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These ornaments, or pins, are made either of gold and precious stones, chased silver, or carved tortoise-shell; and the mode adopted by the women in arranging

to see women thus degraded and reduced to the level of an animal; but I have heard old travellers in Asia say, that through this quarter of the globe the same stamp of degradation is found branded on woman; showing, too, clearly, that man views her only as the means of gratifying his passions, and not as his companion, to solace and cheer him through the stormy path of life."

"Have you run down yet, Gus?— do stop-there's a good fellow. What a lawyer you would have made; you would have out-talked Thesiger, or jawed a horse's hind-leg off. Look at

that snake coming out of the wood, and creeping lazily along the side of the road. Ugh! the ugly varmint."

"Don't be afraid, sir, it's only a ratsnake; they are quite harmless. We call them rat-snakes, because they catch rats; and are quite glad when they come into our houses."

"Oh! the heat! Although we have the sea on one side of us, and the woods on the other, and there is a breeze, still the sun's rays are overpowering. Each time we change horses, I hope to get cooler, and I verily believe I get hotter. How many stages more is it to Colombo ?"

"Only one, sir; we have changed horses twice since we left, and next time we change horses at Morottoe, which is nine miles from Colombo, and we shall be in the fort before half-past four o'clock."

"Right glad shall I be."
"And I."
"And I."

"And I, too, for I am done brown. I am sure my complexion is spoiled beyond the powers of Gowland's lotion to renovate."

"The horses look better, that are now led out for our last stage."

"Now, my boy, go it like bricks ; that's right-tool them along. Don't spare the whip on my account; we are going at a good pace."

"Is all that cinnamon on both sides of the road?"

"Yes, sir; and they will very soon

be peeling it should you like to see it done, gentlemen ?"

"Yes, very much, and we mean to see it; but I am disappointed in the appearance of the tree or shrub. I thought it would have been handsomer; it looks very like a good-sized laurel, only with smaller and more shining leaves."

"With this, Tom, as with many other things in life

"Tis distance lends enchantment to the view;' still I think the shrub handsome. Now, the character of the houses change as we get nearer to Colombo, the huts of the natives giving place to well-built houses, and neatly laid out gardens; but being all on the ground floor, strikes the eye as being strange and foreign to what it has been habituated. What is the term for these low houses?"

"Bungalows, sir; and we call compounds what you call gardens."

"Surely this must be the pagoda or banyan tree. Look at it, absolutely forming a series of trees; from one parent trunk, branch after branch has struck into the earth, as they drooped from the trunk. I have read that these trees will cover an immense space of ground, as each of these branches produce shoots, which will again strike down and take root in the earth; the leaves are large, and colour beautiful, and ——"

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Pray, stop, Gus, and tell me where we shall go to: mind I vote for Ackland Boyd-I don't like the look of the names of any of the others."

"Well, then, we will go to Ackland Boyd's; the address is merely Colombo-do you know them?"

"Oh, yes, sir, they live in Colpetty, where we now are; the house is at the other end, facing the race-course, and the coach can set you down, sir, if you choose."

"But will you wait for a couple of minutes, while I see if they will give us house-room."

"Certainly, sir."

"How much closer the houses are

these pins in the coiffure, produces an elegant effect. Our surprise is great, that Britannia's lovely daughters have not adopted these classical and becoming ornaments for their tresses; but, entrè nous, these fair mortals will not patronise any fashion that does not emanate from that emporium of good taste, and paradise of women, designated by the vulgar as Paris.

together; and I see some ladies in those funny-looking carriages. I suppose this must be the fashionable quarter of Colombo-is it, Mr. Proprietor ?"

"Yes, sir, Colpetty is the fashionable place-plenty of government gentlemen and merchants live here."

"Otwyn, you are going to the Queen's House, are you not?"

"Yes, my father told me Sir Colin would receive me they are very old friends; where is the Queen's House?"

، In the fort, sir; I will set you down there."

"Where are you going, Digh

ton ?"

، To the house of Donald, Dighton, and Co."

، Well, then, all our places are arranged; what are you stopping for ?"

"This is Ackland Boyd's, sir; shall I have the luggage taken down?" "Not yet-we will first show our letters."

And down bundled Augustus Whalmer and Tom Atkins, and went through the compound into a good house. In less than ten minutes out came several servants, and went to the coach for the gentlemen's baggage, Whalmer and Atkins following them.

"Good bye, Otwyn; good bye, Dighton; we shall be sure to see each other to-morrow."

And on went the coach.

"This is called the Galle Face, sir; that is the race-course; there's the fort - we shall be in it directly. That is Slave Island, and that is the lake."

