temple-dancers.

When

they had visited

all

the idol shrines, and danced

a while at each, they were to halt beside a stream,

would bathe, preparatory

after

which dancing was

Often

when

to a great feast of curry

to be

resumed by

where
and

all

rice,

torchlight.

hear thoughtless persons,

who

certainly

cannot have looked below the surface, compare the results

of Protestant

and lioman Catholic missions

in

heathen lands,

greatly to the credit of the latter, I wish they could have a

few opportunities of really observing the radical change

BADULLA AND HAPUTALE.

46

required in the converts of the former as compared with the

mere change

of

denomination which is accepted by the latter in

every country where

No

have seen the working

In Ceylon we were told of one

ill

both missions.

of

wonder that their converts are numerically large.

Eoman

Catholic chapel

which, during the temporary absence of the priest, the

Buddha and

congregation had introduced three images of

several others;

and we ourselves saw a small Eoman Catholic

Buddha on one side and that of

chapel with the image of

the Blessed Virgin on the other, apparently receiving equal

I fancy, however, that that also

homage.

without the leave of the

The curious policy

priest.

of seeking to beguile heathen nations

Christianity

so-called

a spurious

accepting

into

must have been

closest possible assimilation

to

by the

pagan

their national

rites

has unfortunately been very widely sanctioned by the Church

of Borne in all ages, but

nowhere has

excess as in Southern India,

it

been carried to such

whence these Tamil

coolies

have

immigrated.

In

A.D. 1606,

with the

full sanction of the

the Jesuits, and of the Archbishop

Provincial of

of Goa, a Jesuit priest,

Eobert de Nobili, established himself

at

Madura, where

he asserted that he was a Brahman of the West, directly

descended from Brahma, and of the highest possible

He

forged a sacred

quity, iu

to be of high anti-

which some Christian doctrines were cunningly

blended with

much Hindoo

large assembly of
this

Veda purporting

caste.

imagery.

Brahmaus he swore

In presence of a
to having received

Esur Veda from Brahma himself.

Tliis

Brahman

of

Eome assumed

the yellow robe of the

venerated Saniassees, and daily marked on his forehead the

circular spot of powdered sandal-wood which denotes caste.

ROBERT DE NOBILI.
His small

crucifix,

47

hidden in his waist-cloth, was suspended

from a twisted thread very similar to that worn by Brahmans.

He carefully performed

all

ceremonial ablutions, and certainly

shrank from no self-denial in working out his strange compromise, for he abjured

all

animal food

meat,

and even

fish,

eggs, confining himself to the vegetables, milk, and clarified

butter which

is

the fare of true Brahmans.

Moreover, the better to assert his superior position, and

assuredly forgetting the teaching of his Master, he associated
only with Brahmans, feigning the utmost contempt for

all

pariahs and other low-caste people.

He

soon obtained credit for great wisdom and sanctity,

and gained so many adherents that he

baptized 100,000 persons, largely
castes

converts

who

said

is

to

have

drawn from the higher

naturally were not to be distinguished

from their heathen brethren in aught but name.

On

the authority of his forged Veda, he prohibited the

worship of the Hindoo

idols,

but freely incorporated

processions most dear to the people.

adopted

all

Amongst

all

the

others he

the tumultuous ceremonies of the Juggernath

night-festival,

when huge

gaily- decorated

Tamil

borrowed from the

temples.

idol

So-called

cars

were

Christian

images having been temporarily substituted for those of the

idols,

and loaded with offerings of flowers, the ponderous

cars were dragged in procession

by excited crowds, amid the

blaze of rockets and fireworks, the din of tomtoms, drums,

and

trumpets,

people.

and

the

acclamations and

shouts

of

the

Half-naked dancers streaked with vermilion and

sandal-wood powder danced wildly before the

cars,

and

all

the crowd wore on their foreheads the marks symbolic of

idol- worship.

Yet

these,

with the exception of the dancers

and musicians, who were hired from the nearest heathen

BADULLA AND HAPUTALE.

48

temple, were the so-called Christians of Madura, and the

images borne on the cars were supposed to represent the

Saviour, the Blessed Virgin, and the Apostles.

Franciscans, Dominicans, and other religious orders hav-

ing complained of his methods of carrying

out mission-

work, the matter was referred to Eome, but after an inquiry

years, the

which lasted thirteen

which practically

Pope pronounced a decision

things as they were, even approving

left

the wearing of the Brahminical thread by converts, provided

was sprinkled with holy water, and that the converts were
They might also
invested with it by a Komish priest.

it

continue to

their foreheads with ashes of sandal-wood,

mark

provided they abstained from using ashes of cow-dung.

Thus sanctioned,

this

after forty-two years of

at heart,

and

sham
vain

Christianity flourished,
toil,

his followers for the

till

de Nobili retired, sick

most part returned

to

their primitive Hindooism.

But till the expulsion of the Jesuits from India in 1759,

there was no limit to the compromises by which they sought
to gain

nominal converts.

Not content with

attracting the heathen to their churches

by elaborate mystery-plays and theatrical representations

of the great events

adaptive teachers

the

in

judice by blending with their

the most striking pageants

standing

all

the edicts of

to

appeal to popular pre-

own

religious ceremonials all

of Hindooism,

Pope Gregory and

these were retained until, in

issued a most rigorous Bull

The

Jesuits

frankly

of our Lord, these very

life

endeavoured

1704, Pope

commanding

confessed that

Papal decree would result in the

adherents, and

so

it

proved.

loss

and,

notwith-

his successors,

Benedict XIV.

their suppression.

obedience to the
of

most

Multitudes to

of

whom

their

the


49

FORESTS.
adoption of Christianity had been solely a change of
of "

resumed that

was relaxed and the

lation

name

Hindoo," and ere long the stringent regu-

From Mahadova we

pitiful

compromise resumed.

rode to various other estates, some-

times through lovely bits of ferny jungle, sometimes across

great tracts of burnt

smoke

still

curling

with their wreaths of blue

forest,

upwards from the blackened waste which

had taken the place

of

the fair vegetation, the growth

all

of centuries.

To
of

all

lovers of beautiful nature

must be sad

it

to think

the hundreds of square miles of primeval forest which

have thus been totally destroyed in clearing ground

growth
tricts,

of coffee, cinchona,

and

for the

mountain

tea, in all the

dis-

the greater part of the belt of the Isle between the

3000

altitudes of

5000

to

now

being

feet

totally denuded.

But looking down from high mountains on the great

plains seaward,

we

still

overlook vast expanses of forests

in fact, about three-fourths of the eastern lowlands are said

to

be

quite

from which the

forest or scrubby jungle,

still

timber has

all

been cleared

recently

there

commercial purposes.

for

was no

fully

fine

Till

Forest De-

organised

partment

to

certainly

no sentimental pity or reverence led these

regulate the ravages of the woodcutters, and

spare either the

tender years

monarchs of the

consequently

for the beauty of their timber

many

of

to

or

the trees of

those

most valued

forest

have now become exceedingly

rare.

The necessity

for

such supervision was recognised so

back as 1858, when Sir Henry

to act as

Ward

travel M'as exceedingly dillicult,

attempt to do more than

VOL.

II.

appointed

timber and chena inspector.

make

But

my

far

brother

in those days

and no man could

really

himself acquainted with the

BADULLA AND HAPUTALE.

50
of

forests

own

liis

province, which

meant the neighbourhood

brother's

case

Moreover, as his

were two Government peons,

sole assistants
that,

my

in

of Batticaloa.

it

was evident

keenly interested as he was in this work, he could not

do very much.
It

was not

1873 that Sir William Gregory laid the

till

foundation of a more systematic conservancy of forests by

the appointment of four foresters for the four northern provinces,

and assistants

for other districts,

whose duties include

not merely checking improvident destruction of existing

timber, but also establishing in the neighbourhood of the

great tanks, nurseries for valuable forest trees.

My

brother's appointment as

the singular

which

ing,"

method

a system of

is

the same ground

years at a time, and

known

is

is

refers

to

as " chena-farm-

nomadic farming involving per-

petual locomotion, inasmuch

soil,

chena inspector

of cultivation

as,

owing

to the poverty of the

never occupied for more than two

then

left to itself for

fifteen years

This strange custom has been adhered to for upwards of

"
years, so it follows that " primeval forests

two thousand

had been cleared

felled

those

off

the plains long before European planters

which has been subject

The process

of

hundred acres

of

apportioned to the
erects a

fell

forest.

treatment
is

and burn

number

is

of

ground

enormous.

that the inhabitants of

a tract of

This space

temporary hut.

sort of gipsy fashion,

vessels,

to this

chena-farming

a district proceed to

whom

The extent

on the mountains.

is

two or three

then fenced and

of families concerned, each of

In these they live in a cheery

some making and baking earthenware

and others spinning thread or rearing poultry, while

waiting for the growth of the crops they have sown.

In a few months the newly reclaimed land

is

rich with

CHENA FARMING.
cotton

plants,

pumpkins,

sweet

and other vegetables.

Some

Indian-corn,

sugar-cane,

potatoes, millet, yams, melons,

ready for the market within four months

of these are

they are gathered, and fresh seed

wliich

ready four months

is

while keeping sentinels

watching day and night

and

beasts

61

is

later,

posted in

to

ward

sown

for a

so

second crop,

the cultivators all the

huts, ceaselessly

little

from thievish

off incursions

birds.

In the second year the company divides, some remaining

to

guard and gather the cotton, which does not come to

maturity for two years, the others proceeding to clear

new

When

the

ground by

felling

cotton crop

is

and burning more

gathered, then the

forest.

last

farm

abandoned,

is

and luxuriant natural growths rapidly spring up.

A good

deal of chena

devoted to the growth of plan-

is

tains,

which are very

much

in the second year, that

rally

fine the first year,

but deteriorate so

by the third they are gene-

abandoned.

marked

which has been thus

characteristic of all land

suffered to relapse is the density of the thorny jungle, with

few,

if

any, large trees, but a thick matting of rope-like

creepers,

many

and

of which,

wicked hooked thorns

of the bushes, are

armed

witli

every variety, making the scrub

of

impassable to any creature but an elephant.

Masses
ings,

us

of prickly cactus

does

also

the

grow luxuriantly on such

clear-

much-reviled lantana, which was

introduced only about sixty years ago, solely as an orna-

mental shrub.
Drazil

It is

uncertain whether

it

was brought from

by Sir Hudson Lowe or from the West Indies by

Lady Horton.

Its

original

Hope, where, however,

as in these lands of

its

it

home
is

is

the

Cape of Good

by no means

adoption.

It

is

so

rampant

a pretty plant,

BADULLA AND HAPUTALE.

52
covered with

favour with birds,

and

bunches of orange and rose-coloured

little

small

or

flowers

dark

who

berries

the

now

has acclimatised to such good purpose, that

it

great

find

latter

carry the seed in every direction,

it

springs up unbidden on every morsel of neglected land, so

that from the sea-level

up

3000

to a height of

feet,

thousands

of acres are covered with impenetrable thickets of this too

Naturally

luxuriant colonist.
intolerable nuisance,

Ceylon

all

cultivators consider

and rue the day

it

an

of its introduction to

but nevertheless the lantana has

own

its

useful

mission to perform, in securing for the land both shade and

moisture, while by the ceaseless decay of
gives

new

life to

the worn-out

soil,

its

preparing

rich foliage

it

afresh for

it

the service of ungrateful humanity.

Since Government

has

awakened

the

necessity

of

guarding the remaining forests, this chena-cultivation

is

under control

ment Agent
treated

of surveyors,
is

to

and the sanction of the Govern-

required before a

new

tract can

so the villagers are gradually learning to

be thus

grow

their

vegetables on more economic principles.

Leaving the mountainous region, we travelled north-east

known as the Park Country, on which we had

down from the high grounds a great tract partly
forest, partly of open grass country and of swampy rice-

across that

looked
of

lands, but all intersected

Until very recently,

of all sorts, which,

now

it is

minated.

There are

many

of the

hill ranges.

abounded with game

however, has been so ruthlessly slaugh-

tered, that

good

by very picturesque

all this district

said to be, practically speaking, exterstill

large herds of spotted deer

Sambur deer here

called elk

few compared with even ten years ago.

been appointed for the preservation of

all

but

and a
very

close season has

manner

of deer


EXTERMINATION OF GAME.

53

and other useful and beautiful animals, but

is

this ordinance

apparently respected only by Europeans, and not invari-

As

ably by them.

to the natives, they harry the poor wild

day and night, in season and out

tribes

parties with guns, dogs,

of

season, large

and nets lying in wait

at the water-

must come

holes and tanks where they

to drink, so

that

the poor beasts have no chance.

Ceylon paper

showing

that "

for

July 1891 quotes advertisements

27,453 Ceylon elk hides

for sale in

London

the figures,

comments on the

which

is

"

had been

offered

since January, and, while discrediting

ruthless wholesale slaughter

undoubtedly carried on

the year round.

all

It

seems probable that here, as in the United States, the wild

creatures are destined to be exterminated, and eventually

replaced by more prosaic herds of domesticated animals

and horses

cattle, sheep,

who would

grassy and well-timbered region,

admirably adapted

doubtless thrive in this

which

all of

is

apparently

for pastoral purposes.

minor drawback

to these grassy plains in dry

are the innumerable " ticks,"

which swarm in some

Tliese scarcely visible black

atoms get on

and continue their travels

till

to one's

weather
places.
clothes,

they succeed in burying their

heads in one's skin, the sensation of the victim being that

of being pricked with a red-hot needle.

Any

pluck them out only produces

so

unwelcome guests

leave these

them with a drop

of oil,

irritation,

in peace

when they

and oh

the aroma thereof.)

hand

There

is

of this pest called the buftulo, but its bite

painful as that of

weather

is

its

attempt to
best to

is

you can touch

relax their hold.

natives always have cocoa-nut oil at

hair,

till

it

minute cousin.

(The

to anoint their

a larger variety
is

not nearly so

One comfort

that these creatures then disappear.

of rainy

BADULLA AND HAPUTALK.

54

One very annoying family

" eye-flies,"

are the innumerable minute

which take pleasure in dancing

possible to one's eyes, as

if

close

as

as

they really found pleasure in

beholding themselves mirrored therein.

It
of

must be confessed that

marching

is

after a while the daily routine

apt to become somewhat tedious, almost

every morning having to be up soon after 5 a.m. packing,

swallowing a hurried breakfast, and then starting on a

march which
which

is

rarely exceeds twelve or fourteen miles, but

necessarily so slow that

it

probably past ten

is

before you reach your destination, by which time the sun

is

pouring

down

in scorching heat,

and you are thankful

indeed for the shadow of the palm-leaf hut, or any other

rough and ready rest-house.

Half the coolies always march at night, starting as soon
as

you have dined, and the cook and table-servant can get

the cooking pots and dishes packed

real breakfast ready

you

so that

on arriving, and right welcome

find

your

By

it is.

the time you have fed and washed, you are so tired that you
generally are thankful for an hour's sleep, that
fresh for the afternoon's

Day by
point.

One

swarming with

fine

what

we moved from

may

be.

point to

pretty drive lay through most charming jungle,

just

at

its

butterflies.

We

with

junction

had

to cross the

the Dambera-Oya.

wide river-bed overshadowed by large

this

you may be

or ramble, as the case

day, riding or driving,

literally

Maha-Oya

work

trees suggested

stream must be when swollen by heavy rains

in the mountains, but

now

not even a trickle of water.

all

was drought, and there was

We

walked across the sandy

channel, while the horses dragged the

a well-trained elephant,

who was

empty

assisting

carriage,

and

in building a

bridge for the use of future travellers, lent his great strength

PECULIAR BARK AND HOOTS.

to

65

shove the baggage-carts while the patient bullocks pulled

them

across.

was struck

here, as in

many

another district in the

hot plains, with two peculiar characteristics of several of

One

the principal trees.

is

the thinness of their bark, as

Mother Nature knew they would only

though

summer

coats

the

other

extraordinary

the

is

require
size

and

height of their massive roots, which are thrown out on every

side like buttresses, evidently to enable the tree to resist

These buttresses are so high that

the rushing of floods.

full-grown

by

men

stand in one compartment unseen

could

their neighbours in the next division.

We

had

houses, so

slept the
it

two previous nights

was delightful

new

Pulawella in a clean

at

find

to

in miserable rest-

this

house,

night's quarters

placed in a

cosily

patch of quiet jungle with peaceful meadows on either side.

On
at

the following day

we found

Eugam, near the Eugam

by a

fine old village

equally pleasant quarters

which we were escorted

tank, to

headman, who remembered

my

brother

whom, said the

old chief, he was immensely loved.
They said he often
came here at night for sport in the days when the longneglected lake lay undisturbed in the silent forest and game

vividly, as

did also

of all sorts

abounded.

all

the villagers, by

At the time of our visit the tank was being restored,

so we saw no large animals, only a goodly family of crocodiles, and many radiant birds
oriole, barbet, kingfisher,
The officer in charge of the works was rejoiced to
&c.

had seen

see white

faces,

He

fisher cast his net in

bade a

the

first

he

the

each cast enclosed a multitude of

back

for the use of the

now

fishes,

whole party.

for

two months.

clear waters,

and

which we carried


oG

CHAPTER

XVI.

SOME PAGES FROM A BROTHER'S DIARY.

During

his eighteen years' residence

Ceylon, until his

in

John Eandolph Gordon Gumming

kept regular diaries full of most interesting notes on natural
history and sport, as were also his numerous letters to the
old home.
By some lamentable accident, the whole of these
death, October 6, 1865,

have been

lost

or destroyed, with the exception of a few

pages of an early journal and half-a-dozen letters

means the most

interesting,

being

on

chiefly

by

no

business.

Nevertheless, as no word from his pen has ever been published,

how

I here

quote a few passages from these, to show

worthily he

Nimrods

the

"July

6ih, 184-8.

at Terricoil,

his

filled

brothers

place

who were

Batticaloa.

where there

ing morning I met five

is

as

all

one of the race of

born sportsmen.

On

the 4th inst. I slept

a large temple.

Moormen, one

of

On

tlie

whom

follow-

told

me

that a leopard had entered their village the night before,

and had

so

alarmed his bullocks, which were confined in

a kraal close to his house, that they broke loose and ran

away

in all directions.

finest killed

Next morning he found one

and partly devoured

of the

in the centre of a large

plain across which I would have to pass.

rode on, and

A NIGHT WATCH.
found his words

On examining

verified.

having twice thrown the

saw

struggle,

the

the ground,

had evidently been a desperate

that there

chetah

57

bullock

he killed

ere

him.
" j\Iy first consideration

was how best

for a shot at the spoiler, in

to

conceal myself

case he should return to feast

This was no easy matter, on account of the

on his prey.

Fortunately there was

nature of the ground.

the spot

bush within thirty yards

of

the help of some fresh

branches

from

men when

in

which would

once fairly settled

down

it.

" I

then sent

range of
([uarter

my

for

some

villagers to drag the bullock within

The moon being

ambuscade.

and very hazy,

was obliged

to

her

in

first

take a very near

Moormen, made them place

shot, and, to the horror of the

it

with

neiglibouring

the

jungle, forming a very natural-looking crescent,

effectually conceal several

one small

this I enlarged

me and

within nine yards of the bush, exactly between

the nearest point of the jungle.

"

few minutes before sunset

took

my

seat,

pany with three other men who were anxious

We

sport.

fairly

com-

see the

expected that, according to custon), the chetah

would make

we were

in

to

not

settled,

appearance immediately after dark, and

his

disappointed.

the

Half-an-liour

after

we were

sudden retreat of a number of wild

hogs and jackals warned us of his approach, and a few

minutes after

like

could just discern

an enormous

"The
^

crawling up stealthily

ness,

light

him through

cat.

was so bad that

did not dare to

fire.

Leopards in Ceylon are liabitually miscalled "chetah."

p. 237.

the dark-

with his belly to the earth,

After

See vol.

i.

o8

SOME PAGES

lickin'4

lliG

two or three times,

llesli

sight iu the darkness

tunately

of

us,

and

was

added that

of

most

so at

the men, an old hand,

who

the

night

he did return, he would examine our hiding-

if

place carefully.
in disgust.

by one

told

growling

after

savagely for ten minutes, vanished for

least

retreated out of

lie

presently he returned, but unfor-

wind

the

got

VlUni A JlROTHER S DIARY.

So there was nothing for

it

but to depart

Eeturning to the spot the following morning,

found that the chetah had returned, and polished

best part of the carcase, not, however,

before

off the

making

careful survey of the bush, as the tracks proved.

"

As

there

was

still

a chance of his coming back the

following night, I determined to take

any

risk,

whether the light

ever, a long

it

and

fire

were good or bad.

day before me, and spent

it

on him

I had,

examining

at

how-

different

holes and dens of bears and chetahs in the forest, without

success, although several of
visits

"At sunset
with

On

Came on

from both parties.

and shot two, right and

my

them bore marks

I again retreated to

my hiding-place in company

my

hunter and two Moormen.

former attendants,

we found

it

already occupied

of thirty pariah or village dogs,

us completely at defiance,
leisure.

a small herd of elephants,

left.

our arrival at the ground,

by upwards

of very recent

we

They went on very

and

as they set

allowed them to feast at their

quietly for some time,

till

herd of wild hog, including three large boars, came forward,

determined

to dispute the field

with them.

A most

exciting

scene followed, the dogs ranged on one side of the carcase

and the pigs on the

on the meat.

other, neither party daring to

put a nose

Every now and then a boar made a rush

forward, only to be driven back in double-quick time by

the

doers.

BAGGING TWO LEOPARDS.

"

Suddenly the scene changed

retreat

and the pigs moving

the dogs beating a hasty-

a respectful distance,

to

off

my

again warned nie of the approach of

minutes afterwards
darkness.
fire

any

at

fearful roars

risk

game.

him crawling up

discovered

The moon was cloudy, but

upon him

so the

few

in the

had determined

moment

to

his nose touched

The report was followed by most

and growling, but the smoke coming back in

the carcase, I did

my

59

so.

face prevented

me from

On

seeing the actual result.

turning round to spring out of the bush to take a second

shot, I

my

found that

my

attendants had

fled,

taking with them

spare gun and pistol

The smoke having dispersed,

"

gone, but

consoled

saw that the chetah was

my followers coming up a few minutes afterwards,

me by telling me that he was mortally wounded,

otherwise he would have sprung forwards, and that

him

find

the place.

Tliis

we found him
the spot.

we would

the following morning within a short distance of

He

proved to be the case.

stiff

Eeturning at dawn,

and cold within two hundred yards

turned out to be a full-grown male

entering the neck a

little

behind the

ear,

of

the ball,

had passed through

the whole lenL;th of the body.

"

Ileturning home, I found that a bullock had been killed

by two chetahs the night

before.

tracked and shot one

of them, a fine male."

"

Odohcr lOth, 1848. Crossed the lake to Nathany.

Pro-

ceeded to Narvalgennie, and went out bear-shooting with

hunting-buffaloes.

Sliot

one bear mortally, but did not

bag him owing to the darkness.

the side

farm

of a small tank

found him sitting at

in the middle of

an old chena

we immediately tacked up towards him with

the


SOMK PAGES FROM A BROTHKIl's DIARY.

GO

owing

buffaloes, but

ground we could

to the nature of the

not get within thirty yards, so at that distance

"

The

bear, apparently

lay

down

wondering wliat we were about,

approached to within twenty yards of

down.

The

heads.

I took a hasty shot at

light

we

watch his actions.

to

my

The

second

the

up

(Poor brute

behind

shoulder.

his

in the darkness,

over the buffaloes

all restraint

roaring

!)

and

my

hands, he

saw him no more.

giving vent to his feelings, the

bear's

sat

their

advance sideways,

to

Before a second gun could be put into

had disappeared

On

and then
toss

head and missed, the

his

aiming

barrel,

us,

snort and

told well, as he rolled heels over head,

ball

and groaning.
"

to

As he continued

being bad.

fired

began

buffaloes

men

lost

they tore up to the spot,

apparently bent upon annihilating the unfortunate brute,

and were

as

much

disgusted

at

his

escape

as

was

myself."

" October

Two

1848.

XMli,

Charvelacaddi,

near Batlicaloa.

nights ago, just before sunset, a leopard knocked over

a buffalo beside the jungle, in an old chena close to the

village above

by

The

named.

herd, on hearing the noise

their imfortunate companion, dashed

up

made

to the spot in a

body, doubtless hoping to polish off the cat by goring

him

He, finding himself hard pressed,

first

with their horns.

sprang up into a
butt

it

The

but as the buffaloes continued to

and plough up the ground around

bound over
"

tree,

their heads

chetali

it,

he made a

and dashed into the jungle.

had broken the neck

of

the buffalo, but

apparently had not tasted blood, for he did not return

night to his

feast.

tliat

Next evening, however, passing that

SUNDRY LEOPARDS.
way

he carried the carcase into the thick

his rounds,

oil

61

jungle and devoured about one-half.

next day, but he did not return.

too ganiey for his

I lay in wait for him

The meat was evidently

taste, as, instead

eating

of

it

limb by

limb, according to custom, he had only selected the daintiest

This, I find,

bits.

a sure sign that a leopard will not

is

return to his quarry."

" Novertiber 29t/t,

1848.

A farmer

in this

neighbourhood

sent a herd of goats to feed on a small peninsula.

wind

getting
laid

of them,

swam

chetah

over from the mainland, and

himself up for the day in a small patch of jungle.

The herdsman having discovered him, reported the matter

to his master,

and spears

who immediately

to the spot, taking the

"

The poor

to the

act

enemy.

herdsman as

guns

They hastened

their guide.

more bold than prudent, went up

ambush, and while he was in the

fellow, being

chetah's place of

of

collected a party with

in order to dislodge the

pointing out the direction of

its

head, the brute

sprang upon his shoulder, sending him heels over head

into the shallow water.

The man regained

staggered forward a few paces, the chetah

his legs,

still

and

holding on,

and then both rolled over into the deep water.

"

The

cat not relishing the cold bath, let go his hold

bolted back into the jungle.

to tlieir

companion, found his back

in their anxiety to

and

The other men, on going up

much

cut and torn,

and

convey him home and have his wounds

dressed, they forgot all about the leopard,

who took advan-

tage of their absence to leave the peninsula.

"

That same evening a chetah having killed a bullock at

men tied a seat in a tree and lay in wait to

Kalarr, two

shoot him.

On

the

enemy making

his appearance a little

SOMK PAGES FROM

62

BROTHERS DIARY.

after nightfall, they fired at him,

whereupon he bolted

The following morning, on examining

the jungle.

they found drops of blood, and followed up the

them

led

into

the place,

trail,

into the middle of a thick rattan jungle.

which

While

they were busily engaged in examining the ground, the

chetah sprang upon one man, and with one stroke of his
out his left eye, at the same time taking off

paw knocked
one

He

half of his nose.

"

then disappeared.

This morning the coolies killed a rock-snake fifteen feet

His body was

long.

horns and bones

all

scarred by the protrusion of the

of different animals

swallowed in the course

which the

reptile

had

These snakes are

of his lifetime.

by day, but come out at night in search of prey,

any animal they can, even a deer. Coiling round

rarely seen

and

seize

him, they crush him, lick him into a shape convenient for

swallowing whole, and eventually disgorge his bones.

"December lOth.

other day.

while dragging

Eather

leopard struck
it

off to thick

down

young

buffalo,^

and

jungle was attacked by the

beast, in her zeal to defend her calf,

The poor

mother.

a curious thing happened the

missed the cat and stuck her horns several times through

own

her

calf,

the leopard meanwhile disappearing into the

jungle, doubtless with the intention of returning to feast at

leisure after dark.
"

Another chetah having struck down a

hearing the noise, dashed up to the spot.

^

The Ceylon

buffalo

is

man

or leopard.

and

or beast, so

cat finding

It carries its head horiheavy horns bend backwards,

makes good use of them both for defence and
by no means an enemy to be despised by man

and scarcely any

zontally, nose forward, so that its large, ribbed,

to attack

The

a large, clumsily-built, very strong animal, with

black, shining, leathery skin,

resting on the shoulders,

buffalo, thp herd,

it

it is

hair.

A BAlTLli FUR
himself hard pressed, bolted up a

who were

tree.

Some

labourers

in a neighbouring paddy-field

work

at

63

LIFE.

commotion among the cattle and ran to the spot.

saw the

As soon

upon him, he bounded

as the chetah found their eyes fixed

over their heads and bolted into the thicket.

headman

and

me

I ordered

not reach the spot

village
"

my

aud the

The

soil

went

last

killed a buffalo there the previous

horse and rode off post-haste, but did

till

which was

carcase,

week

to Karativoe,

word that a chetah had

night.

of Pantroup, a neighbouring village, sent

" December Ibth, 1848.

the

an hour before sunset.

found the

that of an old bull, half-way between the

sea.

being light and sandy, aud rain having fallen on

the previous night, I had a famous opportunity of observing

the

manner

his prey.

in

which the leopard had waylaid and secured

So distinct indeed were the tracks, that I could

almost i'ancy I saw the monster taking the spring.

had met on a jungle path

of danger,

had approached

They

the buffalo, of course unconscious

at a steady pace, stopping occasion-

ally to crop the herbage.

The chetah, on the other hand,

having winded his game from a distance, had crawled along,

xentre-(i-terre, trying

the stunted bushes on either side of

the path, till at length he got himself comfortably lodged in the

middle of a low thick bush commanding an angle of the path.

"Thence he had sprung, and

marks

The

of his tail lashing the

I could

actually see

buffalo on receiving the shock

had staggered forward a

few paces and then fallen heavily to the ground.

unable to regain his

leet,

He was

and the struggle had evidently

been a desperate one, the ground being

and branches

the

sand preparatory to so doing.

of a larire size broken.

literally

ploughed up


SOME PAGES FROM A BROTHER'S DIARY.

6i
"

The

knew

chetali having only

advanced,

had

make

a meal, and as the day was so far

time to form plans or take precautions

little

and the jungle was

in self-defence,

him from the ground.

at

vicLira,

froTu former experience that he would return early

in the night to

fire

sucked the blood of his

so

low that I could only

Hastily shaping out a seat

in the middle of a bush within twelve yards of the carcase,

I

made

a screen

effectually

all

me and

conceal

natural to the eye.

my

myself with
"

round with

which would

live branches,

same time look quite

at the

then loaded

my

guns, and ensconced

attendant in the bush.

we heard

Just as the sun was setting,

a distant snorting

The sound approached

like that of a horse, only rougher.

nearer and nearer, and a minute afterwards the head and

the

shoulders of

magnificent

appeared through an

brute

Although

opening in the jungle, within thirty yards of us.

I had judged from his track

and the strength of the buffalo

he had laid low that he was one of unusual

quite

unprepared

reminded me

for

grand sight

such a

size, I

in

was

truth,

he

of a diminutive prize-ox at a cattle-show

such a breadth of chest and shoulder,

" I

took aim several times, but judging from the immense

size of his

have unless

limbs and muscles

it

how

little effect

struck a vital part, I reserved

a ball could

my

fire for

more convenient season. He continued sitting in sight,

snorting for more than five minutes, and then turned round,
and with a growl disappeared in the jungle.
" The sun had by this time gone down, and we lay

for

fully two hours without either hearing or seeing anything

of the enemy.

We

and the proceedings

watched the
of a

prowling about when we

pack
first

rise of the lovely full

of jackals

came

moon

which had been

to the ground.

These

THE DIGNITY OF LEISURE.

became emboldened by the long absence

65

of the chetah,

and

began to approach the carcase, keeping a good look-out,

however, in the direction from which they expected he

would come.

summon up

Every now and then one

pluck to give a tug at the buffalo, letting go

his hold again as quickly as

running

them would

of

off to a distance,

if it

would

were hot

sit

down

iron,

and then

nervously.

"

At length we heard distant growling, which, of course,

alert.
As for the jackals, they disappeared
The growling grew louder and louder, till
a twinkling.

put us on the
in

seemed

at length the very air

to shake,

and presently the

head and shoulders reappeared at the same place as

Then the

beautiful beast sat in silence for

an hour in

all

the dignity of leisure, as

was

sure that the coast

clear.

if

before.

more than half

wishing to

make

Then, apparently suspecting

danger, though he could not possibly have winded us, he

rose

and recommenced growling as

standing thus

in defiance.

if

several minutes, he

for

After

turned round and

disappeared.
"

was

We

listened to his growling

fairly lost in the distance.

upon me

so long

dropping

the sound

at length

had feasted

raosquitos
I

had grown callous

and I was so weary that

off to sleep,

shoulder.

The

and earnestly that

to their attentions,

my

till

when my attendant

was just

silently touched

Listening intently, I again heard the sweet

melody, although at a great distance and in an opposite

direction from that in
" This

which we had

last

heard

it.

time he appeared to have made up his mind, as

immediately on arriving at the opening he walked up to

within a few paces of the carcase and sat down.

sudden
well

it

apparently occurred to him that

to reconnoitre

VOL.

II.

the neighbourhood

it

All on a

would be as

once more before

SOME PAGES FROM A BROTHERS DIARY.

66

commencing supper,

he rose and walked forward a few

for

paces in the direction of our liiding-place.

" I

saw that there was no time

my

screwing up

he swerved a

it,

the opportunity of

With one

fired.

lost, so,

quickly

nerves for a steady shot, I allowed him to

advance within nine yards or

have

be

to

little

As good luck would

so.

me

the right, thus affording

him

giving

terrific

to

a very favourite ball.

roar he bounded into the jungle

to the right of us.

"

His voice had such an

made a
I,

effect

desperate attempt to bolt

my attendant that he
past me out of the bush.

on

however, seized him by the wrist and held him

apparently

much

to

his horror

remaining quiet at such a

and

moment

disgust.

find

fast,

that

of the utmost im-

is

portance, as in the event of the cat discovering his enemy,

he will spring upon him

" After

remaining quiet for ten minutes listening, so

as to be sure that he

we

into the jungle,

break

we

was

either dead

loss to find the trail, as,

upon the

light

soil,

for

That was

accounted

easily

down and
"

had crawled away

At day-

independent of the

blood-stains were not wanting.

about thirty yards and then ceased.

These continued

sat

or

got out and walked home.

returned in company with a numerous retinue,

and were at no
tracks

to a certainty.

for, as

he had then evidently

licked his wounds.

After following the trail a

little

further,

we

lost it in

There the natives drew back, and no offer

thick jungle.
I made a long and vain
could tempt them to proceed.
search single-handed, but was obliged to give it up for
the

moment

as a bad job.

Feeling certain, however, from

various circumstances, that he could not have crawled

I offered

a reward of two rupees to any one

far,

who would

A VILLAGE PEST.
bring

me

his head.

67

This step had the desired

effect, as,

my

bungalow

on the third morning

after, a

man came

to

and demanded payment, as he had found the

'*

rode

off

with him to the spot, being anxious to see

the uoble brute, and also

my

To

scene of

how

the ball had taken

effect.

surprise,

he had hardly gone 250 yards from the

action,

and was lying in an old chena by the

side of a dense jungle.

survived

cat.

some

the shot

The poor animal had evidently

he lay in a crouching

time, as

making a

attitude, as if preparatory to

He was

spring.

full-grown male, and measured upwards of eight feet seven

inches from nose to

tail.

The

ball

had entered the

shoulder and passed out below the ribs on the

"

The headman

me

of the village told

left

left side.

200 would

that

not cover the damage this leopard had done by the slaughter
of cattle in that

and the neighbouring

Here ends the only fragment

villages."

I possess

of

my

brother's

diary.

From
extracts

a small

packet of letters

Kandy.

"July 21th, 1852.

came up

country ten days ago upon business.

to

give

have one's nerves braced up

the low country.

It

noblest and

at the

to the
is

Kandyan

a great relief

after the fearful

heat of

have had a few days' elk-hunting with

a friend, and enjoyed myself very much.

We

following

the

It is

one of the

same time the hardest sport

know.

run down the deer with fox-hounds, which gives us

run on foot of eight or ten miles over mountains and

rocks, through rugged glens

stalking in Scotland

is

and along

precipice?.

comparatively tame work."

Deer-


SOME PAGES FROM A BROTHER'S DIARY.

68

"1857.

Batticaloa.

not a cheerful

is

excitement

season, so I

the

in

Christmas alone

but

work

to

quietly.

buffaloes,

of deer

feeding
"

and

I prefer variety,

two

As

my

a small

seek a
to

little

stick

to

a large bag (of their

to get that, one has to

go

and a considerable number

only

kill

what

I require for

men.

two

out,

They stuck

to

was, I killed four elephants, eight

it

elk, six leopards,

and pigs; of these

While

backwoods

tlie

chosen

made

elephants, I could easily have

tails),

was glad

Had

jungle.

in

my

of

to elephants,

friends from

and killed

four,

Kandy

joined me.

one of which was

Shipton nearly came to grief; he was

tusker.

knocked over by an elephant, which afterwards walked

over Ids body, but got confused, and fortunately

Two months

ago, a

was

taken

stances,

up by the elephant

and deliberately pounded

left

him.

under almost similar circum-

native,

to

his

trunk,

death between the

brute's

in

knees.
" I

was very sorry

to hear of

poor Bill being hugged by

a bear and getting his wrist chawed up;^ but

was not worse,

as these horrid

get at your face.

early morning,
prey, I have

In

my

it is

it

night excursions, generally in the

when they

are on the prowl in

search of

had some extraordinary escapes, especially on

one occasion, when, just as the brute flew at

mouthed,

well

creatures invariably try to

down

I sent a ball

me open-

The Ceylon bears

its throat.

are enormously strong

and very savage, often attacking men

without provocation.

Sometimes they drop on natives from

trees
"

and lacerate them

They

are

See " "Wild

Gumming.

frightfully.

omnivorous, eating
]\Ieu

aud "Wild Beasts."

fruit,

By

roots,

and honey,

Colonel "William Gordon

Published by David Douglas, Edinburgh.

A sportsman's
supplemented by

ants,

which give a formic acid

they are always ready for raw meat

"

They

69

risks.

if

human

are very jealous of

relish,

they can get

but

it.

poachers on their pre-

serves of wild honey, and often attack natives while honey-

hunting in the

poor fellow,

my

forests.

Several accidents happened while I was out

"

whom

my way

saw on

was

out,

return by a bear, which literally tore

him

to pieces,

the side-bone of the face torn

be distinguished

his

was gouged

his right eye

away

arms and

and

He was

yet the poor wretch lived for ten days afterwards.

in a fearful condition

One

last.

killed before

out,

and

features could scarcely

were also frightfully

legs

mangled.
"

Another

man had

his

stomach torn out by a

and died immediately.

Another was

which caught him while

fishing in a tank.

heard of four deaths from snake-bite.

in this country has to

by a

crocodile,

He was

rescued,

During the same time

but died in the course of the night.

man

killed

buffalo,

So,

you

see, a sports-

keep a good look-out

but I find

endless delight in watching beasts, birds, reptiles, and nature

in general.
" It

was the season

for birds' nests,

freely on the eggs of pea-fowl

I

and

and many

my men

myself robbed a lot of pelicans' nests, just for the fun of

the thing, but the eggs were rather strong for

is

feasted

sorts of water-fowl.

my

taste.

It

absurd of these large birds to build their nests iu

so

trees,

and

their nests are small in proportion to the size of

the bird.
"

While passing through a low, swampy jungle

came

on a crocodile's mound, and the proprietrix, a very large

one,
ball,

was lying quietly on guard.

I gave her

an elephant

which blew her brains away, and she never moved a


70

TADES FROM A BROTHER's DIARY.

SOMI']

With

muscle.

from the centre of the mound, and

There were

fifty-eight in

hundred

to

common
"

from

of a

smashed them.

crocodile lays from fifty

much resembling

I could easily

made

them undisturbed.
number of crocodiles by the

left

of

number

a great

thus unable to bite them.

the

indicates

line

who

crocodile

of

wooden

has swallowed the

it

aid

to a strong

small cords so loosely

whereabouts

gently ashore, and with

when

have

a considerable

twisted as to get between the teeth of the brute,

the

of

passed two very fine specimens of roek-

fifteen to eighteen feet long.

hook baited with raw meat and attached

rope

those

secured them, but

" I kill

tlien

the eggs

Fancy all these horrors coming to years

Another day

stiahe,

all.

very

eggs,

goose.

of discretion

we dug out

a good deal of troulJe,

float

draw the

bait,

is

to

too-confiding

the

of

who

attached

the head of the

float

poor reptile,

a well-directed shot aimed at the back of the neck

breaks the spine and secures an easy victim."

"January 1863.
wet season. Fancy
tappal

that

Batticaloa.

This

is

that for nineteen days

post from Colombo on

is,

our

monsoon or

we have had no

account of the low

country being flooded, and at the snme time our port

we

closed, so

are

with the world.

effectually cut off

Speaking of

receive letters from home,

have your
as

much

letters

you

weighed, as

post,

really
I

is

from communication
delightful as

must

all

it

is

remember

to
to

have sometimes had to pay

as six shillings for a single letter,

and

that's

no

joke in these hard times."

"April 1863.

The

last

two months have been,

as usual,

FOES OF A COCOA-NUT PLANTER.

most oppressive, owing

tion

commonly
of

I find,

Birds of

But

a white

man

on the contrary, that some

most powerful and melodious

are the

heard.

hour

nature rejoices.

all

all

It

is

said that tropical songsters are inferior to those

Europe.

here

However, vegeta-

busy building and rearing their young.

are

sorts

and

at its fullest,

is

sun and dry-

to the reflection of the

ing up of the waters after the monsoon.

71

human

as regards

have ever

when

beings, the only time

can have any enjoyment of

morning and the

of the

of the birds

the

first

glare

and

life, is

last at night, the

heat of the intervening hours being insufferable."

I often wonder how you would relish a

"July 18G3.
week of such weather as we have at present. During
May, June, and July our hot winds prevail, the blasts of
which are just such as you might imagine coming from the

At

lower regions.

this

moment

it is

apparently, as one would think,

destruction along with

it.

ing an almost solitary

life

climate has to

'

make an

I can tell

effort

'

to

effect of

" I

and excitement than

and exhausting

it

is

more

for the sake

real pleasure, such is the

an unnatural temperature upon the constitution.

went out about a fortnight ago and

with single shots.

I also

with baited hook and

Some people seem

planter

must be

case

you happen

if

and

keep body and soul together.

troublesome beasts, amongst others

all

full force,

desolation

you that a man lead-

in such a sultry

I occasionally go out shooting, but

of exercise

blowing in

carrying

five

killed various

very large elephants,

bagged a very large crocodile

line.

to

imagine that the

a very easy one.

life

of a cocoa-nut

That certainly

is

to be settled in a part of the

where wild animals abound, and where,

for

want

not the

country
of

suffi-

SOME PAGES FKOM A BROTHER'S DIARY.

72

cient timber to

make

you are obliged

fences,

to be constantly

on the alert to protect your property.

" I generally rise at 4.30 a.m.

jungle, watching the habits of

and take a saunter

any animals

Iieturning to coffee, I start

see.

my men

or birds I

may

at 6 a.m. to their

Meanwhile a watcher has gone

various duties.

in the

all

round

the estates, and reports any damage done by buffaloes, wild-

When

hog, or porcupines.
to

and

inspect,

village

if

he has anything to report I go

buffaloes have broken in

owners accordingly.

animals return too often

we

fines the

left.

When

the same

shoot them.

Wild-hog are the worst enemies we have

to

contend

Those which enter the estates are generally the large

with.

single boars,

and

as they are ferocious to a degree, especially

when surrounded, we run

destruction.

You can

when one

is

" I

Sometimes these buffaloes are savage

and knock the men down right and

"

we summon

headman, who values the damage done and

rip

considerable risk in effecting their

fancy what their strength must be

sufficient to cut

have had so

many

up keeping them, and

open a horse or a bullock.

dogs cut to pieces that I have given

in general I

now

shoot as

many

boars

Some, however, are such cunning old hands that

as I can.

they only come on dark nights, and go away again before

For these we prepare

morning.

"

giving

curious thing happened lately.

much

trouble.

Two

parts of the fence where he

over.

pitfalls

filled

with sharp

This causes a very horrible death.

stakes.

porcupine

fell

pitfalls

was

into one

A large boar had been

were prepared at low

in the habit of

jumping

and got staked, but he

slipped in so quietly as not to disarrange the branches and

grass placed over the top.

In the course of the night the

boar

and although badly staked he

fell

into the other trap,

A HORRIBLE FIGHT.
managed

get out

to

73

but while seeking for a hole in the

fence by which to get out he

into the other pit on to

fell

the porcupine, and must have attacked

it

furiously, for his

mouth and nose were all transfixed with quills. After all,
he managed to get out of the pit, and in the morning we
found him at some distance lying in a bush, too weak to
charge.
The poor creature's tongue and throat were literally
riddled with quills.
" It

when

was very
it is

morning.

horrible,

The

and

much

filthy

feeders,

readily as on

on the

them

natives are always glad to get pig's flesh,

though Europeans generally object

are

prefer shooting

I lately shot five large ones in one

possible.

and

feast

to

it,

as the wild pigs

on putrid carrion quite as

young cocoa-palms

(so that their trespassing

They even gobble up the

latter is inexcusable).

enormous earth-worms, which are as large as small snakes.

"

As

a matter of sport, pig-hunting in this island

different thing

from Indian pig- sticking, which

on horseback by

men

Young

hunting-knife.

weapon

a very

is all

done

Here the sportsmen

carrying spears.

follow on foot, and the only

is

in use

is

a long, sharp

boars and sows go about in large

herds of perhaps a couple of hundred, but the old patriarchs

prefer vranderiug about independently.
"

Porcupines also do serious damage on a cocoa-palm

plantation, as they have a special weakness for the heart

of

young palms

gnaw

their

and there

way through

is

no keeping them

out, as

they

fences or burrow under walls in

They can be tamed, but

the most determined manner.

are

troublesome and mischievous pets.

"At
wise,
till

11 A.M. I return to breakfast, and the

resuming work at

3 P.M.,

when

1.

If possible

go out again

till

men do

like-

remain indoors

sunset at about 6.30.

SOME PAGES FROM A BROTHER'S DIARY.

74
"

am

Then, unless there

any

is

niglit shootiui,' to

be done,

glad to get to bed early, and so take refuge inside the

At

nets to escape the mosquitos and other playful insects.

the present

moment

I think there are

regret that these

can hardly see

my

was

it

eye-flies."

all

that remain to record

who landed

a true paradise for sportsmen

still

in the

when

the multitude of wild animals was as described by Sir

Emerson Tennant

my

few sportsmen who will not share

meagre notes are

the experience and observation of one

Isle while

paper for

when

James

there were no game-laws, no need

of licences, only a grateful people, not, like the villagers of

to-day, provided with

bless the white

powder, and shot, but ready to

rifles,

man, who freed them from the incursions of

dangerous foes and provided them with abundant food, in

the form of wild pigs and sundry kinds of deer.

own camp

fare

there

and pea

birds, jungle

For

his

was a most appetising variety

fowl, red-legged partridges, plover,

of

and

pigeons, quails, parroquets, fine fat wild-ducks, snipe, cranes

in short,

ample materials

for

savoury stews and roasts

and

we occasionally received amusing notices, as,

for instance, when one day he had shot a lovely rose-tinted
marabout stork that he might send me its feathers, and its
of these also

body had furnished an excellent stew.

servant remarked that
season.

fish

After dinner his

must surely be very scarce

this

his asking "Wliy ?" the reply came, "Because

On

in cleaning that bird for master's dinner I found a large rat

inside of

it

"
!

Now, even

in the jungle, that

was not a very

pleasant suggestion

Besides

all

the animals that can be classed as game, that

quiet observer of nature found a never-failing delight in

studvincr the habits of all

manner

of creatures

which a mere

A HUNTERS BUNGALOW.
liiinter

75

would pass unnoticed, or probably destroy

My brother's delight

lay in taming

many

sncli,

and-ready bungalow was not only adorned with

of trophies of the chase, but also

singular variety of pets of

a lonelv hour.

all sorts

as vermin.

and his roughall

manner

was the home of a most

his

companions

in

many


7G

CHAPTER

XVII.

BATTICALOA.
by torchlight Baptism of villagers
Shooting
Tamil caste persecution Honorific umbrellas
Life on a cocoa-palm estate Visit
the Veddahs Dread of the
evil eye Singhalese castes Dhobies prepare huts for travellers
Bad water causes divers diseases Pollanarua.

Musical shell-fish
at

fish

Navatkuda

to

From Rugam we drove

was

to

to Batticaloa

have been accomplished in a borrowed

and

as the horse totally refused to move,

in the middle of the road,

under the palm-trees

little diflBculties
it

is

part of the distance

till

we had

to

are of such frequent recurrence

which the

tlie

horse-keepers

These

many

resort

whenever

unpleasant
to

persuade

obstinate, or perhaps half-starved, animals to proceed

been so often described, that

and, personally,

my own

it is

but

down

to wait several hours

another could be procured.

necessary to hire horses, and

methods

carriage,

finally lay

have

needless to refer to them,

experience was generally confined

to the well-cared-for and well-trained horses of friends.

The country towards Batticaloa

which (thanks

is

dead-level plain,

to the restoration of the tanks,

and

of the

ancient system of irrigation) has been transformed from an

unhealthy marsh, overgrown with low jungle, to a vast

expanse

of luxuriant rice.

FRESH-WATER LAGOONS.
Henry Ward (who

Sir

was

forest protection)

ration of the old irrigation

all

works

in the Eastern

the

district

converting

country round,

the

swamps

with

alternated

resto-

and Southern

repair

the

of

restored prosperity

arid

Now

smiling expanse of fertile laud.

any

to attempt

first

Irakkamam and Amparai

great tanks at
to

the

In the Batticaloa

Provinces.

malarious

suggested the necessity of a

first

also

ii

where

district

wastes

into

may

the eye

on a plain of about 20,000 acres of lovely green

rest

rice, in

addition to all other varieties of cultivation, and a well-

healthy population replaces the half-starved

fed, prosperous,

and diseased

villagers of fifty years ago.

Parallel with the coast for about thirty miles lies one of

those strange fresh-water lagoons

we

those on which

sailed

formed by the confluence

meandering through

"gobbs"

or

up the western shores

of

some

this vast

many

of the

similar

to

of Ceylon,^

rivers,

which,

verdant plain, 200 miles in

length by about twenty in width, have changed their course

in

many

a flood,

canals

quiet

evergreen

and yet continue

to

waterways

with dense thickets of

fringed

mangroves whose

supply their former

network of navigable

forming a natural

channels, thus

curiously arched

spreading roots grow right into the water, the

numerable crabs and

crocodiles.

shell-fish,

Lovely blue

and

kingfishers

also

and wide-

home

of in-

swarming with

and snowy or

rose-

coloured cranes, pelicans, and other aquatic birds here find

quiet covert whence they can fish unmolested.

The united waters are prevented from entering the sea

(except when in flood) by a harbour-bar of their own
creating,

vessel
^

which

effectually

forbids

the

a grave inconvenience to those

See chapter

iv.

glance at the

map

entrance

of

any

whose business

will well repay the trouble.

is

BATTICALOA.

/C

occasionally interrupted by the raging breakers ou the bar,

but a feature which secures a beautifully calm lake, in

which
lands

all

the ranges of blue distant

The name
little isle

fort

trees."

King

of

"

Mud-Lake," and

on which the Portuguese built their town and

The

called I'uliyantivu, or "

is

from the

of Batticaloa is said to be derived

Tamil words Malta Kala^im, meaning

the

and wooded head-

liills

mirrored.

lie faultlessly

Isle of the

Tamarind-

This they did in 1627 without permission

of the

Kandy, who thereupon invoked the aid

of the

These in 1638 arrived in force from Java with

Dutch.

and destroyed the

six ships-of-war, captured

and then

fort,

proceeded to build one for themselves, which remains to

this day, with the invariable

within

Likewise within the

of a grassy
tiles,

uncompromisingly plain chapel

its precincts.

common,

fort,

and scattered round three

sides

are white houses all roofed with red

each bungalow standing in

its

own

pleasant garden.

The peaceful cemetery occupies a prominent position on this

green common, one side of which

One
that

of those red-tiled houses

still

is

washed by the

lake,

are densely clothed with cocoa-palms.

whose farther shores

and one

little

corner in

God's acre possess a very special interest in our

family history,
chapter in the

scenes

the

as

life of

of

the

one very dear to

close

of

this

first

us.^

After watching a gorgeous sunset from the ramparts of

the old

Dutch

fort,

when

earth and lake and sky seemed

transformed to glowing gold and the rosy oleanders shone

red as rubies,
to the

we rowed

faint notes

which are only

to

in the quiet moonlight to listen

of the

far-famed "musical

shell-fish,"'

be heard in the dry season, so

1

See page 169.

we were

SHOOTIXCx FISH
fortunate

swollen

in

the time of

WITH AEROWS.

our

79

When

visit.

the

lake

is

the rains the depth of M'ater deadens the faint

\>y

submarine chorus.

That night there was not a breath of wind nor the least
ripple to disturb the dead calm,

and we

distinctly heard

the tiny voices, each apparently producing a succession of

as

notes,

if

you gently tapped a tumbler with a

steel

producing

faint

combination

the

knitting-pin,

of

these

rippliug thrills, just like the vibration

rim

of a linger-glass

We

with a moist

when you rub

rowed very gently, halting at different points where

alone the sounds were audible, whence

musicians

the

the

finger.

in

live

colonies.

we

inferred

that

The Tamil fishermen

attribute the notes to the inmate of a small pointed shell

which they

call ooj-ia coolooroa cradoe, " the crying-shell

but this shell

talent

for

is

found in other lagoons where

singing,

and,

in

truth,

it

"

shows no

no one seems able

to

identify this little minstrel of the Batticaloa lake.

Less pleasant inhabitants of the lake are the crocodiles,

which are large and numerous, ranging from

twenty

feet

in

newly hatched

We

The former,

length.

six

inches to

of course,

are the

babies.

were much interested in watching the

fishers shoot-

ing fish by firelight, which they did with almost unerring

aim.

They go out

at sunset,

fire in

a brazier in

tlie

the

prow with

a large

to a long string,

and having kindled a bright

centre of their boat, they stand at

bow and arrow

the latter attached

wliereby they draw in the

which, moth-like, have been attracted to their

figures,

the

The strangely shaped boats and

and the refiections of these moving fires, with

glare on the dark waters.

dark

silvery fish

doom by

Ccritfiiuin Palustrc.


80

BATTICALOA.
moonlight just silvering the

the briglit

tall

dark palms,

presented a succession of very striking scenes.

few days later we were privileged to witness a scene

of far

more enduring

service in English

interest.

On Sunday

community

general

for the

and Burghers, and afterwards in Tamil

that race, assisted

The

latter

by

their

own

the Bishop held

Britons

of

for the converts

had the happiness

telling

of

him

of the re-

markable (and in Ceylon quite unique) conversion

the inhabitants of a neighbouring village
that all had resolved en masse to give

the

that

of all

to say,

is

up the worship

to

One True God.

substantial proof of being thoroughly in earnest, for

though very poor people

of

become the faithful

They had already given

and

Tamil (Hindoo) gods,

servants of the

of

native clergyman.

al-

only despised toddy-drawers

own

accord

subscribed so liberally that they had raised sufficient

money

of the

to

Nallavar caste, they had quite of their

buy a piece

of land as the site for their village church,

and had already built a temporary house

in

which

to

meet

for service.

These earnest converts now craved Christian baptism,

and the native clergyman requested the Bishop

their village

and admit thirty men

to

go to

to that holy Sacrament.

About 130 women and children were kept back

for fuller

instruction.

On

a lovely afternoon

village

Navatkuda

of

Eose-apple,^ a

perfume

(i.e.,

waxy pink

of rose-leaves),

lake, about

we proceeded by boat to the

Bay of the Jambu-tree or

the

fruit

which

with a flavour like the

lies

on the shores of the

two miles from Batticaloa.

September 10th, 1873.

"The Malay Apple" {Eugenia Malacc

nsis).

ADULT BAPTISMS.

81

There, on the grassy palm-fringed shore

we found the 160 men, women, and

blue lake,

who had

the

of

resolved on this great step, assembled to receive

the servant of their newly-found Master.

large turbans

and waist-cloths

Brown men with

of bright- coloured calico,

brown women and children with glossy black

drapery, and of course

brilliant

with some sort

reverently

of

of

(however

escorted

metal bracelets and anklets, always

Bishop

the

to

their

which was hung with white

white cloth

the

and

hair and

poor) adorned

They were a very nice-looking

ornamental.

chapel,

clear

children

and

"),

prettily

and

lot,

all

temporary

little

("

the honours

decorated

with palm

calico

leaves in the native style.

Nothing could have

more impressive than the

been

baptismal service which followed, and

with the

all listened

deepest and most earnest attention to the Bishop's address,

charging one and

all to

stand steadfast unto the end, in the

face of whatever difficulties

the sun

set,

might await them.

we bade them

Batticaloa in the stillness

farewell,

of

Then, as

and rowed back

to

rapidly-deepening twilight,

watching the gleaming reflections of many boat-fires as the

fishers started for their

Very shortly

evening sport.

after this

seriously affected that he

in

Ceylon and return

the

Bishop's health

was compelled

to

Britain

became

so

to resign his charge

and though the remem-

brance of the scene on the shores of the lake has often come

back to me,

it

is

only quite recently that I have obtained

details of the grievous

and

pitiless persecution

which

(albeit

under protection of the Union Jack) these our fellow-subjects

and I'ellow-Christians have endured during

all

these Ions

years, for no other reason than that, being of very

VOL

II.

low caste
F

82

BATTIC'ALOA.

toddy-drawers they had presumed

^

to support a resident

schoolmaster, and they and their children had obtained a

were dependent on the

of a

For religious teaching they

rudimentary education.

little

visits of a catechist,

and occasionally

Tamil clergyman, the Eev. A. Yethacan.

From
wood to
work,

the time of their conversion they declined to carry

the idol temples, and they abstain from Sunday-

except the necessary collection of

But worst

early morning.

of

all,

it

is

the sap

in

the

averred that some

of these low-caste people have actually ventured to carry

umbrellas to shelter them from the blazing sun

which they have been

offences of

are the sole

These

guilty,

and

which they have repeatedly been cruelly beaten and

for

insulted by unneighbourly neighbours of the Fisher caste,

who

(taking advantage of their sometimes prolonged absence

at different cocoa-nut plantations,

employed in the dangerous work

where they have been

of

toddy-drawing) have

again and again maliciously destroyed their poor palm-leaf

and

mud

huts,

on their return they have

so that

found

their houses all wrecked.

The persecution can

scarcely be ascribed to envy of any

advantages conferred on these poor Christians by their profession of faith, for they do not

seem

to

have received any

sympathy or support from the large Christian community

in

Batticaloa,

and they have never yet been able

to

im-

prove on their original rude school- chapel, though years ago

they collected a great heap of bricks, hoping soon to be able
to build a simple church.

To

this

Bishop,^
^

effort

who

The work

they

visited

were encouraged

them

in 1889,

by the present

and being deeply touched

of collecting the sap of the palm-blossoms

page 158.

The Eight Rev.

R. S. Copleston, D.D.

is

described ia

83

CASTE PERSECUTIONS.

their genuiue Christianity, earnestly

by manifest proofs of

commended

the sympathy of

to

But beyond the

in Batticaloa.
of

work

their

money by

Church

the

collection of a small

sum

the Bishop himself, nothing seems to have

been done, and probably the very fact of the Bishop's

up the jealousy

stirred

visit

of the Fishers,

who perhaps

were also influenced by the somewhat general revival of

caste distinctions,

owing

to their unfortunate recent formal

Anyhow, on Jan-

recognition by the British Government.

uary

commenced

1890, they

6,

on the poor Christians, two of

of attacks

seriously

a most unprovoked series

wounded

that

they had to

be

whom

were so

carried

the

to

hospital at Batticaloa, their assailants proceeding to burn

the school- chapel with

and

benches and simple furnishings,

its

totally destroy the village.

on the

Nevertheless,

assembled

Sunday the

following

congregation

his

and

usual,

as

beneath the shadow of the trees beside the calm

Of

course,

reported the

as

in

duty bound,

disgraceful

the

business

liev.

the

to

catechist

held

service

lake.

A. Vethacan

JMagistrate

and

Government Agent, and the ringleaders having been secured,

several were deservedly sentenced to long terms of imprison-

None

ment.
fault,

of the Christians

were found to be

at all in

having acted solely in self-defence.

As they

did not dare to return to rebuild their village

on the former
first to

site,

the

Government Agent determined at

new settlement on Government

provide for them a

land in another part of the district

after the leader of the aggressions

but believing that

had been committed

prison all would be peaceful, he resolved to erect

on the old
to return.

site,

and having done

so,

to

new huts

invited the Christians

This they were afraid to do, and the headman,

84

BATTICALOA.

whose duty

was

it

to bring

them

back, asked Mr. Vethacaii

to come over and persuade them to do

Bound on

so.

this peaceful errand to his sorely-tried flock,

the good old clergyman started, as he had so often done, to

the calm lake to Navatkuda, and at 7.30

cross

landed on

waiting for him.

was

Tliat official

late,

but

I\Ir.

man coming towards him armed with

perceived a

he

a.m.-^

headman

the grassy shore, expecting to find the

Vethacan
a

gun and

brandishing a sword, and recognised one of the most bitter

aggressors,

and one, moreover, who had been hurt by one

of

the Christians in self-defence (as had been proved in the

court).

On

truculent-looking person approach, Mr.

seeing this

Vethacan returned

to his boat

and shoved

whereupon the

assailant began pelting

threatening to

fire

the

w^hich

from the laud,

off

him with

stones,

and

the boatman did not at once return,

if

cowardly fellow, being in mortal

terror,

did.

The miscreant then fell on Mr. Vethacan with his sword,

wounding him very severely, and then went off, leaving him
on the ground half dead.
There he lay in the blazing sun for about two hours
before any one

oone

off to

the assault.

came

to his assistance, his

Batticaloa to inform the

The

boatman having

Government Agent of
but met another

latter started at once,

boat in which the victim was being brought to the hospital,

his clothes all saturated with blood.

received several severe

of the left

He was

wounds on the arms, the

hand had been cut

off,

severely injured, and he had lost so

so grave a shock that at

first

it

On

the 1st

to

have

first finger

and several others were

much

blood and received

was feared

danger.
1

found

December 1890.

his life

was

in

00

A PLEA FOR PRACTICAL SYMPATHY.

Happily, however,

went on

all

well,

and with good care

and nursing he has made a good recovery, and after five

months was able to resume his duties. Ten months elapsed

was

ere the case

when

tried,

it is

satisfactory to learn that

the cowardly assailant was then sentenced to ten months'

imprisonment.

It

equally satisfactory to learn that this

is

long delay was due to the fact that there was no spiiug
assize

general

either

at Trincomalee

or Batticaloa,

absence of crime in the Eastern

the fact that there was no other case for

owing

to the

Province,

and

In order

trial.

keep the peace, a police force has

been quartered in the village, for which they will have

to teach the people to

pay about 1600 rupees a year

to

The

a salutary

lesson.

Christians very naturally refuse to return to their

old (quarters, so

it

has been decided to remove them to the

Their chief regret

other side of Batticaloa.

is

that they

will thus be removed from the neighbourhood of a large

Mahommedan

village,

where they have hitherto got work

from employers who happily ignore caste questions.

Surely

it

extended

to

would be well that some proof of sympathy was

these long-suffering Christians, and the Bisho})

earnestly hopes that funds

may

be placed at his disposal to

enable him to build their church, though not on the site

which they secured so many years

the salary of a catechist

and love

no distinction

of

the

win them

to turn the

also to the

Master, Whose

dilliculty

has

wretched petty caste privileges,

'

also to secure

love

know-

recognises

of caste.^

For the whole

IG

and

who may endeavour

hearts of the persecutors, and

ledge

ago,

Any donations
Denmark Place,

really

arisen

for this object will be gladly received

Ikiglitou.

from these

and the determination

by

of

Sirs. Coplestoiie,

86

BATTIOALOA.
that no lower

the fishers
scale

or

none

these,

caste should

is

in

the social

Of

so jealously guarded as that of carrying an

umbrella in scorching sun or

rise

presume to encroach on their prerogatives.

few years ago some

pitiless rain

men

of the

Barber caste presumed

The

thus to offend on the grand occasion of a wedding.

took umbrage, smashed the umbrellas, and a melee

fishers

ensued in which several of the

"

higher caste

"

were stabbed.

This led to a riot in which sundry houses were burnt, and

barbers punished for becoming proud.

all

position
fishers

declared

were sent

it

"

them

served

right."

to prison, but to this

not carry umbrellas.

Navatkuda had been

Natives in good

number

of

day the barbers dare

alleged that the Nallavars of

It is

guilty of this offence,

and that conse-

quently the fishers resolved to give them a lesson.^

As an example

how low

of

caste acts as a social disability

even in the professional world, I

a

man whose

made money

father,

in

may

instance the case of

although a toddy-drawer by birth, has

plumbago, and educated his son as a proc-

tor.

His Tamil brethren

allow

him

of

the law, however, would not

to sit at the table with

them

in his native town,

and he has been compelled to seek practice elsewhere.

Such a
in Britain,

detail in

an English court of law sounds strange

where we are so

effectually learning that "

money

maketh man," and where

" Gold hath the sway

We
Imagine the son

all

of a rich

obey."

ironmaster being professionally

scouted on account of his father being a self-made

man

Leaving Batticaloa at sunrise in a wretched palanquin,

one execrable horse dragged us four miles along the lake,
^

See chapter xxii., Subdivisions of Fisher Caste.

LIFE OX A COCOA-PALM ESTATE.

auJ then was replaced by one rather worse,
to a

deep sand track, impassable

Bishop's horses met us, and

Moondim Aar
us to

to take

lake

we rode

we came

till

wheels.

There the

to the shores

of the

where a boat was waiting

river,

Chandivelle, a large cocoa-palm plantation

belonging to one of

or

for

87

my

brother's old friends.

hospitable welcome awaited us in a real rough-and-

ready bungalow beneath the palms, a smaller separate one

being assigned to Miss

Jermyn and

myself, which formed

our comfortable headquarters for several days.

first

quite

It

my

was

experience of living on a cocoa plantation, and was

"

new

sensation "

great elephant-cart

nuts

in

Every morning the

went round the

estate, collecting

such

cocoa-nuts as had fallen during the night, and by midday a

huge

had accumulated.

pile

These nuts being fully

ripe,

were then broken up wholesale with hatchets by a band of

almost nude

husk being

coolies,

so thick.

and very hard work they had, the outer

Then another

either to be dried in the

off to

sun as

lot

scoop out the kernel,

co'pra for curry-stuff, or sent

On every side picturesque brown Tamil

turbans, women in bright draperies with ear-

the oil-mill.

men

in big

rings

and nose-rings, bangles and anklets

of silver or base

metal, and children with silver charms but

gave

life

and colour and

was never weary

of

interest to the scene

and

drapery,
I for

one

watching these ever-varying groups in

their daily avocations, especially

the primitive well to

little

fill

when they gathered round

their great red earthenware chatties

or brass lotas, cooling themselves

by emptying these over

their heads.

baby elephant wandered about as a playful

pet,

and

one day a snake-charmer brought a whole family of deadly

cobras to dance before the verandah, whereon lay the ugly

BATTICALOA.

00

heads of several gigantic crocodiles

and other hunting trophies.

large white teeth,

witli

many

These and

such as prickly aloes and

teristic details,

were our surroundings,

other characcotton-trees,

tall

bathed in the mellow sunlight

all

streaming through the golden and brown lower leaves of

palms, which being right above us, revealed

the tall

and blossom.

their wealth of nuts

Then

at night the stars

perfect that
tive

we

all

and the

moonlight were so

clear

could scarcely go indoors.

Specially attrac-

were the great bonfires (made of palm leaves and the

outer husks of the nuts), round which about a hundred

were picketed as a protection

of the estate black

cattle

against leopards.

would be

It

scene for an

strikitig

artist's

difficult

to

imagine a more

brush than these groups of

dark animals beneath the palms, which glowed so red in the

while a silver shimmer of moonlight played on

firelight,

ever- waving fronds.

One night we approached

and the

cattle

and some
I

that living picture too quickly,

mistook the strange white

in their terror broke loose

women

for leopards,

and stampeded.

should perhaps mention, as a practical though

un-

roraantic detail, that these large herds of estate cattle are

kept on various plantations solely for the sake of manure.

1 visited one estate

where 180 head were kept

at a cost of

about 500 per annum, their sole other duty being to supply

milk and butter for one couple, though doubtless the coolies

by the surplus.

profited

They

are also

supply of cow-dung for coating the

allowed a limited

floors

and the inner

walls of their houses, this being an effectual preventive of

vermin

AYhen

it is

coffee

favour, as

far too precious to be

used as

fuel, as in India.

began to be sickly, this manure

fell

into dis-

being productive of obnoxious white grubs, and

89

FLIGHTS OP SNIPE.

many

Now, however,

estates sold their herds.

that as a fertiliser for tea

I regret to learn that the grievous murrain

decimated so

many

proved

is

which

1890

in

herds has not spared this district, which

and 6200 black

reports a decrease of 14,000 buffaloes

In the

it

of inestimable value.

it is

cattle.

round Pollanarua and Minery 5581 buffaloes

district

many thousands more perished

and 5223 black

cattle died, and

in the villages

round Haputale and throughout Uva.

The

mortality has been unnecessarily great owing to the superbelief of the people that the

stitious

murrain

is

the

work

demons, who would be incensed by direct interference

of

with their doings by any attempt to minister to sick beasts

or observe rational precautions, so
afflicted

that all efforts of the

making propitiatory

cattle-owners are limited to

offerings to the "

vile, evil devils."

ill,

Our meat supply consisted largely of the flesh of wild

pig, which we did not consider equal to good English pork,
so we were very glad when the entertainment was varied
which are abundant in the wet

by

snipe,

all

marshy places

in the

in flights of a dozen.

and

rice districts

Eastern Province, sometimes rising

I recently

saw a

letter

from

this

very estate in which the writer describes a sudden arrival

of unexpected guests, for

preserve,
brace,

whom,

He, however, went

visions.

naturally, he had no pro-

off trustingly to his favourite

and in half an hour returned, having bagged 17^

which enabled him

to feast his friends

stewed snipe, grilled snipe, and snipe curry

1

may

For the benefit of any Southron who may not recognise the quotation,
explain that

of Satan,

and how

it refers

appropriate!}' he was

you take away a second, you

remains

ill ;

so that he

is

to a Scotch minister's exposition of the character

named.

take one letter from his name, you lind

if

on roast snipe,

just an

find vile
ill,

evil
;

he

" For,
is

my

brethren,

the father of evil

if
;

you
and

and take yet another, and there

vile, evil devil."

90

BATTICALOA.

When

Colonel

Meadcn was

stationed at Trincomalee in

1872, within easy reach of the brackish lake Tamblegam,

days between

he went out snipe-shooting on seventeen

January and April, and bagged 482 i couple, the highest

being fifty-two couple one

record

lowest being

day, the

two couple.

And

and

in occasional days in March, April,

May

1891,

our kinsman, Hector Macneal, of the Gordon Highlanders

(grandson of
in

tlie

the

"

The Old Forest Ranger "), bagged 375 couple

low country round Bentotta, in the south-west

of

isle.

The bungalow stands close to a broad reach of the river,

where in the early morning and in the delicious cool of
the evening I practised rowing, under the able tuition of

my

host,

and very soon had an opportunity

of turning

my

powers to good account on the occasion of our visit to the

Yeddahs.

The Park Country through which we had

our

way

region

to

Batticaloa

haunted

strangely

lies

can

(I

scarcely

primitive race,

travelled on

on the southern verge

say

supposed

to

inhabited)

of the

by that

be descendants of

the aborigines, who, upwards of two thousand years ago,

retreated to these

wilds

when

the

Singhalese conquerors

arrived here from Bengal, and have ever since maintained

their isolation
siring to

At

be

from

left

all

contact with civilisation, only de-

unmolested in their own deep

solitudes.

least this is still the attitude of the pure-blooded

Eock

Veddahs, who conceal themselves in the caves and forests

among the foot-hills at the base of the great mountain
centre

region

known

as

"

Bintenne,"

which describes

broken country at the base of the highlands, answering

It used
to "The Terrai" at the base of the Himalayas.

ROCK VEDDAHS.
be

to

resulted

even camping there generally

pestilential that

so

in

now

but

jungle-fever,

91

character

its

in

that

respect has greatly improved, owing to considerable clearings of forest.

This remote secluded region was,

very recently, un-

till

trodden save by these wild shy tribes, themselves shunning

the

human

presence, and waging a noiseless warfare with

wild beasts, silently stalking

within ten paces of their

till

quarry, then shooting with noiseless

disturbing firearms

and

bow and arrow

rarely letting a

no

wounded animal

escape to be a living warning to his fellows.

They

live in

trees, as

caves or in temporary grass huts (not in

has been sometimes stated), but they rove to and

fro, following

the migration of game, which travels from one

district to another in

search

water on the low ground

and pools are transformed

betakes

itself

Veddahs

them

to

follow,

of

When

game

mountain pastures, and the

them owning small dogs

to help

in the chase.

They have long bows and arrows

As

small ones for birds.

for big

game, and very

regards the former, the bows, which

are of very flexible wood, are over six feet in length

than the ugly

in height.

little

archers,

The bowstring

and the arrow (which

in

the

dried up, and the streams

to beds of dry sand, the

the moist

some

of water-pools.

all

is

length,

is

taller

are often under five feet

of twisted

a light shaft

bark

fibre greased,

two and a half

feet

and winged with feathers from the peacock's

wing) carries a broad

length,

is

who

flat

arrow-head fully six inches in

and sometimes twelve or even

fifteen inches long.

These iron arrow-heads used to be the only manufactures of

the civilised world M'hich they at
in the

all

appreciated, and certainly

hands of keen marksmen thev can do

jrreat

execution.

92

BATTICALOA.

The archer holds

liis

bow

the right hand and pulls

in

tlie

string witli the left hand.

Even

the giant elephant does not escape, for the hunter

glides stealthily close

up

him, and aiming at the heart,

to

does his business more swiftly than

who

vainly seeks the

little

many

a keen rifle-shot,

brain in that thick skull.

Sometimes these archers

in with

fall

elephants

when

they had expected only small game, and when their quiver
is

stored only with

wait

little

as thought, the

winged shaft pierces his

wound

is

down, an easy victim

lie

angry

content to wait, knowing

and that the poor

will fester,

brute, no longer able to support his

must

An

sole.

home, and the hunter,

I'arther

well satisfied with his work,

when, swift

his great foot,

lifts

stamp only drives the barb

that very quickly the

Then they

short-headed arrows.

the giant slowly

till

own ponderous

weight,

to his foes.

Strange to say, this nice clean vegetarian, whose flesh

so greatly appreciated in Africa,

Ceylon
bear,

is

despised by

all

even the Veddahs never eat elephant,

though

squirrels,

mongooses, and

is

races in

buffalo, or

and

tortoises, kites

crows, owls, rats, and bats are highly esteemed, while a

roast

monkey

or a

huge hideous iguana-lizard

an ideal

is

dainty.

They

also

catch fish in the rivers and neglected tanks,

but their chief store

is

deer's flesh

cut in long strips and

dried on a scaffolding of sticks over a

securely packed in bark and stowed

fire.

away

with a top-dressing of wild honey to exclude the

the hole

is

filled

up with

clay

It

air.

a safe repository

next time their wanderings lead them to the same

When

the chase fails to supply

then

is

in hollow trees,

Then
till

the

district.

them with meat, they

seek wild berries and roots, and failing these, they allay the

ROCK VEDDAHS.
pangs

by chewing bark, which

of liimger

also supplies their

After being soaked and beaten

clothing.

stitched together with

pliable, it is

which hang

vines,

93

fibres

till

becomes

it

of the jungle-

But

so ready for use in all the forests.

even this simple raiment was formerly considered de

for

when my

brother used, in his solitary forest wander-

unexpectedly to come on Rock Veddahs,

ings,

women

alike were

mass of

luxe,

long,

men and

naked and truly hideous

quite

shaggy black

hair,

their

and the men's long, un-

combed beards, all filthy and matted, making their head

seem too large in proportion to their ill-shaped limbs.
All
and

are insignificant in stature,

their wide nostrils, large

jaws, and projecting mouths and teeth, are certainly not

according to

idea of beauty

oitr

Now, however, they

they are willing to accept a certain amount

civilisation that

of calico

prized

and earthenware

iron

Moormen,

so far condescend to contact with

arrow-heads,

chatties, as well

hatchets,

Mahommedan

as the

and

much-

supplied by

traders are called,

exchange for which they place beeswax,

flesh,

as the

salt,

and

in

elk's horns, deer's

and occasionally an elephant's tusk in some conspicuous

place,

Lucifer-matches, however, have not yet superseded the

ancient

way

of obtaining fire

by rapidly twirling a long

made in a piece
Atoms of dry wood

pointed stick in a hole

held by the
tinder,

and

appears and

feet.

after
fire is

The language

of dry old wood,

are thrown

few minutes of hard work

in

as

spark

kindled.

of

this strange

race consists chiefly of a

very limited range of guttural sounds, quite incomprehensible to the Singhalese

literally none,

and

as regards religion, they

have

having no knowledge of any God, nor any

BATTICALOA.

94

worship beyond offering propitiatory sacrifices

instinct of

of earth

to certain spirits

and water, as their

forefathers,

Yakkas, did in bygone ages, to avert thunder and

the

lightning

and they

also

perform some devil-dances on

behalf of sick persons.

These really wild Kock Veddahs are now few

and are very rarely

seen.

Hideous and

in

filthy as

number,
they

are,

the Singhalese, with their intense reverence for high position

and ancient blood,

acknowledge

these

gentlest

of

savages as of very high caste, ranking next to the Yellales,

who rank

or cultivators,

highest of

all.

The Village Veddahs, with whom we had several interviews, are a stronger, more manly-looking race, but are not
of pure blood, having frequently intermarried with Kandyans and Singhalese, whose language
form) they have adopted.
to a

(in a

very corrupt

The Coast Yeddahs, who work

Tamil

certain extent with the

fishers,

speak a Tamil

These support themselves by fishing and by weav-

patois.

ing mats and baskets.

The

total

number

two thousand, but

statistics

frail

and palm

to induce

them

for

at

about

Even the Village Veddahs

and

tliink

little

of

of

mud,

Efforts have, however, been

made

homes being simply constructed

leaves.

to settle

Wells were dug

now estimated

of migration,

gipsy-like love

moving, their
reeds,

is

need scarcely say that Eock Yeddahs

do not furnish census

have a

Yeddahs

of

by allotments

of laud for cultivation.

them, cocoa-palms and bread-fruit trees

planted, as were also fields of Indian-corn, kurukkan, rice,

and other

grain,

manioc and cassava

and sundry vegetables

were provided

for

them

roots, plantains, gourds,

seed and agricultural implements

in

short, everything

done in the

endeavour to tame them, with the result that a considerable

VILLAGE VEDDAHS.
number
life,

of

them

are

95

becoming reconciled

to

a stationary

with some simple comforts around them.

In 1838 the Weslejan missionaries at Batticaloa began

to try teaching them,
since,

and have continued the

effort

ever

with moderate success, a few having embraced Chris-

tianity.

Many

of those

who were

formerly scattered along the

sea-coast were persuaded to congregate in villages prepared

them

for

in forest clearings near the shores

Vendeloos Bay,

to the

beautiful

of

At one

north of Batticaloa.

of these

the Bishop had, in the previous year, opened a

villages

school for the bright, intelligent

inspect this

was one

Veddah

children,

and

to

of the objects of the present journey.

So we started from Chandivelle at early dawn one lovely

morning and rowed about nine miles down the Nattoor

Eiver to Vallachena, two miles from Vendeloos Bay, where
the river enters the sea.

(The river

The shores and many

Chandivelle.)

with mangrove, acacia, and other

quite salt even at

is

little isles

trees,

are clothed

and the scenery

is

pleasant.

Many Veddahs had

his return,

assembled to welcome the Bishop on

and presently some women arrived and very

shyly came forward to see their white sisters (probably the

first

who had

visited them).

First the Bishop

of the

examined the school-children, and some

most advanced wrote sentences

for

us in Tamil on

the " ola " or strips of prepared palmyra leaf, which form

the substitute for paper not only for

copybooks, but for

precious manuscripts, though the talipot-palm

for the

is

preferred

most valuable books.

Then we

all

squatted on the dry grass beneath a white

awning which was suspended from the

trees,

and the native

96

BATTICALOA.

clergyman read service in Tamil, selecting Genesis

Mark

St.

and

i.

Then the Bishop spoke on

as the Lessons.

i.

Mr. Samonader interpreting.

these,

we begged

After service

famed

Veddahs

the

skill of

bows, which

little

as archers in

awe

far-

the use of their

they had brought with

however, proved a lamentable

attributed to the

an illustration of the

for

them.

This,

which we charitably

failure,

of our presence, but

which seems

to

be generally the case in presence of Europeans, their success

in bringing

down game being

rather due to their extreme

caution in creeping close to their quarry ere hazarding an

arrow.

In the afternoon, the Bishop, being

obliged to rest, so the native

ill

and very

clergyman offered

Jermyn and me some distance up the river in

a Veddah village of palm-leaf and mud
Some
shadowed by tall palm and other trees.

was

row Miss

a small boat
huts,

over-

of the

men's

to

huts were like those erected in the

tired,

to

fields for the

sentinels

watching the crops, namely, two platforms, one above the

raised

other,

on a scaffolding

of

rough-hewn

upper platform shaded by a light thatch.

poles,

the

The regular

dwelling-houses are very low, only about eight feet high,

and almost
side

walls

all

consisting of palm-leaf thatch, the upright

being so very

The people were quite

low.

friendly, but very shy.

When we
sketched a

had gone round one village (and of course

little),

and saw the

we rowed on

people

little

farther to another,

making mats, grinding

grain,

&c.

(korrakan, the small grain on which the poorer villagers

chiefly subsist

sionally

We

it is

made

into hard uninviting cakes, occa-

compounded with a good deal

of dirt).

thought to win a mother's heart by admiring her

DREAD OF THE EVIL EYE.

baby, but found

admiration

we had done

97

quite the wrong thing, as

supposed to imply covetousness and involves

is

great danger of the "evil eye,"

a baneful influence which

as sorely dreaded in Ceylon as in Italy, or indeed in

is

most

other countries, including even Scotland.^

In almost

Eastern countries some device

all

draw aside

to

malign influence

this

with jewels, or they are purposely

is

resorted to

children are loaded

with dirty faces

left

the trappings of camels and horses are adorned with cowrie

shells

Mahommedans suspend

ings of their rooms,

and here

ostrich eggs

from the

ceil-

Ceylon earthenware jars

in

daubed with white paint are conspicuously stuck on the

roof to attract the eye which might cast the dreaded gla-

mour on the house.

As evening drew on, we started on our homeward row
down the river, the native clergyman, as before, taking the
oars, till, as we passed a village, the headman came out
and remonstrated on

his doing so,

The argument was evidently

man.

man appeared

quite

fear,

worthy

perplexed, evidently fearing

influence with his flock.

I

he being a high-caste
effective, for the

So

to solve the difficulty

to

lose

(though

perhaps, establishing a bad precedent), I took the

oars myself and

rowed home

an

easy task, being down-

stream.

Though
sive in

" caste " distinctions

theless (as I

many

of missionary schools,

As

where almost naked

vii.

'12

and Proverbs

have suggested some very detinite

VOL.

II.

of India,

they

difficulties, especially in

noted vheii "In the Hebrides,"

such verses as Jlark

also

by no means

so obtruare,

never-

have already proved), sufficiently marked

the occasion of

are

Ceylon as on the mainland

ill

p. 261.

xxviii.

to the

to be

the formation

little

brown

brats

Certainly, judp;ing from

22, tlie "evil eye "

Jewish mind.

must

98

BATTICALOA.
most amaz-

of high caste sometimes begin by displaying the

ing

spirit

and persecution towards

of contempt

of

tliose

lower caste.

