Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-06-01
THE ISLAND OF CEYLoN.
Since the good Bishop Heber wrote
that beautiful hymn in which occurs the
well known lines,
:" What though the spicy hreezes,
Blow soft from CeyIon's Isle,

Blow soft from Ceylon's isle,'
the world has almost lost sight Of one Of
the oldest, most mysterious and fertile
kingdoms of the earth. The population
of all races in Ceylon amounted in 1856,
to l, 697, ,975, besides soldiers and aliens,
estimated at about 10000 yet the Island
is only about one-sixth smaller than ire
land. Five centuries before Christ, civ
ilization was established in the Island,
and the population was ten times as great
as it is now. 1t is inhabited by races
whose origin is lost in primitive antiqui-
ty; traces of the demon worship of fat
tened serpents still linger among the su-
perstitions of the people; and the lofty
pinnacle called Adams Peak which
has served for ages as a landmark TO the
navigators of the eastern seas, is still said
to bear the footprints OF the first created
man. Many centuries ago irrigation by
artificial lakes and enormous banks, one
of which was forty miles in circumfer-
ence, gave life and fertility to the soil I;
and as the modern traveller penetrates by
forgotten tracks into the recesses of the
forest, he is everywhere struck by the
vast and countless excavations and en-
bankments, which attest the ingenuity
and industry of the great people.
Ceyon has been successfully occupied
and ruled by the Portuguese and the
Dutch, until at length it passed entirely
into the hands Of the British crown.
Two thousand years ago the Buddhist
faith was introduced into the Island, and,
it soon became one Of the chief seats Of
the creed. The mystical Bo tree, which
still fourishes in the holy precincts of
Anara japoora, detached from the identi-
cal tree, under which Budha reclined
when he received his limitations to Uru-
wela, has already completed its second
millennium. Apart from this hoary and
mysterious antiquity, the Island derives a
peculiar and romantic interest from its
incompatible natural beauty, and its va
ried natural productions. In no part o.
the tropics is the climate more brilliant
the vegetation more luxuriant, the re,
forest more animated by thousand va
rieties of life. 1t is also celebrated fol
gems. The Chinese topographers call i
Pauchoo, or The Island of Gems
There they bought topazes of four dis
tinct tints, described in inimitable Chimes
imagery, as then the color of wine
the delicate tint of young goslings, tn
, deep amber like beeswax, and the pal
tinge resembling the opening bud of th
I pine There, too, a Chinese monarc
purchased, for an inconceivabie price
: the brightest and largest ruby the worl
ever beheld; for man could not hold
in the palm of his hand, and it emitte
! light in the very darkest night. Sir En-
erson Tennent, to whom we owe I'll
I most recent and delightful informal o
1 about Ceylon, is of the opinion that GilI
: one of its seaports, was the TarshIsh
which the Phenician mariners and III
5 fleets of Solomon resorted to bring bac
i the gold Of Ophir. And there is n
n doubt but this Island was the scene of III
Y seventh voyage OF Sinbad the Sailor
Il There appears to be two very distin
II races in Ceylon-the Singhalese in Il
South, of comparatively light complies
y ion, who leave their staple, rice, to
i. cultivated by the action of the rains; ar
Of the Tamil races of the North, who a
Is as black as Abyssinians, and cult;va
their fields by irrigation. Sir Emers,
r. appears somewhat TO have neglected d
n. inhabitants in his ardent study Of d
ID fora and fauna Of this wonderful islam
n, lie touches Interestingly upon its ply
cal geography, geology, botany, eonch
logy, but expands his whole force
Te graphic and even highly poetieal descri
re lions of the scenery, the changes Of {
IN weather, and the denizens Of forest, fo
c- and field. The monsoon that usiiers
the rainy season is depicted with gre
power. We are carried, as il were, be
nd lily, to Ceylon, and see and feel the pl
er nomena Of tropical day from the eal
Ith dawn until the giow-worms spangle |
e night. We behold flowers Of wondrc
est beauty, one of which, the Wanna r.
nd or the King OF the Forest, is described
ed having flowers Of no particular attract
he but its leaves are perhaps the most
- quisiteIy formed OF any 10 the yegeta
an kingdom, their color being dark yel'
he approaching the black, and retieula
over all their surface with veins Of rus
gold How beautiful Il must be.
ere We are told OF delicious fruits, whI