Passers-by turned round to stare inquiringly at the new-comers; for believe us no presentation of a beauty or bride causes greater sensation, than a new

arrival in a colony; for in a colony everybody troubles his head with every one's business-most philanthropically neglecting his own affairs, to attend to yours. The coach is now entering the fort-over the drawbridge it is, now under the archway, now through it; now it jingles and rattles through the Fort of Colombo-every one on the qui vive to see who is in it. The coach stops at the Queen's House, and down jumps Arthur Otwyn; his baggage is put in the hall.

، Good bye, Dighton - we shall meet to-morrow; I will call at your office."

"Good bye, Otwyn-mind you do."

Off jingles the coach into another street-pulls up at the door of a Zodown, over which is written"Donald, Dighton, and Co." A palanquin-carriage is standing at the door; out of the house comes a young man, with a very sallow complexion indeed.

"Mr. James Dighton, I believe." "That is my name."

"We have been expecting you by the last two mails. Will you alight? I dare say you are tired; but a bath and good dinner will soon set you to rights."

Down gets the last of our passengers, and his baggage is placed in the house, and the mail jingles and jolts off to its own halting-place, the driver and proprietor spreading the news that four new English gentlemen had come to the colony, and where they had been domiciled-each eager listener giving an opinion as to these good folk's professions or avocations, surmising how much each particular individual might gain by, or be interfered with, in his peculiar calling, by

these new-comers.

CHAPTER IV.

HISTORICAL ACCOUNT, CONTINUED FROM 1659 TO 1795, WHEN THE DUTCH SURRENDERED, BY CAPITULATION, TO THE BRITISH-SUMMARY OF THE EFFECT OF PORTUGUESE AND DUTCH RULE

UPON THE CINGALESE CHARACTER.

THE year succeeding the subjugation of the Portuguese by the Dutch in Ceylon, namely, in 1659, Captain Robert Knox, the first author who wrote an account of the islands, was taken prisoner at Batticaloa, the fiigate Ann, which he commanded, having been wrecked off that coast, when the natives made him and several

of his crew prisoners, who, by the orders of Rajah Singha II., were sent up to Kandy, and there held in captivity until 1679, when an escape was effected.

From "Knox's Historical Relation," we learn that the Dutch experienced great difficulty in retaining the possessions which they had wrested

from the Portuguese, as Rajah Singha, the king of Kandy, was constantly at war with them, endeavouring to retake the various fortified places and strongholds occupied by the Dutch. Notwithstanding these continual skir-` mishes, the Dutch, wishing to retain a footing in the island, in furtherance of their commercial and political views, endeavoured to preserve an amicable course with the natives, and sent frequent embassies to the Kandian court, to assure the monarch of their anxiety and desire to be at peace with him. Rajah Singha was not to be appeased by assurances or professions; occasionally he would receive the embassies with toleration, while at other times he would detain their envoys, without assigning any reason for so doing.

In the year 1670, we find Rajah Singha detained an envoy, who was resolved to leave Kandy, or sacrifice his life in the attempt. This noblespirited man, whose name we do not find recorded; but which ought to have been handed down to posterity as an example of dauntless bravery, presented himself before the king, as he sat on his throne giving audience to his court, fully armed and equipped for a journey, his personal attendants remaining outside the palace gates, saying that he had come to take leave of his Majesty, as he was about setting out immediately for Colombo. He bowed respectfully to the walls, in accordance with the etiquette observed at the Kandian court on taking leave, and quitted the palace without any attempt being made by the king to arrest his progress. On the contrary, Rajah Singha gave orders that he was to proceed on his journey unmolested, and to receive what aid he might require in so doing. We can fully appreciate the Kandian monarch's conduct-himself a noble, brave character, he could well estimate the dauntless daring and courage that would prompt such a course of action. And had the Dutch invariably pursued an open, honorable course with Rajah Singha, they would not have met with the constant annoyance which they experienced from the king of Kandy.

No language of ours can so well explain the erroneous plan they pursued as that of Knox himself, at that time a prisoner at the Candian court:

"The Dutch, knowing his proud spirit, make their advantage of it by flattering him with their ambassadors, telling him that they are his Majesty's humble subjects and servants, and that it is out of loyalty to him that they build forts, and keep watches round about his country, to prevent foreign nations and enemies from coming; and that as they are thus employed in his Majesty's service, so it is for sustenance, which they want, that occasioned their coming up into his Majesty's country. And thus, by flattering him, and ascribing to him high and honorable titles, which are things he greatly delights in, sometimes they prevail to have the country they have invaded, and he to have the honor; yet at other times, and upon better consideration, he will not be flattered, but falls upon them at unawares, and does them great damage."