The Singhalese
condemned

worshippers of Buddlia,

(as

who

entirely

caste distinctions) ought to be free from these

make

distinctions, but practically they

any Hindoo, which

is

as

much

of

perhaps not to be wondered

them

at,

as

seeing

that they are descended from the Brahminical conquerors

who, under the leadership of Wijayo, came from Bengal

about the year 543

Then
forests

it

and caves

the north.
tors of the

B.C.,

and overran Ceylon.

was that the aborigines

The former (who

for refuge

fled

and

of the interior,

to

the

to the outlying isles of

are supposed to be the ances-

Veddahs, were thenceforward known as Yakkas,

or demons, because their sole religion consisted in propitiat-

ing the powers of

aborigines)

is

To the Yakkas (whether demons

evil.

ascribed everything of

ruins of constructions which are

unknown

deemed

origin,

or

whether

too great to have

been created by unaided human power, or too rude

to be

the handiwork of any existing race, such as certain huge

dams, rock-fortresses, &c.

Those who

fled to the

ship to the cobra,

extreme north rendered special wor-

and were accordingly named the Nagas,

cobras,

and the northern part

dipo, "

The

Isle of Serpents."

of the isle

(As

or

was called Naga-

have previously men-

tioned, on one at least of the small isles near Jaffna there

is still

priests

To

a temple where live cobras are reverently tended by

and
this

priestesses,

day, as

and receive devout worship.)

we have

seen, the

Singhalese recognise

the hideous and filthy Veddahs to be worthy of

as being of very high caste; so

disgrace for a

woman

of

much

so,

that

it

all

honour,

would be no

good social position to marry one

of

THE OUTCAST RODIYAS.

99

them, should her strange taste incline her to do

But

so.

on the other hand, the most cruel and indelible disgrace

that could possibly be inflicted on a high-caste
to give her to

an outcast Eodiya

men and women

beautiful race (at least both

who

woman was

(or Eodilla), a singularly

are so in youth),

nevertheless have ever been regarded as the lowest scum,

name even being derived from rodda, " filth."

Under the Kandyan kings every phase of ignominy that
could be devised was heaped on these poor people, who aie
their

said to have been degraded for ever

their ancestors having,

and ever because one

of

on one occasion, about two thousand

years ago, failed in procuring venison for the king's table,

substituted the flesh of a nice fat baby, of which his Majesty

partook with

much

and the whole clan

and thenceforward

of the miscreant shared in his disgrace,

all their posterity

cuted and oppressed

to enter a

they might not

the

till

well, or

even cross a ferry

shadow

fell

was

were ceaselessly perse-

English rule freed them.

till

They were forbidden

village

But the crime was discovered,

relish.

Buddhist temple or any

soil,

or

draw water from a

even the stream on which their

defiled for a while

they must get

off the

path to avoid the possibility of any one brushing against

them, and so being polluted
ever]/

they were compelled to salute

one by raising their joined hands above their head and

then making lowly obeisance

men and women

alike were

forbidden to wear any clothing below the knee or above the

waist

and they might not even build a decent cottage with

a wall on each side, but only hovels constructed of palmleaf hurdles leaning against a

back-wall of mud.

detail of petty but very real persecution

tion to divide their burden into

each end

of the "

pingo

"

curious

was the prohibi-

two bundles, hanging from

or shoulder-yoke, as

is

done by

all

BATTICALOA.

100

other natives, in Ceylon as in China

only carry one bundle, and so lost

They were only allowed

the crops from the ravages

all

the Rodiyas might

balance.

bread by guarding

to earn their

by the polluting
dead cattle, of whose raw

of wild beasts, or

work of burying the carcases

of

hides they manufactured strong ropes for binding elephants.

Once these were made, any

They were compelled

might

also they

caste

might handle them

Government
monkeys and prepare their

to furnish all

kill

For a member

covering native drums.

the early days of British domination

some

of

them on a charge

police refused to lay

them down from

when

in

was necessary

to

Rodiya

a distance.

Any Government
made

to

to shoot

This was strictly correct from

any man being

at liberty to shoot a

though he were a noxious animal.

orders or other communications to be

Rodiyas were generally sent by charcoal-burners, as

being the lowest of

if

murder, the native

hands on them, but offered

a native point of view,

as freely as

it

of

skins for

another caste to

of

touch a Rodiya was accounted such pollution, that

arrest

freely.

leather-work,

all

recognised castes, and the messenger,

possible, delivered it across a flowing stream, to save his

own

respectability.

tellers

Yet, as they were

deemed

to be fortune-

and dealers in witchcraft, doubtless many consulted

them on the sly.

Whatever may have been the
outcasts,

it is

later ages

true origin of these beautiful

certain that their ranks have been recruited in

by whole families

of the highest castes,

who have

been degraded to the rank of Rodiyas as a punishment for

treason, sacrilege, or other grievous crimes.

As they were forbidden

to

till

the

soil,

it

was enacted

that in time of harvest each cultivator should bestow on

them

u small gift of rice, and verv small

it

sometimes was.

LOWER AND LOWER

On

one occasion, however, a stingy

STILL

101

man was

paid-out for

The

having given a Eodiya an exceptionally small dole.

angry

man walked up

to the threshold floor

and scattered

it

broadcast over the grain which was there heaped up, thereby

Happily British rule was firmly estab-

polluting the whole.

lished, so the infuriated

as

He was recommended

he wished to do.

a law-court, but this he

own

dignity, so the

farmer dared not shoot the outcast,

deemed quite

to sue

him before

too derogatory to his

Eodiya escaped.

Of course, under British rule caste distinctions are nomi-

now have
some even own

nally ignored, so the Eodiyas

some home comforts

small farms and a

few head of

cattle,

their proud

Kandyan neighbours make them mark

cattle

and

better houses

but the old influence asserts

itself,

by hanging round their necks a cocoa-nut-shell

tened with a strip of leather, and in

trive to

remind them of their

(When Ernst Haeckel,

many

and
their
fas-

petty ways con-

inferiority.

the naturalist, was living in the

rest-house at Belligama, pursuing the study of marine zoology,

his devoted assistant

was a beautiful Eodiya

unfailing zeal and dexterity

honour as that

this despised outcast

of

lad, to

everything he

The amazement

highest testimony.

unbounded when

in

of the

whose

bears

villagers

the

was

was promoted to such

being the right-hand of the

man

of

won-

drous scientific knowledge, and the grief of the poor lad

when

his

employer departed may well be imagined.)

Strange to say, low in the social scale as these poor

much lower

that the Eodiyas

have anything to say to them.

These are the

people rank, two castes rank so

refuse

to

Hanomoreyos

of

Uva

(manufacturers of betel-boxes) and the

Ambetteyos or barbers.

What

than

to

inveifrlins

kiivj:

eat

they can have done worse

human

flesh

no one can

BATTICALOA.

102

Just fancy entrusting your face and head to be

imagine.

shaved by a

man whose

pollution

The

very touch at other times would be

village dhobies or

example

India, are another

of

washermen, here as in

how the highest

pend on the low

castes for their cleansing

Strano-e to say,

all

castes,

dhobie, and would consider

castes de-

and beautifying.

even the lowest, employ the

it

quite

wrong

do their own

to

wasliing

One

singular duty of the chief dhobie in each district

that of preparing temporary bungalows for

is

the reception

of such officials as are entitled thereto in out-of-the-way

places where rest-houses are

now

not available, and

we were

entering on a series of marches right into the interior

of the

where we were entirely dependent on these

isle,

for

While travelling with the Governor, I

our night quarters.
had seen " mushroom villages " of such forest bungalows
provided for

the

all

suite,

occupied for one

albeit to be

night only.
course, the preparations for the Bishop

Of

pose equally well.

of wood,

This

calico.

is

is

due.

At

first

and the interior

called

accorded to

which

his party

These huts are lightly constructed of

bamboos, reeds, and plaited palm leaves or

framework

and

smaller scale, though answering their pur-

much

were on a

all

is all

"

cadjans

"

on a

hvmg with white

" the honour of the white cloth,"

persons to

I marvelled

how

so

whom
much

special

honour

is

white calico could

be obtained in the heart of the forest, but we soon discovered that each strip was the spare garment of some
villager.

The

village

washerman knows exactly who

is

possessed of such extra property, and he goes round borrowing,

cool

and

so

the temporary guest-house looks delightfully

and clean

to

welcome the

tired travellers.

TEMPOKARY HUTS.
Within an hour
lished

of their

103

departure the huts are demo-

perhaps the woodwork and palm-leaf cadjans, and

certainly all the white cloths, are restored to their proper

owners, probably with an infinitesimal share of the vale

bestowed on the dhobie.

Sometimes, however, mischievous monkeys begin the work
of demolition

without waiting for the departure of the tra-

remember one day when we returned

to our grass-thatched home on the embankment of the great
tanks at Pollanarua, where we halted for some days, and
I specially

vellers.

found a whole troop

up

tearing

all

of

monkeys on

the thatch

Of course, in such a hut the

in

some

the roof in wildest glee,

floor is

simply dry earth (or

cases very wet earth), but for such an expedition

a traveller's luggage must include a roll of taliput palm-leaf

mats, in addition to a coolie-load of simple bedding, pillow,

mosquito-net, &c.

Of course, travelling on these unbeaten

are

still

unknown, was

tracks,

specially interesting

where roads

day by day we

rode by jungle-paths, perhaps following the slow footsteps

of

some

dignified

Bishop's guide.
rivers
of

headman who was proud

to

act as the

Sometimes we followed the course

overshadowed by magnificent

trees,

of

fine

but in the month

September the streams were well-nigh dry, and we were

able to ford

them without

was when we came

difficulty.

The one exception

to the broad, beautiful

Mahavelli-Ganga,

the largest river in Ceylon, to which I had already done

homage where

it

flows

round the

mountain

capital

of

Kandy.

We

halted for a delicious rest beneath one of the great

trees overhanging the

waded and swam

wide glassy stream, while the horses

across.

Then we followed by

boat,

and

104

BATTICALOA.

again halted on the farther shore in a green glade where

the cool moist grass had attracted a
butterflies,

which

holding

festive

fairies

has

crimson

floated

swarm

of gorgeous

on their fairy-like wings as though

One family

assembly.

large velvety black wings

of these lovely

spotted with vivid

which measures six inches across the

another,

wings, has upper-wings of black velvet, but under-wings of

glossy yellow satin.

All insects were not equally attractive.

eye-flies

and mosquitos especially

where

than at the huts

so

found minute

nowhere more

we had spent

the previous

two ancient tanks, one quite and the other

night, close to
partially

"VVe

irritating,

These huts were

dried up.

swarming

literally

with long-legged spiders, thousands of them clustered together, like bunches of black hair.

Those were not pleasant

and brought most

quarters, but the natives were very kind,

welcome

gifts of milk,

which, ho^Yever,

we

felt sorry to

be

obliged to accept, as of course the drought affected even their

supply of drinking-water, which

is

at all times a difficulty,

and at many places where we halted

it

was so foul that

we dared

be boiled and filtered twice over ere

had

to

it.

But under any circumstances we were

it

to use

strictly forbidden

ever to drink a drop of water which had not been both boiled

and

filtered once.

Where

it

ence was comparatively easy

sparkling, and

was obviously impure, obedibut where

we were parched

it

looked clear and

W'ith thirst,

we were some-

times sorely tempted, though well aware of the necessity of

strict obedience,

bad water being the

diseases, such as fever

prolific cause of divers

and dysentery, in the mere

traveller,

but too often, in the case of poor villagers compelled to use

it

habitually,

far

more

it

is

in a great measure responsible for the

terrible diseases

known

as Beri-beri

and

" parangi,"

105

A SIMPLE VILLAGE FILTER.

resembling leprosy.

Perhaps the most blessed result of the

recent restoration of so

many

the great tanks

of

that,

is

with the abundant supply of good water, and consequently

of wholesome grain, this awful malady has almost disappeared from the districts thus favoured.

The

natives purify drinking-water for their

own

use by

rubbing the inside of the earthen water-vessel with certain

seeds which have the virtue of attracting to themselves all

noxious properties, and in

five

minutes

to the bottom, leaving the water clear.

is

all

impurities sink

One

of the seeds

small nut called Ambu-prasa-dana, the other

fruit of a large forest tree, the Ingenni-gedia.

tinous berry in a

woody outer

W.

the

case.

good many years ago an admirable village

invented by G.

is

It is a gela-

filter

was

K. Campbell,^ consisting simply of three

large wicker baskets, each one foot smaller than the last,

the space between the two outermost being tightly packed

(below

and on every

side)

with clean sand

the

space

between the next two being similarly packed with charcoal.

This was sunk in a foul village tank, leaving the surface

above water, and in a

filled

little

while the innermost basket

with pure clear water, whence

Simple as

is

this

rally prefer their

all

comers might draw.

contrivance, the natives, however, gene-

own ways, and

the use of the purifying

seeds which Nature provides all ready for them.

I

am

told that in preparing such a

coal, freshly

gravel) to
of

burned and powdered,

filter,

vegetable char-

suffices (with

animal substance can remove animal impurity.

this is true,

may
1

sand and

remove vegetable matter, but that only charcoal

Whether

however, I cannot say.

mention, as a hint for thirsty travellers, the advanFor many years Inspector-Geueral of Police

in Ceylon.

106

BATTICALOA.

tage of carrying bottles of cold tea for use on the march,

each bottle being wrapped in a

tion from

which

wet towel, the evapora-

in the burning sun secures

most welcome

coolness.

Having crossed the

Great Sandy Elver," a short beau-

ride brought us to our bourne, namely, the ruins of

tiful

the

"

ancient

group

of

city

of

Pollanarua, where

we found

most delightful huts had been erected

that a
for us

beneath the cool shade of large trees growing actually on

the

embankment

whose

still

of

Topa-Wewa, the

great artificial lake, on

waters floated the loveliest waterlilies, and across

which we looked away

to the lovely blue ranges of the far-

distant Matale hills, rising above the wide expanse of dark

forest

which encompasses the lake on every

side.


107

CHAPTER

XVIII.

POLLANAKUA.
King Prakrama Bahu

Inscription

relic-shrines,

Gigantic

images

Porcupine

trap
Rock-temple
with China Minery Lake OathTemple of the tank gods Circles of pottery Crocodiles

temples,

stone

Small-pox Rain charms Devil-bird Legend

on the stone book Temple of the Tooth Divers

Kantalay tank

baths

Intercourse

Tamblegam oysters.

Although Pollanarua (or Topare, as the modern village is

now commonly called by the islanders, from Topa-Wewa, the
artificial

lake on which

it

stands)

is

less interesting to

antiquarian than Anuradhapura, from the fact that

as a city only

commenced when

its

now

literally

glory

that of the latter had waned,

to less critical eyes it is equally amazing, as being a

city

the

buried beneath

many

covered with green turf and jungle

feet of soil,

mighty
and

all

the busy streets and

their inhabitants have alike disappeared beneath the sod,

and the whole

is,

as

it

were, one vast cemetery for houses

and men.
Only here and there
vanished glories

stately ruins

remain

to tell of the

and though these are on the whole

less

impressive than those of Anuradhapura, in that the imperishable stone sculptures have in

by brickwork

and very

fine

many

stucco,

cases been replaced

the

general effect of

POLLANARUA.

108
the place
" bits "

is

more

attractive

tempt an

to

and

utter desolation,

more picturesque

there are

brush, owing perhaps to

artist's

to the fact that

it

its

has as yet scarcely

been touched by the marks of restoration and excavation.

The beautiful lake Topa-Wewa, which was

originally fifteen

King Upatissa II.,

who reigned a.d. 368 but not till a.d. 650 do we hear of
a royal palace having been built here by King Sri Sanmiles in circumference, was formed by
;

gabo

Both these were monarchs of the Sula-Wansae or

II.

" Lesser Dynasty," so called in Singhalese records in uncom-

plimentary contrast to the grand monarchs of the Surya-

Wansae

or Solar

Dynasty

(also called the

Maha-Wansae

or

Powerful race), which had so long reigned at Anuradhapura.

That ancient capital was not forsaken in favour of Pollanarua

till

about

a.d.

769, when, weary of battling with

continual invasions of the Malabars, the Singhalese monarchs

moved south-eastward to this more inaccessible district, and

created a new city, more beautiful than that which they
had abandoned, with temples and palaces which awakened
the wonder of all comers, while the abundant water-supply
was secured by the formation of enormous tanks, one
which, the great

artificial

Even now,

in circumference.

condition, that

is

of great drought

Lake Minery,

its
it

size in

now

is

of

twenty-two miles

in its neglected

and ruinous

wet seasons, although in years

evaporates to a lakelet barely four

miles in circumference.

Of course the Malabar invaders soon made

to the

many

new

city,

their

way

and the same weary struggle continued

for

generations.

This medigeval capital attained

power in the period between

the reigns of the mighty

a.d.

its

climax of wealth and

1153 and 1240, during

King Prakrama Bahu and

of his

KIXG PEAKRAMA BAHU.

successor,

Kirti

The former ranks above

Nissanga.

and reverence

others in the love

of the Singhalese, as

been pre-eminent in chivalry, in

He had

power.

109

piety, in

all

having

wisdom, and in

mastered the various sciences and accom-

plishments of the age, including medicine,

logic, poetry,

and

music, aud the training of the elephant and of the horse.

His reign, which continued

amid

war,

civil

from which

brought him forth

peace in his

for thirty-three years,

" sole

his

energy

king of Lanka,"

own dominions

and popularity
and secured such

him

as enabled

began

to accomplish

an incredible amount of work, while at the same time his

warlike nature found means to wage successful war against

the kings of Cambodia, Pandya, and Chola (the two latter

Each

in Southern India).
offence, for

and

all

of these

had given him cause of

which each was forced to make ample reparation,

three became tributary to Lanka.

Whatever

this

large-minded king undertook was carried

out on a scale so magnificent as to be only rendered possible

by the employment of the unpaid labour of the people.

have already referred to those stupendous irrigation works,

including

1470 tanks, including lakes

commonly

called

" the seas of

so great as to be

Prakrama."

Besides these,

many more which had fallen

prolonged wars, and made or

he restored about as

into dis-

repair during the

repaired

upwards of 4000 canals and watercourses.

While thus furnishing

his people with

an abundant water-

supply and securing the means of raising plentiful crops,

he built or restored innumerable temples, relic-shrines, and

houses for Buddhist priests in every part of the

was the more remarkable considering the

munication in those days.
'

The ancient name

of Ceylon.

Isle,

which

difficulties of

com-

POLLANARUA.

110

Amongst

other

works

meritorious

were

chronicles

national

the

enumerated

erection

of

476 images of Buddha, and the building

101

in

the

dagobas,

of

300 rooms

for the reception of images, besides repairing

6100 such

Besides

rooms.

the temples which he built, he

all

made

rock-temples, with tanks, baths, and gardens for the

31

priests,

while for the accommodation of travelling priests

he built 230 lodgings, with 50 halls

for preaching,

and

192 rooms in which to

He

230

offer flowers.

also built

halls for the use of strangers.

At Pollanarua

itself

was done that could

everything

enhance the beauty of the

city,

and very

lovely

it

must

have been, rising from the brink of the great lake, which
reflected its stately palaces, temples,

and dagobas, coated

with the cream-coloured cement so like polished marble,

and

And

all

the gilded spires and cupolas and golden umbrellas.

to right

and

left

of the city lay outstretched a broad

expanse of richly cultivated land and verdant pasturage,

with groves of flowering trees and palms and clumps of
tamarinds, casting the coolest of

Prakrama encompassed the

all

shade.

city with a

strong wall, en-

closing an area about thirty miles long by twelve in width,

and

at the four great gates he

poor and hospitals for the

sick,

giving them the benefit of his

Within the

city

were noble

and dancing, schools and

gardens.

erected alms-houses for the

whom

he visited in person,

own medical
streets,

skill.

with halls for music

libraries, public

baths and pleasant

Prakrama's own palace was seven storeys high,

and, according to the chronicles, contained four thousand

rooms, supported

by hundreds of stone columns, besides

outer halls and staircases.

Stranofe indeed

it

seems

to

think of so

fair a citv, after

"the gentle

steps of swift decay."

reigning as capital of the Isle for

five

hundred

bable solution of the mystery

that in the course of the

is,

incessant wars which ravaged the

succeeding that of

the

great

years, being

The only pro-

abandoned to utter desolation.

in its turn

hi

the

in

Isle

king,

centuries

enemies must have

devised means for cutting off the water-supplies by divert-

ing the feeding

rivers,

and so the whole irrigation system

would be destroyed, and the millions whose very existence

depended on the rice-crops would thus be suddenly reduced
and either died of famine or were compelled

to starvation,

to abandon

a district which could

no longer yield them

food.

Once the inhabitants were gone, the downfall of the

Legions of white ants would quickly
city would be swift.
reduce the woodwork to powder, insidious parasitic plants

would take root in many a

into great trees,

crevice,

would rend the

and rapidly developing

and herds of wild

walls,

elephants would do their part in hastening the downfall of

tottering buildings

then would follow the amazingly rapid

growth of thorny jungle, which even in two or three years

so effectually overruns all abandoned land, and here the
elephants and too luxuriant vegetation have reigned undisturbed for upwards of six centuries.

Even the
to

sparse population which remained, contriving

subsist in

dependence on the precarious

rainfall,

were

well-nigh swept away by a terrible visitation of small-pox

in the

first

year of the present century.

This infliction

being deemed the special amusement of one of the goddesses,

it

is

supposed that any attempt to stay

would be specially displeasing

to her

so

its progx-ess

no precautions

whatever are taken (or rather would not be, were they
not

made compulsory), and

in

that year

its

ravages were

POLLANARUA.

112

such that the great district of Tamankaduwa, of which Pollanarua

the capital, was literally depopulated, and

is

only averages five inhabitants to the square mile

1000 square miles; and

now

5000

to

in all that vast desolate district of

640,000 acres, only about 2800 acres are now under cultivation

The people

subsist

by hunting and chena-farraing

the former rapidly leading to the extinction of game, and

the latter cruelly destructive of timber.

Happily

for

are at hand,

new

life to

kalawiya,

land and people, the days of tank restoration

and the same good work which has brought

Anuradhapura and the great

is

district of

Nuwara-

about to be wrought in this hungry and thirsty

region around Topar^, not merely in restoring the eight

ancient lakes, sixty of the smaller tanks, several hundred
village tanks,

but in the

and the general system of irrigation

canals,

more necessary formation of head-works

still

to

regulate the overflow from the rivers in times of flood.

For
rivers,

it is

by these ungoverned outpourings from the great

Mahavelli-Ganga and Amban-Ganga, even more than

by the lack of a regular water-supply, that the rice-lands

are rendered desolate, and it will tax the skill of the ablest
engineers to avert these oft-recurring dangers.

At the time

of our visit to

land was

Pollanarua, the

suffering from a prolonged drought, the tanks being dryer

than they had been for thirty years

alike parched

fields

and jungle were

and burnt up, even the hardy shrubs

scorched and shrivelled by the fierce sun, and

all

all

the tender

green of ferns and mosses had utterly vanished, except in

favoured patches within reach of some leak in a tank, or

near the river-banks.

For days and days together we

scarcely saw a blossom, save the scentless

whose very

loveliness at last

became

scarlet ixora,

hateful, for

it

made

AT HOME ON THE EMBANKMENT.

us hot

to

look

at

colonies of vicious

especially as

it,

red ants

made

we

113

knew what
home amont; its

well

their

blossoms.

drought

In these seasons of sore

of

the

people of this

have recourse to sundry charms to obtain

district

which

is

that they clear the jungle from a ridge

rain,

one

whereon

stands a dagoba, to which they then repair and pour out

offerings of milk,

which they say invariably produce the

Apparently they deem

desired boon.

unwise to try this

it

remedy too often

We

had suffered considerably in the

the great heat, but

all

last

was forgotten now

few days from

in the delight of

finding ourselves in such cool and pleasant quarters, actually

on the embankment of the lake, and thus

to

command

a perfect view,

and

of air that rustled through the foliage.

to be at rest

looking

sufficiently raised

also to catch every breath

It

was a joy even

under the cool shade of wide-spreading

down on beds

of

humbler blue and white

rosy

lilies,

lotus-blossoms,

trees,

and

on

which floated on the blue

waters.

Though disturbed b)- the preparations for our coming,

many aquatic birds soon returned to their homes in the
waving reeds and

tall

times

long-legged

flock

of

flowering water-grasses, and some-

white

cranes

or

of

rosy

flamingoes, or even a familiar grey heron, would alight and

stalk solemnly along the shallows.
A\''hen the

sun began to lower we went

wonders of the

off'

to explore the

silent city, returning to our quarters beside

the lake in time to watch the glories of sunset colouring

and of the gorgeous afterglow,

till

it

faded away in the

darkness.

What

a standing mystery

Vol.

it.

it is

What

can there be about

POLLANARUA.

114

the horizon to act the part of so wondrous a prism, that,

few short moments

for a

evening,

lake,

earth,

rainbow colours

How

outgoing of morning and

at the

and sky should thus be bathed

in

beautiful those nights were, with the brilliancy of

and the various voices of the

starlight

glittering

which now and again broke the utter

stillness

forest,

the whirring

of night-moths, the rustling of grasses, the chirping of grass-

hoppers, the croaking of frogs, the querulous yapping of

the hooting of owls, of which there are

jackals,

varieties,

several

from the beautifully-marked brown wood-owl, and

the rich orange-buff screech-owl, which cries like an infant

wailing in distress, to a delightful

which

to Ceylon (Scops minutus),

and has a

It is

little feeble cry.

little
is

creature peculiar

only six inches long,

grey, and has

brown and

yellow eyes and a borny feather-crest

it

on bats and

feeds

tiny birds.

But the one voice which I did wish to hear

was

namely, that of the far-famed devil-bird, or

silent,

Guamala, as the natives

call

it,

whose excruciating cry has

been so often described, but whose identity has ever been

under dispute.
heard

it

That cry

the bird.
in

distress

sound as

Even

Sir

Samuel

who

Baker,

says

he

continually, never succeeded in catching sight of

if

is

sometimes like the shout of a

man

a shriek of torture, followed by a gurgling

a victim

were being strangled

then follow

piercing screams and convulsive cries agonising to hear, so

suggestive are they of murder

death, perhaps broken once

then follows a silence as of

more by dismal wails and

pitiful

cries.

It
it

is

a voice so very eerie that

without a shudder, and

horror, believing

it

to be

all

it is

said no one can hear

natives hold

warning

of

it

in superstitious

death

and doubt-

LEGEND OF THE DEVIL-BIRD.

awe has been

less tliis

creature

utters

by the mystery

inteusifiecl

these

horrid

115

At

sounds.

what

as to

last,

however,

Mr. Stephens of Gampola has succeeded in shooting a bird

in the very act of emitting these

unearthly

yells,

and the

victim proved to be the forest eagle-owl (Bubo Nqmlcnsis),

known

which

is

to the

Tamils as Peria Anda.

beautiful

to the Singhalese as

plumage

Lohu Bakamuna, and

It is a larere stron^f bird of

another proof that

fine feathers

do not

secure melodious voices

The

vSinghalese account for a bird

so agonising a cry

angry with his wife and

murdered

child,

took the child to a wood and

Then taking some of

it.

being endowed with

by a legend of how a wicked man, being

he returned

its flesh,

home, and sending his wife out on an errand, he popped

Unheeding

the flesh into a curry which she was preparing.

the child's absence, the

when the inhuman

woman

presently ate of the curry,

her what he

father told

had

done.

Crazed with horror, the unhappy mother fled to the jungle

and there destroyed

her soul
lias

herself.

In her next transmigration

passed into a " devil-bird," which thenceforward

made night hideous with

If night in the

the delicious freshness of

pale in the clear vault of

its cries

of anguish.

how entrancing is
the ti'opical dawn, when the stars
heaven
Then the hills stand in

forest is

beautiful,

sombre purple against a primrose-coloured sky, and suddenly

the darkness
all

is

replaced by a flood of pure dazzling light

living things in the forest awaken,

and a thousand

ing notes blend in one harmonious chorus.

var}^-

It is so

odd

to hear the deep bass supplied by a booming note not to

be distinguished from that of the great monkey, but which

is

really

produced by a most gentle dove.

How

ethereal were the lovely violet hues of the distant

"

POLLANARUA.

lie

mountains in that early dawn, ciiaugiug so rapidly from

purple to pink, and then the mellow glow

the risen sun

of"

moment

casting clear dark shadows where a

before

all

was

even-toned, and bringing out the rich greens of the great

and of the rank succulent herbage

trees

muddy

shores

fringing the

still

inlets separated

Our

little

of the lake, the

"

all

round the

moist and reedy grass

waters, which form quiet

by wooded peninsulas

little

bays and

regiment of coolies, composed of Moors, Hindoos,

Buddhists, and Veddahs, were camped on the brink of the

lake beneath the cool shade of overhanging trees, and the

blue smoke of their camp-fires added a picturesque touch

to the scene.

The embankment on which our huts were

which

is

the

dam

to

which the lake owes

its

built,

and

existence,

is

about sixty feet wide on the summit, and about two miles

The whole was faced with hewn

in length.

stone, but the

roots of large trees have dislodged the great blocks,

and

overthrown this massive masonry.

We
hall,

were close to the ruins of Prakrama's audience-

and lion-throne, marked by a number of dwarf stone

pillars

and by a

mane and
by 6

solitary finely sculptured lion with

twisted claws and

He

is

curly

about 7 feet long

IV e were fortunate in seeing him

feet 6 inches high.

in the right place, as

tail.

he was shortly afterwards removed to

Colombo, there to grace the museum.

His date, in common

with that of most of the ruins, must be about a.d. 1153.

On

embankment stands a cyclopean

King Prakrama, sculptured in full relief from a

the farther end of the

statue of

mass of dark rock.

He

is

represented reading an " ola,"

i.e.,

a long scroll,

and the sculptor has not given him a pleasant

expression.

The height

of the statue

is

11 feet 6 inches.

THE WATA DkGt.

By some

accident the upper half of his head was broken and

The Government Agent

has been replaced rather on one side.

(Sir F. Dickson),
to

117

who was with

us,

bade his

the shoulders of the statue and put

men

climb on

With

straight.

it

undisguised horror they refused to stand on the shoulders

of a king, but they climbed

with great

up the rock behind him, and

reach it and do what was

difficulty contrived to

needed.

comprehensive sketch

I found a very attractive spot for a

at the

Wata Dage

or round treasure-honse, a circular build-

ing of red brick on a raised and terraced mound.

surrounded by a low wall of huge stone

It is

covered

slabs, all

with a sort of diaper pattern of four- leafed flowers, which

is

quite unique in

Between each

slab

my

experience of Oriental

stands a

finely sculptured capital.

tall

The

sculpture.

monolithic column with

terrace wall round the

is all

very richly sculptured with rows of grotesque

lions,

and lotus blossoms

four very

all

round

handsome stairways,

and with very perfect guardian

all

It is

it.

men,

approached by

most elaborately carved,

figures,

with the usual head-

The moonstones

dress or canopy of seven-headed serpents.

at the base of these steps are also in
tion,

mound

fat

most perfect preserva-

with semicircles of geese, elephants, and horses round a

central lotus flower.

These stones are 7 feet 8 inches in

diameter.

Within the

circular

building

there

remain only the

mutilated fragments of a sitting image of Buddha, whose

head

lies

on the grass, with stony face upturned to the

sky, alike heedless of the

gay

butterflies that hover around,

and of the white woman from a far-away

isle

who

dares

to invade his sanctuary.

Beside the broken statue

lies

an oblong stone marked

POLLANARUA.

118

with diamond- shaped holes.

outer quadrangle of the "

Temple

similar stone lies

in

the

They were

of the Tooth."

probably yoga stones, on which devotees might gaze fixedly

to intensify their meditations.^

The
but on

circular brick wall

its

is

only about twenty feet in height,

summit a noble banyan has established

itself,

and

throws out such a network of great white roots, reaching

to the base of the

mound, that

its roots

are in truth as con-

spicuous as the wide-reaching arms, which were the chosen

playground of a large troop of frolicsome monkeys of

ages

and

grimacing, as

they were trying to show off their accom-

if

Several

plishments to the strange invader of their sanctuary.

had the neatest

all

jumping, swinging, chattering, scolding,

sizes,

little

babies,

which cuddled in the maternal

arm, rode on her back, or held on by her long

might be.
The clear blue

tail,

as the

case

warm

of the sky forming a background to the

rich reds of the brickwork, the white

and stonework, and the greens of

foliage

banyan stems

and

made

grass,

a pleasant scene, and presently a solitary priest ascended

the steps, and his brown skin and saffron drapery and palmleaf fan

added just the needful touch of yellow

the right of the picture rises the

" Palace of Seven

at the base,

used for

and there

is

it

it

is

some

It

it

was

fanciful priest.

and the Wata Dage

huge block of stone known

book.

only 28 feet 6 inches square

nothing to indicate what

possibly a cell for

Between

It is a small building in very

Storeys."

perfect preservation, but

To

light.

Sat-mahal-prasada, or

lies

the

as

"

a very remarkable

Galpota

"

or

stone

measures 28 feet in length by 5 in width, and

averages 2 feet 6 inches in depth

^

See chapter

but only the top and the

xiii.

THE GREAT STONE BOOK.

four sides are

hewn

as

so

119

represent a gigantic book.

to

For some reason unknown, King Kirti Nissauga caused Lis

" strong

men

to carry this

"

enormous stone

the

all

way

from the sacred mountain of Mihintale, a distance of upwards

This

of eighty miles.
is entii-ely
is

recorded on the stone

is

encircled with a procession of sacred geese,

end a neat

two

tall

canopy

The

itself,

which

covered with writing, except that the inscription

little

image of Buddha

and

at either

cross-legged between

sits

elephants, which uplift their trunks and so form a

for his protection.

inscriptions,

chiefly Oriental

which date from about

adulation of

King

1187, are

a.d.

Kirti Nissauga by his

After enumerating proofs of his miracu-

prime minister.
lous powers

and wisdom, the inscription

structed the

embankments of great

tells

how he

re-con-

lakes and watercourses,

thus restoring pi-osperity to the people

how he got

robbers by giving them whatever riches they desired

(!)

rid of
;

how

he expelled evil-doers from the monasteries, and provided

the priests with food, raiment, lodging, and pliysic.

Very curious are the

and

details of

some of

his almsgiving,

also of his care for the prosperity of his

own

We

race.

are told how, considering that the continuance of religion

and of the sciences depended on the royal dynasty, the

king sent to the country of Kaalinga

{i.e.,

Orissa in India),

whence he himself had come, and caused many princesses

of the Soma Surya Wansae {i.e., the Luni-Solar race) to be
brought to his court, and he married these royal virgins to
his son, and so increased the royal lamily.

Then with regard

the crown and
chief queens,
a

balance,

all

and

to alms, every year his Majesty,

wearing

ruyul ornaments, caused himself, his

his son

and daughter,

and he bestowed

five

to

two

be weighed

in

times their united weight

POLLANARUA.

120

Brahmin

of goods on the Buddliist and

priests, the blind,

the lame, the deformed, and other destitute and

"

people.

He quenched

the

friendless

of poverty with showers

fire

of riches, gold coin, copper, bell-metal, gold, silver, pearls,

" Thus he

precious stones, vestments, and jewels."

the poor happy, and

The

last allusion

caused

to the favour of the gods

would eminently appeal to

made

a constant supply of rain."

is

one which

community

this rice-growing

in

a district so subject to drought.

On the same huge tablet another inscription tells of the

numerous temples and relic-shrines which he either built
or repaired, of the enormous sums he expended in regilding the seventy-two images of Buddha placed by his predecessor in the rock-temples at Dambulla,

and restoring the

shrines at Anuradhapura, in building alms-houses, which he

furnished with vessels of gold and silver, and where the

poor were provided with abundance of victuals, and

how he

dedicated his son and daughter to the Sacred Tooth, and

subsequently redeemed them by offering in their stead a

dagoba of

solid gold

This very

literal

and other precious

reading of a

objects.

man being worth

weight in gold seems to have commended

itself

to

his

the

The same inscription on the rock

at Dambulla which records how the great King Pi'akrama
Bahu made and gilded the aforesaid seventy-two statues of
Singhalese sovereigns,

Buddha,

also tells of his

own weight

And

in gold

annual donation of

and jewels

five

times his

for the relief of the poor.

here at Pollanarua another rock-tablet

tells of

another

king of the Kaalinga dynasty, who, like his predecessor,

Kirti

Nissanga,

annually

distributed

five

times his

own

weight of gold, precious stones, jewels, and rich vestments

for the

good of the needy

and,

moreover, for

five

years

121

STATELY RUINS.
relinquished

his royal revenues in order to relieve the

all

people from the

occasioned

distress

by the exactions of

former kings.

Very

special

attaches to the Delada Maligawa,

interest

a temple built for the reception of Buddha's famous tooth.

Wata Dage was

It is thought that the

was

it

first

Mahawanso

brought
records

royal apparel and

from

here

how

for

it

Anuradhapura,

when
the

for

Prakrama, arrayed in

great

the

built

mounted on an elephant, with a golden

umbrella over his head, came with

much

military

pomp

to

return thanks for his victories at the shrine of the holy

This second temple seems to have been erected in

tooth.

honour a few years

its

later

by King Kirti Nissanga.

the lapse of seven centuries

servation, the sculptures on the walls

able pillars

and the very remark-

round the inner shrine being almost

perfect.

found another very pictorial subject in the ruins of

great

the

After

remains in wonderful pre-

it

Jetawanarama Temple, with

exceedingly ornamental

foreground of

and admirably sculptured

pillars

stones overgrown with tangled creepers, while beyond these

in the near distance stands the Kiri or

so called from the beautifully

Milk-white Dagoba,

smooth white chunam with

which the whole huge building was once coated.

or

tee

it

have disappeared, otherwise

it

is

almost perfect, though

large trees have contrived to root themselves in

fissure,

(for

The
of

and

veil

the

now naked

the building material

foliage

its

And

must have looked when crowned with its gilded

The chunam and the gilding
symbolic umbrella.

very well

here

many

brick, or rather tile-work

is

all

tiles),

with delicate

and a network of roots and branches.

firreat

Jetawanarama Vihara

is

likewise almost shorn

coating of once dazzling chunam, but the rich

warm

POLLANARUA.

122
colours

of

crumbling

its

brickwork, standing

light antl dark shade against a blue sky,

and

by the cool greens of many a tree and creeping

more

attractive to

an

have been in the days of

its

certainly

artist

and very

up

finely sculptured, leads

between two polygonal

softened

plant, are

than the temple could

glory.

usual type, but of which each stone

strong

in
all

is

stairway of the

twenty

feet in

length

to the eastern entrance

turrets, which, like the rest of the

walls, are about eighty feet in height.

Against the western wall, facing the rising sun, stands

a
in

huge and now hideous image of Buddha about sixty

height,

which when

coated with

resembled polished marble, but

work.
to

From

is

feet

chunam must have

now only broken

brick-

the fact that some very low windows seem

have been the only means of lighting this shrine, Sir

James Tennent infers that the roof was perhaps constructed

on the same principle as that of a pagoda on the Irawaddi
River known as the
statue of

Buddha

an opening in the

is

"

Cave of Ananda," in which a similar

mysteriously illuminated by means of

roof,

unseen by the worshippers, but so

contrived as to throw a full ray of light only on the head

and shoulders of the image, thus forming a very

effective

halo, in striking contrast with the gloom of the temple.

I spoke of the Kiri

Dagoba

about 100 feet high, with

which
it

is

is

as " huge."

pretty well for a mass of

effectually

Dagoba (which

It

is

really

diameter of about 70

solid

feet,

brickwork, but

dwarfed by the Rankot or Golden-spire

is

of golden dust ").

also called

Ruan-welle-saye,

This gigantic pile

about 186 feet in diameter.

It

is

is

200

"

the place

feet high,

and

surrounded by eight

small shrines with conical roofs.

There are several other dagobas of the same type, and

123

FOEEST SANCTUARIES.
innumerable sculptured

which alone remain

pillars,

to

sug-

gest vanished glories, for the buildings which they supported

own bathing pond

circular stone

monarchy was that he

had

for

is

there

and submitted

even

the
lie

privilege

of

close by are

" bath-chair."

useless to attempt to describe the

lie

is

to the

one of the penalties of

not

supposed to have supported this

it

sat

Three stone lions which

washing himself.

But

kumara pokuna," the

stone-lined tank

on whicli the king

delicate attentions of bathers

ruins which

"

In the centre of the

royal baths.
king's

so-called fort were the

Near the

have wholly disappeared.

so thickly scattered

all

numerous

through the jungle,

which now overspreads the whole of what was once so great

a city

mounds

brickwork, broken columns, an

of

inex-

haustible supply of sculptured stones, geese, elephants, lions,

horses, lotus-blossoms,

and grotesque

figures,

with here and

there fallen images lying prostrate on the earth.

Now

temples and palaces are utterly deserted save by

the beasts of the forest, which find in these silent sanctuaries the stillness
cool

they love, a secure retreat, and deep

shade where they can

make

their dens

and rear their

Bears, leopards, and porcupines share

young undisturbed.

the inner shrines with owls and flocks of evil-smelling bats.

Radiant peacocks
barbets,

and

emerald-green

and many other birds

of

parroquets, orioles,

gay plumage,

flash

athwart

the sunlight from the shelter of dark foliage, and herds

of wild deer couch fearlessly beside the broken idols with

the calm passionless faces which so

little

heed their own

downfall.

In one ruined shrine I collected a handful of porcupine

quills as a

memento

of the spot.

These creatures conceal

themselves so effectually in the daytime, that even in the

POLLANARUA.

124
districts

where they abound many people have never seen

They

one.

are often captured at night

by the simple

stra-

tagem of digging a deep ditch with perpendicular sides,

The porcupine
and narrowing gradually towards one end.
enters the ditch in search of food, and walks on
sticks fast,

quills stick in the

fall

till

he

and can by no possibility turn round, as his

mud

His

an easy victim.

young pig, is
To me the shrine

then the poor

" fretful

porcupine

"

which resembles that of a

flesh,

prized as a great delicacy.

nice

which

a mass of dark-brown

temple, hollowed in

from the colour of which the temple

galla, " the

From

black rock."

sitting

arms and legs

image

is

in

alike

folded

and

in

sits

The background
all

as sharp

the work of yesterday

in

One

Kula-

represents

the usual

complete

This

repose.

on a pedestal 5

is all

attitude,

feet

deep

most elaborately sculp-

and clean-cut as though

not a

rock

gneiss

is also called

full relief.

contemplation

15 feet high, and

by 18 wide.
tured,

A^ihara,

this rock three gigantic figures

have been sculptured in almost

Buddha

was the Gal

of greatest interest

to the north of the city, a quite unique rock-

lies

it

were

trace of weathering after the

lapse of seven centuries.

Then comes the rock-hewn temple, which

and adorned with columns, but within
is another sedent image of Buddha,

front

side,

It is only

about half the

in

altar

it

is

hewn from

size of the

image out-

but the whole interior of the shrine

rated.

an

up

all

on which
the rock.

is built

is

elaborately deco-

Unfortunately, modern piety has renovated ancient

art with grievously crude colours.

The temple

is

approached by rock-hewn

either side the rock has been

steps,

and on

smoothed so as to form two

inclined planes, one of which, 18 feet high by

13 feet 9

GIGANTIC IMAGES OF BUDDHA.

inches

in width,

with

covered

is

long-

the ancient Pali character, which, however,

125

inscription
is

in

not specially

interesting.

Next

to this, standing at the

bent image of Buddha,

head of a huge recum-

an upright

is

statue, 23 feet high,

representing Ananda, Buddha's favourite disciple, with his

arms crossed on

He

his breast.

edged with the

conventional

marks the throne

of

stands on a circular pedestal,

lotus-leaf,

which generally

Buddha hence
Buddha himself, but wise authothis

image has gene-

rally

been mistaken

rities

have decided otherwise, chiefly because the Llahawanso

records

for

the formation of this rock-temple by

King Pra-

krama, and describes only two images of Gautama, one

sitting,

the other reclining.

as to leave the right

The recumbent
Buddha

represents

All three wear the robe so

arm and shoulder

statue

is

bare.

forty-six feet in length,

as in the dreamless sleep of

and

Nirvana,

head resting on the right hand, on the palm of which

his

engraved a lotus-blossom, and the hand resting on a

is

bolster.

The

attitude

is

that of perfect repofe.

ference of stature between

Buddha

Buddha

The

dif-

in contemplation and

in his last rest is very striking.

Eastern symbolism

always seems to suppose corporeal growth in the holy dead,

hence the necessity

for

graves of preternatural length, as in

the case of that of Eve at Jeddah, which measures at least

sixty feet.i
'

This great image

otlier

is,

however, a mere pigmy as compared with some

in

Buddhist countries, notably at Baniiaii in Afghanistan, where, on the

road between Cabul and Balkli, the early Buddhists excavated monasteries

and rock-cells literally by the thousand in the high elitrs of conglomerate,

some of which have been fashioned into the likeness of gigantic images of
Buddha. One of these, which was measured with the theodolite by the
Hon. M. G. Talbot, R.E., was found to be 173 feet in height. Another,

126

POLLANARUA.

I fear that

mere description

the

sound very impressive, but

so I felt

to

it

it

of

certainly

may

not

so in reality,

and

this

all

is

be while myself sitting on another great

mass of dark chocolate-coloured rock, separated from the

temple by a belt of grass and shrubs, and looking above

and beyond
or

it

to a

background of

solemn

silent

forest.

One

two brethren of the yellow robe hovered about the door

of the inner temple, but the throng

bygone ages bowed

in

passed away

before

of worshippers

these

gigantic

who

idols

has

yet there these remain, heedless as ever of

the coming and going of men, and of

all

their

joys

and

sorrows.

To

this great capital

even from

came embassies from

China, chiefly to

objects of Buddhist worship.

do homage

There

of very early commercial intercourse

is,

distant lands,

to

the various

however, evidence

with China, chiefly

gathered from Chinese books of extracts from ancient records

now

lost,

showing how Chinese

fleets

came

to Galle

to

Swords and musical instruments were among the

trade.

things imported to Ceylon, and in later days, a.d. 1266,

Chinese soldiers served in the army of Prakrama

III.

But in 1405 King Wijaya-Bahu YL, who seems to have

adopted the Hindoo

faith,

tyrannised over the Buddhists

and maltreated strangers, plundering their

ships.

Among

those thus treated, a Chinese embassy bringing gifts to the

shrine of

with

Buddha were

difficulty.

treacherously waylaid, and escaped

Nevertheless, when, in 1407, the

Emperor

was proved to be 120 feet high. A sitting figure is

and of two others now in ruins, one must have been about 60 feet

also a standinp; figure,

SO

feet,

high.

All these statues were originally either gilt or covered with metal.

Burmah

also glories in great

fully 120 feet long.

images of Buddha, one near Moulmain being

and represents Buddha in Nirvana.

It is built of brick,

In China and Japan also he

is

represented on a colossal scale.

CEYLON TRIBUTARY TO CHINA.

127

of China sent his great general, Ching-Ho, with sixty-two

junks

and a strong military

on

force,

an

embassy to

Sumatra, Java, Cambodia, Siam, and other places, Ceylon

was included, the embassy arriving there in 1408.

Wijaya-Bahu, however, endeavoured treacherously to capture his visitors and to plunder

and burn

their ships.

The

tables were turned,

and he and his queen, his children,

his officers of state,

and the Tooth

carried back to

Avere

China, where the Tooth was long kept in a monastery at

Nankin.

The Emperor of China, having compassion on

his pri-

soners, desired the officers of state to elect " the wisest of

the family " as their king.

This honour was conferred on

Pula-ko-ma Bazac Lacha, which

is

evidently Chinese for

Prakrama Bahu Rajah.

All the prisoners were sent home,
and a Chinese envoy was sent to invest him with regal
power as a vassal of China, and thenceforth annual tribute
was paid

Now

till

a.d.

1459,

when

it

suddenly ceased.

the intercourse between the nations seems to be

limited to the visits of traders,

who

explore certain caves

on the coast in search of the glutinous nests used in the

manufacture of soup, and who trade in the sea-slugs or
heche-de-mer

which are turned to similar account.

From

former, however, form a very small item.

The

a recent

table of exports from Ceylon to China, I see the total value

of edible birds' nests for the year

was only

that of hichc-de-mer was 27,300 rupees.

rupees,

Sharks' fins were

and

salted,

and

and bones, were 18,327 rupees, and

birds'

feathers

valued at 13,667 rupees.

fins

fort}-

amounted

We
narua,

to

Fish, dried

fish

1240 rupees.

made the very most

of several long days at Polla-

and then abandoned our peaceful, pleasant camp,

128

POLLANARUA.
much

with

regret.

lovely niorniny ride of about nine

Lake Minery, halting on our

way at Giritale, a charming little lake, with massive stone
embankment and some sculptured stones. It has the usual
miles brought us to beautiful

surroundings of fine trees, and view of near wooded

We

and blue distant ranges.

putti,

another of these minor tanks,

Gunner's Quoin, one of the principal

beyond which

hills in

There the scene had a touch

hood.

hills

had previously visited Sevam-

human

of

lies

the neighbourinterest

from the lonely watch-huts on the brink of the swampy

ground, mere rudely-thatched

on high

poles,

platforms of boughs raised

wherein some lonely watcher kept ceaseless

By

guard to scare marauding animals from the crops.

day he shouts and pulls long

by night he kindles

The great
owes

its

fires for

lines of clacking rattles,

made about

lake at Minery was

existence to

King Maha

Anuradhapura, atoned

a.d. 275,

Sen, who, as

for his early apostasy

we

It is said that

designed to irrigate twenty thousand

it,

at

fields,

Pollanarua.

In

and

learnt at

from Buddhism

by most energetic construction of temples and of tanks

the irrigation of temple-lands.

Jetawanarama Vihara

and

the same purpose.

for

Minery was

belonging to the
order

to

form

he diverted the waters of the Kara-Ganga (now called

Amban-Ganga) near
miles,

Matale, which

is

distant about forty

and formed a great canal by which

Besides

to Minery.

this,

to convey

them

he constructed sixteen other tanks,

including that of Gantalawe (now called Kanthalay) near

Trincomalee.

So great and numerous were his works, that the people

deemed him
natural aid

and believed that he received superyet strange to say, though all his works were

godlike,

beneficent, yet when, after his death, a pestilence swept the

A DEIFIED KING.
commenced

land, tliey

chiefly with

propitiated,

him

to worship

of the Indian war-god Kataragama

129
an incarnation

as

an

angry deity

to

be

a view to the healing of malig-

nantly inflicted bodily suffering (see page 223).

In the very picturesque village of Minery a humble

mud-hut

the temple of the

is

sword, with a square

brass chains,

is

hilt,

treasured as a precious

of his image there

king,

deified

In presence

relic.

a holy stone, about two feet square,

is

To

a large one for greater security.

let into

whose iron

peculiarly decorated with small

this

temple

persons accused of any crime, or having any cause of dispute

with their neighbours, repair, and having kept solemn vigil

for a night in an

open shed near the temple, deposit on

the stone a fanara, which

sixteenth part of a

is

a vei-y small coin, equal to the

and swear their most solemn

rupee,

oaths, ^ with the firm conviction that perjury

curious circular thatched building

we were

told, various sacred

an arrow once used by King

We

would involve

In the village we also saw a

death within six months.

were stored, including

relics

Maha

closed up, in which,

all

Sen.

had heard a rumour of the existence of a place of

exceeding sanctity, known as the Grove of the Tank Gods,

and were exceedingly anxious to see

not take us, as

it

it,

but the people were

The headman declared he could

would require three months of purification

unwilling to lead us to

it.

ere he dared approach the spot with necessary offerings

However, having gone

off

by myself

long walk, with only a villager for

this

holy

unbounded
^

As our

of holies,

to

his

great

in the

my

evening for a

guide, I discovered

disgust

and

my own

satisfaction.

ancestors did ou the Oath-stoue of lona.

See " In the Hebrides,"

page 70.

VOL.

ir.

POLLANARUA.

130

And

such a poor, contemptible

place as

little

it is

simply

a small space cleared in the dense vegetation on the em-

bankment of the

and round

lake,

ranged broken

this are

fragments of images and a variety of sculptured stones, the

body

of a headless lion,

legs,

a broken

an odd hunchback figure minus

image with a seven-headed snake-canopy

a rather graceful female figure, and a good

many

others, all

Two

broken, and propped up with heaps of fragments.

only,

namely, the hunchback and the lady, are unusual, and are

Maha Sen and

supposed to represent

his wife.

Is

strange to think that the descendants of the race

no

rise to

con-

and

built these splendid cities

loftier

conception than collecting

structed these grand tanks

and temples can

not

it

who

broken fragments of images in some shady corner, which

is

thenceforth invested with sanctity and mj'stery, and only

approached in trembling dread

In the same walk I came on several queer

places in the forest

mere

circles

holy

little

of small stones, within

which were deposited a multitude of offerings of rude red

pottery, very varied in shape,

a relic-shrine.
else

some being simply water-

but the majority resembling the

jars,

I never

but a few days

came on

sandy

tee

saw anything of

later,

circle

on the summit of
this sort

anywhere

near the tank at Kanthalay,

beneath

great trees,

we

where red

earthenware votive-lamps stood ready for lighting at night.

Some

of these were such neat

little

curios that I

felt

sorely

tempted to appropiiate one, but, happily, refrained from

such sacrilegious

theft.

It is certainly

remarkable that the

very monkeys respect those unprotected accumulations of

crockery.

sudden impulse on the part

of

one of the

numerous troops would make short work of the whole.

One

of these circles

was guarded by a familiar

spirit in

ECCENTRIC LIZARDS.

131

the form of a splendid lizard, about eighteen inches long, a

chameleon, I suppose, as he rapidly changed colour with

indignation at

my

green with a crimson head

yellow,

To begin

intrusion.

and afterwards

was bright

with, he

then he turned brown and

appeared

of a rich

olive

colour.

After a while he turned black, to frighten me, I suppose,

as he stood

demon and

like a little

puffing

When

dorsal spines.

raising

his

he saw I was not bent on mischief,

he once more assumed his green robe and ruby cap, and

seemed

Another of these harmless

satisfied.

has

lizards

a red-and-orange pouch under his chin, and small horns

They

which give him a most demoniacal appearance.

to

lie

love

basking in the noonday sun.

family of screaming, flying foxes returning to roost in

the trees overhead were well in keeping with the scene,

and

as

drew

evening

on,

the large

green frogs in the

commenced their night concert of croaking.

The quaintness of the aforesaid circles was greatly enclimbing
hanced by their surroundings of huge vines
lake

plants of various

sorts

which have swung from branch

huge

in

festoons,

till

mere twisted

tendrils,

to branch, thence

hanging

originally

the whole forest

by this intricate living cordage.

is

thus linked together

Sometimes the beautiful

treacherous creepers crush to death the trees and boughs

around which they have twined, and the stem decays and
crumbles away, leaving the great

coils,

now grown

into

hard wood, old and self-supporting, twisting spirally

in

every direction, like legions of writhing snakes, and forming

a very distinctive

these creepers
'

The Entada

feature

pursoctha, called

great hollow climber.

in

the undergrowth.

One

of

bears a gigantic bean, always suggestive

by the Singhalese the Maha-jnis-wuel

or

POLLANARUA.

132

of Jack-in-the-beanstalk.
to

six

length,

in

feet

which are from four

pods,

Its

and

about

four

inches

wide,

are

divided into sections, each containing a handsome chocolate-

when hollowed

coloured bean, which,

out,

makes

a neat

match-box.

Another of these climbing

top of high

which mounts to the

plants,

bears large clusters of yellow flowers,

trees,

which are succeeded by prickly pods containing

pretty,

smooth grey seeds, so round that they might almost be

used as marbles.

The temporary bungalows prepared

were

for

us

at

of situation than

less fascinating in point

Minery
our

last

camp, being farther from the lake and much nearer the

They

village.

however,

were,

near

very picturesque

which groups of natives bathed with

stream, in

enjoyment beneath the shade of pleasant trees

with large-leaved
Graceful

creepers,

forming

grew beneath

tree-ferns

ideal

the

all

infinite

matted

" greenrooms."

palms

tall

and

everhung the stream, and the luxuriant elephant creeper,

with

its

large

formed the

heart-shaped

loveliest

screen,

leaves

and

lilac

blossoms,

mingling with the beautiful

Granadilla, starred with passion-flowers and with the large

green fruits which, with sugar and milk, are very pleasant

Handsome basket-ferns had niched themselves on

many trees, from which also hung divers

food.

the boughs of
orchids.
I

have already mentioned that even now in a rainy season

Lake Minery
twenty miles.

fills

so as to have a circumference of fully

At

the time

of our

contracted to about a third of that

the

hewn stone-work

of the great

but promontories and

islets,

visit

the waters had

size, so

embankment

which then

not only was

all

rise

uncovered,

charmingly

HUGE EARTH-WORMS.
from the waters, were

ment

is

hundred

all

133

The

high and dry.

said

embank-

about a mile and a half in length, about two

feet

wide at the base, and about sixty feet high.

The view thence, looking to the mountain ranges of Matala

and Kandy, greatly resembles that of the Cuchullin Hills in
Skye as seen from Ross-shire, though the latter could not
show such a foreground of fine timber.
We had been told that what should really be the bed
of the lake

was bordered with

firm, springy turf

on which

horses can canter safely, but our experience was of a

muddy

shore,

soft,

very bad riding-ground, and in places

undermined and thrown up into

of moles had been at

work

soft hillocks, as if

this

all

an army

was due to the boring of

huge earth-worms.

But
the

my

this rich, juicy grass

swampy ground about

brother's

forms delightful pasture, and

this lake

used to be one of

favourite hunting-grounds.

Then herds

of

elephants and ungainly, often savage, buffaloes (the latter

perhaps numbering a hundred or more) would come to

enjoy the delight of wallowing in the thick, soft

But

long grass.

since cheap

mud and

guns and gunpowder have

placed weapons of destruction in the hands of natives as

well as foreigners, the harassed, over-hunted survivors have

disappeared to forests yet more remote, and

tensive

around

pasture-grounds
all

here

and

at

now

the ex-

PoUanarua,

and

the great tanks, are frequented by very large

herds of domestic buffaloes and black cattle brought over

from the mainland vid Manaar.

In some places the swampy shores of the lake are edged

with cable-rattans, which one would naturally suppose to be

bamboos, but which are really members of the palm family

Calamus

long slim canes which grow to a length of a

POLLANARUA.

134

hundred
trees,

or

feet

and

all

as to form

more/ climbing

to the tops of the highest

armed with hooked thorns and interwoven

an impenetrable mass.

brink, where rank grass borders

so

This grows to the very

an expanse of

dark

soft

mud, forming a treacherous crust on which the unwary

treads, and sinks through into deep slime and decaying
vegetable matter, a mud-bath

who

phants,

delightful to the wild

smear their whole bodies with

love to

ele-

and

it,

so are protected against mosquitoes.

The apparent extent

of the lake

much diminished by

is

the luxuriant growth of the lotus, with

untidy leaves and great rosy blossoms

a reach of very

lies

still

lilies

an

its tall, artistically

but here and there

water, a calm mirror reflecting the

pure blue of heaven, and on which

of white

float

the creamy cups

image of peace, marred, however, by

ugly suggestions of scaly monsters swimming languidly to

and

fro

among

the lovely

lilies.

These horrid crocodiles (the largest of

how

unlike their dainty

little

cousins

!)

lizards,

and oh,

basking on the

lie

dry mud, looking so like boughs of fallen trees that

quite startling to see

near

them

indeed I often

felt

it is

glide into the water as one draws

rather nervous as I

on foot through the low brush and

made my way

tall grasses which fringe

these lagoons, lest I might inadvertently stumble over one

and awaken him from

1

his

noonday

One snap from

sleep.

Tennant mentions having seen a specimen 250

feet

long and an inch in

diameter without a single irregularity, and no appearance of foliage other

than the bunch of feathery leaves at the extremity. In the southern forests,
where it grows most luxuriantly, these slender canes are used by the natives
iu the construction of light suspension foot-bridges, consisting of a frail

platform, with a rattan hand-rail, swaying in such a

below).

woven

as sorely tries

who huds himself obliged to cross a stream on

roadway (the stream perhaps roaring in a ravine a hundred feet

the nerve of any European

so frail a

manner

CROCODILES.

135

those enormous jaws would be a remembrance not quickly

ibrgotten, even supposing one got away.

tion of hearing of one,

measuring 17h

had a

recollec-

feet in length,

which

swallowed a native whole, barring his head and one hand

which

it

had previously bitten

It

was

it,

and then eat

at all particular as to

it

when hungry.

who has been

nearest relation
in size

it

under water to

But they

are not

what meat they devour, and being

cannibals, are always ready to feast

They vary

on the

it.

These brutes seize their prey and drag

drown

killed

remains of the man's body were

following day, and the

found inside of

off.

on the carcase of their

shot and left on the shore.

from new-born babies just hatched by sun-

heat from the sixty to eighty eggs which the mother buried
in the sand,

to dry

up

to full-grown reptiles, perhaps eighteen feet

Strange to say, those which inhabit tanks liable

in length.

summer have

in

the power of hibernating, and

bury themselves in the mud, which dries over them, and

there they

them.

lie

torpid

till

With regard
growth, that

than

to longevity, in the case of

tured, scientists decided,

One

the next rainy season reawakens

These never grow larger

it

must be

about eight

feet.

one recently cap-

from certain developments of horny

fully three

hundred years

old.

peculiarity of these very unpleasant creatures

is,

that

in the course of their long lives they renew their sixty-eight

long sharp teeth several times, so that even in extreme old

age those appallingly strong jaws are always well furnished
for offensive warfare.
afloat,

When

they have something to eat

you see only their noses and foreheads above water,

but as soon as they see that they are observed down they

drop to the bottom.

Often they

lie

embedded

in

mud among

tall

reeds and

POLLANARUA.

136

water-grasses, and often only the quivering of these betrays

On

their presence.

land they waddle slowly, but once they

take to the water they prove swift swimmers.

To do them

justice, they are

most diligent scavengers,

rejoicing in every sort of decayed animal matter, whether

Nevertheless, their numbers are in excess

or fowl.

fish, flesh,

of even this need

and since

it is

so very desirable to find

an incentive for thinning the ranks of these terribly

prolific

and dangerous monsters (which in the northern lakes, near

Mullaitivu, literally swarm),

it is

satisfactory to

know

that,

although no use has as yet been discovered for their horridlooking scaly backs, the belly skin has a high commercial

and most durable

value, being the finest, strongest, softest,

of

all

leathers,

and

is

greatly prized for the manufacture

and shoes, pocket-

of travelling-bags, portmanteaux, boots

books, &c.

The skin must be removed

possible,

as

steeped in strong brine,

salt

and clean a piece

in as large

without any tear or cut

then

it

must be

and afterwards well rubbed with

and alum, and then forwarded to England in a secure

The tanning is done in London. The value

packing-case.

of a skin is chiefly

determined by

who have

sent consignments to

received

18s.,

20s.,

crocodile-hunting

is

its

width.

Sportsmen

London say

that they have

apiece

them, so

and

26s.

now

practically useful in

for

that

more ways

than the mere destruction of dangerous animals.

More agreeable denizens

of fish,

of the waters are sundry kinds

which are good and abundant. The natives catch them

with nets and in traj^-baskets of bamboo wickerwork rather

like lobster-pots,

much wider

at the base

The fisherman dexterously drops one

it lies in

muddy

shallow,

than at the

top.

of these over a fish as

and then inserting a hand through

TANK OF KANTHALAY.
a hole at the top, captures the fish

by his

creel slung

which

is

and drops him into a

of these is the " lola,"

The best

side.

137

rather like a very large ungainly trout, but

is

con-

sidered excellent.

Once more we took the

who

village chief

road, or rather

way on

led the

foot

what the

fine old

was pleased

to call

the path, sometimes along the dry bed of rocky streams,

passing as best the horses could under or over fallen trees,

then through parched jungle,

except the scarlet ixora

all

burnt up with the drought,

even the great tree

cactii

and bare

knotted ropes of giant lianas looking more weird than ever

without their accustomed veiling of delicate foliage.

At

last, after

four hours of this slow, hot march,

we sud-

denly emerged on the high-road, with telegraph posts and

other proofs of a return to civilised

signified with the

all

and found ourselves

where a most wretched mud-hut

at the village of Gal-Oya,

was

life,

name

of a

Government

rest-house.

There we spent a broiling day, and repeated the programme

on the following day in the rest-house at Alutoya.
third

day brought us to the margin of the great ancient

tank of Kanthalay, which

is

apparently about as large as

Minery, but with a more deeply indented shore-line.

to

The

explore

alone,

my

This also
of

is

ruined

a very pretty scene

huge cut stones

an enormous
sluice,

pile of

all

hewn

a great ruined embank-

overgrown with

fine old trees

blocks marking the site of the

masses of dark chocolate-coloured rock, dreamy

ranges of far distant

hills,

and the calm lake

reflecting all

Not a sound

to break the

the beauties of earth and sky.

stillness save

had

companions being too thoroughly

exhausted by the great heat.

ment

the occasional

or other water-fowl.

Now

shrill

cry of passing wild-duck

and again a

flash of lovely colour

POLLANARUA.

138
a dainty

as

world flashed by.

was

some other

kingfisher or

eflfectually

fairy

of the

bird-

Shortly after that date, however, this tank

and though the people were very

restored,

slow in profiting by the boon,

it is

now

a centre of extensive

and of a flourishing population.

The lake, as I have mentioned, was originally formed by
King Maha Sen about a.d. 275, but it, and the great feed-

cultivation

ing canal connecting

it

with Minery, were practically remade

by Prakrama Bahu about 1153, forming part of that vast

series of navigable waters
(I

known

as the Seas of Praki'ama.

think I have mentioned that he

and

structed 1407 tanks,

great canal

is

is

said to have con-

to have repaired 1395.)

believed

to

have carried

its

twenty-four miles farther, to irrigate the once

of

Tamblegam,

of

overwhelming

fertile

plains

But, in some

close to Trincomalee.
flood, these

Prakrama's
water-supply

time

plains were transformed to a

great lake, whose waters forced a passage to the sea, and

then, in turn, received the tribute of the great ocean in an
influx of salt water.

Once admitted,

has never again been possible to ex-

it

clude the sea, so that

lake

swarming with

Tamblegam

fish,

is

now

a large, brackish

but chiefly notable for

its

immense

beds of small semi-transparent oysters, about six inches in

diameter, and very

flat.

They

are largely used in

as a substitute for glass in ornamental windows, so

are exported thither,

China

many

and many more are burnt as yielding

peculiarly fine lime for betel-chewers.

So wonderfully are

creatures adapted for their varying conditions of existence,

that

these

oysters

flourish

serious mortality results

only in brackish

when

water,

and

either fresh or salt water

predominates, as happens in season of flood or drought.

We

passed this wide, glassy lake on the following day,

LAKE TAMBLEGAM.

139

on our way from Kanthalay to Trincomalee (a distance of

twenty-six miles), the latter a very beautiful spot, which

was destined

to prove the farthest point of this expedition,

and where our stay was considerably prolonged owing to

the Bishop's very serious

illness.

140

CHAPTER
TRINCOMALEE

XIX.

SAAMI ROCK.

Fort Austenberg Fort FrederickThe Saaiui

Birds Hot springs Palmyra-palms Tlie Lily shore.

Trincomalee Harbour

Rock
I

SUPPOSE that, with the exception of Rio in Brazil and

Sydney

in Australia, few of the world's harbours excel Trin-

comalee in beauty and security.

So perfectly

is it

landlocked that, as we stood on the high

ramparts of Fort Austenberg, looking down on the inner

harbour, on whose clear, green waters floated several British

men-of-war,

it

was scarcely possible

to believe that this

was

indeed an arm of that sea which lay wrapped in purple

gloom beyond a wide expanse of dark palmyra-palms.

One

of the officers

had kindly provided

for

me

a shelter

from sun and rain by spreading a thick matting of palm

leaves over one of the embrasures,

and as

hour

I sat there

after hour sketching that beautiful panorama, I saw nothing

of the passage

by which these

vessels

had entered

haven from the great outer ocean, and which

by a reef stretching
water.
are

My

far

is

calm

this

protected

out to sea, forming a perfect break-

attention was called to the fact that, so deep

these placid waters, large vessels can

lie

so close in-

shore as to discharge their cargo without the use of boats,

their yard-arms actually projecting over the wharf.

was

told (but whether true or not I cannot say) that the depth


141

SHARKS.
really so great tbat

is

has never been fathomed, which

it

gives rise to a theory that this harbour

is

the crater of a

submerged volcano.

More tempting swimming-baths could

scarcely be ima-

gined than some of the sheltered inlets of this deep, calm

sea-lake

but, alas

even here danger sometimes lurks in the

form of venturesome ground-sharks, and there

tion of

how

below the

once,

when

is

a sad tradi-

a party of soldiers were bathing

comrades on shore perceived the dim

fort, their

form of a large shark rising in pursuit of a lad who had

All unconscious of

just taken a header into the depths.

danger, he rose cheerily to the surface, but a

moment

later

a cry of agony rent the air as the lad disappeared, and the

waters were reddened with his life-blood.

Quick as thought

a soldier dived at the very spot, and quickly reappeared,

bringing the poor young fellow's head

the body having been

bitten

escaped safely with the lower

in

half,

and was never seen

though many days were devoted

again,

and shoulders

two by the shark, who

to

the attempt to

capture him.

Right below

me

lay

the Dockyard, the Naval

Depot, and the Admiralty.

charmingly wooded
lake

isles lay

Not the shipping

Stores

only, but also

mirrored in that quiet inland

while beyond the white sands of the farther shore, red-

tiled houses,

embowered

direction of a

in pleasant gardens, indicated the

town with some eleven thousand inhabitants,

stretching round a horse-shoe-shaped bay, the entrance to

which

is

guarded by two rocky headlands, on the nearest of

which, overshadowed by grand old trees, stands the Govern-

ment Agent's house ^

^

The

seat of the

Batticaloa.

(a spot endeared to us

all

by the

recol-

Government Agency was shortly afterwards removed

to

TRINCOMALEE

142

lection of the sympathetic

SAAMI

ROCK.

and considerate hospitality which

there enfolded us in a time of grave anxiety.^

The

farther point of the horse-shoe is a bold peninsula

rising from the ocean in a sheer precipice about four hundred

feet in height, and thence sloping gently towards the shore,

with which

is

it

connected by a long

name

flat

neck of grassy

this fortified crag is

sand.

Fort Frederick, by which

known

to Europeans, guards the outer harbour,

To

military headquarters.

headland

Saami

as

is still,

Rock of God,
Almighty God.

or

natha-malai,

may have

he

the

the natives, however, this bold

has been from time immemorial, the

sacred to the worship of Eiswarama,

the original
i.e.,

" the

name

of this place

The

was Tirukko-

Mountain of Holy Konathar," whoever

been.)

Nothing has struck me more forcibly

my

is

would be pronounced in India, Swami) Rock,

(or, as it

(It is said

it

and

travels than the fact of

how

in the course of

often the people living in

a place take no interest whatever, and probably ignore the

existence, of
traveller is

some

local

custom or legend which to the

the point of chief interest in the district.

This I found to be emphatically the case at Trincomalee.

Many

years ago I had been told by Mr. Forbes Leslie that

he had here witnessed a strikingly picturesque form of

aboriginal worship, so one of my first inquiries on arriving
in the district

was

still

was whether the ancient worship on the rock

carried on.

was assured on

all

was entirely given up.

However, on the very evening of our
Frederick, a natural instinct led

burial-ground, with
^

its

Owing

me

hands that

it

arrival at Fort

past the old Dutch

moss-grown graves overshadowed by

to the Bishop's serious illness.

/^

WORSHIP ON THE CRAG.

143

flowering surya-trees, to the brink of the highest precipice,

which in

grand that I determined to

so very

itself is

no time in securing a picture of

So thither

wended

my way

Monday,

at daybreak on

September 29th/ returning in the afternoon

to

colour

Just as I was finishing

morning's pencil sketch.

lose

it.

my

my

work,

or rather was compelled to halt for the evening in order to

watch the marvellous loveliness of the sunset lights and

colours which
tints of

began

flooded the wide sea and rocks with opal

dreamy beauty, through which one by one the stars

glimmer, I observed that

to

first

one, then another

and another native, both men and women, were taking up

on the crag, each carrying either a bunch

positions

of fruit

or a chatty of milk or water.

Ere long about forty had assembled, including one who

acted

saffron- coloured

beads round

He was

of priest.

the part

and had a string of large black

cloth,

his

He

head.

their offerings of cocoa-nuts,

betel

leaves,

Imskets

stood

on the

and the worshippers, having

of the crag,

bunches

of grain,

or

with scanty

clothed

of

lovely

plantains,

whatever

else

utmost

verge

laid at his

feet

cocoa-palm blossoms,
flowers,

they

coins,

had

to

small
give,

clustered around wherever they could find a footing on the

rock or the slippery grass while the priest performed his

ceremonial ablutions for purification in water poured from
a brass

As

lota.

the sunset glories faded and the stars shone out more

brilliantly the priest intoned a litany, to

responded

which

all

devoutly

then one by one he took the chatties of good

milk or water, and poured them out on the rock as a

'

Sir

year,

James Emerson Tennant mentions

on the

23r(i

January.

this

worship as occurring once a

TRINCOMALEE SAAMI ROCK.

144

After

libation.^

took each

gift,

fathomless

while

this,

still

chanting the litany, he

and from his giddy height cast

ocean,

far

far,

below,

true

into the

it

offering

to

the

Almighty Giver.

Then kindling

fire

on the rock pinnacle, he thrice raised

a blazing brand on high, and

arms heavenward.

and swung
was

air

all

it

the people threw their

all

Afterwards he lighted a brazen censer

high above his head,

the

till

still

perfumed by the fragrant incense.

evening
Finally,

descending from his post of danger and honour, he took

from the sacred

ashes

fire

marked each

and therewith

worshipper on the forehead, after which they silently

persed,

dis-

and in the quiet starlight wended their way back

to

lower earth.

more strikingly impressive scene

nessed,

and

need scarcely say that

irresistibly attractive that again

assembled there every

me

and again

it

proved so

I found

commanded

at sunset to the same spot, whence I

a view of the Saami Rock.

have never wit-

to

my way

so perfect

I found that the worshippers

Monday and Friday

evening, and one

night I had the good fortune to witness this ceremony just

at the

moment when

the great

full

moon was

rising

from

the waters, and nothing more solemn could be conceived.

There was the mellow

sea,

and the red

lio^ht

firelight

of the

moon

floodinof the

calm

glowing on the dark crag and on

the brown skin and white turbans and drapery of the wor^

Precisely as was done

many

by our own ancestors

custom kept up in

a corner of Great Britain long after Cliristianity was the only

recognised religion in the land.

For instances of such libations being

and Highlands

offered even in the List century in o\u northern isles

"In t\ie Hebrides," pp. 71 and 192 to

Cumming. Published by Chatto & Windus.

see

194.

By

C.

F.

Gordon-

TEMPLE OF A THOUSAND COLUMNS.

145

shippers, while from across the harbour flashed one vivid

terrestrial star

It

from the lighthouse on Foul Point.

seems that

at the

time when the Tamil conquerors

crossed from the coast of Malabar and invaded Ceylon, they

resolved to appropriate a spot so venerated

so having (so they said) proved

by the aborigines

from their sacred Puranas

that Trincomalee was a fragment of the holy ]\Iount Meru,

which had been hurled from heaven in a

celestial turmoil,

they

thereon built a stately shrine dedicated to Siva, and which

is still

remembered

In the year

as the shrine of a

a.d,

Thousand Columns.

1622, however, the Dutch deeming

it

necessary to erect forts at various important points in order

to secure themselves against the Portuguese, took possession
of Trincomalee,

and ruthlessly appropriated the great temple

as the quarry to supply building material for their fortifica-

Consequently sculptured and carved stones are

tions.

to be discerned here

derick (a

name

still

and there in the walls of Fort Fre-

said to have been bestowed in

honour of

Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg).

One

solitary pillar

on the highest point of the crag com-

memorates the suicide in

a

a.d.

Dutch maiden of good

1687 of Francina Van Reede,

family,

whoso betrothed had

for-

saken her, and had embarked for Europe with his regiment.

Ere the

vessel could clear the coast, she

had to tack, and

again ran close inshore beneath this precipice, and at that

moment

the girl sprang from the dizzy summit, and, in pre-

sence of her faithless lover,

fell

mangled corpse on the

dark rocks which jut through the surging surf far below.

Although the aforesaid

recording this sad event,

most prominent

pillar

it is

bears a Dutch inscription

so precisely like

pillars in the ruined

Dondra Head (the southernmost point of the

VOL.

II.

some of the

wave-washed temple
Isle)

at

pillars


TRINCOMALEE.

14G

with the identical alternate sections, square and octagonal

that I have

Columns

"

little

doubt that this was one of the " Thousand

of Siva's shrine.

though

I ascertained that the officiating priest of the rock,

not a true Brahman, was

Brahmans

common

so

one of the spurious low-caste

Southern India,^ who habitually

in

minister at the blood-stained altars of Siva, with

Eiswarama has been

so artfully identified

that the Saami E,ock

thus

Parvatia,

is

often described as Kon-Eiswara-

honouring

also

whom

indeed, I learnt

Siva's

wife,

the

goddess

Parvati.

There

by

is,

far the

however, no doubt that the worship of Eiswara

most ancient

faith of the island,

and there

is

is

every

reason to believe that this striking ceremonial has continued

unchanged from remote ages.

and become extinct

Whole

conquering

dynasties have arisen

races from India, Portugal,

Holland, and Britain have successively held sway in the

Isle,

fair

and the one thing which has continued the same from

generation to generation has been this evening

"

Not

'neatli

the

sacrifice.

domes where crumbling arch and cohimn

Attest the feebleness of mortal hand,

But in that

most catholic and solemn,

fane,

Which God hath

planned.

In that cathedral, boundless as our wonder,

Whose quenchless lamps the Sun and Moon supply,
Its choir the winds and waves, its organ, thunder.
Its

dome

To me

it

the sky."

seemed a very impressive and simple act of

worship, singularly free from idolatry, and in very

marked

1 " In the Himalayas and on Indian Plains,"

pp. 578-580. Published
by Chatto & Windus. For a curious example of a very venerated and
most foul Hindoo shrine being enclosed within tbe great Mahommedan

now British

fort at

Allahabad, see

p.

75 of the above.

MILITARY PRECAUTIONS.
contrast witli

met us

tlie

many

147

painful forms of devil-worship which

at every turn in the beautiful Isle of Palms.

I confess to a feeling of real regret

when

in September 1889, this solemn natural

I learnt how,

had become

shi-ine

the scene of contention between the priests of rival sects, a

Pandaram

Brahman

priest appealing against a

for declaring

that he alone was entitled to officiate as priest at the

Saami

Hock, and there to perform Sivite religious ceremonies.

The

dispute ended in a civil trial before the District Judge, each

party being defended by native counsel, and the case was

given in favour of the Pandaram priest, to

awarded damages

to the value of

whom

were

120 rupees.

Moreover, in consequence of the increased military precautions at Trincomalee,

it

has been decided that henceforth

worshippers will only be allowed access to the Saami Rock

on the

first

and

now admitted

last

to

Fridays of each month, no one being

Fort Frederick without a pass from the

Commandant.
In truth, not

for the

sake of Ceylon only, but for the

was much

protection of the world's mercantile marine, there

need to strengthen the somewhat antiquated military defences

of this magnificent harbour:

Frederick, isolated as

it

is

and

as regards Fort

from the mainland by the low

grassy neck of the peninsula, one cannot but fear that, in

case of a siege, the beleaguered garrison
selves in as difficult a position as

in

would

them-

find

were the Dutch when

August 1795, they were here besieged by a British

consisting

of the

71st,

72nd, 73rd, and

force,

77th regiments

together with artillery, and two battalions of Sepoys, under

command

of General Stewart.

As they

entered the harbour

one frigate struck on a sunken rock and was

lost.

At the

end of three weeks the garrison was forced to capitulate

148

TRINCOMALEE.

since which time the

Union Jack has here

floated in undis-

turbed possession.
Previous to that date this beautiful bay had witnessed

many a struggle between the

who each craved a monopoly of
of

all,

in 1G12, the

King

of

covetous European Powers,

Singhalese commerce.

First

Kandy, who hoped by the

aid

of the Dutch to get rid of the Portuguese, permitted the

former to erect a fort at Cottiar, on the southern side of the

Bay of Trincomalee.
it

This, however,

was no sooner done than

was captured and destroyed by a Portuguese

had rapidly marched across the

Isle

force,

which

from Colombo or Negombo.

In 1622 the Dutch seized and garrisoned Trincomalee

itself,

Isle

but finding that holding forts on the east coast of the

was of no

avail in securing the

cinnamon trade of the

western provinces, they shortly after abandoned both Trin-

comalee and Batticaloa.

Thus

it

was that when, in 1657, the

don, a trading vessel

for

A7171 frigate of

Lon-

commanded by Captain Robert Knox

" the Honourable the East India Company," was driven

to anchor in Cottiar

Bay

for necessary repairs,

there no Europeans, but what seemed at

welcome from the

natives.

The

story

first

of the

they found

a very kind

treacherous

seizure of the captain, his son, and the greater part of the

crew, and the graphic account of the then quite

interior

of the island,

unknown

and the customs of the king and

people of Kandy, which was published by Robert Knox,

junior (when, after twenty years of captivity, he at length

contrived to escape, and after infinite diJEculties reached the

Dutch
is

fort of

Arrepa, near Manaar, on the north-east coast),

one of the most remarkable and interesting volumes of

pioneer travel.

The modern

of industrious Tamils.

Cottiar

is

a populous village

FORTUNES OF WAR.

149

The Dutch subsequently reoccupied the

and Batticaloa, both of which, strange to

The French

at the

French squadron under Admiral De

at

aban-

say, they

doned without a blow in 1672 in their panic

arrival of the

of Cottiar

forts

la

sudden
Haye.

once took possession of Trincomalee, but

being unable to maintain a firm hold in the island, they

At

disappeared as unexpectedly as they had arrived.

time the Dutch

that

had about a hundred ships constantly trad-

ing between Cottiar and Coromandel, whence they brought

clothes

and other wares

palmyra- sugar, and

to

exchange

for timber, areca-nuts,

rice.

In 1782 Great Britain

first

manded by

Sir

it

French

force,

com-

Hector Munro, took possession of Trin-

comalee, which, however,

that

War

appeared on the scene.

having been declared against Holland, a British

was so inadequately garrisoned

was almost immediately afterwards surprised by the

fleet

British force

commanded by Admiral
was removed

Suffrein,

to Madras,

by

whom

the

and in the following

year Trincomalee was restored to the Dutch.

But the time had now come

for British rule in Ceylon,

and in 1795 Lord Hobart, Governor of Madras,

the expedition

commanded by General

fitted

out

Stewart, which landed

at Trincomalee, and, as I have already stated, captured the

fort after a three

Jaffna,

weeks' siege.

Then, in rapid succession,

Calpentyn, Negombo, Colombo, Caltura, Point de

Galle, Matura,

and

all

other strongholds of the Dutch, were

ceded to the English, who thus became the undisputed

rulers of the maritime provinces,

and no clamour of war

has since then disturbed the peace of this fair harbour.

In 1801, however, no

less

troops assembled here under

Wellesley (the great

Duke

than

five

command

thousand

British

of Colonel Arthur

of Wellington), with the inten-

TRINCOMALEE.

150

hence to

of proceeding

tion

ordered

Egypt under

to

Sir

Java

but

this

force

was

David Baird, and Colonel

Wellesley returned to India.

