"Early work that; never mind, though, we must turn out early."

"I will send the coach round to the hotel for you, gentlemen. I have a favour to ask-will you allow me to go on the seat with the driver, as I wish to return to Colombo in the morning?"

“Oh, yes, you may come; you shall be our cicerone."

"I beg pardon, sir, I did not understand that last word."

"I don't suppose you did; but it means that you shall point out all that is worth seeing on the road." "With pleasure, sir.”

"In short you are to be bearleader," said another, as they walked off, laughing merrily.

CEYLON is situate between 5° 56', and 9° 50′ north latitude, and between 80° and 82° east longitude; and from the shape and position of the island, it has, with no less beauty than truth, been compared to a pearl-drop on the brow of the Indian continent. Its length is about 276 miles, its breadth about 103, and its circumference is about 760. It is bounded on the north-east by the Gulf of Mannar, by which it is separated from the main land, and the Indian Ocean bounds its other shores.

The sea-shore presents great diversity of scenery; in some places studded with barren rocks, in others wooded to the water's edge with cocoa-nut trees, which skirt the island, presenting a scene of truly oriental beauty.

In the interior are mountains from 6,000 to 8,000 feet in elevation, which form a species of natural circular fortification, protecting the interior, by means of which the natives were enabled to defy European modes of warfare for more than three centuries.

Although the breezes passing over the ocean and these lofty mountains are at times refreshing, the oppression produced by the heated atmosphere is frequently extreme; but the suffocating simooms experienced on the continent of India are here entirely unknown.

The Wellánee, the Mahawelliganga, the Guidora, and the Kalluganga, are the principal rivers; and the sources of these, together with those of some smaller and tributary ones, originate in the lofty mountains; and the fertility of this verdant isle may be attributed to the plentiful supply of good

water.

The temperature of the island varies considerably, as in the mountains, and

at Newera-Ellia, the thermometer will fall below freezing-point, whilst on the coast it will range from eighty-six to ninety-six of Fahrenheit.

From the earliest ages Lanka-Diva, or Ceylon, has been renowned for the wealth of its marine, vegetable, and mineral productions: the sea yielding costly pearls, and a plentiful supply of various and delicious fish, fit for the sustenance of man. The vegetable kingdom teems with riches of another nature, equally valuable-the coffeebush, from the berry of which the fragrant decoction is made; the cinnamon-laurel, the bark of which furnishes delicious spice, and from whose leaves a pure oil is obtained; the nutmeg-tree, with its aromatic spice; the clove-tree, with its fragrant blossoms; the sugar-cane, with its juicy pulp and spiral slender leaves; and the tobacco-plant. The graceful cocoa-nuttree, which will spring into existence where there is scarcely soil sufficient to cover the root; the green fruit furnishes a cooling and delicious beverage, the ripened nut food, the shell fuel, the fibres are woven into coir or rope, and from the old nut a pure oil is extracted; the leaves, when plaited, form a shelter from the elements; the trunk yields a juice from which, when fermented, a spirit is distilled, or sugar extracted; and the tree, when past bearing fruit, is cut down, and the beautifully-variegated timber is made into articles of furniture. The Jacktree, with its enormous fruit of an oval shape, measuring more than eighteen inches in diameter, affording nourishment; while its yellow trunk, when hewn, is made into articles for domestic use. The magnificent breadfruit-tree, with its splendid foliage and fruit; the orange, pomegranate, lime,

shaddock, and tamarind, with their luxuriant verdure, flowers, and delicious fruit; added to these, we find the Malay apple, cashew-nut, fig, papaw, jambo, almond, guava, custardapple, rambatam, and mangoe trees, and all distinguished for their size and umbrageous foliage. Amongst the minor denizens of vegetation, we find the elegant banana or plantain-tree, with its broad, young leaves, folded trumpetwise one within the other; the superb amethyst, bell-shaped flower, with yellow petals, and the pendant clusters of yellow, ripened, luscious fruit the amber ananas, or pineapple, with its green crest, and the grenadilla melon with its mottled rind. Amongst culinary vegetables are bringals, yams, sweet potatoes, occus, a species of cucumber, pumpkins, and rice; whilst European vegetables and fruit, such as strawberries, peas, beans, potatoes, and cabbages, have been introduced into Kandy and Newera-Ellia since 1823. In the forests, the noble talipot, ebony, calamander, banyan, areka-nut, suriya and many other trees, whose names are totally unknown to Europeans; but were we to attempt to give an account of all the riches of the botanical produce of Ceylon, it would occupy volumes.

