The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-07-21


table 10 spread than expected, The officers
seem obBging; but the passengers-good gracious,
how frigh July tni-for most of them are servants
Of the Company, from the highest to the lowest,
each vain Of his position. but all forgetting that
voyage at sea generally brings them all to level.
Nothing but dignity thus far, however. When will
they unbend, unless they wish to be eccentric? ri
content myself by exchanging friendly word with
those who, from crying, have began to talk, and in
reading Macaulays last volume till get to Alden.
UP TO this time not even a moonlight song How
different from the courtesy on board of the North
Atlantic steamships! There all is cheeruness aud
good nature. Here you are frozen with the dignity
vi Office. OF course, there are exceptions.
On the nth, at P. NJ, after luxuriatiug in the
beautiful scenery of Ceylon, which had attracted
our notice since the mornings of the tropi-
cal kind and celebrated for its resplenient beauty
we got pilot, and made fast our anchor of the
stone fort of Point de Gale Another style Of IA
tive is alongsoe--tbe men wearing long hair rolled
MP behind, with circular tortoise shell comb, like
women 50 hat you lind il difficult thing to dstin-
guish them from the other gender. Another style
OF beat waits TO take you OF, for shillng-a boat
more peculiar than any have seen since leaving
Port Philip remarkable for its singular construction
more singular than the catamaran at Madras.
where two logs tied together make good surf boat.
This one consists Of log followed out and boxed
up the top part about twelve inches wide; and you
You SIT upon platform overhanging the water.
To keep the thing from capsizing, they have an
outriggtr some ten feet long, running parallel with
the boat, made Of heavy wood. ASKED the boat
man I they ever turned over, and he promptly
repiyed Frequently
There were several hotels on shore, bat the New
Mansion House seems to be the tavorite. had no
fault TO find with my board, and The only objection
touching the bca was on account Oh the parti.
he al Ill q I-Dl
way to the ceiling, giving your negnbor the oppor
turity Of hearing every movement IN the room.
There l. but one two horse carriage IN the place,
and that was private so our party were Obliged 70
put up with Jerry: and having time ~ lose,
were driven out TO where the cinnamon grows The
only thngsyou see there, however, are few stunted
cinnamon trees; bat the ride along the shore was
the best. the whole distance shaded by groves OF
cocoa and beetle nut trees; and the little thatched
cottages huis of the Sngalese give an interesting
picture TO those unaccustomed 70 the island. We
went be yond the grove TO see the elephA mt draw
stone TO where new bridge is being built across
of the little rivers Returning, we visited one or
two OF the Buddhist temples, none OF which bore
any comparison TO those in China; gaudy pictures
on the walls without any idea OF perspective, repre-
seDtDg all the characteristics OF their creed were
the only things noticeable.
We also visited the English and the Dutch burial
places where the number Of tonbs tell that the fate
of mar is the same in every Land, but that some
climates shorten life.
John Black, Scotcnman, who has been resident
here for msny years. Is the representative OF the
United States, and the time will be long distant
when be has any one TO oppose him a. Washington,
for fancy that there few Americans DESTROYS OF
locating in Gales for the arrival and departures OF
the Companys boats, and the occasional appearance
OF freigbtseeking ship is all you have TO break
the monotony OF living there, or adding commissions
20 your account. Point De Gale Is q walled city,
and though built 80 long ago. the fort ramparts and
entertainments are still strong, and show little
decay. The Dutch and the Portuguese have given
their features to many Of those you meet within the
walls tut the number Of Europeans in the city are
under twenty.
The United states steamship san ia into has Just
coaled here and gone on to Penang, where Mr.. Har-
MS has been awaiting her. As coal station the
port is important but for little ese were u not Tor
the STEAMERS Il would be unknown as shipping
place for a day route. II - Hover garden IN
comparison with the sunburnt desert OF Madras
find letters and papers here from Melbourne to the
23d January.
ON Inc 18th at 3 p. NJ we sailed for Alden, AMI
arrived q, noon on the 18th, one OF the most rapid
passages recorded between the ports. | found the
place OF more Interest than expected, but there
n d-eariness about IL that gives man the blues.
IL must he now some twenty years since this rock
bound port was taken from tie Arabs by tue East
India Company. Alter getting possession they had
tome trouble with tie natives, who several times
triel 10 regain what they ilad lost 10 compromise,
the Company, | am informed, agreed q pay nye
lacs OF rupees TO the sultan OF ahads but don't re.
member Of bis ever getting penny: Alden u
nm ancen port. IT, brightest history IL In the past
Koran generals Turki Sd merchants, and uo.d
nasigators OF 'ye days Of We great king Solyman,'
were familiar with tie harbor and tine rock, which
rises up some two thousaEd feet N the air. Cent?.
ries ago Aien must have been port OF some
consideration. Its importance nov is considerable.
England wants 1.-THE Fast India Company requires
IL, Tor il IL Just the psce for coal statiOn-but
nothing mon, II Il the Gibraltar Of Arabia, but its
fsxtihcsiiOns are not commanding. The harbor
forts would shake 10 pieces by the dis harge oil Their
own guns but the Turkish wall i respectable.
| was surprised to find some 20 900 natives here,
but Europeans are not n meroGs. one wing oil
n European regiment regiment OF Sepoys, from
India saw about two thousand troops-the Honora-
bic Company Obliged 10 keep here 70 holftne
place against the repeated attacks 81 the hofdes 81
ruihnns on the other coast, who, following out the
motto Of ire Honorable Company, that might
makes right arc desirons Of retaknig the domain.
The rock, the plain, and the whole shore,
looks barren enough; nor bird, cor beast,
nor plant, nor creeping thing-you might
almost say. without msrepresenting, nothing
Of note-Can be seen from our anchorage
or from tie fort and village on the
beach. .ou must have donkey or an Arab
horse the nst ment yen get ashore, and take rid"
along the beach. through the matched village. pat
tie mas Of graHlte rock over tie long military
rad, down Under the fridge, Through the d-ep
dark passage way cut cdt of the sold rock, 70
the cal,onments or barracks In the valley beneath.
where yoa viii tBd the native iowa, the Sepoy
barracks, tie European settlements, The chapel on
the hill fortn Elcopaliars .4n0 tie -alhsdrll below
for TIE Roman Catholics, the drill ground, and al
that there Z IL uote at Alden. On every side 81
nothing bu, rock, rock rock. II would be Danish
mebt ~ live bert. The Company have spent plenty
OF money ia i0rtifying but the money has not bcen
well invested. say some n our military passengers.
A party Of fellows passed few hours At the hJ1el
most pleasantly, with supper, With sentiment aud
with song. The place was christened and will
keep tih -e seq IL again. | am ss.oni-hed 70 sc
how poorly fortified are many Of the ports 0f Eng
lnd colonies
am not vel up in s1ch tactics and never studied
Nsuhan, but IL would appear 70 me that bad The
Rus. IN China feet been willing 70 run the risk Of
Bsti.h cruisers, they might have bombarded singh
pore, IenaEg. Madras and Alden. but the de-trgc-
lion Of property would have been the only induce
ment for they could have he'd the places for any
length q time, for the Orient al steamers trans
port troops post haste to protect the flag OF England.
But there i one thing pretty certain; India can
spare no troops for the Crmea. She wants them ell
within her empire, for the natives are always
plotting