Latterly the garrison has

numbered about 400 men of the

Engineers, Highlanders, Artillery, and Pioneer force, besides

those employed at the Naval Depot.

Now, however, pru-

dence requires the adoption of necessary precautions, therefore

modern science

tions

is

being brought to bear in

all direc-

and what with the enlarging and strengthening of the

old forts,

and building of a new one, and of extensive bar-

racks for a greatly increased military force, while the restoration of the great tank at

on

Kanthalay

is

bestowing new

life

all

the agricultural population of the district, Trincomalee

is fast

becoming a place of very much greater importance

than

it

was

at the time of our visit

thereby lose

much

charm

of its

is

but whether

it

will not

another question.

am attracted by the picturesqueness

Dutch buildings, but within Fort Frederick, beneath the

It is not often that I

of

cool shade of large

old well.

dark

Two heavy

chuuam, once polished

trees, there is a

pillars

most fascinating

coated with cream-coloured

like marble, but

now

partially stained

with orange-coloured lichen, support a heavy overhanging

roof of rounded red
squirrels.

To a

tiles,

passes a long rope

is all

fill

is

attached a pulley over which

to this is attached the bucket

brown men (clothed only

turban)

which are the playground of many

stout rafter

in a white waist-cloth

wherewith

and

scarlet

their great red water-pots for domestic use.

It

very pleasant to the artistic sense, though I suppose

we must admit

that for practical purposes unromantic leaden

pipes have their advantages

But

for a never-failing supply of sketchable scenes, one

has only to turn to the nearest temple, whether Tamil or

151

SDNBIRDS.

Buddhist, and here at a small Hindoo temple I found a most

primitive Juggernath car, adorned with

gaudy mythological

pictures and thatched with dry palmyra leaves of a pale

straw

colour.

was drawn on a rude wooden platform

It

supported by four heavy unwieldy wheels, each constructed

wooden planks, fastened together by crossA very brown old Tamil

of three solid

pieces of roughly-shaped wood.

priest,

with scanty yellow drapery, stood beside the rickety

old car, shading himself with part of a dry taliput palm-

leaf

In the background stood the

study in colour.

fine

domed temple with

red pillars and red wall, surrounded by

cocoa and palmyra palms, each laden with golden nuts.

Close by, a statuesque brown water-carrier was drawing

by means of a red jar slung

his supplies from a rude well

on a bamboo, which creaked ceaselessly as

it

rose

and

fell,

emulating the harsh cries of sundry birds and insects.

One very

attractive small bird

which walks tamely about

the gardens at Trincomalee has a purple head and breast and

sienna back.

by

startled
*'

Hoop

evening

It roosts in the palms,

hoop
it

resounding sonorous

its

is

"
!

so

this

off.

was

name was

somewhat suggestive

told that this

also applied

is

its

still

was
to a

is

brown and

eyes red, I cannot venture to say which bird

entitled to the
Still

note,

of a magpie, except that

instead of being black and white its colouring

black and

single

deep and far-carrying that on a

heard very far

a jungle-crow, but as
larger bird,

and we were often

call

name.

more fascinating are the dainty

little

sunbirds, which

with long brush-like tongue capture insects, and also feed

on nectar of

flowers.

Some have maroon bands on

breast, others primrose-colour

the

they love the fragrant pink

oleander and scarlet hybiscus with glossy dark-green foliage.

TRINCOMALEE.

152

The Singhalese call these dainty creatures " Flower-honey

One of very brilliant plumage is distinguished as
birds."
the tiny sunbird, being only three and a half inches long.
It

however, very rare.

is,

Happily the lovely

little

purple sunbird

is

more common.

Its head and throat are of a bright metallic green, shading

into the glossy purple of back and tail, while beneath each

wing

a tuft of gold, displayed

is

creature

Not that

when

the dainty chirping

fluttering over flowers to extract their honey.

is
it

confines itself to nectar only, for

enjoys good substantial spiders.

It builds a

thoroughly

it

most

artistic

pear-shaped nest of grass, interwoven with hair and spider's-

web, and lined with feathers and tufts of silky cotton.

is

This

deitly slung from the bough of some shrub, and herein in

the

month

brown

of April

it

lays

Of course

specks.

two or three greenish eggs with

in

autumn we saw only empty

nests.

Then there

and scimitar-babbler

are the wren-babblers

(the latter so called because of its long curved yellow beak),

brown birds, common in the low-country jungle,

which run up and down trees, hopping and jerking like
They utter a loud melowoodpeckers, hunting for insects.

neat

little

dious

nions

call,

with very varied notes, and are cheery compa-

when one

exquisite

little

is

sitting quietly sketching.

flower-peckers, peculiar

There are also

to Ceylon;

some

very gaily coloured, with dark-blue back, yellow breast, and

white throat

which

is

others

all

olive-green except the

stomach,

grey.

Speaking of
me, which

is

birds, a

kind of swallow was pointed out to

also said to be peculiar to Ceylon,

not only builds on houses, just as our

marshy places and near

rice-fields.

own

do,

Its throat

and which

but also in

and breast

HOT SPRINGS AT KANNYA.

are brown, but its

back and wings are black, and

appearance sufficiently suggestive of our

ral

153
its

own

gene-

familiar

friends to be very pleasant in a far country.

found so much attractive

sketching-ground

in

the

immediate neighbourhood of Trincomalee that I did not

But one

care to go very far afield.

dawn

drove at

which

many

covered with waterlilies.

upright boulder,

gigantic

which looks as
It

gale.

One

if it

its

simply a pretty lake

others,

On

embankment stands

the

known

as the

for

Nine-Pin Rock,

must topple over with the

would be curious to know

has held

it

morning we

to the Periyakulam, one of the ancient tanks,

now, like so

is

lovely

first

how many

strong

centuries

ground.

of our pleasantest early

morning

a group of seven hot springs on a

eight miles from Trincomalee.

rides

was

to visit

wooded hill-range about

Ceylon

so free

is

from any

trace of recent volcanic agency that a very special interest

attaches to these.^
in "

The

memory of" seven

place

is

called

Kannya, some say

others say in honour

Kannya, the mother of the arch-demon Ravana, and that
she is here worshipped by the Tamils, who come to observe
celestial virgins

;"

of

certain rites on the thirtieth day after the death of their

kinsfolk.

ruined temple, sacred to Ganesa, the elephant-

headed god of wisdom, proves that he received at least a

share of homage.

Some

distance to the north, at Mannakandal, in the

Wanni, there are sundry Buddhist ruins in the heart of the

jungle

amongst

enclosure.
^

others, those of seven temples within one

These are called Kannya-kovil, and are said to

There are also hot springs at Eadulla, Tatipal Aar, near Batticaloa,
and Jledawewa, near Bintcnne, and at Yavi Goto, in the Veddah

Kitool,

In all the water

Kannee, " a virgin."

country.
'

is

so pure as to be

good

for

cooking purposes.

164

TRINCOxMALEE.

have been erected by, or

princesses of the

Wanni

else

dedicated

to,

seven virgin

district.

The seven springs were taken

in

hand by the Dutch

as

beiug healing waters, and were confined within seven tanks

of carefully regulated degrees

of

All are

heat.

now

in

ruins, but the springs are found to vary in temperature at

different seasons

Marvellous to

even when the thermometer has indicated the

relate,

degree of heat,
others

from 85 to 122 Fahr.

have

live fish of several species

latter

carp, roach, and

been taken from these springs, and in the

streamlet which flows from them.

We were
fishes,

not so fortunate as to see any of these eccentric

so contented

ourselves with watching the

some harmless snakes while we

kitool,

areca,

dilapidated

sat

and cocoa palms which

tanks,

play of

under the beautiful

overshadowed

enjoying our breakfast and tea

the

made

with clear pure water from one of the boiling springs.

These families of the great clan Palm are comparatively

rare in the neighbourhood of Trincomalee, where the vast

cocoa-groves of the southern provinces are replaced by an

incalculable multitude of palmyra-palms,^ which form a belt

of dai'k-sfreen all alonor the coast, flourishing^ even on the

brink of the

salt coral-sand,

where

at high tide the blue

waters bathe the roots of their sturdy black stems, which

stand like regiments of well-drilled soldiers, faultlessly upright and unbendingly

stiff.

In every respect they present a curious contrast to the

graceful

cocoa-palm, whose

white

stems

bend in every

variety of symmetrical curve, while their long slender fronds

(each composed of a multitude of sharp glittering sword-

shaped leaves) are rarely

^

for

one moment at

Borassus flahcUiformis.

rest,

but gleam

PALMYRA PALMS.
in the sunlight

while

with every breath of

155

turning and trembling

ceaselessly

air.

The palmyra-palm, on the

height of sixty or seventy

contrary, rises straight to a

feet,

and bears a thick crown of

Beneath them

fan-shaped leaves, deeply indented.

stiff

hang

golden-brown nuts, each

clusters of beautifully glossy

about half the

size of a cocoa-nut,

but quite circular, and a

full-grown tree bears perhaps eight or ten bunches of these,

with a dozen or more in each cluster.

Seen half in sun-

half shadowed by the dark crown of foliage

light and

brown and yellow nuts

against a vividly blue sky, these

beautiful, but as a fruit they

are

have none of the charm of the

cocoa-nut, although they form the staple food of the popula-

on the north-east

tion

coast.

The glossy outer skin

hand can

tear

it

open.

is

so hard that only an expert

Within

it,

and mixed with

fibre,

a farinaceous pulp, at once oily and gelatinous, which

is

even the natives rarely eat raw, but when roasted or dried
in the sun

and then smoked,

it

is

largely used in

when half ripe,

Embedded

curries

and cakes.

but

then very liable to produce dysentery.

is

It is said to be excellent

making

within this pulp, each nut contains three very hard kernels
or seeds,

and of the myriads of these which are annually

sowed, only a very small proportion are destined to become

The main crop is dug up in infancy, when the root

resembles a waxy parsnip, and is either eaten as a vegetable,

trees.

and made into flour something like

known in the bazaars as hdingu, and

This

or dried

tapioca.

root is

the dried fruit

is

punahi.

cruelly wasteful delicacy

several other palms,

for

the sake of

its

by

is

obtained from

sacrificing a

tender

this, as

from

well-grown young tree

leading

shoot,

which

much

TRINCOMALEE.

15G

resembles a gigantic stalk of very white celery,

with

pleasant nutty flavour.

The palmyra-palm does not begin bearing

fruit

till it is

upwards of ten years of age, and a comparatively small

number

of the trees are allowed to develop their crop of

beautiful nuts, the majority being

tortured into

yielding

when allowed to ferment becomes

and is known as toddy (doubtless so

only the luscious sap, which

slightly intoxicating

named by some

early Scotch planter, in

whisky-toddy of the North

toddy becomes vinegar,
is

mixed with the

syrup,

sap,

By

!).

or, if

which

sugar
is

remembrance of the

exposure to the sun the

is

required, a little lime

then boiled down to a thick

and poured into baskets made from the palmyra

and allowed to harden.

sugar, of

In

leaf,

this state it is sold as jaggery

which a very large amount

is

used in the island.

In order to obtain this sap, the toddy-drawers, who are

marvellously expert climbers, ascend to the crown of leaves,

beneath which, each cradled in a long solid sheath or spathe,

are the bunches of ivory-like blossom bearing the
nuts.
its

Each spathe having been

expansion,

is

bound

tightly

ruthlessly beaten every

heavy wooden mallet,

till

embryo

to prevent

morning with a

the immature flower within, instead

of developing into a thing of loveliness, is reduced to pulp,

but without injuring

its

outer cover.

After about a week of this maltreatment, the sap begins

to flow,

much

to the satisfaction of

swarms of

insects,

who

assemble to feast thereon, and in their turn attract flocks

of crows and various insectivorous birds.

These again afford

many a dainty meal to the palm-cat and sundry

who climb the palms in pursuit of the birds.
Meanwhile, the toddy-drawer having cut

off"

other foes,

the tip of the

spathe to allow the sap to drip, hangs a small clay chattie

157

TODDY-DRAWERS.

or a gourd beneath each bleeding blossom, and thenceforth

for about five

to

months he ascends day by day

the sap, emptying

collect

each

little

suspended from his waist, and when that

by a cord

to an assistant below,

at early

dawn

chattie into one

he lowers

is full

who empties

it

into a larger

it

Every day he cuts a thin slice off the poor bruised

flower to make it bleed afresh, and each flower continues to

one.

yield sap for about a month.

Each

tree yields on an average about three quarts a

(the produce of the female tree

more than double that

is,

male

of the

day

however, considerably

tree).

Only once in three years are these tortured

trees allowed

to ripen their fruit, in order to save their lives, as otherwise

they would die under this unnatural treatment.

The sweet

juice from about nine

hundred trees being collected from

the earthen chatties,

poured into a copper

tilled

is

three times over to

still,

and

dis-

obtain the strong and highly

intoxicating spirit called arrack, most of which, however,

obtained from the cocoa-palm, which

Palmyra-toddy

is

considered

is

contains less sugar.

by connoisseurs

to

no sinecure,

for

be

too

luscious.

The work of the toddy-drawer

by the aid

is

of a loop of flexible vine passed

so as to enable

him

round his ankles,

to grasp the trunk of the tree with his

singularly prehensile feet, he contrives to climb with

like agility,

one

man

can scarcely

than twenty trees every morning.

toil of

although

climbing, and enable each

manage

monkey-

to ascend

more

So, in order to lessen the

man

to

work

hundred trees

daily, half-a-dozen palm-tops are connected by ropes, along

which the drawer passes from

tree to tree.

Sometimes a

second set of ropes, some feet higher, are added for security,

but even with these

it

is

work of danger, and many

TRINCOMALEE.

158

horrible accidents result from this practice, besides the fatalities recorded.

In the annual report of deaths from accident, a consider-

number

able

I have this

are

shown

to be caused

by

from

falling

trees.

1879, 1883, 1887, and 1890, and I see

list for

the deaths under this head are respectively 255, 250, 326,

and 369, and the majority of victims were toddy-drawers,

who

some cases

in

lose their hold of the slender coir rope

while collecting the sap, but more often perish from

its

breaking as they pass from one high tree-top to another.

Sometimes the ropes are

by

rats,

sometimes they are injured

rotten,

and in some cases there has been reason to suspect

an enemy of half-cutting the rope.

The men engaged

in too

many

There

toddy-merchant.
tions,

work

in this

are of very low caste,

cases their hardly-earned

are,

and

wages return to the

however, some brilliant excep-

such as that village of stanch Christians

whom we

visited near Batticaloa.

As

a matter of

course, the

dress of these athletes

is

reduced to a minimum, but in ascending the palmyra-palm

they find

it

necessary to wear a breastplate of stout leather

as a protection against the very rough stems.

the smooth cocoa-palm this

is

In ascending

not requisite.

That a tree so precious as the palmyra-palm should ever

be

sacrificed for

its

timber seems unnatural, but so valuable

is

hard black wood in house-building, that an immense

trade

is

done therein, especially

for the siipply of rafters, as

it is

found that even white ants scarcely care

But

as its value as timber increases with its age (no tree

being worth felling which

hundred
service to

years), each

man

ere

it

tree

has

not

attained

to attack

at

least

it.

has done a life-work of good

commences a second century

of use-

INVALUABLE PALMS.

159

fulness as an almost imperishable timber.

It has, however,

one peculiarity, in that

It is

so

it

causes nails to rust rapidly.

somewhat singular that not only is the female palm

the male in her yield of sap,

much more generous than

but also her timber fetches a very

much higher

being denser, harder, and darker in colour.

price,

as

It is said that

in order to increase these three qualities in the male palm,

the natives immerse the newly-felled timber in the sea, and

there leave

conceals

it

its

to

Unlike the ebony

season.

precious heart of black

casing of white wood, the palmyra carries

wood

tree,

which

wood within an outer

its

hard black

externally, enfolding a heart of soft white

wood

pretty subject for a tree-parable.

Great as

is

demand for this timber, due care is, of

keep up the supply of a tree so precious

the

course, taken to

that the Tamils recognise

it

Kalpa or

as the

Ganesa, the god of wisdom

sacred to

Singhalese talk of the hundi-ed and

fifty

"

Tree of Life,"

and whereas the

good uses to which

Hindoo poet sings of the eight

hundred and one manners in which the palmyra benefits

the cocoa-palm lends

itself,

mankind
It is estimated that there are

million palms of this species,

ways in which they are turned

to

which

on the

about twelve

to account (besides those

have already alluded), I can only advise you to

use your imagination, for you will find

of

Isle

and as to the innumerable

any necessary of

life

it difiicult

to think

which native ingenuity

will not

contrive to extract from this priceless tree

anything from

walking-stick or a thatching-needle, to a bedstead, a ladder,

a plough, or a water-spout

As

its

stem yields timber for house-building, the leaves

supply the best possible thatch, and material for weaving


TRTNCOMALEE.

160

mats both

ceiling

foi*

and

for floor

baskets of

sorts,

all

including some which can be used as buckets for drawing

water

umbrellas,

fans,

coolies*

hats,

ropes,

fly-whisks,

Strips of these leaves, steeped either in boiling

torches.

water or in milk to render them pliable, and then smoothed

on a heavy wooden

parchment

huge

As

olas

roller,

form the equivalent of paper and

only inferior to those obtained from the

leaf of the taliput-palm.

the

fruit, root,

wine, sugar,

and

oil

and sap of the tree supply food, palmfor the use of

serve as fodder for his cattle,

man, the young leaves

and the hard spathe, wherein

the blossom lay cradled, has often been used to good purpose as a baby's bath.

The general effect of a great expanse of palmyi-as is

and monotonous, but when seen near, nothing
can be more picturesque than a group of these, especially
when, as is so frequently the case, overgrown by some
During its prolonged youth, the palmyra
parasitic tree.
certainly dull

retains its gi'eat fan-shaped leaves, set spirally round the

stem

like a

these die

huge corkscrew.

off,

When, with advancing

years,

the solid leaf-stalk and coarse net-like fibre

remain, giving the black trunk a rugged, untidy appearance, but also affording support to a great variety of delicate

climbing plants, and offering a cradle wherein

many

seeds

lodge and germinate, especially those of the banyan, which

take root so effectually that ere long the parent stem

completely enfolded, often strangled,

by the too

close

is

em-

braces of the long white arms and roots which twine around
it

in every direction.

Such marriages of the sacred banyan and palm-tree,

though by no
natives,

means uncommon,

are

regarded

by the

whether Tamil or Singhalese, with extreme rever-

THE LILY SHORE.

and great was the

ence,

me
a

161

by some who found

interest evinced

sketching a very remarkable grove on the shore about

couple

from

miles

of

where

Trincomalee,

scores

of

black palmjTas were each thus enfolded by white banyans

them

twisting around

contorted

like

Sooner or

snakes.

later the ungrateful parasite strangles the protector of its

and

infancy,

standing alone, twisted into every con-

left

is

ceivable fantastic form.

In this particular instance the scene was absolutely fairylike

by reason of the exquisite undergrowth

our lovely virgin

like

lilies,

delicate

pink

lily,

These were grow-

truly a vision of delight.

ing luxuriantly

of tall white

but streaked with most

along the shore, which, moreover, was

all

carpeted by the goat's-foot, Ipomea, a

richly

large

lilac

convolvulus, whose glossy green foliage, with profusion of

delicate blossoms,

affording

sea,

mats the sands to the very brink of the

shelter

to

thousands of tiny crabs.

pretty plant flourishes on the seaboard in

Isle,

parts of the

and constitutes one of the many charms of the beach.

As

to the crabs, they

ment,

the rest of

all

little

its

creature with

tiny body.

hence

it is

generally

saw myriads of these

known

crabs

in

one

claw

It sidles along

holding up this great claw as

at a great pace,

attention

were a constant source of amuse-

one odd

especially

longer than

(I

all

This

if

to attract

as the calling crab.

Fiji,

but

far

more

brilliantly coloured.)^

I only wish

it

were possible for words to convey any

impression of the fascination of such a shore as that of the

calm bay on which we looked down from the Government

Agent's house

strewn

clear

glittering waters

with pearly Venus-ear and

^

VOL.

II.

"At Home

in Fiji," vol.

i.

p. 257,

rippling on sands

many
and

vol.

another shell
ii.

p. 2.

162

TRINCOMALEE.

brown diilJren
hollowed logs

paddling

tiny

canoes

made

of

rudely

a lilac-and-green carpet of the marine con-

volvulus losing itself beneath the shadow of a grove of

graceful cocoa-palms bending in every direction

tall,

and then

the rocky headlands, so inviting for a scramble, with their

broken crags, rock pinnacles, and at

archway offering

cool

revelling in the loveliness of

Just above
roofs

it

least

one great natural

shade beneath which to rest while

all

around.

stands the pleasant home, with

its red-tiled

and pillared verandah, overshadowed by beautiful trees

and surrounded by aloes and flowery shrubs.

this the vivid light

you can

realise

on this sweet

Add

to all

and colour of sea and sky, and surely

something of the charm of many a home

Isle.

1G3

CHAPTER XX.
TUINCOMALEE TO GALLE.
Trincomalee
fish

Tamil play

Galle Buona

Vista

hirainous

kabragoya

sea Batticaloa Flying Green corals Uses of

the cocoa-palm.

in

HAVE seen some curious specimens

many

lands,

of plays

and theatres

but none more singular than an evening

company of Tamil
The ground formed a grassy amphitheatre gently
sloping down to the centre, where a large circular stage was
open-air performance at Trincomalee by a

actors.

erected,

matting.

and protected from possible rain by a canopy of

The spectators were closely seated in circles all

around, those at the back being sufficiently raised to com-

mand an

excellent view of the stage, which

was divided

into six imaginary sections, the players actually performing

each short scene

six

the audience by turns.

would prove

if

times over, facing

Wearisome

seen too often,

it

each section of

as such a performance

was certainly interesting

and the native spectators were evidently delighted,

and waited with exemplary patience while each scene went
for once,

the round of the other five sides.

few of the actors were very handsomely dressed, to

represent ancient Tamil kings and queens, and loaded with

gorgeous je\yellery of real old patterns.

Some wore

large

TRINCOMALEE TO GALLE.

164

richly jewelled animals placed on each shoulder or on the

head, the front of the stage being dimly lighted by rude

lamps fed with cocoa-nut

about

five feet high.

oil,

and stuck on plantain stems

These details would have been invisible

had not each of the principal actors been escorted by a

coolie in the ordinary undress,

whose duty

it

was

to carry a

small earthenware lamp fastened to the end of a stick, and

this

he thrust right in the face of his master that

might

all

be able to see him and his finery.

A number of
about on the

other coolies in the lightest of raiment stood

stage to help in various ways,

and

as

the

orchestra (which consisted of a chorus of discordant voices

and musicians beating tomtoms and other drums, blowing

and

shells

shrill

moved round

pipes)

was

also

together, the effect

on the

stage,

and

all

was most confusing, and

the richly dressed actors were almost hidden by the scantily

draped subordinates.
It is difficult to realise that it is not so very long since

our

own drama was even more

primitive than this, and yet

our kings and their courtiers could

out a " morality " or

sit

a " mystery " continuing for nine or ten hours.

Happily

for the success of this open-air entertainment,

the weather proved perfect, which was more than

count upon, for

1

On

(it

was now the end

sucli occasions the stage Avas a

of

we

could

September) heavy

rusb-strewn scaifolding, witli a

were not costly may be inferred

from such entries in the accounts of the play-giving guilds as the following
" Paid for mending of Hell, 2d.
For keeping fire at ditto, 4d.
For setting tbe world on fire, 5d. To Crowe for making three worlds,
light cloth canopy,

3s."

and that scenic

effects

The

chief actors received

3s.

4d. each, but tbe

prima donna only

2s.

It is curious to learn that, as in Cliina at the present day, so in Britain

prior to a.d. 1661, no

women might appear on

least balf-a-century all Shakspeare's daintiest

by youths

tbe stage, so that for at

dames were impersonated

FAREWELLS.

165

were pretty frequent, and were cer-

tropical thunderstorms

Sometimes they came on very suddenly.

tainly no joke.

Dark clouds gathered with

surprising rapidity, and then the

blinding glare of vivid lightning and the crashing thunderpeals were succeeded

l)y

such a

quickly as they arose, and

as

charm

deluge as defied the

pitiless

Such storms, however, passed away

stoutest waterproofs.

seemed only

to

add fresh

to the fragrant stillness of the night, illuminated by

a thousand points of glittering pale-green light, as the lightgiving beetles which

we

call tire-flies flashed to

and

fro,

and

the whole air was perfumed with the fragrance of orange,

lime,

and shaddock blossoms.

But the chance

"roughing" which

of
is

such soakiiigs and the amount of

inevitable

in

jungle travel

form a

grave risk for any one not endowed with very robust health,

and even before we reached Trincomalee

it

was evident that

the Bishop would be compelled to abandon his northward

journey to Jaffna, in the extreme north of the

therefore,

ness, the kindest

was able
that he

end of an anxious month

at the

and most careful

of doctors (Dr.

to sanction his leaving Trincomalee,

must return

to

Colombo by the

"When,

Isle.

of severe ill-

it

Goodwin)
was

clear

easiest route, namely,

by the Government steamship Serendib^ which had only to

call at Batticaloa

with

many

and Galle.

So, after a regretful parting

friends wiiose kindness at such a time can never

be forgotten,

we embarked one evening

at sunset,

and some

hours later sailed out of the beautiful harliour in the clear

starlight.

The

sea there

that night as
'

and

One

of the

is

intensely phosphorescent, and

it

seemed

though the sea-gods were holding high

many names by which Ceylon was known

to the writers of "

The Arabian Nights."

revel,

to the ancients

TRINCOMALEE TO GALLE.

IGG

and we poor mortals strained our eyes in the effort to

peer down through the waves, which were all aglow with
marine fireworks and illuminations.

more

The sky was very

lovely.

scudding before a pretty

of

full

never saw anything

dark, with stormy clouds

dancing, glittering, points of pale white

here and there large dazzling

was

breeze, but the sea

stiff

stars,

fire,

all

with

which gleamed suddenly,

then faded away into darkness, like the intermittent flash

from some beacon-light.

to

Wave beyond

wave, right away

the horizon, was plainly defined in pallid light, here

and there crested with brighter

fire,

where the breeze had

caught the curving billow and tossed

it

back in glittering

spray.

As we looked down through

myriad points
a

comparison

to

the waters and watched the

upwards, some one suggested

of light rushing

champagne

or

some

such

effervescing

But these luminous globules

drink alive with air-bubbles.

frequently start on independent careers, and dash to right

or

left,

according to some impulse of their

own

devising.

Often as I have watched the phosphoric wonders of our

dark Northern seas (when, sailing through a shoal of herring,

each separate

fish

had never seen the

as

if

has seemed a thing of living

light so widespread as here.

quite
lustre.

we

to-night

invisible

Large families

seemed

which on other nights are

shone,

probably

of flying-fish darted

with

borrowed

from the water

passed, suggesting flights of luminous birds, and here

and there a school of

jelly-fish

fringed with

heavy porpoises rushed by,

great,

leaving a trail of living

little

It

the sea-gods had issued large supplies of phosphorus

for the occasion, for creatures

as

light), I

fire

and thousands

of

delicate

floated peacefully along, like inverted cups

fire

most

lovely, fairy-like creatures.

167

A PHOSPHORESCENT SEA.

On

a night like this

position either at the

bow

always,

take up a

possible,

if

or stern of the

From

ship.

the

former you look sheer down, as from the edge of a precipice,

and watch the dividing

way through
sorts

of the waters as the vessel cuts her

the waves, and the startled creatures of

awaken, but in their hurried

their lamps,

flight

and the white spray that

the bows, in a

ceaseless

of radiant stars.

Mariner's lonely watch,

"The

they quickly light

is

thrown

when from

me

elfish light fell

oil'

off

from

a shower

fountain, glitters like

always reminds

It

all

the Ancient

of

his eerie ship

in lioaiy flakes

"
!

Coleridge must assuredly have watched on such nights as

these.

Then,

endure

if

you make a pilgrimage

to

you see the most wonderful sight of

propeller

surface

the stern, and

churns

literally

the

waters

all.

far,

For the great

below the

far

and each stroke produces a body of

can

stand just above the thrubbing, thumping screw,

to

and blue

light,

which

quite indescribable

rolls

upwards

clear green

in a soft

like dissolved opals.

brilliancy

As each

succes-

sive globe of this fairy-like green fire rises to the surface,

breaks in bubbling, hissing spray, and spreads

the surface, leaving a pathway of
for a long

fire,

itself

which remains

it

over

visible

time after the vessel has passed, fading away in

the distance, like a reflection of the INIilky

the dark sky above

Way,

that spans

it.

Some of my far-travelled companions, who had sailed in

many seas, were talking one evening of the various forms
One of the
in which this beautiful phenomenon appears.
officers had the good luck to see what is known as " white
water

"

as he

crossed

the Arabian Sea.

It

was a dark

TRINCOMALEE TO OALLE.

168

moonless night in summer, only

tlie

overspread the ocean

smooth

waters lay
of

ful

as

tinged with

if

silvery

soft,

light

shimmering light; the

a tremulous,

lie

gleaming water, and

this

When

as a mirror.

were reflected

stars

on the calm waters, when suddenly a

drew up a bucket-

found

it

was clouded,

and luminous with phosphorus.

milk,

he emptied the bucket

it

continued to glow for

some time.
Another

he too had seen a milk-like

officer said

sea, in

about the same part of the ocean, but when some of the

on board drew up water

for

examination

it

was perfectly

and they concluded that the curious appearance

of the sea

were passing through a

to the fact that they

was due

men

clear,

soft

hazy mist, and though the night was so dark that they were
scarcely conscious of

some way

pallid light
If this

been due

influence, they supposed that

to this

they attributed the

tremulous

was

as

it

for mists

must have
atmosphere,

of the

phenomenon

much

that a similar

told

quivering of the

really the cause of the light,

some very strange condition

to

and we cannot say

am

in

as a mirage/

as even in the tropics such a

seen,

it

refracted the starlight on to the surface of the

and

waters,

its

is

very rarely

appearance has occasionally

been observed in the North Sea, and even on the Xorthumbrian coast

and the

fishers

have noted that

its

presence

indicated a very poor herring season, and that the temperature of the sea was unusually high during

its

duration.

It

proved to be a very tangible form of whiteness, for when

^

have myself witnessed just such an

effect

of

dazzling light,

illuminating the whole surface of the water, during two midnight

storms

169.

in

New

Zealand.

Vide

"At Home

in

Fiji,"

vol.

ii.

ON BATTICALOA LAKE.
drew up

tliey

their nets they found

169

them coated with

substance resembling lime.^

We

reached Batticaloa about noon on the following day,

and were once more cordially welcomed to the same pleasant

quarters which had been assigned to us on our previous
visit.

On

the following morning, Captain Varian having most

me some

kindly undertaken to show

nut

we

estates,

boats,

started before

dawn

of

my

brother's cocoa-

in one of the Serendib

towed by the steam-launch a long way ahead of us

mode of travel, securing perfectly smooth,

gliding motion.
The morning was exquisite, and all the
ranges of blue, distant hills and wooded headlands were
a delightful

faultlessly mirrored in the

calm sea-lake.

About eighteen miles from Batticaloa we landed

at the

way

then proceeded to another, and ploughed our

first estate,

through an apparently interminable grove of cocoa-palms

all

planted in straight lines, at regular intervals, in deep, hot sand

endless rows of tall palms, all of

much

the same height,

extending for miles and miles as far as the eye could

and much
different

farther, all

growing out of the arid sand

see,

very

from lovely half-wild groves where trees of

ages grow at their

own

greenest guinea-grass

young ones

like

will

l^y

from a

cool,

the brink of some cool lake

huge clumps

all

deep carpet of the

of great ferns

the

growing cup-

wise, others in every stage of growth, the middle-aged ones

strongly resembling tree-ferns with fronds fully twenty feet

in lenqth.

The

It

would be

fisher-folk of Shields

difficult

to

imagine richer

and Tyneniouth, and

tlie

vejre-

villages iiu-

niediately to the norih, noticed this peculiar condition of the water in

the

summer

of 1878,

herrin<'-fisheis.

which proved an exceptionally bad year

for the

TRINCOMALEE TO

170
tatiou

tliau

tliat,

GAIJ.K.

but these orderly plantations are quite

another thing.
It

was very fatiguing even

track,

and I

realised as I

to

walk once along that sand-

had never done before what must

have been the sinking loneliness of the brave young heart,

exiled from one of the cheeriest

and most beautiful homes

in Scotland, to settle quite alone

banks, and

commence the

nuts about which so

little

toil of

on these desolate sandplanting

them with the

was then known that speedy

remuneration was expected, whereas the experience of the

next fifteen years was one of continual outlay, ceaseless
defend the young plantations from the

watchfulness to
ravages

of

most mischievous boring

ants, herds of wild hogs, porcupines,

and other
Then,

foes,

when

white

rats,

troops of elephants,

and no remuneration whatever.

the day of his emancipation came, the estates

passed to other hands, and strangers

fruits of his

beetles,^

long years of weary

now

reap the abundant

toil.

Planters of the present day, profiting by the experience

find that

of their predecessors,

oil-cake, ashes, sea-weed, salt

by a

liberal application of

mud, and various other manures

they can induce young palms to commence flowering about

the seventh year (some which have been fed as carefully and
liberally as prize

oxen have actually flowered in the fourth

year), and, moreover, that the trees thus nourished will bear
at least twice as

which

many

nuts, but the

work

at the time to

refer was in a great measure experimental.

Even now cocoa-nut planting

for not only

do

many

is

estates wait

a very uncertain venture,

twenty years ere yielding

a full return (though probably about half the trees

mence bearing

in the fourteenth year), but the crop

^

Oryctes rhinoceros.

com-

is

also

ON A COCOA-PALM PLANTATION.

171

very variable, some estates yielding only one candy of copra

to the acre, while others yield three.

The

fact

that there are in Ceylon a vast

is,

number

of

nameless varieties of cocoa-palms, and unless almost impossible care is observed in the selection of nuts for plant-

planter says

One

"

four feet of stem

and

opening

its first flower, fall

dred nuts per

carries

in the

annum

One

feet,

will

and only begins

have

fertile

germs on

of

One

will,

within a year of

line carries

hun-

into a regular yield of a

medium

size,

while another close

from thirty to forty very large ones, and

same

to

neighbour will only produce barren

its

twelve months.

flowers for

on

nearest neighbour, equally vigorous,

flower in the tenth year.

its first flower,

experienced

tree begins to liower in its fifth year

its

runs up to fifteen or even twenty

by

An

the crops will always be variable.

ing,

tlie

next

above two hundred very small ones."

Besides these differences in the nuts themselves, varieties

of

soil

are

responsible

planters having wasted

soils,

only to find that after ten or twelve years the palms

gave no promise of
wet,

for many disappointments, some

much energy on swampy or clayey

is

fruit,

while sandy

soil,

moist but not too

the most favourable.

In Ceylon the cocoa-nuts are gathered six times a year,

and when

liberally

manured and

carefully tended should

continue in bearing for upwards of a century.

Wo

trudged through deep sand

till

we reached

the small

bungalow of the present owner, who gave us refreshing

cocoa-nuts to drink, and lent us the cart, drawn by an
elephant, which daily collects the fallen nuts

say

we found

for bolting first

it

pleasant, as the elephant

on one

side,

but

cannot

had a faculty

then on the other, against the

palms, thereby keeping us constantly on the jerk

so

we

TRINCOMALEE TO GALLE.

172

very shortly agreed that even the fatigue of walking was

and accordingly descended from our uncomfortable

preferable,

and trudged through the hot sand

quarters,

the site of

my

brother's original house,

we reached

now marked only

which he planted round it.

returned to Batticaloa at sunset, and in the peaceful

by the

fruit-trees

We

moonlight

little "

stood by the grassy grave in the

with an intensified sympathy for

acre,"

till

leaving the happy home-nest

many

carve

to

of " our

God's

boys

"

fortunes in

their

distant lands.

Amongst minor

details in a

may mention the multitude

we found on the banks of a
of finding a

number

day

of so great interest, I

of fresh-water snail-shells

which

small tank, and also the pleasure

of turtle's eggs, each containing a perfect

miniature turtle quite ready to be hatched

the neatest tiny

creatures.

On
kind

the following evening

friends,

we took

leave of our

many

and returned on board the Serendih, which

was lying outside the harbour-bar, and

the sudden change from the dead calm

we

fully did

realise

of the sea-lake thus

guarded to the tossing ocean beyond.

This bar

is

often the occasion of very grave inconvenience

to the inhabitants

breeze
that

Batticaloa,

of

it so

strong sea-

tumultuously

the

half

spring

feet.

the

months

Moreover,

mouth

notwithstanding
shore.

of

the

the

In this

high or low tide afford very

sea,

slight variation in the

silt,

when a

no boat dare face those raging breakers.

comparatively tideless

in

for

blowing the waves dash upon

is

depth of water on the bar, which

is

sometimes barely three and a

owing
river

strong

to
is

the

usual

deposit

of

growing daily narrower,

current

which

sweeps

the

THE HARBOUR-BAR.

173

Happily, the singular regularity in the variation of the

wind

direction of the

know

well

some

security, as the

that the sea-breeze will attain

when

before noon,

But

affords

dawn

by morning there
But, of course,

in safety.

can

it

can.

generally be crossed

not always that a steamer

is

open roadstead to await these

in the

lie

and so

comparative calm, and from

is

about 9 a.m. the bar

till

impassable.

and quiets the tumult,

at night the land-breeze sets in

so that

height shortly

its

bar will probably be

the

boatmen

possibilities,

occasionally happens that passengers and cargo

it

cannot get on board, while other passengers and goods

At

cannot be put ashore.

Happily

other times the transit

is

effected

an hour's hard rowing and a general soaking.

at the cost of
for

us, at

we had no such

the end of October,

unpleasant experience, wind and waves combining to speed

us on our way.

All

next day was taken up in beating about in

the

search of a reported rock, which

to

" all

a sketcher

was thus enabled

coast

the

we

failed

to find

that comes to the net,"

to secure

from

seen

as

fish

is

sundry reminiscences

sea

the

or

inland

but

and

the

of

mountain

ranges.

Speaking
flying-fish

at

of

as

never remember seeing so

fish,

on that voyage.

They

many

rose from the waves,

our approach, like flashes of silvery spray, and fiew

perhaps two hundred yards, just skimming the surface of

the water
their

They looked

transparent wings.

darting

birds

describing
It

then again, just touching the wave to moisten

that

them

so

can well understand

like

the

flights

of

ancients

as " sea-swallows."

seems barbarous

to

think

of

these

graceful

little

creatures from a gastronomic point of view, but certainly

TRINCOMALEE TO GALLE.

174

they are the very daintiest fish-morsels that ever rejoiced

an epicure.

West

(In the

Indies they are so highly prized

them has been

that a special method of capturing

The

devised.

go out at nights in their canoes, carrying blazing

fishers

"

allure these inquisitive

torches, to

flying to the light,

and are captured

sea-moths,"

who come

in small nets fastened

to poles, like our landing-nets).

on

I saved

some of

their wings (I suppose I ought correctly

to say " pectoral fins

w^hich are formed of a tissue of

"),

curious gauze-like membrane, stretched on a folding framework, and must, I think, have inspired Chinamen and other
early sailors with the original design for folding sails of

matting on movable bamboos.

We
it

reached Galle on the following afternoon, and found

beautiful as ever, but the masts of yet one

sunken steamer rose from the waters of

harbour, wherein so

many

Archdeacon Schrader

"

fine ships

Good

the

more newly

its lovely,

treacherous

have met their doom.

"

came

to

welcome the

Bishop, and to fetch us all to his hospitable roof, and to

service

the beautiful church. All Saints', which owes

at

existence to his energy.

its

come

It

is

by

far the finest in the

and one whose constant and hearty services have

island,

as a breath of

home

to

many

a wanderer from far-

distant lands, pausing here on his voyage.

On
the

the following day the Archdeacon drove us to see

large

summit

Orphanage

of

at

Buona

Vista,

which crowns the

the steep headland which forms the southern

and commands a lovely view

arm

of the harbour,

We

were most kindly received by Mr. and Mrs. Marks,^

who showed
girls.

This
^

of Galle.

us their troop of very nice-looking boys and

is

mission- station

The Orphanage

is

now under

of

the

S.P.G.

the care of Miss Callender.

Society,

BUONA VISTA AND EICHMOND.

175

and supplies Christian teachers, both male and female,

We

the surrounding village schools.

who

children

were told

for

that, of the

attend these village schools, about one-sixth

are Christians,

and

it is

who

found that, even among those

at the time appear quite uninfluenced by Christian teaching,

number

considerable

later period,

which,

impressions,

receive

at

develop into active principles.

Strange to say, the heathen parents, though perfectly

aware

of the heart's desire of the teachers,

make no

objec-

tion whatever to their children being carefully instructed

knowledge

in all Christian

young student, being

desires

adopted to
priests are

home and

fully of age to

day comes when the

make

own

his

decision,

Then every possible means is

counteract his newly awakened faith.
Buddhist
called in to reason with him
expulsion from
be

to

until the

baptized.

disinheritance

are

threatened,

all

but rarely

overcome the resolution once formed, and eventually the

relations, finding

they cannot shake the faith of the young

convert, abstain from active persecution.

On

another

mond, and

hill,

bearing the very British

commanding

also

Wesleyan Mission and

its

view,

lovely

schools.

name

It

is

in

of Eich-

stands

the

connection

with a large chapel in the town, at

which services are

alternately held in English, Portuguese,

and Singhalese,

Greater interest in point of antiquity attaches to the

fine

old

cruciform

Dutch church, which

is

paved with

tombstones of bygone generations, whose monuments also

Here

crowd the walls.

services according to the form of

the Presbyterian Church of Holland are held in English,

recalling the autocratic

querors strove to

"

manner

convert

"

in

which the Dutch con-

the islanders by the aid of inter-

preters, utterly refusing themselves to learn their language.

TRINCOMALEE TO GALLE.

176

About ten miles inland from Galle

Church
efifort

Gindura

on the

spot

lovely

Missionary

where,

river,

commenced

Society

Baddegama, a

lies

in

first

very

on behalf of her newly annexed colony.

station is the boarding-school

feature of this

satisfactory

for Singhalese girls,

which has provided many well-taught

men

Christian wives for the young

Some

colleges.

the

1818,

England's

trained

in

Christian

years ago the fine old church tower was

was

struck by lightning, as

also the

verandah of the mission-

house, and the missionary in charge, Mr. Balding, narrowly

an incident of which he and his

being killed,

escaped

parishioners are perpetually reminded

cracked

bell, said to

Another point

by the sound

of a

have previously been well toned.

interest near

of

sugar-cane estate in the

Isle,

Baddegama

is

the oldest

a cultivation which has not

been largely taken up in Ceylon.

On

our homeward way, as we drove through a cool shady

glade, the horses

started

a gigantic lizard, or rather

as

and

iguana, of a greenish-grey colour, with yellow stripes

spots,

by the natives kabragoya,^ awoke from

called

midday

sleep,

and slowly, with the greatest deliberation,

walked right across the road just in front

notoriously

sustained

slothful

its

leisure

to

so

observe

and

reptile,

reputation, for

smallest degree

its

it

we had
the

which was

on

us.

It is

occasion

fully

did not hurry itself in the

to wait

lazy

of

this

its

time,

movements

seven

of

and had
this

full

strange

length, with

Like that very unattractive monster, the kabragoya

is

creature,

fully

feet

in

general resemblance to a crocodile.

amphibious, and
water.

when

in

danger

It is quite harmless,
^

Hydro

tries

to

make

for

the

however, except in the matter

saitrus salvator.

THE KABPvAGOYA.
of eating fowls,

and

177

eminently peaceful in

is

its disposition,

unless roused at close quarters, when, in self-defence,

it

can turn on a foe and administer a tremendous blow with

armour-plated

its

crest,

can

inflict a

or

leg,

warning

as

fellow- creatures

huge

wound on

licjhtly

molesting

against

consequently the

draped

shoots

occasionally

tenacity

vulnerable,

the

or at

any

however, that

who have

head

life,

of

sufficient

one,

The

all-destroying

and notes

being

strange

its

apparently

the only

rate

harmless

Singhalese treat these

lizards with considerable respect.

foreigner

lieve,

the

Occasionally a rash aggressor receives a broken

natives.

arm

which, being provided with a sharp

tail,

very serious

I be-

spot.

vital,

only

the

Veddahs are the only people

strength of mind to eat the ugly
the

monster.
I had not been in Galle since the memorable occasion

when

my

never-to-be-forgotten very

trees

and
to

my way

i first landed there on

and the tropics

fairy-like

Wakwalla,

But, alas

wear

as

off the

to

my own

with

all

else

be, I felt

on

even in palm-trees, and

mazes

this

second

its

loveliness

of tropical foliage

visit to

it

first

beheld

Wakwalla

kind

my

which

eyes

it.

was with great pleasure that

from several

that

was somewhat dulled

visions of tropical beauty on

had feasted since I had

invitations

palm-

in this world, familiarity does

of delight

appreciation of

Nevertheless,

of

which we accordingly drove in the evening.

keen sense

by the many

impressions

so of course I longed to return

exquisite as such a drive through

must ever

and received

impressions of perfect novelty

first

enchantment

first

to India,

friends

in

accepted

Galle

and

its

neighbourhood, with the prospect of returning to Colombo

by the lovely road along the sea-coast

VOL.

II.

a drive of seventy

TRINCOMALEE TO GALLE.

178
miles

shadowed by the graceful palms which droop

all

over the sea.

riglit

So the Serendib sailed minus one passenger, and I made

my way

to the farthest point of the

ramparts to watch her

safe out of the ill-fated harbour with her precious freight

Afterwards I ascended the lighthouse,

of truest friends.

and thence looked down on the

through the

shallow,

which come too near

harbour, as

But

many

when

gleams like a
its

the surface for

the safety of the

a good ship has proved to her

beautiful as

(which,

coral-reefs clearly visible

emerald-green water-reefs

lustrous,

cost.-^

such a bird's-eye-view of the reef

is

lighted by the

the noonday, sun,

rays of

by water-sprites)

lost rainbow, held captive

treasures of delight are only to be fully appreciated

floating over

at

it

low

tide, in

inches of water, and

by

a boat drawing only a few

regardless of paint (for

the

sharp

cutting points of the coral are fatal to a trig ornamental

Only thus

boat).

submarine

these

and

is

possible to realise the loveliness of

it

gardens, where coral-trees, coral-shrubs,

coral-flowers of every hue,

violet

and

rose,

red and

brown, gold and lemon colour, are the homes and play-

manner

grounds of

all

sea-snakes,

star-fish,

of strange, beautiful fishes, crabs,

sea-urchins,

and innumerable other

creatures, of every conceivable shape

and

size

and

colour.

Naturalists, however, note with interest the remarkable

predominance
as

creatures,

of green in the colouring

though

verdure of the
green
*

am

Harbour,
have been

fishes,

Isle.

Crustacea

by assimilation

They
and

find

of
to

many
the

of

these

prevailing

green water-snakes and

star-fish,

sea-anemones

and

told that no less than twelve steamers have been wrecked in Galle
i.e.,

more than one-third

lost

of the total

on the shores of Ceylon.

number

of thirty-four which

"

PREVALENCE OF GREEN MARINE CREATURES.

sea-urchins, sea-slugs

and several

179

of various shades

shells

number

of olive or emerald greens, while a considerable

of

corals are verdant as the plants they so closely resemble.^

All too fleetly the pleasant days slipped by with drives

and boating

expeditions

many

to

lovely

temptations for an artist on every hand.

morning in search of the best point

came

of Galle, I

panoramic sketch

to the conclusion that the very finest

view

town and harbour was that from the verandah

of the

Closenberg,

some

for a

and

scene,

After one long

risk, as

cataracts

delightful

of

bungalow, where

and

of
at

the surf was running high and dashing in

spray against

the black

skilful steering ran our boat in safety

breakers,

we landed

was soon most

However,

rocks.

between the biggest

cosily ensconced for

my day's

work.

Looking along the lovely palm-fringed shore,

but think that
in

some

man

if

mark the

I could not

earth with ruin

places, as in the central districts of this Isle,

wherever primeval
work,

does "

we

often

forests are cleared

forget

how deeply we are indebted

much of what we accept

those of past generations for

natural beauty.
isles,

As

in

New

where imported vegetation

of the foreigner has not

to

as

Zealand, Taheiti, and other

is

even more luxuriant

than that which was indigenous, so here

hand

and

by planters beginning

been confined

the beautiful flowering shrubs

the improving
to acclimatising

which adorn the gardens,

but even the multiplication of the palms, which

so natural a feature of Ceylon,

was

now seem

really greatly

due to

the commercial instincts of the Dutch, who, finding that

about nine-tenths of the west coast, from Galle right up to

^

Such

are the

Montipora, Madrepora, Millepora, Macandrina, Astrsea,

Alcyonia, Anthophylla, Heteropora.

TRINCOMALEE TO GALLE.

180

Calpentyn (the whole of which

now one

is

succession of

was then waste uncultivated land,

offered Government grants thereof to all persons who would
undertake to plant cocoa-palms, and thereon pay a cer-

hixuriant cocoa-groves),

tain tax.

would appear that strong pressure must have been

It

brought to bear to awaken the easy-going natives to the

scheme

necessity of carrying out this extensive

of cultiva-

tion of a crop which brings such slow returns (ten years

However, the plantations were

to wait at the very least).

made, and the waste lands transformed

beauty.

But even now the apathy

may

although the shore

that,

weed, which,

if

collected

be strewn with masses of sea-

and dug into the earth round the

themselves to

crops,

the

Jaffna and Batticaloa, where the cocoa-palms are

now

manure thus
iibiquitous,

laid

ever

exert

ready to their hand.

and might well be supposed

to be

European planters only commenced work

I

such

utilise

they will scarcely

At

is

would materially increase the

of the palms,

roots

to their present

of the villagers

have already shown,

mauy

indigenous,

in 1841, and, as

of the early plantations ruined

their first owners.

It is certainly

mentioned
as food,

in old

how

remarkable

rarely the cocoa-palm

Ceylonese history

it is

whereas the palmyra and taliput palms are

Not

quently referred

to.

named

worthy

as a tree

till

of

the twelfth

cultivation.

is

never alluded to

At

century
all

freis

it

events

its

merits are fully recognised in this nineteenth century

At Galle the heavy rainfall,

hill

ranges (and which

is

attracted

of that at Colombo, the respective

and eighty-seven

inches),

by the neighbouring

three inches in the year in excess

measurements being ninety

must always have favoured the

COCOA-PALMS.
luxuriant vegetation, and no tree

is

181

more gratefully respon-

sive for an

abundant supply of rain than

of which

has been calculated that tliose beariug fruit in

it

The

exceed 5,300,000.

this district alone

the cocoa-palm,

is

fruit-bearing palms on the shores of Ceylon

at 50,000,000, besides 200,000,000

number

total
is

of

estimated

which are either unpro-

ductive or are forced to yield their life-blood in the form

of toddy, chiefly for the

manufacture

of

But

arrack.

it is

estimated that, even at the low average of twenty-four nuts

to a tree

many

(and very

thousand millions

nuts are annually allowed to ripen for

of

the good of man.

bear from sixty to eighty), one

Unlike the date, the cocoa-palm bears

male and female flowers on the same

same

cluster.

The number

tree

in fact, on the

of actually barren or

male palms

in Ceylon is singularly small, being said not to exceed one

in three or four thousand.

I speak of this

palm

as belonging to the shore, for

it is

emphatically a coast tree, flourishing in a belt about fifteen

miles in width.

The places where

it

has been successfully

Such

planted inland are so few as to be quite exceptional.

Mihintale, the sacred hill near Anuradhapura, where

are

groups of graceful palms wave around the great dagobas

which crown the summit.

also

saw

large

plantations in good bearing at Matele, which

hundred miles inland and about 127i

level

all of

above the

which are

sea.

The Singhalese have

cannot live

far

far inland,

and the

latter

2241

few scattered cocoa-palms have

been grown as high as 3500

human

about a

above the sea-

they also bear well at Kandy, Gampola, Kurunegalla,

and Badulla,
feet

feet

flourishing
is

feet,

but these bear no

fruit.

a saying that this friendly palm

from the

sea,

or

from the sound

of

the

voice, and in proof thereof point out that wherever


TRINCOMALEE TO GALLE.

182

cluster of these tall crowns

you see a
a

human house

not far

seeing that each tree

And what

off.

is

you

are sure to find

can be more natural,

somebody's private and very valu-

able property/ the precious provider of " golden eggs " in

the form of material for

The

may

golden as the case

brown nuts

(as

we know them

hard white kernel which

is

scraped as a flavouring for

cakes, or else scraped

cream which

to obtain delicious

cow's milk

is

is

excellent in tea

with a

fine oil obtained

boiling this cream, but the regular oil of

extracted from the kernel after

when

the sun,

it is

known

when

I believe that the Singha-

not to be obtained.

lese anoint their glossy black hair

by

The

in Britain) give the

mixed with sugar (obtained from the sap) to

and squeezed through a cloth

or

curry,

make

be) supply food of the consistency

and cool refreshing drink in a natural cup.

of jelly,

older

things needful to existence

all

half-ripe fruits (in their hard outer cover, green or

it

commerce

is

has been left to dry in

as copperah.

The small native

oil-mills, or "

chekku," as they are called,

the rudest

construction,

and turned by bullocks.

aie

of

Being entirely made

of

wood, they creak in the most ear-

but they do their work so efficiently and

splitting fashion,

so cheaply that, happily for all

who

appreciate primitive

Oriental scenes, they hold their ground against the costly

steam

steam crushers, and hydraulic presses set

oil-mills,

up near Colombo by
^

Here

is

a case in point

foreigners, so that about nine

hundred

"MUEDER

ARISING OCT OF A ClAIM FOR A CoCO-NUT TeEE. On the 11th

September 1890 Josappu, a tavern-keeper of Payyagala, was severely assaulted
by his cousin Bachappu and two others. The injured man was removed to
the Kalutara Hospital, where he died the following day.

Josappu claimed a share of the

exclusively enjoying.
his cousin's claim.

The

profits of a coco-nut tree

latter could not or

It would seem that

which Bachappu was

would not

see the validity of

quarrel ensued, with the result aforesaid."

NATIVE OIL-MILLS.

183

and grinding in the

(In 1876 it was stated

of these quaint mills are still creaking

southern and western provinces.

that there were in the whole Isle 1930 chekkus

worked by

bullocks, besides about a dozen steam mills with hydraulic

machinery.)

Many

chekkus are quite small, and worked by

of these

man-power, and very picturesque they

are,

with a miniature

thatch of palm-leaves over the small vat containing the

copperah, and perhaps two or three brown children perched

on the long handle by which their father turns the

so crushes out

the

The clothing

oil.

vat,

and

of such groups

is

reduced to a minimum, that of the children often consistinf;

only of some charm against the evil eye or to protect them

from

The

devils.

refuse left after extraction of the oil

and

called poonac,

either used

is

poultry or for manuring the

ISTo

refining process

to the sun,

is

oil

for

cattle

is

and

soil.

required beyond a week's exposure

by which time

the bottom, and the

as food

all

impurities will have sunk to

can at once be drawn

off into casks.

exported, to be used in the manufacture of

It is largely

soaps and lubricants, also in the preparation of stearine

candles,

and

In Ceylon

for

it is

these purposes

much used

is

demand.

in increasing

as a liniment wherewith to rub

the body in cases of rheumatism and other aihiients, and

the Tamils, not the Singhalese, habitually
after bathing
of a

but as regards

cocoa-nut

shell,

light,

oil

their bodies

the simple lamp formed

and fed with cocoa-nut

oil,

is

now

very generally replaced, even in native huts, by a kerosine

lamp, as the imported mineral

journey from America,

It is not only in

as a

remedy

it

is

oil,

even after

long

cheaper than the native product.

rheumatism that cocoa-nut

is

all its

oil is

esteemed

also applied to counteract insect stings,

TRINCOMALEE TO GALLE.

184

and when mixed with the juice

of ophthalmia.
is

Another

of the leaves is used in cases

sort of

oil,

extracted from the hark,

applied in skin diseases, and even the root yields a medi-

An

cine for the fever-stricken.

alum,
in the

is

astringent lotion, bitter as

obtained from the flower, which also (when bruised

manner

I described

when speaking

of the palmyra-

palm) yields toddy, vinegar, sugar, and, when

distilled, the

intoxicating spirit called arrack.

Toddy, which when

first

drawn

the early morning

in

forms rather a pleasant drink, commences fermentation before

noon, and

is

highly efficacious as a leaven for bread.

standing a few hours

frequently

it

made more

becomes highly intoxicating, and

rupees

is,

is

by adulteration with nux-vomica,

so

seeds of Indian hemp, datura, and other poisons.

fifty

After

fine of

however, incurred by any person detected

in thus drugging either toddy or arrack.

But the simple mixing

of

toddy and arrack

(i.e.,

the un-

fermented with the distilled juice of the beautiful cocoaflower) produces a very "

heady

" drink,

on which a

get exceedingly drunk for a very small

say, here as in

tianity

sum

man

can

and sad

Lower Bengal, where Buddhism and

to

Chris-

have successively done so much to break down the

restraints of caste, that gain is in a

measure neutralised by

the fact that the sobriety once characteristic of the people

rapidly disappearing,

and intemperance

is

is

grievously on the

increase.
It is a sore subject that, whereas Hindoo, Mahommedan,
and Buddhist conquerors have ever abstained from deriving
any revenue from the intoxicating spirits which are for-

bidden by each of these religions, a Christian Government

should so ruthlessly place temptation at every corner both
in Ceylon

and

in India, where, as has

been publicly stated

A HUNDRED DRUNKARDS FOR EACH CONVERT.

by an Archdeacon
created

Bombay, the

of

hundred drunkards

British

for

185

Government has

won by

each convert

Christian missionaries.

The toddy

with copper

leries

200

which

gallons,

sand

converted into arrack in small local

is

trees, to

one-third
liquor

is

of

stills
is

capable of containing from 150 to

about the daily produce from a thou-

which a small quantity

rice

produced which

distillation

is

When

When

and about
distilled,

called polwakara.

produces talwakara, a

below proof.

of sugar

generally added.

is

distil-

spirit

second

about twenty degrees

the process has been repeated a third

time, arrack of the desired strength

is

obtained, at

first

very

crude in flavour, but after having been stored in wood for

several years

mellows, and even finds favour with Euro-

it

It is exported

peans.

from Ceylon

to

Madras and served

to the native troops as a daily ration.

The arrack trade

is

entirely under control of the Ceylou

Government, which derives a considerable revenue from the

sale of licenses to distillers (each of
fee of

whom

pays a yearly

one hundred rupees), and from the annual sale by

auction of the right to farm arrack taverns in

all

parts of

the Isle, a privilege which, being annually sold to the highest

bidder, of course

makes

it

to his interest to

push the odious

trade and establish fiesh centres of temptation wherever he

can possibly do
sion fait

le

so.

Never was the

old proverb that Vocca-

larron^ better exemplified, and

many

a planter

has good cause to complain of the temptation thus brought

to the very door of his coolies,

who now

too often barter

the very food provided for them, in order to obtain

fiery

liquor.^
1

Opportunity makes the

thief.

see that, at the auction of arrack rents for 1890, the successful bidder for

TRINCOMALEE TO GALLE.

186

Nor

is

country.

this

true only of the intoxicants natural to the

Government holds a monopoly

of

the

whole

liquor traffic of the Isle, and has therefore a direct interest

Hence railway refreshment-

in pushing the sale of drink.

cars

and refreshment-rooms

from paying

license,

at railway stations are

exempt

and the stations themselves (which are

Government property) are placarded with advertisements of

the whisky which, as has been so truly said, has dug more
British graves in Ceylon than malaria, sunstroke,

put together, and there

is

and cholera

no doubt that these widely

scat-

tered " suggestions " are largely responsible for the practice
of dram-drinking,

which

is

said

to

be so

much on

the

increase.

As

regards the natives,

who

fluenced by any indication of

are always so largely in-

tlie

will of the ruling power,

the mere fact that drinking-places are sanctioned by Gov-

ernment gives them a measure of respectability altogether

contrary to unbiassed native opinion.
Kandy paid 43,000 rupees ; Nuwara Eliya fetched
while the whole of the Central Province was knocked down for

the privilege of farming

70,000

380,000 rupees.

All the provinces of the Isle collectively realised 1,803,625,

being an increase of 242,171 rupees since 1888.

But

" the appetite

doth grow with that

for the Central Province were

it

feeds upon,"

and when the rents

put up for sale by auction from July 1891 to

June 1892, with the strong recommendation of the Government Agent to the
and not trouble Government to call for higher
tenders, his advice was so well received that 470,000 rupees were offered for
renters to put in good bids,

the

lot,

being 90,000 rupees in excess of the previous year.

In further proof of the steady increase of this baneful traffic, I may also
quote the sales of arrack rents for the North-Western Province in April 1891.
At Kurunegala there was a large gathering of renters from all parts of the

Government Agent presiding. There was brisk bidding, with an

The result was 112,200 rupees for the district of Seven
Korales {i.e., 14,700 more than last year) Yagampattu and Chilaw districts,
102,000 rupees {i.e., 21,800 rupees more than last year) and Puttalam rents
were purchased for 35,900 rupees, being an advance of 4000 on last vear.

island, the

exciting finish.

THE REAL SOURCE OF CRIME.

For plain speaking on so grave a
to the official report

on the Negombo

187

may

subject, I

district for

refer

1890, in

which Mr. Lushington, Assistant Government Agent for the

Western Province, expresses his deliberate conviction that

by scattering arrack taverns broadcast over the land, Government is itself encouraging the real source of crime, namely,
the habits of drunkenness which lead to gambling, cockfighting, divers

forms of theft, cattle-stealing, quarrels, and

murders.

He

finds that

men who would

not go a mile to procure

intoxicants yield readily to the temptation

to their very doors,

when brought

and while pointing out that more than

half of the total revenue of the

Western Province (apart

from customs and railway receipts)

is

made up

of licenses

the sale of intoxicants and such narcotics as

chiefly for

bhang and opium, he proves that an increase

in such revenue

means simply a corresponding increase in demoralisation

of crime, and increased expenditure on its

and every form

repression by police and legal machinery.

" Piather than

give up a few thousand rupees of revenue,

we encourage

the people to sink deeper and deeper in crime by increasing

their facilities for drinking."

Mr. Lushington believes that nine-tenths of the serious

crimes of the Isle are committed within a mile of a tavern,

and that quite one-half

by

losses

districts

villages

at

gambling.

every village
its

from the desperation caused

He
has

says that
its

cockpit,

gambling den, and near

tavern or a place for the

And

arise

illicit

to

in

the

group

every
each

maritime

is

of

either a

sale of arrack.

here comes in another grave difficulty, for in this

strange Isle the very

men who have purchased

monopoly

for the sale of intoxicants are frequently in league with the

TRINCOMALEE TO GALLE.

188

smugglers aud unlicensed arrack-sellers, actually sharing in

Vigilant and conscientious indeed

their profits.

the police

who

must be

could cope with such a state of things.

more legitimate uses of the good cocoaAnother form in which the nut is used as food (a
palm.
form, however, more appreciated in the South Seas than in

To return

Ceylon)
is

is

to the

when, in the early stage of germination, the kernel

transformed into a puffy

The

said

ball,

Ilie

castanets.

clattering

which the nut

making

for

matting.

so securely

is

cables,

ropes,

This

of the sea, as

if

salt

whereas steeping

sun.

fuel,

while the thick fibre

embedded

mattresses,

the coir used

is

brushes,

nets,

and

it

possible, in tanks or pits

on the margin

in fresh water deteriorates

When

it

and creates

thoroughly steeped, the husks

heavy wooden mallets and then dried in

are beaten with

the

so describe

or brackish water improves the fibre,

an obnoxious smell.

The ropes

chiefly in the

may

prepared by soaking the husks for a

is

considerable time,

outermost husk serves as

household scrubbing-brushes and

in

if

shell.

drinking-cups,

furnishes the household

shell

spoons, lamps, and musical instruments,

the

up the

quite filling

are

all

made by hand-machinery,

neighbourhood of Galle and Colombo, and are

used for shipping, housebuilding, lashing bridges, tethering

cattle, &c.

So securely

is

the nut

embedded

in this outer packing-

case, that a

hungry man, not provided with a hatchet and

uninitiated

in

the method

of

extracting

it,

might very

well be sorely tantalised in the midst of plenty.

it

requires considerable strength as well as

some

In

fact,

skill to

tear off the hard covering.

For

this

purpose near every cocoa-grove strong wooden

stakes are driven into the ground, leaving two or three feet

PRINCIPAL USES OF THE COCOA-PALM.

Each stake

above ground.

man who

cut to a sharp point, and the

is

has to skin a cocoa-nut takes

violently dashes

wrenching

it

it

on

side,

hands and

in both

it

to the stake so as to

from side to

189

impale

Then

it.

he succeeds in tearing

off

the husk, and obtains the hard nut inside with the three

eyes familiar to every British boy.

forms a serious item of labour.

less brittle

and

Such are the principal uses

of only the flower

When we come

purposes to which

leaves, trunk,

plucked

these also yield a larger

oil.

of this generous tree.

varied

a large estate this

of a better quality if the nuts are

before they are fully ripe, and

proportion of

On

It is said that the coir is

and

fruit

reckon the very

to

every separate portion of the

and root are applied, we

find that the Sin-

ghalese enumeration of the hundred uses of their beloved

palm

is

As

no figure

but a practical

of speech,

further varieties of food, the

fact.

young buds, when

are eaten as a vegetable something like cabbage,

a tree

sago

is

is

trunk.

blown down or stricken with lightning, a

obtained from the

boiled,

and when
sort of

pith at the upper end of the

Such windfalls are only too common, but

berately to

fell

deli-

a fruit-bearing tree would seem too foolish,

seeing that from the time a

about ten years of age,

palm commences

yields

it

its full

bearing, at

crop annually for

about eighty years.

In
tall

this region of terrific

palms

thunderstorms the value of these

as lightning-conductors is inestimable,

home has been saved by

and many

their superior attraction.

The Singhalese say that you can build a house and

furnish it, or build a ship and freight it, solely from the
products of this palm.

It

would puzzle a European

to

build a seaworthy vessel without a single nail, but here

THINCOMALEE TO GALLE.

190

square-rigged vessels,

dhonies,

called

and

large

canoes,

whicli resist the heaviest surf, are stitched together with

coir

which in

yarn,

salt

water

is

almost imperishable.

Small canoes are made from a single trunk hollowed out,

and balanced by a smaller stem

cordage,

mat-sail,

alongside

floating

and fishing-net are made

the

coir; the

of

torch or chule which lights our night-march through the

forest, or

of dried

As

which the fisherman burns to attract

palm

as to

form a

thatch

its

palm trunk supplies

is

sort of long

all

its

cadjans.

which a

wood-

supplied by the leaves plaited so

narrow mat called cadjan.

Garden

and even small huts are made entirely

fences

made

leaves.

to the house, the

work, while

fish, is

of

these

From the leaf-stalk is formed the pingo or yoke

man balances on his shoulder with his fish or vege-

tables hanging

from either end, or

handle for a cocoa-nut

fibre

else it

broom.

as the paddle of a canoe, or

if

can be used as the

Its thick

soaked like coir

end answers
it

furnishes

a strong black fibre-like horse-hair from which ropes and

fishing lines are manufactured.

tion that cocoa-nut water

must not forget

to

men-

mixed with lime produces a strong

cement.

In

short, as

good George Herbert long ago pithily put

it

'',..

The Indian nut alone

Is clothing, meat,

Boat, cable,

AYell

may

sail,

and trencher, drink and

can,

mast, needle, all in one."

this grateful Isle

adopt the cocoa-palm as the

emblem on her coinage

very elegant use of the young leaves

tion of pandals

and churches, one

tall leaf

is

in the decora-

on each side

a window forming a very effective decoration.

Of

of

course, a

A CHARM AGAINST EVIL

cocoa-nut blossom
the

mind

it

purpose

always an exquisite object, but besides

wastefulness

cruel

embryo

is

nuts, there

suggests a
it

is

191

SPIRITS.

is

of

sacrificing

whole cluster of

the disadvantage that to the native

charm against

evil spirits,

for

which

placed over the cradle of the new-born babe,

and over the grave of the newly buried.

192

CHAPTER XXL
SOUTHERN COAST.
Matara The

leper king

Leper Hospital Dondra Head Tangalle

Salt lakes Magama Happy hunting-

Mulgirigalla Hambantota

grounds

Kataragama.

Before turning northward

something

of

to

Colombo

the southern coast of

wished to see

the Isle, and

gladly

accepted an invitation from the same kind friends who had

them in a
at Matara, a most lovely place at the mouth of
the Nilwalla Ganga (i.e., the river of blue sand), and only
four miles from Dondra Head, which is the southernmost

made our
new home

stay in

point of the

Negombo

so pleasant, to visit

island.-^

Leaving Galle before daybreak by the royal-mail coach,

^

During

my

two years in the

Isle this family

was subjected

to all

the trouble and expense of moving three times, that is to say, of selling
off their furniture (of course at considerable loss), renting and furnishing a

new home, and

finding

new

servants.

This system of continually, and on the shortest notice, moving Civil

servants from one corner of the Isle to another, either as a "permanent"
appointment or as locum tenens for some one temporarily transferred to
other work,

is

a very grave drawback.

No

sooner has a

man begun

to

understand his duties in one district, and to know something of the

people around him, than he is liable to be uprooted and ordered off to
take up an entirely different line of work, perhaps
another race and language.

among people

of

THE OUT-GOINGS OF MORNING AND EVENING.

I

had an exquisite drive

by the

sea,

with

193

of about twenty-five miles, all close

magnificent green waves booming as

its

they broke in dazzling surf on the white sands, only hidden

now and
whole

again by the wealth of luxuriant vegetation, the

glorified

shadows

by the golden light and purple clouds and

of early morning, soon replaced

and the vivid blue

Certainly one great

by clear sunlight

and sky.

of sea

charm

of the tropical habit of always

being out before sunrise and again at sunset

by

profit

all

that

is

we do

Nature's gorgeous but too fleeting displays of

which so many people in Britain never see except

colour,

in winter, simply because they are asleep in the mornings,

and bound by the evening solemnities of dinner.

or tied

Happily the
sun

latter offers

sets all the year

Much
just as

as

is

many

no hindrance in Ceylon, where the

round at six

written

of

the

in Britain,

ber,

looking due

east

verging into sea-green,

sunrises,

have seen

gorgeousness of which has

This very morning, in Septem-

been quite indescribable.

4.30 A.M., I looked out

o'clock.

tropical

from

my window

on a horizon

of

in

Scotland

intense

at

orange

while the whole upper sky was

covered with the loveliest rose-coloured clouds on a pearlythe trees and wooded hills
But when the sun rose at 5 A.M.,
though the sky was lovely, it was not at all exciting, and
by the time the household awoke, all was quite dull and

grey ground, and against

all this

stood out almost black.

commonplace.

many

So that of these ever-new

glories,

as

of

other things, I can only say people do not see them

because tliey do not look for them.

Sixteen miles from Galle the coach halted at
village of Belligama,

Village, at the

VOL.

II.

head

now

called Welligama,

of a beautiful bay,

i.e.,

tlie

pretty

the Sand

wherein lay a crowd

>'

SOUTHERN COAST.

194
of

picturesque

There

fishing-boats.

too

lies

an

island

Crow Island, on account of the multitude of

known
^
crows which come every night to roost in the tall cocoaas

returning to the mainland at early

])alnis,

human homes

themselves wherever

for

by

of obtaining food

means

fair

dawn

to

forage

suggest a prospect

or foul.

red-tiled, white-pillared rest-house is pleasantly

The small

situated so as to

command

a good view of the sea, and

stands in a shady garden, where large bread-fruit and other

trees

in

are matted with

festoons

it is

said, rather a

keep

instinctive

various sorts,

climbing plants, hanging

Unfortunately,

numerous supply

found about the place

to

graceful

from the boughs.

there

are,

of black scorpions to be

but then in Ceylon one has always

watch

noxious creatures

against

of

with the result that one very rarely comes in

contact with any.

The

chief interest of the place centres in a statue about

twelve feet in height, sculptured in a niche cut into a huge

rock-boulder, and shaded by kitool and cocoa palms and
flowering shrubs.

The

statue

Singhalese king of
Tradition

is

is

Kushta Eajah

that of the

from his dress

or Leper King, supposed

the twelfth century

to

some

somewhat uncertain concerning

according to one version,

was he who

it

have been a
say 589.

his merits, for

first

imported the

cocoa-palm to Ceylon, and here planted a large tract of the

coast; whereas another legend tells

the afflicted king, that

and worshipped the

if

relic in

gama, and further ate of the

to

him, which

how

it

was revealed

to

he visited the coast of Ceylon

the Buddhist shrine at Bellifruit of a tree

then

unknown

proved to be the cocoa-palm, he would

be healed of his sore disease.

^

And

Corvus splcndens.

he was healed, and

ASYLUM FOR LEPERS AT HENDALA.

his

as

he

thank-offering

195

endowed the temple

richly

at

Welligama.

Sad

to

" tree

the

say,

blessing " has lost

of

its

magic

power, and the poor lepers of Ceylon are deemed as incur-

Happily they are not very

able as those of other lands.

numerous, only about 1800 in a population of 3,000,000, but

it is

sad to learn that their

In Ceylon there

though
the

is

no law

of

is

steadily increasing.

compulsory segregation,

are encouraged to seek an asylum in

all sufferers

leper

number

hospital

at

Hendala,

about

Colombo, where 208 are well cared

for,

four

and are fed and

Within the

clothed at the expense of the colony.

few years two small chapels have been erected

benefit,

Roman

one for the

Catholic

from

miles

last

for their

the other

patients,

(the gift of Mrs. Copleston, wife of the present Bishop of

Colombo)

for

the use of all

nomination, whose pastors

in

that sad

be willing to hold services

About 200 more

asylum.

whatever de-

Christians, of

may

are

at

large

in

Colombo.
In this rock-hewn statue the attitude of the hands
peculiar.

Both are uplifted from the elbow

the left hand

first

finger

is

closed, the right is

meets the thumb, as

indulge in a pinch of snuff.

Buddhist statues the

first

if

is

but whereas

open except that the

his Majesty were about to

is

noteworthy, because in

and second

fingers alone are gene-

This

rally upraised, in the conventional attitude of benediction.

On my

return journey, driving leisurely, I was able to

secure a picture of the Leper King, and also to note (for the

thousandth time) the efficacy of one simple palm

you must remember

round the stem

is

leaf,

which

about fourteen feet in length, knotted

of the parent tree for the protection of the

tempting clusters of cocoa-nuts, which, but for that leaf

SOUTHERN COAST.

19G

would surely prove

irresistible

the tree so marked

spirit,

might

it

fail,

as

placed under special protection

is

some guardian

firmly believed that any one eating of

is

Sometimes the knotted

the fruit would suffer severely.

dedicated to some shrine,

is

Catholic, Buddhist, or Hindoo, in

the finest nuts

is

which case a

leaf

Roman

selection of

sent as an offering, or sometimes

oil

is

the nuts to burn before the altar.

Cordial was the welcome that awaited

where we daily met

for

me

in a delight-

bungalow on the very brink

fully situated two-storied

the beautiful Nilwalla Paver.

down on

of

and superstition prevails where honesty

denotes that the tree

made from

But

to thirsty wayfarers.

From

its

of

cool upper verandah,

we looked

very early breakfast,

a wilderness of glossy large-leafed plants to the

reaches of the river,

luxuriant palms of

all

embowered

all ages,

in grassy groves of

most

leaning far over the water, with

here and there beds of flowering reeds and tall water-grasses

and shrubs.
I

found most fascinating sketching-ground at every turn,

both

and near, and only wish

far

words

to

it

were in the power of

convey any idea of those charming scenes, in

their lovely changes of colours, at the " outgoing of

and evening," and also

light.

the calm beauty of full

most attractive of

I think the

of the " broad,

in

and deep, and

still "

all

all

morning

moon-

was the meeting

waters of the river with

those of the heaving ocean, the faithful palms enfolding the

stream to the very

last, as if

loath to let

Doubtless such rivers as these carry

far out to sea, perhaps to be

on some distant

glide away.

a floating nut

washed ashore and take root

isle.

So great was the charm

roundings, that

it

many

it

of quietly boating in

needed some

effort

to

such sur-

turn elsewhere,

CREMATION OF THE POET KALIDAS.

although

we found beauty on every

indeed in

all

Dutch

is still

and the ramparts of a small

waves bathing the roots

many

the

of

of

and

visible in houses

were a pleasant point from wliich

one

At Matara,

as

the chief towns' or villages along this coast,

the hand of the

cations,

side.

197

fortifi-

fort built of coral-rock

to

watch the breaking

the cocoa-palms overhanging

lovely bays which form so attractive a

feature of these shores.^

Within the

fort

the

is

old

now

built for the garrison, but

Dutch church,

originally

used by civilians of

diffe-

rent denominations, Presbyterian and Episcopal, at difierent

hours.

very romantic tradition attaches to Matara respecting

a certain King Kutara Daas, who, thirteen hundred years

ago, delighted in

composing verses.

This royal poet having

written a very graceful couplet, added beneath his lines a

promise of great reward to whoever should complete the

stanza.

Kalidas

poet

Tiie

saw the

couplet,

and added

another, which he committed to the care of a lady of evil

reputation,

who

resolved to secure the reward for herself,

and so she murdered the poet and vowed that the

lines

were her own.

The king, however, recognised the master-hand, and

having detected the murder and discovered the body of the
poet,

he had

it

pyre.

When

flames,

that

Thereupon

unearthed and gave him a noble funeral

it

On

namely,

29tli
i<

ablaze,

May

lie

himself rushed

be

re-united

to

into

his

the

friend.

queens likewise immolated themselves,

his live

and thus followed

^

was

he might thus

their lord.

This happened in the year

1891, a very sinjjnlar |ihenoiiienon occurred at Mfitara.

shoiver of red raui

radius of about two miles.

by the wondering natives.

which

Some

fell

on the town, exteniling over a

of this strange rain-water

was preserved

SOUTPIEIIN COAST.

198

when seven

522,

A.D.

their seven tombs,

when

1783,

till

sacred Bo-trees were planted

which continued

a ruthless

to be

Dutchman

cut these venerable

But though

trees

and used the tombs as building material

now

only a plantation of cocoa-palms, the place

its

old

name

One

of

of Hat-bodin,

still

retains

the seven Bo-trees."

to

Dondra Head, by

a coast-road all of the

Two

character, along a shore of wave-kissed palms.

thousand years ago this southernmost point

a place of exceeding sanctity,

known

city of the gods," also called

Tanaveram.

as

Eama

temple to Vishnu, as incarnate in

to

our most interesting expeditions was an early

morning drive

same

"

over

held in honour

central pagoda

for

it

" the

magnificent

Chandra,

have existed here in the seventh century

vast that passing ships mistook

the Isle was

of

Devi-nuwara,

is

known

a temple so
The

a city.

and towers were roofed with plates

great

of gilded

copper, and the temple, wherein

were stone and bronze

a thousand idols, was

surrounded by cloisters

images

of

and colonnades and terraced gardens, where flowering shrubs

were cultivated to supply fragrant blossoms

for

the daily

offerings.

Ibn Batuta, a celebrated Moorish

traveller,

who, starting

from Tangiers in 1344, devoted twenty-eight years to

came

to

Dondra and saw

this

wonderful building.

travel,

As

good Mahommedan, he could not himself enter an idolatrous

temple, but was told that one of the idols, the size of a

man, was made of pure

so large
terns.

gold,

and had

for eyes

two rubies

and so lustrous that at night they shone

like lan-

There were then a thousand Brahmans attached

and five hundred dancing and singing girls.

The town, which he calls Dinewar, was then a large place
to the temple,

inhabited by merchants, and was

all

temple property.

ANCIENT TEMPLE AT DOXDRA HEAD.

199

Pilgrims crowded to worship at a sliriue second in re-

only to that of the holy footprint on Adam's Peak,

nown

and the consequent wealth

of the

temple in gold and gems,

ivory and sandalwood, was such as to

ness of

who

Portuguese,

the

awaken the covetousunder

1587,

in

De Souza

d'Arronches, devastated this coast, committing indescribable

cruelties.

Having plundered

and burnt

idols,

their

all

gorgeous

destroyed the

treasures,
cars,

and whatever

else

could be so consumed, the soldiers proceeded to demolish

the temple and level with the ground

towers

finally,

and

as a crowning indignity, they slaughtered

defiling the very

cows in the sacred courts, thereby

for ever,

arches, gates,

its

ground

and thus the famous temple was reduced

to

shapeless mass of ruins.

There

still

formed part

remain

about

gateway, the lintel of which,

sound like a

bell.

columns which

200 granite

and

also a finely-sculptured

when

struck, gives a ringing

of the colonnades,

Other stone carvings

lie

scattered about

over a considerable space, but, sad to say, regardless of

antiquarian interest,

all

these ruins have been regarded as a

convenient quarry, and while some sculptured pillars have

been carried

off to act as milestones, others

have been taken

by the native fishermen to construct a pier.

Of course the Brahmans were not allowed

to

monopolise

a place so holy, consequently the Buddhists here erected

one

of

their earliest dagobas, the renovation of

successive sovereigns was

this ancient relic-shrine is likewise a ruin,

worshippers

of

Once

Now

and the modern

Buddha, Vishnu, and Siva make common

cause, the shrines of the

Buddha and

which by

recorded in historic annals.

Hindoo

his disciples in the

deities

ilanking those of

Buddhist temple.

a year, at the time of the

midsummer

full

moon.

SOUTHERN COAST.

200
quiet village

tliis

and

is

the scene of a great religious festival

combined attractions which draw thousands

fair,

pilgrims and

other

folk

Dondra Head

to

of

a week's

for

and very picturesque these crowds must be, all

in their gayest attire, camped beneath the palms and along

holiday

the shore.

Eows

temporary sheds are erected and rapidly trans-

of

formed into hundreds of small shops

manner of

food,

tobacco-leaves,

combs,

brass-ware, tortoise-shell

and

betel-leaves

all

confectionery,

curry-stuffs,

cakes,

fruit,

books, Tangalla

native

the sale of

for

areca-nuts,

cheap

cloth,

jewellery, and toys.

The

relij^^ious

ceremony

is

in

carried

is

troop

in their

making

Kandyan

trumpeters,

of

state

dress,

shell-blowers,

the shrine

round the village

and

solemn procession, followed by lay

officials

when

a Perahera,

containing some precious relic

ecclesiastical

and escorted by a

and

tomtom-beaters,

their usual deafening noise.

In 1889 the Queen's birthday was celebrated by a very

different event, namely, laying the last stone to complete

the finest lighthouse on the coast, one of a series extending

from Colombo right round the southern coast of Ceylon as

far as the "

Great " and " Little Basses," within such moderate

distances of one another as to afford all possible security in

navigation.
lights of

The foundations of

when

1887, the Jubilee year, and

given, the
level

"VYe

summit

of the

this finishing

touch was

tower stood 176 feet above the sea-

a lonely beacon-star

many
On

this latest addition to the

Ceylon were hewn in the solid rock at the close of

for the guiding

and warning

of

a vessel in years to come.

the day of our

invested

in

visit,

however,

all

was very

some curious very coarse red

quiet.

pottery.

THE SOUTHERNMOST KNOWN LAND.

peculiar to this place,

some specimens representing hideous

Having inspected the

animals.

