Ellsworth American., 1892-04-07

"deadly upas," malacca bamboo, the largest
specie Of bamboo In the world, etc, etc.
went one day to the top of the highest
mountain near Handy, and around the
base Of which part Of the city is built.
Nice smooth roads are built winding
around and up those hills. and by walking
or riding in the shade of those fragrant
| forests we come at last TO the summit,
and overlook the surrounding country and
city. On the side Of the hill from the city,
there are wild deep ravines full of tall
| palms. the banks devoid of underbrush.
Here In what is nearly an eternal shade,
SO high are the mountains on all sides, and
| so dense the green canopy formed by the
| spreading branches Of the trees, dwell
hundreds of natives in their bamboo huts !;
| like bee-hives on the side of the hills In
one place as l walked along | had view
down upon this quiet happy community,
happy In the realization that they wanted
nothing, except what mother nature had
placed at hand unasked. The bread-f fruit
grew above their heads beside the cocoa
nut, and both fell the year round at their
feet, the bamboo and the palm furnished
the material for their homes, the yams
grew on the hillside, aud they needed no
clothing happy in their ignorance Of the
iostlng, BUSTING. thieving crowd that
60 to make up the bulk of this worlds
enlightened communities of-pirates.
After medltating few moments be-
tween the amount OF happiness that fell
to the lot Of mankind placed in different
conditions. and coming to the conclusion
that any of those upon whom | looked
had the better of me, at least, | made
another move for the top of the mountain,
which | reached in time and gaZed over
one Of the most charming and fascinating
pictures | ever beheld. Around me stood
the numerous mountains covered with
brilliant vegetation from base to peak far
below me lay the silyery surface of the
lake around which the city stood and |
looked over palace, church, and hovel, and
listened To the hum and murmur Of distant
sounds that rose TO me through this mel
low afternoon sunlight | stood here alone
absorbed In the contemplation of this Be-
lightful scene. regretting that had not a
companion into whose eyes | could look
and read an echo to my own voice, when
1t declared, that in all my travels have
never >etn grandeur and beauty more har-
moniou-ly combined than in the mountain
scenery of Ceylon.
| had a look AT one Of Ceylon's import
ant Industries, upon which there has been
SO much already written by those who
have seen and know so much more about
it than | do, that anything which might
write would have little interest, namely.
tea culture. | visited one Of the finest
process Of planting. pruning, picking and
curing that seductive leaf that makes so
many ladies happy about ) P. NJ, and later
daily, and In the fumes Of which many
plots and plans of different sorts have
been matured, and many really good
fellows destiny has been mapped or
blotted out
This letter is by far too long for all con
cerned, aad | will soon pipe down and
keep silent" for awhile For the benefit
OF your nautical readers-if you have
any will say that | am having the dull
est passage through the southeast trades
| ever had Since passing Good Hope the
wind has been light all the time from
southeast; force three to five. three aud
four the most Of the time. Beaufort's
scale, with cloudy weather all the time
Just openings enough In the clouds, or
stratus thin enough at the proper times
each day TO enable me to pick her up
with tools" every twenty four hours. This
southeast trade wind belt in the Atlantic
is noted for it, clear skies and ladies
weather" nut it has given that record a
black eye" this passage-so far Lat
l. deg, II min, south. Lon. 10 deg, 26
min, west.
Dee, 1891. EV L.