The fruitfulness of the earth's womb is here developed in the production of the ruby, emerald, sapphire, onyx, amethyst, opal, moon-stone, cat's-eye, jacynth, and topaz. The precious gems here enumerated are found at the present day; and we have been informed by a Kandian noble of high rank, that gold was formerly found on the island.

From the foregoing facts, it is apparent

"What Heaven has done for this delicious land;"

and, by judicious and energetic government and management, the prolific and fertile isle might soon be rendered the most productive of our colonies, and the brightest colonial gem in the British diadem.

The Cingalese are extremely proud of the celebrity and antiquity of their isle; and the native historians assert, that thousands of years before the birth of our Saviour, the island was peopled by a race whose mental powers were highly cultivated, and of whom they

are the descendants. Certain it is, that the Cingalese, for centuries past, have been retrograding in the arts and sciences; as the antiquarian remains of public buildings, tanks, and temples of vast magnitude, found in the interior of the island, indicate the existence of a nation, which had nurtured and brought to perfection the nobler arts. These extraordinary remains will be noticed more particularly in a future paper devoted to the antiquities of Lanka-diva; but to proceed regu larly, we must now glance at the early history of Ceylon, although the greater portion of it is involved in obscurity. Cingalese historians affirm that here was situated the Garden of Eden; from the top of the highest mountain in the island, called Adam's Peak, they say that the progenitor of all mankind was expelled, and that from this mountain's top the trace of his footstep is to be seen.

Classical writers have mentioned Ceylon, under various cognomens, from a very early period; and Dionysius, the celebrated geographer of antiquity, calls it Trapabane, and treats of the elephants, and the value of their tusks. But even here a great diversity of opinion has arisen amongst writers, as to the identity of Ceylon with Trapabane; as it would be unprofitable to follow ancient or modern authors through their various disquisitions on this subject, we shall proceed to give an ac count of the presumed origin of the Cingalese. Ribeiro writes, in his "Historia de Ilgha de Zeilau :

"The Chinese, from a remote period, were the masters of Oriental com. merce; and some of their vessels were driven upon the coast of Ceylon, near the district which they subsequently termed Chilau. The mariners and passengers saved themselves upon the rocks, and finding the island fertile, soon established themselves upon it. Shortly afterwards, the Malabars, having discovered it, sent hither their exiles, whom they denominated Galas. The exiles were not long in mixing with the Chinese; and from the two names was formed Chingalées, and afterwards Chingalais."

The other statement is, that an Indian king, called Singha, of renowned warlike propensities, who, the native authors assert, conquered the island,

and bestowed upon them his name of Singha. Why or wherefore the island is called Ceylon, and the people Cingalese, can matter little; but to us it appears evident, that the Chinese were neither wholly nor in part the aborigines of Ceylon, as those who are acquainted with the yellow skins, small elliptic eyes, broad faces, and flat features of that nation, will readily admit that the Cingalese differ from them completely, both in complexion and features. But there is great similitude in every way between the person and complexion of the Cingalese and Indian. To us it seems that the only hypothesis to be drawn from the above is, that the Indian king, Singha, did conquer the island of Ceylon, at an early date, and that his followers mixed with the aborigines, and from them the present race is descended. Whether any of the aborigines, however, are now to be found in the island, whose blood is unmixed with Indian, it is difficult to prove, or whether the Veddahs, or wild men, of the present day, are descendants of the original inhabitants of Ceylon ; but at this time they are a distinct race, and are only to be found in the interior, living in the jungle, in caves, or in rude huts built of the branches of trees, wandering from jungle to jungle in search of game, quitting each successively as food becomes scarce, and shooting their prey with rude bows and arrows; and these Veddahs will not hold intercourse, live in a town, or intermarry with the inhabitants; and we have been informed that the language they speak is unintelligible to the other natives of the island. All these facts, therefore, strengthen our previously-stated supposition, that the Veddahs, or wild men of the present day, are the aborignes of the island; and that the other inhabitants are the issue of the aborigines and the Indians.