201

when they had succeeded

by the Dutch

fort built

in driving out the Portuguese,

we

next strolled to the shore, a succession of lovely bays clothed

to the water's edge

pines.
pile

with luxuriant palms and strange screw-

I selected as

my

of shapeless ruins,

sketching-ground a very striking

They are apparently those

and octagonal

headland

anything

not

between

this

Presently
a cosy

pillars sculptured in

interest from the fact that

even a

coral

little

islet

known

is

my

companions summoned

me

to breakfast in

bungalow which had been decorated

cool shade

We

till

in our

were glad

they and the feathery palms alike showed

day's golden death,"

ward drive

in the

honour

to rest in

the noonday heat was over, and then

returned to the lonely ruins on the shore, where

till

to lie

and the South Pole.

with palm-leaves and cocoa-nuts.

its

are

southernmost land of which we know

tlie

is

now

sections.

The scene gained additional

this

waves.

the

of a smaller temple, but

merely a heap of tumbled stones and

alternate square

from

rising

literally

when we

"

we

lingered

dark against

home-

started on our beautiful

mellow moonlight.

Those now wave-washed ruins of the ancient temple are

suggestive of the ceaseless battles between land and water,
in

which Ocean has won so many

There seems

island

was

little

victories.

doubt that in early days this beautiful

of far larger extent

than

it

a series of encroachments of the sea

reduced.

Native traditions

tell

how

it
it

now

is,

and that by

has been gradually

was

originally

5120

miles in circumference, and how, by a terrible judgment

was reduced

than 3000.

According

of

Heaven,

to

the legendary records of the Pvamayana, this calamity

it

to less

SOUTHERN COAST.

202

occurred soon after the death of Havana,

ment should

It

2387, a date

to tliat generally received as

which curiously approximates

the year of the Deluge.

B.C.

also singular that this measure-

is

so nearly coincide with that recorded

The

as having been taken B.C. 200.

tent with having swallowing

up

onward, and the native annals

sea,

by Pliny

however, not con-

half the island, still crept

tell

how, year by year, fresh

there remained only the com-

lands were submerged,

till

paratively small extent

we now

see,

measuring about 800

miles in circumference.

multitude of lesser islands are also said to have dis-

appeared.

Probably they lay between Ceylon and the Mal-

dive and Lakadive islands, and, forming one great kingdom,

may have

given to Ceylon the name, by which

known,

ciently

islands."

of

Certain

Lanka
it

or

it

Laka-diva, " the ten

was anthousand

that, at the longitude assigned

is

by

old records to the great city of Sri-Lanka-poora, the capital

now

of the island, there is

only a wide expanse of blue

waters.

was in

It
isle,

this city that

was besieged

beautiful wife,

l)y

Sita,

Rama,

Eavana, the mighty king of the

a warrior prince of Oude,

had been carried

revenge for insults offered to his

had seven
of

brass.

fortified walls,

Moreover,

wherein flowed the

may

it

salt

infer that the sea

confiding a city.

India

tell

how,

glittering light

sister.

off

This city of palaces

and many towers with battlements

was surrounded by a great

waters of the ocean.

had not much ado

ditch,

Hence we

to encroach

The native legends both

" 'twixt

whose

by Eavana, in

on so

of Ceylon

and

the gloamin' and the mirk," the

from these brazen battlements

still

gleams

from the ocean depths, and being reflected on the dark sky
overhead, causes the afterglow.

CUSTOM OF POLYANDRY.

203

The Brahmans declare that this terrible overflow of the

mighty waters was sent to punish the impious Itavana, who
had dared

to

against

liglit

Eama, the

peerless king

and

warrior.

Further calamities

when much

of the

befell the Isle

about the year

west coast was submerged.

B.C.

Tiiis

30G,

was

in

King Devenipiatissa, who held his court at

Ivelany, a town which stood seven leagues inland from the
point where the liiver Kelany then entered the sea.
According to tradition, King Tissa had good cause to suspect
his beautiful queen of an intrigue with his own brother/
who accordingly fled to Gampola, whence he endeavoured to

the reign of

send a message to the queen written on a neatly rolled-up

palm

leaf.

This was conveyed by a messenger disguised as a priest,

who was

to gain

access to the palace on a day

multitude of priests were to receive the royal alms.

when a
Hav-

ing attracted the queen's notice, the messenger dropped the

In vieAV of the custom of polyandry, formerly prevalent tlirougliout

tlie Isle, Tissa's

jealousy was unjustifiable, as every

woman was

entitled

who, as a maiter of preference, ought all to be

brothers if possible. King Wijayo Balm VII., wlio

to liali'-a-dozen liusbands,

of the

when

the Portuguese built their

same family
was the reigning monarch

common

at Cotta, near the

Kelany Eiver, at tiie time

Colombo, had a wife in

first fort at

with his brother.

Polyandry and the murder of siiperlluous female infants were the

recognised means of checking the increase of population among a nee
too indolent to cultivate more land than was necessary for their own
Thanks to Portuguese and Dutch influence, tliese obnoxious
support.
customs were soon abandoned in the maritime provinces, but in the
mountainous Central Province the ancient Kandyan custom prevailed
till

quite recently,

to bringing

On
"In

it

when

British marriage-laws were framed with a view

into discredit.

the similar custom of certain mountain tribes in Hindostiin, Sie

the Himalayas,"

p.

406, published by Chatlo

& Windus.

SOUTHERN COAST.

204

but ere she could raise

letter,

it

the king seized and read

it.

In his fury he declared that the intrigue thus yjroven was

who

sanctioned by the high-priest himself,

and thrown

seized

into a cauldron of boiling

queen was pinioned and thrown into the

Ere long the innocence
it

was too

accordingly was

of the priest

wrath

late to avert the

oil,

while the

river.

was

established, but

of the gods,

who caused

the sea to encroach on the west coast of the Isle so rapidly,

unhappy king strove

ment from his people by the

that the

virgin daughter, Sudha-D^wi,

to avert the terrible punish-

own

sacrifice of his

whom

beautiful

he secured in a covered

canoe overlaid with pure gold, and having inscribed this

ark with the
the

"A

title

Eoyal Maiden," he launched

it

on

O waters.

rajrinfT

The

spirits of air

committed

and water protected the maiden thus

to their care,

and landed her

on a distant

safely

shore at Totalu Ferry, where the ark was found by some

The prince

fishermen.

of

the land, Ka-wan-tissa

Rajah,

was so fascinated by the beauty of the damsel, that he

married her, and changed her name to Wihari-Dewi.

was her

son,

Malabars and restored the supremacy

But King

It

Dootoogaimoonoo, who afterwards expelled the

Tissa's sacrifice

of the Singhalese.

proved of no avail, for the en-

croaching waters never stayed their advance

they had

till

swallowed up 640 nourishing villages and permanently sub-

merged a

country extending twenty miles inland,

strip of

and including some

of the richest arable land.

to the Ilajavali,

no

fishers' villages

were then destroyed.

That

this

less

According

than 100,000 large towns and 1370

calamity was due

to

volcanic

evident, for the tradition further records, that

agency seems

when

the king

himself went on his elephant to watch the progress of the

ENCHOACHMENT.S OF THE SEA.

205

opened and vomited llames whicli

raging- waters, the earth

swallowed him up, and he was no more seen.

Of the encroachments

mandel and other parts

proof in the fact of
ing

away

its

of the sea

of

on the coast

of Coro-

Southern India, we have visible

having stayed half-way

at least one old city

which now

wash-

in act of

lies

half beneath

These have encroached to the very doors

the waves. ^

great temples, but sculptures and pillars

still

of the

jutting up

how much of the old city has been

Some of the aged natives of the last
altogether submerged.
generation remembered how in their youth, while sailing far
from the waters

out at

sea,

sugi::est

they could distinguish the forms of temples and

other buildings lying deep beneath

the waves.

which

Some

of

in

the

early sunlight, but had gradually ceased to do so, and

now

these

had cupolas

of

copper-gilt,

glittered

the fishes vainly peer into those clear depths

longer visible.

the city

is

no

They suppose that the copper has corroded

or that the foundations have given way.

To return

to our peaceful

modern

brink of the broad beautiful river.

life

at

Matara on the

In such surroundings,

rendered yet more attractive by the kindness of

many

friends,

when we

started in force, a

whole family party, great and small, to

visit a liospitable

a fortnight slipped quickly by,

Scotsman, the District Judge at Tangalle, a pretty

little sea-

Once more we
town about twenty miles farther east.
"
"
along
the shore, and
way
palm o'er-shadowed
followed the
side

facing the sun as

which shone

it

rose in glory

from the clear calm ocean,

like a dazzling mirror, so that

we were

glad to

rest our eyes by gazing into the shady groves to catch pretty

glimpses of home-life in the native huts.

We

met many native

^

vehicles,

always driven by pictur-

ilaliabali-poor or Mavalipuvam.

SOUTHERN COAST.

2UG

esque people, and drawn by handsome oxen, white or brown,

drawing their heavy loads simply

l)y

the pressure of the

yoke on their much-enduring liump.

when we were near

Presently (happily
tyre

came

hours

for

ing the

off

a rest-house) the

one of our wheels, so we had to halt some

necessary repairs, and amused ourselves by watchfishermen drawing their large seine-nets, several

They

canoes uniting their forces to draw one net on shore.

work

all

through the burning midday hours to an accom-

paniment of melancholy song, sometimes indeed pathetic,

at

others wild,

but never very musical.

As we

rested

beneath the cool shade of a great banyan-tree, kind natives

brought us a

gift of ripe plantains

and a great bowl

of deli-

creamy buffalo-milk, a dainty generally shunned by

cious

Europeans, on the ground that buffaloes are not

strict

vege-

tarians.

When

the glare and heat drove us to seek shelter in the

rest-house,

we

consoled ourselves by watching the antics of

many

small squirrels

andah

stripes

pretty

down

who scampered

little

fearlessly about the ver-

creatures, dark-grey, with three white

the back.

Indoors, the spiders

reigned unmolested

and darling

little lizards, "

Geckoes,"

the former splendid specimens of a

large dark-coloured hairy spider, with ten thick hairy legs.

To the unaccustomed eye they are hideous and alarming,

but they really are very useful, as they wage war on cockroaches and such-like unwelcome intruders.

oddest

way

They have the

As
down

of periodically shedding their whole skin.

the creature grows,

its

skin

fails to

expand, so

it splits

the back, and then the spider shakes off this outgrown overcoat and steps out in all the glory of a
^

Flati/duct>/lus.

new

skin, leaving

VARIOUS SPIDERS.

207

the old one perfect (but for the one long

and

split),

for the

moment the spider and the empty case look like twins.
One enormous spider, the MygaU fasciata, sometimes miscalled a tarantula,

not content with such small

is

cockroaches, hut occasionally devotes

ing lizards.
birds,

but

It

game

as

ensnar-

has even been accused of capturing tiny

this charge is not proven.

body and

looking creature,

its

dark-brown

and

hair,

its enerL'ies to

it

is

It

a very unpleasant-

is

legs being covered with long

so large that

when

extended a full-grown specimen will cover a

its

legs are

circle of

about

eight inches in diameter.

Instead of weaving a

web

after the

manner

of spiders

in general, this curious creature builds for itself a sort of

tubular nest, generally in the crevice of some old wall or

gravelly bank, and for this

the very

finest silk,

spins a waterproof lining of

it

and furthermore constructs a most inge-

nious door, which opens and shuts on hinges, and which

it

can close from within and successfully exclude unwelcome

intruders.^

But of all the spiders (and they are very numerous and
none struck me as more curious than a family with

varied),

tiny bodies and ridiculously long black legs, so slender as

literally to

resemble coarse hairs.

some very neglected

banks in the

hills,

rest-houses,

have seen these

in

and sometimes on gravelly

in such multitudes that the wall or

bank

seemed to quiver with the tremulous movement of these

little

bunches of black

always reminded
because of
spiders,
^

its

which

me

hair.

One long-legged house-spider

woman who lived in a shoe,

of the old

innumerable family of the

it

carries about

with

it

tiniest perfect little

in a cocoon supported

See nest of the Californian tarantula, in "Granite Crags of California,"

by C, F, Gordon Cunimiiig.

p. 320,

SOUTHERN COAST.

208
under

When

its legs.

cradle,

frightened,

drops

it

and out scamper a regiment

I

creatures.

of

little

silky-

most active

little

tliis

used always to wonder whether the family

was ever reassembled, especially

as destructive

human

beings

so often with one rough touch rend the dainty nest woven

with such

The

skill.

which there are several

lizards, of

varieties, green,

<Trey,

or chocolate-coloured, spotted or streaked,

from

four to seven inches in length, are very

the sea-coast, and every house has

its

and ranging

abundant on

own colony

of these

pretty little harmless creatures, which suddenly peep out from

some unexpected

corner,

"

"

Cheeka

cheeka

On

chirping

their

little

note

their feet are small suckers,

enable them to walk inverted like

flies

as they

like

which

scamper

about on the canvas ceilings in pursuit of insects.

Occa-

sionally they get on to a loose rag of canvas or a flake of

whitewash, and
table,

fall

violently to the ground or on to the

and, like Bo-Peep's sheep, leave their tails behind

them, wriggling independently, while the proprietor takes

himself off as fast as he can.

In the crevices of the walls they lay fascinating

little

white eggs like sugar-plums, and from these, when hatched

by the sun, come forth most minute perfect lizards, who at
once scamper

Some

off in search of food.

of these seaside places are occasionally

musk-rats (alias shrews), which utter

haunted by

shrill little cries

diligently hunting for insects, especially for crickets,

are their

special

weakness

while

which

but they are an intolerable

nuisance, as they taint everything they touch.

By

the time a blacksmith had been found and our repairs

complete, a

abated

all

furious

rain-storm had set

the afternoon

so there

in,

was nothing

which never
for it but to

TANGALLE.
face

it

but right glad we were when we reached our

journey's

end,

Then followed

and were hospitably received and

a wild

dried.

wet night, and the rickety Venetians

and shook with every gust of rushing wind

rattled

loud above
of the

200

minor voices

all

mighty waves

of the

as they

but

storm resounded the roar

thundered on the shore

for at

Tangalle, unlike most of the harbours of Ceylon, there

no bar

As

to check their

is

landward rush.

to atone for this night of passion, the days that

if

followed were each enchanting.

a comfortable old bungalow,

and red-tiled

roof,

awoke

to find myself in

with wide-pillared verandah

delightfully situated beneath the cool

shade of large trees on the very brink of the

which the glorious sun was just

"In one unclouded

The charms

sea,

from

rising

blaze of living light."

of that shore, with the quaintly-built canoes,

with great outriggers and nets hung up to dry, and the picturesque groups of brown figures (fisher-folk, and

women

carrying red water-jars on their heads and children astride

on one

hip), to

say nothing of the always irresistible attrac-

tion of shell-strewn sands, held

me

captive for some days.

There was such a sense of peace in finding a cosy restingplace at the foot of some dark tree, whose great boughs

extended right over the sands, and almost dipped into the

now

gently rippling wavelets.

About

fifteen miles inland

old Buddhist monastery

my

where, to

made

all

from Tangalle

lies

the celebrated

and rock-temple of Mulgirigalla,

great delight, I found that our kind host had

arrangements for our reception.

beautiful drive

brought us to the Goagalla or Iguana Rock, whence we

obtained a splendid view of the sacred crag, a huge square
VOL.

II.

SOUTHERN COAST.

210

red rock, towering to a height of 350 feet from the brink

of

a dark-bhie lakelet, which gleamed like a sapphire in

its

setting of luxuriant tropical foliage.

crowned by a great white dagoba

The

flat

of the usual

summit

is

dome-shape,

containing a precious relic of some early Buddhist saint or

Somewhat

hero.

lower, conspicuously placed on the face

of the crag, are the red-tiled monastic buildings, nestling

among

fragrant flowering shrubs.

The mighty crag

is

perpendicular on three sides, but on

the fourth the ascent

is

easy, flights of steps being

hewn
we

AVhere the carriage-drive ended

at the steepest parts.

found chairs with bearers waiting to carry us up to the

monastery, where

we were most

the high-priest and sundry monks,

famous temples.

courteously received by

who

These are simply a

escorted us to the
series of

overhang-

ing rock-ledges, partially built up so as to form artificial

caves, decorated in colour in the

much

same

style as those at

Dam-

bulla,

but on a

lossal

images of Buddha, one of which, a huge recumbent

figure,

"Within these are co-

smaller scale.

resting beneath the

shadow

of the

dark maroon-

coloured rock, and shaded by the light foliage of a sacred

peepul-tree, formed a very impressive foreground to a blue

distance

of

endless

forests

extending

to

the

far-away

ocean.

Mulgirigalla has been held in veneration from the earliest

it

ages of Buddhism.

was referred

to

In Singhalese chronicles

as being already a

of B.C.

137

very sacred shrine,

and throughout the twenty centuries that have glided away

since then, with all their manifold changes, the praises of

Buddha have been

ceaselessly sung

by the yellow-robed

brethren of this rock-monastery.

Comfortable quarters having been assigned to us for the


ROCK MONASTERY OF MULGIRIGALLA.
night,

we were

wander about

able to

at

211
enjoying

leisure,

each picturesque combination of dark rocks, red-tiled buildings,

brown

and wonderfully varied

priests robed in yellow,

foliage, all in

vivid light

and shadow.

especially attracted me, where,

among

One

quiet corner

the great rock-boulders

and overshadowed by fragrant temple-trees, daturas, plantains, kitool, areca,

and other palms, are the

containing the ashes

lived

and died

fine old

tombs

cremated high-priests who have

of

in this peaceful spot

"

The

By
Overhead a troop

-world forgetting,

the world forgot."

merry monkeys were at play in a

of

dark jak-tree, laden with enormous fruit hanging from the

branches and trunk.

In short, there was

much

tempt

to

The view from the summit is

looking southward over the Hambantota

the pencil at every turn.

magnificent, either

district to the blue ocean, or inland to the

of

Kataragama and Uva, while

mountain ranges

in the far distance

beyond

the high table-land of the Horton Plains towers Adam's

Peak, the holy of holies.

AVe rejoiced in

this

beauty

as seen in the changing lights of sunset, followed

by the

quiet

starlight,

and

then

again in

dawn, and realised how calmly

life

the

all

stillness

of

might glide on in

tlie

sucli

Nevertheless certain broken palm-trees snapped

an

eyrie.

in

two suggested how

fiercely the

winds must often rave

around this lofty crag.

Following the seaboard eastward from Tangalla to
bantota, a distance of about twenty-five miles, the

character of the scenery changes.

Hamwhole

Lu.xuriant vegetation

is

replaced by a mere sprinkling of parched scrub and scanty

grass on a dead

flat

expanse of \vhite sand, which seems to

SOUTHERN COAST.

212

dance in the quivering mirage produced by the intense heat

of the "larinfT sun.

Here and

company
palms,

on rocky islands or on the shore, a few

there,

palms seem as

isolated

they had been banished from the

if

of their fellows, to dwell

among thorny wild

screw-pines, with

fantastic

roots, their forked

their strange

cylindrical trunks,

date-

stilt-like

and quaint whorls of

drooping spiral leaves, for ever rustling and swaying with

every breath of

and grotesque euphorbias

air,

candelabra, the

ghostliest

like gigantic

when

of all plants

seen in the

moonlight, or dark against a red sunset sky.

The most

characteristic feature of the district is the chain

of shallow lagoons,

which furnish about

supply of the island.

lakes, separated

brine,

of these

from the sea by a high sandbank clothed

with thorny impenetrable jungle.

in circumference.

one-fifth of the salt

There are about half-a-dozen

Some

are several miles

Their waters are a solution of the saltest

which precipitates and

crystallises at the

bottom and

round the edges, so that when seen from any height, these
blue lakes seem to be edged with dazzling white surf.

Beneath the blazing summer sun evaporation

that the lakes partially dry up, leaving

is

a beach

so rapid

of the

purest white salt six or eight inches in depth, the bed of

the lake being equally coated.

when

Salt being (as I mentioned

describing the artificial saltpans at Puttalam) a

Gov-

ernment monopoly and a considerable source of revenue, the

lakes are guarded by watchers, so that no
self to this

So

necessary of

man may

help him-

life.

for the greater part of the year these shallow lagoons

are utterly undisturbed,

and

afford sanctuary to

able birds and other shy creatures.

pelicans

innumer-

Great mobs of snowy

and groups of delicately rosy flamingoes stand

THE SALT HARVEST.

213

reflected in the still waters, the latter changing to crimson

as they rise

and display their

brilliant under- wings.

crocodiles bask on the shores.

These are

of a

harmless kind, and, strange to say, they are never

have attacked any

who

of the salt-collectors

Many

peculiarly

known

to

so audaciously

invade their quiet retreat.

Whether the

stagnation of

life

in such

still

waters has a

soothing effect on their inhabitants, I cannot say, but

it is

a well-authenticated fact that the crocodiles which live in

the lakes and tanks of Ceylon are by no means so dangerous

as those

which haunt the

rivers, the latter

being a source

of constant dread to the natives, as are also the sharks,

which occasionally venture some way up the broad mouth

and render bathing exceed-

of the rivers in pursuit of fish,

ingly

The

dangerous.

human

sharks only attack

when man

When

is

assert

that

beings at certain times, so that

not in season they bathe with confidence.

possible, however, they hire a

which are supposed

cantations,
less

Singhalese, however,

charmer to

recite in-

to render the brutes

harm-

such services are specially sought by the divers, whose

work leads them right

The

into Shark-land.

salt harvest is generally

gathered in the month of

August, but the exact time depends on the weather, for

is

a precarious crop

amount

collected

unseasonable rains
poor return

in

and whereas

and

safely

may melt

some

stored
it

it

in a very dry season the

all

may

be

away aud
Thus

cases even none.

very large,
leave a very
in the

North

Province, in 1876, the salt harvest yielded 151,718 cwts.

In the following year there was absolutely none, and

year

after,

only 11,772 cwts.

So in

this

in the

Southern Province,

in 1878, the salt crop proved a total failure, whereas

years later, 136,757 cwts. were safely gathered.

two

SOUTHERN COAST.

214

The method

of collecting is first to gather the deposit

on

the shore, and then, by wading into the lakes, collect that

whicli has formed under water

employed,

of this

bantota

jail.

baskets,

and

work

and

to those

severe

pain.

done by the convicts from the

Ham-

feet

is

The
built

method grievous

a few days' work, the intense salt of the

as, after

water excoriates the

Much

salt

up

causing

legs,

thus obtained

into great piles,

from rain by a thick thatch

of

is

brought ashore in

which are protected

cocoa-palm leaves

till

the salt

can be carted away to the Government storehouses, whence,

after the lapse of three or four

chants,

who supply

sold to

mer-

the Government

profit

months,

the retail dealers,

on the transaction being about 900 per

and

and

fish-curing
it is

as

cent,

on the outlay.

been maintained, that

manuring the

land, preserving hides,

was

it

is

of salt

So rigidly has the price

for such purposes

it

for

long

altogether

been established at Hambantota, where, under

ment

prohibitive,

only quite recently that fish-curing grounds have

supervision, salt

is

strict

Govern-

supplied at a nominal price to en-

courage a native trade in dried salted

fish,

which hitherto

has been imported from the Maldive Islands or the coast of

India to an annual value of about 900,000 rupees.

The scenery around Hambantota, though not without

rest, is certainly

not attractive.

house and court stand on a hot bare

hand

hill,

looking on the one

to a long ridge of red drifting sandhills

jungle, on the other to the

the white beach.

On

inte-

The Government Agent's

and scrubby

heavy breakers thundering on

a rocky promontory stands a fortified

tower, which overlooks the anchorage where lie the small

vessels

which come

lakes.

From

this

to

ship the salt from

the salt-water

tower you can overlook the sandy world

around, in strong contrast with the vivid blues of

sea, sky.

ANCIENT CITY OF MAHAGAM.

and

distant mountains,

and

afternoon, the heat

of

Magama,

at the

is grilling.

mouth of a
it was a

of

life,

which

along the sea-coast

Mahagam,

two centuries ago

of busy

edged with a

a dark framework of

in the early morning, or late

fifteen miles farther

ancient city of

the

all set in

But except

sombre jungle.

About

lakes, the latter

salt

glittering crust of white,

215

or,

as

it

the site

is

now

is

called,

river of the

same name. Twenty-

flourishing

and important centre

trace has disappeared,

all

ruins which alone remain to

mark

its

and the

vanished glory are in

the same style as those of Anuradhapura and Pollanarua,

namely, cyclopean dagobas, masses

of fallen

and crumbling

brickwork, lines of erect monoliths, once the supports of

temple and palaces, sculptured

pillars,

and great

the thronged approach to

flights of

stately portals,

now

steps, once
all

blocks of granite,

overgrown with prickly cactus and

thorny jungle.

Por the great tanks

by the

IMagama

builders of

for centuries

(or rather artificial lakes) constructed

been

left to

for the irrigation of the land

go to ruin, the whole

have

district,

once

so densely peopled and so carefully cultivated, has long lain

desolate,

and the arid jungle, extending from the sea

foot of the

Madulsima and Haputale

ranges,

is

man's and naturalist's happiest hunting-ground

to the

the sports-

a vast un-

broken forest some sixty miles in width, where the wild

creatures, scared

from their former haunts by the advance

of ever-encroaching planters, still find a comparatively

un-

disturbed sanctuary.

This

is

especially true of elephants, against

necessary war was for

many

years

waged

whom

the

so vigorously, botii

by European sportsmen and by Moormen, that at length

But though
there seemed a danger of their extermination.

SOUTHERN COAST.

216
]>ad masters,

they are far too good as servants to be given

A close season was therefore

over to destruction.

and

it

was declared

Government
slain

to shoot

illegal

license,

men who have had

rupees

ten

costing

a proviso which has

instituted,

an elephant without a
for

each animal

proved sorely trying to sports-

exceptional luck in falling in unex-

pectedly with elephants, and whose license perhaps allowed

them to shoot one only.

Thus protected, these giants of the
and are now said to be as numerous

forest soon increased,

most unfrequented

regions, seeking con-

have retired

to the

as ever,

though they

cealment in the dense and frequently malarious jungles

which clothe the eastern side

eastward as the

Kombookgam

kan Aru), and range inland

They now abound

of the Isle.

South-Eastern Province from

the

in

Hanbantota as

far

River (now called Ivumuk-

to the forests at the base of the

IJva hills near Badulla, whence they wander at will over

all

the low country extending to Batticaloa.

The

largest elephants, however, are

forests of

said to

haunt the

Tamankaduwa around Lake Minery and

of Pollanarua,

and

the ruins

also those to the north of Trincomalee.

Great herds also find covert in the desolate region to the

north of Manaar, in the extreme north of the
the

vast fever-haunted jungles

which describes an area

of

the

Isle,

"Wannie

and in
a term

of about 14,000 square miles.

The Southern Province

is,

however, the most popular

with sportsmen, and the country about the Nipple Hills to

the north of Tissamaharama and between the

Aru and

the Kataragama-Ganga

finest district in

of large

are

now

is

now

Ceylon for sport, so numerous are

game, including
protected,

buffalo,

Kumukkan

considered to be the
all

manner

which, like the elephant,

and may not be shot without a

license.


A sportsman's paeadise.
many

In

districts,

by disease

however, they have been so decimated

as to be

now

comparatively scarce.

of India, but

he

The wild

compared with that

buffalo of Ceylon has small horns as

Even

217

a very dangerous and resolute antagonist.

is

the domestic buffalo of the Isle

very different from the

generally vicious

is

meek animal

wliich

in

China

is

generally ridden by the smallest child.

Deer

of various sorts

or spotted deer,

abundant

red deer, axis

and sambur (commonly miscalled

deer, barking-deer,

sometimes

are here

and the pretty

elk),

from the grass almost under one's

starts

hog-

mouse-deer, which

little

feet.

Chetahs and leopards, porcupines, wild

pigs,

sloths find their paradise in that region,

where jungle, open

plains,

and lagoons supply

numerous

all their

in the rocky jungle

and

monkeys, and

Bears also are

need.

in the dense forest, wher-

ever white ants, wild honey, or fruits are to be found, and

very dangerous antagonists they often prove, especially from

their horrid habit of trying to tear the face of their assailant.

Here, too, birds of radiant plumage

flocks of gorgeous pea-fowl, jungle-fowl,
of pigeons,

still

abound

large

and many varieties

yellow-headed hoopoes, crimson-breasted barbet,

and many another shy creature here dwell

in peace, while

cormorants, spoonbills, ibises, herons, and toucans congregate

around the lonely forest tanks, their wild

ing the utter

Soon

W.

after

cries alone

break-

stillness.

my

return to Britain, I received from Mr. G.

R. Campbell, Inspector-General of Police, a description

some

of a night journey across this district, which gives

idea of the risks which

and made me

may

be incurred by lonely travellers,

realise that there

may

be cases

when

it is

matter of congratulation that so few Ceylon elephants

tusks.

He

says

own

SOUTHERN COAST.

218
"

After inspecting the

landa, in Haputale.

Hambantota

jail, I left

was

Kos-

for

to travel the first twenty-eight

miles during the night in a bullock-cart, and next morning

my own

drive

The

horses to the foot of the mountains.

road lay almost

all

way through dense

the

infested with elephants

scrub

forest

and other wild animals.

was

informed that the elephants, not content with pulling up

the milestones, sometimes attacked carts, so I deemed

it

prudent to desire that an armed constable should escort

my

which was a high heavy covered spring-cart on

cart,

two wheels.

It

was about

when my cushions were

and

7 feet 3 inches in length,

laid along

it,

made a

fair bed.

was drawn by a pair of bullocks, and three other

It

pairs

were stationed along the road in advance.

"About midnight
tired, I

asleep,

fell

and being thoroughly

was quite unconscious when we halted

to

change

the bullocks and escort.

"

Between two and three in the morning the

was

cart

running merrily along the white road in the bright moonthe constable following,

liglit,

when

a large elephant rushed

out from the jungle to the right, and with his trunk struck
the cart a heavy blow on the top, trumpeting furiously.
"

On

heels

his

and

approach the

fled

terrified

but the driver, uttering loud

in the

hope

constable

took to his

back along the road by which we had come,

cries,

of driving the beast

partly of fear and partly

off,

ran by the pole urging

his bullocks to their best speed, the elephant following.

"

Just then I awoke, and for a

moment imagined

that

the darkness and the screaming and swaying of the cart

were caused by the bullocks having gone

off

the road and

down some embankment into the jungle, but in another

moment I saw that the darkness was caused by the head

A MIDNIGHT ADVENTURE.
an elephant blocking up the back

of

219

and that

of the cart,

he was bumping the hood upwards with bis forehead.

"Fearing that the whole thing would go over, or that

he would seize me, I instantly twisted myself round, and
got out beside the driver, intending to run as he was doing

by the

side of the pole

to the

ground so awkwardly that the

very

fast,

me

knocked

my

but I missed

down, and the

footing,

cart,

and came

which was going

off- wheel

immediately

passed over me.

" Instantly, fearing lest

the

elephant should also pass

over and crush me, I scrambled into the grass, though with
difficulty,

owing

to

pain in

appeared, and there,

my

legs.

The

about fifteen paces

had

dis-

facing

me,

cart

off,

stood the elephant in the moonlight, in the middle of

tlie

white road, with a halo of dust round him.

" I stood quite still in the shade of the tall thorny scrub,

which formed a high and almost impenetrable wall on

either side of the road.

me

do not know whether he saw

or not, but in less than half a minute he turned, and

standing across the road, put up his trunk as high as he

could and repeated the horrible screaming which

is

called

Then turning round quickly, he marched back

we had come.
" I at once went off at a run in the other direction,
feeling very stiff and sore, and about 200 yards farther on
trumpeting.

along the road by which

overtook the

cart,

which the

driver, rather bravely, I think,

had managed to pull up within that distance.

me

into the cart,

could, he

He

hurried

and we pushed along as quickly as we

shouting

every half

minute at the top of

liis

voice to scare other wild animals.

Soon afterwards we came upon a herd of seven or eight

huge wild buffaloes, which would scarcely let us pass, and
"

SOUTHERN COAST.

220

about a mile farther passed another herd, which absolutely

I tried to frighten

blocked the road.

them by

lighting

matches and throwing them at them; one lighted match

actually fell on a buffalo's back.
"

About the twenty-second mile-post we found our next

and two men with guns, who told us they had

bullocks,

been visited by a bear while waiting

"When,

just at daybreak,

for us,

we reached my

my

carriage,

knees were so bruised and swollen that I could not walk,

Nevernor even stand for a moment without great pain.
theless I

had

Wellawaya

to drive

myself twenty-three miles farther to

Arrived there, a touch of

before I could rest.

jungle-fever

came

on, so that night's sleep

better than the previous one

drive myself the remaining twenty-six miles to

halting for

some hours

at

Koslanda

in such pain that I

was unable

seconds at a time."

No wonder
the

isle,

was not much

but at daybreak I started to

for

Haldummulla,

an inspection, though

to stand for

more than a few

that the tappal-runners, the rural postmen of

dread these lonely forest roads, their sole protection

being a bunch of small bells at the end of a long stick,

which they jingle as they

effectual in

go.

flaming torch

is

generally

but in the North-Eastern

scaring elephants,

Provinces, in the days of palanquin-travelling, the bearers

had little
remember Mr. Campbell's driving
one morning, quite as a matter of course, from Colombo to Negombo, thence
starting on an extensive roulid of inspection, returning the same evening,
having driven upwards of seventy-five miles, besides all his official work at
each station. And next morning, long before dawn, he was at work in his
Few men in Britain would even
office, ready as usual for another long round.
attempt to undertake such work as here falls on a few willing shoulders yet
any breakdown in health is invariably attributed, not to overwork, but to
^

The Inspector-General of Police and

let grass grow under his feet.

time to

of all the Prisons in Ceylon

I

the climate

REGION OF DROUGHTS AND FLOODS.

used

to insist

221

on being escorted by a professional elephant-

charmer, who, whenever they approached a herd, warned

them

ham

am

Oni

ari nari sariiuj-

saravayr^' at the sound of which the boldest elephants

turned

and

tail

This

fled

South-Eastern

separated

Maritime

for

Province,

though

only

from the western coast by a mountain range

not 5000 feet in height,

rent

"

by the mystic sentence,

off

is

in every respect strangely diffe-

whereas from April

July the west coast has

till

a heavy rainfall, this too sheltered region can only hope

for rain in

November and December

so instead of rich

luxuriant groves and large timber, the prevailing feature

is

dry thorny scrub, with here and there tracts of thirsty

sand, only partially clothed with stunted grass and huge

cactus-like euphorbias, with their odd four-sided stems

and

fleshy branches, growing to a height of over thirty feet.

These scorched plains are subject

when

rivers are

to excessive

drought,

reduced to meagre streams meandering

through an expanse of burning sand, and their tributaries

wholly disappear, leaving only dry watercourses, tantalising

thirsty

to

men and

they are apt to

in,

country

is

flooded,

beasts.
fall

Then, when the rains do set

such good earnest that the

in

and when half

dry,

form deep unhealthy

marshes, sending up a steaming miasma productive of fever,

dysentery, the scourge of the country, and

parangi, that

dreadful and loathsome complaint said to be peculiar to

Ceylon, and greatly due to lack of good food and good water.

An
district

the

immediate

improvement

was looked

great

for

when,

in

condition

of

the

1876, the restoration of

in

tank Tissamaharama, six or eight miles to the

north of Magama, was completed

chiefly

the

from the scantiness

of

but from various causes,

the population,

who were

SOUTHERN COAST.

222
to

profit

by

unrernunerative
its

water-supply,

its

(iu

return

proved so

a while

for

it

enormous

the

for

outlay

on

restoration) as to have been deemed well-nigh a failure.

That, however,

is

an impression which

is

fading

away

before

the steadily increasing area of well-watered cultivated land

which

now

is

yielding abundant food in the districts where

famine so long reigned.

the beginning of 1890 no less than 1500 acres were

By

yielding two rice crops yearly in return for the precious

now Moormen

water supplied by Lake Tissa, and

as Sioghalese are

coming from other

for these well-irrigated lands,

provide fresh

and

storage for the

it

is

districts to

as well

compete

found necessary to

ever-increasing

demand

for

seems reason to believe that in pro-

water.

In

cess of

time the whole country between Tissa and the sea

short, there

become one vast cultivated expanse.

The tank, which is about six miles in circumference, and
covers an area of about 3000 acres, was made by King

will

Devenipiatissa, B.C. 307.

It lies

on a slightly raised table-

land 73 feet above the sea-level, where once stood a great

which there remain only ruins all overgrown by

Now its rock-temples and ruined palaces
dense forest.

city, of

afford

when

shelter only to wild beasts

except at midsummer,

the pilgrims halt here on their

way

to

Kataragama

to

worship at these ruined shrines, and for a few days Tissa

is

once again thronged, perhaps by thousands, intent on

trade or devotion, as the case

detail of

some

may

be.

geological interest is that in the neigh-

bourhood both of Tissa and of Hambantota there are beds

of

great

entirely

extent,
of shells.

and many

feet

in

thickness,

composed

These are dug out and used instead

of gravel in repairing roads.

In view of

all

the traditions

SHRINE OF KATARAGAMA.
of the encroachments of the ocean,

we can

223

scarcely suppose

the sea to have receded from this particular coast, so the

theory of upheaval seems the more probable.

This theory

is

confirmed by the fact that at Miripenna,

just south of Galle, large blocks of coral rock are excavated

from the

fully a quarter of

soil

the extreme north of the

to rest entirely
to

isle,

a mile inland

the Jaffna peninsula

on a foundation of

coral,

which

also in
is

found

supposed

is

have been upheaved in geologically recent times.

my

Fain would I have extended

travels twenty miles

inland to those blue hill-ranges around the famous shrine

of

Kataragama

(alias

Maha

Sen), one of the

shipped by the aborigines, afterwards

mighty Singhalese king, and

who

identify

custom

him with

finally

with

adopted by the Brahmans,

Contrary, however, to the

Siva.

of the Sivites, this

demons wor-

identified

temple contains no image, only a

mysterious curtain, before which kneel crowds of pilgrims

from every part of India, sometimes even high-caste Brah-

mans from remote Hurdwar

(the holy city near the source

2000 miles), who

of the Ganges, distant w-ell-nigh

shrine seeking cures for divers diseases, and

silver

models

Maha

Sen.^

'

of their various

It is curious to observe

up models

We know

present

limbs as votive offerings to

bow widespread

of the limb restored or for

tbe long-isolated temples of Jajian

models.

visit this

who

is this custom of hanging

which healing is craved. In
have seen thousands of such

that they were offered in ancient Greece, for the

They
British Museum possesses two votive bauds made of bronze.
were also common in Egypt, generally entwined with figures of serpents,
emblematic of recovered health. Hands, arms, ears, eyes, and other
members, modelled in terra-cotta or carved in ivory, have V)een found
at Thebes and elsewhere, with a thanksgiving dedication to whichever
deity received credit for the cure effected.

Most remarkable of

all is

the fact that iu

many

of these heatheu

SOUTHERN COAST.

224

great annual festival occurs at the hottest season of

The

the year, between June and August,

precise date being

its

regulated by some combination of the

full

moon with

So vast are the crowds which sometimes

details.

other

flock to

and so great the consequent risk of outbreaks of

cholera, that in 1874 it was found necessary to enact a law
that in seasons when sickness is prevalent only 400 pilgrims
this shrine,

in all

were to be permitted

to attend,

i.e.,

100 each from the

Western, Central, Eastern, or Southern Provinces, each person

being provided with a ticket signed by the Government

Agent
by

of the Province,

specified routes,

and

and being further bound

to

conform

to travel

strictly to police regula-

tions,

arranging their journey so as not to arrive at Katara-

gama

earlier

than the 3rd August or to remain there for

more than two

moon.

Any

clear days, to include the period of the full

infringement of these rules renders the offender

liable to a year's

imprisonment or to a

fine

not exceeding

1000 rupees.
Stringent as are these regulations,

found necessary to render them

1883 upwards
offerings the

still

of 10,000 pilgrims

it

has sometimes been

more

so.

Thus

in

June

assembled at Kataragama,

hand is modelled with the third and fourth

and second (the fingers of benediction,

fingers closed,
as a Ritualist

while the

first

would

them) are upraised in the orthodox attitude of ecclesiastical

Hence we may infer that not only the presentation of

call

benediction.

Roman

Catholic shrines, but also this peculiar priestly

borrowed i'rom Paganism, probably introduced
Those who
into the Alexandrian Church by some Egyptian convert.
have travelled in Roman Catholic countries can scarcely fail to recall
various churches (such as those of San Publio in Malta or of Notre
Dame de la Garde at Marseilles, where votive off'erings of every sort,
but chiefly of miniature arms, legs, eyes, and ears, modelled in. wax
or silver, as the case may be, are hung up round the altars of divers

such ex votos at

attitude, are directly

saints, as thank-offerings for cures attributed to their intercessions.


A PICTURESQUE PILGRIMAGE.

225

but in the following year, when there was fear

the

number was

namely, thirty to represent Colombo, thirty

many

as

for Galle,

of cholera,

150 persons,

officially restricted to a total of

for

Kandy, and

Kurunegalla, and Batticaloa.

Before this regulation of the pilgrimages commenced they

were simply seed-beds

Thus
six

for the fostering

in the cholera outbreak in 1858,

and spread
no

less

of disease.

than seventy-

dead bodies were counted on the highroad between

Hambautota and Tangalla, and

more must have perished

it is

certain that very

in the jungle-paths

many

and roadside

villages.

The following
the

number

1872

table,

though not up

of pilgrims varies

from year

shows how

to date,
to year

SOUTHERN COAST.

226

labour of sawing through

elephants' teeth.

Near Ham-

bautota there are tracts of sand which literally are com-

posed of ruby dust.

Certainly
for so

many

it

is

strange that a gem-loving people should

centuries have recognised that these precious

fragments were washed down from some of the higher rocks,

and yet should never have attempted any systematic search

for these hid treasures.

Doubtless

now

that gem-mining

is

being taken up in good earnest, those hitherto inaccessible

crags will be

made

to yield

many

a priceless jewel.

227

CHAPTER

XXII.

RETURN TO COLOMBO.
Bentota

Lilies Mangroves Kalutara Fisher castes Ordeal by

boiling oil

Ox my
how

return journey from Matara to Colombo I proved

comfortable

police

Colombo.

"

it

can be to travel

"

in

charge of the

always provided such charge be that of a great

Inspector-General

who

takes special pride not only in every

detail of his official work, but also in the excellence of the

grey horses which await him at every halting-place.

Not
Happily

that
for

we had

my

to

hurry

over the

beautiful

drive.

much police
we were detained a

sketching mania, there was so

inspection to be done on the way, that

whole day at Galle and another at Bentota, a very pretty

fishing- village,

with a really luxurious rest-house charmingly

situated beneath the cool shade of feathery tamarind-trees

and cocoa-palms, on a

little

waves, and at the mouth

rocky headland washed by the

of the

Alutgama

Thence, looking along the shore, there

Cape Barberyu, which

is

Itiver.
is

a fine

Grand waves breaking round rocky palni-covercd

glimpses of calm fresh-water pools and green
villages,

view of

the westernmost point of Ceylon.

islands,

turf,

coast

and many fishing-boats, successive headlands

all

RETURN TO COLOMBO.

228

clothed with cocoa-palms, paudanus, and other tropical vege-

and yellow sands carpeted with marine convolvulus,

tation,

as pleasant a picture as can be desired.

make up

Equally fascinating

is

the view from the bridge looking

beautiful river flowing so calndy between continuous

up the

many

walls of lovely foliage, to where, beyond

palm and

ranges of

and blue,

forest in varied tints of green

rises the

clear delicate range of far-away blue mountains, of

the crowning peak

is

the ever-attractive

"

Pada

Sri

which
(the

"

Holy Footprint).
row up

beautiful of all was a

Most

clear moonlight,

tlie silent

river in the

doubly attractive after the great heat of

Yet even that heat was tempered by a delicious

the day.

sea-breeze and an invigorating scent of iodine, and the too

dazzling light on sea and sky served to intensify enjoyment
of the blessed shade.

Truly exquisite and delightful to eyes wearied with the

sun's glare

is

the endless variety of cool refreshing greens

which surround them on every side in

dise

large golden-green silky leaves,

this verdant para-

which seem

have

to

embodied the sunlight that plays on their upper surface

sombre dark-green
to bar

all

foliage, so thick

light, casting a cool

carpet below.

liest

of

all,

tint

rice-fields, brighter

is

and emerald-greens,

that can be produced

known yellow with

perhaps,

as effectually

deep shadow on the grassy

Tliere are olive-greens

indigo and chrome, every

blending every

and heavy

every

known

blue.

by

Love-

the exquisitely fresh green of the

even than our own wheat-fields in early

spring.

As

if

to

harmonise with these all-pervading hues, a large

proportion of living creatures

the

fairies of

the forest

are

clad in green, the better to escape the notice of their foes.

PREVALENCE OF GREEN CREATURES.

and dragontlies

Brilliant green birds, butterflies,

tree

to

tree,

and green

lizards

homes

beetles find secure

mossy stems, and green whipsnakes

the

from

flit

honeyed blossom, while green

each

tasting

229

in crevices or

often

too

glide

about among the boughs, perhaps in pursuit of the pretty

little

green tree-frogs, which try to hide themselves beneath

the green leaves.

As

to the

small green parroquets (which are the only

Singhalese representatives of
is

legion,

and they are

tlie

parrot family), their

as gregarious as our

flocks assembling towards

own

name

rooks, vast

evening in such trees as they

fancy, uttering shrill screams, chattering and fluttering, while

apparently fighting for the best places, and dispersing again

in the early morning

amid a babel

same

of the

ear-splitting

screams.

Though
varieties

all these

parroquets are practically green, several

have distinguishing marks

thus one peculiar to the

mountains in the Central Province has a purple head another,

;

which

is

also peculiar to Ceylon, has a deep red

the crown of the head

plume on

a third has a grey head, and a fourth

has a rose-coloured ring round the neck.

very rarely, a pure yellow parroquet

is

Occasionally, but

hatched, and

on the same principle as the many-headed

palui,

is

valued

on account

of its rarity.

Attractive to the eye as are these pretty birds,

musical voices

whereas some

make
of

Such

ghalese

name

flocks,

and

is

have most soothing melodious

the Kurulu-goya, whose euphonious Sin-

well expresses its note.

their colouring is

rose-colour.

un-

the pigeons, whose plumage, though less

brilliant, is quite as lovely,

notes.

tlieir

them anything but desirable ueiglibours,

A small pretty

most

These birds

fly in

delicate green flushed with

pigeon with dark-green metallic

RETURN TO COLOMBO.

230

plumage

is

the Batta-goya, while the Mahavilla-goya

The Kobaiya

a small green dove.

dove, and the Baila-goya

is

is

is

also

a small grey turtle-

a grey bird very like our

own

wood-pigeon.

common

very

green and brown bird

which there are at

the barbet, of

is

one of

least three varieties in Ceylon,

name

which, with red head and green back, goes by the

of

"

the coppersmith,"

strange metallic note being un-

its

pleasantly suggestive of

hammering metal

sound which,

blending with the incessant creaking, sawing, and buzzing

noises produced

by various

insects, to

say nothing of the

creaking of wooden cart-wheels and the working of the garden-well, sometimes

Among

become almost unendurably irritating.

by a most attentive

the delicacies provided for us

rest-house keeper were some of the oysters for which Bentota

is

famous, but they are poor

somewhat

hereditary intuition of

men

little

mis-shapen things,

may

bitter in flavour, as well they

how

persist in tearing

from a

successive generations of

them from

named except

white

homes, and yet

their

never accord them one word of praise

a Singhalese oyster

be,

for

you never hear

in disparaging compari-

They

son with those of Europe or America.

are,

however,

allowed to be good when roasted on the shore, in the manner

so familiar at Australian seaside picnics.

Alas

how poor words

of lovely scenes,

are to convey clear impressions

with the countless characteristic details to

which they owe so much of their charm

pages of

many

vividly the slightest jottings

attractive
feel

how

As

I turn the

sketch-books and portfolios, and feel

recall

places,

and

all

how
their

Oriental inhabitants and interesting customs, I

impossible

true idea of

what

is

it

is

to

make mere words convey any

so fascinating to the eye.

MERITORIOUS WATER- JARS.

To take one

of the

tallie or ping-chattie,

231

most insignificant examples, the pin^" meritorious water-jar," placed at

i.e.,

some one anxious

intervals along the roadside by

to acquire

merit by keeping up a constant supply of cold water for

Here

thirsty wayfarers.

brink of the sea.

is

one sketched at Bentota on the

large red chattie of porous earthen-

ware on a stand to raise

some

it

with a miniature roof of red

while she

as a

leaf

from the ground, and

the whole overshadowed

tiles,

by golden-green banana leaves

large green

feet

a little child carrying a

sunshade stands beside

the great jar, across which

refills

lies

its

mother

the wooden

scoop with which each traveller takes out water and pours
it

into his hand, drinking thence, or else pouring

mouth from some

height, so that

men

it

into his

may

of all castes

drink without defilement.

Here

a very primitive ping-chattie poised on a tripod

is

formed by three

sticks, the

thatch of palm leaves.

upper end

This

thirsty

brown man with long

arms a

kid,

is

which supports a
and a

silky black hair carries in his

close, as does also a little

any raiment.

one equally primitive, sketched in a village near

Kandy, where the red

tree,

of

in a cocoa-palm tope,

whose mother follows

child guiltless of

Here

is

across

jar rests in the fork of a small dead

the broken branches of which

is

poised

the

yellow fan-shaped leaf of a talipat-palra, to protect the

water from the sun.

Beside

it

grows a large

aloe,

and a

datura literally white with large and very fragrant trumpet-

shaped blossoms.

Just beyond, overshadowed by a great

" lettuce-tree,"

beautiful

its

lemon-yellow foliage gleam-

ing in contrast with a bright blue sky,

Tamil

rest-house

for

porting

red-tiled

coolies,

roof,

on

is

an ambulara or

white pillars sup-

its

solid

the

summit

of

which

is

llETURN TO COLOMBO.

232

curious red earthenware ornament, representing three times

Well

three cobras arranged in a pinnacle.

who

squirrels

for the merry-

among the broken

play hide-and-seek

tiles

that these are only images of the cobra, and not the genuine
article

troop of

and in the

roofs

cooking at small

roofs are red-tiled,

is

the open

at the

and

purple blossoms,

On

or

men

are

all

the

air.

entrance of a village

all are

fragrant white

plantains,

are also careering over the

while groups of turbaned

trees,
fires in

This rest-house

stages.

monkeys

shaded either by large-leaved

daturas, potato-trees with lovely

with nuts in

palm-trees loaded

ali

either side of the road flows a narrow stream,

across which a separate arched bridge, with steps, leads to

In the open shops hang huge clusters

each house.

of

ripe

bananas, and piles of huge jak fruit to be used in curries,

fragrant pine-apples, bright green ripe oranges, and other
to

i'ruit

tempt wayfarers,

Among

the

make up

also large cages full of poultry.

innumerable,
kaleidoscope

the

ever-changing

groups

of colour,

in

all

which

vivid light

and shadow, comes a cart drawn by white bullocks, with

the usual high-arched cover of dried palm-leaves, which
throws such rich dark shadow on
within.

with

one

This

literally

is

earthenware jars of

red

the

figures

all

crouching

inside

covered,
sizes,

and

out,

hung on with

cords.
I turn a

in words,

page and find another village, which, described

would seem only a repetition

this case the

"

of the last.

in

stands on a neat

little

bridges aforesaid,

meritorious water-chattie

white pedestal, built upon one of the

But

"

protected by a large native umbrella supported by

and

it is

two

sticks.

Just one more page

Here

is

a ping-tallie sketched at

DRIVE ALONG THE SEA-COAST.

Dickwella.

233

It is a uicst elaborately sculptured stone fout,

which (but that

it

represents grim heraldic lions) might

take a place in any church.

It certainly

is

out of keeping

with the broken steps leading up to the rude well from

which

own

his

rope,

being

it is

filled

by a bronze

lad, clothed chietly in

long black hair, and who, by the help of a long

draws up his red jar from the deep cool waters

below,

Singhalese woman, barefooted of

showing a good deal

of

far

and

course,

brown waist between her white

is giving her brown

jacket and orange-coloured comboy,

little

ones a drink from the wooden scoop, and oh

pretty creatures are

of these,

what

with their large lustrous

Similarly attractive scenes meet one at every

black eyes.
turn,

some

and give human interest

to scenes

of ever-changing

loveliness.

The whole

drive from Galle to Colombo, a distance of about

seventy miles,

is

The excellent

one long dream of beauty.

carriage-road runs so close to the shore that

we

are con-

stantly catching sight and sound of the vividly blue sea

and grand

sometimes dashing on headlands

surf,

rock, sometimes breaking

and revealing endless glimpses of

of peaceful bays,
life

brown

boats with ruddy

sails,

clothed in a yellow palm-leaf hat,

The whole way

is

dark

of

more gently on the yellow sands

fishing

brown men, chielly

drawing brown nets.

overshadowed by luxuriant vegetation

in

such varied combinations that the eye can never weary of

such a succession of beauty.

Of course the

tall

slender palms, with their sunlit crowns,

are the predominating feature, towering above all to a height

of ninety to a

hundred

feet,

bending

in every direction,

and

often overgrown by graceful creepers, which hang in fes-

toons and garlands.

The most n-markable

of

these

is

the

RETURN TO COLOMBO.

234

Gloriosa snpcrha, there called " Neyangalla," a very peculiar

climbing

Sad

a gorgeous scarlet and orange.

lily of

to say,

on the many thousand palms which clothe

the shore from Bentota

to

Kalutara there

is

scarcely

nut to be seen, these trees being grown solely for the manufacture of arrack from the sap or toddy, which, as I have

already described,
spathe

is

prevent

to

formation of embryo nuts.

unnatural culture

result of this

demoralised

obtained by cruelly beating the flower

tlie

is

and when the toddy begins

One

that the very bats are

to

ferment, the

great flying-foxes assemble in flocks and help themselves

of the chatties so freely that they literally

to the contents

become drunk and riotous

While many beautiful types of

foliage

combine

to pro-

duce an endless variety overhead and on either side of the

red road, the undergrowth

There are an
exquisite
little

infinite

is

no

less

varied and lovely.

variety of ferns, including several

climbing species, which bear the most delicate

sometimes fringed with seed on stems like

fronds,

black horse-hair,^ and which grow so rankly as to veil

shrubs and hang in fairy-like wreaths from tree to

tall
tree.

In some parts of the island I have seen these growing so

abundantly that they are cut wholesale and used for thatch
as ruthlessly as
like

we

cut

common

brackens, the large hair-

stems acting as excellent rain-conductors.

Then there

are a great variety of aroids, with

arrow-headed leaves, from the cultivated

lily to

yam and

handsome
the calla-

the crimson-veined and spotted caladium, familiar in

our greenhouses, but of so

leaf is often

much

larger growth that a single

plucked as an effective and very pretty sun-

shade.
^

Lygodium

scandens.

MANGROVE SWAMPS.

235

In the neighbourliood of Galle a beautiful white

fully

six

growth

feet

and generally with a luxuriant

height,

in

of goat's-foot convolvulus,

and pink or delicate

brink of the

sea,

lilac

and

with shining green leaves

blossoms, matting the shore to the

iiivarialily

tiny crabs, chiefly hermits

tenanted by innumerable

the " wise

live in houses built for themselves

charming feature

rivers to be crossed

fringed with feathery

swamps densely
roots

aerial

and

who

creatures.

any drive

the great

bamboos and palms

sea, lose

others, forming

themselves in

clothed with sombre mangroves, whose

water-snakes, crocodiles, and other unpleasant

including swarms of

haven.

by other

the sea,

form a labyrinth wherein myriads of crabs

shell-fish,

creatures,

" of

number of streams
by wooden bridges.
Some are all
is

wide estuaries as they enter the

tidal

men

of this drive, or indeed of

along the coast of Ceylon,

and

lily,^

grows freely along the shore on stems

like our virgin-lily,

mosquitoes, find

large proportion of these roots are

secure

thrown out

from the stem at a considerable height above the mud, and

bending downwards, act the part of
the parent stem in the loose

l)Uttresses

to

support

soil.

very curious feature in the reproduction of the man-

grove

when

is

that the seed does not fall from

ripe,

the seed-vessel

but therein remains and germinates, while the

seed-vessel remains attached to the parent stem.

The infant

root grows out at the top,

and continues growing

till

reaches the mud, or

seed-vessel drops

which

case

it

till

the

oH",

in

it

equally lands in the mud, and there becomes estab-

lished as a

young mangrove

to

take

its

part in clothing

the swamp, and by gradually extending the dense thicket of

vegetation, reclaim

more land from the neutral ground.

'

Pancratium

ziylnnicHin.

RKTURN TO COLOMBO.

236

The bark

of the

mangrove

commercially valuable on

is

account of the large amount of tannin

timber

prized as firewood

is

it

the vicinity of mangrove-clad shores,

Nature's equilibrium as to

disturb

its

a grave question

it is

whether the destruction of these maritime

so

and

yields,

but as population increases in

forests

may

not

prove a source of

danger, as the tannin, which ceaselessly drops from leaves,

seeds, is said to be a powerful antidote against

and

bark,

putrefaction,

and in places where wholesale denudation has

been permitted, as in the case of the Brazilian mangrove

swamp
fish,

the

off Eio,

the enormous deposits of dead fish and shell-

which are

now

deemed

left

to

decompose in the burning heat on

bare banks of black mud, are so offensive as to be

in at least

rible visitations of

some measure accountable

for

the ter-

yellow fever and other epidemics of com-

paratively recent introduction.

Another

tree

which flourishes on these shores

is

the

handsome

tree with dark glossy foliage

of delicate white

blossom edged with crimson.

It bears large fibrous fruits of

pyramidal form, within which

Baringtonia, a large

and clusters

lie

seeds which are used in medicine, and from which an

oil is

by
the

expressed for lamps, which

fishers,
fish,

who mix

it

with

bait,

is

also

occasionally used

and so contrive

to stupefy

which are then easily captured.

One of the loveliest of these many rivers is the KaluGanga or Black Eiver, at the mouth of which is Ivalutara,
a large

and pleasant

village.

"VYe

started from Bentota

with the earliest glimmer of dawn, while

gleaming in the

fishers' boats,

deliciously cool

morning

reflected in the

calm waters

air,

and
and

so
of

had

fires

were

still

full benefit of the

the lovely early lights

of a long beautiful lagoon.

We

halted close to Kalutara to secure a rapid sketch of a very

SUBDIVISIONS OF THE FISHER CASTE.

237

banyan-tree which formed a magnificent archway right

fine

across the road, aerial roots having dropped from the

branches and taken root on the farther

was bearded with

brown filaments and overplants and ferns, producing a

a fringe of long

grown by luxuriant
most beautiful

parasitic

Alas

effect.

it

reported that this very

is

remarkable tree has been blown over in a

Very

fascinating

Kalu-Ganga

ful

is

where we halted

tara,

usual by the

the view from the old fort at Kalu-

to the distant

Mount

of the

The

avail themselves of this

Much

up the beauti-

mountain range, crowned

Holy Foot, which

river

many of the
easy mode of

of the estate produce

is

as

distant

navigable for boats as

is

Eatnapura, whence

coast.

fierce gale.

for breakfast, looking

about sixty-five miles.

far as

main

The whole

side.

is

pilgrims to the Peak

returning to the seaalso

brought by this

easy waterway from the hills to Kalutara, and thence to

Colombo

by

either

rail or

by further water-carriage through

lagoons and canals, such as those by which

and

we

travelled to

The railway has the double advantage

Kalpitya.

of speed

whom

of security against dishonest boatmen, to

the

quiet of the lagoons offers almost irresistible temptations.

The
lay

river

here spanned by a wide bridge, below which

is

moored many thatched

boats,

while seaward, fishers

were drawing up their long seine nets and others were

fishing

from boats.

Strange to say, the laws of caste are as rigidly marked

between the subdivisions

separate castes.

allowed

to

fish

from

cast nets,"

the fisher caste

five

" tiiose

boats," "

and

" those

who

fish

those

who

who

fish

as

between

upper divisions, who are

intermarry; each of these has

name, meaning

who

of

Tiiere are

distinctive

from the rocks,"

catcii turtle,"

with a rod."

"

" those

those

who

RETURN TO COLOMBO.

238

Besides these there are a

of

lower

marry with

their betters,

Some

making.

aspire to

and cabinet-

and some are farmers

professions

of

Ijuilding

sliip

are carpenters

curious blending

of divisions of fishers

though some are engaged in lucra-

such as boat and

trades,

tive

uumber

who must on no account

social position,

according to our British

experience of the sharp line of demarcation which exists

between our own fisher-folk and

the other end of

Kalutara

its

fruits the

others inhabiting even

palm

leaf,

and dyed black,

mangosteen ripens well

a great

The industry by which the town

favour.

most widely known

fibre of a

all

village.

one of the few places in Ceylon where that

is

most delicious of
point in

the same

is

that of weaving baskets from the

which

and are sold in nests

is

split as

and yellow.

red,

is

narrow

as fine grass,

The baskets are oblong,

one another,

of twelve, fitting inside of

very convenient to carry and very useful.

They

are wonder-

fully light

and yet durable, and are made by women and

children.

Nearer to Colombo a good many Malays manu-

facture baskets and flower-stands from the rattan-cane,

at various villages in

coarse rush-mats, but

the interior
all finer

and

we saw people weaving

ornamental mats used in Cey-

lon are imported from the Suvadiva group of the Maldive

which are a dependency

Isles,

It is

much

much

of the

the railway
at the

enjoyment of
is

mouth

of Ceylon.

to be feared that future travellers will miss

now open
of the

railway, skirting

along the shore,

still

this lovely drive to

as far as Bentota,

Alutgama Eiver

Colombo, for

with a station

beautiful line of

lagoons and generally running close

where the mighty waves break with a

crash louder than the roar of the rushing train.

way

But

rail-

travel allows small leisure to realise all the beauties

ORDEAL BY BOILING
of

239

OIL.

the panorama so rapidly revealed, and in an Oriental

land,

where each moment we whirl past something

it is

the worst form of the aggravation of tableaux vivants,

for at best

we

catch an unsatisfying glimpse of scenes which

in the twinkling of an eye

Nothing

is

of interest,

have vanished from our gaze.

more remarkable

in the history of all Oriental

railways than the rapidity with which pilgrims of various

faiths avail themselves

of this

mode

of lightening the toil

The extension to Beutota proved no

it was opened crowds of Mahom-

of their pilgrimage.

exception, for very soon after

medans poured down from Coloniljo and elsewhere

ship at the Alutgama mosque.
Here, as elsewhere, the old life and the new flow
side,

sometimes

to

wor-

side

Thus while the

in strange contrast.

way from Kalutara

to

by

rail-

Bentota was in process of completion,

three persons, including a native headman, were tried before

the District Court for having subjected several persons to

the torture

known

as the " ordeal

by boiling

to extract a confession of the theft of

The accused, who did not attempt

to

deny the

were very much aggrieved that British law should

and even punish them

custom, and wliich,

it

for

in order

oil,"

some plumbago.
ufleuce,

interfere,

an act sanctioned by ancient

appears,

commonly

still

is

practised

in out-of-the-way parts of the Isle.

The ceremony
king cocoa-nuts
plainant,

and

is

is
is

Oil from newly-gathc-red

as follows.

manufactured by a friend of the com-

heated over the

fire

in a

chattie.

When

boiling, each of the persons accused is required to dip his

fingers thrice into the chattie, and, I believe, thrice also into

a preparation of boiling cow-dung.

any exclamation
cry

is

of pain,

he

is

If

he can refrain from

held to be innocent, but any

equivalent to an admission of guilt.

The only con-

RETURN TO COLOMBO.

240

solation of the victim

over his adversary

that he

is

much

as

is

at liberty to sprinkle

boiling

as sticks to his

oil

fingers.

In the present case, though the five persons accused were

all

forcibly dragged

hands

plunge their

up

to

the

from crying out except one young

least injured, consequently

and compelled

chattie

managed

in the boiling oil, all

though he was the

lad,

he was declared to be the thief

to surrender the stolen property.

and required

to

to refrain

All the

five

persons subjected to the ordeal were so shockingly scalded

as to be unable to return to their

Much

their indignation,

to

were each condemned to pay a

work

for three

weeks.

the self-appointed torturers

fine of a

hundred rupees, or

undergo ten months' imprisonment.

At Pantura (or, as it is now called, Panadura), about halfway from Kalutara to Colombo, we crossed a backwater of
the sea, which, stretching inland, forms the beautiful lake

Bolgoda,

homes

all

of

These are the

dotted with charming islands.

innumerable waterfowl, and also are the scene

a curious phase of bird

quite a la

life,

Box and Cox,

of

afford-

ing a roosting-ground by day to flocks of large flying-foxes,

which, after a night of marauding

come here

at

among

the fruit-trees,

dawn to hang themselves up on secure boughs,

who have slept here peacefully all night,

just as the crows,

as

beseems respectable workers, are starting on their day

of

useful toil as scavengers.

As we drove

cheerily on

Colombo, the excellence of

"

our

way from Kalutara

not but call forth the usual encomium, as

our pleasant drive from Galle with the

of

the

Governor's party

to

the Queen's highway " could

when

we

contrasted

toilsome journey

travelling

over the same

ground in the year 1800, when roads were non-existent.

A CONTRAST IN TRAVEL.

211

Just think of the heat and of the dust stirred up by IGO

palanquin-bearers and 400 baggage-coolies trudging wearily

through the hot sand, to say nothing of the troop

lascars, six

horses,

for the transport

Now

room

we

though

being available for

it

and there portions

liere

still

me

sick-leave,

Lake

vegetation

and the Campbells had most kindly

headquarters at their pleasant temporary

in Captain's Gardens,

is

flowering trees gorgeous with fragrant blossom,

fruit,

the calm water, on which floated a wealth of

all reflected in

At

home

a promontory jutting into

Colombo, and clothed with most luxuriant

of

which

kittool-palms seeming literally overladen with ropes of

lovely

leave

parted at Galle, the Bishop had been ordered

Malta on

the

of the tents

improvement.

for

offered

and care

island, the greater part of

traffic,

Since
to

fifty

the coast-road, 769 miles in length, extends right

round the
wheel

of

and two elephants who were necessary

lilies.

the entrance a fine banyan-tree formed an arch right

across the road,

somewhat

in the style of the tree at Kalutara,

but lacking

grace and

its

fine

its

india-rubber trees

dainty tracery of ferns.

spread their wide

Two

arms and cool

shade over the lawn in front of the comfortable bungalow,

a one-storied house of the regular type, with a wide verandah

and red-tiled

roof,

white

pillars

innumerable happy squirrels and

separate bungalow stood a

and the

larjre

house was so

home

supporting the

little

apart in

full of little

tlie

garden,

daughters that this

separate " guest-house " was assigned to me, greatly to

pleasure, as

it

of

little lizards.

my

was charmingly situated on the very brink

and sliaded with cocoa-palms of all ages

(which implies the loveliest variety of form), growing amid

of the lovely lake,

VOL.

II.

RETURN TO COLOMBO.

212
cool green grass,

there

was the

tainly

was hot

and catching every breath

faintest breeze
;

of air,

from sea or lake.

whenever

And

cer-

it

every one around was gasping and craving

the " Chota

monsoon"^ to bring cool rain, though personally! gloried in what seemed to me divine weather;
for

and certainly I was always up

from gunfire

till

was not troubled with nerves,

for

to anything,

starlight.

It

was fortunate that

the house of which I was sole occupant had five outer doors

and seventeen windows, not one

closed,
if

and so they

all

of

which could be securely

stood wide open day and night, for

they could not keep out thieves, there was no reason

they should keep out air

an occasional nocturnal qualm

village

of

proximity of a large

at the

dhobies (laundry-men) not of

and sometimes awoke in the moonlight

the best repute,

to

there were no long poles coming in at the

out

my

orderlies

and, indeed, by reason of

my

were always somewhere about

^

Chota, small.

make sure
window to

that
fish

However, no such

clothes in the approved fashion.

evil befell;

why

having experienced

I confess to

host's office, police

to scare marauders.

2i3

CHAPTER

XXIII.

NATIVE POLICE.

Frequency of stabbing and of perjury Intricate diviToo many legal advisers Regulations concerning cart and servant registration
Cruelty to animals
Volunteers.

Native police

sion of property

Pearl-fisherj-

The very
is

body

fine

of native police, as at present constituted,

the creation of Mr. G.

mand

it

continued

till

W.

Pi.

Campbell,^ under whose com-

this year,

1891

a force of which he

has good reason to be proud.

In September 1866,
son,

at the request of Sir

Hercules Robin-

he resigned an excellent position in India

undertake

to

the remodelling of the very unsatisfactory police force of

that day.

He

found

it

to consist of a

nominal force of 5G0 men, but

in reality there were only 470, quite untrained, and lacking

These were expected to keep order

in all esprit de corps.

in a population of over

whom

two million people, by many

he found that crime was regarded

indifference, even in
lifting

up

on the

floor before

his infant

Now

complete

such horrible cases as that of a father

by the
its

feet

and dashing

its

brains out

mother's eyes, merely to gratify his

almost causeless rage against her

^

witli

of

Sir George

W.

II.

or that of a

Campbell, K.C.il.G.

man

brain-

NATIVE POLICE.

244
ing his

own

girl

little

on purpose to get his father-in-law

He

lianged for murder.

found that even under the existing

very imperfect system for detection of crime, no less than

81 cases of murder and 22 of manslaughter had been proven

within the two previous years.

"Where public opinion viewed such crimes with perfect

apathy,

it

was no easy task

any body of police

for

such excellent working

highest

commendation from

force,

order as

to

and brought
call

forth

it

the

whom Mr.

Hercules, to

Sir

Campbell then reported that his aim was

to

work

Nevertheless, in an amazingly short time Mr.

effectively.

Campbell had reorganised the whole

into

to

to raise the police

such a point that the Ceylon Eifles (an expensive native

regiment with European

might be altogether

officers)

dis-

pensed with.

However

desirable,

beyond the range

such a project

seemed quite

then

However, soon afterwards

of possibilities.

Mr. Campbell was sent to Penang as Lieutenant-Governor

for eighteen

On

leave.

months, and thence came to England on sick-

he found that during his

his return to Ceylon,

absence the Ceylon Eifles had actually been disbanded as unnecessary, thereby effecting a very large saving for the colony.

considerable

number

of the disbanded soldiers (mostly

which incorporates

Malays) were drafted into the

police,

men

British, Portuguese,

of very varied nationalities

Singhalese, Tamils, and Burghers of

whole into a remarkably

fine

and

mixed

race,

Dutch,

welding the

efficient force

numbering

about 1470.

The men

are smart

and

soldierly,

and may be described

as civil police with a semi-military training.

tight-fitting jacket

at once

and trousers and

discarded in

favour of a

stiff

The thick

leather stock were

suitable

and becomincr

"

A HANDFUL OF MEN."

2 i5

imiform, consisting of tunic and trousers of dark blue serge,

with waist-belt and boots of dark brown leather, and scarlet

forage-cap with a black top-knot.

Snider

when on

except

They

armed with

are

and swords, and are regularly

rifles

but

drilled,

jail-guard or guarding convicts or treasure,

they only carry batons.

Their total cost to the general revenue

401,831 rupees per

annum;

is

set

that of the old force

down

was

at

aliout

The present outlay includes many such

150,000 rupees.

items as the feeding and transport of prisoners and of sick

paupers, cost of working the elaborate and very

systems of registration of servants and

matters

carts,

and well may Mr. Campbell

say,

and many other

when pleading

"No

for a greatly strengthened detective branch,

in

"

more than

Can

it

half of

and treasuries and

country

small or nearly so cheap a force

the East bas so

Ceylon."

eflficient

as

be expected that 1500 poorly paid police,

whom
to

are

employed

to

guard convicts

keep order in the streets

can

it

be

expected that this handful of men, scattered throughout a

country nearly as large as Ireland, and with a population

numbering nearly three

millions,

and criminal

to

an ^cnusual

extent,

can bring a large majority of the worst criminals to

justice

"

Whereas

Ireland, with a population a little

more than

double that of Ceylon, has about 13,000 police with 300

officers,

upwards
rupee at

Ceylon (with

Is.

under 1500

only seven

in

officers

receipt

of

1500 rupees per annum, which, vahiing the

of

Gd.,

police.

represents

Even

112,

IGs.

this small

force

per

annum) has

is

employed uu

such duties as guarding convict gangs on public works, such

as the saltpans at

breakwater, &c.

Hambantota, the Muhara

They

are, further, the

quarries, the

only relieving oflicers

NATIVE POLICE.

246

of the vagrant portion of the helpless poor

they must attend

to vaccination, sanitation of places of pilgrimage, the weights

and measures
&c.,

of

kerosine, gunpowder,

dealers, storage of

and they are now the

several of the minor

jailors of

jails."

there were no habour-

Till within the last three years

work

so that all

police,

regular force.

Now

of this

sort likewise

has necessitated the appointment of

The

on the

harbour-inspector

with a couple of whaleboats and about sixteen

for this work.

fell

the development of Colombo harbour

police are

now

men

specially

scattered over the country

in ninety-four different detachments, and considering that

there are on an average only four of the regular police at

each station in rural districts to look after about a hundred

square miles of cultivated land,

all liable to

crop-thieving, and

that they have to escort and guard prisoners, keep order in

one or two large village bazaars, and by their presence deter

crop-thieves and purchasers of such stolen goods, take care
of sick wayfarers,

and serve

and warrants that may be

all

cannot eat the bread of idleness.

is

the countless

issued,

it

foot.

Agent has a

summonses

evident that they

In the whole force there

work must be
In each province, however, the Government
body of untrained and unpaid village police,

not a single mounted constable, so

done on

is

all

the

who in some measure lighten the toil of the regular police.

Some idea of the miscellaneous work which falls on the
police

department might be gathered from a single detail

of its office-work,

namely, that about 70,000 documents are

annually received and despatched from the two chief

alone,

At

i.e.,

offices

Kandy and Colombo.

these two points the police barracks are a perfect

triumph

of ingenuity, so

admirable

is

the result produced for

POLICE BARRACKS
the

money expended, both

really

handsome

MADE BEAUTIFUL.

247

as regards the construction

buildings at a very

low

and

cost,

of

also in

the excellent taste displayed in the careful laying out of the

grounds, with such profusion of flowering trees and shrubs,

that the whole effect

This

is

is

that of luxuriant gardens.

Kew, a peninsula on the

especially striking at

Colombo Lake, formerly occupied by the Ceylon

barracks, with their dreary

muddy

transformed by Mr. Campbell and his

of beauty.

Here and

Rifles,

whose

surroundings, have been

men

into a scene

at Bentota the gorgeous display of

Gloriosa superla and other splendid climbing plants remains

my

vividly impressed on

memory.

The same

care

is

shown

wherever a police-station has been established in various

up

7000

feet,

so that these are in a measure experimental gardens for

new

parts of the Isle,

and

at elevations ranging

to

products.
It is

greatly to

multiply, for as

be desired that these

yet very

many

should quickly
are

police-stations

still

without any Government buildings, consequently ordinary

dwelling-houses are hired to act as

offices

and lock-ups,

while the constables have to hire quarters for themselves,

often widely scattered, and sometimes in very undesirable

The married men, who

company.

constitute

more than

two-thirds of the force, have to pay about one-eighth of

their

whole slender salary

for

the use of very wretched

huts.

This
life

is

much

doubly hard, as not only are the necessaries of

dearer in Ceylon than on the mainland of India,

but the rate of pay in

that

of

the

all

ranks

corresponding

is

rank

from a quarter

to half

Indian

police.

in

the

Even the Inspector-General, after serving ten

Bombay police, and after twenty-four years

years in the
of

ceaseless

NATIVE POLICE.

248
Ceylon, has

in

toil

which

But the generally low

India.

in

apparent by comparing the weekly

London constable with the salary

Ceylon, most of

in

1000 rupees a month,

average pay of a Superintendent of Police

tlie

is

received only

whom

scale

receive less than

to

me

Singhalese

these

courteous

many

of

was

seemingly so mild and gentle,

civil people,

and sympathetic

to

strangers

to

hear of

alas

and revenge,

proportion of

large

terribly

it is all

robberies,

result-

violent

and the police reports present a

too true,

dreadful catalogue of most callous

account of the merest

one to

and murders, was certainly a grievous revelation.

quarrels,

his

when

being savage and cruel to one another, cherishing

iu

Yet

and suppression

almost incredible

anger, wrath, malice, jealousy, railing,

ing

a week,

told of the deeply-rooted criminal tendencies of the

first

so

was

10s.

the raison d'etre

of

of a police force, namely, the detection

it

more

is

European constables

of the

minus several deductions

Now, as regards our primary notions
crime, I confess

pay

of

31s. Gd. of a first-class

whom

trifle,

murders, generally on

the victim being often some

the murderer bears no ill-will, perhaps even

own near

and the

relation,

cause

sole

is

that a false

may be brought against some innocent

Imagine murdering
whom he has a spite

charge of murder
person, against

a friend in order to throw blame on a foe

But the larger number

momentary passion
alas!

it

is

of

murders are the result

a word and a

stab,

and

of

these,

multiply only too surely with the ever -spreading

curses of drink and gambling, " the prolific parents of Sin-

ghalese vice."

No

one can

proportion of

fail to

be struck with the singularly small

women who

find their

way

to the prisons of

THE TRUE CAUSES OF CRIME.

The

Ceylon.

249

daily average of convicted persons in prison

in the last twelve years ranges from 1612 (of

17 were women)

3627

to

(of

whom

Mr. Campbell questioned a number

prisoners as to
"

whom

only

only 32 were women).

most intelligent

of the

what cause they attributed

this difference to.

Our women do not drink nor gamble," was

the reply.

All agreed that these two evils lay at the root of

Not only do

their trouble.

gambling

illicit

to attract

facilities

all

drinking-houses provide

customers, but the

men

fre-

quent secluded gardens, and arrange lonely meeting-places

in the forest,

whither each carries his own supply

and then they

settle

down

tails fashion)

on the throw

round on the

other.

Some men, whose whole

of certain shells, flat

year's earning

ceed a hundred rupees, confessed

hundred
sulky,

at a sitting.

of liquor,

to gamble, betting (heads-and-

Then, after

to

on one

would barely ex-

having

lost or

this excitement,

won two
some

some desperate, and the majority more than

Then the beggared,

drunk.

reckless

and most cruel murders ensue,

in

men

side,

are
half

begin quarrelling,

which the victim

is

some-

times struck a score of times, the others probably going

to recruit their fortunes

large

number

v"ith

still

off

cattle-lifting.

of deaths are caused

or bludgeons, but a

bing

by robbery or

by blows from clubs

larger proportion are due to stab-

the sharp-pointed sheath-knife which a Singhalese

habitually carries in his belt for pruning and other agricultural work, and which proves

moment

of passion.

It is

only too handy in every

urged that a law forbidding the

use of these implements, and enforcing that of clasp-knives,

would be

beneficial, as the

clasp-knife would

happily closed on

give

moment

required for opening a

time for thought; especially

the fingers of the passionate

if

it

man, might

250
it

NATIVE POLICE.

tend to cool his ardour,

average

tlie

Singhalese,

excellent deterrent influence of flogging

like

Hence the

the brutal Briton, being very averse to pain.

a tolerably liberal

having been found

use of the lash or the rattan (cane)

highly efficacious in diminishing cattle-stealing in some of

the worst districts.

That the ever-present, ever-open sheath-knife

responsible for Singhalese crime

nearly

all

Tamils,

who do

the

is

is

shown by the

murderers are of this race

largely

fact that

whereas the

not habitually wear these knives, though

continually being

convicted of aggravated assault, almost

invariably stop short of murder.

It

is

worthy

of note that in

almost

all

murder cases the

victim and his assailant are of the same nationality

against Tamil, Singhalese against Singhalese,

Malay

proving the absence

of

any race animosity.

I think a few samples of cases

reports will be of interest,

Tamil

Malay against

quoted from the police

and in any

case, the native

names

are characteristic.
First, then, I find that

Ponambalam,

ing been locked up for drunkenness,

to escape.

in his teeth,

not be released

with a

a desperate rush

Noordeen Bawa, a police-constable, stopped him,

when Ponambalam
hand

a Tamil man, hav-

made

chisel.

seized Noordeen's

and held

till

it for

thumb

of the right

half an hour.

It could

Pouambalam's teeth were forced apart

Poor Noordeen, whose thumb was nearly

bitten through, died of tetanus.

Puchirale, a Singhalese cultivator,

jungle picking

fruit,

cultivator, fired

and

him

for a

when Appuhamy,

killed him.

monkey, but

Appuhamy was

was on a

as they

put on his

trial,

He

also

said he

tree in the

Singhalese

had mistaken

had been on bad terms,

but was acquitted.

EXAMPLES OF CRIME.

251

Urugala, a wealthy Singhalese cultivator, aged sixty-five,

having signified his intention of distributing his property

among

his children to the exclusion of his

son Ukkurala,

the latter beat his father with a piece of sugar-cane, so that

he

died.

At

man

Batticaloa a

quarrelled with his mother about a

cow, and killed her with a stick.

For

he received four

this

months' imprisonment.

Appuwa, a Singhalese

cultivator, while drunk, stabl)ed

with a knife and so killed his

little

daughter Kirihami, aged

four years, owing to a quarrel with his wife for not having

He was

his food ready.

acquitted.

Abaran, a Singhalese, was shot dead by Sirimalhami,

some months previously.

Two young men helped Sirimalhami to remove
the body to a jungle and there burn it. The two assistants
whose mistress Abaran had carried

were each sentenced

to

five

off

years' rigorous imprisonment,

but the murderer was acquitted.

Near Matara, eight Singhalese

him to death with choppers and

set

upon

sticks.

one,

and hacked

Three were sen-

tenced to ten years with hard labour, but the rest were
acquitted.

a Singhalese girl of fifteen, was stabbed

Muttu Menika,

seventeen times by Dingirea, a Singhalese

man

twenty-four

years of age, because she refused to marry him.

He was

sentenced to death.
Till recently all the

inmates of a house were sometimes

brutally murdered by robbers in order to get rid of incon-

but this was a characteristic of a form

venient witnesses

of gang-robberies

now

As examples

of

happily stamped out.

crime in 1889, Harmanis Soyza, a Sin-

ghalese fisher aged twenty-five, having deserted his mistress,

NATIVE POLICE.

252

Siku, a Singhalese girl aged twenty, and being taunted by

her and her mother, became infuriated, and entering their

house, stabbed

and killed them both, also stabbing and

grievously wounding Siku's sister, Punchi ISTona.

Balina, a Singhalese

washerwoman, having quarrelled with

to his house,

and then stabbed

Sunda, a neighbour, set

fire

him

which she was sentenced

so that

he died,

for

to death.

That the amount of jewellery worn by children does not

oftener lead
is

them

a case in point.

into peril

is

Here, however,

surprising.

Sinnasamy, a Tamil

coolie, cut the throat

of Eamer, a Tamil schoolboy aged eight, in order to steal

his bangles, watch-chain,

samy was hanged,

as

and two pairs

he deserved

of earrings.

Sinna-

to be.

Mataraye Samel, a Singhalese servant, struck Babie, an

ayah, on the head with an areca-nut cutter, because she told

her mistress of his intimacy with a

jaw supervened and poor Babie

girl in

died,

the house.

Lock-

whereupon Samel was

sentenced to ten years' hard labour.

Velen Sinnatambu, a Tamil, aged twenty-five,

in a

fit

of

rage hacked his wife, Sinnapillai, to pieces with a chopper.

She was a

girl

under sixteen years of age.

The murderer

was hanged.

Even peaceful green pastures can be made the occasion

Thus at
Jaffna, Velan Kanapathi was killed and Arumugam Kanapathi seriously injured by being struck with stones in a
quarrel about rights of pasturage.
Ten men, all Tamils,
of battle in Ceylon as well as in the Hebrides.

were apprehended on this charge.

In the same
of a fourth,

fractured

district three

Tamil men entered the house

armed with clubs and a sharp-edged

his

skull.

rigorous imprisonment.