Events pursued the same monotonous routine, between the Kandian and Dutch, until 1672, when France directed her attention to Lanka-Diva, and despatched a squadron, commanded by Monsieur de la Haye, which anchored off Cottiar, and immediately sent envoys to the Kandian king. Rajah Singha received them most amicably, and granted them permission to build a fort near the Bay of Trincomalee. Monsieur de la Haye shortly afterwards sailed for the Coromandel coast, sending in his stead Monsieur de Lanerolle, accompanied by a suite, to the Kandian court. Most unfortunately for the French nation, Monsieur de Lanerolle was ill calculated for a political mission-hot-headed and impetuous, absurdly vain of the power, grandeur, and customs of his own nation, he refused observance to the code of etiquette adopted at Rajah Singha's court, and treated the monarch with undue familiarity and insolence. This exasperated Rajah Singha, and, upon the return of Monsieur de la Haye, he found De Lanerolle a prisoner.

The Dutch, taking advantage of this position of affairs, gave chase to the French squadron, taking some of their vessels, and the fort near Trincomalee which they had built. So terminated the only well-arranged scheme concocted by the French to obtain a settlement or possessions in the Island of Ceylon; and which, in all probability, would have been successful, had it not been for the insane, overweening vanity

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There is a paucity of interesting matter connected with the history of Ceylon, until the year 1679, when the Dutch governor of Colombo, Van Goen, sent an embassy to Kandy, requiring the king to abide by the articles of the treaty made between the two powers. To this the king promised adherence, his warlike propensities and energy having become subdued by age and infirmity, for at this time he was between seventy and eighty. In the month of October, in the same year, Knox effected his escape, after having been detained a prisoner at the Kandian court for twenty years.

Again, there seems to have been a cessation of historical events worthy of record, until the year 1685, when Rajah Singha II. died, after a protracted reign of fifty-one years, and was succeeded by his son, Wimala Dharma Suriya. Knox describes Rajah Singha, with whom he frequently conversed during his captivity, to have been a well formed, portly, athletically-built man, of a darker hue than most of his countrymen, with keen shrewd eyes "that were always in motion, who bears his years well, being between seventy and eighty years of age, and though an old man, yet appears not to be like one, neither in countenance or manners. He was abstemious in his diet, and chaste in morals, and punished severely any dereliction from morality that he discovered among his court. Knox writes

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Many times when he hears of the misdemeanours of some of his nobles, he not only executes them, but severely punisheth the women, and he hath so many spies, that there is but little done, which he knows not of; and often he gives command to expel all the women out of the city, not one to remain; but by little and little, when they

think his wrath is appeased, they do creep in again.”

Rajah Singha possessed, in common with most satraps of the East, an inordinate fondness for dress and jewels, delighting to adorn his person with gaudy-coloured raiment, and ornaments studded with jewels. History affirms that Rajah Singha exhorted his son and successor, Wimala Dharma Suriya the Second, on his death-bed, to remain at peace with the Dutch, and allow them to retain possession of their territories; and being of a tranquil temperament, he followed his father's counsel; consequently, during his reign, there are no accounts of a peculiarly interesting character.

In 1707, Wimala Dharma Suriya died, and was succeeded by his son, Narendra Singha. The following year the Dutch obtained possession of the island of Java, and at the commencement of 1709 they banished the ex-king of Java, Susasan Mang Burat Mas, with his family and attendants, to Ceylon. There were many followers of this king who shared his exile, and thus it was that the Malays became residents in the island, where, as a natural result, they multiplied considerably.

In 1721, the queen of Kandy died, and the Dutch sent an embassy to Kandy to condole with the king, Narendra Singha, upon that event-the Dutch, preserving all external tokens of respect for the king of Kandy, who allowed them to remain in peaceable possession of their dominions in Ceylon. The letter of condolence sent by governor Rumph was to this effect"To implore the Almighty to comfort his Majesty on the trying occasion of the demise of the high-born, excellent, and all-accomplished queen.'

In 1723, some Javanese princes and chiefs, forty-four in number, that had revolted against the Dutch at Batavia, were banished to Ceylon, and thus more Malays were introduced into the island by the Dutch.

In 1729, Governor Vuyst (governor of Colombo) made an attempt to render himself an independent sovereign, and in the prosecution of that scheme had recourse to the most atrocious cruelties, and perpetrated crimes of the blackest dye. He was at last taken prisoner by his countrymen and sent to Batavia, tried, and convicted of

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