Pliny affirms, that during the reign of the Emperor Claudius, a Roman vessel from the coast of Arabia, was driven upon that of Trapabane, or Ceylon; that the king of the country treated the Romans with hospitality and kindness, during their sojourn of six months; and upon their departure they were accompanied by four ambassadors from the eastern to the Roman monarch. Many modern writers treat this account as fabulous; but, in our opinion, Pliny

is borne out in his statement by the fact, that Roman medals of ancient date were found, in the year 1574, at Maulotte, in Ceylon. We learn also, from the writings both of Pliny and Strabo, that a fleet, consisting of more than one hundred sail, went each year from the Red Sea to the coasts of Malabar and Ceylon, for the purposes of trade. Doubt has been thrown on this assertion, as writers state that it would have been impracticable for the ill-constructed vessels of that period, and with imperfect knowledge of navi gation, for the Romans to have traversed the Indian Ocean; and although it must be allowed that such a voyage must necessarily have been a perilous one, still it was perfectly practicable to have sailed with one monsoon, and to have returned by the opposite, as is the custom, in the present day, with the unwieldy junks of Siam. All writers agree that in the first century after the Christian era, regular commercial intercourse was established between the inhabitants of Southern Europe and those of India and Ceylon. Gibbon, in his "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," writes :-" The objects of Oriental traffic were splendid and trifling silk, a pound of which was esteemed not inferior in value to a pound of gold; precious stones, amongst which the pearl claimed the first rank after the diamond; and a variety of aromatics that were consumed in religious worship and the pomp of funerals.' The articles here enumerated appear to have been the principal exports required by the wealthy and luxurious Romans, with the exception of the elephant's tusks, from which they manufactured articles of furniture, drinking-vessels, and personal ornaments, and this coveted material Ceylon could supply most abundantly; therefore we may fairly conclude that the trade of Ceylon with Rome was considerable. About this time the Chinese began to trade with the Cingalese; and we find commerce gradually extending until the sixth century, when Ceylon was visited by Cosmas, who was surnamed Indicapleustes, during the reign of the Emperor Justinian; and he particularly treats of the precious gems and spices, which were conveyed to all parts of India, Persia, and the Arabian Gulph, from Ceylon. We cannot trace, century by cen

tury, the course of the history or commerce of Ceylon, but will quote the words of Marco Polo, who visited the island, A.D. 1244. After describing its position and size, he writes :—

"Both men and women go nearly in a state of nudity, only wrapping a cloth round their loins. They have no grain besides rice and sesame, of which latter they make oil. Their food is milk, rice, and flesh, and they drink wine drawn from trees. The island produces more valuable and beautiful rubies than those found in any other part of the world; and likewise sapphires, topazes, amethysts, garnets, and many other precious and costly stones. In this island there is a very high mountain, so rocky and precipitous, that the ascent to the top is impracticable, as it is said, excepting by the assistance of iron chains employed for that purpose; by means of these some persons attain the summit, where the tomb of Adam, our first parent, is reported to be found."

And yet this circumstantial account, with its veracity of detail, was stamped as fable, both by the cotemporaneous writers, and those who followed, for a lengthened period, after the decease of the learned and truthful author.

In the year of our Lord, 1444, Nicola de Conte, a Venetian, gives a particular account of the talipot-tree, its leaves, size, &c., and describes the mode of preparing cinnamon, and the precious gems and pearls that were found in Ceylon. From the fourteenth to the sixteenth century, we have much valuable information given us by various authors, concerning the trade of the island; but as our principal business is connected with it after it came into the possession of Europeans, we will at once state, that, in 1505, the Portuguese, under Don Lorenzo de Almeida, visited the island, and were permitted to trade.

Previous to proceeding with the history of the country from the sixteenth century, we must take a retrospective glance at the ancient historical account of the government of Ceylon under its native rulers or kings. From these accounts, it appears that the island was frequently in a state of warfare, either with the Malabars, or Moormen of the adjacent continent; that, with the fortunes of war, each would conquer alternately, and in

turn be subdued, when ratifications of peace would ensue to be again broken, which, necessarily, produced fresh hostilities; and it is apparent that Kandy and the adjacent country became subjugated eventually by the Malabars, who placed a prince of their own nation on the throne, and maintained their position against the native kings of the south, the Portuguese and Dutch rulers, until dethroned by the force of British arms and valour in 1815. The island was divided into various principalities, each ruled by its own king, who would continually make incursions into the domains of a brother monarch, when war would result; the weaker party would become captive, and his kingdom would merge into that of the conqueror. Notwithstanding these continued internal commotions, the wealth of the people appears to have been great; and arts and sciences were cultivated to an extent which would seem incredible, were the statement not borne out by historical and native writings of that period, and supported by the remains of ancient grandeur, which are dispersed throughout the island.