Each was sentenced

to

stone,

and

ten years'

Another skull was fractured by a

;;

MURDERS TO CAUSE FALSE ACCUSATION.

heavy stone

Matara, in an altercation over the

at beautiful

produce of a kitool-palm

Most extraordinary

tree.

murder

cases of

done solely in order to bring a

one

own

At

else.

then accused three young

killed

old,

are those

which are

some
Madanayeke took his

false accusation against

Galle, Nicholas de Silva

twelve months

child,

253

and dashed

men

of

it

ground

to the

good character of having

Happily they were acquitted, and the inhuman

it.

father was hanged within the walls of Galle

Another case

is

that of a

in order to bring a charge of

while another knocked

man who

jail.

shot his

own

brother

murder against three enemies,

own

out the brains of his

little

daughter in order to get his father-in-law hanged for the

murder.

Near Kurunegalla, a Singhalese boy, aged twelve, was

strangled by Hatuhami, a Singhalese man, in order that the

murder might be attributed

to

whom

For

he was at enmity.

some Buddhist
this,

priests with

Hatuhami was

sen-

tenced to five years' hard labour.

Here

a more elaborate story of a case which occurred

is

in 1879.

had just

died.

young Singhalese

Two men

girl,

possessed of some land,

induced another Singhalese

personate her, and to appear before a notary and

the land to them.

dra^yed the luckless

till

make

The fraud was discovered, and

over

in order

whole story from being revealed, the men

to prevent the

to another,

girl to

<iivl

niqht after night from one

she told them that

whereupon they

killed her,

life

and cut

was a burden

off

iini'jle

to her

her head to prevent

identification in case the body should be found.

Found

it

was, and identified by the toes, which were partially webbed.

The men were hanged.

One

is

struck by the pitifully small temptation which

NATIVE POLICE.

254

For instance, Babiela, a

murders.

results in such cruel

dispute with a neighbour,

Singhalese villager, had

and knowing that he possessed jewels worth about 200
a trifling

rupees (less than 20), he stole quietly into the house at

midnight, and cut the throats of the man, his wife, and

This miscreant was hanged.

four children.

I will only quote

two more

cases, each full of

premising that though

interest, only

dramatic

the names are

all

the dramatis personce are pure Singhalese.

Portuguese,

all

The

that of Miguel Perera, a wealthy and influential

first is

Singhalese, living within ten miles of Colombo, and a

popular with Europeans

and' on account of his great energy and influence

his people.

When

as the repair of

among

anything had to be done quickly, such

a road or the decoration of a town to

welcome a distinguished
depended on.

man

because of his pleasant manners,

visitor,

he was the

man

to

be

For these good services he received from

Government the title of Mudaliyar of Ragama.

But there was a dark side to this attractive person.
In his private life he was unscrupulous and tyrannical,
both to men and women, and when one day he was found
noon lying on a road on

at high

his

throat cut, the investigation proved

own

estate with his

that

the

crime had

been committed by some of his own retainers, goaded to

madness by

his ill-usage, one

after cruelly beating a

detail

of

which was that

man, he would lock him up

night in stocks, which he kept at his

own

for the

house.

Four men were apprehended, and the evidence would

almost undoubtedly have proved them to be the murderers.

But

it

seems as

if

the Singhalese could not leave justice

to prove itself, so the

to

work

two eldest sons

of the dead

man

set

to torture witnesses in order to fabricate further

SINGULAR INSTANCES OF CRIME.

evidence, chiefly with a view to

an enemy of

implicate

Tampering with witnesses

an everyday occurrence, but torturing them is going a
Mendis.

their father's, Louis

is

255

too far; so

little

tables

when

were turned

came

this conspiracy

the

to

light,

the

murderers were acquitted, and

the two brothers were each sentenced to three years' im-

prisonment with hard labour.

The Louis Mendis

just mentioned

was a cart-contractor,

living at Nawalapitiya, in the Central Province,

and the

quarrel with Miguel Perera was due to the latter sending

carters all the

way from

the coast to take

own men

Mendis, not unnaturally, urged his

much

with

arrack, a savage

which a young carter from the

nando, was said
of

his custom.
to

beat the

and on one occasion, when he had primed his

intruders,

men

away

to

have hcen

encounter occurred, in

coast,

hilled.

by name Juan FerThere was evidence

Pernando having been seen wounded, especially on the

shoulder, but no corpse could be found, and

his party averred that the story of his death

tion in order to

Mendis and

was a

fabrica-

damage Mendis, and that Perera was keep-

ing Fernando out of sight.

Several months later the father came from his

home on

the coast to inform the police that he could point out the
spot where his son's body was buried.

them

to a spot in the jungle

He

accordingly led

some miles from Nawalapitiya,

and there they found the headless and decomposed corpse

of a young man with a broken shoulder-blade, and on the
body was found the waist-belt
with his

initials

of the missing

scratched on the plate.

Juan Fernando,
It

was assumed

that the body had been carried to the jungle, and there

buried by a carter in the service of Mendis, who, liowever,

was not available as a witness, having

in the interval

NATIVE POLICE.

256

Consequently
been hanged for stabbing a police constable.
Mendis and his men were punished only for assault, being
sentenced to terms of imprisonment with hard labour.

They maintain, however, that Juan i'ernando is still

alive, and concealed by Perera's party, and that the body
was one taken by Perera's order from some graveyard,
adorned with Fernando's belt, and buried in the jungle in
order to ruin Mendis, the head being removed in order to
prevent

its

Fernando.

removed
case, it

being proved that the body was not that of

(Of course Perera's people say the head was

to prevent identification

belt with

but

that had been the

if

to leave the

the tell-tale initials.)

These instances
chief

would have been a strange oversight

difficulty

may

which

give

suffice to

attends

some idea

judicial

all

of

the
in

inquiries

Ceylon, namely, that of dealing with a race who, so far

from attaching any disgrace

art,

and that the courts

most

effectually

says,

"

Perjury

and

of

to perjury, consider it as a fine

law are the

field

where

it

may

be

Mr. Campbell

brilliantly practised.

rampant and destructive, Hooding our

is

and produc-

courts with false cases, paralysing their action,

ing grave deterioration of character."

In his recent report on the administration of police in

Ceylon, Mr. Giles

observes

"

The most dangerous form

crime in Ceylon, and that which

greatest moral turpitude,

prefer false accusatioyis

can

feel safe

evils are

accused.

and

is

to

perhaps

involves

the proneness of the people

to

No man

bear false testimony.

while this state of things continues

of

the

and the

by no means confined to the individuals falsely

The prevalence of perjury causes the judiciary

to reject evidence
1

which in a purer atmosphere would be

Deputy Inspector-General

of Police,

BengaL

PERJURY AS A FINE ART.

257

unhesitatingly accepted, and criminals benefit by this reluctance.

The courts are flooded with

cases 'which should

never come before them, their time dissipated

endeavouring

to

in

vainly

and a

arrive at truth where all is falsehood,

virtual denial of justice often leads to the perpetration of

fresh crime."

somewhat

striking illustration of this all-round false-

hood was revealed to an astonished European by a grateful

client,

who had

recently

The

of his adversary.

him

won

amazement

a case to the utter

had brought an action against

latter

for the recovery of a large

sum

money,

of

for

which

There were reliable witnesses

he held defendant's bond.

prove the debt, and the case was apparently quite

to

clear, till

the defendant produced the plaintiff's receipt in full for

the

sum advanced and duly

repaid,

and a

tribe

of

wit-

Nothing

nesses to prove the authenticity of the signature.

could be clearer, and the case, after patient hearing, was

dismissed.

Now
had

came the surprising

been no

moment

money

lent

revelation,

which was that

and none repaid

there

but from the

the defendant had learnt the charge that was to be

brought against him, he had been perfectly aware that a

bond must have been

it

forged, and witnesses bribed to attest

therefore (on the principle of "

diamond cut diamond

he had at once secured the services of a skilful forger

prepare the receipt,

and of witnesses to

attest

it,

")

to

and had

thus by foul means secured the justice which he could not

have obtained by
This

is

criminal law

is

straightforward action.

fair

example

fair

employed

rather than of redress

"

and

of

the

as

"

to

an

manner

in

which the

engine

of

oppression

such an incredible extent

this perversion of justice carried, that in his report for

VOL.

II.

is

1881

NATIVE POLICE.

258

Mr. Campbell says that from 95,000 to 110,000 persons are

each year apprehended or

never brought to

trial,

summoned

before the courts and

showing either the utter

frivolity

of the cases, or that the complainants or witnesses, or both,

have been bought over.

" Even these figures," he says,

"

large as they are, give no

idea of the extent to which the machinery of justice

is

mis-

used by the people to oppress and harass each other, and

actually to frustrate justice

the cloud of witnesses

who

itself,

until

we

take into account

are also brought

up by summons

and warrants, and further take into account the multiplied

postponements which characterise our courts, and unless
still

which

further recollect the multitude of minor cases

are annually tried

by the Gansabhawa or

we

village tribunals.

These, in the course of the year 1880, numbered no less

than 26,748.
" The results of this inordinate misuse of the courts are
the impoverishment of the people both by a waste of time

and by actual expenditure on worthless crowds

of

self-

styled lawyers, the fostering of their innate love of litigation,

the encouraging of false witnesses and perjury, the general

demoralisation which follows the prostitution of courts of

justice,

and the obstruction of the thorough investigation

and punishment
should at his

own

of

serious

or even with a knife, than that by

cious charges he should

ment
court

for
is

Better

crime.

that

man

proper peril strike a blow with a stick,

inflicting

make

making

false

and mali-

a court of justice an instru-

cowardly blow.

The blow by the

quite as severe as the other, and the demoralisa-

tion of every one concerned

is

been tersely said that "perjury

infinitely greater."
is

made

It has

so complete a busi-

ness that cases are as regularly rehearsed in all their various

PROFESSIONAL PERJURERS.

259

scenes Idj the professional perjurer as a dramatic piece

is

at a theatre."

Of

who

course,

what

or

when

it

so impossible for a judge to

is

to believe, true evidence

is

know

constantly rejected,

criminals escape, and innocent people suffer unmerited pun-

ishment, or at least retain

which leads

rankling sense of injustice

form

to retaliation, either in the

of false charges

in court or of criminal violence.

This subject impressed

on his

arrival in 1866,

first

itself

strongly on

when,

]\Ir.

Campbell

at the court at

ranaduru,

out of six hundred cases instituted there were only six convictions.

Of course such immunity from punishment tends

to prevalence of crime, the chances of conviction being so

small that heinous offences are committed with

for

nothing

is

probably the headman, whose duty

cute,

As

little risk

easier than to bribe all the witnesses,

and sometimes even the

regards the headmen,

it

is

should be to prose-

it

plaintifiF

and

himself

bribed

is

only natural that they

should be amenable to bribes, for instead of receiving re-

muneration

for helping in the detection of crime

and the

capture of criminals, by doing so they often have to incur

serious expense out of their
it

own

slender

means

so naturally

conduces both to their ease and profit to screen offenders.

The number

convictions fluctuates greatly, not from

of

increase or decrease of crime, but according to

terpretation of law

tlie

by successive Chief- Justices.

varied in-

In some

years the interpretation has been such that convictions have

been almost impossible, and so the most glaring criminals

have been acquitted, and

all their fraternity,

openly laugh-

ing at the police, become bold beyond measure.

Then comes

a Chief-Justice

who

find their deserts,

interprets laws

differently

and a comparative

lull ensues.

criminals

NATIVE POLICE.

260

for years striven to effect the intro-

Mr. Campbell has

duction of various simple measures with a view to lessening

some

of the evils

complained

Such

of.

are the preliminary

investigation of cases ere granting warrants and summonses

This was instituted in 1872, as was also the pay-

wholesale.

ment

of a trilling stamp-duty,

amounting only

to 15 cents

on each criminal charge and 5 cents on each subpoena of an

accused person, or of one
Incredible as

it

may

summoned

as a witness.

seem, these petty and vexatious cases,

which in 1871 had numbered 68,832, at once

1872

in

That stamp

fees

amounting

to

46,701

fell to

few pence

should in one year have kept 22,131 cases out of court

how

good proof of

frivolous

and

false

were the pretexts

is

for

litigation.

Unfortunately, in 1888 the process was in a measure

The 25-cent duty was taken

reversed.

off of all

of voluntarily causing hurt, consequently the

to utterly frivolous,

charges
tax

suffices

to

litigious people

of

and certainly in most cases

the lesson to be learnt being that

charges

one

one year from 6820 to 20,052, mainly

class of cases rose in

owing

list

deter

large

number

of

"

false

the trifling

vindictive, idle,

from using the courts as engines to oppress

their neighbours."

In one very common

no

man

can be

safe,

class of accusation, against

whole question turns on which

number

which

namely, that of grave immorality, the

of false witnesses,

man

can bribe the largest

and the innocent accused

is

very

often obliged to purchase safety by paying his accuser to

let the

charge drop.

If the besetting sin of the Singhalese is their inordinate love

of litigation, this certainly is fostered

some law

of inheritance,

by

which results

in

their very trouble-

such minute sub-

PERPLEXING LAW OF INHERITANCE/

261

divisions of property that the 199th share of a field, or a

50th of a small garden, containing perhaps a dozen palms

and a few plaintains, becomes a

which the claim was

to a case in

the produce of ten cocoa-palms

source of legal

fruitful

Emerson Tennant

contention, quarrels, and crime.

for the

alludes

2520th share

in

As a sample of this sort of litigation, the Rev. R. Spence

Hardy quoted an instance of an intricate claim on disputed property, in which the case of the plaintiff was as
follows
to

"

By

one-fourth

mother

am

one-eighth.
entitled

to

inheritance through

one-third

of

of

my

father I

am

entitled

Through

one-eighth.

my

further entitled to one-fourth of one-third of

By

purchase from one set of co-heirs

one-ninety-sixth, from

another

set

also

am
one-

ninety-sixth, and from a third set one-ninety-sixth more.

Finally, from a fourth set of co-heirs I have purchased the

144th

There

of the whole."

a landowner can begin to

But though these

till

is

a nice question to solve ere

his field or reap its produce.

difficult

questions must always have

proved a fruitful source of contention,

years that the

number

of

only in recent

is

gentlemen of the

has increased so enormously.

in

it

legal

profession

Mr. Spence Hardy, writing

1864, stated that sixty years previously there were in

the Isle only two

advocates.

Even

Dutchmen who

in that time the

did the whole work of

number had

increased to

16 advocates, 135 proctors, and 144 notaries.

Now,

as

we

enter on the last decade of the century, there

are about 300 advocates

notaries

and

proctors,

and

solicitors

and

have increased in proportion, besides an incalcu-

lable brood of self-styled lawyers of the lowest species,

who

infest every village tribunal, " outdoor proctors," as they

are called,

who

gain their

own

living

by inciting the people


NATIVE POLICE.

262
to litigation,

the whole country

till

and summonses, resulting

is

flooded with warrants

in a large proportion of the popu-

courts or on the

lation spending their time either in the

road between them

and their houses, greatly to their

own

impoverishment.
It

is,

many

perhaps, not to be wondered at that so

favour

a profession in which the highest honours are equally open

to all without distinction of race

Singhalese or Tamil, Por-

tuguese or Dutch, Eurasian or European, have equal chances

in the race for distinction as barristers, magistrates, or judges.

In looking over the

Thus among the

twenty-one De

Southern Province I find

guished by such high-sounding

first

Sameresingha, Wickremanaike,
to the

Colombo

names predomi-

curiously certain

nate in certain districts.

am much

of these legal names, I

list

how

struck by observing

names

notaries in the

as Goonewardene,

Turning

Piajakuruna, &c.

district, I find in succession

family of Perera with such Christian

distin-

Silvas,

fourteen of the

names

as

Andris,

Of the multitude of De and

by no means necessarily implying

Juan, Paulus, Manual, &c.

Don

there

is

no end,

many of the families of

Kandyan blood took these names
from the god-father of their Christian baptism thus we
have Don Philip De Alvis, Don Charles Appuhamy, Don
Portuguese descent, but because so

purest Singhalese and

Carolis Senevaratna,
nis
1

Don

Francisco "VVeresakara,

Amarasakara, Domingo
I trust

De

these gentlemen will pardon

Don

Joha-

Mendis.^

my

quoting real names to illustrate

an interesting subject.

As a sample

of pleasant

names

for daily use, I

cannot

resist

paragraph from a Ceylon paper which happens to be lying before

"

quoting a

me

A MuRDEREK Wanted. Induruwabadahelage Jema of Talawala, charged

with the murder, on July 20th

has fled from justice.

lead to his apprehension

last,

of one Pepiliyanebadahelage Barlis Barbos,

large reward

is

offered for such information as shall

and conviction."


MANY LAWYERS.

TOO

Some

historical

may

suggestion

263

perhaps be

gathered

from the geographical distribution of these names.

in the

list of

Thus

notaries for the district of Colombo, I observe

nine with the prefix De, and upward of forty with that
of

Don.

In Kalutara, out of

In the Eastern and Xorthern Pro-

are thus distinguished.

vinces, including Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Jaffna,

of

not one.

is

about

notaries, not

In the Central Province a dozen in a hundred

prefix.

there

own

twenty-three

Ratnapura has sixteen

these honorific prefixes.

one

fifty-one,

fifty,

and Manaar,

In the Southern Province, out

twenty-four are

De and

of a total

only one Don.

In

the North-West Province, Chilaw owns one in fifteen, and

Kurunegalla, out of a
It

would

be

list of

twenty-seven, furnishes one Don.

interesting

to

know whether

names

the

accepted in the last century as a passport to State employ-

ment

retain

any

special traditionary interest for their pre-

sent owners.

Where

so

many have

elected to earn their

fosterinfj the natural love of litigation

men,

it

and the oftener

lawyers.
in

amoucj their countrv-

follows that the blessing of the peacemakers

last thing to be desired,

out,

own bread by

it

is

postponed, the better

for

In this respect matters have not mended

1849, Major

system of our

is

the

and the longer a case can be spun

Thomas Skinner wrote: "The

district courts

the

since,

prevailing

admits of the proctors feed-

ing upon their clients for years.

wherein the judicial stamps have

...
far

have seen instances

exceeded the value of

the case under adjudication, and which, by numberless vexatious

of

postponements, have been protracted over a period

many

years, to the ruin of both plaintiff

the proctors by their fees, and the

and defendant

Government by the

of judicial stamps, being tlie only gainers."

sale


NATIVE POLICE.

264

For one thing, criminal cases are constantly brought

court so

ill

to

prepared as to necessitate being postponed again

and again, thus wasting the time

of magistrates, prosecutors,

and witnesses.

Another thing by which the business

very unnecessarily delayed

is

of the

courts

is

by the invariable employment

of magistrate's interpreters.

In India, where in each Pre-

many

different languages, each magis-

sidency there are so

trate

bound

is

in the

master whatever

to

own

conduct of his

supreme

requisite

is

court, interpreters being only

courts.

for

the

employed

In Ceylon, although there are only

two native languages, in which every newcomer has

to pass

examinations, every word spoken in court, every question

and every answer, must be repeated through an

work and the time expended.

just doubling the

Among

interpreter,

the cases which call for considerable detective

those of forging bank-notes and coins, the former

skill are

being generally the joint- work of professional engravers and

manu-

surveyors, while the false rupees, though generally

factured by Singhalese goldsmiths, are occasionally proved

to be the

the

handiwork

requisite

skill

of

Buddhist

priests,

by casting images

who have acquired

The
of Buddha
!

Buddhist priests are said to be the chief money-lenders and

usurers,

and

it

whispered that they contribute rather a

is

large proportion to the catalogue of felons, though, to avoid

Some

years

in full canonicals, just to

show

scandal, they are generally unrobed before

ago, however, one

that British law

As
for

was hanged
is

no respecter

trial.

of persons.

regards deaths from violence or accident, the statistics

1889 show that during that year inquests were held in

the Isle on the bodies of 2166 persons.

But there must

have been many more whose deaths was never heard of

REGISTRATION OF SERVANTS COMPULSORY.

men and women who from

265

sickness or weakness perished

by lonely roadsides, or were killed by wild beasts in jungles,

or

murdered and secretly buried,

drowned

say nothing of those

to

and tanks.

in the sea, the rivers, lakes,

Among the details of these deaths are 125 suicides, of

whom 21 drowned themselves and the rest hanged themselves

121

383 by

from

died

drowning in

falling

from

trees,

by accidentally

87

snake-bites,

and tanks, 13L by

rivers

falling into wells,

and 33 from gunshot wounds.

(The increasing misuse of firearms forms a notable feature

Almost every year wild beasts are

in recent police reports.)

responsible for a certain proportion of deaths bears, elephants,

;

chetahs, boars, buffaloes,

alligators,

and even hornets and

bees, each doing their part in thus thinning the population.

To glance
Ceylon, one

at the
of

pleasanter aspects

of

police-work in

Mr. Campbell's most successful schemes

has been the Servants' Registration Ordinance, by which

every servant

is

bound

to

have a pocket

register, in

which

his antecedents are recorded, as are also the beginning

and

new service, and the character he has acquired

in each.
The registrars are assistant-superintendents of
police.
The scheme has proved invaluable in the prevention of one of the commonest forms of burglary, made easy
end

of each

by the connivance
Alas

of servants.

here as elsewhere familiarity with the white race

does not always tend to raise them in the veneration of their

brown

Mr. Campbell says

brothers.

by in which we
the night.

"

Much

of the old contentedness

respect for the European has gone, and

citements
satisfied."

The days have gone

could leave the house-door unbarred during

and

of the old

new wants and

amongst them drinking and gambling

must

ex-

be

NATIVE POLICE.

266

In a country whose wealth consists so largely in

course, are a continual source of

of

these,

wide extent

thieves, not only in the

it

of

when

crops,

growing crops, which

scarcely possible for planters to guard, but

is

its

temptation to

still

more

these are gathered and travelling from the store to the

Take, for instance, the transport of coffee from

market.

a plantation in

hundred
cart-load

is

Uva

Colombo, a distance of perhaps two

to

by road,

miles,

river,

and either lake or

rail.

Each

worth about 1000 rupees, each boat-load about

10,000 rupees.

Under the

old system each cart-load

was intrusted

to

the sole care of a carter, and each boat-load to that of a

whom,

crew, of

in either case, " the senders generally

knew

absolutely nothing, and in whose honesty they had every

cause

disbelieve

to

The consequence was that whole

"

In one case the police

cart-loads sometimes disappeared.

had the

satisfaction of

convicting a carter and a native

who had thus appropriated 400 bushels

agent

valued at 4500 rupees

tent with freely helping themselves

These carts were

lost

sight of for

which travelled from Eatnapura

and lake was

for as

at the

many days

mercy

as they

families to manipulate

So that throughout
ject

to

pilfering

other depredators,

and

filled

at

of

coffee,

Less audacious thieves were con-

it

its

fit,

and the

Colombo by

to

of the

saw

from the coffee-bags.

weeks

coffee

river, canal,

boatmen, who could halt

and

call the aid of their

as they pleased.

long journey the coffee was sub-

the hands of

who sometimes

up the sacks with

drivers,

boatmen, and

stole half the

good beans

inferior ones, or else

made up

weight and bulk by swelling the remainder with water, so

that

and

it

reached the London market deteriorated in colour

in value.

REGISTRATION OF CARTS AND DOGS.

2G7

To counteract this mischief, Mr. Campbell devised a simple

and very effectual system of cart registration. He established police-stations at

and

to

along the road

Kalutara (whence the sea-

railway conveys the freight to Colombo), and each

coast

loaded cart or boat

is

is

compelled to report

whence the exact date

of these stations,
start

regular intervals

from Eatnapura

river

itself

intimated day by day to the Chamber of

Thus the precious produce

at Colombo.

care throughout

its

at each

of its arrival

Commerce

under

is

and

strict

journey, and theft becomes well-nigh

impossible.

The regulation
pilgrim camps

is

amount

and the

of suffering

and mortality, and the too pro-

bable development of cholera in the

The system

strict sanitation of

by Mr. Campbell, thereby preventing a very

lently enforced
large

of pilgrimages

another of the schemes devised and excel-

Isle.

of police registration of all

dogs

enforced in the principal towns, that Ceylon

Each

measure exempt from hydrophobia.

so rigidly

is

is

in a great

registered

dog

must wear a stamped municipal collar, obtained by his

owner on payment of a small fee, and any luckless dogs
not provided with this safeguard are captured and carried
in a large cage

on wheels to a pond, where, unless claimed

within forty-eight hours, they are either shot or drowned

(by bodily immersing the cage in water).

A matter which
been how

to

has involved

(by the teaching of

Buddha being

and utterly neglected

much

care and thought has

check cruelty to animals in this land, where

carried out in the letter

in the spirit) life

must not be taken

at least not the life of lower animals, for that of

beings

is

by no means so secure

consequence.

The cruelty

so

But

common

suflering
in

Ceylon

human
is

of no
is

nut

NATIVE POLICE.

2G8

many

wanton, as in too

countries, but

seems to

arise

from

sheer callousness to the tortures which are carelessly inflicted

on poor suSering creatures.

deer, hares, snipe, doves,

alive

days and hawked about in hopes of obtaining a

sale.

&c.,
for

Thus

badly wounded and with broken bones, are kept

Six or eight fowls are tightly tied together by the

and

feet,

are then strung, head downwards, from the ends of a stick

balanced on the shoulder, and are thus carried for miles,

cackling in anguish,

are not

till

Even

do so any more.

they are too weak and suSering to

the lovely

green parroquets

little

Large numbers are

exempt from cruel treatment.

crammed

captured in the neighbourhood of Chilaw, and

mat

bags, the

carried,

mouth

which

of

is

tied

into

up, and these are

slung from the ends of a stick,

all

the

way

to

Colombo, where the survivors find a ready market.

Fat pigs are thus fastened

two men, the cord by which

deep into the

flesh,

to

a stick, carried between

their poor legs are tied cutting

and causing such pain that the wretched

pig sometimes dies ere reaching his destination.

tem

of

The

sys-

branding cattle by burning elaborate patterns

over them (to the destruction of the hide)

is

the plea that doing so prevents rheumatism.

does so or not,

all

by
Whether it

justified

assuredly causes the poor beast excruci-

it

ating agony.

Worst

of all

tised in the

is

the barbarity, formerly

commonly

prac-

open market, and not yet wholly put down, of

selling large live turtles piecemeal,

each purchaser pointing

out the exact slice he desired, while the wretched fellowcreature lay writhing and gasping in agony for hours,

the last-comer

came

being the only \atal part

tinue to live

and

till

to claim the heart and head, the latter

;

for,

wonderful to

sufler after the heart

tell,

turtles con-

has been cut out.

PREVENTION OF CRCELTY TO ANIMALS.

is

now apparent

in over-driving wretched worn-out horses,

which are too

The commonest form

is

2G9

often brutally beaten to

in

which cruelty

make them drag weights

far

beyond

their strength.

In 1862 a law was enacted

and

animals, elephants,

for the protection of

turtles,

but

it

domestic

does not appear to

about ten years ago.

In

1881, however, the police were exhorted to greater

dili-

have been

strictly enforced till

gence in this matter, with such excellent

that date

under

Moreover, a strong Society for the Pre-

this head.

vention of Cruelty to Animals has

it

hoped

is

In the

first

will prove

six

since

been upwards of 3000 convictions

have

there

effect that

now been

formed, which

a valuable auxiliary to the police.

months

of

1891

cruelty against 229 persons in

secured convictions of

it

Colombo

alone.

In addition to the regular duties of the police, a severe

strain of

work

in

Southern India in 1377, from which time

1880 thousands

till

Such

occasionally arises from external causes.

was the famine

of poor starved creatures found their

hoping to obtain employment on the

way

to Ceylon,

but

who from weakness and

illness

estates,

were totally unable

to

work.

These helpless creatures, men, women, and children,

duced by starvation

to

mere apathy, were

re-

collected from

Hundreds were found dead or dying, and

The survivors were carried to
received decent burial.
temporary hospitals, where they were cared for and fed till
the roadsides.

they were able to work or travel,

on their
clothing,

when they were

heljied

journey, the naked being furnished with needful

and

to India

provided for such as

own homes.

So cheaply was this

free passages

longed to return to their

managed, that the average

cost of the journey

for

each

NATIVE POLICE.

270

Food

was under two rupees.

coolie

and a small sum

also provided,

to

tion on their journey from the coast to their

very onerous

pearl-fishery,

as

" occasional

may

voyage was

for the

keep them from starva-

duty

"

own

village.

the care of the

is

well be imagined, were

only in

it

guarding the sanitation of the huge camp of 10,000 persons

on the arid sea-beach, to which are daily brought millions

of oysters to putrefy in the

about sixty police

is

The presence

burning sun.

of

required for about eighty days, during

They must

which they have charge of everything.

strictly

guard the only available drinking-water; they are responsible

for the orderly

and punctual

start of all the boats,

ing about two hundred, and for seeing that each

by

member

twice with
at

of the civil boatguard,

the same tindal and

is

numberescorted

who must never

The boats

crew.

sail

start

midnight and return the following afternoon, when the

oysters are carried ashore in

police have to

then, in all weather, to

see that

wade out and search the boats to

They must also

no oysters have been secreted.

which the precious

ceaselessly guard the enclosure within

are stored, for

shells

when an uncomfortable

and reveals a tempting

pearl,

coolies ready to snatch it

But

up and swallow

there

is

large

it

oyster gapes,

are plenty

there

small enough, they might conceal

nail.

and the European

baskets,

keep close watch during the unloading, and

it,

or,

of eager
if

it

is

under a long finger-

so well do the police guard the treasure, that

no reason to believe that either the pearls or the

sums

of

money brought

for their

purchase are ever

length

on the police and

stolen.

Having discoursed
their manifold

at

duties, I

such

may add

that

also a very efficient volunteer regiment

Ceylon has

now

the Ceylon Light

CEYLON LIGHT INFANTRY CORPS.

Infantry Corps, which in 1885
ofi&cers.

271

numbered 930, including

is composed of repre-

Like the police, this force

sentatives of all the nationalities on the Isle, namely, 200

British-born, 454

Eurasians,

are at Colombo,

86 Malays, 53 Tamils, 107

The headquarters

Singhalese, and 33 others.

but companies

are

of

the force

stationed at

Kaudy,

Badulla, and Kurunegalla.

Long may

it

be ere they are called out to defend the

beautiful Isle against foreign foes

^

Since the retirement of Sir G.

W.

R. Campbell from public service, the

police force in each province has been placed

Government Agent, who

for the
for

is

maintenance of order.

hope that there

sale of arrack.

under the direction of the

held responsible for the suppression of crime and

is room
more extensive

Under these circumstances, there

will henceforth be less zeal in

promoting

A
079

CHAPTER XXIV.
IN

THE PLANTING DISTRICTS,

Kurunegalla Monastery of Lanka Tileka On AUegalla Peak

Gangarowa In the planting districts The Wilderfootprint
ness of the Peak in 1849 and now Lack of fuel King Coffee versus
King Tea Insect foes Cacao A planter's cares Sick coolies

Names

Among

of estates.

the various cities which in ancient and mediaeval

ages successively ranked as the

capital

the Isle are

of

Kurunegalla, anciently called Hastisailapura, and Gampola,

formerly called Ganga-sri-pura, " the sacred city beside the
river."

The former, which

is

58 miles from Colombo, was

the Royal residence and that of the precious Tooth from

A.D.

1319 to

A.D. 1347,

when Gampola had

its turn.

Taking the train from Colombo to Polgahawella station,

a crowded native coach carried

me

" the beetle rock," which

named from

is

so

thence to Kurunegalla,
a huge almost

bare mass of reddish gneiss rock, shaped like a gigantic

beetle.

The

enormous red

country

hereabouts

rounded rocks, one

is

of

doted

Aetagalla,

these

which bears some

resemblance to a kneeling elephant, and

"

with

the rock of the tusk elephant."

is

hence called

It is a goodly

mass, three miles in length, and towers to a height of 600

feet

above the plain and 1096 above the

sea.

The pretty

KURUNEGALLA.
town and lake

little

is

of just the

the base of the great rock, which

lie at

same character

Dambool and others

Here the
Eel Rock " and a " Tor-

as that at

which we had seen on the way

Anuradhapura.

to

zoological suggestions include an "

toise

273

Hock."

The country from which

of red rock

is

spersed with palms and

districts

these cyclopean boulders

rise

a level expanse of fertile rice-land, inter-

for hot

it is

the vegetation of the hottest

all

in truth, as is evident

from the great

tree-cactuses which flourish in the crevices of the rock.

An

important industry of this district

or rather pit-digging, as

what

superficially

are, how'ever,

it

is

plumbago-mining,

has hitherto been carried on some-

by native merchants.

Hundreds

of

men

employed, and thousands of tons are annually

brought hence to Colombo.

The Government Agent's house,

pitably entertained

wide white-pillared

pleasant

verandah

in

occupies

was hos-

wliich I

red-tiled

bungalow, with
the

site

of the

Maligawa, the ancient palace of the kings of Kandy, as

is

by suggestive sculptured stones and fragments

attested

of pillars, a favourite resting-place for peacocks of splendid

plumage.

But more striking than these are the majestic

which cover the ground

trees

magnificent park, their

as in a

huge stems supported by wide-spreading

roots, wliich cover

the ground for a very wide radius, forming buttresses like

Some

low walls.

of these

ai'e

so

deep that a

man

standing

near the base of the tree can only just rest his arm on

one of the

trees,

The most remarkable

roots.

Kon and Labu

whose

trees

roots,

there

are

of these

also great

though not forming such high

walls, are

equally remarkable and labyrinthine.

VOL.

II.

are the

India-rubber

THE PLANTING DISTRICTS.

IN

271<

The town

little

is

more than a

village with native bazaar

and neat bungalows, each in a pleasant garden, inhabited

by Burghers of Dutch and Portuguese extraction.

chiefly

Steep paths and rock-hewn steps lead to the summit of the

rock, near

rock

which

is

a level space between two shoulders of

a green oasis of cocoa-palms

among which

and other

fruit-trees,

stands a large dagoba containing a model of

the holy footprint on Adam's

Peak

(the

Peak

itself,

being visible from this point).

come

parts of the island, partly to visit

liere

from

all

about

Pilgrims

forty miles distant,

some

ruins on the extreme summit, which are those of a temple

wherein P)uddha's venerated Tooth was stored during four

had been brought here from Pollanarua in

reie:ns, after it

A.D.

1319.

Of

course,

view from this isolated height

the

extensive and very

is

very

but the heat radiating from the

fine,

sun-scorched rocks was well-nigh unbearable, and suggestive of sunstroke, which, however, strange to say, is of very

rare occurrence in Ceylon.

the

still

lake

and

its

was glad

cool shade of the great trees,

and

We

lilies.

to descend to the

to drive at sunset beside

went to

call

Moodliar, to see a bright yellow parroquet, which

unique.

It

was captured

on
is

in a flock of the usual bright

the
quite

eme-

rald-green ones, which abound here, as elsewhere, through-

out the low country.

few days later found

me

at

Gampola, which

for a little

season succeeded Kurunegalla as capital of Ceylon.

a very pretty place,

and

It is

have happy memories of pleasant

evenings of peaceful boating on the lovely bamboo-fringed

river

but on this occasion I only halted here on

with friends to

visit

dhist temple of

Lanka

the

very interesting

Tileka,

my way

ancient

Bud-

which was erected by King

TEMPLE OF LAXKA TILEKA.

Bhuwaneka-Baliu IV.

iu a.d.

has only stood for

u'tiich

modern, but this one

ingly

several storeys high,

centuries

walls,

is

enough

at least old

is

with

picturesque,

In Ceylon a temple

1344.

five

275

partly

red,

comparatively
to be exceed-

partly

white,

and high-pitched roofs with dull-red

tiles.

It is

most beautifully situated on the crown of a great

mass of red rock, which

like
is

not romantic, but

rises

it

just describes

from the deep circular valley,

which

time of

at the

rock basin

rises in the centre of a

an inverted cup standing in a bowl.

my

visit

all

how

own

the simile

the grand rock

devoted to

were flooded,

like

rice-fields,

innumerable

blue curving lakes, separated by their embankments.

With the exception

of the bare summit, on which the

monastery stands so conspicuously, the whole basin

From

can be conceived.
plantain

a dense

its

tall

areca,

and various other palms, with here and there

magnificent talipat-palm

above

densely

undergrowth of huge

and banana leaves tower clusters of

kitool, cocoa,

is

the most luxuriant tropical vegetation that

clothed with

fellows,

rearing

its

stately

head

far

or else a dark bread-fruit or jak tree.

the palm with fronds like gigantic maiden-

(The kitool

is

hair fern.)

In short,

all

manner

of fruit

and flower bearing

trees flourish in perfection in this sheltered valley.

We drove

as far as wheels could travel,

and there bearers,

with a wicker arm-chair securely attached to bamboos, were

in readiness to carry

me

the rest of the way.

ment Agent had kindly sent

hatmeya, the great

local

instructions to

The Governthe Katama-

authority, who, with permi.ssion

of the chief priest, had prepared for us the

Bana ^fadoowa,

or preaching-hall, which stands a short distance below the

temple.

Here we found two comfortable bedrooms and

IN TilE PLANTING DISTRICTS.

276

dining-room hung with

calico,

and otherwise ready

Strange to say, only one-fifth of this temple

The other four

Buddhists.

of the

Hindoo, to which, we were

told, there

and that even the Buddhist

is

are

parts

for us.

in the

hands

deivali

or

was "no admittance,"

might not

priests

would

or

not enter.
I regretted this the
that I gladly devoted

less,
all

of the wliole scene from

a crowd of Singhalese
tied at

as the exterior

my

is

so picturesque

time to secure a large sketch

across the valley, in presence of

women and

every heavy rain-shower.

children, who, however,

The

leeches were not so

and were most persistent in their attentions

easily routed,

but one cannot have such glorious vegetation without some

drawbacks, and the loveliness of the clear moonlight fully

compensated

One
effective

for the tearful day.

of the

temple buildings

hanging

tiles

the

right angle,

is

edged with extremely

edging the upper

roof.

Each forms

ornamental front being about

fifteen

inches in length, decorated with a flower scroll and imaginary

Some

lion.

of these had fallen (for the place was

much

neglected), and, with consent of the priest, I carried one

back to Britain, thinking that some one would be glad of

the

design as

dairy

but

it

decorative

touch for a school or fancy

museum,

I think

from Gampola to Kaduganawa

station,

only found a welcome in a

at Inverness.

Returning by
I

rail

was there met by very kind

friends,

who had brought

a chair fastened to bamboos, and a party of luggage-coolies

to carry

me and my

goods to their delightful bungalow

(Oolanakanda), perched far up the steep face of Allegalla

The many pleasant days which on

several occasions

I spent in that sweet home, with its music

and flowers and

Peak.

AT HOME ON ALLEOALLA PEAK.

sunny
of the

among my

are

faces,

I only wish

it

happiest memories of Ceylon.

were possible

for

words to convey something

charm of such surroundings, of majestic

streams,

and fruit-bearing

chietly coffee,

trees,

crags, clear

with varied cultivation,

on the most impossible- looking ground

steep and rocky

and

up from the railway

eagle's eerie

277

all this

far

so

at such a height that, looking

below, one could only imagine an

perched at such a height.

Of course the outlook thence was a dream of delight,

whether on clear days, when each field in the great cultivated plain well-nigh two thousand feet below us, and each
farthest

mountain peak, was

defined; or when,

faultlessly

as occasionally in the early mornings, the whole valley was

hidden by fleecy clouds of rolling mist, like a vast

dotted with dark wooded

So steep was the

hills.

we

could

almost

seemed as though

hill-face, that it

thrown

have

sea,

which are the summits of

isles,

pebbles from

heights to alight in the tropics only a

trifle

those

cool

above the sea-

level.

One day we climbed

(3394 feet above the

to

sea),

the very summit of the Peak

there to inspect a large

artificial

hollow in the rock in imitation of Buddha's footprint on

Adam's Peak.

This one

is

pretension to being genuine.

It

and makes no

defined,

well

is

simply representative,

and worshippers who cannot make pilgrimage to the true

Sri

Pada climb up

here,

to

make

their

while looking towards Adam's Peak, which

simple offerings,
rises

sharp and

clear on the horizon.

At

that high level even unsettled weather

was a positive

gain, for the radiant sunshine alternating with down-pours

of rain produced endlessly varied cloud and storm effects,

and certain sunsets remain stamped on

my memory, when

2/8
the

THE PLANTING DISTRICTS.

IN

uplifting of heavy curtains of purple cloud

dreamy glimpses of blue-green

sky,

revealed

and then gleams of

gold and lurid red shed an unearthly light on clouds

fiery

and mountains.
Before each rain-storm there was a strange oppressive
followed

stillness,

by an awakening breeze, with stormy

gusts sweeping up chilling mists, which preceded the heavy

rain.

few moments later and down

it

poured in sheets,

transforming dry paths into beds of rushing torrents, and

swelling tiny rivulets to impassable floods.

One day

was

sitting alone

under the shelter of some

great masses of rock fallen from the crag overhead, and

being absorbed in

my

sketching, took no heed of a terrific

thunderstorm which broke right overhead, followed by

The

rain.

me

friendly rocks sheltered

purposed remaining in sanctuary

when suddenly down came

my

pouring right through

till

my paint-bos on
rescue my picture and
the

all

was glad

above

my

above,

my

various possessions,

a high ledge and clambered back to

its

By

waterproof cover.

way back the path was

streams,

hill

nest.

I got out of this trap, the water

all

the storm was over,

a torrent from the

In the sudden scramble to save

I laid

pitiless

so effectually, that I

was up

crossed

ankles.

to reach the friendly

It

to

my

the time

knees, and

by countless extempore

was a tiring walk, and

bungalow once more.

But imagine my dismay on finding that, in the hurry of

had left the precious paint-box on the rocky ledge,
whence in all probability it had been washed away by the
flight, I

flood

so there

Such a

loss

would have been utterly irreparable

was nothing for

it

but to divest myself of

unnecessary raiment, and retrace

possible, in

my

steps as

all

quickly as

the hope of retrieving this dear companion of

PLEASANT HOMES.

my

my

To

wanderings.

279

inexpressible delight I found

high and dry, the spate having passed just below

it,

it

so I

returned in triumph.

By

the time these mountain torrents have reached the

railway level far below, they have gathered such volume

and such impetus, that a sudden thunderstorm sometimes

renders the line impassable, owing to the rush of waters
across

or

it,

falling

muddy

in

Trains occasionally receive

programme, and the

the

cascades

right

on

to

it.

shower-baths by no means in
rice-fields

in the

valley are

all

suddenly transformed to lakes.

This was

many

my

first

experience of a planter's home, one of

in all parts of the Isle, differing in

many

respects,

according to situation, and consequent cultivation, but

alike in the

all

warm-hearted cordial hospitality which made

each successive

visit so pleasant.

Another delightful home in which I found repeated wel-

come was Gangarowa,

most lovely estate on the banks of

the beautiful Mahavelli River, opposite the Peradenya Botanical Gardens.

This was the

first

plantation

started

by Sir Edward

Barnes in 1825, when he had opened up the country by

making the road

a

experimental,

Kandy.

to

little

of

planting

All

everything

was

being then

tried,

so

that

monotony of a large estate all devoted to

had the charm of infinite variety.
Gangarowa
product,
one
Sad experience has now taught most planters the wisdom
but when I
of not carrying all their eggs in one basket
instead of the

was

in Ceylon,

King

Coffee reigned supreme, and in

many

districts literally nothing else was cultivated over an area

of

many

miles.

reach, up

hill

In every direction, as

and down

dale,

it

was

fiir

as the eye could

all coffee, coffee, coffee.


280

Of
and

THE PLANTING DISTRICTS.

IN

uniformity was singularly unattractive,

course, such

as I passed

from one great

in various parts of

coffee district to another

Dimbula, Dickoya, Maskeliya, Kalibooka,

The Knuckles, Deltotte, &c., I confess to having often

longed for some of the vanished glories of the forests of
which I had heard so much from earlier settlers on the Isle,

who had

told

me how between

hundreds of exquisite

little

the clearings there remained

nooks with streams trickling

under tree-ferns, green dragonflies skimming over quiet

pools and glorious forest-trees overhead

every ravine denuded, and

I found

instead of which

the totally unshaded

streams avenging themselves by washing as

much

soil as

possible from the roots of the nearest coffee-trees.

But

if

those earlier settlers saw Ceylon in greater beauty

than do those of the present generation, they also had to

face very

much harder

conditions of

life,

living perhaps six-

teen miles or more from even a cart-road, and feeding on

salt

beef and biscuit

never by any chance tasting milk,

bread, or potatoes.

Now

few need have such rough

fare,

and many of the

men have the cosiest of houses, enlivened by music

and singing, new books and magazines, happy healthy chilmarried

dren, excellent food, pleasant intercourse with neighbours

in short, all that can tend to

make

the wheels of

life

glide

smoothly.

In truth,

it is

difficult to realise that it is less

a century since the whole Central Province, right

than half

up

to the

very summit of the highest mountains, was clothed with

dense impenetrable forests, so rapidly have they disappeared

before

the

planters.

diligent

and

ruthless

hands of indefatigable

Indeed, so precious has every acre become, that

comparatively

few

men

even

allow

themselves a garden

HIDEOUS WHOLESALE CLEARING.

round

their

own bungalows, though with

281

the smallest care

such a garden becomes a tiny paradise, where orange, lime,

and other fruit-bearing

and

manner

all

gardenias and scarlet

trees,

lilies,

and gorgeous blossoms grow

of fragrant

in

endless profusion.

few such gardens we did

and therein lingered

see,

with delight beneath the cool shadow of large orange-trees,

laden with blossom and ripe

with

Asa

dreary clearings.
to be

fruit,

on which we feasted

the more enjoyment after toiling for hours through

all

met with

and

rule,

however, such an oasis

I grieve to say that

tasteful planters of the last generation

even where some

all

passers-by,

owners, in their thirst for gold, uprooted the blessed

room

flowers in order to gain

little

rarely

had bordered their

roads with hedges of delicious roses, a joy to

new

is

bushes (as

to aggravate

Of course,

my

for

one more row of nasty

delighted in calling the young cofifee-trees,

friends of the planting community).

in a wholesale

of forest could be reserved

clearing,

so the

no precious morsel

man who

craved for one

shady tree to overshadow his house must plant

and wait

till it

is

position

himself

grew, otherwise he could hope for nothing

more imposing than

height

it

feet

beyond

or

his

3 feet

this,

his bushes to grow,

own

coffee

shrubs, whose allotted

inches, according

to

their

the British planter does not suffer

though round the native houses they

attain to the size of Portugal laurels in this country, and

notwithstanding this liberty bear a luxuriant crop of scarlet

berries.

So the general

effect

of a

been taken into cultivation

district
is

which has recently

singularly

hideous.

as the eye can reach, range beyond range of hills

all

Kar

show

the same desolate expanse of blackened tree-trunks, for the

282

IN

most part

THE PLANTING

DISTEICTS.

but a certain number

felled,

still

upright

weird and dreary scene, as you would think had you to

up and down these steep

toil

oh

tliinking,

how

in the burning sun,

hills

regretfully, of the cool green forest shade

which has been so ruthlessly destroyed.

Sometimes
us

when

we were

the path along which

a boundary-line between

land

was brought very vividly before

this contrast

the one so dismal, with

all its fierceness

wild confusion

formed

scorching sun beating in

on the black prostrate trunks, tossed in

among the

rocks, the other fresh

sant to the eye, with an undergrowth

and a thousand other forms

ferns

to travel

reclaimed and unreclaimed

the

and plea-

exquisite tree-

of

beauty growing in

of

rank luxuriance, and telling of cool hidden streamlets that

beneath the shade of great

trickle

matted with

many

trees,

brilliant flowering creepers, or

tufts of orchids

of

them

studded with

flowers of the mist.

Very soon the glory

the

of

primeval forests will be

altogether a tale of the past so far as the hill districts

are concerned, for a few years
scarlet rhododendrons,

and

all

will

have utterly vanished.

ever

for

Nature

wherever a planter

an encroaching weed (and

hence, the tree-ferns and

such useless jungle loveliness,

is

is

very forgiving, how-

found so careless as to suffer

am bound

to confess

ful slovenliness is rare), she clothes the steep

such grace-

banks and cut-

tings along the road with a wilderness of dainty ferns of

every

sort,

and the richest tangle

of a magnified edition of

our stag's-horn moss, which grows in wildest luxuriance.

After
forests,

all,

even while bewailing the destruction of beautiful

we were

driven to confess that but for the labours

of the planters the glories of the interior

mained

to us sealed books.

As

it

was,

we

must have

re-

travelled hither


skinner's prophecy.
and

thither,

and explored scenes which but a few years ago

would have been

When

283

simply unattainuljle.

to us

in 1840 Lieutenant Skinner ascended

Adam's Peak,

and looking down from that high summit on range beyond

range

all

densely clothed with pathless forest, totally im-

penetrable save where elephants had cleared roads for themselves,

to

he foretold that this region was destined ere long

become the garden of Ceylon

a garden of European as

well as tropical productions, peopled with

European as well

he was jeered at for his prediction.

Yet he maintained his conviction for " who," he said,

as Asiatic faces

"

can enjoy this perfect climate

without feeling that

it

thermometer

at

G8'

would be conferring a blessing on

humanity, by clearing this trackless wilderness of from

200,000 to 300,000 acres of forest, to be the means of re-

moving some 20,000

of the panting, half-famished creatures

from the burning sandy plains of Southern India to such

own

Singhalese

people inhabiting the margin of this wilderness,

now com-

comparative paradise, and also benefiting our

pelled to hide in places scarcely accessible to man, in order

to render their dwellings inaccessible to elephants,
of

them unable

a morsel of salt

to cultivate a grain of
"

by

to see the ancient in-

immigrant labourers from the

habitants of the Isle, the

coast of Coromandel,

say, the

and many

to procure

Major Skinner lived long enough

peacefully side

paddy or

and European planters

side

on reclaimed lands.

all

working

But sad

to

opening up of the country and the influx of foreign

gold did not prove unmixed advantages.

Skinner had to report that

"

In 1819 Major

the most profligate of the low-

country Singhalese had flocked from the maritime provinces

into the interior, and spread their contaminating influences

284
far

THE PLANTING

and wide over a previously

DISTRICTS.

sober, orderly, honest race.

Robberies and bloodshed had become familiar to the Kan-

dyan in

districts

where a few years before any amount of

property would have been perfectly safe in the open

air."

Moreover, he had to report that the vice of intemperance

had become an enormous

gaining ground.

arrack-farms was already in

of about

" It

60,000 a

is,

sublet as

and one which was rapidly

evil,

The system

full force,

of these taverns as possible

lished in almost every village of

and in opposition

it

any

size

they are estab-

throughout the

great annoyance of the inhabitants,

to the

headmen.

taste for the use of spirits,

it is

To

give the people a

often, at

first,

necessary to

knowing

gratuitously, the tavern-keepers well

with the use, the abuse follows as a certainty.

known

of

year.

interior, often to the

that,

sale

and yielding a revenue

of course," he says, " the object of the renter to

many

distribute

Government

of the

hundred could be induced to

now prevails
known to pawn

ness

I have

which, some years ago, not one in a

districts in

to such

taste spirits,

an extent that

their crops

where drunken-

villagers have

upon the ground

been

to tavern-

keepers for arrack."

Forty years have elapsed since those lines were penned,

and of those great

forests,

then known as " The Wilderness

of the Peak," scarcely a vestige remains, fully 300,000 acres

being now under cultivation, traversed by carriage-roads,

and dotted over with European homes and such important

villages as Maskeliya, Dickoya, St. Clair, Craigie-Lea, &c.

So

fully

has

the

prediction

been

carried

out,

that

Nanuoya, the present railway terminus, which twenty years

ago lay in the heart of untouched jungle,
of such busy life that last year

it

is

now

a centre

received and despatched

PLANTING AUSTRALIAN TKEES.

no

235

than 21,090 telegrams on railway business, without

less

counting private messages

while a daily average of seventy

^
;

goods waggons, laden with very varied products, were despatched thence, and as

many more

daily arrived from the

low country.

Now
totally

to preserve
also

the

that

denuded of

steed has been

forest,

and vast tracts

stolen,

Government has wisely

some fragments in the remaining

by reserving a narrow

belt of timber

streams and around their source

clearing of mountain ridges.

But

improvident

has been the

forests, that

now, whatever timber

on the banks of
and utterly

so ruthless

wholesale
is

and

by prohibiting the

also

interfered

districts,

destruction

of

the

necessary for estate

any form of carpentering,

purposes, such as building or

must be purchased, and planters in many districts have to

employ coolies on purpose to fetch firewood from loug distances.

now being made

Efforts are

ing foreign
trees,

trees, especially

to correct past errors

by plant-

the quick-growing Australian

which adapt themselves most readily to the

soil.

Amongst

these are the yarrah, casuarina, wattle, and other

acacias.

The

wattle, howevt-r,

tance to which

it

spreads

from the extraordinary

its roots,

dis-

proved such an encroach-

it became necessary to eradicate it totally.

But the various Eucalypti, i.e., the Australian gums, have

ing colonist, that

proved true friends in need, and develop in a

of their great Fatherland.

tion of
foot per

5000

feet,

month

blue

On some

manmr

wortiiy

estates at an eleva-

gums have been found

to

grow a

in the rainy season, and about six inches

per month for the

other

half

of

the

year

So these

1 At Colombo, in the same year, the railway telegrams received and despatched numbered 20,955, and post-ollice telegrams 50, -187.

IN THE PLANTING DISTRICTS.

286
gigantic

young Australians

sixty feet within five years

As

attain a height of

coffee

coffee

its

of

my

I have said, at the time of

visit to Ceylon, King

name was on every lip.

Coffee held undisputed sway, and his

Coffee

upwards

rise

and

fall

in the market

its

snowy blossoms its promise of crop the ravages of coffeebug or leaf-disease, these were the topics on which the
changes were rung morning, noon, and night but especi-

ally at

night over the pipes, which took (what seemed to

us,

vainly courting sleep) such an interminable time to smoke.

For

this is

one disadvantage in the construction of all Eastern

They

houses that I have ever seen.

room has the

are so built that every

benefit of all its neighbour's conversation, to

say nothing of that which goes on in the verandah outside

the windows.

Moreover, to secure ventilation, the interior

of most bungalows
to a certain height,

is

merely divided by partitions reaching

and above that

white canvas which checks the

high-peaked

is

the tightly-stretched

fallinof of

frao^ments from the

roof.

In the mountain

districts the

houses are of a somewhat

British type, having boarded floors, well raised above the

ground as a precaution against damp, and

most rooms.

Where

fireplaces

in

the carriage of brick from the low

country, or even stone from the mountain quarry, would be

too costly, these houses are chiefly built of

bamboo, and the interstices

filled

wood

trellised

with

with clay and plastered

over.

Alas

very soon after the days of which I speak,

Coffee fell from his throne

in all its virulence,

King

the gi'ievous leaf-disease appeared

and tens

of thousands of acres

most flourishing estates were

left

withered diseased shrubs scarcelv

fit

desolate,

on the

clothed

for firewood.

with

FIRST APPEARANCE OF THE FATAL FUXflUS.

This cruel disease {Hemileia Vcstatrb:)

is

287

a fungus

wliicli

appears in the form of orange-coloured spots on the

which presently drops

leafless
is

off,

and the shrub

and apparently dead.

leaf,

sometimes

is

left

Perhaps soon afterwards

it

again covered with leaves, but again the deadly fungus

reappears.

It

was

observed in Ceylon in

first

on a few plants in one of the eastern

districts,

May 1869
whence

it

attacked a few acres, then spread like wildfire over the whole
coffee region.

countries
roots

It appeared simultaneously in other Eastern

came

and conquered

while

and brown bugs sapped the

grubs attacked the

life-blood of the once

flourishing shrubs.

Everj^hing that ingenuity and despair could suggest was

tried in vain

collecting

and burning the diseased

high manuring, wholesale pruning.

held

its

The

leaves,

destructive fungus

ground, and the sorely-tried planters in too

many

cases were literally driven to abandon the lands which they

could not afford to work, and to seek employment under

newcomers, who, after the lapse of a few sad years, brought

fresh supplies of gold wherewith to test

new

products.

Tea,

cinchona, cacao, and various other crops were planted experimentally, with the result that Ceylon

is

now more

flourishing

than ever, with splendidly varied products, including

which in some

districts

ever, but the reigning

is

now

as fine

monarch now

is

and

as

coffee,

healthy as

Tfa, whose supre-

macy is scarcely likely ever to be disputed.

But before speaking of this new king. T will brielly glance
To begin with, it is a
at the history of coffee in Ceylon.
singular fact that not only a very large proportion of

the coffee that once clothed these thousand

hills in

but also the coffee plantations of many other lands are

lineally

descended from

all

Ceylon,
all

one plant, which, about A.D. 1090,

288

IN

was raised

THE PLANTING

in a garden at

Van Hoorne,

General

to

DISTRICTS.

Batavia by the Dutch governor,

whom

a few seeds had been pre-

sented by a trader from the Arabian Gulf.

These took so kindly to the

soil

of Java, that coffee

plantations were established, and a plant was sent to the

Thence young

Botanic Gardens at Amsterdam.

reared from

its seeds,

were forwarded to Surinam, which in

turn sent a supply to various of the

its

plants,

West Indian

Isles.

Wherever the young plants arrived, plantations were started,

and meanwhile Java had sent supplies to Sumatra, Celebes,
Bali, the Philippines,

To the

and Ceylon.

however, the plant had already been brought,

by Arab traders, but the secret of

pi'obably
berries

latter,

had remained undiscovered.

It

its

fragrant

was planted

as

an

ornamental shrub about the king's palace and near the

temples of Buddha, on whose altars

were

laid

which

leaves,

not

as offerings.

till

also

its delicate starry

blossoms

beverage was prepared from

found favour in making curry, but

it

its

was

the Dutch revealed the hidden mystery that the art

dawned upon them.

The Dutch, however, committed the blunder

of roasting coffee-beans

of

making

their plantations in the low-lying, thoroughly tropical districts of Galle

result

and Negombo, both on the

sea-coast.

The

was highly unfavourable, and in 1739 the attempt to

cultivate coffee

was abandoned by the foreigners, but carried

on by the Singhalese, who continued growing

it

on a small

scale.

This

continued

till

about

the

year

1825,

when the

English governor. Sir Edward Barnes, having opened up

making a road to Kandy, bethought

making an experimental plantation at this height.

the hill-country by

him

He

of

obtained splendid crops from the virgin

soil

of those

STRANGE VICISSITUDES.
rich forest lands,
followed.

289

and so successful an example was

quickly-

Free grants of Crown-land were so eagerly taken

was charged, at which price some men

up, that 5s. per acre

abstained from buying.

Forty years

later,

at prices ranging

But
to

choice land in full cultivation was sold

from 100 to 130 per

The golden harvest reaped by

strange vicissitudes.

those

acre.

ere then, the fortunes of coffee-planters were subject

first in

the field attracted an eager throng of specu-

lators of every rank, all hasting to secure

and

it

has been stated that

something

Ceylon

estates,

5,000,000

like

was thus invested, when suddenly, in 1845, there came a

terrible financial crisis in

prices

and

Europe, the

credit shook the

new

effects of

which on

industry of Ceylon to

its

very foundations.

Then, as a climax of

evil,

came the declaration

of Free

Trade, admitting the coffee of Java and Brazil to British

markets on equal terms with that of Ceylon.

of

These tidings

woe produced a panic which resulted in wide-spread

ruin.

In the consternation of the moment, estates were

forced into the market and sold for a tithe or a twentieth

of the
estate,

money

had been expended on them.

that

One

which three years previously had been purchased

for

15,000, was sold for 440; two purchased for 10,000

apiece

respectively

realised

500

and 350

while

for

others no offer could be obtained, so they were abandoued

and allowed

to relapse to jungle.

that probably one-tenth

of

It has

been estimated

the estates originally opened

were thus abandoned.

Yet

so quickly does time bring its revenges, that twenty

years later the scale was reversed, and estates bought lor a

few hundreds were sold for

VOL.

II.

many thousands

sterling.

In

290

THE PLANTING DISTEICTS.

IN

the midst of Ihis lamentable

Bank

the

crisis,

Ceylon

of

stopped payment, losing heavily on large loans advanced

Its business was, however, taken

to planters.

"Western

Bank

of the Oriental

singular

np by the

of India, which thereupon assumed the

Bank

Corporation.
that

coincidence,

the

name

must be noted

It

as a

commenced under

career

such adverse influences should have ended during the late

almost equally calamitous time of commercial depression, in
like

own

rising Phoenix-like from its

manner

ashes in the

form of the new Oriental Bank Corporation.

By 1870

about 150,000 acres of mountain forest had been

and replaced by

cleared

attained

That proved

the

coffee-planter's

dream

golden indeed, but, like the splendour of

vision

gorgeous sunset,
quickly followed.
scarcely

a value not far short

to be the highest point ever

of

the fulfilment

in

which the annual export

cwts., representing

rose to 974,333

of 5,000,000.

coffee, of

it

heralded the stormy change which too

little

deemed worthy

cloud had been rising, at

of

notice, yet

all

first

too quickly

it

had overshadowed the whole land, and the fair crops were
It was the old story of the
all stricken by cruel blight.
seven lean kine which devoured the fat fair kine of previous years, for the years that followed were truly years
of famine.

The destroying angel in the present instance came in the

form of the humble fungus, of which I have already spoken

the orange-coloured spots on the leaves.

hoped that

it

might prove merely

local

That hope, however, proved delusive,

short period

it

At

first it

was

and be stamped

out.

for

in an incredibly

overspread the whole land, and was un-

happily exported even to the young colony of

coffee,

introduced with

much

Fiji,

care bv Government,

where

had nre-

DEEPENING DEPRESSION.

291

To make matters

viously been flourishing.

worse, a green

bug, as thirsty as the brown bug of past years, came to feast

on the

life-juices of the poor sick shrubs.

For some years the story of Ceylon was one cry of

lamentation and mourning and woe.
sick unto death,

Night seemed
a night of

imbidden

down

settling

chill

and many gave up

the

mists, in

to

The

all

fair Isle

hope

seemed

of her recovery.

ever-deepening darkness,

which " poortith cauld

"

entered

guest that ever failed of a welcome to

first

the ever-hospitable homes of the Ceylon planters.

Then
who had invested his
and probably borrowed money besides on the

many

a brave hard-working man,

whole

capita],

seemed

estate that

so secure, found

totally impossible to

it

tide over the evil hour.

Where

the calamity was so wide-spread

as

some of the great mercantile firms and involve

ous anxiety,

it

to obtain credit,

to

cripple

all

in seri-

became a hopeless matter for individuals

and when no monev was forthcominr even

to pay coolies' wages, there was in

many

cases

no alternative

but simply to abandon the land, and thousands of acres were

thus

left

were

left to

to relapse into jungle,

and the

estate buildings

go to ruin.

True to the axiom that misfortunes never come

the

Oriental

Bank, which in the

had so gallantly come

heavy insular

losses)

terrible

to the rescue,

found

itself

now

crisis

(partly

sinjjlv,

of 1845

owing

to

compelled to stop payment,

thereby adding so seriously to the general commercial complication as to threaten general bankruptcy.

grave complication, the

Governor, the Hon.

Hamilton Gordon, took upon himself the

giving Government security for

all

tlie

In this very
Sir

Arthur

responsibility of

Bank's notes circu-

lating in the island, to the value of 3,000,000 rupees


202

THE

IN

DISTRICTS.

I'LANTIxNG

prompt and energetic measure, which restored public coniidcnce and averted untold mischief.

Never was there a more splendid instance

It

was a tremendous responsibility

to undertake,

and there

for a Colonial

Governor

As

it

w^as the establishment

of

Home Government

to the

first

was,

it

proved a splendid suc-

it

and saved many a house from

cess,

ful

advan-

every reason to believe that had

is

the question been referred

would have been vetoed.

of the

and asking leave afterwards.

tage of acting for the best

ruin.

Equally success-

Government currency

notes,

which not only relieved the island from temporary

diffi-

culty,

but already yield the colonial exchequer an annual

profit

approaching 200,000 rupees.

The darkest hour

ever next the dawning, and shortly

is

before the coffee crisis had become

tea plantations
all

had been started

experimental

serious,

at various

altitudes,

and

with complete success, the snowy blossoms of the tea

shrubs

Camellia

thcifcra

forming

pleasing variety on

the monotony of the ever-present coffee, beautiful as

with

yellow,

scarlet,

and crimson

rainbow of promise

were

it

was,

sheets of fragrant blossoms or its clusters of green,

its

still

for the

cherries.

future,

Here then was a

and such planters

as

able to raise sufficient capital for another venture

new industry
men who knew it to be

grasped the situation, and grappled with the

with the semi-despaii'ing energy of
their last resource.

Happily on many estates

uproot diseased

coffee,

tea shrubs were planted

that this

was done,

as

all

in

was decided not

it

but give

it

over the ground

many

at once to

a chance of recovery, while

cases

and well

it is

on estates which had

been abandoned as past hope, the

leafless

were apparently dead, recovered as

if

from

bushes,
a

which

trance,

and

law of

nature's

putting forth fresh leaves, yielded

which had been allowed

where

estates

crops of berries, albeit

fair

existence with the too luxuriant weeds and

strucrg^lincr for

scrub,

293

infinite variety.

has been

it

On

grow unheeded.

to

again taken

into

cultivation,

excellent returns have been obtained, notably in Uva, where

on a single branch, which in September 1890 was cut as

" a specimen

954

berries

So there
and

coffee,

" of

the crop on the Albion estate, no less than

were counted.
is

its

now once more good hope for the future of

advocates point out how scourges well-nigh
ravaged certain crops in

as grievous as leaf-disease have

divers

Thus

yet

lands,

have

in Ceylon about the year

aSlicted

18G6

by a black bug, which was

on a few bushes in the

spread and multiplied

was

eventually Avorn

officially

pletely has

it

district

till

it

themselves

observed in 181'j

first

of Madulsima, but thence

had attacked every

recognised as a permanent pest

passed away, that

out.

was grievously

coffee

it

now ranks

estate,

and

yet so com-

as a compara-

tively rare visitor.

While searching

for

any natural

which

cause

might

account for the origin of a plague so virulent aud widespread as the leaf-disease,

it

has been suggested that some

such result very frequently follows the disturbance of Nature's

system of blending innumerable varieties of vegetation.

Man

clears

great tracts of forest or plain, and plants

the whole with one product, and ere long his vines develop
phylloxera, his potatoes are attacked by blight or Colorado
beetle,

his

great wheat

Mysore a slimy

plains

are

likewise in Dominica, great tracts of the

by a burrowing grub

and so here

districts hitherto clothed with

all

by

spoiled

leaf-disease attacks his coflee

rust.

in Brazil,

In

and

same are destroyed

in

manner

like

manner

vast

of trees, shrubs,

294

IN

THE PLANTING DISTRICTS.

and grasses, are suddenly stripped, to be henceforth

devoted to the growth of one shrub, and that a shrub

ferns,

which requires

manures to stimulate

aid of divers

tlie

its

growth.
It

is

when once the

self-evident that

special foe of such

a product has discovered such unlimited feeding-ground,

is

have shown, such scourges do wear themselves

theless, as I

out in time, and though coffee can never regain

undisputed dominion in Ceylon,

more taking a

A
of

it

Never-

not likely to abandon the country very quickly.

its cultivation is

among

fair place

its

former

now once

profitable industries.

very remarkable feature in the successive cultivation

and tea has been the discovery that these two

coffee

plants derive their sustenance from totally different elements

in the

soil,

an abandoned

so that

The

virgin soil as regards tea.

and

flourish in all soils

at

coffee-field

latter

is

practically

seems warranted to

altitudes, plantations within

all

half-a-dozen miles of the sea, and not 150 feet above sealevel,

yielding as excellent returns as those at an altitude

of 6000

So extraordinary

feet.

shrub for adapting

habit

is

itself to

to send out lateral roots,

as thick as a

ing

it

if it fails

which

in

some cases are

thereby to secure sufficient

even penetrating cabook, and secur-

to the fissure

of

some subterranean

rock,

drawing nourishment from land never reached by the

which

is

its

strikes a strong tap-root six or eight feet

to the lower soil,

itself

the talent of this hardy

man's thumb, and extend ten or twelve feet

from the stem, yet

nourishment,

down

is

circumstances, that although

and

coffee,

a surface-feeder.

I have already referred

to the

of the tea industry in Ceylon, so

'

See vol.

i.

amazingly rapid extension

need not now recur to that

p. 6.

ENEMIES OF TEA.
Of course

subject.

Wherever

it

tea

may

has been

develop a special disease, but

symptom

no

been

has

there

yet

as

grown

on Indian

of

when an

and Java, and

more dangerous enemy

is

white ant, which was never

the ever-present, ever-active

known

some other places even 2500

In Southern India

its

it

Isle.

to attack living coffee

young

and has done grave damage in the Ratnapura

in

of the

Happily, however,

bushes, but shows a great liking for flourishing

and

insect

a grave foe

enemy

the worst

is

does not seem to have gained a footing in the

trees,

has

Certainly

disease.

Antonii, which has proved

chocolate-tree, appeared in Ceylon.

thing.
it

but so they do in English rose-gardens.

estates,

to tea in India

and red-spiders have given some trouble

note of warning was sounded in 18Si

named Hdopeltis

such

other countries,

in

proved remarkably hardy and free from

blights of green-fly

205

chief foe

feet
is

tea-

district,

above the sea-level.

the porcupine, which

has at least the merit of size (better than battling with

myriads of scarcely visible

foes).

about the tea-

It goes

fields at night, cutting right through the roots, and grubbing

up the bushes apparently out of sheer venom,

seem

to eat

even the

roots.

But

the Neilgherry planter a chance

patches

of potatoes

disposes of a good
flesh

is

its love

he prepares

many

where swarms of the said

and nibble
foe

off

does not

little

enclosed

of these troublesome diggers, whose

as highly acceptable to

Another

it

guarded with spring-guns, and thus

his coolies as is that

coffee-rats fried in cocoa-nut oil to the

tion

as

of potatoes gives

rats

of

coolies of Ceylon,

sometimes attack a planta-

branches to get at the

clierries.

which they turn to equally good account

is

the pig-rat or bandicoot, which grows to nearly two feet in

length.

It

is

a clean feeder, with flesh resembling pork,


29G

THE PLANTING

IN

DISTRICTS.

In some

and makes a much appreciated curry.

Ilantane

e.g.,

serious damage

to coffee

districts

due to wild

is

pigs,

which grulj up the bushes, and involve constant watchThese also are

ino-.

worth the trouble of slaying.

foes

The merry, frolicsome little grey squirrel, with its handsome dark stripes and large bushy tail, is not often molested,
although rather a serious poacher, as he delights

the

iri

the beans which he finds

ripe red cherries, or rather in

within them.

Amongst
one

other strong points in favour of tea versus coffee,

that whereas the harvesting of the latter

is

dependent on a few days of

more

that of tea goes on

warm steamy

fine

entirely

is

weather at certain seasons,

or less

all

the year round, the

climate of Ceylon, produced by floods of sun-

shine alternating with heavy rain, being eminently suited

The tree is no
puts forth young shoots

the production of luxuriant foliage.

for

sooner stripped of

leaves than

its

in place of those gathered,

artificially

ling

is

by processes

allowed

all is

it

which are immediately dried

so purely mechanical, that

no hand-

done automatically, thus securing the

most rigorous cleanliness

a very

marked

feature in favour

of Ceylon tea versus that of China.

An

initial

expense in the change from coffee to tea

cultivation has been

is

transported to

owing

to the fact that whereas coffee

Colombo, there to undergo

stages of preparation for the market, tea

pared on the estates, involving

machinerj'.

clearing of

cost,

drying.

various

all

be pre-

buildings and special

Moreover, the grave error of the wholesale

forests

the planters,

high

new

its

must

who

is

are

thereby brought vividly

now compelled

not only for culinary

to

purposes,

buy

home
fuel

at

to

but for tea-

THE FOOD OF THE GODS.

To supply

this

need, Eucalypti, blue

we have

Australian trees have, as

297

gum, and many

seen, been

successfully

But though the eucalyptus

planted on hills and patenas.

rapidly shoots up to a very great height,

it

has in

many
my-

cases been killed by the ravages of a minute insect,

riads of

which attack the tree and bore right through

its

stem.

Prominent amongr the industries which have onlv bej^un

to develop since the temporary failure of coffee

is

ture of the beautiful cacao or chocolate tree

(^Thcdbroma

Cacao, " the food of the gods

"),

the cul-

which had long been grown

in Ceylon as an ornamental shrub, without a thought of its

commercial value.
very

much more

pruned tea or

And

coffee shrubs.

height of about sixteen

handsome
It

into

very ornamental

it

attractive plantation than

forming a

In four years

it

grows to a

with luxuriant masses of large

feet,

leaves, casting a

is,

either closely-

dark cool shade.

bears small pink and white blossoms, which develop

magnificent rough oblong pods as large as a man's

two hands.

These as they ripen, assume very varied and

rich colours, the Caraccas cacao-pods

to white

and golden-yellow

changing from green

that imported from Trinidad

becoming crimson and maroon and purple.

they reveal a bed of sticky pulp,
native children, wherein

lie

much

Wlien open,
appreciated

by

embedded from twenty to thirty

when roasted and

of the precious beans or " nibs," which

mixed with sugar,

vanilla,

and other things, form the various

preparations in which this " food of the gods " (as Linna;us
so happily

named

it) is

familiar to us.

To obtain these, however, the beans must first travel

Europe, amateur efforts at producing home-made cacao

to

in

Ceylonese homes having proved eminently unsatisfactory,

298

IN

TUE TLANTING

DISTRICTS.

whereas tea prepared on the estates

is

so perfect, that tea-

drinking has been largely developed.

Of

coarse there was

much

to learn regarding the condi-

tions of successful cacao cultivation

shade required

good

by

soil

and

exact amount of

the

all these had to be learnt

young industry received a severe

sutlicicnt rainfall

experience, and

1885 owing to the

shock in

the

and protection from wind, the necessity for

prolonged

drought,

which

favoured the ravages of an insect pest, causing the death of

many young

trees

and inducing some planters

to

abandon

This, however, proved but a temporary check,

this culture.

now commands

as Ceylon cacao

a high price in European

markets.

Of all the new

products, none gave such rapid and valuable

returns at the time of the most grievous depression as cinchona, the bark of which yields the quinine so precious as a
tonic

and preventive of

fever, as also in counteracting the

Some

craving for opium and other stimulants.

seeds im-

ported from South America had been sown in the Govern-

ment garden

Hackgalla in 1861, and chemical analysis

at

had proved the island-grown produce to be of such excellent

quality

fully

equal to that sold by English and French

chemists at a guinea and thirty francs per ounce

cultivation

of

had been encouraged by the

young plants

that

offer of free

its

gifts

but so entirely were the whole community

under the dominion of King Coffee, that even when a planter

of an experimental turn of

mind converted

a corner of his

These problems have to be puzzled out with regard to each separate proFor instance, with regard to coffee, it is found that on elevations of
from 2000 to 6000 feet above the sea no shade is required, as the clouds suflBce.
^

duct.

But at lower levels moderate shade is found advantageous, especially if aflforded

by remunerative trees, such as cacao shrubs, which in their turn can be shaded
by tall cocoa-palms.

CINCHONA PLANTATIONS.

290

estate into a cinchona plantation, the next proprietor rooted

out,

it

grudging every inch that was not devoted

But when that

failed,

men bethought them

to coffee.

of the hitherto

neglected cinchona, the value of which in their eyes was

perhaps further enhanced by the fact that the young plants

were no longer offered

gift,

Government nurseries

at the

but at the rate of

as a free

rupees per thousand.

five

"Within

of,

young plants were thus disposed

and plantations were formed throughout the hill-country

on

all

six years about four million

manner

and below the

of soil and at

all

possible altitudes, both above

coffee zone.

The methods

of cultivation

and of obtainincf the

larj^est

quantity of bark without killing the poor trees in the process of partial flaying were so very experimental, that in

some

cases this cinchona-planting proved a failure.^

peculiarly uncertain crop to raise, as there

that good plants will

is

It is a

no security

grow from even the best seed taken

from the best plants.

But the plantations on suitable soil

and judiciously treated yielded very large returns, as may

be inferred from the rapid development of the export of

cinchona bark, which in 1872 amounted only to 11,547
but by 1887 had reached well-nigh 15,000,000

These

figures, however,

lbs.,

lbs.

do not represent unalloyed

profit.

For, strange to say, whereas in past years cinchona-trees three

years of age have been

known

to yield

upwards often per

of sulphate of quinine, the average produce

does not exceed two per cent.

cent.

now shipped

This deterioration of quality,

combined with the enormously increased supply now thrown

1

Planters more than most men, can only learn in the hard scliool of expe-

rience.

Tims

ill

1884 half a million of cinchona

trees,

some of which were

sixteen years of age, were killed by an unusually hard frost at Ootacamnnd,

in the

Madras Province.

By

tliis

unexpected visitation several well-estab-

lished plantations were almost wholly destroyed.

300

THE PLANTING DISTRICTS.

IN

on the market, has tended very seriously to reduce the commercial value of Ceylon bark, the price of which has fallen
so low, that except in certain specially favourable localities

does not pay to collect the crop.

it

chemists

still

And

yet

some country

quinine at a very small reduction on the

sell

It is said that quinine

old exorbitant price.

manufacturers

combined against the producers and the consuming public

in order to

keep up the price

the planters find

of

but whatever

is

the reason,

impossible to obtain a remunerative price

though thousands of fever-stricken people and

bark,

for

it

Chinamen struggling

to shake off the

bondage of opium

crave quinine as their one hope of salvation.^

When young

trees

have been recently stripped or shaved,

a careful planter supplies

them with an

dried grass or old newspaper

rate such a substitute for lungs

less these

seem

to flourish

artificial

garment of

That any plant should

seems incredible

tole-

neverthe-

under this treatment, even when

repeated in successive years.

Certainly the cinchona

is

most forgiving shrub

Besides these, which are of course the leading industries,

many
^

smaller cultivations are being tried experimentally,

Mr.

J.

Ferguson, of the

'

Ceylon Observer,' writes to

tlie

Secretary of

tlie

liberal

Opium Trade showing liow mucli opium(laudanum and morphia or pure opium) may be counteracted by a
use of quinine.
It is known to be practised to a verj' serious extent

in the

Fen

Society for the Suppression of the

eating

districts of

Thames, and

women

He

Cambridge and Lincolnshire, about Gravesend on the

districts, as well as by underfed men and

in other malarial

in unhealthy houses in great cities.

quotes

Jlr.

Archibald Colquhoun, in his " Journey Across Chryse," to

show how many Chinamen, victims

to this curse,

realise the efficacy of

quinine in superseding the need of opium, and possibly curing the craving for

and how both mandarins and people craved for a pinch, as the best gift
He shows how beneficial this tonic would also be
to horses and cattle in malarial regions, if only it could reach the consumer

it

he could bestow on them.

at anything approaching the

modest price which would pay the cultivator.

A PLAXTEIl's

301

LIFE.

sucb as india-rubber, cardamoms, croton-oil seed,

account of their

no

It is

life

aloes,

on

&c.

fibre,

young

of idleness which awaits a

planter.

Early and late he must be at his post, in foul weather and

in fine

sometimes for weeks together living in a continual

state of soak, with rain

finding out

tropics,

all

all

weak

the

damp

producing such general

and clothes are

pouring as

can only do in the

it

places in the

that nothing

Up

covered with fungus.

steep mountain-side he

must follow

is

dry,

and

roof,

and boots

and down the

his coolies, often battling

with fierce wind, scrambling over and under great fallen

trees

and rocks and charred branches,

bush can find a

and leave

it

he must go to see that

crevice, there

For

been duly tended.

it

it

has

what with manuring and

handling, pruning and picking, there

In the case of

little

not enough to plant a bush

is

to take its chance

to be done.

wherever a

for

coffee,

is

always something

however, the great mass

of work comes on periodically in crop-time,

when

for several

consecutive weeks the press and hurry continue, and Sunday

and week-day

Nor

know no

alike

lighten the planter's

volves

rest.

will the substitution of tea culture for that of coffee

more constant

at definite seasons,

work

care.

on the contrary, the former inCoffee crops were only gathered

and work on the plantation,

and in the pulping-house was

work being compressed

into

all

in the store,

cut and dry, the rush of

two or three months.

It

was

simple work, requiring less special training and care than

tea cultivation.

Tea-picking goes on
requires

the

greatest

all

care

the year round, and the curing

and

nicety

of

manipulation,

The work involves

and constant European supervision.
day
of
the
whole
every
year, and is i\
lon(T hours nearly

302

THE PLANTING

IN

DISTIIICTS.

great and continuous strain on both physical and mental

powers.

One

of the sorest difficulties with

ceaselessly to contend

is

which the planter has

the washing

away

surface soil by the annual heavy rains,

lumdreds of tons of the best

else

soil,

in the low country, but

the ocean.

This might

of his precious

which carry down

some one

possibly to enrich

more probably

to

be

a measure be obviated

in

lost in

by more

systematic drainage, but that of course means more coolies

and more outlay, and both of these are serious

Amongst
when they

a planter's varied anxieties

coolies

fall sick,

is

difficulties.

the care of his

as these natives of the hot dry

plains of Southern India are very apt to do in the cold

dreary rainy season of the mountain districts.

a very serious outbreak of illness occurs,
nearest doctor

is far

thrown

(a terribly rainy season) at

in Madulkele.

Lebanon

epidemic of dysentery ripened into cholera of so

virulent a type that in

Some

hours.

coolies

many cases death ensued within six

who had turned out at muster at

G A.M. were dead at ten the

same morning.

forty bond fide seizures, besides a

men and women who were

live

is

Such was the outbreak of cholera

which occurred in July 1891

all

when perhaps the

away, and the young planter

on his own resources.

An

Occasionally

There were in

crowd of frightened

doctored on chance, and twenty-

died in such horrible cramps that their bodies could

not be straightened, and the survivors were so terrified that

it

was

difficult to

Imagine how

compel them to bury the dead.

terrible a charge to

on a young planter.^

however

He

be suddenly thrown

proved equal to the emergency,

physicked, blistered, and rubbed

^

ilr.

Thomas Dickson.

down

all

the

TAMIL COOLIES.
patients with

bis

own hands

an experienced cholera

till

Two

doctor came to his aid from Kandy.

in his kitchen-verandah.

poor fellows died

was somewhat remarkable that

It

of the twenty-five deaths only six were

Happily such a

303

women.

experience as this

terrible

is

rare,

but

there are continual occasions for care and the exercise of

much

discrimination to discern between illness and idleness

a quality which does sometimes

assert itself even in these

energetic and industrious Tamil coolies,

bone of

all

who

are the back-

In days of old these immigrants

island labour.

from the mainland invaded Ceylon as ruthless conquerors

now they come

How
from the
at

as valuable helpers in every enterprise.

important a place they occupy

fact that there are

may be

gathered

always from 200,000 to 300,000

work on the plantations

the time of the Madras

(in

famine in 1878 about 400,000 contrived to make a living

When

in Ceylon).

at

home

in Southern India, their average

earnings are between 3 and 1 a year, on which they

maintain themselves and their families, always reserving a

margin

for temple-offerings.

In Ceylon they have regular work and regular pay,

earning about four times as
land, besides
bit of

much

on the main-

as they do

receiving certain extras in kind

roof,

garden in which to grow vegetables, a blanket, and

medical attendance in sickness.

Their staple food

of which an enormous supply

imported from the main-

land.

man's wages range from

woman can
well

off*

is

!Ul.

to

earn about 7d., and a child 3d.

and generally content,

their

is

a long row of

and very uninviting

mud

huts, which are

(juarters they

a day;

On
'^

so thry are

relations with

employers being almost invariably kind.

there

Is.

is rice,

their

every estate

the coolie lines,"

appear to Europeans.

304

THE PLANTING

IN

DISTRICTS.

The Singhalese furnish a very small proportion of the

and are chieilv employed when extra hands

estate labourers,

are needed for light work, such as plucking tea-leaf in the

season

although no one can get through hard

for

toil

better and quicker than the Singhalese, they have a fixed

derogatory save that which produces

belief that all

work

is

food for their

own

families.

So although they work well

on their own paddy-fields (and send hardy deep-sea

to the north of the Isle, while the

a general character for indo-

shore), they contrive to earn

and go about their work in a

lence,

fishers

fishers stick to the

Tamil

style

which often

reminded me of a certain Ross-shire boatman, who was

supposed to provide

for the

One day

frequently failed.

pare his

fish

ill-filled creel

his mistress ventured to

mentioning how many

"

'deed,

Oh
man !

I weel

just he

he'll

believe

making a

The Singhalese

but therein

com-

with that of a visitor on an adjoining

estate,
'

laird's table,

he had brought home.

fish

was the

it,"

reply.

'*'

Puir

"

of

toil

it !

somewhat more conscien-

are said to be

tious than the Tamil coolies as regards doing well what they

At the same

undertake.

possibly be done by
tainly be

time, if

women and

deputed to do

it.

it

think,

work which can

is

children,

these will cer-

however, that, as

regards the employment of deputies, the palm

must be

awarded to a Malay conductor, who was asked whether he

was observing the

was
that

not, as
lie

Of

fast

of

Ramadan.

was making his wife keep

course,

coolies do

He

on estates

work

it

employers

take

coolies

care that their

energetically, but as a specimen of really

indolent occupation you should watch a

ment

replied that he

he was working hard and required his food, but

working on the roads

gang of Govern-

those excellent roads

BROKEN BOTTLES USED AS RAZORS.

which overspread the country
work.

in every direction like a net-

In spreading metal, one powerful

small basket, which another strong

man

man

lifts

road,

Then when the

bodied

men

roads are to be pounded, a

fills

on

woman, who walks a few yards, empties

and then returns for another load.

of a

305

a very

to the

head

on to the

it

gang

of able-

stand in a group, while one of them sings a

long monotonous ditty rather like a Gaelic song, and at the

end of each verse of four

pounding blocks and

their

the road.

It

lines

simultaneously raise

all

them drop with a thump on

let

has been calculated that

if

they

make

thirty

strokes in an hour, they are above the average

As

I have said, these poor coolies are utterly miserable

weather, although the planters do their best to

in rainy

I never guessed

clothe them.

till

saw these gangs what

becomes of old regimental great-coats.

But when the sun

shines and their scanty drapery has been recently washed,

and

turbans well put on, they look as cheery

large, bright

women

one could wish, and the

as

picturesque, with their

are

especially

most

black hair, large dreamy

fine glossy

black eyes, and numerous ornaments on ears, neck, arms,

and ankles

some indeed

only of painted earthenware, and

the majority of bell-metal, but others of real

but of

most

coai'se

silver,

Their gay drapery

workmanship.

is

worn

in

artistic folds.

Many

of their

merry

brown children wear no clothes

little

whatever, even their heads being shaved and oiled,

one

massive

little

tuft

of

black hair.

generally done with

you see pretty

of

bits

little girls

a silver fig-leaf {Ficns

II.

save

Shaving, by the way,

broken bottles

lielifjiosa),

is

Sometimes

(Tamil) whose sole decoration

legend that here was the

VOL.

all

is

very suggestive of the

Paradise of our

parents

first

306

IN

Some

poor

THE PLANTINC!

are weighted with

<,nrls

little

DISTRICTS.

leaden chain passed through a

a short, heavy,

in the ear

slit

where Euro-

By long weighting
pean women wear their small earrings.
lengthened
so as literally
can
be
ear
poor
the
fashion,
in this
to touch the shoulder,

and

then loaded with rings

is

hideous in our eyes, and involving

But

pride, Ihey say, feels

suffering in youth.

no pain, so we must hope that

The top

this is a case in point.

much

truly

of the ear

is

adorned with

a small, close-fitting stud, like that often worn on one side

of the nose.

One

of the

first

struck

things that

reaching the planting districts

is

me

as strange

on

the fact that the names

known to Europeans convey nothing

My first
to the minds of the men who work on them.
when
en route to Mrs.
experience of this diflSculty was
Bosanquet's pleasant home at Rosita in Dimbula, and my
by which

Tamil

estates are

having received his instructions before

driver, not

starting, drove

stolidly

on for

ignoring

turning, totally

my

vain

" Rosita ? " " Bosanquet dorre "

useless

so there

beyond the

fully six miles

{i.e.,

was nothing for

expostulating queries,
master).
it

It

was quite

but to drive on

till

I espied a European bungalow, to which I sent a written

message, which happily brought a

down through

the

and breakfast

at his

coffee

to

house

say

tall

white

we must

man

stalking

bait the horse

where, accordingly,

we were

most hospitably entertained, and then duly forwarded

to

our

destination.

Considering that

all

the coolies are Tamils imported from

Southern India, one would

naturally

suppose

that they

would accept whatever name the owner of an estate has

been pleased to give to the piece of forest he has cleared
;

but so far from this being the case, there

is

scarcely an

KNOWN BY TWO

ESTATES

estate in tlio island wliicli

known

not

is

NAMES.
to

307

Europeans and

their labourers under totally distinct names, so that even

Tamil

in the rare case of a

lie

by

coolie understandinof Enoflish,

could not direct you to an estate unless you spoke of

Tamil name, and these are sometimes very confusing.

its

Thus, supposing

must

my

direct

posing I
carry

it

me

wish to

am on my way

Kaduganawa,

to

to Mudaliyartliottam.

that places called after

I scarcely

homes

Thus Abercairney

names.

the estate of Didoola, I

visit

Falla Kaduganava

to

coolies

be

known

wonder
and

Dickoya,

in

at finding

Rosita
;

in

Feteresso

Glen Cairn as

Anandatvatte,

as

but sup-

in Britain retain Singhalese

Dimbula, are both known as Sinnc Kottagalla

continues to

must bid them

Manichamhantottc, Gorthie as Hindafjalla, Blair Athol

as

Slnne Darrawdla, Braemore as Kooda Mcdlcapoo, Fassifern

as

Agra Patena, Waverley

Puthu

Malvern

Jioad,

Pajah Totam, Duffus

But

&c.

wattic,

it

as Bopatelaioa, Craigellachie as

as Pcwtamhasi,

as Pusila

is

roowa, which to the coolie

Ouvahkellie

know

estates

companies,

Totum

Kagagalla

is

is

Totfam, Forres as Nuga-

Diyagama

as, for instance,

Ganga-

as Jlaja Tottivm, while

Wewelkellie

is

Vcvagodde,

while in some cases the coolies

only by their

e.g.,

known

Ulankanthai,

is

as

strange to find that even genuine

Singhalese names are not accepted

Oolanakanda

Windsor Forest

is

name

certain

for

only recognised as

firms

or

Company

Edinbur<]fh and Inverness estates are both Niltrherv

Totum.

As

fifteen

hundred

this

system of double names applies to about

estates, the

find the study of

liis

new

arrival in

" Estates Directory

"

any

district

must

an essential part

of his education.

In looking over a

list

of these Highland homes, I

am

struck by the predominance of Scotch names, as suggestive

308
of

tlic

IN

THH PLANTINC;

DISTRICTS.

clinging to dear old associations which

posed specially to characterise

men born

is

always sup-

in hilly countries.

In the low country

this inspiration

seems to be lacking, for

in a list of about

350 cocoa-nut

estates, I only find four

Scotch names.
I will not

attempt to give details of the pleasant months

I spent in the various planting districts, for I fear I

have already tried the patience of

my

readers.

must

I can only

say that in each district I found the same hospitable wel-

come, and was struck with the cordiality and good-fellowship which forms so

marked a

characteristic of

among

life

the planters.

Of

course a lover of beautiful nature cannot but

mourn

over the bleak ugliness of range beyond range of mountains

all totally

denuded of any vegetation whatever except the

very monotonous carefully-pruned bushes, growing amid the

blackened or sun-bleached stumps of what but a

ago were noble

forest trees,

now standing

little

while

like headstones in

some vast cemetery.

Day
light

day we witnessed marvellous

after

and strange blue mists,

and, on favourable days,

of dense lurid

was about

we were

smoke

to be

effects

of opal

telling of great forest burnings,

marked on every

side the

column

rising from

some glen or valley that

At

several of these ''burns"

"improved."

actually present,

when

tracts of

two or three hun-

dred acres were committed to the flames, and for hours

watched the wild conflagration raging

able grandeur.

we

a scene of indescrib-

Sometimes the great burnings so

affected

the atmosphere as to bring on tremendous rain-storms, and

on one occasion, when we had to ford a

Out of

so

many thousand

we got across
down in flood.

river,

only just in time before the stream came

acres of beautiful timber ruth-

CORDIALITY AND GOOD FELLOWSHIP.

lessly destroyed,

one tree excited

my

309

special regret.

It

was

a majestic banyan-tree, which had occupied the only piece

of quite level ground at the Yoxford.

That ground was the

only suitable spot for the erection of a bungalow, so the

grand old tree had been

with

its

As regards

and the ground was strewn

felled,

huge trunk and arms

meetings,

social

a sorry sight

men

gathered from far and

near for church services, especially at Christmas and

New

Year, as also for occasional cricket-matches, never allowing

their energies to be

damped by any amount

of rain.

sometimes, as a very great event, there was a cheery

when

And
ball,

the principal coffee-store in the district was swept out

and elaborately decorated as a ball-room, and the nearest

bungalow was given up

as they

for

many

hill,

valley,

of

my

Dimbula, there were actually

visit to

thirty-five ladies in the district

ball

a true sign

was not a matter of indifference

of prosperity
to either sex

indeed, the hearty honest enjoyment of existence

planters,

in,

and torrent

miles to attend the unwonted festivity.

At the time
and a

and sleep

to the ladies to dress

had probably ridden over

and the

zest with

business or pleasure

is

pleasantest features of

among

the

which they enter into whatever

the order of the day,

life in

is

one of the

the mountain districts.


310

CHAPTER XXV.
ASCENT OF Adam's peak.
Adam's Peak

The

Sri Pada, or

Holy Foot

Footprints

in Britain

Thomas Of Hercules Of Montezuma Of Buddha and Siva Adam and Moses Ascent of AlleIn Sicily Of

galla,

St.

Kurunegalla, and Adam's Peak.

The

first

must

in a great

phere.

Vishnu Of

impressions of the traveller approaching Ceylon

measure depend on the state of the atmos-

In some seasons he will see only the monotonous

levels of the

low country

at other times the

of the interior are clearly visible, the

sharp pinnacle, about

That pinnacle

is

fifty

mountain ranges

whole crowned by one

miles inland from Colombo.

pointed out to him as Adam's Peak

but

of the Isle, he will know that

name given to it by foreigners, and founded on
the legend as taught them by some Mahommedan; but though
called by many names, each denoting sanctity, it is emphatically known to all inhabitants of Ceylon, of whatever
creed, as The Sri Pada
The Holy Foot, so named on
account of a natural mark on the extreme summit, which,
if

he knows aught of the story

is

only the

to the eye of faith,

was in remote ages in some degree sug-

gestive of a huge footprint,

and was accordingly revered as

a miraculous token of the place having once been visited

REVERED FOOTPRINTS.
by some supernatural

when
As

beiui,' (it

must have been

in the

days

giants walked the earth).

various

claimed

creeds

developed,

The Footpiunt as
mark has

particular

this

311

adherents

the

that of their

attained a

own

ideal,

celebrity

each

of

and so
above

far

those on any of the numerous rocks similarly reverenced

in other lauds.

And

very curious

it

is

to note

iu

how many

parts of

the world certain rocks have from time immemorial been

places

sacred pilgrimage on account of some natural

of

indentation bearing some resemblance to a gigantic

human

footprint.

These have generally been somewhat elaborated by pious

hands, which define the toes and perfect the outline, and
the footprint then becomes an object of the most devout

homage

to

human

thousands of

beings,

who

believe

it

to

be the true spot of earth, hallowed for evermore by the

fact that

it

was the

or the last touched either by the

first

founders of their religion (whatever that

be) or by

We

little isle

At

some venerated

need not go

far

may happen

hero.
for

one example,

our favourite British hero

is

for in our

own

thus commemorated.

Tintagel, in Cornwall, where the ruins of

castle stand,

to

King Arthur's

on the summit of a projecting crag rising from

the sea, and connected with the mainland only by a narrow

once well-nigh inaccessible, and only

neck

of land (a spot

to be

reached by steep steps cut in the rock), a large un-

shapely mark, deeply impressed on a big boulder,

is

said to

be the footprint of the great pure king.

Not

far otf a

roll on, will

modern

footprint

is

shown, which, as years

doubtless be revered as that of the great good

queen, for on the pier at

St.

Michael's

Mount an

inlaid brass

ASCKNT OF ADAM

312

marks the

first

Queen

footprint of

PEAK.

Victoria on the occasion

of her visit with the I'rince Consort in 1846.

who have

Students of Hindoo mythology, or travellers

ventured to invade the temples of Vishnu, will doubtless

remember the reverence accorded to many footprints ascribed to that god, whose votaries are distinguished by
curved lines daily painted on their forehead in white, red,
or yellow lines, as the

may

the case

of thus

which

is

in

of his sacred foot or feet, as

dispute as to the pro-

different sects

be, as

priety

symbol

So the sect

indicating one foot or two.

favour of only one foot indicates

by one

it

curved line of white between the eyes, crossed by a red

mark

honour of his

in

feet resting

concerning

disputes

wife.

Another

on two lotus blossoms

these

two

factions as to

images

sometimes

lawsuits

ruinous

which mark

bitter are the

emblems, that

frontal

same images are worshipped by both

temples,

sect indicates both

and so

same

between the

arise

be impressed on the

shall

^
!

Thus painted

or

engraved representations of Vishnu's

festival held in his

At the great annual

month of May at Con-

worship.

feet enter largely into his

honour

in the

jeveram (forty miles to the south of Madras)

which

the

in

sects

the

as

is

shippers

a festival

attended by an incalculable multitude of wor-

one

of the priests in

immediate attendance on

the image of Vishnu carries a golden cup within which

engraven the likeness of Vishnu's feet

ing of each individual in that vast surging throng

struggle for a place so
priest

who

on his head
1

bears the cup

close

may

to
let

the procession
it

rest for

Chatto

&

is

to

that the

one moment

a touch ensuring blessing in this

See " In the Himalayas," pp. 23, 24.

is

and the chief crav-

and

"Wiiidus.

in all

'

CHPJSTIAX ADAPTATION OF HEATHKN LEGENDS.

"

future lives.

upon

feet

my

313

Wilt thou not come and place thy flowery

head

? " is

the fervent prayer of each longing

soul.^

Knowing

the policy which has led the Church of

Rome

in all heathen countries as far as possible to adapt Chris-

tian legends to all objects specially venerated

(thus sanctioning their continuance of a

be

not

once uprooted),

at

we need

by the people

homage which could

not wonder to find

rortuguese writers attributing these revered rock-marks to

and De Couta records how, in his time,

Colombo bore the deep impress of the knees of

Christian saints
a stone at
St.

Thomas, who had previously worn a similar hollow on

How

a rock at Meliapore, near Madras.

must have ached

Even

at the present day, the

Roman

Catholic Cliristians

Ceylon make pilgrimage to the footprint

of

Peak, as to that of
writers attribute
teyn's

to the

it

on Adam's

Thomas, though some Portuguese

St.

eunuch

of

Candace.

In Valen-

account he says the mountain was esteemed most

sacred by the Catholics

Roman

that " the

tenets,

mountain

of

India, while

Percival related

Catholics have taken advantage of the

current superstition

own

poor knees

his

to

forward the

])ropagation

of

tlieir

and a chapel which they have erected on the

is

yearly frequented by vast numbers of llack

Christians of the Portuguese and Malabar races."

Of an early Christian saint

'

scarcely like

nection, but there

to

coinjiarc

words

of the
fioiii

Western Ciiurch

Holj* Scripture

in

tliis

it is

con-

a curious exanii)le of Oriental j)liraseoloiry in I.saiah

Ix. 14, 15, where it is written, "All they that despised thee shall bow
themselves down at tho soles of thy feet. ... I will make the place of Wy
is

Feet glorious."
- At Anuradhapura two marks on tlic granite ]>avement of the Kuanwelli
Daj;oba are pointed out as havinr; been worn by the knees of the devout King

Batiya-tissa,

who

reij^'ncd

from 19

n.c. to

a.d.

9.

ASCENT OF ADAMS PEAK.

314
recorded
A.D.

])y

Willebad (an Anglo-Saxon, who in the year

76 1 journeyed in Sicily) that he was shown

prints

" in

"

her shoe-

Mount

of Olives

the prison at Catania.

In the Church of the Ascension on the

shown within the chapel having a natural cavity,

The earliest record
described as tlie footprint of our Lord.
of this mark is that by Arculf, who mentions the impresa rock

sion of

is

two

Now

footprints.

resemblance to any
In days of

there

is

only one, with no

foot.

Herodotus told of a gigantic footprint

old,

on a rock near Syras in Scythia, and which was believed to

be that of Hercules

and

New World we

in the

Mexicans revering a mark on a huge block

which they suppose

foot of

to

find the

porphyry

have been imprinted by the imperial

Montezuma.

Few who have

entered

the British

failed to note the casts of sculptures

of

of

Amravati

the grand

in

stairs,

Museum

can have

from the ancient Tope

Southern India which adorn the walls of

and the attention

of

many

has doubtless

been arrested by two slabs on each of which are sculptured

only two footprints.

To the devout Buddhists these double

footmarks are said to have symbolised the invisible presence

Buddha a tenet, however, wholly unwarranted by his

own teaching.
Passing up these stairs to that corner of the new gallery
of

which

is

devoted to Buddhist mythology,

stone slab on which

five feet in length.

is

we note

a great

sculptured one huge footprint nearly

The whole

is

covered with elaborate

symbolic carving, and each toe

is

object like a large spiral shell.

The outline

adorned with a curious

of

this foot

is

defined by a raised border, originally carved in a pattern

like scale-armour, but at a later period this has

been coated

MAXV

THUS SAN(

IlOfKS

315

TIFIKl).

with plaster and encrusted with bits of looking-glass and

coloured glass representing gems.

the history of

brought from

All that

once-venerated object

this

Burmah by Captain Marryat

means be obtained

or to

it,

what mountain

merly attracted devout worshippers, there

no

is
;

is

known

that

but by wliat

or temple
is

of

was

it

it f<r-

unfortunately

record.

Happily

for

the

archajologist,

the

uKjst

celebrated

of

these great footprints are on immovable rock-boulders.

seems probable that there

It

have been, a con-

are, or

number of rocks thus sanctified wherever the

Buddha has held sway, for Hiouen-Tiisiang, the
celebrated Chinese [lilgrini, who devoted the years between

siderable

religion of

G29 and G15 to visiting

A.D.

makes continual

India,

sacred objects the footprints

name he

the most noted shrines of

all

allusion to having seen

left

among

tlicir

by Tathagata (by which

Buddha), where he walked to and

describes

fro

preaching the law.

Such preaching was described

"
;

by the

honorific

dhism

^
;

umbrella,

a frequent symbol

find

representations of

ami

the actual

Buddha's

a
"III

Wiinlu.s.

feet, telling

thousand
tlie

tiie

a (ireek fret).

relates

strange legends concerning

how, whi-n the body of

about to be burnt at Kusinagara, after

'

Bud-

Sanchi

a peculiar mark, somt'thing between a

is

Hiouen-Thsiang also

in

in

at the

on which are depicted the symbolic wheel and

swastica (the latter

cross

is

and among the very ancient sculptures

Tope and elsewhere we

feet,

as " turning the wheel of

hence a simple wheel, sometimes overshadowed

the law

napkins

Hiinaliiyas,"

"The

an(l

encloscil

I'.udilha

was

had been swathed

it

in

Sacrcl Wli-cl." pp.

heavy

430-434.

coflin,

("hatto

ASCENT OF ADAM's PEAK.

oKI

which rested on a funeral pyre of scented wood,

moment Tathagata
from the

ject

saw that

revealed his feet,

colli

tliey hore

ii,

and

lo

at that

causing them to pro-

favourite disciple, Kasyapa,

his

the sign of the wheel and other marks

and as he marvelled what these could be,

the dead spoke, and told him that these were the marks of

of various colours

which gods and men, moved by

tears,

cause of his death.

(I

may

pity,

had wept be-

observe that two lotus blossoms

bearing the marks of Buddha's feet are

among

the subjects

which are most frequently represented in the sacred pictures

of Japan.)

At the present
and

day, in the province of Behar in India,

also in Siam, at Prabat, near

Bangkok, several temples

revered

glory in the possession of rocks exhiljiting these

Gautama Buddha

of

traces

doubtless the very rocks of

which Hiouen-Thsiang wrote.

still

visited
{i.e.,

more ancient Chinese

Ceylon

a.d. llS, tells of

traveller,

two sacred

Fa Hiau, who
footprints of Fo

Buddha), one of which lay quite in the nortli of the

More recent Chinese

island.

Adam's Peak

mark on

writers attribute the

Pwan-koo, the

to

first

man.

Fourteen hundred and sixty years later I too followed

the pilgrim path to visit several such footprints.

The one

now

forgotten,

mentioned by Fa Hian in the

but

far

north

is

found one on the summit of Allegalla Peak, another

on a mountainous mass of red rock at Kurunegalla, and a

third (which
of

Adam's
I

was

is

emphatically

The Footpkint) on

the

summit

I'eak.

also

shown marks

confessedly

])uddhist temples at Cotta and at the

artificial

in

the

Alu Vihara, where

they are simply revered as models of the True Footprint on

the

summit

of the

Peak.

Another

at the

temple of Kelany,

GREAT BODIES FOR GREAT SOULS.

near

Colombo,

has the

credit

317

being genuine, and

of

is

declared by the sacred Buddhist books to be so, having been

when he appeared on

imprinted by Gautama Buddha

third visit

to Ceylon to preach to

But

shippers.

middle of the

around

it

mark

this

Nagas

tlie

or Snake-wor-

imprinted on a rock in the

and the cool rushing waters

river,

in ceaseless

the eyes of men.

is

circling

homage overflow and conceal

This

is

his

from

it

the legend told of a deep eddy in

the Kelani-Ganga.

Yet another, confessedly

on the summit

of

manufacture,

of recent

is

shown

the great rock of Isuru-muniya, a very

ancient rock-temple at Anuradhapura.

It is

reached by a

flight of rock-cut steps.

peculiarity of all these footprints

is

their gigantic size,

the smallest which I have seen being that on the western

summit

of Allegalla,

which

is

only 4 feet 6 inches by 2 feet

Those on Kurunegalla and on Adam's Peak are each G

by lying down

in length, as I proved

in absence of the guardian priests

no hindrance,

this

is

tion,

Adam was

for

according to

feet

in

which he bears
in

is

to the eye of faith

Mahommedan

height,

and

every country where he

likewise

this

to other saints

is

is

said

than

to

at

have

about the proportion

in Japanese pictures.
is

worshipped,

especially

China and Japan, there are cyclopean images

taller

tradi-

tomb

reverenced as that of Eve,

Buddha

70 feet in length).

been 27

But

feet

length on them

the height of a tall palm-tree (the

Yeddah, near Mecca, which

is

full

of

him

But
in
far

that.^

As regards Siva and Saman, who

also receive credit for

the big footprint, they, being gods, could of course assume

any

size

they pleased.
^

Seo page 125.

ASCENT OF ADAM'S PEAK.

318

Most

by the Buddhists, who have not scrupled

priated

facture a considerable number.

class

have been appro-

of the world's revered footprints

manu-

to

one of the latter

I visited

Chinn, on a rock within the Temple of the Five

ill

Canton

Genii, in the heart of the city of

a temple

where

homage bestowed on the footprint is quite secondaiy to

that accorded to five rough-hewn stones, which represent
five celestial rams, on which the five good genii descended
the

to Canton.^

Even the grave Mahommedans, with

all

their theoretic

abhorrence of everything savouring of superstition or idola-

rock-marks which they affirm

various

reverence

try,

have been the footprints of prophets or great

course

most venerated

the

of

relic

this

to

Of

saints.

class is that at

Mecca, where, within the sacred enclosure of the Kaaba

(that little temple

which

to all

Llahommedans

is

the holy

of holies), there is a small building erected over a

stone,

which they believe

to

sacred

have been brought thither by

Abraham, and on which he stood while building the Kaaba.

It

bears the impress of his two

feet,

the big toes being

deeply indented.

Into these, devout pilgrims pour water,

and drink

and

thereof,

also

purification.

Tliis stone is

of pure silk

it

wash

their faces as a symbolic

always kept covered with a

nmst on no account be mixed with

veil

cotton.

Three different veils are kept for use in different years, one
green, one black,

and one red

Another greatly revered

print of

Moses

at

all are

embroidered in gold.

Mahommedan

Damascus.

Over

'

five

has

hundred years

The Mosque of the Foot." It was

about the year a.d. 1321 by the celebrated Moorish

ago bore the

visited

the foot-

this sacred rock

been built a mosque, which more than

name

relic is

"Wanderings

of "

in China."

C. F.

Gordon Cummin^.

Vol.

i.

p. 49.

EARLY LEGENDS OF THE FOOTPRINT.

pilgrim,

Ibn Batuta, who,

with a desire to

fired

319
every

visit

deemed sacred by Mahommedans, started from his

native city of Tangiers, and for twenty-eight years (when
place

was a very

travel

different matter

our

to

easy journeys

now-a-days) wandered in ceaseless pilgrimage from shrine

to shrine.

At Shiraz he
to the

As

Mountain

tomb of the saintly Abu Abd

made known the way from India

visited the

Allah, who, he says,

first "

of Serendib,"

Adam's Peak

i.e.,

this saint died early in the tenth century,

that

the

Mahommedans had
summit

of the

Peak

in Ceylon.

it

is

evident

ere then accepted the footprint

Adam

as that of

an

on

idea which,

strangely enough, they seem to have adopted from the cor-

who borrowed

rupt serai-Christian Gnostics,

little

every creed, not even omitting snake-worship, and

Adam,

special pre-eminence to

as the original

from

who gave

man.

In a Coptic manuscript of the fourth century, which

is

attributed to Yalentinus the Gnostic, there occurs a most

curious

passage, in

which our Saviour

he

telling the Blessed Virgin that

is

represented

appointed an angel

lias

to be the special guardian of the footstep impressed

foot of leu

(i.e.,

Adam).

It

is

possess of

by the

understood that this passage

has reference to Adam's Peak, and

we

as

it

is

the oldest record

its sanctity.

The legend thus attached

to

adopted by the Arabs, and so

Mahommedans

it

in general, all of

by the Gnostics was

came

it

whom

to

reverence

the purest creation of Allah, and so rank

patriarchs and prophets

the

first

be accepted by

Adam

him above

of God's vicegerents

as
all

upon

earth.

As
print

a matter of course, this Gnostic legend of the foot-

was rejected by the early Christians

of purer creed,

ASCENT OF ADAMS PKAK.

320
and so Moses
in the

Chorene, Patriarch of Alexandria, writing

century, affirms

fourtli or fifth

mark

the

of

of Satan,

who

to be

it

undoubtedly

when he

alighted here

fell

from

heaven
According to the orthodox teaching of the Koran, Paradise

was not on

and when

who

Satan,

earth, but in

this

Adam was

alighted on

seventh

heaven

was

and not

the

ejected thence,

it

he,

the Peak, and here he remained

standing on one foot for about two centuries, striving by

penance

expiate his

to

hence the mark worn on

ended, the

carried back to

Mecca

Whatever the
nacle, and,
side

the best substitute for Paradise that

Both, however, are

earth could give.

Isle, all alike

whither,

]\Iecca,

to live in Ceylon, as

by

when these centuries were

Archangel guided Adam, who brought her back

Yeddah, near

side

crime

Poor Eve tumbled into Arabia, and landed at

the rock.

said to have been

for burial.

varieties of creed that exist in

most marvellous

of

fair

to relate, all

meet

to

worship

on the sacred summit in peace and amity.

While the Mahommedans crowd here

memory

this

agree in their reverence for this one high pin-

Adam,

the Tamils

to

do homage to the

believe that the footprint

is

that of one of their gods, the worshippers of Siva claim

it

as his mark, while the votaries of

Saman, who, in India,

Lakshmana.

He was

is

Yishnu

ascribe

it

to

worshipped under the name of

Rama, one

the brother of

of the in-

carnations of Vishnu, whose invasion of Ceylon to rescue

his beautiful wife, Sita,

celebrated in the
^

Some

Ceylon

from the demon-king, Eavana,

Eamayana, a

nice

little

epic

poem

is

of

of these are the descendants of the old Malabar conquerors of

others are constantly being imported from the mainland by the

planters as labourers.

Most of these

are of the

Hindoo

religion.

KNOWN BY MANY NAMES.

9G,000 Hues

image

Being a descendant

of

321
sun, Saman's

the

always painted yellow, and to him are consecrated

is

the scarlet rhododendron blossoms which glorify the

tain

summit.

It is in his

sun

of the

honour that the

name

bear the

butterflies

true children

They

of Samanaliya.

moun-

are sup-

posed to be especially dear to him because of the vast

flights
all

which sometimes stream from

all

tending in the direction of the Peak

parts of the Isle,

hence

it is

sup-

posed that they too are on pilgrimage to do homage to the

holy footprint.

(If

seems strange that the Singhalese

it

by the name of a
Buddhism is so very
accommodating and all-absorbing that many Hindoo idols
should call their exquisite

Hindoo

god,

butterflies

we must remember

that

are worshipped in Buddhist temples.)

Very various

names bestowed by

are the

all

these

reli-

gious bodies on the shapely cone, which has been so well

described as the sacred citadel of ancient

the Hindoos of all sects
"

The ascent

to

heaven

it

"

is

but the Sivites distinguish

Siva-noli-padam, while to the Yishnuvites

Saman-takuta.

is

Adam's Peak, while

"

it is

The Footprint,"

it

as

Samanala or

To the Mahommedan Moormen

Adamalei, which

To

religious.

Mount Swangavrhanam,

the

it is

Baba-

the equivalent of the European

name

to

the Buddhist the term Sri Pada,

is all

expressive.

as clouds ever float around the loftiest mountain

Thus

summit, so have the legends of many races gathered round

this high pinnacle,

which consequently possesses

minds a concentrated essence of sanctity

for Oriental

altogetiier inde-

scribable.

To the most
an

careless traveller

irresistible attraction,

VOL.

II.

its

and never

natural beauty oflers

shall

forget

my

first

ASCENT OF ADAM'S PEAK.

322
glimpse of

it

as seen from

some miles distant from the

stood revealed

it

desire of

accomplished

Meanwhile

my

heart, but

There, in

others.

all

a deep blue peak cutting

To reach

clear against a golden sky.

came the

still

mountain apparently

coast, the

(though not really) far overtopping

the early dawn,

when we were

the sea,

this high point be-

many months

elapsed ere

it.

welcome

I found

in a lovely

home

nestling

high on the face of a mountain scarcely less beautiful than

Adam's Peak, though

its

name

world in general.

to the

of the lowlands,

comparatively

its

unknown

Allegalla Peak, which

is

low wooded

towers majestically above the

rice-fields

is

This

own

slopes

hills

being

and the
clothed

with the richest vegetation and the lovely foliage of

many

varieties of palm.

On

when not a cloud veiled the tranquil

we reached the summit of this Peak, which

a glorious day,

blue heaven,

we found

to

rock-saddle.

be really a double summit, connected by a

The eastern peak

is

crowned with palms, as

beseems so brave a mountain, but our steps were attracted

to

the

western

rough red rock,

peak,
is

for

there,

on

inhabitants of this district do homage.

that
is

it

rounded slab of

imprinted the footmark to which the

I do not believe

has any pretension to be a genuine

article,

but

it

a convenient representative of the true footprint on the

summit

of

distant,

we saw

Adam's Peak, which, though about

forty miles

clearly on the horizon, towering above a

sea of low-lying white mist.

This

by 2

is

a perfect footmark, 4 feet

feet in width.

Before

which some worshippers had

and

fruit,

it

is

6 inches in length

a rude stone altar, on

laid their offering of flowers

and the clear water, which lay in a hollow

of the

MODELS OF THE HOLY FOOTPRINT.

323

suggested that it had been carried thither

and poured out on the footprint as an act of worship. As
scorcliiiig rock,

we looked

across the sea of white mist enfolding the base of

the distant Sri Pada, a long line of swiftly advancing light

rounding the face of the precipice far below us marked the

down from Kandy

express train rushing

to

Colombo, sug-

gesting a strange contrast between the pilgrims

many

so

centuries have toiled

up that

who through
and

hill of difliculty,

the luxurious travellers of these later days rushing on in

their ceaseless race against time.

About twenty miles

galla, wliich

is

Kurune-

foreigners used to call Kornegalle, and

name from

said to derive its

is

AUegalla

to the north of

a gigantic

which

rounded mass of

red rock shaped like a beetle.

Here, in the court of an ancient temple, the object of

special veneration,

is

the right foot

is

It is

east.

it

"Holy Foot"

cut in the rock.

six feet in length,

avowedly only a model

but

it

old,

having been cut to

of

the true footprint,

has the advantage of being several hundred years

assist the devotions of

the ancient

kings of

Kandy and

the

half of the fourteenth century, Kurunegalla

first

capital of the

the ladies of that royal house, when, in

trees,

was the

kingdom, and the royal residence was situated

at the base of the crag, where,

old

It is

and points north-

carved

stones

beneath the shadow of noble

and broken columns

still

mark

the spot.

From

this rock

Adam's Peak

the south, and one of

Ceylon
1

0(tlla

is

of a moonliglit

means

last chapter,

connection.

my

but

rock.
I

trust

visible in a direct line to

night spent on

had occasion

my

is

most delightful reminiscences of

its

to rcfor to tlieso

readcra will excuse

my

summit.

two crops

recalling

ihcm

iu tho

lu this

ASCENT OF ADAMS PEAK.

324
think part of

its

though

for

really

it

women

is

the gentlemen,

liad

not very

the fashion to consider

it is

all

lay iu the knowledije that probably

charm

not half-a-dozen white

accomplished the ascent,

difficult to

a good scrambler,

a very great feat, and almost

it

who had themselves been

jeered at the idea of

my

accomplishing

it.

to the

summit,

It occurred to

me, liowever, that I could probably climb quite as well as

women

the Singhalese and Tamil

year

up

toil

good

here for the

of all ages,

who year

after

of their souls.

In China I heard how, among the crowds of pilgrims

who annually

travel from

most distant

districts to

worship

on the summit of the sacred Mount Tai-Shan, in the province of Shantung, and

who end

their toilsome journey

by

miles of steep climbing, a spectator observed a com-

five

pany

old

of

women,

of

whom

the youngest was seventy-

With

eight and the oldest ninety years of age.

pain and

these

toil

infinite

earnest pilgrims had accomplished a

journey of 300 miles from south of Honan, their special

object being to plead the merit of their life-long fast from
fish

and

flesh,

and

to crave a

happy transmigration

for their

souls.

Naturally I thought that

and tea could accomplish such

discouraged

so I kept this

women

of fourscore

feats as these, I

need not be

poor old

if

aim ever in view during the

most pleasant of pilgrimages, travelling by easy stages from

one coffee estate to another, halting at bungalows which
bear

such names as Blair Athol, Glen

Forres, strangely homelike sounds to

tive of the colony of genial

Scotchmen

Tilt,

Moray, and

my ears, and suggeswhom I found settled

in every corner.

I prefer, however, to speak of " Britons," for

entertainers included

men and women from

my

kind

England, Scot-

THE PILCRIM's PATH.

ON'

land,

don

aud Ireland.

as a

smart

One

had

of these I

last

325

known

Lou-

in

" raan-about-town,"

whose special vanity lay

Here the gardenias formed

in his "gardenia button-holes."

a fragrant and luxuriant hedge, hut the busy planter cared

more

for the

snow-white flowers and scarlet cherries

of the

bright green coffee bushes which he aud his regiment of

had planted with so much

coolies

stumps of the burnt

forest

toil

among

the charred

tiny green bushes in a blackened

waste.

In every direction save one, we looked out on an endless

expanse of undulating mountain ranges,

same monotonous

all

clothed witli the

bushes, replacing the beautiful pri-

little

meval

forest,

intact

on the ranges close to the Peak, which seemed

which, however, happily

tower from these lower ranges right

still

remained almost
to

uj) to heaven, while in

the foreground beautiful groups of trees, spared as yet by

ruthless axe and flame, lay mirrored in the clear waters of

the Mahavelli-Ganga.

One comfortable home in which I was hospitably enternamed " Bunyan," in irresistible allu-

tained has been aptly

sion to the " Pilgrim's Projjress," being riudit on the i)ilgrims'

path.

When my
the ascent, a
details

all

proved.

It

friends
little

for

found

a jiilgrimage,

was

was

really

bent on making

band of stalwart planters soon arranged

in

the

and a very jdeasant one

month

of

it

January, and we were

favoured with ideal weather and a faultlessly clear atmosphere.

Starting from Glen Tilt, in the M.iskeliya district,

walked or rode as
1

To

only

far as " Forres,"

nie a very familiar

tliree

'

where we

name, the town of Forres,

miles from Altyro,

my

birtliplacc.

we

slept, in onier

in Moraysliire, bcin;;

ASCENT OF Adam's peak.

326

to be fresh for a very early start next morning.

the very foot of

along which

we

tlie

It lies at

Peak, or rather of a long shoulder,

toiled for four hours,

till

we reached an am-

bulam, or pilgrim's rest-house, at the foot of the actual cone.

I

had hoped that

I could

have been carried thus

far in

hung on a bamboo,
mode of travelling the advantages of which I had often
but as the track
proved in my Himalayan wanderings,
lay up and down frightfully steep ravines, or else through
forest so thick that the long bamboo pole could not make
a dandy, which

is

a strip of canvas

its

way, I had soon to give up this attempt, and join the

walkers, consoling myself for the extra fatigue by the beauty

of the

undergrowth

and the wonderful variety

of ferns,

of

lovely tints, rich madder, sienna, crimson, delicate pink, and

pale green, all due to the

developing

all

young

foliage,

which here

is

ever

the year round.

Gay caladium

leaves mingled with a profusion of deli-

cate maiden-hair fern, while here

and there wild bignonias

or brilliant balsams claimed admiration, as did also a luxu-

riant sort of stag's-horn moss,

and an occasional

tuft

of

violets or forget-me-nots.

Having

started at daybreak,

we were

all

very glad of a

halt for breakfast beneath the rough shelter of the said rest-

house, which

floor,

and thereon

rest, as

bell,

leaf,

Only

rested.

we gazed upwards

a gigantic

Happily we had

merely an open shed.

is

brought mats of talipat-palm

which we spread on the

for our eyes there

at the majestic cone

and towering right above

against the deep blue sky.

The other

was no

shaped like

us, cutting

sharp

side of the ravine

presented a front of mighty precipices.

At

this halting-place there are a

for the sale

of

few tiny shops, chiefly

curry-stuffs for the pilgrims,

and much we

THE PILGRIMS.

327

marvelled to see the multitudes of bottles of eau-de-cologne

genuine Jean Marie Farina
at one shilling a bottle.

Of course

my

in

pound

I invested,

Etna, but

thinking

it

would

at least

do to burn

did I guess what a villainous com-

little

was, which the very irreligious mercliant

it

pawned

on devout pilgrims as a meet offering wherewith to anoint

off

the holy footprint.

The pilgrims

are

round they come and

never-failing crop.

All

spring festival in April and May, just

when

year

the

but their special season

go,

at the

is

the rains are

and mountain torrents are

liable

to

suddenly and detain them for days, subject

to all

manner

at their height,

of hardships

rise

but these, I suppose, only add to the merits

of the pilgrimage, for the sanctity of the

and the pilgrims press on

season prevails,

amountThe feebleness of old ase is no

grey-bearded grandfathers and wrinkled, tootha continuous stream

in

ing to thousands annuallv.

drawback

hags are escorted by

less old

a tottering old granny

son,

a true deed of

them such

Some have

devotion,

while

up the steep ascent which

districts

that all weariness

is

to

of the holy mount,

"

shout of praise,

lieart's

ilesire,

well-nigh forgotten, and over and anon

the stillness of the dense forest

the

is

the Isle, long and ttjilsome

of

they are so near the accomplishment of their

The

of a stalwart

mothers help

special blessing.

and when they reach the base

of " Hallelujah

and sometimes

travelled from the mainland of India, others

from the farthest

journeys

family,

borne on the back

is

filial

their toddling little ones

secure for

all their

Satidu

is

Saiidu

by the echo

l^roken
"

which

is

tiie

of the

U4uivalent

"
!

Hallelujah

great mass of pilgrims approach the mountain from

south

vid

Katnapura,

"

the

city

of

rubies,"

which.


ASCENT OF ADAM's PEAK.

328

unless the accounts which have been published are very

highly-coloured,

must involve

more

far

dillicult

have ascended about

to

good

pilgrim, they

come

attributed

shadowed by large
cipice, over

climbing

When

and scrambling than anything we had to do.

150 very ancient rock-hewn

King Prakrama Bahu

they
steps,

himself

I.,

most romantic bathing-place over-

to a

This

trees.

just above a granite pre-

is

which the Sita-Ganga

hurls itself on to the

boulders far below.

In these

chill

waters the pilgrims must bathe, and so

purify themselves ere completing the ascent of the

Mount along

precipitous faces of rock, where

safety lies in gripping the iron chains

Holy

their only

which adventurous

climbers have placed here for the benefit of weaker heads.

As

a matter of

course, traditions,

hanging

cliff,

and myths

legends,

attach to each rock and turn on the pilgrim path

each over-

each gushing spring, each rippling rivulet that

down the water-worn ravines has its own story,

many cases vague and dreamy as the mists which float

rushes
in

But as regards

around the towering pinnacle.

details, it is well to consult a

trustworthy pilgrim

Lawrence Oliphant ascended

the

pura

side, I

may

as well quote

what he says on the

subject,

route to select.

He

We

as

Ptatna-

any one M'ho may be undecided

"

and

Peak from the

for the benefit of

says

practical

as to

which

passed the night at a native house in one of the

higher villages, and leaving our horses there, on the follow-

way on foot amid scenery which

became more grand and rugged, the path in

ing morning pursued our

at every step

places skirting the edge of dizzy precipices, at the base of

which foamed brawling

^

torrents.
Garuja means river.

LAWRENCE OLIPHAXT's ASCENT.

"

329

The way was often rendered dangerous by the roots uf

become slippery by the morning

large trees, which, having

narrow path, and one of these

mist, stretched across the

nearly cost

me my

Tiie path at the spot

life.

on the precipitous

hillside

when my

a torrent of boiling water,

and

at least

I pitched over the sheer

companion as

I disappeared,

that all was over,

when

300

was scarped
below roared

feet

on a mot,

foot slipped

cliff.

my

heard the cry of

and had quite time

to realise

was brought up suddenly by the

spreading branches of a bush which was growing upon a

There was no standing ground anywhere,

projecting rock.

except the rock the bush grew upon.

"

Looking up,

my

saw

companion and the natives who

were with us peering over the edge above, and

intense relief shouted that so far I was

all

not move for fear the bush would give way.

ever, strongly urged

my

their

to

but dared

right,

They, how-

scrambling on to the rock

and

tliis,

with a heart thumping so loudly that I seemed to hear

palpitations,
"

The

and a dizzy brain,

natives, of

whom

their long waistcloths,

its

succeeded in doing.

there were five or six, then undid

and tying them

to

each

otlier,

and

a piece of cord, consisting of the united contributions of

to
all

the string of the party and the packages they were carrying,

made
iinder

a rope just long enough to reach me.

my

armpits, and holding on to

it

Fastening this

with the energy of

despair, or perhaps I should rather say of hope, I

was safely

hauled to the top.

"

This adventure was not a very good preparation fur

what was

in store for us,

when not very

far

from the top

Here

we reached the mauvais pas of the whole ascent.

a^ain
it

we had

on one

a precipice with a torrent at the liottom of

side,

and on the other an overhanging

cliff

nut

ASCENT OF ADAM's PEAK.

330
metapliorically

projected

stood

it

overhanging, but literally

upper edge

its

some distance beyond the ledge on which we

was not above forty feet high, and was scaled by

an iron ladder,

The a^onisin" moment came when we had mounted

and had nothing between
of feet below, and
hundreds
some
our backs and the torrent
then had to turn over the edge and take hold of a chain
"

this ladder to the projecting edge,

which lay over an expanse

was necessary

of whicli

it

one's self

on one's knees

of bare sloping rock, to the links

to cling firmly, while

for

one hauled

twenty or thirty yards over the

by no means smooth surface.

"My companion was so utterly demoralised that he roundly
declared that nothing would induce

same

of the

am happy

him

to

made the descent

place."

to say that

no such

difficulties

attended our

ascent from the Maskeliya, Dickoya, and Dimbula side.

Our ascent of the actual cone commenced immediately

We

after leaving the aforesaid rest-house.

crystal stream rushing

as

downward from the summit (such

when swollen by sudden storm might

serious hindrance

to

returning pilgrims).

a deep fern-clad ravine,

a very

stiff

climb

it

crossed a clear

we

well

prove a

Then entering

struggled steadily upward, and

proved, like that of the very steepest

up an old cathedral tower a thousand feet high.

This
continued for two and a half miles, sometimes in dark, cool

stair

forest,

sometimes along a face of bare precipitous rock ex-

posed to scorching sun.

The path

watercourse, coming straight

thick jungle on either side.
it

is

necessary to go single

difficulty

to

is

like the

bed of a

down from the summit, with

The ravine is so narrow that

file, and it really is a serious

meet pilgrims on their downward way. At

ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

on either side

intervals

331

the road there are cairns of

of

small stones heaped up by pilgrims, just like those on the

summit

and in the Himalayas and in Scot-

of Puji-yama,

land.

some help by passing a rope round

I got

sending two coolies ahead with the ends of

some support and

a gentle

upward impetus.

my
it,

waist and

which gave

Happily some

royal pilgrims of old had flights of steps cut on the almost

vertical slabs of slippery rock.

Some

are very high, but the difficulty

is

weather there

fair

is

the

in

a precipice at the

face of

are said to be really necessary for the pilgrims to

hold on by on stormy days

by which
all

and

greatly overrated,

no danger whatever, though the iron

chains which hang along

summit

of the steps certainly

round

indeed, the great iron chains

the roof of the Httle shrine

tell

is

affixed to the rocks

the same story of the wild sweeping of tem-

pestuous winds and storms, which often rage around the

summit and invest the Peak with

dread.

These chains are said to have been originally placed here

by Alexander

tlie

Great,

whom

the

have climbed the pinnacle about

the footprint of
of

the

Peak

Adam.

Ibn Batuta, describing his ascent

as does also a water-spring, at

tells

name

ascent,

which

and Ashref, a Persian poet

how, in order

affirm to

do homage to

in the fourteenth century, tells

at the base of the cone bears the

thirst;

Mahommedans

B.C. 330, to

all

how

a ridge

of the Conqueror,

pilgrims slake their

of the following century,

to facilitate the difficult

Alexander caused stanchions

of the cliff to sustain iron chains,

and dangerous

to be fixed in the face

by holding on

to

which

they were able to scale the precipitous rock without danger.

Whoever has

the merit of

first

they remain to the present day.

placing the chains, there

ASCIiNT OF

332

ADAMS

PEAK.

We

accounted ourselves rarely fortunate in being favoured

with a day of calmest sunshine, for most evenings, both
before and after our expedition, closed with terrific thunderstorms, and for hours together the

we had

clouds, so

on

fully reckoned

Instead of

a night of awe.

Peak was

this,

veiled in dark

the possibility of such

on reaching the summit,

our eyes were gladdened with a magnificent view of the

All around lay
whole island, outstretched on every side.
a vast expanse of forest-clad mountain ranges
sale destruction of the forests to prepare the

the whole-

way

for cul-

tivation being less conspicuous from this point than from

many

others

and

far

away, beyond wide sweeps of park-

country, traversed

like

course of rivers,

by

silvery lines

and vanishing

which mark the

in a soft blue haze, a line

of glittering light revealed the presence of

the encircling

ocean.

All this

we beheld

at a glance,

climb up the huge naked

forms the mountain crown,

ground which

lies

which point a

level

an oval
so as

of

we reached

path

this

indeed,
this

is

about 65 by 45
to

feet,

a morsel of level

passing round the Peak,

perform the three orthodox

to the rock all the

by keeping the right

The outer edge

time.

happily protected by a low stone wall.

must the sunwise turns have

was

built

which

pathway has been constructed, forming

turns, following the course of the sun,

hand next

after a final steep

about ten feet below the summit, from

enable pilgrims

to

when,

rock, about forty feet high,

of

Sorely,

tried dizzy heads ere

by some pious pilgrims.^

So steep are the precipitous sides of this mighty cone,

^

have noted numerous instances of " sunwise turns " round

all

manner

of sacred objects, in " In the Himalayas," pp. 4, 250, 359, 430, 529, 551, 584,
590.

Also

"

In the Hebrides," pp. 241-245.

Published by Chatto

& Windus.

TEMPLE ON THE SUMMIT.

how

that one marvels

have contrived

333

the gnarled old rhododendron trees

and continued

to gain,

to retain, their hold

on the rock, or how they find sustenance.

There they

are,

however, with their glossy leaves and crimson blossoms, as

gay as though rooted in the richest peat

soil,

instead of

being fed chiefly by the dews of heaven.

about ten steps brings us to the ex-

final ascent of

treme summit of the Peak, 7352 feet above the

crowned by a picturesque

little

merely of a light overhanging

would carry

it

the sea were

to

iron chains passing over

it.

It is

consisting

supported on slender

roof,

columns, and open to every wind of heaven

as

sea.

wooden temple,

it

Beneath

such winds

not for the strong

this

canopy

lies

The

FooTPKiNT, revered not only by about four hundred million

Buddhists, but also, as I have just stated, by Hindoos and

Mahommedans without number, and even by Eoman

Catholic

Christians.

Happily

for

us,

only a handful

with our
alities,

own

a very varied selection, however, beginning

party,

which included divers European nation-

while the Oriental creeds were represented by an old

Hindoo Yogi

in saffron-coloured robes,

rosary of black beads

travelled all the

do homage to

mountain

wrapped

air

Mahommedau

way from Lahore,

Adam

and wearing a large

he had come from the Punjab to

worship Siva, while his neighbour, a

bubble.

we
we found

ascending at the end of January,

arrived before the annual stream of pilgrims, so

on

this

in

priest,

Northern India,

sacred spot.

lie

patchwork

quilt,

smoking

to

found the

exceedingly cold, and crouched over his

in a gorgeous

had

fire,

his hubble-

Several Christians from the Malabar Coast were

intent on the worship of St. Thomas.

Strange

to

say,

the

only

representative

of

Buddhism

ASCENT OF ADAM's PEAK.

a.n.

present was a .small bny of the Amarapoora sect,

a[)art

who

slept

beneath an overhanging rock near our hut, where we

heard him singing his midnight prayers most devoutly. He

was a pretty little fellow, and the yellow robes of Buddha

harmonised well with his clear brown skin and dark eyes.
A wretched little hut, on the level just below the summit,
is

reserved for the use of the senior priests, who, however,

liave

at the foot of the

more comfortable quarters

when not on duty

here.

Peak

high-priest of the

mountain

We

were told that the venerable

lives

up here a good deal during

the pilgrim season.

While

made

a careful drawing of the scene,

my

com-

panions were hard at work preparing our night quarters.

Happily there
built

still

remained the walls of a hut which was

on the occasion of Lady Eobinson's ascent

and roofed with the large mats

we had

so this

was

bamboo

grass,

of talipat-palm leaf

which

quickly cleaned out, thickly carpeted with

so fortunately brought with us

so in the course of

a couple of hours we had a capital two-roomed house ready.

This had the
pilgrims,

merit of standing a

apart

little

from the

and was perched upon rocks fringed with ferns

and sweet pink orchids, and overshadowed by rhododendron

trees.

Suddenly, about twenty minutes before sunset, to our

intense delight, the far-famed

ward athwart the

shadow

not on the ground, but on the atmosphere

assuming the forms of the mountains,

triangle ("
last

Peak

of the

fell east-

plain, like a blue spirit-pyramid resting,

it

for instead of

lay in a faultless

an isosceles triangle," observed one of the party,

from Oxford), the lines as straight as

if

they had been

ruled, although the object casting the so-called

ragged cone.

shadow

is

THE SHADOW OF THE PEAK.

I suppose

larger

it is

due

to the fact of the

than the earth that

its

335

sun being so

rays, divided

level

much

by the

base of the mountain, seem to meet again on the opposite

horizon.

But such prosaic speculation

as to its cause found

no place in our thoughts while gazing spell-bound on

this

wondrous apparition, which each moment grew wider

the base, while

lengthening

till

at

touched the ocean on

it

the eastern horizon, and the sun sank beyond the western

waves.

When

the last glories of the afterglow had faded away,

we had a most cheery dinner by a moonlight so clear that

we could distinguish the whole island outspread far below
us right away to the sea.
Our thinly-clad coolies suffered
much from cold, and so tried to warm themselves by dancing round their

fires

a curious wild scene.

nistering small

drams

Tlie

gentlemen

warm them by admi-

encouraged the dancers, and strove to

which they received in

of brandy,

the pahn of the hand, crouching at the feet of the dorre

t.c, "

While
shrine,

this

was going

my

on, I crept

up

to the

now

deserted

and stood there alone beside the rock-mark, which

in all ages has inspired

of

master."

fellow-creatures.

the shrine
footprint

is

inlaid with

is

all

such amazing reverence in millions

During the regular pilgrim season

hung with white

covered by a model of

cloths,
itself

pieces of coloured glass, which

substitute for the original, which

was

and the sacred

made
is

of brass,

the modern

of pure gold, inlaid

with precious gems, and which was seen here by Dutch

travellers

who ascended

the Peak in 1654.

In Valentyn's account of the Sri Pad a in March 1G51

he says, " The priests showed our people a gold plate representing the length and breadth of the

foot,

on which were

ASCENT OF ADAM

3:30

which

fi^'ures,

on

footprint itself; but

tlie

them
seen

tliat

be seen

allowed

engraved on the gold, they disappeared from the

to be

These

stone.

to

after the priests

were formerly

tliey said

various

PEAK.

fi^^'ureil

were sixty-eight in number, and

fi^^ures

by

IJaLlieus in

iiis

may

be

description of Coromandel,

151, with other matters relating thereto."

fol.

Terliaps the very elaborate symbols sculptured on the

Burmese

footprint in the British

Museum may

afford

some

clue to these vanished figures.

Strange to
shrine

fifty

say,

among

the

offerings

presented at the

years ago was an embossed silver covering for

W.

who held
Governor from 1831 to 1837, and who thus
proclamation made in the name of His

the ureat footmark, the gift of Sir E.

ofllce as British

emphasised the

Horton,

Majesty King William IV., that protection would be continued to

When

all rites

and usages

made

Hoffmeister

Buddhist

of the

religion.

the ascent in 1844, he found the

footprint enclosed within a golden frame studded with

gems

he pronounced that

of considerable size, of which, however,

only a few were genuine.

I

had the better fortune to see the rock unadorned, and,

must be

if

the truth

it

accurately for myself, I lay

found
proved

it

to be

it

to

2G inches.

tion,

down

full

length on

it,

and

4^ inches longer than myself, whereby I

be just 6

the breadth at the

is

measure

confessed, being anxious to

toes

feet
is

in length.

32 inches

The natural mark

is

was

that

told that

at the

heel

merely a slight indenta-

8 inches deeper at the toes than at the heel, but the

imaginary outline of the foot has been emphasised by a rim

of plaster,

coloured to match the rock.

been defined.

The

The

toes have also

footprint points north-west.

According to a tradition quoted in Chinese records of the

A SEA OF

337

MIST.

sixteeutli century, tlie hollow of the footprint should contain

a never-failing supply of fresh water, supplied from heaven,

and which cures

make

water of

I can only

life.

the rock as dry as

it

am

all diseases.

this toilsome pilgrimage

told that

on purpose

many

sick folk

to drink of this

hope that they do not often find

was on

this occasion

There

is,

how-

ever, a well at the foot of the mountain, which, although its

waters are less sacred,

is

nevertheless credited with miracu-

lous cures, and this also has been duly recorded

by observant

Chinese travellers of the fourteenth century.

So you

see,

the farther you travel, the more surely you will prove that
there

is

nothing really

new under

the sun

After a while chilling mists began to arise from the deep

valleys

and

enough

to join the

to creep

up the mountain-side, and

merry party beside the blazing

tlien to seek rest in the little

was glad
and

fire,

hut, truly thankful for the

kind forethought which had supplied so goodly a store of

warm

blankets.

first glimmer of dawn I

upon the wondrous sea of white

Ere the

stole forth to look

mist,

down

which seemed

to

cover the whole Isle with one fleecy shroud, a strangely

eerie

scene, all

bathed in the

Ever and anon the

and a

veil

of

like

faint breeze stirred the billowy surface,

of

name

square-shaped rock mass

of

hills,

were

still

Uuo Dhia Parawatia

One

a grand

hills.

shining brilliantly, while eastward

the pale primrose light was changing to a golden

Sometimes the uprolling clouds

VOL. n.

which

towers high above the surround-

ing ridges of densely wooded

stars

the surrounding

innumerable islands on a glistening lake.

of these, bearing the

The

moonlight.

spiritual

transparent vapour floated upward to play

round the dark summits

seemed

pale

floated

as

if

glow.

enfolding us,

ASCENT OF ADAMS PEAK.

338

beneath our feet as thouj^h the solid earth were

drifting

away from under us.

Wonderful and most impressive was the

passing

my

daybreak

bcforti

ear caught

tlie

stillness.

ascending

Just

murmur

of

and peering down

which told of the approach of a
the mountain-side,

voices,

discerned

the glimmering torches

pihrim band

summit

the

toiling

up the steep

ravine, bent

on reaching

ere sunrise.

Judging from
they could have

my own

experience, I should have thought

Nevertheless, they

breath to spare,

little

contrived to cheer the

way with

sacred chants, and very

wild and pathetic these sounded as they floated up through

the gloom of night.

At

last the

set foot

topmost

stair

was reached, and as each pilgrim

on the level just below the shrine, he extinguished

his torch of blazing palm-leaves,

and with bowed head and

outstretched arms stood wrapped in fervent adoration.

Some

knelt so lowlily that their foreheads rested on the rock.

Then facing the

east

now

purple clouds

betwixt

streaked with bars of orange

they

waited with

earnest

faces,

eagerly longing for the appearing of the sun, suggesting to

my mind

a strikingly Oriental illustration of the words of

the poet-king,
tliey

"My

soul waiteth for the

that watch for the morning."

Lord more than

Gradually the orange glow broadened, and the welling

light

grew clearer and

clearer, imtil,

up rose the glorious sun, and, as

watcher greeted
Saiidu

"

its

if

with a sudden bound,

with one voice, each

appearing with the deep-toned

"

Saadu

which embodies such indescribable intensity of

devotion.

Beautiful in truth
^

was that radiant

Bible version of

Psalm cxxx.

light,
6.

which, while

THE SHADOW SEEN AT SUNRISE.

the world below

lay shrouded in gloom, kissed this high

still

summit and the glowing blossoms

dron

trees,

339

and lent

its

own

crimson rhododen-

of the

brightness to the travel-stained

white garments of the pilgrims.

But while these gazed spell-bound, absorbed

in worship,

we

quickly turned westward, and there, to our exceeding joy,

once more beheld the mighty shadow falling right across

the Island, and standing out clear and distinct

wondrous

pyramid whose summit touched the western horizon.

world below us

still

lay veiled in white mist,

now

The
tinged

with a delicate pink, as were also the mountain-tops, which

from that vaporous

rose so like islands

across

it all,

But, right

sea.

the great spectral triangle, changing from deli-

cate violet to clear blue, lay outspread, its edge prismatic, like

a faint rainbow.

We watched

for three hours,

it

grew shorter and more sombre,

darker than the forest-clad
us,

and across which

till

hills

so

that

it

it

gradually

was actually

which lay in shadow before

As

the sun rose higher and

pyramid gradually grew narrower

higher, the blue

base,

it fell.

during which

finally it vanished, leaving us

conviction that to this

at the

impressed with the

phenomenon must

in

some mea-

sure be attributed the sanctity with which, in early ages, a

people always keenly addicted to nature-worship invested

Their modern descendants seemed to

this mountain-top.

have no room for

I

it

may mention

nomenon

in their full hearts.

that I have witnessed this identical phe-

at sunrise

from the summit of Fuji-Yama, the

holy mountain of Japan, and I have heard

similar effect

is

it

said that a

to be seen from Pike's Peak in Colorado, a

mountain 14,157

feet in height,

but not remarkable in form.

I have, however, seen a picture which merely shows the

ASCENT OF ADAMS PEAK.

MO

sunset sliadow of the mountain on the eastern sky

at

:ill

From

triangle.

summit

the

Mount Omei,

of

not
the

holy mcnintain of the Chinese Buddhists, a very peculiar

shadow is sometimes seen, capped by a marvellous prismatic
halo,

which

sionally,

is

when

the spectral

shadow

the

of

shadow seems

its

Adam's Peak

Occa-

on mist,

falls

stand upright, taking the

to

conical form of the mountain,

on

Buddha."

as the " Glory of

known

and a rainbow-girt halo

rests

summit.

One

traveller only, so far

as

am

aware, has had the

wonderful shadow as a moonlight

f'ood fortune to see this

phenomenon, which, of course, could only occur when an

almost full

moon was very near

or setting.

This fortunate observer was Lawrence Oliphant,

whose description

the scene

of

the horizon, either rising

is

so striking that again I

cannot refrain from quoting his words.

By

"

the light of a

moon a little
down from

early morning, I looked

upon a sea

of mist,

which stretched

past the
this

to

full,

isolated

in the

summit

the horizon in all

directions, completely concealing the landscape beneath me.

Its white,

compact, smooth surface almost gave

it

the ap-

j)earance of a field of snow, across ivhich, in a deep hlach

shadovj, extended the conical

form of

the moiintain

I was

on,

apex just touching the horizon, and producing a scenic

its

effect as

"

unique as

it

was imposing,

While I was watching

it,

the sharpness of

its

outline

gradually began to fade, the black shadow became by de-

more grey, and as the

dawn slowly broke, the whole effect was changed as by the
wand of a magician.
Another conical shadotv crept over the

grees less black, the white mist

vast expanse on the opposite side of the

its

turn, reached to

the

horizon,

mountain, which, in

as the sun rose over the

THE SHADOW SEEN BY MOONLIGHT.

tremulous mist

but the sun-shadow seemed to lack the

moon-shadow

cold mystery of the

had driven away, and

it

scarcely gave one time to appreciate

effects before the

mist

itself

in the clouds

own marvellous

its

began slowly

to

rise

and

to

For half an hour or

envelop us as in a winding-sheet.

more we were

341

and could see nothing; then

suddenly they rolled away and revealed the magnificeut

panorama which had been the object

we

our pilgrimage."

we watched each change

Intently as
vision,

of

did not

fail to

pilgrims, who, previous to paying their

shrine, walk

worn

thrice sunwise

level footpath,

flowers, chiefly

in this

wondrous

note the proceedings of our fellow-

round

and carrying

it,

vows

the holy

at

following the well-

their simple offerings of

the scarlet blossoms of the

rhododendron

and the fragrant white champac and plumeria, raised on

high in their joined hands.

Then

formed the three sunwise turns,

shoulder a bmss lota
spring which

lies

filled

a second time they per-

time bearing on one

this

with clear icy water from a

about twelve feet below the summit, and

which leaves wafted from Paradise are sometimes found

in

floating,

so

gift of certain

also

the pilgrims believe.

(Two

about forty feet lower down.^

Moormen

to the

two large brass lamps.)

honour

The

second spring

silver bells
of

lies

were the

Adam,

as

were

pilgrims then kneel in

lowliest adoration whilst the priest pours out their offering

of water

upon the

gift of flowers,

footprint,

on which they also lay their

and a few small coins

for the

use of the

It always seems strange to find water-springs in the hard rock at a great

saw two similar springs on the extreme summit of Fuji-Yama in

is simply a dormant crater, and others on the summit and
See " Fire Fountains of
in the crater of Haloakala in the Sandwich Isles.
Hawaii," vol. i. p. 2G4. Published by Blackwood.
altitude.

Japan, which

ASCENT OF

342

ADAMS

Tli(>n dippiric,' their

priests.

PEAK.

hands in the water thus sanc-

they wash their faces in symbolic purification.

tified,

customary for each pilgrim to tear a

fragment from his scanty raiment and knot it to one of the
iron cliains, to remind Heaven of the petitions offered on
Afterwards

is

These

sacred spot.

tliis

many

of

it

rags, old

and new, form a fringe

colours, enlivening the rusty chains

Some

the temple to the crag.

which secure

of the links in these ancient

and modern chains are inscribed with the name of the

donor,

who

tlian tlie

has

tlius

presented a more enduring memorial

Strange,

rag of his poor brother.

this identical

of the earth, from Ireland's holy wells to

tains

is

it

custom of rag-offering prevails in

not,

all

how

regions

Himalayan moun-

and sacred bushes

Some

had brought with them long

of the pilgrims

of white calico,

wherewith the

little

strips

priestling covered the

mystic rock, and on each of which he traced with saffron

(sacred yellow) an exceedingly well-defined footprint.

were hung up

to

fluttered flag-like

eaves

the
till

pilgrims would carry

of

temple, and

the

thoroughly dried,

them

cation of less fortunate

when

the

to distant lands, for

These
thence

devout

the edifi-

These are deemed a

believers.

charm against the evil-eye and sundry

diseases.

Various travellers have noted a graceful detail of family

life

at

the conclusion of the appointed worship, namely,

that husbands

and wives, children and parents, salute one an-

other most reverently and affectionately with lowly salaams

the grey-haired wife,
feet of her venerable

younger

moved

to tears, almost

embracing the

husband, and he raising her lovingly

men simply exchanging

salutations

and betel

leaves.

Thus year

after year,

from the

earliest

ages of

human

A SERIES OF BCDDHAS.

343

have pilgrim bands climbed this lofty summit to

history,

worship on the pinnacle which, though we believe

be no nearer to heaven

crowded

cities, is

it

to

than the murkiest street of our

certainly far uplifted above the levels of

earth.

To say that the

aboriginal

native worshippers of

revered this rock-pinnacle

Isle

Gautama Luddha,

is

nothing

appeared here more than

five

the

though he

said to

for

hundred years before

he was only the most recent of a

who

beings
their

legends
of

are supposed to

presence in
tell of

whom

divers

is

series of

Buddhas

have honoured

ages.

twenty-five Buddhas

the

days of

long before

have

Christ,

this earth

holy

with

believe the Singhalese

who have

visited Ceylon,

four are said to have revealed themselves on this

spot.

The
B.C.
"

of these

first

was Kukusanda, who appeared about

3000, and found the Peak already

Peak

of the

known

as

Deiwakuta,

God."

The second Buddha who here revealed himself was

Konagamma he appeared B.C. 2099, and even at that early
date the mount (so they say) was already known as Saman;

takuta, in honour of Saman,

who

three hundred years pre-

viously had, as I have already observed, accompanied Piama

when he conquered

Ceylon.

The third Buddha, known as Kasyapa, appeared about

B.C. 1000, and then, B.C. 577, came Gautama Buddha, the
prince of Lucknow.

Since then, successive kings and nobles have come here

from

far

distant

a picturesque

lands on

solemn pilgrimage, and many

company (some robed in

wended

ness of Oriental splendour) has

all
its

the gorgeous-

way from

the

coast through the dense beast-haunted forests which clothed

"

ASCENT OF Adam's peak.

344
these

mountain

wild

to

riuit,'es,

up these self-same
Meghavahana,

toil

rock-licwii stops since, in the year a.d. 24,

king of Cashmere, came

the

all

way

hitlier

to

worship on

summit.
That the kings of Ceylon should be numbered amongst
the pilgrims is only natural, though doubtless it was a

this

make

notable event that they should

as did the great Buddhist king,

about

I.,

Samanala

of

" (so it is

stated in the Eajavali).

Thus through each successive age has the

ceaseless offer-

ing of prayer and praise ascended from this majestic

tain-altar to the great All-Father,
all

all-enfolding love,

ones pleading with

of

him who wrote

"

What

feel

blinding mists of heathenism.

tlirough the

if

to

"

and grieve

unknown

moun-

whose tender mercy enfolds

His children, albeit so many can but

KNOW His

who,

1153, "caused a temple to be erected on the

a.d.

summit

the journey on foot,

Prakrama Bahu

Him

after

But we, who

to see these

weary

gods," can but echo the hope

Thee

in

Thine

Infinity

These multiform and many-coloured creeds

Seem but the robe man wraps as masquer's weeds

Round
"Wluit

the one living truth

if

Thou

givest

him

Thee

these varied forms that worship prove

(Being heart-worship) reach

Thy

perfect ear

But as a monotone, complete and clear,

Of which the music is (through Christ's Name) Love
For ever rising in sublime increase

To Glory
'

in the

Highest on Earth

peace.'

345

CHAPTER XXVL
THE TUG OF WAR

THE

BATTLE OF DIVERSE CREEDS

IN CEYLON.

Portuguese Dutch Tal)]e

Kunian Catholic American Mission Need
of a Medical Mission for Women Jaffna College High-caste
students Commencement of Wesleyan Mission Its Mission to

Nestorian Christians St. Francis Xavier

of British Missionaries

Burmah.
I

DOUBT whether

in

auy other corner

an area has proved the

of the earth so small

battle-field for creeds so diverse as

those which have successively striven for the mastery in

Ceylon.

Certainly there

is

none

in

which successive mer-

cenary invaders, whether heathen or Christian, have more

unscrupulously used the cloak

of

engine for the furtherance of their

more lamentable
This

fair

Isle,

religion

own

as

a political

designs, or with

results.

somewhat smaller than

Irelam],

lias

for

centuries been distracted by religious and political conflicts,

subject to the caprice of successive rulers of diverse race

and

faith,

each imposing

its

own

secular and spiritual govern-

ment on the conquered islanders, and all alike unstable.

From the days when pure, cold, atheistic linddhism first
sought (quite ineffectually) to drive out the devil-worship

which prevails

to this day,

and through Hindoo and Malay

THE TUO OF WAR.

3'16

invasions, bringing alternate

theism,

waves

of polytheism

and mono-

Portuguese and Dutch conquerors came, each in

own creed, the people have

till

turn determined to enforce their

been subject
great extent

such conilicting teaching, that to a very

to
all

these faiths have partly blended and partly

neutralised one another.

At the present day, although, out of a population of somewhat over 3,000,000, 1,800,000 are professedly Buddhists,
030,000 are Hindoos, 220,000 are Mahommedans, and, according to the latest census, 283,000 are Christians, the great mass
of these people are still in the

devil-worship, which

malignant

As

is

thraldom

of the aboriginal

a system of ceaseless propitiation of

spirits.

regards the effect on the Christianity of the Isle,

evident that creeds enforced by conquerors could not

As

be odious in the eyes of the people.

hearts, that

to

days when Christianity was

introduced from Persia by Nestorian missionaries.

is

fail to

winning their

was never attempted until the present century,

unless, perhaps, in very early

mention

it is

made by Cosmas, a Nestorian

Of

Christian,

this

who,

writing in the time of Justinian, tells that in Taprobane

(which was the ancient Greek name for Ceylon) there existed a

community

priests,

and deacons, and having a regular

of Persian Christians,

tended by bishops,
liturgy.

These are understood to have been merchants attracted

by commerce to

this Isle of gems, ivory,

which was then the great emporium

and precious timber,

of Oriental trade.

They

are supposed to have established their head-quarters

on the

shores of the Gulf of Manaar, but by the close of the sixth

century Eastern trade seems to have languished, the Persian

merchants no longer frequented the

heard of these Persian colonists.

Isle,

and no more

is

Their influence, however,

ST.

317

FRANCIS XAVIER.

when Sir John Mandeville visited the XorthWest Province in the fourteenth century, he states that he
there found "good men and reasonable, and many Christian
remained, for

men amongst them."

Some lingering trace

of their teaching

posed the Tamil natives of that

when

for

faith,

St.

preaching to the fishers on

district

Xavier

Francis

Lake

tlie

doubtless predisto the

(like

Christian

his

of Galilee)

Master
made his

among the fisher-folk of Cape Comorin,

Manaar sent him an invitation to come and teach
them also. Though unable to come in person, he sent one
earliest proselytes

those of

of his clergy, through

baptism

whom

about seven hundred received

baptism which was

straightway crowned

by

martyrdom, as these early converts were forthwith put to

death by the llajah of Jaffna,

for ere long the sons

ruler

who was

a worshipper

of

This martyrdom was followed by the usual results,

Siva.

and other

embraced the Christian

relations of the persecuting

faith

and

fied for protection to

the mainland, to the court of the Christian Viceroy of Goa,

Soon afterward the Rajah himself,

by the en-

terrified

croachments of the Portuguese, declared himself a convert,

and induced
with these

St.

Francis to secure for him a political alliance

irresistible invaders,

who

a sort of protectorate in his realm,

accordingly established

which soon resulted

in

the assertion of absolute power and the expulsion of the

tyrant from his dominions.

To
fishers

this

day the majority

members

are

of the Ptomau Catholic Church, and

members, moreover, who pay their

fashion, that

the tax on

and Tamil

of the Singhalese

tithes

in

so

liberal

when, in 1840, the British Government abolished

fish,

which had previously been an item

1

A.D. ir.44.

of

revenue

THE TUG OF WAR.

318

about G000 per annum, the fishers simply

transferred tlieir payment to the priests, by whom it has
The I'ortuguese seem to have
thenceforth been collected.

e(iuivalont to

discovered the Island by accident, while pursuing trading

They found Moorish ships laden with cinnamon

and elephants, and straightway their covetousness was
They found a people weakened by dissensions,
awakened.

vessels.

amongst

they came in threefold character, as mer-

whom

chants, missionaries,

and

they quickly took an

ell,

pirates.

They craved an

inch,

and in truth a knell they sounded

throughout the weary land.

So soon as they obtained possession of Colombo and the

adjoining districts (a.d. 1505),

Eoman

consecrated

first

every

was made

effort

Don Juan

and

Ceylon,

to induce the Singhalese to declare

So great was the

themselves converts.

de Monterio was

Catholic Bishop of

official pressure,

en-

forced by the indescribably brutal cruelty of fanatical soldiers,

that multitudes yielded

and submitted

Cotta, but this

his throne,

was not

and the

till

the former had been driven from

compelled to seek the aid of the

latter

Portuguese to retain his kingdom.

kings was followed by

Amongst
Kandy and of

to baptism.

these nominal converts were the kings of

many

of

The example
the

nobles,

who

of

their

carried

compliance so far as to adopt the names of the Portuguese

nobles
of

who

stood sponsors at the holy font

the Portuguese Christian

names borne by
as

a circumstance

which we find a curious survival at the present day in

so

names combined with native sur-

many

of the people of

Gregory de Soyza Wijeyegooneratne

pure blood, such

Siriwardene,

Don

David dc Silva Welaratne Jayetilleke, Johan Louis Fcrera

Abeysekere Goonewardene, &c.
Although the influence of Portuguese gold, the hope

of

DUTCH METHODS.

319

honours, and the dread of Larharous torture com-

official

bined to produce a general outward conformity,

stands

it

to reason that the majority of the people continued secretly

Brahman

attached to the Buddhist and

Eomau

were the concessions made by the

in

the

way

faiths

of assimilation as to call

and so great

Catholic teachers

forth serious

remon-

strance from some of the stricter Orders.

Thus matters continued

till,

the

in

beginning of the

seventeenth century, the Dutch obtained the upper hand in

the struggle for supremacy, and in a.d. 161-2 they proclaimed

the Eeformed Church of Holland to be the established religion of the Isle.

Then fullowed a period

secution.

Many

India, one

was beheaded,

as were also the native

however, had

amount

of

most cruel per-

of the Portuguese priests were deported to

all

were insulted and oppressed,

Eoman

now become

Catholics,

many

whom,

of

so thoroughly in earnest that

of persecution could

make them

abjure their

no

faitli.

These were Singhalese, Tamils, and descendants of the Portuguese.

By way
rence for

of exhibiting their superiority to childish reve-

images,

the Dutch indulged in such unworthy

diversions as mutilating the sacred figures in the churches,

especially that of St.
into

Thomas, the patron saint

which they knocked great

nails,

and then shot

a mortar right into the Portuguese quarters.

tianity
for

was presented

bitter

professing

of the Isle,
it

from

Tlius Chris-

to the islanders solely as the

ground

contentions between these two bodies of those

it.

The Portuguese persuasives having been the

tlie Dutch tried bribery,

sword, the stake, and the spear,

Government

office,

and emolument

of various kinds.

In curious contrast with their contemptible

Christianity to trade in Japan, the

Dutch here

sacrifice

set to

of

work

THE TUG OF WAR.

350
with a

hii^h liand to establish

the Reformed Faith.

Issuing

of mass
stringent penal proclamations against the celebration
they
Church,
Catholic
and every other office of the Roman

schools,
took possession of the churches, established Reformed
reckoned
they
century
seventeenth
the
of
and by the close

nominal adherents among the Tamil population in the

their

Nevertheless, Baldceus,

north of the Isle at about 190,000.

Dutch

of the earliest

one

this triumph, has to confess that,

they retained

many

the

of

who

missionaries,

16G3 records

in

though Christian in name,

superstitions of their

Hindoo

Paganism.

But the Singhalese of the Southern District were by no

means so ready to adopt another new creed at the bidding
of strangers

so to quicken their intelligence, proclamations

were issued to the

efifect

that no native

who had

not been

admitted by baptism into the Protestant Church could hold

any

Of

land.

bers

who

to

farm

to the

num-

under Government, or even be allowed

office

course,

upon

this there

was no limit

pressed forward to submit to the test thus sacri-

legiously imposed,

Brahmans claiming

their right to

do so

without even laying aside the outward symbols of their

heathen worship.

And no wonder

that they assumed the test to be merely

an external form, when in

a.d.

actually securing peace with the

of ships to

1707 they saw the Dutch

Kandyan king by

a loan

convey messengers to Arracan, thence to bring

Buddhist priests of sufficiently high ecclesiastical rank to

restore

the

Upasampada order

Buddhism, which had

in

fallen into

Ceylon and reinstate

decay during the long-

continued wars.

The Dutch, however, had every intention

of really

edu-

cating the people to an understanding of Christian doctrine.

FATHER JOSEPH VAZ.

351

were established everywhere throughout the

SO free schools

maritime provinces over which they held sway, and attendance was made compulsory and enforced by a system of
fines.

The

but that

made no

natives

girls

objection to sending their boys,

should be compelled to attend in public was

then deemed scandalous.

Even under the

Buddhist

districts

Hindoo population

verts as did the

new

pressure of the

never yielded half so

edict, the

southern

many nominal

con-

There was

in the north.

nothing in the prosaic forms of Dutch Presbyterianism which

But the Church

appealed to their imagination.

received

father Joseph Vaz, of the Oratory of

who (protected by the reinstated

who backed his advocacy by the
ment

of

Bome

of

impetus from the fervent preaching of

a fresh

St.

Philip Neri at Goa,

Christian king of Kandy,

persecution and imprison-

non-compliant subjects) gained 30,000 converts

from the ranks of those who had hitherto continued staunch

Buddhists.

The Roman

Catholics had

now resumed worship

hundred churches throughout the

it

Isle,

in four

and the Dutch deemed

necessary to reassert themselves by issuing fresh penal

laws, resulting

in bitter

contentions

between

these

two

bodies of the Christian Church, while all the time hea-

thenism continued rampant, the Dutch themselves declaring that multitudes of their nominal adherents were incorrigible

Buddhists,

who

regulated every act of

life

by the

teaching of astrologers, always calling in the aid of devildancers, rather than that of the clergy,

wearing heathen

charms, and making ofierings in the idol-temples.

But the penal laws which subjected Roman Catholics to

and even refused to recognise

all possible civil disabilities,

marriage by a priest as valid, continued in force

till

1806,

TUG OF WAR.

TlIK

352

they were repealed by the British Government, and

At the present day scarcely
religious liberty established.
Nvhcii

a trace remains of the inlluence of

Dutch

I'resbyterianism,

whereas the numerous descendants of the Portuguese converts continue to be devout members of the Koman Catholic

much

Church (combined, however, with

of

the grossest

very debased

superstition of their heathen neighbours).

form

of the

and, in fact,
the

mixed

also extensively spoken,

Portuguese language

is

was

common

till

recently in

use amongst all

whereas the Dutch language has entirely

races,

died out.

That the Dutch Church, so forcibly established, should

have failed to obtain any real footing in the hearts of the

nominal converts

is

no wonder, inasmuch as their clergy

would not even take the trouble

to

master the language of

In 1747 there

the people, but taught through interpreters.

remained

in all the Isle

only five ministers of the Reformed

Church, and only one of these could even understand the

language.

After

this,

however, they were ably assisted by Schwartz

and other members of the Danish Mission at Tranquebar,

who undertook

to

train

young men

for

ministry in

the

But a Church which was so entirely

Ceylon.

up on

built

a basis of political bribery and coercion could not stand

when

these incentives were removed,

and so

this

outwardly

imposing Dutch Church has faded away like a dream.

For some time, however, after the British annexation of

Ceylon,
lished

Dutch Presbyterianism was recognised

Church

of the colony,

as the Estab-

and Mr. North (the

first

British

Governor, afterwards Lord Guildford) not only took active

measures

for restoring

170

of the

Dutch

village-schools all

over the Island, but also offered Government assistance to

"
the clergy

How

353

they would itinerate through the rural

if

and so keep

GOVERNMENT RELIGION."

some knowledge

alive

little tlie

Home Government

was proved by the

districts,

of the Christian faith.

cared about the matter

refusal to sanction the

sum expended by

Mr. Xorth on the schools, which accordingly had to be considerably reduced

a parsimony wliich was deemed grievously

out of keeping with the high salaries granted in other departments.

Meanwhile, however, seeing the interest thus taken in

the matter by their

new

rulers,

profession and political reward

in hand, the

number

and expecting that

would continue

religious

go hand

to

nominal converts, both

of the

Eoman

Catholic and Presbyterian, increased rapidly, but only to

be followed by wholesale apostasy so soon as they realised

that their creed was a matter of absolute indifference to
their
less

official

than

faith,

ten

years
the

one-half,

Thus, whereas in a.d.

superiors.

342,000

Singhalese

later

rest

that

having

professed

1801

no

Protestant

the

number was diminished by

returned

to

worship

the

of

Buddha
Likewise in the northern

upwards

of 136,000 of the

Presbyterians,

the

thrown

rapidly, that,

off so

churches

were

cloak

described

abandoned, and

left

to go

districts,

where

in a.d.

of

"

Government

religion "

Hindoo

gods.

left a district

Church

of

The clergy

by Buchanan as having been

to

ruin, the Protestant religion

Kome

or to

Church had

where they were as shepherds without sheep.

Only one Tamil catechist remained

II.

returned

all

the worship of the

of the Presbyterian

in charge

province of Jaffna, while priests from the

VOL.

was

four years later, the fme old

being extinct, and the congregations having

either to the

1802

Tamil population were nominal

of

the whole

Eoman
2

Catholic


351

TlIK TU(;

Goa divided the

college at

OF WAR.

field

with the reinstated Brah-

mans.