We shall now leave the ancient historical retrospect of Ceylon, and return to A.D. 1505, when the Portuguese obtained permission from the emperor of Ceylon to trade with his subjects, bartering the produce of Europe for the ivory, gems, and spices of their island. History asserts that it was chance, or rather adverse winds, which drove the Portuguese vessels on the shores of Ceylon, whilst in pursuit of some Moorish pirates whom they had seen sailing in the direction of the Maldives, and the winds proving adverse, they sought refuge in the Bay of Colombo. The Portuguese at that period were endeavouring to extend their trade, and obtain possessions in the east-Goa, on the Malabar coast, being their principal settlement, and the contiguity of Goa to Ceylon offered peculiar facility for bringing their policy into action. Francisco de Almeida, the governor of Goa, was a shrewd, crafty, wily politician, and one well calculated to carry his sovereign's schemes for the extension of his dominions into effect. Accordingly we find that the vessels were scarcely anchored off Colombo before he made overtures to the

emperor to trade with the natives. From a curious antiquarian work in Cingalese, the following description of the Portuguese, their diet, and guns, is extracted:

"And now it occurred, in the Christian year 1505, that a ship from Portugal arrived and anchored in Colombo. The race of men are exceedingly white and beautiful; they wear a covering to the feet and head made of iron, and they are always in motion. Their drink is the color of blood, and they eat what looks like a white stone. They have weapons of warfare which make a noise like thunder when it breaks upon Jugandere Parivata, and a ball of iron shot from one of them, after flying some leagues, will break a castle of stone."

According to the Portuguese historian, Ribeiro, a treaty was made between the Portuguese and Cingalese monarchs, and it was stipulated that the emperor Prackrama should pay a tribute annually, to consist of two hundred and fifty thousand pounds of cinnamon, to the king of Portugal, on condition that the latter should assist in defending Ceylon from her enemies and invaders.

Although the trade of the island had been decreasing for centuries, still, in 1518, it must have been considerable; for when the Portuguese monarch sent a fleet of nineteen sail to enforce the payment of the tribute, the commander of this expedition, Alvarengo, writes (according to Ribeiro)" In the harbour of Colombo we found many ships from Bengal, Persia, the Red Sea, and other places, waiting for their freights of elephants' tusks and spices." Prackrama refused to pay the tribute, and hostilities were commenced by Alvarengo, who took possession of Colombo, and forced the Cingalese monarch to acknowledge himself tributary to the crown of Portugal. On the death of Prackrama, in 1527, the island was torn by civil war, which was carried on with more or less vigour until the year 1536 (during the whole of this period skirmishes continually took place between the Portuguese and natives, which invariable concluded by the success of the former), when the reigning monarch placed his grandson, and successor to his throne, under the protection of the crown of Portugal, sending an embas

sy to that court with the image of the young prince, and a crown of pure, virgin gold.

Between the years 1518 and 1536, the Portuguese had introduced the form of Roman Catholic worship into Ceylon, and had endowed a monastery in Colombo, and Juan Monteira, the first Romish bishop of Ceylon, died at Colombo in the latter year.

In 1541, the effigy of the young prince, Dharmaa Paala, which had been sent to the court of Portugal, was crowned by John III., in the great hall of his palace at Lisbon, with extreme ceremony and rejoicings, the ambassadors from the Cingalese monarch, with a numerous retinue, being present on the occasion - the king of Portugal, by this public act, acknowledging that he had accepted the protection of the young prince, and that he undertook the charge confided to him by the grandfather of Dharmaa Paala, the then reigning monarch of Ceylon, who having been accidentally shot by a Portuguese gentleman in the succeeding year, the Portuguese raised Dharmaa Paala to the throne, thereby exciting considerable commotions amongst the natives, as the uncle of Dharmaa Paala laid claim to the crown, and was supported by numerous followers; and, in consequence, much bloodshed ensued. Eventually the arms of Portugal were victorious, and Dharmaa Paala retained possession of the throne until he bequeathed the whole island, in 1580, to the crown of Portugal. It is about this time that, a native historian writes:"From this period forward, the women of the principal people, and also the women of the low castes, such as humowas and challias, for the sake of Portuguese gold, began to turn Christians, and to live with the Portuguese;" and it is from this intercourse of the Cingalese women with the Portuguese, and subsequently with the Dutch, that the BURGHERS, or half-castes, have principally sprung. These Ceylonese, as they call themselves, in contradistinction to the Cingalese, possess all the vices of the natives, without the redeeming or ennobling qualities of either their European or Asiatic progenitors.

The Portuguese were not allowed to retain peaceable possession of the island, as Rajah Singha proclaimed