So feebly rooted was

was reason
"

this

Dutch

Christianity, that there

who continued to
were really those who

to fear that those

Cilovernment religion"

about any

faitli

profess the

cared least

and though they and their descendants

have ever been willing to bring their children to holy baptism, the very term whicli describes that sacrament, "Kulaivadenaiva," " admission to rank," recalls the notion of secular

advantage which

it

conveys to their minds.

Of course, a country in which religion had been thus

misused presented the most disheartening of mission-fields.
Nevertheless, in the beginning of the present century, the

London Mission, the Wesleyans, and the Baptists each sent

what could be done but their early

representatives to try

seemed

efforts

to themselves altogether without fruit.

Church of England likewise sent chaplains

The

to minister to

About the same time the American

Foreign Missions sent its emissaries to commence

the British settlers.^

Board

of

work

at Madras.

wrecked

off

On

their

way

thither their vessel

the north-west of Ceylon.

as an indication of the Divine will that they

1

may

Ceylon

liere

([uote

ilr.

were to go

Ferguson's Chronological Table of Missions in

A.]).

1505. Portuguese visit Ceylon.

1544.

Roman

was

This they accepted

Catholicism

first

preached at Manaar.

Dutch Presbyterian Ministry commenced.

1740. Arrival of Moravian Missionaries.
1804. Arrival of London Missionaries.
1642.

1812. Baptist Mission commenced.

1814. ^\'esleyan Mission commenced.
1816. American Mission commenced.
1818. Arrival of

Church Missionaries (C.M.S.).

1840. Arrival of Church Missionaries (S.P.G.).

1854. Tamil Coolie Jlission

commenced.

ENGLISH AND AMERICAN MISSIONS.

no

farther.

355

They accordingly established themselves

at

Jaffna, which was then a very different place from the

civilised

town and province

and lawn-tennis grounds,

and

travelling facilities.

of the present day, with gardens

network of

its

At

roads

first-class

that time there were no roads,

only footpaths over heavy sand, which in the rainy season

The

became impassable.
only

the

means

of

Bullock-carts were

salt

lagoon was not bridged, and

was by canoe and palanquin.

travel

unknown

luxuries,

and palmyra palm plantations now

jungle, haunted

and where vast cocoa

was gloomy

flourish, all

by innumerable leopards, black

other dangerous foes.

bears,

and

]'acks of jackals infested the suburbs,

making night hideous with

monkeys

their cries, troops of

and large grey wanderoos boldly stripped the gardens, while

gangs of robbers kept

all

honest folk in terror.

At this very uninviting spot

took up their quarters near the
all their

tion

an

the shipwrecked Americans

Dutch

old

fort,

and devoted

energies to the evangelising of the Tamil populaeffort

which has been carried on without

ceasinji

up to the present time with very marked success.

These pioneers were closely followed by the English

Church Missionary Society, whose

menced work
of Jaffna,

and

at Nellore, in the

tliere studied, taught,

weary years ere

single convert.
of ten

their patience

first

messengers com-

immediate neighbourhood

and preached

Ere that year closed, however, a

had renounced

idolatry,

for

twelve

was rewarded by making a

and formed

tlie

little

band

nucleus of

the future Church, which, from that small beginning, has

very slowly but steadily developed, and has

that stage of vitality

own

when

now just

Church begins

responsibility towards its heathen neighbours

viction

attained

to recognise its

which inevitably results in self-extension.

a con-

TlIK

35G

TIC OF WAR.

entirely
versions,

new
all

So

footing.

now commenced on an

was

Of course mission-work
far

from aiming at wholesale con-

were henceforth individually sub-

inquirers

jected to most searching probation, and a rigid standard of

character has been maintained, with the result that though

the recognised adherents of each Mission are comparatively

many

few, they are of true stuff, and

are of the kind

which

seeks to win others.

Thus the position

is

of

Ceylon in regard to Christian missions

that of a canvas on

which successive

their skill, each striving to obliterate

decessors, resulting in

whereon

at

the

the

artists

have tried

work

of his pre-

an undertone of heavy neutral

present

tint

moment many draughtsmen

are

simultaneously endeavouring to work out a Christian design,

although sorely at variance concerning the detail and colour

of its several parts.

The various Protestant

harmony, though of course their differences

perplex

the heathen

ancestral faith.

who

work in
must sorely

sects do indeed seek to

is

half

But reckoning

inclined to forsake his

all together,

Episcopalians,

Wesleyans, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and Baptists,

these,

even according to the census, only constitute a total of

about 70,000, and of these only about 35,000 are recognised

adherents of any Protestant mission.

Here, as in India,

many who would be no credit to any creed can assume

name for their own ends. The Eoman Catholics, who

the
are

content to acknowledge very nominal conversions, reckon

their co-religiouists at

number
of
of

upwards

of 212,000,

of these are Christians solely in

but a very large

name, descendants

converts of bygone generations, and absolutely ignorant

even the distinctive outlines of Christian

faith.

Of these two great branches of the Church Catholic,

it


ROMAN CATHOLIC

357

MISSIONS.

can certainly not be said that they are working in union

in their Master's cause, but never does their estrangement

appear so grievous as when thus displayed in presence of

an overwhelming majority of the heathen,

same Saviour

to lead to the

that sucli

is

at least

whom

we would

each seek

fain believe

the object of the whole Catholic Church, though

practically even the largest charity

must admit

a vast

tliat

numljer of the lioman Catholic converts merely exchange

one idolatry for another.

have already mentioned having

myself seen in one small chapel the image of Buddlia on

one side and that of the Blessed Virgin on the other, receiving
divided worship
districts, it

and as

the processions in

to

Tamil

tlie

scarcely possible to distinguish those of so-

is

called Christian images from those of the

are worshipped

by Buddhists

alike

Hindoo gods (which

and Tamils),

notliing of the fact that each are escorted

riotous devil-dancers

say

to

by companies

of

and truly diabolical musicians, both

hired from heathen temples.

But even a most orthodox Iloman Catholic

when considered
worship of One who has

startling

"My

(JoD," saying,
]\Iy praise to

as

legitimate

festival

is

feature in the

revealed Himself as " a jealous

glory will I not give to another, neither

graven images."

count of the

Midsummer

as described

by the

'

Here, for instance,

is

an ac-

Pilgrimage of Our Lady of ]\Iaddu

Jaffna Catholic Guardian

'

in

88

"The annual festival of this celebrated fiaiictuary was .solemnised

with the customary pomp, fervour, and devotion. As the fame of this
holy i^pot spreads, so does the numl)er of pil<,'rim8 increase from year to
year.

Tiiis

year the

number assembled cm

lated to be between fifteen

quiet that

rei;,'ned

admirable.

The

and twenty

throu;;hout

llie

cheerfulness and

the festival tlay wa.s calcu-

tliuusand.

Yet

tlie

time the festival lasted

resi<,'Matioii

discomforts and privations of a junt^le

life,

ordt-r

Wiu?

and

simply

of the iieo]iU! amidst the

far

away frnm any human

THE TUG OF WAR.

858

a place where water is scarce, was a source of

Nothing could be more touching than to see
the pious fervour with whicli the pilgrims, both Catholics and Hindoos,
Buddhists and Moors, from early dawn till late in the night, flocked
around the altar of our Holy Mother to thank her for favours received,
and to xiipplirate her for the grace they stood in need of. The temporary church could not contain the crowds that gathered at the morn-

and

habilation,

ctlilication to

especially in

every one.

ing and evening services."

The mixed multitude

here represented as

pilgrims

of

worshippers at the shrine of the Blessed Virgin

is certainly-

remarkable.

Perhaps we need scarcely wonder that the Protestant

who

catechists,

on a radical change of creed, some-

insist

times meet with more serious opposition from the Pioman

Catholic priests than from the heathen.

was recently

catechist
to

village in

cluded sundry

the

selling books

Negombo

Roman
One

his books to the

verandah

The

rature.

from village

in that

in-

neighbourhood

of these invited the catechist to bring

intimation to the priest,

arrived, angrily

who

For instance, a
tracts

The purchasers

district.

Catholics,

are numerous.

and

of his house,

who

and sent a private

in the course of a

few minutes

denouncing the sale of such pernicious

lite-

catechist vainly pointed out that the books

he was selling were

all

the simplest teaching about Jesus

addressed to Buddhists, but the irate priest refused to hear

him, and informing him that he had already collected and

burnt more than a hundred

villages,

of the

books sold in other

he confiscated the whole remaining stock.

ing the prices

marked on those

money, but appropriated

tion, and,

all

for sale,

Pieckon-

he paid down the

that were for gratuitous circula-

notwithstanding the protestations of their owner,

he carried

off the

whole

lot

to

burn them.

During

this

scene a crowd of Romanists gathered round, and were worked

THE BACKBONE OF THE NATION."

''

up

359

such excitement, that the catechist was thankful to

to

escape from

tlie

village without personal injury.

whom

Of the three races

seek to influence,

both Catholics and Protestants

the Singhalese, Tamils, and IMoormen,

i.e.,

the most satisfactory mission results have been obtained

Northern Province, Jaffna, as I

amongst the Tamils

of the

have already

having long been the headquarters of

stated,

the American Congregational Mission, as also of a Church

of

England and a Wesleyan brand),

who

are

too

happily proving

Master by working in sympathy shoulder

their love to one

to shoulder, as

all

beseems loyal soldiers

the Grand

of

Army,

deeply engrossed in a real war with dark

contend over small differences of regimental

idolatry to

uniform.

Each

of these missions has its

own

scattered over the

many

The most notable

feature in all three

tion of the tremendously antagonistic

wives and mothers,

is

of

always so

"

schools and chapels,

villages of the surrounding districts.

is

the recent recogni-

power

difficult to

feminine seclusion

it

reach on account of Oriental customs

now being made by each

So a great

effort

missions to establish

of these

and especially boarding-schools

schools,

heathen

whom

not that these are by any means so

stringent in Ceylon as on the mainland.

is

of the

the backbone of the nation,"

for girls,

and in

every possible way to win the women.

This
of the

elfort

was indeed commenced

American Mission, when

it

at the very beginning

was found that Tamil

parents were willing to send their boys to school, but declared

that

it

was absurd

than sheep

came on

One

to

send

as they could no

more learn

day, however, a heavy tropical rainstorm

so suddenly that

the mission-house.

girls,

As

two

little

girls

sought shelter in

the storm continued, they could not

360

TllK

leave

TUG OF WAR.

evening, und tliey were hungry and began to cry.

till

The missionary lady gave them bread and bananas, and the
younger

sister ate,

but the elder refused.

Presently their parents

came

them, and when

to seek for

they learnt that the youngest had eaten bread prepared by

any one not

of their

own

caste (worst of all

by a

foreigner),

they were very angry, and declared that the child

pol-

and that they would be unable to arrange a suitable

luted,

They were

marriage for her.

in sore perplexity, but decided

that the lady had better keep the child

To

she gladly agreed, and the

this

and bring
little

quite at home.

Her new

of the verandah,

and thereon wrote the 247

them

to see her,

Some

all herself.

up.

it

one was soon

friend sprinkled sand on the floor

letters of the

till

her young pupil could

little

Tamil playmates came

Tamil alphabet, a few every day,

write

was

and were so delighted with

this

new game

that

they came again and again, and very soon they were

own

able to read, to their

all

great delight and the surprise of

their parents.

how happy and

Seeing

girl was, other parents

to

the

foreign

Oodooville

now

probably the earliest

(I

and thus

lady,

(or, as

may remark

well-cared-for

the

first

little

consented to intrust their children

spelt,

1824 commenced the

in

Uduvil)

Girls'

effort of the sort in a

in passing, that in

Boarding School,
heathen land.

1887 several

girls in

the Oodooville training-school passed far ahead of any of

the boys, a circumstance which proved quite a shock to
the Tamil believers in feminine incapacity for intellectual
studies

!)

This school grew to very great importance under the

care

of

Miss Eliza Agnew, "the mother of a thousand

daughters," as

she

was lovingly

called

by the people.

MLSS ELIZA AGNEW.

When herself a child only eight

New York, her school-teacher, in

361

years of age, at

home

in

giving a geography lesson

to her clasSj pointed out the large proportion of the world

which

still

is

resolved that,

Then and there one

heathen.
if

God would

pupil

little

allow her, she would go and

teach some of these to love her Saviour.

Domestic duties

woman
left

of thirty,

tied her

when

home

her

to

the death of

lier

till

she was a

only near relations

her free to follow her early impulse, and she was allowed
the newly-established American Mission at Jaffna.

to join

There she worked without intermission

for forty-three years,

loved and loving, and teaching successive generations, the

children,

and even some grandchildren, of her

Upwards

of a thousand girls studied under her care,

pupils.

first

and

of

these more than six hundred left the school as really earnest
Christians.

These became the wives

lawyers.

pastors,

men
by

of

Government

catechists, teachers, native

officials,

and other leading

in the Jaffna peninsula, so that the influence exerted

this

one devoted Christian

Hundreds

culation.

woman

has been beyond cal-

of these families

attended

lier

funeral,

sorrowing as for no earthly mother.

The two

sisters

who

told

me

who

these details, and

themselves carried on her work and tended her last hours,

added
is

"

In hundreds of villages in Ceylon and India there

just such a

women

as

work waiting

to be

done by Christian young

that which, with God's

blessing, Miss

accomplished in the Jaffna peninsula.

Agnew

Heathen lands are

open to-day as they have never been open before

stronghold of heathenism

who

is

in the

homes.

It

is

the

the

women

are teaching the children to perform the heatlien cere-

monies, to sing the songs in praise of the heathen gods, and

THE TUC OF WAR.

M'd

thus they are moulding the habits of thought of the coming

If we are to win the world for Christ, we
must lay our hands on the hands that rock the cradles,

generation.

to the lips that sing the lullabies

and teach Christian songs

and

if

"

to Christ, the sons will soon

we can win the mothers

be brought to

the feet of their Eedeemer.

fall at

Zenanas, which forty years ago were locked and barred,

We

are to-day open.

many

that there are

have been told by Hindoo gentlemen

educated

men

in India to-day

who

are

convinced of the truth of Christianity, and would confess

were

Christ,

it

not that a wife or mother,

who

has never

been instructed about Him, would bitterly oppose their

doing so."

They added that

women and

girls

in India

that in Great Britain alone there

about 1,000,000 more

number

of

alone there are 120,000,000

women

women who have

as

yet volunteered for this

honourable work in India, counting

all

every Protestant Missionary Society,

knowing from

full

in connection with
is

barely 500

and

personal experience the gladness of

and fortune consecrated

are

than men, and yet the total

to this

grand cause, they

ask, "

life

Can-

many more women be spared from their homes, and

cannot more go who are possessed of private means, and
^
here realise how satisfying is this life-work ? "
From their own personal knowledge of pitiful cases of
not

the

terrilile suffering

of

women, owing
and

to the total lack of

the very simplest medical

skill,

of so-called "sick-nursing"

(which makes one marvel how sick

to the

barbarous system

persons ever survive), these ladies specially plead for trained

1

For most interesting details of the work of these two

Years in Ceylon," by Mary and Margaret Leitch.

ridge

&

Co.

Price 2s. 6d., post free.

sisters, see

Published by

S.

" Seven

W.

Part-


363

BARBAROUS NATIVK CUSTOMS.

women

medical

and India.

to

come

But on

to the aid of their sisters iu

this subject

Ceylon

cannot do better than

quote part of a letter from Dr. Chapman, a native Christian

doctor at Jaffna, who, speaking of the need for a Medical

Mission

"A

Women

for

in Ceylon, says

favourite prescription

will act ]ierhaps forty times

is

a pill

The

made

of croton-seed.

stronger the pill

is

One

pill

the better, so

Sometimes one pill is enough to kill a person. Two

and death from that cause alone, happened
two Christian women, both of whom were teachers in mission

they think.

cases of such mistreatment,

recently to
schools."

He

also writes at

some considerable length about the

heathen doctors not allowing their patients water or

cient food, and speaks of

many

suffi-

cases of death simply from

starvation.

Speaking of barbarous native customs in regard

birth,

"

he says

few days ago

was asked

to go to a

The woman was

being confined.

to child-

house where a

woman was

tied to the roof of the house V)y a

rough rope, and kept standing upon her knees. She was also supported
by other native women. The room was very small, and as no ventilaThe poor woman and her friends were
tion was allowed, was very hot.

She was held up iu this jjosition

She was not allowed to rest or lie down at

in profuse perspiration.

tlirec

days

and two

all.

Tlie

nifjhtx.

friends of the

woman, who were holding her

other and rested themselves, Init the poor

up, took turns with each

woman had no one

to

change

with.

"When

able to hold

reached the house, her limbs were cold, and she was not
up her head, and was fast sinking. 1 ordered tliat they

down and let her lie on the ground, and that they
should give her brandy and anmumia. ... I did everything in my
power to save her, but she died tiie following night.

should take her

"

In

all

such cases of confinement the

posture for da>/s

and

women

nights until the child

is

are held

up in

born or the

this standintf

woman

dies.

The

301

TllK TU(;

OF WAR.

tliis great superstition, among the poor and the rich, among
the educated and uneducated, anion^' the Christians and heathen, all
alike, is that they think gravitation will assist the mother in the birth

reason of

By

of the child.

thus being held up for days without rest or food,

many

the mother loses her whole strength, and, in

unalde

to

"However, if a child
and is bathed, that is to
water

is

dashed

all

born, the mother

is

say, she is laid

over her

immediately done with

rest a

till

moment, of course causing a

is

which

is

is

Nothing

given

lier

else is

she

to eat,

is

becomes

is

and

mud

floor

and cold
This

is

without letting the mother

fearful shock to the system.

laid

on a mat, and a strongly spiced

of pepper, garlic, and ginger.

made

given, with hot spices

batlied in hot water, spices

taken to another room

thorou;_'lily chilled.

No

given her for three days.

fourth day rice

is

on a cold

all possible haste,

" If she escapes this crisis, she

paste

instances,

bring forth her babe.

water

and dried

oil are freely

is

On

given.

fisli.

She

is

given her to eat

the

daily

not a

mother is allowed to nurse

Every woman must get fever on the
the child only on the fifth day.
fifth day.
Fever is good, they think. Before the fifth day tlie child is
fed with some decoction.
"The population of the province is about 316,000, and taking tlie

drop of water

is

she allowed to drink.

Tlie

birth-rate at 3 per cent., there must be some 9480 births every

and yet there are no trained midwives to assist in such cases."

The

fact

that

woman had been

this
tied

doctor

up

was only called

year,

after

the

to the roof of the house for three

days and two nights, and when

it

was too

late for

him

to

render any aid, shows the extreme reluctance of the people

to call for the help of a

Miss Leitch

tells

me

male doctor at such times.

that in such cases she has gone into

homes where the poor exhausted woman was lying shivering on a cold mat and literally dying for want of a warm
drink,

while the house

has been

bewailing as for one already dead.

crowded with

By

relatives

turning them

all

out and applying needful warmth, she has had the happiof seeing the poor mother recover, but knew that,
however exhausted she herself might be, she dared not

ness

FEMALE MEDICAL STUDENTS.

365

leave the nouse, as all the relatives would at ouce return,

and pandemonium

many

In

would

surround

again

houses devil-dancers are

called

sick-bed.

the
in

to

exorcise

the evil spirits supposed to be present, and the wretched

patient

is

tomtoms

distracted by the beating of

for

hours at

a time.

Here then is one grand field of work for Christian

women, as yet wholly unoccupied, and assuredly, of all
phases of work,

that wliich most closely assimilates to

is

His, the merciful Master,

ing

all

manner

Who won
and

of sickness

men's hearts by heal-

disease.

when

very important step was taken this year

Kynsey, the principal medical

officer of

Dr.

Ceylon, sought the

Governor's sanction for the admission of female students

into the Medical College at Colombo, there to be trained as

doctors for their countrywomen.

to

them from May

same
rooms

1st,

1892,

The College

when they

lectures as male students, but

for

open

will be

will

attend the

have separate

class-

anatomy, their studies being directed by Mrs.

Van

Ingen, a fully qualified lady-doctor, herself trained in the

Indian Medical School

women, founded by Lady Dufferin

for

in 1885.

That great scheme has already resulted in the establish-

ment

of

38 hospitals specially

doctors, while

for w^omen,

with 40 lady-

now

being educated

female students are

20'1'

to aid the suffering

women

of India.

Scholarships and other inducements will be offered to

attract students in

Ceylon

and, as in India, the scheme will

be worked on entirely unsectarian

made

lines,

no attempt being

to influence the religion of either students or patients.

It is certainly

much

to be regretted that Christian medical

missions should have been unable to occupy this

field,

and

TUC OF WAI^

TIIK

36G

secure so important a

means

coming an altogether secmlar

of influence, instead of its be-

a<<ency.

regards the quiet extension of purely spiritual work,

As
many

of the native Christian

women now

recognise the duty

of trying to inlluence their heathen sisters

by

them

visiting

and though such work implies very great

on the part of those in whom the second nature of

in their
ellbrt

homes

custom has exaggerated natural

considerable

timidity,

number are now doing excellent service as Bible-women,

even making their way in the wholly heathen villages.

Some
work

of the

Tamil

the wives

are

women who have undertaken

of

Government

lawyers, so that their words are the

weight with their countrywomen,

them with

respect,

invariably receive

combined with a remarkable love

to their

unknown neighbours could

them

come

forth

or

to carry

and acknowledge that only a strong con-

viction of religious duty

to

good

doctors,

officials,

more certain

who

this

possibly have induced

from the privacy of their own homes.

This movement was commenced in Jaffna in 1868 by the

Wesleyan Mission, and was successfully adopted by the

The latter
English Church and American Missions there.
has upwards of forty of these good pioneers

now working

in

various parts of the peninsula.

From one

district the

superintendent writes

"

The Bible-

readers teach in the forenoon, and every afternoon go from

village to village, collecting the
ings.

Thus twenty

of our

work

women and

villages are visited.

consists in the willingness of the

classes to learn to read for themselves.

this district

can

now

holding meet-

The

373

women under

read the Bible, and

majority of the

women

all

great interest

women

of all

There are now in

instruction.

the rest are

One hundred
learning.
The

are of the Yellala or farmer caste.

WORK

OF TH?: AMERICAN MISSION.

we had

Last year

nine

Of other

twenty-two.

Brahman women, now we have

classes we have a few from the
and

washer,

carpenter,

barber,

367

tree-climber

toddy-

(i.e.,

drawer) villages. Many of these attend the weekly meetings

of the Helping Hand Society for study and recitation."
'

'

Another superintendent of ten Bible-women

weekly

tells of their

women in their respective village-homes.

women undertakes to learn by heart each

visits to

375

Each

of these

week

four verses of the Bible and part of a

hymn, the

por-

tions selected being those assigned in the village day-schools,

in order that the little girls, on their return

may

evening,

mothers and grown-up

sisters

to learn

truth, the story of the Mission records

how

instances of

how

little

to teach

their

In

some very pathetic

in other words,

children has resulted in the

Of

conversion of their parents.

is

in the

their lessons.

the ewes follow the lambs

the simple faith of

of each visitor

home

become pupil-teachers, helping

thus

every

course, the primary object

woman

to pray,

and they

have reason to hope that a very large proportion of their

pupils do so,

many having had

the courage openly to con-

fess their conversion.

In addition to this house-to-house

Bible-women teach sewing

day-schools

otherwise

to

upward

visitation, these

of

250

girls at

ten

twelve

they also teach in the Sunday-schools, and

make themselves

useful in

arranging

women's

meetings.
Similar reports, more or less encouraging, come from the
other districts, in one of which, at a meeting of heathen

women, one
had been

told

how

for six

when her

schools,
'

"

fifty

months

years ago,

when

quite a child, she

at one of the Mission boardincr-

parents removed her in consequence of

To memorise

"

is

the expressive American abbreviation.

THE TUG OF WAR.

3G8
an outbreak

of whoopiiii,'-cougli,

to return.

But those

memory

as the

To some

women

one

six

liad

not been allowed

remain in her

to

bright spot of life.

of the high-caste

women, the

are mostly of low caste

submitting to their

fact that the Bible-

in itself

is

teaching, which

ambition of learning to read

is

an objection to

only overcome by the

the fact, too, of having to

on equal terms amongst pupils

at first

and she

months seemed

who

women of the higher

In many cases, however,

a great barrier to

ing any meeting.

sit

are also of low caste

is

castes attendthis difficulty

has been overcome, and a kindliness hitherto undreamt of

to herald the

seems

dawn

of the faith

which teaches un-

selfish loving-kindness.

Remembering how the

was given

first girl

to the care of

the missionaries, because, having eaten of their bread, she

was polluted,

it is

touching to hear

now

of

an annual meet-

ing at Batticotta of the Native Missionary Society, at which

upwards of a thousand communicants assemble, the native

town providing an abundant meal

Christians of the

and

rice for all visitors

which

is

of

curry

putting aside of caste prejudices

indeed a triumph of grace.

Formerly some heathen families who sent their daughters

to the mission-schools used

to insist

nial ablutions before allowing

them

on elaborate ceremo-

to re-enter their

home

in the evening

The regular work

carried
tants,

of

the American Mission at Jafiha

on by eleven native pastors and about sixty

under the supervision of

Here, as in

the

Hawaian

isles,

five

the

is

assis-

married missionaries.
venerable American

missionaries, several of

whom

for half a century, are

"
affectionately designated " Father

of their Hock.

Thus the

late

have here toiled ceaselessly

much-loved Principal

of

the

AMERICAN MISSION AT JAFFNA.

College, Father Hastings,

Rowland.

succeeded in

is

Father and Mrs. Spaulding, and

fifty years'

and have

who

sons and daughters

left

district

made

to carry

as possible,

I think

work

Father

to Jaffna,

follow in their steps.

has at least one chapel, but great

efforts

are

on systematic preaching in as many villages

and

and portions

by Father

office

Smith, also each gave upwards of

Each

369

hoped that the numerous books.

it is

Scripture sold

of

by colporteurs

many homes.

silent teachers in

Not only

Bibles,

will prove

the schools,

all

but also the police-courts are found to be suitable preach-

number

ing centres, on account of the large

of people

who

generally congregate in the neighbourhood.

It

is

also

hoped that much good

what are

multiplication of

called

which are informal meetings

people

who

"

the

in

may

result

homes

care to call together their friends

for religious discussion or instruction.

from the

moonlight meetings,"
of

any of the

and neighbours

The workers

of all

denominations agree as to the advantage of diligently prosecuting this system, which seems to find
the people,

who

some

in

of several hundreds.

districts

much

favour with

assemble to the number

In some of the Singhalese

districts

even Buddhist priests sometimes attend these meetings in

quite a friendly spirit.

Naturally, however, this

of the

sponding energy
the

is

not always the case, the zeal

Christian preachers sometimes awakening a correin the

marked success

more

rigid Buddhists.

For instance,

of the moonlight meetings in the neigh-

bourhood of Cotta, near Colombo, induced the Buddhists to

commence holding

opposition services.

The majority

of the

people, however, refused to countenance these, declaring that

the Christians " were only doing their

VOL.

II.

own work and

2 A

trying

"

THE TUG OF WAR.

370
to do good,
of spite

As

aud that

to

commence such meetings simply out

or envy showed a very bad

spirit

regards open-air preaching in the streets or other

public places, Buddhists and Christians being alike protected by the British Government, have precisely the
liberty

and

same

security.

The total number of Church members in connection with

thii American Congregational Mission is as yet only about
1300, but the attendants at public worship are about 7000
and there

is

reason to believe that a very

much

larger

num-

ber are converts at heart, although the fear of domestic

persecution,

and the

difficulties of strict Sabbatical observ-

ance and of disposing of extra wives, prevent

many from

professing themselves Christians.

One
Ceylon

is

most remarkable Christian

the

of

institutions in

the College for Tamils at Batticotta, in the Jaffna

peninsula, which originated in a purely spontaneous effort

made

in 1867

by the native Christians in that

and

to secure for themselves

their descendants a

1700

a large

sum

in a land

superior

They succeeded

education both in English and Tamil.

raising

district

in

where the wage of

but 6d. a day.

This nest-egg was supplemented by 6000 from America, and in 1872 the college

a labourer

is

was started under the

control

of

a board of directors.

These are the Government Agent of the Northern Province,

eleven representatives of the native Christian gentlemen of
the community, and the senior missionaries of the three
Christian regiments which

work in that province

in such

admirable brotherly union, namely, the

land Mission and the

all

of

whom

Church of EngAmerican and Wesleyan Missions,

are in full

noble institution.

sympathy with the work

of

this

COLLEGE FOR TAMILS AT BATTICOTTA,

While the college is undenomiuational, it
and the form of worship adopted

Christian,

and

it,

is

essentially

is

Congrega-

Not one heathen teacher has ever been employed

tional.

in

371

students are required to live on the premises,

all

and are thus continuously under strong Christian influence.

It

might be supposed that Hindoo young men

vpould

caste

object

lodging in a

inmates

'

refrain

shall

paying

to

college

price

full

for

where a standing rule

the education prized, that no

ditions

high

board and
is

that

all

from heathen practices, and from

wearing idolatrous marks on their foreheads

is

of

but so highly

objection to these

con-

ever made,^ and the Hindoo students not only

is

and

eat, sleep,

live

with the Christians, but unite in the

ought to say " no objection by those really concerned."

a party-cry of " religious intolerance " was raised a few
years ago by certain wealthy Hindoos, who, although too indifferent
^

Perhaps

In point of

fact,

to establish schools for themselves,

missionaries,

who

made

schools coming with clean faces, that

ground

this a

rightly insist on all children

is

who

of attack

without the temple

to say,

cow-dung ash on their foreheads.

So many Europeans seem to think that they cannot yield

marks

on

attend Christian

of

sufficiently

courteous recognition to heathen customs, that the strong words of

Bishop Copleston on this question may well be remembered. " It

matters

everything what

we

teach

by our action

neighbours and to our Christian people.

of Siva

means anything but a dirty

if it

face

majesty and love of the One True God, that

'an abomination,' to be abhorred by

Father.

And

let

us remind our

to

our heathen

Let us teach that the symbol

it

is

is

what Scripture

all loyal

own

an outrage on the

children of the

there

people that

is

calls

One
such

A THING AS A SOUND AND TRULY RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE, WHICH

IS NOT TOLERANT OP AB'FRONTS TO OUR GOD
WHICH WILL NOT
TREAT AS ONE AMONG MANY FORMS OF RELIGION THE WORSHIP OF
IDOLS AND THE DENIAL OF OUR LoRD.
Our heathen neighbours
;

will

have reason

respect us,
love."

if

we

to

thank us in the end, and

are di.'teriuiued both to speak

in the

and

meantime will

act the truth ia

372

THE THG OF WAR.

daily study of the Bible,

and are present

at

morning and

evening prayers, the Sabbath-school, and church services

American Mission.

of the

This college takes no grant-in-aid from Government, and

until

June 1891

was not

it

any

affiliated to

experience proves that students

who

university,^ as

working

are

for passes

grudge the time bestowed on Biblical study, which does

Naturally a college which
not count in their examinations.
recognises the training of Christian catechists and school-

masters as the primary object of

its

existence prefers to be

independent of a purely secular superior.

The

result

of this

system has been, that out of about

350 students who have been educated here, fully 150 have
gone out into the world as Christians and communicants,
and are leading such consistent
hold the honour of their

lives as

tend greatly to up-

faith.

In India, on the other hand, where in the Government

secular education

schools absolutely

disregard to religion

the

statistics

between four and

tians

of

even

given, with entire

is

Bible-reading being set aside

the four universities

five

show that only

per cent, of the graduates are Chris-

the rest, for the most part, while learning to despise

heathenism, drift into agnosticism, and even atheism.

I cannot refrain
ject

from quoting a paragraph on this sub-

from a non-Christian Bombay paper.

The

writer says

"Education provided by the State simply destroys Hindooism

it

gives nothing in

its

place.

It is

founded on the

benevolent principle of non-interference with religion, but

in practice

it

is

the negation of

God

in

life.

Education

1 The directors state that the

decision of Government to give up Cambridge and introduce London, has compelled them to affiliate the Jaflfna
College to that of Calcutta.

THE NEGATION OF GOD

must destroy

idolatry,

benevolent in
its

its idea,

373

IN LIFE.

and the State education

of

practically teaches atheism.

India,

It leaves

victims without any faith."

This lamentable result, which

multitude

flooding India with a

is

highly-educated utter sceptics, was vividly

of

brought home

to

the

Christian workers in

when

Jaffna

they found the existing college totally inadequate for the

number

of promising

young men

who were

in the schools,

consequently compelled to cross over to India, and there

higher education " in Government schools.

"

seek the

Many

of these

were apparently on the verge

themselves Christians, but after a

of professing

course of two or three

years in totally heathen and grossly immoral surroundings,

they invariably returned either as bitter heathen or atheists;

a state of matters all the more distressing as they were
in

many

cases betrothed to Christian girls in the mission

schools.
It

was evident that the Christian college

be placed on such a footing as to enable

ever-increasing need.
its

sum

to

meet

to

know

been almost raised by the

efforts of the

two

is

destined to
of India,

proportion

it

have already spoken, and who came

America

There

Jaffna

it

reason to believe that

the

are of very

attending the

that

sisters

to Britain

this

college

is

a very important part in the evangelisation

for this reason,

of

this

for this purpose.

every
fill

must

30,000 was required for

delightful to

whom

and

of

is

immediate extension, and

this has
of

at Jaffna

Tamils
high

namely, that a singularly large

resident on
caste,

the peninsula

of

and the 15,000 children

Christian day-schools

and the 2500 com-

municants connected with the three missions are mostly of

high

caste.

It is scarcely possible for

Europeans

to realise

THE

374

deeply ingrained in Hindoo nature

how
for

members

all

may

the upper castes,

of

be,

Now

so

it

the reverence

is

however poor they

to look

and the natural tendency

low-caste men.

on

OF WAR.

TUfi

with contempt

happens that in India

the majority of converts are of low

caste,

and

these, as

a general rule, are not only intellectually inferior to the

higher

but are generally too

castes,

course

highest
teachers,

whose

secures

caste

afford

unbounded reverence, are

and high-

frequently found even in the Mission colleges

schools,

the

Brahman

Consequently

education.

of

poor to

with the badge of heathen gods on their foreheads,

instructing the students in the highest classes, while native

Christian teachers take the lower subjects.

native

pastor

Pariah, and

who

gives the

however excellent he may

despicable in the eyes of the

Thus the

Bible-lessons
be,

Possibly the

by

is

is,

caste a

as

such,

Hindoo student.

social barrier of

caste enters even into the

Mission colleges, acting as a very serious drawback.

course the various Missions would gladly replace the

Of

Hindoo

and Mahommedan teachers by thoroughly educated and

influential

men, could such be procured.

Christian

Principal of the

Lucknow High School alone

The

states that

he would thankfully engage two hundred Christian teachers

for the schools of the

American Mission

were such available

but as

it

is,

in that district,

heathen teachers are

engaged of necessity.

Now
and

is

in these respects Jaffna

is

very remarkably favoured,

apparently destined to become to Southern India

what lona once was

to

Scotland

the school for her teachers.

must be borne in mind that Tamil is one of the four

great Dra vidian tongues, and is the language of 13,000,000
It

of the inhabitants of the Carnatic,

extending from Cape

CEYLON THE lONA OF

Coraorin to Madras.

Glorious indeed

375

INDIA,

the prospect thus

is

unfolded, that (as has been said) " after having received

two

false

religions

from India, Ceylon

by a

shall,

its

Christ-

like retribution, send over her sons to preach the one true

religion to India's millions."

Already a large proportion of the students trained in

(men whose attainments

work on salaries of from 5

Jaffna College
for secular

fully qualify
to

10

them

a month,

with prospects of promotion) have voluntarily chosen to

devote their lives to Christian work as teachers, catechists,
or pastors on a salary of 1, 10s. to begin with,

and no

prospect of ever rising above 4 a month.

Several of the most able have volunteered to leave their

beloved Isle in order to undertake posts in mission-schools

at

Kangoon, Singapore, Madras, Madura, Bombay, Indore,

and many other parts

of India,

where they are working

most successfully, thus profitably trading with their birthOne of these young men, who

right talent of good caste.

some time has been working in Ahmednugger on a

salary of 4 a month, was offered 10 a month if he would
for

accept work elsewhere.

He

refused, saying that he believed

he could do more good where he was, and where he has

won

extraordinary influence with a large class of high-caste

young Hindoos.
It

would be well

if

some

of

those

who

are ever ready

to sneer at the imaginary pecuniary advantages which are

supposed
full

to

meaning

induence native Christians, could realise the

of a few such details as these,

and

also the

extraordinarily generous proportion of their salary, or other

worldly possessions, which

is

almost invariably set aside

Ceylon (and

by the converts

in

their offering for

some form

of

in

many

Church work

other lands) as

tithes,

which

THE TUG OF WAR.

37G

we are so
minimum

to be offered.

tians to see

common

It is quite

thing in the gardens of

every tenth palm

marked

cially

excessive, being accounted quite the

deem

apt to

in token that its

some sacred purpose.

and the eggs

Chris-

or other fruit-bearing tree spe-

Poultry

is

whole crop

devoted to

is

reared for the

same

object,

on Sunday are set apart as an offering;

laid

and even the very poor families who possess no garden

find

method

mother

is

member

of her household,

large handful

Lord's

the

rice-box,"

make up a

many

for

contents

when

the

handfuls of rice for each

she ends by taking

from the common

emptied, and

contributing their mite

of

measuring out so

store,

of

and places

back one
it

in " the

which are periodically

being added to those of

many

neighbours,

considerable item in the teacher's store.

have already referred to the well-developed mission-

1848

ary spirit of these Jaffna Christians.

So early

showed

work a purely native

itself

in providing funds to

as

this

mission to the 28,000 heathen inhabitants of the large group

of islands lying to the
isles,

Ninathevu,

in the college,

is

who

west

of the peninsula.

of these

the special care of the Christian students

now continue to
own missionary and

there built a school, and

raise the funds for the support of their

his wife

One

by devoting many

of their recreation

hours (while

the others are playing cricket and other games) to cultivating

a garden and selling

These young
of the

men

its

produce.

also do their

Hindoo students in the

utmost

college,

for the conversion

and on Sunday

after-

noons they disperse themselves over eight or nine of the

neighbouring villages, holding Sabbath-schools, which are
attended by about 400 children.

One

of the

young men

invested 5 in an American organ to enliven the services

SELF-DENYING EFFORTS.
in one village

from

strances

an
his

377

extravayauce which called forth remonrelations,

till

simply abstained from spending

The Blue Kibbon Army

it

he proved that he had

on tobacco.^

are also doing good work,

and

have successfully established brotherhoods at JafTna, Galle,

and Kandy.

men

There are at present seventy- six young

in

the

college, nine students of divinity,

and about 400 boys and

The

total attendance at the

girls

attending the schools.

village day-schools
of the college is

under the management

of the Principal

about 2500, and the American mission has

about 8000 children in other schools, of

tain that a large proportion will

grow up

whom

it

is

cer-

as Christians, not-

withstanding the disadvantage that about one-third of the

teachers employed are unavoidably heathen.

The happy
lish

results of the hearty co-operation of the

and American missionaries

observed in the union of

all

at

Jaffna

Young Men's

are

Eng-

especially

Christian Asso-

throughout the peninsula, and in their healthy

ciations

The special value of such associations may well be

imagined when each member composing it has had to nerve
tone.

liimself to

come out from the

idolatrous worship

of his

kinsmen, and to endure the cross of their ridicule and persecution

and

to

many

this has

been meted in

full

measure

and bravely and patiently boine.

^

In looking over missionary subscription

lists, I

see that several sensible

men have sent considerable suns under the very suggestive heading of
" Saved fkom smoke."
I could not but think how much pleasanter many
of

my

acquaintances would be

if

leave the atmosphere untainted.

only they would follow this example, and

Considering

tliat

men

in general

do not

work harder than the majority of women, and their diet and drink are certainly not more stinted than that of their sisters, can there be any valid
reason why, in every household, tlie lords of creation should expend on this
item of self-indulgence a

would

sum which, were it devoted to missionary purposes,

rank high among contributors to the good cause f

entitle that family to

THE TUG OF WAR.

378

The three Missions

also

hold union Bible-meetings, at

which the people are addressed by representatives of

all

three Missions, and are thus spared the confusion which

is

so often entailed by the antagonistic attitude of Christian

sects

Here, while each retains

one towards another.

viduality, all unite in one

common

cause,

It

seems to
is

me

is

the

phantom. Church union.

true solution of that much-talked of

Church

its indi-

which surely

fit emblem of the Christian

Wheel, of which Christ is
and His true servants in all the

that a very

that of a mighty

both tyre and axle-tree,

All are bound together

Christian regiments are the spokes.

in

Him, and

all

unite to do

so,

although they

His work

may

not touch one another,

His kingdom.

in the progress of

So the Wheel, which for ages has been the symbol alike of

Buddhism and

of Sun-worship,

seems to

me

a most appro-

emblem of the true Sun of Eighteousness.

Though the Wesleyan Mission in this island cannot

priate

cord such startling success as has attended

fallow fields of the Fijian and

some other

has a special interest as being the very

of this denomination.

Its

its

re-

work in the

Pacific groups,

it

first Oriental station

commencement was

so strongly

advocated by Dr. Coke, that the Wesleyan Conference consented to sanction his collecting funds and selecting com-

panions willing to accompany

him

thither.

Accordingly, on December 30, 1813, he embarked with

six

missionaries,

two

of

whom

were married.

But the

voyage, then in slow-sailing vessels, was a very different

business to the pleasure trip of the present day
steamers.

To reach Ceylon they had

a voyage of about six months,

Indian land two of that

home.

The

first

of these

to travel vid

by swift

Bombay,

and ere they sighted the

little company had been called

was Mrs. Ault, wife of one of the

THE WESLEYAN MISSION.

She died in February.

missionaries.

379

But a yet

sorer trial

awaited the Mission in the sudden death of their leader,

the zealous and energetic Dr. Coke, whose tnaster-mind had

movement, and whose death,

originated the whole

ere even

reaching their destination, proved sorely bewildering to the

survivors, the
bills,

more

so as they

and so provide money

were unable even to cash his

They

for their maintenance.

found good friends, however, in Sir Evan Nepean. Governor

Bombay, and Lord Molesworth, Commandant

of

where they
left

on the 29th June 1814, having

finally arrived

Bombay

nine days previously.

The Dutch Church being

that time

of Galle,

was

at

no other mission of the Eeformed Church

in

virtually dead, there

Ceylon, or rather none had secured any footing

after a fortnight's consideration

therefore,

and much prayer and con-

sultation, they resolved to divide the laud, three of the six

commence work

being sent north to

at Jaffna

remain

the

in

Buddhists,

Matara.

in the

Tamil

districts

and Batticaloa, while the other three were

southern

establishing

districts

The former had,

among

Singhalese

the

headquarters

their

at

of course, to begin

to

Galle

and

by learning

the Tamil tongue, while their brethren in the south had to

acquire that of the Singhalese.

In the three years that followed, the arrival of six other

missionaries

enabled

them

to

commence work

at

Trin-

comalee, Negombo, Kalutara, and Point Pedro, and to spare

one of their number to commence a mission at

One
how
it

is

reminded of

"

the grain of mustard-seed

"

]\Iadras.

on learning

small were the beginnings of the work which, though

has not yet " overshadowed the land," has certainly taken

firm root in every province.

was sown

in

1818,

when

At Port Pedro

the

first

seed

a piece of land on the seaside

THE TUd OF WAR.

880

was rented

for the equivalent

and thereon

of 9d. a year,

was commenced a school attended by twelve boys.

In 1819 these scattered workers met at Galle to estimate
their

They found that

progress.

the

in

past five years

249 persons had become Church members, which

implied a very
services,

much

larger

Seventy-

priests.

had been established, at which 4484 children

were receiving instruction.

built,

of course

of attendants at Christian

and included several Buddhist

five schools

been

number

a considerable

Mission-houses and chapels had

number

had

of native catechists

been trained to teach their countrymen, and a printing

establishment in Colombo was pouring forth thousands of
portions of the Scriptures

Wherever

and

of tracts.

was found possible so

it

Dutch churches

as to

make them

to renovate the old

these were occupied,

safe,

but the majority had gone so far to ruin and decay that the
walls had to be taken

down and

rebuilt, so that it

most cases found simpler to build afresh.

important of the
Batticaloa,

new churches was

was in
most

of the

that built in 1839 at

where progress was particularly

was marked

One

in the four following years

satisfactory,

by no

less

and

than 758

baptisms, of which 447 were of adults.

The Batticaloa

station embraces a large

number

of vil-

lages scattered along the seaboard for a distance of eighty

miles,

and

capital,

is

worked from two mission centres

which

is

known

the other at Kalmunai.

to

one

at the

to the natives as Puliantivu,

The

latter,

have afforded comparatively small encouragement

recently an awakening seems to have

tom

of

women

which
at

is

but

commenced, a symp-

the largely increased attendance of native

the village meetings, after one of

native minister

and

however, seems as yet

which the
was surprised and gladdened by the remark

THE WESLEYAN MISSION.

of a heathen

man

of

381

" I verily believe

good position,

that

your religion will soon overspread this place, and surely

stamp out ours."

The opening
itself a

at

Kalmunai

of a girl's boarding-school

is

sure detail of success, as has been well proven

in

by

a similar school at Batticaloa, in the immediate neighbour-

hood

which the Wesleyans have also nine day-schools

of

and about twenty

for girls

2500

with a total of about

for boys,

pupils.

At Trincomalee, Port Pedro, and most

same

tions, the

the

care

is

extended to the

girls

of the
;

other sta-

indeed at Jaffna

Wesleyan Mission established a boarding-school

benefit so early as 1837.

date six

girls,

but

it

Certainly

it

for their

could only accommo-

has gone on steadily increasing, and

now numbers upwards of 100 boarders. Parents

upper class, who will only allow very young girls to

of the

attend

day-schools, do not object to send their daughters to boarding-schools, paying a moderate fee towards their expenses,

and so well pleased are they

neat, clean,

and punctual

in the art of needlework,

own

to

see

them turn out

so

in their habits, so well instructed

and especially in making their

clothes, that they are content to accept the probability

of their

becoming Christians, a result which very frequently

follows, so that such

schools are likely to exercise an ever-

enlarging influence on the homes of the next generation.

In many parts

fail to

girls

of the country,

grandmothers,

cially

however, mothers, and espe-

who themselves have had no

see its advantage for their descendants,

who were

education,

and many

converts at heart have been removed from

the schools and compelled again to kneel before idol shrines.

Of course

here, as in all other heathen lands, a very large

num-

ber of hearers are convinced of the truth of Christianity, and

THK

382

OF WAR.

TIKI

are practically Christians at heart, but have not yet

many

found courage to face the inevitable domestic persecution

them when

that awaits

inward conviction results in

their

outward profession.

One thing
yields
is

certain

that, sooner or later, every school

is

some converts, and the testimony of

that

more than

half the adults

who

all

the Missions

eventually become

Christians attribute their conversion to teaching received

the schools, which they

in

which, like well-laid

many

In

had ignored at the time, but

fuel, w^as

ready to ignite in due season.

cases these early impressions smoulder on through

half a lifetime ere the convert finds courage openly to confess

the faith which

must subject him

to such severe domestic

For instance, amongst those who have recently

persecution.

sought baptism from the Church Mission at Jaffna, one was

manager

the hereditary

of a

famous Hindoo temple, who

for

thirty long years

had vainly striven to silence the inward

which

spoke to his conscience at the mission-

voice

first

school.

Another
his

is

man

an old

seventy-five years of age,

boyhood attended the American school.

hopeful pupil, and was the subject of

He

w^as,

were
he
like

much

worshippers of the Hindoo gods.

school

Nicodemus
his

in

a very

all of

whom

From the time

he never entered a heathen temple, but,

of old,

he sought God secretly by night,

dreading the persecution which he

confessing

who

special prayer.

however, removed by his relations,

strict

left

He was

Lord.

knew would

Sometimes he spoke

result

to

his

from
wife

about Christianity, but she called him a madman, and so

he still shrank from taking up such a cross as that of open
avowal.

At

vowed that

if

last,

when attacked by

a severe illness,

he

he recovered he would confess himself to be

SCHOOL INFLUENCE LONG DORMANT.

He

a disciple of Christ.

whereupon

his

own

did recover, and kept his

little

him a

interval of peace

distant connection
roof,

ere this true friend, "

was himself

called to his rest

who

his

since

a good

own baptism

in

had not a

to starve

left

who was a
home under his

older Christian catechist,

of his own, offered

vow

daughters turned him out of the house,

and the old man would have been

still

383

and

thus securing

Old Philips,"

faithful servant,

1830 had never ceased

working diligently and successfully

for

the conversion of

others.

Remembering

prayers

the

all

that were

offered sixty

years ago on behalf of that promising school-boy, one cannot

is the illustration of the husbandman
" waits for the precious fruit.
long
patience
with

but think how apt

who

"

The aim

of the Society is to establish in every village a

school with an able teacher, who, while fulfilling

ments

of

the Government code

religious instruction of the

all

require-

make

of education, shall

the

To

children his primary care.

provide such Christian teachers, and also local preachers

to

keep up a constant

in all the villages, the

series of services

for the

heathen

Wesleyan Mission has established

at

Jaffna a Training Institute for male teachers, which shall

supply native agents

for

the

building up of a

healthy

native Church in the Tamil districts.

To those who have noted how sure a test of vitality

of the Church is its recognition of the duty

any branch

winning others,

it is

pastors)

many
have now
for

years

entirely

established

which send out catechists

villages.

of

especially interesting to note that the

Native Wesleyan congregations at Jaffna and

(having

in

to

supported

Batiicaloa
their

among themselves
preach

in

own

societies

certain jungle-

These are maintained by funds locally subscribed

TUG OF WAR.

TIIK

384

by the native Christians as tliank-offerings for having themselves been called out of heathen darkness.
The Wesleyan Church at Jaffna also sends Tamil ministers to

Colombo and

neighbourhood to minister to their

its

countrymen who have migrated

For the southern

Kandy,

Galle,

thither.

namely, Negombo, Colombo,

districts,

and Matara, the native ministers

They

either Singhalese or Burghers.

eminently good men, but

many

in

are, of course,

are said to be not only

cases so well versed in

Buddhistic learning as to prove more than a match for such

priests as

men,

may

refer to that of

De

Eev. Peter

work done by some

one

now gone

of these

to his rest

the

Zylva, a Singhalese bearing a Portuguese

He was

name.

As

have sought to draw them into controversy.

an instance of the excellent

appointed to begin work in the district of

Moratuwa Mulla (commonly called Morottoo, which lies between Colombo and Kalutara), as being a part of the country
notorious for its ignorance and the prevalence of devilworship.

Here he commenced

visiting

and conversing in the bazaars with

him, but

symptom

many months
of success.

emplified by his

from house

house

who would speak with

all

elapsed ere he was rewarded by any

At

own good

length, however, his

life,

began

words, ex-

to take effect,

the end of twenty years he had the joy of

of a population of

to

knowing

and

at

that, out

about 4700, 600 of the villagers had become

faithful followers of his Lord.

One

of his earliest converts

was the Kapurala or

priest of

a devil-temple, close to which he had established a preaching-station.

Without leaving

not choose but hear the

his temple, the old

hymns and

could

prayers and preaching

which began so strangely

to influence those

been his own followers.

Ere

Ions:

man

who had

hitherto

he himself was convinced

EARNEST WOPtKERS.
that

He

of

whom De

Zylva preached was a better Master

than his cruel devil-spmts

was

own

his

teacher,

and bade him do

whom

so locking the temple,

which

property, he presented the key to the Christian

he saw

as

with

fit

all

the poor

thenceforth he would worship only the Saviour,

idols, for that

of

385

now

he had

And

heard.

the old priest proved

a faithful and an earnest helper.

The good work thus begun has continued

to prosper, the

converts proving their faith by the self-denying liberality of

their alms.

They now support two Singhalese

have built chapels and mission-houses.

which was recently opened,

One

pastors,

and

of the former,

a large substantial building,

is

erected from a native design under native superintendence.

All labour for

tously, a

tlie

roof

and windows was contributed gratui-

hundred carpenters (not

freely giving a week's

work

Wesleyan converts) each

they commenced on Monday

all

morning, and finished on Saturday night, the Christian

of the district bringing gifts of food for all the

Although such purely voluntary work

exceptional, the

members

of

this

women

workmen.

as this is probably

Mission have found the

people so wonderfully ready to afford help in every village

where a school or chapel has been erected, that the Mission

has rarely borne more than half the cost of the building.
For instance, in the Port Pedro

district,

near Jaffna, several

handsome school-chapels have been erected almost

through the liberality of natives

who

still

entirely

bore on their fore-

heads the symbolic marks of the Hindoo gods, and who not
only granted the

palm

and handsome

may

sites,

but also presented

all

the palmyra-

trees for rafters, the plaited palm-leaves for the thatch,

gifts in

money.

Of course,

in

such cases

it

be assumed that the educational advantages thus secured

outweigh their antagonism

VOL.

II.

to the teacher's creed.

2 B

IV'sides,

THE TUG OF WAR.

',]S6

ill

many

cases the assistant-teachers are heathens,

and conse-

quently the majority of the pupils continue to worship the

Tamil gods.

With

regai'd to

Wesleyan educational work

in the Southern

Province, there are two important training colleges, namely,

the liiclimond College at Galle, and the

Colombo, where there

is

well as one for boys.

An

Wesley College

also a high-school for

girls,

at

as

industrial school for girls has

Kandy, where the daughters

recently been established at

of

poor parents are instructed in sewing, knitting, and biscuit-

Badulla also has an excellent school for

making.

girls.

At Colombo an industrial home for destitute boys and

workers for the cotton-spinning

girls supplies willing

mills.

In the same city the Mission owns a valuable printing estabIt has also established a mission to seamen,

lishment.

which

provides for visiting the ships in harbour and inviting the

sailors to special

Sunday

ever, are able to

come

Comparatively few, how-

services.

ashore, as

merchant vessels in harbour

recognise no day of rest, and the hot, noisy toil of discharging

and receiving cargo goes on night and day without intermission,

Sunday and week-day

The workers

alike.^

in this Mission

hampered by pecuniary

have

latterly

been very sorely

troubles, serious

and repeated reduc-

tions in the grants from headquarters in

England having put

them
for

to great straits in order to find the

the

native agents

means

of subsistence

apart from the grief of being

for,

compelled to abandon the half-cultivated mission-fields, such

retrenchment would necessarily imply casting into destitution

'

Hong-Kong Sunday

In the busy harbour of

labour

is

now reduced

to the

minimum by

the strictly-enforced requirement for a special license at ver^-

high rates for

all

Sunday-work.

tional privilege of a

would prove

Sunday

in other ports

Thus

at rest.

sailors

AVhat

and officers may enjoy the excepboon similar harbour regulations

THE WESLiiJYAN MISSION.

men who had

387

Of course

served the Mission faithfully.

this

lack of funds has seriously hindered extension, the Mission

having been compelled to refuse the services of various promising young men,
This

is

who wished

to enter the native ministry.

the more to be regretted as the Wesleyans have

but recently commenced a work which promises immense

success

if

as

only the labourers were forthcoming, namely,

the hitherto uncared-for province of Uva, where,

that in

have already mentioned,^ the people

villages are

sunk

in the

about 800

of

most degrading ignorance and super-

stition.

The Eev. Samuel Langdon, chairman

Society in Ceylon, writes from his
sion " that he has not a tenth of

Wesleyan

of the

Happy Valley Misthe men or the funds

"

necessary to do justice to the work in that province.

Christian schools be at once
lages, a very great step

leading

the energetic

schools will be opened

and

schools,

to

Theosophists, Buddhist
in

Government

The Wesleyan Mission

in

It

will

secure a footing in this

now

field.

present numbers

200

Otherwise, under

by teachers trained

difficult

vacant

of

English

secure the Government grant.

will

then be far more

would be gained.
of

Could

established in all those vil-

native

seventeen

assistants

of

Ceylon to

all

European

clergy,

all

nationalities at

The

sorts.

with about

number

total

Church members does not exceed 4000, but the regular

attendance at school and public worship

There

one detail of progress which

is

(])elieving as

branch of

we do

the

about 20,000.

is

must not omit,

that the truest evidence of

Christian Church

is

its

life in

any

readiness to seek

extension by undertaking mission work), and that

is,

that in

THE TUO OF WAR.

388

the autuiiin of 1887 the

Wesleyau Church

in

Ceylon com-

menced a mission to Upper Burmah, which by

its

tion to Britain in the previous year was for the

Two European

practically open to such effort.

annexa-

first

time

missionaries,

accompanied by two young Singhalese, went to begin work

among the Buddhists of Mandalay, with its 5000 priests.
Truly a tiny band to attack so strong a foe
Tliey landed without one friend to
totally ignorant of the language;

but

welcome them, and

they immediately

secured three advantageous sites for mission-stations, with

ample space

So earnestly did they commence

for extension.

the study of the language, that very soon they were able to

own

address the people in their

totally

soon

new

idea of

attracted

God

attentive

tongue, and found that the

as our ever-present loving Father

hearers.

They

illustrate

indoor teaching by good magic-lantern views,

ture scenes, so that the truth

may

all of

their

Scrip-

reach the mind by eye

and ear simultaneously.

The beginning made by the two young Singhalese has

been so
both

satisfactory, that it is

men and women,

greatly hoped that others,

themselves converts from Buddhism,

will volunteer for the work,

and that England and Australia

will furnish the requisite funds for their support.

Note.

have often been struck by the manner in which, on their

men who have lived in various countries with-

return to Englanil, some

out taking any personal interest in Christian work, authoritatively

decry the practical results, and even the very efforts, of those who are
devoting their lives to mission work.

Such an one had been for some time indulging in this strain about
a district where he had been stationed for a considerable period, and
where he declared " the missionaries did nothing." Presently a Bishop

"

"

389

MISSIONARY DETRACTION.
wlio oveiheard

him came

forward, and very gently asked liim

liow

long he had been resident in his present quarters in one of our Mid-

land cities?

"About two

years,"

was the reply.

"Ah,

then," said the

Bishop, "I shall be so very glad to have your unbiassed opinion of the

working of the Young Men's Institute there. You never heard of it?
Dear me, I wonder at that it is such a very wide-spreading organisation.
I hope you like the system of our Schools, and especially of our
Industrial and Night Schools, where so many rough lads and wild
hoydens are transformed into comparatively respectable members of
;

society

Once more the " accuser of the brethren " had to confess his ignorance,
Well, what do you think of the
and his interrogator continued
system of our Working-Men's Provident Institution ? of our Free
Hospital ? of our Orphanage and Asylum ? of our Night Refuge ? of
our Ragged Church, crowded with poor tattered creatures who never
show in our streets ? of our Band of Hope and our Home for Strangers ?
And what is your personal impression of the workers in our Home
Mission?" Of course there was but one rejjly to all these questions.
Then said the Bishop, "Do you not think that possibly it may have
been the same at
Station in India ?
'

390

CHAPTER
CHRISTIAN

XXVII.

WORK

IN

CEYLON.

Army Work of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel

Work of the Church Missionary Society Cyclone in 1884 Work
in Pallai and the Wannie Converts from Hindooism ^Tamil Coolie
Mission Christian lyrics Kandyan itinerancy Converts from
Buddhism Mission at Cotta Trinity College, Kandy Summary.

Salvation

However deeply we sympathise with the efforts of " all

who love our Lord in sincerity," we cannot but regret that,
considering the number of agencies ^ already at work in this
Isle

(where Christian growth has been so cruelly impeded

by the

jealousies of successive gardeners), the Salvation

should have introduced a fresh

Army

element of confusion by

selecting for their campaign, not purely heathen villages,

but several in which

much good work had

more unfortunately, a marked

done.

Still

some of

their leaders has been such violent

other Christian denominations, that one

been a subscriber to the funds of the

already been

characteristic of

antagonism to

who has

Army

hitherto

has recently

declared their position in Ceylon to be that of persecutors

and hinderers of Christian workers.

'

terian

whom

regret that lack of space compels

and Baptist Missions.

550 are commuuicants.

lOCO are communicants.

me

to omit all details of the Presby-

The latter numbers about 6000 adherents, of

The former has 2500 adherents, of whom about

391

ECCLESIASTICAL DIVISIONS.
Sad

more

as such dissensions

must ever

distressing in presence of those

win from the worship of

be,

and sacred

idols

who very

reverent use of cow-dung, and

they are tenfold

whom we would
cattle

fain

and the

justly think that

Christians should at least agree amongst themselves before

they try to teach

otliers.

For the same reason

it

deeply to be regretted that

is

even witliin the fold of the Church of England the converts

should have been perplexed by "
(,'hurch "
culties.

"

High Church

questions, resulting for a while in

Low

and "

serious

diffi-

These happily have in a great measure subsided,

and though

it

certain that this

is

division

of the house

against itself expedited the disestablishment of the Anglican

Church from
Isle,

there

is

its

position as the Established Churcli of the

good reason to hope that in

this, as in

other

matters, apparent evil has been overruled for good, the necessity for united action

the interests of
to

such resolute

difficulties,

all

having led to a more perfect

members

effort

that there

is

to

fusion- of

of the Episcopal Church, and

meet the consequent pecuniary

now

little

doubt that when the

last

props of State support are removed, the Episcopal Church

of Ceylon will be found stronger

previous condition.

own

constitution,

It is

and

and healthier than in her

Already she has her own Synod, her

is

generally well afloat.

worthy of note that she has thus been compelled to

take up the self-same work which she has for

many

years

been urging the Native Church to undertake, namely, not

only the entire support of

its

own

institutions,

duty of contributing the needful funds

for

but also the

sending teachers

to its heathen countrymen.

So since the 30th June 188G

all

State aid has been with-

drawn, with the exception of the stipends of such Govern-

CHRISTIAN

392

WORK

raent chaplains, Episcopal and

IN f'EYLON.
Presbyterian, as

were ap-

pointed prior to 1st July 1881, such aid, of course, ceasing

with the individual

The

total

lives.

number

of clergy of the Episcopal

Church

in

the diocese of Colombo (in other words, in Ceylon) is now

Of these, thirty-four (i.e., eighteen European
seventy-one.
and sixteen native) are in the service of the Church Missionary Society, and fifteen (including nine natives) in that
of the Society for

the Propagation

The

of the Gospel.

and Burgher

some

Let us briefly glance at the work of the two

great

native clergy are Singhalese, Tamil,

are half-Burgher, half-Singhalese.

whose representatives have striven so earnestly to

Societies

build

up

this

Church.

The Church Missionary Society began work here in

1818.
The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel,
generally known as the S. P. G., followed suit in 1840.
The

S. P. G. has

European

clergy.

from the beginning imported very few

It

has rather aimed

Government chaplains (whose recognised

at

assisting

official

the

duty was

simply to minister to such as were already Christians), and

by enabling them to extend their sphere among the surrounding heathen, give a missionary character to their work
also.

In 1845 the

Isle,

which had previously been included in

was made a separate diocese, and Dr.

Chapman was consecrated first Bishop of Colombo. By his

the See of Madras,

exertions and liberal gifts, aided by the S. P. G., St.

Thomas

College at Colombo was founded and endowed with a special

view to training native clergy and schoolmasters.

Here English, Singhalese, and Tamil lads receive most

combined with such high secular

careful religious teaching,

ORPHANAGE AT BUOXA VISTA.

may

education as

fit

them

for

any profession

393
but the Col-

lege maintains its original missionary character, inasmuch as

it

furnishes almost

all

the native clergy in the

employment

demand

of the Society, and also supplies the ever-increasing

for schoolmasters.^

A
has

some years occupied

high-class school for girls has for

a pleasant
also

which

is

bungalow

a female boarding-school at Matara,

established

and the Society

close to the Cathedral,

very important centre

mission- work

of

the

attendance at the various schools being upwards of 1100.

very interesting

S. P.

G. work

of Buonavista, near Galle, of

the large orphanage

have already spoken."

male and female,

It supplies Christian teachers, both

surrounding village schools.

is

which

About one-sixth

of the chil-

much

dren attending these are Christians, and a

for the

larger pro-

portion are removed by their relations so soon as they evince

a strong

bias

Then Buddhist

in favour of Christianity.

priests are called in,

and

home

a period of

persecution en-

sues, which, however, rarely succeeds in extinguishing the

light thus early kindled.

Apart from these centres, a quiet work

many

is

progressing in

such as Badulla, and several of the neighbour-

places,

ing villages, where a special effort

the extension

is

of mission-work in

province of Uva.

now being made

the

hitherto

for

neglected

About 400 children have been gathered

into the Anglican schools in this district.

To return

to the earliest efforts

the Church Missionary Society.

work was commenced

at four points,

which have ever since

These were Jaffna,

been important centres.

'

on behalf of Ceylon by

Between 1818 and 1821

For details of this college see

-

See

p. 175.

cluii)ter

ii.

in the

extreme

CHRISTIAN

394
north

WORK

IN CP:YL0N.

Kancly, in the centre of the Isle

Cotta, near Col-

ombo, and Baddigaraa, in the extreme south.

In the first instance, the Kev. Joseph Knight was sent
Finding the Americans and
to commence work at Jaffna.

Wesleyans already in the

field,

he established himself at

There six years

Nellore, in the immediate neighbourhood.

he was joined by the Rev.

later

W.

Adley, and together

they studied, and taught, and preached

3^ears of patient

bv makinof a

At

but seven more

elapsed ere their hearts were cheered

work

sinofle convert.

length, in 1830,

Mr. Adley's Tamil horse-keeper

re-

nounced idolatry and sought baptism, and ere that year

closed a little

band of ten Christians formed the nucleus of

One of these, named Matthew Philips,

who had been working with Mr. Knight as his pundit ever

the future Church.

since his arrival in the Isle,

from that day

till

became the

first catechist,

and

the hour of his death at Christmas 1884

(when he had completed

his ninetieth year), he proved a

zealous and eloquent preacher and most devoted Christian.

Such was the story

Ten more

years.

of this Mission for the first twelve

elapsed,

and the Church members had

increased to twenty-five, but as yet did not include a single

woman.

Ten years

later the

increased to eighty, a

new

congregation at Nellore had

station

was opened at Kopay in

the immediate neighbourhood, and an old Portuguese church

at Chuudicully, also in the

neighbourhood, was made over

to the Mission, together with its congregation of Protestant

Burghers.

By

degrees other stations have been included,

and a large number of schools both for boys and girls have
been established, and in these all the teachers are Christians
and thus the tree whose early growth was so slow has
;

fairly

taken root.

very important detail was the com-

THE DISTRICT OF JAFFNA.

raencernent in 1842 of a

Here about 270

girls

girl's

395

boarding-school at Nellore.

many

have received careful training, and

have become wives of the native clergy and school-masters.

The Jaffna peninsula

the extreme north-west corner of

is

Ceylon, a dead level, palm-clad plain, twenty miles wide by

thirty-six in length.

glance at the

map

show better

will

than pages of description how strangely the sea has inter-

main

sected the land between this plain and the

form-

Isle,

ing truly labyrinthine lagoons.

In October and December 1884 this district was devastated by terrible cyclones, which, following on a period of

prolonged drought and short crops, proved terribly trying

to the people.

The

first

of these appalling tempests

was

heralded by a pale-green sunset sky, flushing blood-red on

the western horizon.

It resulted in tlie total destruction of

60,000 cocoa-nut, palmyra, and areca palms, and about 7000

other valuable trees, chiefly fruit-trees.
after the

cyclone the

On

peninsula resembled

the morning
newly-felled

jungle, and even the streets were blocked by fallen trees,

including about a hundred of the beautiful yellow suriyas,^

torn up by the roots.

bushes were ruined.

About 120,000 plantain and banana

Even the trees that survived were

stripped of foliage and

appeared

Fourteen thousand head of

were

killed, as

as

if

scorched by

cattle, sheep, goats,

were also twenty-eight

human

fire.

and buffaloes

beings.

sands of crows w^ere found dead with their wings

all

Tlmutwisted.

The great breakwater which protected the town, the

embankment, and sea-wall were alike destroyed the road
skirting the sea for many miles was washed away, as
;

were also bridges and culverts, and thousands of houses

of the poorest sort were damaged.
'

Twenty-seven vessels

The.yicsia i/ojiulnca, formerly called hybiscus.

known

are

WORK

CHRISTIAN

396

to

been wrecked

liave

miles

were carried

schooners

IN GEYLON.

some brigs and small

and the town was

inland,

Small craft innumerable perished,

strewn with wreckage.

and hundreds of fishing and cargo boats were found in

gardens and fields, while some were left in the streets or on
Others, which were
the half-ruinous verandahs of houses
!

recognised as belonging to neighbouring islands, were found

washed ashore.
Equally lamentable was the destruction of the rice-crops.

In the October storm hundreds of acres of paddy-land, which

had been carefully ploughed and manured, and were all
ready for sowing, were so flooded as to resemble only a vast
When the waters subsided, the wretched farmers did
lake.

damage, but the December cyclone

their best to repair the

effectually blasted their hopes.

Though

was but

nevertheless the prevalence

an echo of the

as

first,

in point of fury

it

of unseasonable rain destroyed the rice- crops and ruined the

gardens.

curious incident of the cyclone was

Kopay Church, which was blown

steeple of
fall

exactly filled

up an adjacent

the

fall

over,

the

of

and in

well, a very grave

loss

its

in

that region of droughts.

For a considerable period

people was such that
school half-famished,

many
and

after this the poverty of the

of the children used to

for

come

some time attendance was

to

seri-

ously diminished.

In this extremity

many

of the school-teachers shared their

pittance with the hungriest of their flock, but the suffering

of

all

was

involves
salaries

severe.

Of

course, diminished school attendance

a reduction in
of

Government grants

and in the

the teachers, and this again in the American

Mission reacts on the modest income of the native pastor,

THE NORTHERN PROVINCE.

which
who,

is

it

397

partly dependent on the offerings of the teachers,

seems, are in the habit of devoting one- tenth of their

salary to the service of the Church.

About twenty years ago very

by the missionaries

decisive efforts

were made

any lingering idea

in order to root out

that temporal advantage attached to the profession of Chris-

In order

tianity.

more strongly

still

counteract such

to

an impression, the native Christians, were urged so

far as

lay in their power, not only to imdertake the support of

own

their

institutions,

but also to contribute the needful

funds for sending teachers to their heathen brethren.

The

result of this movement has been that whilst a limited

number

of

mere professors relapsed into heathenism, the

majority have become very

much more

and the native Church has become

decided and zealous,

in every respect healthier

and stronger.
This has notably been the case in the Northern Province

(of

which Jaffna

is

the capital), where the effects of

mission-work on Hindooism present a striking contrast to

the results effected in the south of the Isle, where only,
as

it

were, the fringe of

Buddhism has

as yet been touched.

And

yet those most practically acquainted with the work

say that even in North Ceylon " heathenism is still so

gross and

rampant that mission agencies can hardly count

the battle there to be

who

much more than

begun."

are Christians are in real earnest

and

But those
so,

notwith-

standing the poverty of the people, a Native Missionary

formed in the autumn of 1883, wliich

now supports several native teachers to assist in the work
commenced in 1862 by the Church Missionary Society in
Association was

two

of the

of the Isle,

dreariest and hitherto

most neglected

namely, the Waunie and

Pallai.

districts

CHRISTIAN

398

The

is

liitler

sandy tract

WORK

IN CEYLON.

only about twenty miles from

Jaffna, a

cocoa-nut plantations and malarious fever-

of

So unhealthy

haunted jungle.

is

the climate, that of

who have been

the mission agents

one has escaped the jungle-fever.

sent to

work

all

here, not

The population num-

bers about 10,000 persons, and in all this district there

but one medical man, whose primary duty is to look

As for the people, finding small benefit
after the planters.

is

from their own medicine-men, and assuming

sickness and trouble to be
spirits,

all

manner

of

the visitation of offended evil

they at once call in diviners and devil-dancers,

who

distract the poor sufferer with their truly " infernal " noise,

or else they

a pilgrimage to some favourite devil-

make

Anxious relations bring the patient a drink

temple.

which has washed the

foul water,

and which

is

feet

deemed precious medicine.

of

some

of

filthy fakir,

'^

Here indeed is a fallow field awaiting medical missionaries

endowed with such love for their suffering fellow-creatures
as to induce them to face existence in such uninviting
It

surroundings.
in the Isle

is,

however,

certain

might face the climate with

Europeans, and

it is

Colombo, which

is

to be

yield the right men.

sion

is

so certain

poor villagers, and

to
it is

men

born

danger than

hoped that the Medical College

training so large a

may

that
less

number

at

of students,

Certainly no other form of mis-

go straight to the hearts of these

satisfactory to learn that the Jaffna

Medical Mission has now been commenced in real earnest,

and

is to

College

be under control of the directors of the Jaffna

(i.e.,

missionaries

and

native

Christians

in

con-

nection with the three IMissions).

^

For astounding details of sorcery and criminal preparation of charms by

a native doctor, see

Emerson Tennant's "Ceylon,"

vol.

ii.

pp. 544-548.

THE WANNIE

DISTRICT.

399

Mildmay (London), has gone

Dr. Marston, formerly of

out to assume charge of this great work, but as yet

among

only missionary-physician
of the Northern Province

the

is

the 316,000 inhabitants

and what that means may be

months in 1888-

inferred from the fact that within two

1889 no

than 2000 persons died in Jaffna durino- an

less

epidemic of malignant

and such

fever,

visitations of fever,

small-pox, and cholera are by no means rare, and invariably

who

carry off thousands,

perish from ignorance of the sim-

plest laws of medicine.

Still

more unattractive than

name

district,

Wannie

fever,

the time, but

is

very

villages

inland,

the

each

to shake

difficult

which averages

along

scattered

the dreary

is

which not only incapacitates

comprises an area of about

population,

Pallai

Wannie

chiefly associated with that of the virulent

the

to

and

surrounded
is

its

victims at

This district

14,000 square miles, and

one

sea-coast,

the irrigation of which

off.

in

square

about 200

by swampy

its

mile,

is

small

rice- fields,

a constant care, as any failure

of the water-supply from the village tank involves famine.

Most of these

villages

take their

hence the frequent termination of

name from
"

the tank

Colom," a tank,

c.r/.,

Choendic-Colom, Sundi-Colom.

These wretched people suffer terribly from pleurisy and

from a swelling in the glands of the throat, but worst of
all from the fearful parangi or karayo, that horrible disease,

somewhat resembling leprosy

form, which

is

Wherever the
a

district

restoration

with

its

most loathsome
fare.

of the ancient tanks has blessed

renewed water-supply and consequent

abundant crops, then

disappears.

in

aggravated by bad water and scanty

this

awful disease in a great measure

WORK

CHRISTIAN

400

IN CEYLON.

Tlio people are described as being

])liysirally

;in.l

sunk mentally, morally,

Their faith

to the deepest degradation.

Iliiidooisni of the very lowest type,

is

with a large admixture

of devil-worship.

In this unpromising

field,

were sent to commence work

agents of the Church Mission

at Mullaitivo, a

coast about seventy miles south of Jaffna,

town on the

and

Vclan-Colora, a large inland village, about

From

Mullaitivo.

these centres,

districts.

east

Vavania-

miles from

evangelistic work of

has been carried to the surrounding

Pallai district, schools have

fifty

at

all sorts

Here, as in the

been established, and several of

the most promising converts have been taken to the Training

may eventually return as

own countrymen. Thus an influence has

Institution at Kopay, that they

teachers to their

gradually been created, and prejudice so far overcome that

now no

opposition

is

offered to

on the contrary, their message

tion,

and in several

cases

priests of the devil-temples,

is

the

Christian teachers;

heard with eager atten-

devil-dancers,

and

have been among

even the
the earliest

converts, although their acceptance of Christ involved the

sacrifice of their

of

means of

living

very strong test

f\iith.

Indeed,

if

the offertory by which this Native Mission

supported could
of

sole

its

the story of self-denial by which

is

many

small sums have been obtained, no better proof could

be given of
are

tell

how thoroughly in earnest these poor Christians

when extreme poverty was aggra-

in fact, in the year

vated by cyclones, the subscriptions, so far from diminishing, actually increased.

several

Amongst

its

items are gifts from

young men who have been trained

in the Institu-

tion of suras equal to one-half, one-third, or one-tweltth of

their first yeai-'s salary as schoolmaster.

401

NATIVE CHRISTIAN FORTITUDE.

In the records of this work we occasionally obtain a

touching glimpse of some of the

difficulties

which beset

the Hindoo, whose reason and heart alike incline to the

Foremost among these are the claims of

Christian faith.

deceased relations, and the supposed cruelty to these involved in omitting the ancestral offerings

for their supplies

from purgatory, and as only a son can

funeral

rites

of his

father,

it

for as the dead

believed to be

of the last three generations are

dependent on the living

and deliverance
officiate

at the

when, by

evident that

is

entirely

becoming a Christian, a man incapacitates himself from

fulfilling these obligations, he is doing a grievous wrong
to the dead,

we

whom

he

is

most bound to reverence.

hear of the " great fortitude

"

Hence

shown by a convert

in

refusing to take his part in the heathen rites at his father's

and we know what

funeral,
tions he

tears, entreaties,

must have withstood from

all

and persecu-

women

the

of the

family.^

Moreover, when a Christian

is

taken

ill,

his sufferings

by the persistent determinato perform noisy devil-ceremonies on

are often greatly aggravated

tion of his relatives
his behalf,

and

also

by the fear

after his death they

lest

should forcibly burn his body with heathen

members

other

of

the

family

are

If

some

they

can

rites.

Christians,

generally succeed in preventing this dishonour to the dead,

but very painful scenes sometimes offend this solemn presence, as in the case of a

young

school-mistress,

whose death-

bed was a striking instance of calm Christian peace, but

^

In

"The

Himalayas and Indian Plains"

the requirements of Ancestral Worship

also 574, 575.

into the

still

among

have given

full

And in " Wanderings in Cliina " I

more extraordinary ramifications of the same worship

vast Empire.

VOL.

II.

details o

See pp. 187-190,

have entered minutely

the Hindoos.

2 c

in that

WORK

CHRISTIAN

402

no sooner had her

IN CEYLON.

passed away, than her heathen

spirit

relatives coniraenced a terrible uproar in their determination

Her

to enforce heathen rites.

ever,

father

being also Christians, stood firm

and brothers, how-

whereupon

their

all

anything further

kinsfolk forsook them, refusing to have

to do with them.

Very

striking

is

manner

the

in whicb these poor caste-

ridden people occasionally apply some story of our Lord's

and humility,

tenderness

as

arrogance of the Brahmans.

contrasted with

Thus a poor

the

coolie

to hear the story of Christ's visit to ZacchaBus.

harsh

chanced

Next time

he visited the temple and presented his accustomed offering,

Jie

felt

how

was the action of the proud

different

who bade him

then poured water over

before he would take

it

priest,

money on the ground, and who

lay his

it

and washed

it

with his foot

So he went back to the house

up.

where he had heard those good words, and stood outside

listening during the

morning prayers, and one who saw

him, bade him enter, and taught him, and soon that

became a working Christian.

Like

Andrew, he "

St.

found his own brother, and brought him to Jesus

"

man
first

then

he persuaded his wife, and so the leaven of good has

spread.

But very often when a man

step,

he

is

rejected by

all

eons utterly despise him.

one

has

persevered in

althou^ years may

or later the

change

resolves to take this great

his own wife and

Yet again and again such an

his relations

prayer for their conversion, and

elapse ere one will join him, sooner

is

wrought, and the patient convert

has the gladness of bringing his family to crave Christian

baptism.

Amongst those who have thus been added

to

the Church was one of the most notorious devil-dancers of

POWER OF THE
Pallai,

whose delight

to ridicule the preaching of

bought a Bible and began reading

it,

Light entered into his heart so

oft-told result.

with the

fully, that

the prayers and tears of his kinsfolk could shake

not

all

his

new-born

confess

was

Nevertheless, that he might be the better able

the Gospel.
to cavil, he

it

403

OLD, OLD STORY.

faith

Christ

and so eager did he now become to

presence of

in

all

men, that those who

witnessed his baptism begged that he might be

named Paul

With him was

Vayrakiam (Paul the Zealous).

baptized

another young man, whose conversion was due to the efforts

of another recent convert from the devil-dancers.

For in these fever-stricken

sandy plains, the

districts,

old, old story

and on those burning

comes home

to these

poor

neglected ones with just the same love and power that

has done to myriads in

all

corners of the earth wheresoever

this Gospel has

been preached.

converts there

is

realised

their

abundant

Saviour's

love,

In the

proof of

and of

life

their

their

of

just the

same earnest longing

many

fully

in the

living

and there

to lead others to a per-

sonal knowledge of the only source of light and

apparently less of that shyness

of the

having

blessed consciousness of His abiding presence

is

it

perhaps

selfish

life,

with

shyness

which leads our more reserved Western natures to shrink

from speech on the subjects which we recognise as most
vital to ourselves,

and yet often guard as jealously

as

though

our neighbour had no concern therein.

Grand enduring work has been done by many such

work known only to their Master in the
loving disciples

gradual upbuilding of Ilis Church.

I must, however, turn to a less pleasant topic, to

how not
for,

show

only the good leaven spreads, but also the evil

sad to say, here, as in Japan and other countries, the

WORK

CHRISTIAN

404.

IN CEYLON.

bitter leaven of infidel teaching is

working with pernicious

effect, and the writings of the leading " free-thinkers " and
atheists poison the minds of many a would-be-wise young

So the preachers of the Gospel have not merely

Buddhism or Brah-

student.

to contend with the systems of a debased

manisra, but with

all

the oft-repeated, oft-refuted difficulties

and objections which are deemed so doubly wise because they

are imported from Europe.

For instance, one of the chief Hindoo

district is

in

annually held at an ancient temple near Nellore,

honour of Kandaswami, the youngest son of the god

Siva.

The

continues for twenty-five days, and on

festival

the tenth day the idol

days are

now

brought forth and placed on a

The most

round the temple.

Temple of

is

drawn triumphantly

splendid car, and so

prohibited,

may no
car,

at the great

Juggernath

longer throw themselves

but have to satisfy their zeal

rolling in the dust in its wake.

of the vast multitude

in sunwise circuit

fanatical observances of olden

and here, as

India, devotees

beneath the wheels of the

by

festivals in this

This

is

done by hundreds

who annually assemble from

all

parts

of the country in very earnest pilgrimage.

Such a gathering

words broadcast, which

teachers

who mingle

an opportunity of sowing good

affords
is

not neglected by the Christian

freely in the crowd,

and do what they

can by preaching and the sale and distribution of books.

Latterly they have been gladdened by hearing

comments
on the good which Christianity was acknowledged to have
effected in Jaffna, and some were heard to say that doubtless forty or fifty years

come

Christian,

hence

all

the population will have be-

But though many

listened with interest,

organised system of molestation and interruption has

been

set

an

now

on foot by a party of young men, who go about,

THE TAMIL COOLIE MISSION.

405

not to defend the insulted dignity of Kandaswami, but to

and

distribute pamphlets

tracts

compiled by themselves from

the works of atheistic Europeans.

In like manner, quite the most serious bar to the acceptance of the Gospel by Buddhists

is

the energetic teaching

of European exponents of Theosophy and Esoteric Buddhism.

very important

branch of Church missionary work

amongst the Hindoo population of Ceylon

as the Tamil Coolie Mission,

instruction of

who come
to labour

the

all

which has

is

that

for its

known

object the

the legion of immigrants from Malabar,

generally for a term of five years or more, chiefly

on the plantations, and do

all

the hard work of

This Mission was commenced on a small scale

Isle.

about thirty years ago, and has been mainly supported by

the cofFee-planters,

who

raise

more than 1000 a year

maintain catechists and schools,

estimate of this good

Upwards

clear proof

of forty native agents are

from forty to

of their

effort.

but so numerous are the

visit

to

estates, that

sixty,

and

now thus employed

each catechist has to

so can only

go to each about

once in three months, which does not allow

of gaining individual influence with

much chance

the utterly iguorant

heathen.

The

]\Iission is

superintended by three European and two

Tamil clergymen, whose

lives are

spent in one long round

of difficult hill-travelling, over an area so vast, that on an

average they can only go over the ground once iu

months.

Their district

much more mountainous

is
;

so

this

mission

may

described as under-manned, the more so seeing

plantations

lie

well

be

how many

beyond the reach of any English

save on these rare occasions.

si.x

about as large as Wales, and

service,

WORK

CHRISTIAN

406

IN CEYLON.

Some

haustinf^ life of ceaseless locomotion.

might think
by 5 A.M.

it

muster of

England

coolies,

and

preacli to

starting on a four or five hours' walk, beneath

a blazing sun, over steep

hills

without one scrap of shade.

and perhaps some

native Christians on the estate,

Then the

folk in

hard work to be up and out every morning

to attend the

them before

an ex-

this scanty spiritual fare involves

To supply even

in the nearest village,

must be

visited,

baptism or confirmation examined

and candidates

for

and taught, and the

must be cheered by a talk about

catechist, if there be one,

his work, and on the morrow the same round must be re-

peated on the next estate.

repeats itself
as

many

till

coolies as

the planters,

And

so each

Sunday, when there

is

day of the week

a Tamil service for

can be mustered, and English service for

many

of

whom come

a very long

way

to

be

present.

Small chapels are indeed scattered at wide intervals over

the mountain districts where the plantations chiefly
in these,

others

two

of the

lie,

and

Diocesan clergy minister regularly, and

occasionally, but

many

estates are so remote that

they are only visited at very rare intervals.

When we think

of the multiplicity of church-going luxuries offered for our

we can perhaps realise how very

we should feel in fact, how easily we
mere habit of Sunday observance
were our

selection in this country,

much

neglected

might

lose the

religious privileges limited to

coffee-store or a

tainly

it

two or three meetings in a

drawing-room in the course of a year.

Cer-

does seem a very unequal division of the Church's

workers which leaves so wide a

field

with such limited pas-

toral care.

Even Sunday does not

for instance, the

necessarily bring rest from travel

native clergyman (Tamil) at Pelmadulla

ATTITUDE OF THE PLANTERS.

an English service at 8

liolds

after

a.^l,

407

and then one in Tamil,

which he either travels twelve miles to hold an Eng-

lish service at

Ratnapura, or to some other

But

district.

in

truth, neither clergy nor people spare themselves in this

respect, the distance

which some of these people walk

present at a service being almost incredible

at

Rackwane, in the south,

to

to

be

instance,

as, for

which some of the congrega-

tion were in the habit of walking fifteen miles every Sun-

day,

till

a Christian conductor undertook to hold service in

one of the

coffee-stores.

(The Principal of Trinity College,

Kandy, mentions that one of

New

130

his late pupils travelled

miles in order to be present at the early

morning

service on

Year's Day.)

As

a matter of course, the

work of

this Mission is greatly

helped or impeded by the attitude of the authorities on each

estate.

In some cases the planters themselves, or their

superintendents, take a hearty interest in

I have recently heard of one

baptism of

five

own tongue
likely to

of his

own

in such plain,

its progress,

and

who, being present at the

coolies,

addressed them in their

manly words

as they

them

forget, especially exhorting

were not

so to live that

they might be the means of bringing others also to Jesus.

That speaker's words are so happily

life,

illustrated in his

own

that one of his Singhalese neighbours expressed a devout

hope that he

may

eventually become a

Buddha

Happily, within the last few years, a considerable number

of the planters have

awakened

to the

duty and privilege of

thus exerting a strong personal influence on the

their employ, while on other estates

Christian Kanganis,

i.e.,

men

in

much is done by earnest

who supplement the

coolie overseers,

work of the catechist by reading the

service

on intermediate

Sundays, or in some cases by holding prayer-meetings

(for


CHRISTIAN

408

many

WORK

catechists have charge of a very

than any one

man

can work

owing

On

larger district

In at

evening-prayer

is

amongst the Christians, though

impossible,

much

satisfactorily).

district the habit of family

is

IN CEYLON.

to assemble in the

to the early

the other hand, where the

least

now

one

general

morning

hour when work begins.

Kangani

is

a heathen

and

antagonistic to the Christians, he can greatly impede the

work of the

Thus

and embitter the

catechist

in one district,

where

till

lives of the converts.

recently there were four

Christian Kanganis, a change in the

management of the
by heathens

estates has led to their being all replaced

a very grievous matter for the

little

band of converts whose

taskmasters they are.

A
due

number

considerable

to the influence

of conversions have been entirely

and persuasion of Christian fellow-

where, about twelve years ago, a Canarese

They had

were converted.
Ceylon

estates,

and

many

years been working on

Every evening since their baptism, when the

long day's work

many

for

and probably had a large acquaintance among

their fellows.

as

Uda Pussellawa,
man and his wife

This has notably been the case in

coolies.

is

done, they have assembled in their house

as they could collect for Bible-reading

it is

mainly due to this

eflfort

that a congregation of

upwards of a hundred persons now meet

Sunday

and prayer,

for

worship every

in a pretty stone church, towards the building of

which " Isaac " and his wife contributed the

rupees.

from six

first hundred
The congregation prove their zeal by walking
to ten miles from other estates, no small eflfort on

day of rest. These are only poor coolies,

but somehow I fancy that in the Great Hereafter many of

this their only

us

who now

daily say (I doubt if

that oft-said prayer)

Thy Kingdom

we

as often really

pray

come, will vainly wish

409

INFLUENCE OF CHRISTIAN COOLIES.

that in

way

for

much

our lives we had done as

all

our Lord's coming

as

these

to prepare the

humble

have

folk

done.
Certainly

enough

it is

make us

to

all

how

think, to note

often a few words of Scripture or of exhortation have so

impressed poor ignorant heathen Tongans, Fijians, or China-

men, that they have returned to their own villages and

endured persecution

for years

staunchly, never resting

till

they have persuaded others, and so each has become the

nucleus of a church

whom

whereas we, on

teaching

all

and Christian privileges have been lavished from our cradles,

what have we individually ever done

without the fold to enter
I never hear

to induce one

from

the story of Ebed-melech, the Ethiopian

so many white men would contemptuously

have described as " only a nigger," but to whom alone the

eunuch (whom

prophet was bidden to

safety

amid

all

convey the

the horrors

and the slaughter of

Divine assurance of
capture of Jerusalem

of the

the princes and nobles of Judah

all

without a thought of that day of surprises,

when

so

^),

many

great lords, temporal and spiritual, will have to take the

lowest places, and others

find themselves first

who

are

now

last

and

least will

and greatest in The Kingdom.

In another case recently reported, eighteen persons came

forward to ask

for

carefully instructed
of

these

been very
Thirteen

baptism,

had walked

downpour of rain
on his visiting the
ject to

whom had

by another Christian couple.

all

of

thirty miles

through a continuous

to present themselves to the

district.

Of course

all

clergyman

candidates are sub-

most searching examination to prove their

sincerity,

and the answer of one suggested how truly he had grasped

^

Jer. xxxviii. 7, 8

and

Jcr. xxxix. 6, 7,

and 16-18.

CHRISTIAN

410
the principle

may be

WORK

IN CEYLON.

new life. " Doubtless," he said, " some

in name only, but such have only joined

the

(if

Christians

Christianity without being united to Christ."

Of course the

difficulty of

over these coolies

habits,

that,

by

which often take them from one

or back to India, before

Nevertheless,

done.

obtaining a permanent influence

greatly enhanced

is

much

appreciable good has been

some of the workers

even as the dawn advances to high noon

so the Light

is

Isle

are

convinced

imperceptibly

radiating silently but surely, and though

as yet only about fifteen

on the

their migatory

district to another,

hundred of the Tamil

coolies

now

have received baptism, a considerable number

have returned as Christians to their own country, and very

many

listen with

earnest attention, and some say they are

convinced of the truth of the Gospel, but dare not face the

anger of their relations should they openly embrace Christianity.

It

would be

to find a

difficult

proof of their goodwill than

is

more remarkable

shown by the generosity with

which they sometimes contribute to purely Christian

for instance, the

as,

building of a substantial church

Rackwane, where the congregation

poor,

objects,

is

at

very small and very

and about three-fourths of the requisite sum has been

given by heathen overseers and coolies

Among what
are

may

call " insensible influences " for

some exceedingly popular Christian

in the style of "

poet.

They

The

old, old

story,"

lyrics,

good

something

composed by a Tamil

are Christian stories told in the native style

of poetry, and set to native tunes, which find great favour

with the people.

know

Many

of the converts

who cannot

these by heart, and their companions, attracted

melody, learn them also

well sung,

by those who

and so the story

as yet

know

is

little

read

by the

sung, and often

of its meaning.

411

CHRISTIAN LYRICS.
Thus one whose heart
travelling

by

in his Master's work,

is

coach to

chanced to be

Kandj, when one of the passengers

commenced singing Hindoo songs so cheerily that his companions begged him to continue. One at least of his hearers
was considerably astonished when the next song selected was
one of the most beautiful of these

lyrics,

" Jesus carrying

His Cross," a text which furnished the subject

for earnest

words to an attentive audience of Hindoos and Buddhists.

The

singer said he had learnt the lyric from hearing

it

sung

by a Roman Catholic convert in a distant part of the country.

When we remember

that in the Jaffna peninsula alone

the three Missions have 15,000 children in training,

whom
a

are taught to sing sacred stories,

good

far-reaching agency for

have

schools

come

to

periodical

this

it is

the relatives

all

hear and admire, and the children and

women teach the mothers, who like to

own homes, so that they are gradually

of

The

must prove.

when

concerts,

all

evident what

Bible-

sing them in their

replacing the very

objectionable mythological songs even in

homes which

are

not yet altogether Christian.

To

mighty

work

who have not noted elsewhere how

those
tree

in

grows from a tiny seed, the feeble

some

contemptible.

Thus

in the

town

of

first-fruits of

may seem

large centres of heathenism

often

almost

Kurunegalla, the Tamil

Christian congregation consists of three very poor families

one

is

that of a fisherman, another of a

man who

climbs

palm-trees to draw " toddy," while the third householder

is

a road-coolie,

who

at his

baptism selected the name of

Zachariah, his wife naturally assuming that of Elizabeth.

The

latter tends a flock

of sheep

a few sheep

assume, since at night she folds them

room

of her little hut, she

all

we must

in the

largest

and her husband contriving

to

CHRISTIAN

412

WORK

IN CEYLON.

stow themselves away in the other room, which measures

5 feet by 6 feet
spiritual,

that

it

Truly a tiny

but as regards the

both pastoral and

flock,

shepherd

latter, its

is

satisfied

an ever-widening

will erelong prove the nucleus of

congregation.
I

must repeat that

am

speaking only of the Tamil

Christians of Kurunegalla, the Singhalese and Burgher con-

gregations being of course quite distinct.

a recently acquired

member

a native

is

Of the former,

headman from an

outlying village, converted through the instrumentality of

These two men, being the only Christians in

his brother.

that neighbourhood, have had to face considerable opposition

young man had given very

indeed, before his baptism this

strong proof of his determination, in resolutely refusing to

offer

incense

was

obliged

in
to

temple

the great

be

present

in

at

his

Kandy, where he

official

refusal gave great offence to his superiors.

capacity, his

To those who

can realise the scene within that beautiful temple

crowd of devout worshippers bearing their

gorgeously dressed headmen, the

offerings,

the

the

throng of yellow-robed

priests urging the recreant to compliance with this simple

ceremony

only the burning of a

little

incense

such

an

incident suggests a picture of wondrous interest.

Indeed, in all Oriental scenes the picturesque element

presents itself at every turn in a

those

who

insensibly illustrate

own Western

thoughts.

Thus

manner undreamt

these

outlines

of

by

from their

in the case of the tiny

Tamil

congregation of which I spoke just now, the reader whose

mind

sees

only three very poor English families would

conjure up a very different picture from the

turbaned

brown

coloured drapery

men and
is

worn

of
so

little

women whose

group of

brilliantly-

very effectively, and whose

THE KANDYAN ITINERARY.

poverty must be dire indeed

if

and bangles, always in good

rings

the display of

forbids

it

taste,

413

however base the

Even the sheep lying in the shade on the verandah

of that humble hut are quaint lanky animals with long
drooping ears, very much more attractive to the artist than
metal.

those approved of by British farmers.

While the Tamil Coolie Mission seeks to reach the

Hindoo immigrants, a corresponding organisation known as
the

Kandyan Itixeiiancy works

of hill-country in the three

especially to

best

the

(to

over nearly the same area

central provinces.

appeals

the Singhalese village population, supplying

of

its

schoolmasters and

Christian

ability)

under the superintendence of two European and

catechists,

two Singhalese clergymen

of the

Church

of England.

But considering over what a vast expanse

and

It

forest

men must

country these four

of

mountainous

travel in

order

occasionally to minister to their widely-scattered flock,

we

can well believe that this Mission also suffers from bein'
O
" under-manned."
Nevertheless a wide-spread influence

good has been established

for

interest

in

many

districts a spirit of

and inquiry now replaces the dull apathy

of sleepy

Buddhism, and a multitude of tiny congregations form so

many

little

spots of leaven in the great

It is not to

are

mass

of heathenism.

be supposed that the paths of the converts

always paths of peace, for even the non-persecuting

Buddhists contrive to make

who venture

to differ

are occasionally

them

to

of being

life

from them

very unpleasant to relations

;

young converts

removed from school and beaten

kneel once more at Buddhist

so

convictions.

altars,

especially
to

induce

and the dread

many from expressing their

two youths who ventured to say

treated prevents

For instance,

they wished to become Christians were at once compelled

by

WORK

CHRISTIAN

411

IN CEYLON.

assume the yellow robe and prepare

their parents to

for

the Luddliist priesthood.

The contemplative

life,

however, sometimes results in a

of a lad

more absolute conversion, as in the case

who had

attended the mission-school at Baddigama,

for four years

when he was inveigled away by the priest of a neighbouring

village, who painted in glowing colours the easy life and
abundant food of the priesthood, and the honour and homage
he would receive from the people would he but take upon

him the vows

The

Buddha.

of

influence of the parents

was

secured by the promise of an annual gift of twelve bags of

rice

from the temple.

So the lad yielded, and was duly

shaven and invested with the sacred yellow robes, and for
three years he continued in the service of the temple with

an ever-reproachful conscience.

At length
panions,

and every means,

Some

him. fast.
stab

him

his spiritual conflict

if

off the

and

and

foul,

was

to all his

com-

tried to hold

and one man threatened

to

he would not say that Buddha and the priests

and throwing

firmed,

and

fair

tried bribes,

were the most high refuge.

teachers,

was evident

now

first

due probation was baptized and con-

after

is

But the lad gained courage,

yellow robes, he returned to his

a communicant.

sent at his baptism,

His parents were pre-

and there seemed every reason

to

hope

that they would follow his example.

In various parts of the

of

Buddha have

Isle

men who were

once priests

likewise found the True Lisht, and are

now

working steadfastly under Christ's banner.

At
its

the present moment,

when

a leaning to

Buddhism and

twin-brother Agnosticism, has become a sort of fashion

in England,

it

is

interesting to note

nouncing the former whi,ch are given

the reasons for re-

by men born and

SPIRITUAL CONFLICT.
bred in that

One

faith.

says he does so

415
"

because Buddha

nowhere says a word about the Eternal God

things in

all

heaven and earth declare His wisdom and power, but as

concerns loving, obeying, and believing in Him,

dumb.

Hence communion with God

the very

life

of the soul,

is

ing to this teaching, there

offered

An

no
old

through

is

which

is

absolutely ignored, since, accord-

no one to

is

whom

prayer can be

one to hear and no one to answer."

man

liis

Buddha

in prayer,

about seventy-five years of age said that

long

life

he has been seeking

He

rest.

all

wrote

out sacred books, he gave large alms, and performed long

pilgrimages to Adam's Peak and Anuradhapura and other

holy shrines, hoping thus to heap up merit

no purpose

to

says,

till

at last Christ

came

was not that he had sought

it

found the

rest

he craved.

The

old

to

Christ),

was

all

(for truly,

he

Him

he

but

him

it

and in

man was

one of a con-

gregation of upwards of seventy communicants in a village

where a few years ago there was not one Christian.

JSTow,

by

note the reply of a young convert, who,

cannot go back to Buddhism.

is

a Creator of the world.

there
is

is

to

BuddhisTu
latter

is

endure

all

sin,

in

and

There

forgive, therefore every

one

the consequences of his sins.

be happy after death, and there

but

" 1

believe that there

no Saviour, no forgiveness in Buddhism.

of necessity

want

must

need forgiveness of

no one who has the power to

must

when urged

father to return to his ancestral faith, replied,

liis

Christianity I

find

all

is

no hope in

these."

The

the son of a rigidly Buddhist family, and had been

brought from another province by the priest at Kurunegalla

ou purpose to teach a school which he had opened in opposition to that of the Mission.

Tliis

young man's uncle was

sent for to reason with him, but instead of reclaiming the

WORK

CHRISTIAN

416

IN CEYLON.

Avanderer, he confessed the validity of all his arguments,

and presented himself as a candidate

for baptism.

It is also instructive to note that the

aforesaid priest, in

urging his neighbours to withstand the teaching of " those

lying fools the Christians," instead

of

preaching

himself

pure Buddhism, recommends the villagers to join the Society

There

Theosophists.

of

is,

unfortunately, no

doubt that

Buddhism has received a real impetus from the example

certain foolish Europeans,

of

who (most assuredly lacking any

Master " whom they so dis-

personal knowledge of " the

honour) have thrown in their lot with the teachers of socalled

Theosophy and Esoteric Buddhism

those

who understand them

systems

best, classify

as

"

which

Bedlamite

balderdash," " blatant humbug," and " impudent imposture."

I would shrink from quoting such expressions regarding
any phase of true Theosophy or " Divine knowledge," but

the leaders of this society in Ceylon

(w^ell

aware that there

could be no fellowship between seekers after knowledge of

God and

the atheistic system of Buddhism, which does not

acknowledge any God) were wise in their generation, and

adopted as their

Knowledge

may
how

title

Society.

the Paramawignanartha, or

Consequently

Supreme

embraces whatever

it

be the individual ideal of highest good, whether

best to enjoy this world, and

get wealth, or

how

how

to get on in

best to attain to Xirvana

it

it

be

and

and the ex-

tinction of all desire.^

Taking Theosophy even at

its best, as

now preached

in Europe, an un-

no note which vibrates

more constantly in the soul of every true man than the prayer, Lord, be
merciful to me a sinner "... To that heartfelt cry I do not find any answer
in Theosophy.
I find, on the contrary, an almost exultant assertion that
biassed student of its teaching writes:

"There

is

'

God
and

is

not a Being with a Father's heart, that for sin there

for the sinner

no forgiveness."

is

no expiation,

COLONEL OLCOTT.

417

think the European disciples of these schools would be

rather startled were they to realise the practical working

of the systems for

which they are content

to abjure Chris-

For instance, in the neighbourhood

tianity.

statiun at Cotta,

of the mission-

Colonel Olcott succeeded in stirring up

the Buddhist priests to such hostility, that for a while the

attendance at the Christian schools was sensibly diminished.

Udumulla the priests under this influence

opened a rival school, and pronounced a very singular form
of excommunication against all who should persist in sendIn the village of

Such offenders

ing their children to the mission-schools.

were to be fined a rupee and a half, and were further

admonished that " the dhobie shall not wash their clothes,

them

the native doctors shall not attend any of

ness, the devil- dancers shcdl not

and

in

sick-

perform demon ceremonies for

them

(/),

tlicm

on the hirth of their children, or concerning marriages

and

other important events

We
from

the astrologers shall not consult the ^danets

for

"
!

need scarcely wonder that those who have escaped

this

debased system are proof against

arguments

all

Colonel Olcott did his utmost to per-

of the Theosophists.

suade a Buddhist priest

who had become

resume the yellow

When

robe.

a Christian to

he had exhausted his argu-

ments, the ex-priest replied, with more force than polish,

am

" I

not a dog that

spare your pity.

no wrong, no

If

soul,

my

vomit.
is

no

Pray
right,

no conscience, no responsibility, no God,

no judgment, you need

sess

should return to

you can believe that there

for yourself

all

the pity you pos-

and more."

Yet

it

is

to

this

system that so great an impetus has

been given even in Europe and America by the agency

of so beautiful a writer as Sir

VOL. u.

Edwin Arnold, who,

2

I)

in his

WORK

CHRISTIAN

418

admiration

passionate

the

for

IN CEYLON.

good

and

noble,

depicts

things not as they really are, but as he would have them

Asia" has
to be; for truly what lie calls "The Light of

most practically proved

to

be only bewildering darkness.

him by the

Surely such an ovation as was accorded to

when he

Ihiddhists

honour

Ceylon in 1886 was doubtful

college near

At one Buddhist

Christian.

for

visited

Colombo well-nigh three thousand Buddhists assembled

testify their gratitude to

the poet

who has

leader in colours all borrowed from the

of

Him Who

is

the true

to

painted their

and teaching

life

Light of the World.

The honoured

guest was placed on a raised platform beneath an honorific

canopy, while Buddhist ecclesiastics robed in yellow satin

chanted chorals,
lese, Sir

One

of

and anthems in Pali and Singhain Sanskrit.

Buddhism

those best acquainted with practical

Ceylon

in

litanies,

Edwin replying
describes

it

as

" the

most

cunningly-devised

system of atheism and negation, of idol-worship, tree and

serpent worship, demon-worship, and pessimism which has
"

ever held the

human mind

answering

the awful Scriptural summary, "

to

hope, and without

God

is

'

The Light

of Asia,'

a system exactly

Having no

in the world."
says, "

Archdeacon Farrer
in

in bondac^e

Buddhism, as

but in the original

'

it

appears, not

Life of Gautama,'

but a philosophy of despair, which knows no immortality,

Humanity has groped

no conscience, and no God.

ness after

its

Creator

in

Christ alone has

it

in blind-

learned the

love of His Fatherhood and the riches of His salvation."

Here

are the

teaches that all

two
is

creeds.

The Buddhist Gospel

vanity and

all is suffering,

of Misery

and that com-

plete cessation of craving for existence is the only cessation

of suffering,

and therefore the one thing

to strive after.

410

THE TAVO CREEDS.

He "who

from falling"

able to keep us

is

ye perfect, even as your Father which

And His

perfect."

Work

"

Apostle says,

with fear and trembling, for

salvation

worketh in you both

And, as the goal

to will

"lie

heaven

is

own
God which

out your
is

it

and to do of His good pleasure."

which we

fur

says,

in

is

says, "

strive, lie

And

so

SHALL YE EVER BE WITH THE LORD."

Christ bestows

Him,

to

which

the

shall

gift

now on

a spiritual

of

exist

who

all

in

truly give

themselves

one with His own,

life,

Him

union with

conscious, perfect

throughout eternity.^

Can anything more

pitiful be

human

conceived than that

beings born within the pale of the Christian Church can

deliberately

the

sacrifice

communion with the

aim through ages of lonely

many

extending over
ful look to the

ward

wills

human

beings

life-long struggles

transmigrations, without one prayer-

Divine Helper

who

from wandering after

this in

all

who
irre-

a theory of perfection only to be attained

through self-conquest, at which poor weak

are advised to

Friend

an utterly

ever-present Almighty

cares for each one of us, in exchange for

sponsive negation

personal

individual

privilege of

all

alone can keep our way-

manner

And

of evil ?

order to gain the cessation of their individual

life.

Buddha made no
was not

it
'

Jesus says,

his

"He

that hath the

Son ok Ooh hath not

tliat

they

siTvant
-

offer

to bestow."-^

niif^ht liave it

Likt:.

of the

Divine Gift

Of Christ

it

is

of

true

Life, for

now

as of

Sos hath Like. He that hatli not the

come that they mij^ht liave Life, and

atn

abundantly.

Wlierc

am,

tlierc

sliall

also

Mv

l)(!."

When

I'rince

Clautama was horn, the world had

still six

centuries to wait

man

mi^'ht again have access to the Tree of Life (tlie tree of wJiich,
according to the old allegory, Eve failed to eat, and the approach to wliicli
ere

was thenceforth guarded,

lest,

having sinned, she should nevertheless eat of

CHRISTIAN

120

l)ower to

Him

for

nor help

as

IN CEYLON.

receive

Him,

them gives He

to

who shall dwell with

Buddha
offers no power
Him.
like
and
be
ever
He merely gives rules how so
of any sort.
become the sous

absolutely

untold

many

"as

that

old,

WORK

God,"

conquer every natural instinct, that, after

to

ages

of

weary agonising, men may attain

of

to

cessation of their very undesirable individual existence, in

other words, to Nirvana,

it

has

blown

been

attainment

the

the condition of a flame after

i.e.,

out.

The highest

perfection

of

in

the

ideal

of

bliss

colourless,

is

loveless

condition of a dewdrop falling into the ocean, thenceforth

merged

to exist only as

inviting goal for which

It is not a very

in the Infinite.

to agonise, except

as a

means

of

escape from the prolonged miseries of innumerable trans-

Surely not worth even a passing thought from

migrations.

any one who has received Christ's gracious offer of immorHis own gift of Eternal Life in Himself.
tality
I think if good Prince Gautama had been born 600

years later, and within hearing of the truth as revealed in

Jesus Christ, he would assuredly have been the most earnest

and devoted

of

grief of seeing

His apostles, and he would now be spared the

dim-eyed

True Light to grope

kindled

men

turn from the fulness of the

after the pale

so eagerly blessed, even as the

feeble rushlight

lamp
reveals

if

weary watcher

he has nothing better

alike pale before the

its fruit

glimmer which, when he

in the black night of unmitigated idolatry,

it

the

but caudle and

and live for ever in estrangement from God) and so the Redeemer
Himself not only as the Life, but as the Life-Giver. "To them who
;

Eternal Life."

which

that they

Thou

was

glow of the Eastern dawn.

by patient continuance in well-doing seek for

Life,

prizes

is

"

To him that overcometh

in the

midst of the Paradise of God."

may know

hast sent."

will

immortality,

He

giveth

give to eat of the Tree of

" This is Life Eternal,

Thee, the Only True God, and Jesus Christ,

whom

A HOPELESS CREED.
To

us Clnistians the whole of

life

421
glorified

is

and glad-

dened by the consciousness of living union with our ever

present loving Lord, and the certainty (too often proved in-

cur

own

experience to leave any room for doubt) of His

sympathy and care

Buddhist there

is

But

that concerns us.

for all

for tlie

no such companionship, only lonely striving

after a perfection unattainable to the

weakness of unhelped

humanity.

He
his

The Christian knows

seeks absolute perfection here.

life

here to be but the embryo of what

it

of the next stage he

knows no more than the

working out

its

round

perfection of

life

its

crysalis

little

and radiancy

coffin.

Our

dull grub

existence dreams in

of colour

life

here

life

cradled within the egg-shell

in God),

of

shall be

is

it

will

that

what

emerge from
of

the chick

hid (but hid with Christ

and even now being formed and developed, soon

to burst the shell

and pass through whatever stages may

yet be needed to bring us to perfection.

" It

doth not yet appear what we shall be," any more than

a vast collection of bird's eggs of all nations can suggest the

myriad forms

of

beauty which they represent

eagles, swift sea-birds, jewelled

the soaring

humming-birds flashing in

the sunlight, too quick for sight to follow, bright birds of

paradise, all varied types of radiant

song,

and

all

plumage and musical

developed from a lot of empty egg-shells.

So

from the soul-cases in which we now dwell shall go forth

the living us to be perfected, each after his kind, and dwell
for ever in

His presence, which

Of course one

radical

after perfection enjoined

Parsees, Brahmans, and

good works.

is

fulness of joy.

difference

between the striving

on the Christian and on Buddhists,

Mahommedans

The Christian knows he

lies in
is

the motive for

bound

to do his

WORK

CllKISTIAN

\11

IN CEYLON.

very utmost as a tliank-offcrinLj for the free gift bestowed on

him, whereas in

creeds the one idea

otlier

all

Multiply acts of self-denial,

purchasing salvation by works.

external rites, pilgrimages, prayers (thouL^h

God), and by these means weave a robe

the dearest of

all

t(j

human

that of

is

Buddhism

ignores

of self-righteousness

pride.

In the case of Buddhism, repeat the name of Buddha as a

You can

perpetual charm.

on and on

all

thus, or by

your

never say

If

life.

it

to

so go

you could be sure that you had

any other means, acquired

would be no occasion

often enough

sufficient merit, there

pay the monks

for reciting endless

acts of devotion (which cannot be prayers)

on your behalf,

will delight in

many purgatories in which devils

tormenting it. Oh the hopelessness of such

a creed, with

its

to get

tions,

your soul out of the

weary prospect of successive transmigra-

each carrying forward the account of good or

ill

from

the previous state of existence.

Kandy,

as

might be expected in the city

tooth, has as yet

growth

proved a rocky

of Christian seed

soil,

and though the Episcopal Church,

the Wesleyans, and the Baptists are

well said that the atmosphere
is

ject of female
witli the

is

work,

it

education,

it

is

somewhat remarkable

that,

no female boarding-school should have been

their daughters

Mission-agents send

from here to Cotta, but for those of influen-

Kandyan gentlemen no such education

it

has been

exception of the Wesleyan industrial schools for

girls,

though

it

as full of heathenism as

established in the mountain capital.

tial

all at

Seeing the very important bearing on this sub-

of heat.

poor

of the sacred

unfavourable to the

is

available,

has been proved that wherever such schools are

opened, parents willingly send their daughters, though well

aware that a considerable number invariably embrace Chris-

THE PEOPLE DESIRE EDUCATION.

This sutiject

tiauity.

423

one of increasing importance, not

is

merely on account of the influence which might thus be

acquired in

many

influential

homes, but as the surest hope

may

of providing suitable wives for such converts as

won from among

now being trained
Such

is

at Trinity College,

Kandy.

young men

are eager to secure

notwithstanding a well-grounded impression that

it

is

under

tlie

direction of

will

The

probably result in the renunciation of Buddhism.

college

are

the anxiety for a good English education, that

the parents of these lads and

it,

be

Kandyan boys who

the high-caste

two English clergymen and

The two hundred day-scholars and

a staff of ten masters.

the forty boarders are of all denominations, but the majority

are professedly Christian, as are also all the masters

when we hear

of these scholars holding

and

prayer-meetings by

themselves, and that in one year eight of the senior students

dedicated themselves to active Christian work,

that the tone of the college
dhist lad
I

who

must be encouraging

have already spoken

its

to

evident

any Bud-

inclined to think seriously on the subject.

is

of the great school at Cotta,

menced by the Church Missionary Society

with

it is

in a.d.

com1822,

boarding-school for girls and training institution

for native clergy.

In addition to these varied duties, the Principal of Cotta,

the Rev. E. T. Dowbiggin, has also the general superinten-

dence of upwards of
girls

and twenty-five

an area

of five

fifty village-schools,

for

for

hundred square miles, and have an average

daily attendance of 1100 girls

are Buddhists.

twenty-seven

These are scattered over

boys.

and IGOO boys, most of

This extension of

a most satisfactory feature,

'

Vol.

girls'

full of
i.

p.

151.

schools

is

whom

deemed

promise for the future,

WORK

CHRISTIAN

424
were

down

only for the breaking

it

IN CEYLON.

As

of caste prejudice.

in the schools for Hindoo girls in the Northern Provinces,

so here Singhalese girls of

four distinct castes

with far greater

has been achieved

schools than in the

But the

girls'.

facility

fact

now

sit

on

This result

the same benches and learn the same lessons.

the boys'

in

that girls should

be allowed to live in the houses of Christians, and eat food

cooked by them, proves that caste in Ceylon

yoke than

it is

is

a less grievous

Northern India.

in

This caste question, however, does prove a very serious

not only

difficulty,

among the Tamil

people,

who

of course

keep up the regular Hindoo caste distinctions, but also

among

One

the Singhalese.

of their

L. Lieschinj?, writes, that althoufdi

own

he could not have believed how strong

is.

He

pastors, the

Rev.

born and bred in Ceylon,

its

influence really

says that even the Duriya (low-caste) Christians,

on whose behalf he has to combat the prejudice of their

higher-caste neighbours, show just as
to associate

unwillingness

with those who are of inferior caste to them-

And

selves.

much

as

regards the highest castes, this

is

doubtedly the greatest obstacle to their conversion.

is

the

among

more remarkable

any such distinction

whom

for

is

not a sacred institution

Buddhism does not

recognise

and the Buddhist

priests, to

of rank,

yield reverence, are admitted from every caste.

all

Here the
of

as caste

the Singhalese,

unThis

distinction

demarcation

overcome

it,

man from

is

so

is

simply social

nevertheless the line

marked, that no amount of wealth can

or induce the native aristocracy to

admit a

a lower caste to social intercourse, far less to

intermarriage.

Thus, of

all

the races

who

people Ceylon, the

Moormen

alone are apparently free from caste trammels, at least I

425

MISSION-WORK IN COLOMBO.

suppose they are as free as average Christians, which, after

all,

not saying much, especially in free America, where

is

the general interpretation

of social equality

in being the equal of all superiors

superior of all of lower degree

in

to

lie

The Church Missionary Society did not commence work

Colombo till 1850. Three years later a large church was
on the Galle Face Esplanade, in which English,

erected

Singhalese, and Tamil services have been

Here the Society

for the three races.

for

seems

and the immeasurable

boys and

and a boarding-school

girls,

constantly held

also has district schools

for

Tamil Christian

It also carries on all manner of evangelistic work

among Hindoos, Mahommedans, Buddhists, and Portuguese.

girls.

The work amongst the

most discouraging, the

latter is

majority being so steeped in hopeless poverty that their

seems

to

have

lost all spring

laws, all such are

ciation

dependent

Though

so the

and alleys

on a voluntary asso-

Society, which, at best,

sufferings

of Portuguese descent,

living in the lanes

heathen

for relief

called the Friend-in-Need

can merely mitigate the

many

of

the

most needy.

of these poor

latterly

commenced holding

services in Portuguese for their benefit, while the

to reach

Burghers

of Slave Island are absolutely

Wesleyans have

England endeavours

life

and as Ceylon has no poor-

Church

of

some by means of a ragged-

school and special services in Singhalese, which the majority

can understand better than English.

a very debased Portuguese.

Their

own language

is

Of course the well-to-do Dutch

Burghers form a large and very important class of the community.

As may be guessed by

clmrches one

may chance

sponsible positions,

a glance round any of the

to enter,

they

fill

all sorts of re-

but the Portuguese seem never to have

got over the crushing oppression to which their ancestors

CHRISTIAN

426

WORK

IN CEYLON.

were subjected by the Dutch, and

to this

day few

rise

high

in tlie social scale.

In

Southern Province, where the population

tlie

England Mission

carried on chiefly by the

is

is

princi-

Church

pally Singhalese, and consequently Buddhist, the

S.

V. G.

of

and

Diocesan clergy, the only station of the Church Missionary

was commenced

Society being that at Baddigama, which

Here one European and two native clergyabout

men superintend the work of fifty male and female lay
A.D.

teachers.

1820.

Baddigama

is

a large

district,

extending as far

north as Bentota, and including a population of 100,000

souls, of

whom

only 520 are as yet professedly Christian.

Twenty-six church-schools, with an average attendance of

about sixty-seven children,

however, so

are,

many

centres of

good influence, though there are villages where the schoolmaster himself

is

many

profess to have lost all belief in

districts,

have been almost abandoned by the Buddhist

the temples left to

fall

into decay.

listen,

Kandyan

kings,

as

which

priests,

and

This points to the fact

that in the low country there are few rich temple

ments in land, such

and

Buddhism.

These villages are generally in the poorest

the

Yet

as yet literally the only Christian.

even in these the people seem quite willing to

endow-

were bestowed on the priesthood by

and which make the

priests of

Central Province altogether independent of the people.

the people themselves desire education
of these low-country villages the

is certain,

the

That

and at one

Bana Maduwa (Buddhist

preaching-place) was offered to the j\Iission by the village

headmen,
this

was

to be converted into a Christian school

declined

because

temple-school, they at
the purpose.

once

it

adjoined

erected

the

new

and when

pansala,

i.e.,

building for

BUDDHIST ACTIVITY.
It

is,

however, to be feared that the present

diligently fostered

revival," so

much

427

by Europeans,

"

Buddhist

awaken

will

priestly activity in regard to long-neglected schools.

Thus, in September 1890, a Buddhist school was opened at

Welligama, the temple south of Galle, which was endowed

by

" the

to

draw away the children from the "Wesleyan and

Leper King," apparently

Sixty were

schools there.

twenty from the

latter,

for

no other purpose than

S. P.

and a few days

G.

and

allured from the former,

later a dastardly

attempt was made to burn down the Wesleyan schools.

That a period of renewed struggle and

at

hand seems only too probable.

is

good ground for encouragement.

may

difficulty

be

Yet, on the whole, there

In summarising the

present position of Ceylon in regard to Christianity,

it

must

be borne in mind that, apart from actual conversions, a

very

much wider work has been accomplished

in the soften-

ing of prejudices, the general loosening of the far-reaching

roots both of

Buddhism and Brahmanism, and

awakening a

real interest in religious

of the former utter apathy.

especially in

questions

This last change

is

in

place

doubtless

due to the amount of careful Scriptural training which has

for so
in

many

years been imparted to

the schools of

present

all

number over

many thousand

the Protestant Missions.

children

These at

forty thousand.

Consequently, in any district where mission-schools have

been at work for any length of time, a Christian preacher

may

be sure that

many

of his hearers

understanding of the subject, which in

supplanting the heathen teachers in

influence
It

itself is

an immense

Moreover, Christian teachers are more and more

help.

all

have some previous

is

is

quite

all tlie schools,

so that

in the right direction.

evident that the

way

is

now open

for

real

CHRISTIAN

428

WORK

IN (.'EYLON.

only the inission-field were provided with a

progress,

if

sufficient

working

Whether

staff.

these can

be supplied

must depend in a great measure on the pecuniary support

placed at

harvest truly

is

many

other lands,

it

must be

"The

said,

plenteous, but the labourers are few."

the present position of Buddhism,

From

Of

disposal of the various working societies.

tlie

Ceylon, as of so

it is

evident that

every month of delay in occupying any fresb mission-field

Ceylon will increase the

in

prospect of success

therefore

and diminish the

difficulties
it is

surely the plain duty of

English Christians to rouse themselves to a resolute

effort

on behalf of the beautiful Isle where such a multitude of

England's sons are striving to earn their living.

Now
bits

of

here,

it

direct

seems to me,

is

one of the most practical

work that could well be found.

There

lies

the beautiful land, with, in one single district, tens of

THOUSANDS

of neglected villagers,

ignorance, and ready to be

enter the
their lives

field.

weary

of their

own dark

taught by whoever will

Earnest workers,

who

first

have gladly devoted

and consecrated every energy

to ploughing

and

sowino' in neighbouring districts, look lomjingly on this great

field

which now

lies

white to the harvest, and from their

lonely stations they send

home

to

rich

Christian England

such a cry for help in this great need as must surely arouse
the most indifferent to a true understanding of their privilege
in being allowed to help such a work,

which we know we each hold in

hereafter, as

we

so often need to

from those funds

trust, to

be accounted for

remind ourselves, as we

say " Both riches and honour

come from Thee, and

own do we give Thee."

Our Master has deputed

us to offer to all

men

of

Thine

through-

out the whole world His priceless gift of Spiritual Life

EARNEST WORKERS WANTED.

and yet there are millious

to

whom

His message of love has

whom He

never beeu delivered, because they to

His talents

of

429

has intrusted

gold and silver are either squandering

them

on themselves, or hoarding them for other purposes than that

of sending messengers to carry this great light to the nations

who

still

dwell in the darkness of heathenism.

The funds

at the disposal of

the

native

means

would be especially welcome.

are needed

evident that Europeans

is

it

possessed of sufficient private

work

of livelihood for even

schoolmasters, and Bible-women so

catechists,

sorely needed for the work,

and many

the various societies being

means

quite insufficient to supply the

to support themselves

Surely there must be some

who

will recognise in this glorious

for eternity a better use

God-given talents than

for

that of shaping the pleasantest career in England.

Why
pose of

should not two friends

tlieir lives

who

realise

the true pur-

agree that whereas their companions are

game

starting in couples in search of big

in

far

countries,

they too will start together as fishers of men, to cast the

Gospel-net in waters teeming with

other career will they find so

gladness for their

draw

own

true a

lives as

Assuredly in no

life ?

in

spring of joy and

this ceaseless effort to

around them to the knowledge and love of their

all

Saviour.

And

of

all

mission-fields,

than this beautiful

Isle,

with

few
its

bold crags and picturesque rivers,

its

lower

hills

offer

greater attractions

mountains and

and wide verdant

its

forests, its

gorges and waterfalls,

plains.

Furthermore, as

compared with such vast mission-fields as China or Africa,

this has the

and kindly

charm

of

a simple language, a people gracious

to Europeans, the protection of the

and the possibility of

at

Union Jack,

any time securing a day with some

CHRISTIAN WOI!K IN CEYLON.

430

fellow-couiitryinan wlio will

welcome the sound

of his

own

inother-tonuue.

Here then are

life

tlie

inducements

in a lovely country, ploughing

healthy open-air

and sowing

fields

which

assuredly cannot prove barren, inasmuch as the Lord of the

harvest

is

Himself with His servants to direct their work

and when the angel-reapers have garnered

grain, the patient

ness as

all

their ripened

sower will realise such everlasting glad-

the fleeting honours of earth

fail

to secure.

INDEX.

Aboriginal worship, ii. 143, 146.

Actors, Tamil, i. 307.
Adahana Maluwa, a sanctuary,
304.
Adam's Peak, ii. 310.

i. 404 note
ii. 6.
Arnold, Sir Edwin, ii. 4, 417.
Arrack, ii. 156, 181, 234 trade, 185187 farms, Skinner on, 185, 284.

Ark, sacred,
i.

Arrows

i. 304
of Saman,
Maha-Sen, 129.

of gods,

6 of

Admiral De la Haye, ii. 149.

Adult baptisms, ii. 80.

Artist's difficulties,

Aetagalla,

Artocarpus incisa and

ii.

Agnew, Miss

272.
Eliza,

ii.

360.

264, 384, 385.

integri/olla,

167.

Agnosticism, ii. 412.

Alexander the Great, ii. 331.
Alexandrite, ii. 14.
Allegalla Peak, life on, ii. 277
footprint on, ib.
rain-storm on, 27^5.
Alu-Vihara rock-temple, i. 337.
Amalgamated religions, i. 81, 277,

i.

297 ii. 45-48.

Ambetteyos or barbers, outcasts,

ii.

Ashes of cow-dung, ii. 48 of sandalwood, use sanctioned by Rome, ib.

Astrologers, i. 279; ii. 417.

Aukana

Vihare, i. 374.
Australian gums, ii, 285, 297.
Avissawella, ii. I.
Axis, i, 242.

ii.

101.

Ambulam,

ii.

5.

American Mission,

ii. 359.
Amher>i(ia nobilin, i. 52.
Ancestral worship great hindrance to
conversion, ii. 401.
Ant-eater and ant-lion, ii. 40.
Ants, red and black, i. 2, 61, 114.
Ants, white, i. 59-62 ; ii. 39
eat
dead timber, ii. 25.
Anuradhapura tanks, i. 356, 361,
428 origin of name, 372 note,
373_ruins, 377 buried, 392

liistory,

400

note,

tree, 400-415.
Aiichandra, i. 368.

401-403 bo-

Badal-wanassa, i. 257.
Fiaddegama, ii. 176.
IJadulla, ii. 30, 32 church, 38.
Baker's, Sir Samuel, farm, i. 194

sport, 241.

Balalu-wewa,

Bamboo,

i.

352, 364.

gigantic,

i.

269

gregarious

flowering, 215.

Bana Samanala,
Hanana plant, i.
Bandarawella,
liandicoot,

ii.

ii.

ii.

2.

44.
29.

295.

Banyan-tree at Negombo,
the Nerbudda, 140; ii.
Baptisms, adult, ii. 80.
liarber, Tamil, i. 38.
Barringtonia,

ii.

236.

i.

145--on

2;>7,

241.


INDEX.

4;'>2

Baaawa-kuluin tank,

i.

356, 364

oldest, 428.
r,ats, nitre,

liatticaloa,

i.

ii.

337, 428.

1G9

7(3,

the

harbour-

bar, 172.

College

Batticotta

Tamils,

for

ii.

370-376.
Bears, ii. 68, 217.
Beche de mer, i. 132.
Bees, i. 213, 214.
Belligama, sand village, ii. 194.
Bentota, ii. 227 oysters, 230.
Betel-chewing, i. 44.

Bible-women,
Bintenne,

ii.

ii.

Blended

faiths,

Blue-bells,

i.

153;
60,
217 hunting, 59.

Buffaloes,

366.

Buttercups,

ii.

Butterflies,
first

357.

Boar, wild, ii. 72.

Boatmen, picturesque, i. 19, 120.
Bolgoda Lake, ii. 240.
Botanical gardens, Hak-galla, i. 216
Peradeniya, 267, 272 Henarat-

goda and Anuradhapura, 271 BaduUa, 271 ; ii. 38.

Bo-tree, sacred, i. 147, 406-415
prophecies concerning, 410 cremation of branch, 411 of leaves,

412.
ii.

6.

167.
Bridge of boats, L 81.
Buddha as a roast hare, L 297 note
relics of, 385, 432.
Buddha or Christ? ii. 418-422.
Buddha's dreary negations, i. 429
birthday, 96.
Buddhas, twenty-five, in Ceylon, i.
409 note ; ii. 348.
Buddhism incorporates Hindooism, i.
81, 277, 297 is Atheism, 84 and
State patronage, 87, 90, 96 and
serpent-worship, 128
and Roman
Catholicism, ii. 45-48
reasons
given for abjuring, 415-417 esoteric, 416.
i.

63, 69, 133,

i.
i.

192.

208

ii.

104 Saman-

aliya, 321.

Cable-rattans, ii. 133, 134 note.

Cacao and chocolate, ii. 297.
Cacti, i. 126, 130, 339 ; u. 51.
Calpentyn, i. 130.

Camphor,

oil of,

Canals,

109 ancient,

i.

i.

64.

363, 364.

Caudle-nut tree, i. 159.

Canoes, i. 19, 120.
Cape Barberyn, westernmost land,

ii.

227.

Car festival, ii. 7, 23.

Cashew-nuts, i. 134 bark, 423.

Cassia,

Bow and arrows of gods, L 304 ;

Branding cattle, i. 36.
Brazen temple, i. 394, 396.

ii.

i.

192.

Bread-fruit tree,

Bulan-kulum, i. 364.
Bungalow, i. 57 temporary, 260
ii.
beside the lake,
36, 102, 132
24 J.
Buoua Vista Orphanage, ii. 174.
Burning forest, ii. 41, 43, 308.
Busy officials, ii. 220 note.

90.

Birds' nests, edible, i. 133.

Bishop of Colombo, first, i. 39
Roman Catholic, 52.

Buddliist rival sects, i. 81

robe, how
worn, 82, 374 temporalities, 87
cosmology, 93 fighting priest,
99 reverence for animal life, 222
railing, 419.
note heavens, 418

i.

68.

Cassia Jtatula, i. 421.

Caste, ii. 81
persecutions, 83, 86
prejudices, 97
Singhalese, 98
Singhalese, its strength, 424.
Caste and outcast, ii. 98-101.
Castes, subdivisions, fisher, ii. 237,
238.
Cat's-eye, ii. 13.
Cattle, humped, i. 37
estate, ii. 88,
89.
Centipede, i. 115.
Ceylon Rifles disbanded, ii. 244.
Chandivelle, ii. 87.

Chanks, temple trumpet, i. 260.

Cliarms, i. 278, 280
ii. 195, 196.
;

Chekku

oil-mill,

ii.

182, 183.
50.

Chena- farming, ii.

Chetahs, i. 237," is. 57, 59, 61, 64,
217.

433

INDEX.
Crime regarded with

Chilaw, i. 134, 137.

China, early trade with Ceylon,
126 -Ceylon tributary to, 127

ii.

modern

trade,

ib.

Cholera, ii. 22.5, 302.

Chrj'soberyl, ii. 16.
Chunam, i. 57, 391.
Cinchona plantations,
Cinnamon gardens, i.
lauiel

and

stone,

299.

ii.

62, 69
doves, 63
63, 65
65 peelers, 67
in

near

jungles

52,

Negombo,

149

Crops, two, annually, i. 154, 369.

CroM- Island, ii. 194.
Cruelty to animals, ii. 267-269.
Curry, i. 43.
Customs, Singhalese and Tamil,

i.

118.

15.

ii.

41-43, 49.

Clearing the forest,

ii.

Climbing plants,

51, 131.

ii.

Dagoba, various kinds of, i. 296, 378

Ruanweli, 378, 381, 391 MirLsAbhayagiria,
wetiya, 379, 380
381
Thuparama, 383 Lankarama, 386 Jetawanarama, ib. of
two classes, 387 circle on a square,
388 Hanguranketa, contents of,
389
Seta - Chaitiya or LajjikaKiri Wihara, ib.
vihara, 390
at
derivation of word, ib. note
Buddha-(Taya rebuilt, 408 EtweMaha-Seya, 433 Amhera, 432

Close season for game, ii. 52, 216.

Clothes, smart, i. 207.
Cobra reverenced, i. 128 five- or
seven-headed, 128, 412, 417, 432
tame, 129, 413 and tic polonga, 413
bite remedies, 425.
Cock, red, sacrifice, i. 282.
Cocoa plantation, life on a, ii. 71, 87.
See Palm.
Coffee, ii. 26, 43
stores as churches,
&c. , 44
thieves, 266
disease,
2S7 history of, 287-290.
Coffin, stone, i. 418.
College, St Thomas's, i. 39, 40
Royal, at Colombo, 41
Vidyodaya, 92.
Colombo Cathedral, Anglican, i. 39
Roman Catholic, 98.
Colombo harbour, i. 9, 10 ironworks, 12 cotton-spinning, 13
churches, 41
siege of,
fort, 46
48 lake, 53 derivation of name,

ii.

136.

oil,

sensitive,

indifference,

243, 248 causes of, 248.

Criminals, few women, ii. 249.
Crocodiles, i. 360, 428; ii. 69, 70,
134, 213 longevity of, 135 skin,

Rankot or RuanKiri, at Polwelle-saye, ii. 122

lonarua, ib.
DambuUa rock-temples, i. 338 scene
of last insurrection, 350.
bustele,

ib.

Datura

Ijlossom,

i.

180, 187.

Days of the week, i. 309.

De and Don, Portuguese

prefixes,

ii.

262.

Deaths, falling from trees,

accidental, 265.
Decoration, churcli, i. 200.

ii.

158

Delada-Maligawa at Kandy,

54.

Convolvulus, marine,

i.

125;

ii.

162.

ii. 303.
Coral-tree and cotton-tree, 109.
Cotta mission - station, i. 151;
423.
Cottiar Bay, ii. 148.
Cow-catcher, i. 155.

Coolies,

Cow-dung

plaster, i. 43
ii. 40, 88
48 boiling, 239.
Crabs, i. 140; ii. 161.
Cremation of a Buddhist priest,

ashes,

101

VOL.

II,

ii.

i.
246,
284, 292, 311 at Anuradliapura,
383 at Pollonarua, ii. 121.
Dclada-wanso, i. 309.

Demon-worship,

i. 278, 282
ii. 89.
Detractors of missionaries, ii. 388.

Devil-bird,

114, 115.
i. 258.
to deceive, i. 280.

ii.

Devil-ilancers,

Devils,

i.

how

Dewenipiatissa, King, i. 356, 385,

40S, 431.
Dliatu-Sena and Mahanamo, i. 352,
366.

2 E


434

INDEX.

Dhobie, village laundryman, ii. 102

prepares bungalows for travel-

district,

i.

Female medical students,

191.

Dondra- or Dewa-nuwara,

402

i.

ii.

192, 198-201.
Doves, ii. 230.
Dragonflies, ii. 25.

Drama,

368

349.

Dutugemunu,

i.

342, 373, 378, 379

note.

Ebed-melech, the Ethiopian,

durable, i. 59 ;

ii.

Ebony wood
raft of,

i.

ii.

409.

159

79.

421.
Eiswara, ancient worship of, i. 417.
Elephant Plains, i. 191.
Elephant, Tom Skinner's first, i. 173
war, pre-Christian, 373 shooting, ii. 58, 68, 71
a midnight
Egg-shells,

ii.

adventure with an, 218-221

charmer, professional, 221.
Elephants as surveyors, i. 176
climbers, 217
natural history,
219-236 tender feet, 231 export
of, 235
in full dress, 299
bridgebuilding, ii. 54
close season, in-

crease, 216.

Elk,

i.e.,

sambur

deer,

i.

238, 240

52, 67.
Ella Pass, ii. 35.

Elu, high Singhalese, i. 289.

Encroachments of the sea,
205.
Eribudda, i. 110.
Esoteric Buddhism, ii. 416.
Eucalyptus, ii. 285,
Euphorbia, ii. 221.
Evil eye, dread of, ii. 97.
Evil spirits, how to deceive,
flies,

ii.

Ficu

201-

234 basket,

relifiiona,

indica,

and

147, 148, 265, 407.

Field-hospitals, ii. 35.
Filter necessary, i. 125;
for village, 105.
Fire, sacred, i. 85.

elaslica,

i.

Fire-flies (beetles),
ii.

104

ii.

185;

28, 113,

i.

165.

7,

Fish of gorgeous colours,

140 culture, 196, 197

pay

tithes,

347

ii.

i.

springs, ii. 154.

Fishers, Roman Catholic,

38, 137,
in boiling
19, 121

i.

drawing

nets, 206
separate castes, 237.
Fishing by torchlight, i. 110-131
ii. 79
with baskets, 136.

Flamboyant,

i.

52.

Floral ofl"erings (case of fraud), i. 85,

285, 393.
Flowers, profusion of i. 58, 181, 204,
211 at Xuwara Eliya, 199-201.
squirFlying foxes, i. 272; ii. 131
,

272 fish,

i.

ii.

166, 173.

Foliage, brilliant young, i. 17, 119,

186.
Footprints, ii. 310 Christian, 312
on Allegalla, 322 on Adam's

ii.

Peak, 333, 336.

Forest Department,
Forres,

ii.

49.

325.

ii.

Fort Austenburg, ii. 140.

Fort Frederick, ii. 142, 147.
Frequent removal of officials,

ii.

192

note.
i.

281.

54, 104.

Fa Hian, Chinese

2,

ii.

132.

rels,

ii.

Eye

ii.

365.

ii.

Ferguson, A. M., editor, i. 72

William, botanist, 73.
maidenhair,
Ferns, tree, i. 190

435 climbing,

163, 164.
Duel, historic, i. 342.
invasion,
Dutch missions, ii. 175
i.

" Father " American mission, ii. 368.

See Holy
Feet of Buddha, i. 387.
Foot.

lers, ih.

Dimbula

traveller, i. 383,
407.
False accusation, murders to cause,
ii. 233.

Frescoes
bulla,

rock - temple of Dam341 at Sigiri, 345.

53 embedded in stone, 95
in

i.

Frogs, i.
green, ii. 131.
Fruit supply, i. 38
gathered, 433.

Fungi,

ii.

24.

cool

when

first


435

INDEX.
Gal Yihara,

Hanomoreyos

124.

ii.

Galge, priest's cell,

Galkiilum, i. 377.
Galle,

ii.

coral reefs,
(ialle

23; ii. 174 harbour,

178 lighthouse, ii. 178

9,

i.

9;

435.

-417,

i.

pass,

233

ii.

leads to crime,

ii.

tank,

27.

ii.

Hat-bodin, seven bo-trees,

Head-covering, i. 119.
Hedgehog-grass, i. 124.

ii.

Hindoo-Buddhist procession,

297

198.

8-20.

i.

canal,

363,

1.

297

6.

Hindoo images
ii.

i.

Hibiscus, i. 45.
Hindo-galla, i. 249.

274.

ii.

354

i.

23-

i.

legislation, 19.

Gemming, i. 210.
Gems, list of, ii. 10.
Gems and gem-pits,
Giant's
372.

of,

248.

ii.

Gampola, i. 181, 403;

Gangarowa, ii. 279.
notary,

101.

note.

ninety years ago, 240.

Gambling, Singhalese love

Gem

ii.

Hare, Buddha, mark on moon,

ib.

Colombo, road,

to

i.

outcasts,

Hanwella, ii. 1.
Happy Valley Mission, ii. 30-34, 387.
Haputale railway, i. 157 ; ii. 28, 29

in

Buddhist temples,

81, 277, 341.

History, Dutch, French, British,

ii.

149.

Gigantic bean, ii. 131

images, 125.
Glacial marks on rock, none, i. 435.
Oloriosa snpfrha, ii. 234, 246.

Holy Coat, i. 327.

Holy Foot, ii. 310, 333, 336 or feet?

Glow-worm,

Holy Footprint, ii. 310.

Holy Girdle, i. 326.
Holy oil, essence of Tooth, i. 321.
Holy places in the forest, ii. 129,

7, S.

ii.

Goats, long-legged,

Gobbs,

i.

i.

415.

103.

Gogerly, the Rev. J., i. 289.

Goldsmith's curse, i. 257.

Gordon,

i.

363-366.

Gordon Gumming, John,

Inspector,
(xrain

on dry

Grammars

49

ii.

soil,

diary,

i.

rhyme,

in

1st

chena

56.

359.
i. 291.

Grasshoppers, ii. 25.

Grassy downs, i. 191.
Grave-stones, domestic

\ise

to whom ascribed,

for,

ii.

Holy teeth, a complete set, i. 318.

Holy Tooth, i. 291-321 burnt, 312

manufactured, 314, 317.

Holj' Trousers, i. 333.
Home-sick Britons, i. 40.
Honey-sucker, i. 275.
Horoscope, i. 278.
Horse-keepers,
Horses, sacred,

Horton

39.

Green, predominance of (submarine),

prevalence of, in birds and
ii. 178

butterflies,

ii.

229.

Gregory, Lake, i. 196.

Gregory, Sir William, i. 361-363.
Grove of the Tank Gods, ii. 129,
130.

36.

i.

Plains,

ii.
i.

76.

189.

Hospitals, ii. 35.

Hot springs, ii. 153.
Hounds, i. 240.

Hydrophobia,

i.

77.

Ibn Batuta, Moorish traveller,

ii.

198,

.331.

Gutta-percha,

i.

266.

Hafisidum or retention of breath,

418.
Hak-galla,

320.

130.

Arthur Hamilton,

Sir

312

i.

21.->.

H;dduiiiniulla,

Iliimbantota,

23, 26.
211, 214.

ii.

ii.

Idol's eyes,

i.

i.

97, 98.

Iguana, i. Ill; ii. 176.

Images, Hindoo, in Buddhist temples,
i. 81, 277.
India - rubljer tree, i. 148
avenue
at Peradeniya, 264
how collected,

265.

INDEX.

43G
Industrial homes,

14

i.

schools,

ii.

Inliik'l ))Ooks,

404.

ii.

Inheiitanco, law of, ii. 2G1.

Inscriptions on rock or slabs,

436

"Galpota,"

ii.

i.

344,

118.

i. 27.
Iranativc, snake-temple on,
Iron-wood, i. 52, 187.

Insects, noisy,

Irrigation works,
Ixora, ii. 112.

i.

127-

351-371.

i.

temple,

SO -town anciently
203.
Kiklomani, i. 196, 207.
Kingfishers, ii. 77, 138.
Kirti Nissanga, King, ii. 109, 119.
Knox, Robert, captive, ii. 148.
Kopay Churcli, fall of steeple, ii.
396.
Kurukkan (grain), i. 359.
ii. 272.
Kurunegalla, i. 339
79

inland,

:v.i.

ii.

Kushta, Rajah,

194.

ii.

Jackals, ii. 57, 64.

Jaffna, ii. 355 College, 370-376
the lona of Southern India, 374
cyclone, 395.
Jak-tree, i. 167.

Lagerstramla

Jambu-tree,

ii.

Langdon, the Rev. Samuel,

Jay, blue,

210.

i.

SO.

Juggernath car, ii. 7, 23.

Jungle fever, remedy for,

Jymkana,

i.

i.

156.

i. 346.
Ill
ii. 177.
Kaduganawa, ii. 276.
Kaduganawa Pass, i. 156, 171, 179.
Kala-wewa tank, i. 351 its feeders,

Kabragoya,

parricide,

i.

352.
Kalpitiya, i. 130.
Kalutara, ii. 237.
Kandy, ancient approach, i. 171-173,
284 history, 243 king's funeral
chiefs' dresses,
ceremonies, 248
254
251
ladies',
four Hindoo
temples, 303.
Kannya hot-springs, ii. 153.
Kanthalay tank, i. 353-361 ; ii. 128,
137.

Kapok,

Kapua

i.

169.

i. 259-277.
303, 304.
Karajo or parangi, ii. 399.
Karative salt-pans, i. 134,
Kattadta (devil-priest), i. 278, 279.
Kattregam, i. 356 ; ii. 129, 223, 224.
Kelani ferry, i. 53 bridge of boats,

(devil-dancer),

Kapurales,

Lanka,

i.

407

ii.

53, 353.

i.

ii.

Tileka,

Leeches,

i.

30, 32,

ii.

ii.

109, 202.
274.
72.

i.

116, 261-264.

Legends and

202.

Kaasyapa the

196.

i.

artificial,

Lantana, ii. 51.

Layard, Sir Charles Peter,

11.

i.

Gi'Cgory,

Lanka

121, 122, 128.

Jinrikisha,

Lake

53, 103

i.

Lakes,

160.

i.

387.

Jetawanai-ama temple at Pollonarua,

ii.

refjina,

Lagoons, how formed,

77 very salt, 212

folk-lore,

342.

i.

Lemon-grass, i. 191-193.
Leopards, i. 236-238.
Leper King, ii. 194, 195
195.
Lettuce-tree,

i.

hospital,

.32.

Lighthouses, ii. 200.

Lilies, water, i. 113, 421
sea-shore, ii. 161.
Lily (climbing), ii.

235.
Lizards, i. Ill,
207, 208.

on the
234 (Virgin),

112;

134,

131,

ii.

42 1 ; ii. 11 3 gold
292, 296, 404.
Lowa - malia - paya, Great Brazen
Temple, i. 394-396.

Lotus blossom,

and

silver,

Luminous

i.

i.

creatures,

7.

ii.

Lunatics, i. 36.
Lyrics, Christian songs,

410.

ii.

i.

Madoolseme,

ii.

41.

Madulsima mountains,

ii.

215.

Maha

Eliya (Horton Plains),

Maha-Sen, King, i. 353
;

223.

i.

ii.

189.

128-

437

INDEX.
Maha - Wansae,

dynasty,

great

ii.

lOS.

Maha-waiiso chronicles,

i.

289, 378,

400.

Mahadova,

41.

ii.

Mahagam, ancient

city,

ii.

215.

435.
Mail-cart to Edinbui-gh,

223 note.

ii.

Mohammedan festival,

i.

mosque,

96

1.30.

Monara or Mayura-paya, i. 394.

Monastic records graven on rock,

435.
fern,

offered,

Mahindo, royal missionary, i. 4.31433

Mahindo's bed, rock-ledge,
Maidenhair

tist and Presbyterian, 390 note

Salvation Army, 390
Episcopal,
391
to
Portuguese burghers,
425.
Models of hands, arms, eyes, ears,

i.

i.

i.

437.

3.

" Makin' a toil of it

ii. 304.
Malaria in Dckanda Valley, i. 156.
Maligawa, Tooth temple at Kandy,

Mongoose,

246, 284, 292.

grass, i. 191, 192.
Mangosteen, ii. 238.

105, 106 note.

mischiev109, 121-123
ous, ii. 103.
Monoliths, i. 378, 385, 387, 396.
Monsoon, seasons of, i. 56.
^loondim Aar lake, ii. 87-

Mangrove swamps,

ii. 77, 235.

Mantis, praying, i. 273.
Manuscripts, ancient, i. 288-291.

Moonstones, gems,

Maradankadawalla,

Moormen,

i.

20, 130, 131

Mosquito,

i.

110

''

Monkey,

i.

Mana

Maravilla,

i.

ii.

376.

March, on the, ii. 54.

Marine convolvulus, ii. 235.
Masks, hideous, i. 25!).
Matale,
Matara,

i.

ii.

Midwifery, ii. 303.

Migration of butterflies,

i. 208.
382, 391, 430; ii. 132
1840 steps, i. 431.
Mildew, i. 58, 385.
Milk not used, i. 113 offering, 127,
i.

410 charm,
Millepedes,

i.

ii.

11.3.

274.

Mimosa

xenslfira,

Miiicry
128.

Lake,

i.

i.

268.

353-355;

ii.

108,

Kandyan Itinerancy, 413.

Mi.ssionary detraction, ii. 3sS note.
Missions, clironological table, ii. 354

American,
356
commenced, 359 Wesleyan, 378
Native, to Iturmali, 38S Bap-

ii.

8, 9.

prolitic, 197.

for striving,

ii.

421.

ii.

209, 211.
^Murders to cause false accusation, ii.
253.
Murray, inventor of clay sluice-pipes,
i. 368.
ilusical instruments, i. 259, 376
shell-lish,

78, 79.

ii.

Naga Pokuna,

432.

i.

Naga-dipo, isle of serpents, ii. 98.

Xainativoe, snake-temple on, i. 127.
Nairs, i>eculiar undress of high-caste

women, i. 349.
Names, descriptive,

211

i.

ii.

2(i2

of estates, 30()-30S.

Miracle plays at Chilaw, i. 141.

Mission, native home, ii. 383
Happy
Tamil coolie, 405
Valley, 387

summary

i.

Mouse-deer, i. 239.
Mudaliyar, dress of, i. 252.
Mulgirigalla, Buddhist monastery,

Mavalipuram submerged, ii. 205.

Memerijloii tinctorium, i. 422.
Meritorious water-jars, ii. 231-233.

210; ii. 13
391, 393, 406

i.

117.

Motive

336, 337.
192, 197.

Mihintale,

ancient sculpture,

144.

i.

i.

i.

of,

Nanuoya,

i.

ISO;

Nationalities,

ii. 27.
divers, in

Ceylon,

i.

21.

Nattoor

river,

Navatkuda, ii.
Negombolakc,
149.
Ncllore,

Nest

ii.

of a

ii.

95.

SO.
1(!,

i.

110.

355.

moth,

i.

27

I.

5 fort,


438

INDEX.

Nestorian Cliristians
340.
Nests, peculiar birds',

New

Cej'lon,

in

ii.

i.

i.

215.

21.S,

i.

Nine and three, i. 301, 303, 307, 308.

Nipple hills, ii. 216.
or
Nirvana, definition of, i. 375

eternal

life,

Nutmeg-tree,

Nuwara

418-422.

ii.
i.

P^liya,

71.

180, 195

i.

climate,

198, 202.

Nuwara-Kalawiya, i. 361
Nuwara-wewa, i. 428.
Oath-stone at Pollonarua,

C,

failure of,

ii.

ii.

112.

129.

Observer newspaper, i. 72.

Ola palm-leaf book, i. 165, 288-291
copy-book, ii. 95.
'

'

Olcott, Colonel,

ii.

yellow ground, 192.

Otters,

i.

132.

i.

Ordeal by boiling
Oriental Library,

oil, ii.
i.

Padda-birds,
Padivil tank,
Pali,

i.

i.
i.

ii.

230.

126.

353, 354 note.

289.

Pallagolla,

i.

183.

397-399.
Palm-leaf books, i. 165.
Palm-leaf umbrella, i. 163, 403.
Palms as lightning-conductors, ii. 189.
Palms blossom like wheat, i. 133.
Palms, cocoa, i.
ii- 180-191
at
high elevations, i. 120 ii. 185
with several heads, i. 150 plantation, ii. 71, 87, 169-171
leaf
used as a charm, 191
areca, i.
31, 161
palmyra and banyan,
120
jaggery or kitool, 161
Pallai,

ii.

3n

thoru,

268

oil,

pal-

154-160.
foreigners,

i.

371 ; ii. 179, 180.

Pandals, erection of, i. 257.
Pandanus, i. 109.
Panduwaasa, King, i. 428.
Pansala schools, i. 88, 417; ii. 30.
Panther, i. 237.
Pantura or Panadura, ii. 240.

Papaw,

i.

168.

Paradise in Ceylon, ii. 310.

Parangi or karayo, i. 363, 369, 429 ;
ii. 221, 399.
Park-country near Batticaloa, ii. 35,
Patenas, i. 192-194.
Patipola dividing range,
Peacock Palace, i. 394.

ii.

27.

i.
police regula7
270.
Peepul, i. 147, 406, 409.
Pelicans' nests, i. 354 note ; ii. 69.
Pengolin or ant-eater, ii. 41.
Peradenij'a Gardens, i. 267, 272.
Peradeniya Station, i. 179.
Perahera at Kandy, i. 284, 297, 300,
306 date of, 300 at Ratnapura,
ii. 5
at Dondra, 200.
Periyakulam, ii. 153.
Perjury rampant, ii. 257.
Pettah native bazaar, i. 36, 39.
Phosphorescence, i. 29, 131 ; ii. 165168.
Pidaru-tala-galla, i. 196, 203.
Pigeons, ii. 229.
Pig-sticking, ii. 73.
Pilgrimages, regulation of, ii. 224.
Pilgrims, aged, ii. 324, 327.

Peai'l-fisheries,
ii.

239.

92, 285, 288.

197, 242.

Owls, ii. 114.

Oysters at Bentota,

ii.

date,

coco de mtr,

Palms multiplied by

tion of,

417.

Oliphant, Laurence, ii. 328.

Oodooville, first girls' school, ii. 360.
Opera-glasses in the temple, i. 294.
Orchids, Wanna Rajah, i. 108
Orchilla, lichen,

63

52, 90.

291.

ii.

267

myra,

275, 276.

Year, Tamil and Singhalese,

Nillo,

talipot,

sago,

96.

0.

Ping-chattie

(water -jar),

ii.

231,

233.

Pioneer corps, i. 175.

Elk, Agra, i. 192, 206
Horton, 189
Maturata, 205
Matale or Maha-talawa, 336.
Planet-worship, i. 278, 308, 309.
Planter's aid to Mission work, ii.
Plains,

407.
Planter's

life,

ii.

301, 309.

439

INDEX.
Play, ancient Buddhist,
Tamil, 8GS ; ii. 1G3.
Plumbago, ii. 21, 22.

Rats and rat-snakes, i. 57, 129.

Ravana, ancient king or demon,

384

i.

Plumeria aculij'olia, i. 84.

Poet Kalidas, ii. 197.
Polnciana rtijia, i. 52.
Pokuna, Kuttam, i. 427.
Pokuna, Kunuxra, ii. 123.
Police work, ii. 243 tt nrq.
Pollonarua,

Red rain, ii. 197 note.

" Red thread " to keep

name, 414 ii. 108.

Polyandry, ii. 203 note.
Porcupine, ii. 72, 73, 124
of

foe of
348 present

295.

tea,

Portuguese invasion, ii.

condition, 425
names, 348.
Potato-tree, i. 187; ii. 37.

Pottery, offerings of red, ii. 139.

i. 344, 374 ;
ii. 108,
Seas of, i. 355; ii.
109, 110

Prakrama Baku,

09 his

statue,

ii.

6.

Precautions in tropical countries,

423.
Prescriptions, native,
Prickly heat, i. 115.

i.

423-427.

i.

Quarries,

Rag

i.

99, 141.

Religious intolerance,
orders,

i.

trees,

Rice cultivation,

i.

20,

1 1

S.

291.

Ravana,

Ratnapura,

ii.

2.

53,

i.

179

the

96,

river,

Rama, Prince of
Ramayana poem,
Rambutan, i. 38.

336.

1.

102, 179;
ii. 103 the Maha-Oya, i. Ill, 145,
179 ii. .54 the Cing-Oya, i. Ill,
145 the Luna-Uya, 113, 119, 143
the Dedroo-Oya, 124 - the Moondalani, 126 Puna-Ella and Garunda-Ella, 182 Sita-Ella, 1S9--

Nanuoya,

Rama and

187, ISS.

i.

Rice from wrecked ships, i. 371.

Rice-name, baby's, i. 279.

ii.

i.

371 note

153.

Rice-fields, terraced,

Rajah

Singlia,

ii.

51.

Reptiles, i. 73.
Rest-houses, ii. 4, 137.

342.
Railway, Colombo to (iampola, i. 155.
Rainbow, rose-coloured, ii. 25.
Rain-cliarms, ii. 113, 120.
Riijali-kariya, i. 8, 175, 245, 35(5-359.
offerings,

Thomas

Rita-galla, i. 351.
River, the Kelani,
of,

ii.

worship, i. 321
blood of
a Becket, lb.
Father
Arrowsmith's hand, 322
arm of
St Augustine, 322 the True Cross,
323 toe-nails of St Peter, 324
corpse of the Bishop of Ischia, 326
Sainte Ceinture, ih.
Relics, recently discovei'ed, i. 91-95
several, 338.
Religious conflicts, Roman Catholic,
Relic

Maha-welli-ganga,

Races, diversity
Ragalla, i. 205.

i.

44

ii.

great-coats, 305.
Registration of dogs and carts,
207 of servants, 265.
Relic-shrines, i. 296, 389.

Rhododendron

6.

391.

i.

Reformatory, ii. 34.

Regimental coats for coolies,

i.

Processions, Buddhist and Roman

Roman Catliolic
Catholic, i. 99
Roman Catholic
at Chilaw, 141
in coffee districts, ii. 43.

Progress in Ceylon, i. 3,
Proverbs, i. 419.
Provinces, i. 25(5.
Pussilawa, i. 182.
Puttalam, i. 130, 136.

off witches,

.343.

401-403 dei'ivation

i.

ii.

202.
Razors, cheap, ii. 305.
Red-deer, i. 239.

<

i.

189;

)ude,
ii.

ii.

.'^Jn.

ii.

202.

320.

Fort

M maid
Ping-Oya, 336
the Kala-Oya, 352
the Malwatte,
.355, .370, 420
Ambanganga, 355;
1

96

ii.

I )(

112 tliu

237 tlie
tlie

'

241 tlie

Kalu-(;auga, 2, 236,
.Manick-Canga, Ki, 225

Kataragama,

<''.

the

Belilud-

INDEX.

440

the Welawe-Ganga,
the Magama, the Danibera (iindura,
Oya, 'A Nattoor,
Oya, 25

ih.

3")

9.")

176 Nilwalla-Ganga,

192,

190

Kuimikkan, formerly called Kombookgam, 216 Alutgama, 227, 238

Sita-Ganga, 329.

Road bungalows, ii. 4.

Roads when non-existent,
Robert de Nobili, Jesuit,
Robin of Ceylon, i. 144.

ii.
ii.

240.
46-48.

Rol)inson, Sir Hercules, i. 90, 361.

Rock frescoes at Sigiri, i. 347.
Rock snake, ii. 62, 70.
Rock-temples, Hindo Galla, i. 249

Alu-Vihara, 337 Dambulla, 338

Isurumuniya, 417 Ella Pass, ii.

36 Mulgirigalla,

209.
Rocks, huge dark masses, i. 339.
Rodiya outcasts, ii. 99-101.

Rogers, Major, i. 219, 22.5.

Rogers' Memorial Church, ii. 37.
Roman Catholic Mission, ii. 45, 357,
358.
Roots of trees, buttressed, ii. 55, 273.
Rounded rock-masses, i. 339, 434
ii. 272.
Royal maiden, a, ii. 204.
Rubies, ii. 10, 12.
Ruby sand, ii. 225.
Rugam tank, ii. 55.
Saanii Rock,
146.

Sabaragamua,

Trincomalee,

ii.

142-

10, 17.

ii.

Sack-tree, i. 117.
Saints, their great stature,

118.
Sita, wife of Rama, ii. 202.
Skinner, the roadmaker, i. 172
rations, 177
his work, 179

district

ii.

courts,

Sanghamitta,
i.

Sapphires,

i.

terrible visitation of,

ii.

9-12.

Satin-wood bridge, i. 180.

Saved fi'om smoke, ii. 377.
Wesleyan Industrial,
Schools,
Colombo, i. 14.
Scorpions,

ii.

194.

at

ii.

111.

Snake's fangs, i. 127.

Snake's Isle, i. 127.
Snake's temples, i. 127.
Snake, rat-, i. 57, 129 sea-, 132.

Snake-worship and Buddhism,

ii.

i.

128,

Siva, 128.

89, 90.

Southernmost known land,

289.

pro-

i. 368, 376.
Smallpox, first appearance of, in Ceylon, i. 174
goddess of, propitiated,

Snipe,

409.

his

Sluice-pipes of clay,

412 and

52.

263

ii.

his
on

phecy, 283.
Skylarks, i. 242.
Slave Island, i. 53.

283

317.
Salt-works, north-west coast, i. 13413G south-east, ii. 212-214.
Saman, brother of Rama, ii. 320.
Sambur deer (Elk), i. 239, 240; ii.

Sanscrit,

Scotchmen, ii. 324.

Screw-pine, i. 109.
Seas of Prakrama, i. 355.
Seeds carried by rivers, i. 124.
vSeeds which purify water, ii. 105.
Sensitive plant, i. 268.
Serendib, ii. 165.
Serfdom on temple lands, i. 89, 357.
Serpent and tree worship, i. 412, 413.
Serpent-bite remedies, i. 425.
Serpent "for broken bones," ii. 39.
propitiated, 127.
Serpents, i. 59
Service Tenures Ordinance, i. 90, 357.
Seven- or five-headed cobra, i. 128,
412, 417.
Shadow of Adam's Peak, ii. 334, 339
of Fuji-Yama, 339.
Shai'k-charmers, ii. 213.
Shai'k in harbour, ii. 141.
Shell-beds, ii. 222.
Shrine of St Anna, i. 142 of the
Tooth, 294.
Sigiri, fortress of, i. 345.
children,
Singhalese homes, i. 42

ii. 201.
Soysa, Charles de, i. 77, 144.
Spence Hardy, the Rev. R., 1. 289.
Spice-laden breezes, i. 17, 35.
Spiders, ii. 104, 206-208.
Sportsman's paradise, ii. 74.

Spotted deer,

i.

242

ii.

52.

441

INDEX.
Squirrels,
>Sri

ii.

206.

15S

Pack, Holy Foot,

ii.

310.

Sri-patula, sacretl footprint,

Stone bulls, i. 405.

Strychnine- tree, i. 125.
Sula-Wansae, or lesser dynasty,

Topa-Wewa,
Topaz,
ii.

108.

Sun-birds, ii. 151.

Sunday cargo- work checked,

ii.

386

note.
i.

7, 332.
Suriya-trees,

45.

403, 405, 412;

Suriya-Wansae, or Solar Dynasty,

ii.

ii.

108.

Tortoises,

i.

i.

275.

Talla-goj'a lizard,

Taniankaduwa

112.

i.

district,

i'amarind-tree,

ii.

2SS, 317.

1 1

2.

its

74-77, 105.
22.

i.

Totapella Plains, i. 191, 193.

Tourmaline, ii. 16.
Transmigration, i. 274 of Buddha
as a hare, 297 note.

i.

45.

Tree and serpent worship, i. 412.

Tree of Life (palmyra), ii. 159.
Trincomalee,
ii.
140
additional

150.

fortification,

Tailor-bird,

i.

106, 108.

ii.

Travellers' tree,
i.

1S1-1S7,

14.

ii.

Tortoise-shell,

Sunwise turns,

156,

Tooth, the original, i. 291-321

many temples, 311.
Topare (PoUonarua), ii. 107.

2(50.

i.

arrack,

" Tooth and State,"

417.

i.

Stag's-horu moss, i. 2.57.

Stick-insects, i. 273.
Stilts,

and

234.

Tulip-tree, i. 46.
Turtles, i. 74, 105.
Turtles' eggs, ii. 172.

10!).

i.

Tamblegani, brackish lake, ii. 138.

Tamil ladies, i. 137 coolies, ii. 303.

Tangalle, ii. 205, 209.

Tanks, restoration of,
at Batticaloa, ii. 77

361-371
restoration
i.

around PoUonarua, 112.

in 1600 and 1800, i. 3 "golden

i. 163 note, 296,

ii. 6.
298, 304, .344, 378
Umbrellas, low caste dare not carry,
ii. 82, 86.
Uva, i. 191 ; ii. 30, 34, 428.

Umbrella, honorific,

soil, 294.
Teeth, a complete set, i. 318.
Tiieosophy, ii. 416.
Tkespemi populnta, i. 45.

Varied vegetation necessary, ii. 293.

Vavuniya-vilan-kulam tank, i. 353.
Vaz, Father Joseph, ii. 351.
Veddahs, rock, ii. 90 kindle fire,
93 village and coast, 94
high
archers, 96.
caste, 94, 99
Vendeloos Bay, ii. 95.

Thorny

Venomous

Tea

tips, " 7

drink,

how to

ii.

106

cool, for traveller's

introduction of, 292

adaptive to
plants,

114.

i.

Three and nine,

308 ii. 23.

i.

301,

303, 307,

i. 264.
Ticks, ii". 53.
Tic polonga and cobra, i. 413.
'I'imljcr, beautiful woods, i. 79.

Thuiibenjia,

Time and
'i'lripano

tides,

tank,

i.

i.

55.

Toddy,

ii.

creatures, i. 115.
i. 336.
Vidyodaya College, i. 92-95.

Vicarton (Jorge,

Vigita-pura, i. 372, 373.

Village hospitals, i. 9.
Violets, i. 192.
Votive ollerings at Kattaragama, &o.,
ii.

i.

ii. 221, 222.

356, 361, 363,

428.

253-255.
185-187
drawers, 82, 156,

Titles, oflicial,

223

note.

.377.

Tissamaharania tank,

Tissawewa tank,

Wakwella, ii. 177.

Walagani-bahu, King, i. 33(i, 382.
Wanderoo monkey, i. Htfl, 121.
Wanna Rajah orchid, i. OS.
Wannie, the dreary, ii. 399, 40n.
I

442

IxNDEX,

Wanny,

the, i. 354 ii. 216.

AVansae, Maha-, ii. 108
Siiriya-,
Solar Dynasty, ih.
Soma Suriya,
Luni-Solar race, 119.
Ward, Sir Henry, i. 361 ; ii. 49.
Wata Dage, ii. 117, 118.
;

Watch

huts,

Water

purified

ii.

128.

by

seeds,

i.

cutting the, 305

359, 360 must boil and
105

i.

125

ii.

deficient,
filter,

ii.

White

honour

cloth,

412;

.303,

ii.

Wind,

land,

i.

ii.

284.

148.

Witchcraft, i. 425, 426.

Wood, ornamental, for cabinets,
79.

Work

for

women,

i.

184.

Water-lilies,

i.

113.

AA^ytulian heresy,

ii.
ii.
i.
i.

Xavier, St Francis,

11".
Wedding procession,
Weight in gold, i. 344; ii. 119,

260, 295,

Wilderness of the Peak,

Water-cress,

Water-spouts, i. 55.
Weaver-bird, i. 275.

i.

Wijeyo the Conqueror, i. 342, 343,

his capital, 402.
371, 372 note

AVorkers wanted,
AVorms, gigantic,

104.

of,

81, 102.

6,

362.
428, 429.
275 ii. 133.
396.
;

ii.

347.

i.

Welligama,

193.
the Duke

Wellington,
comalee, ii. 149.
Wesleyan Mission

of,

at Trin-

commenced,

Yakkas, ii. 98.

Yellow parroquet, ii. 274.
Yodi Ela, i. 363, 429.
Yoga-stones, i. 418; ii. 118.

ii.

Zebu,

378.

Wheel

120.

ii.

as

an emblem,

ii.

378.

i.

Zircon,

37.
ii.

15.

THE EXD.

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