Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-23
TALKING OF CEYLON.
A Native of the Far-On Isle Enter
tains Washington Audience.


Mr.. William Morey, jr.. lectured last night
at Metzerott Music Hall before an appre-
ciative audience on Ceylon. Mr. Morey is
a native of that island and more than
specifically familiar with it's people. Gus
toms and traditions. He treated of its phys
ical characteristics cities, people. govern
ment and resources, its arts and industries.
and told of life at the pearl fisheries and
the story Of an elephant hunt. ITO the
people of the United States" said Mr.
Morey. "imbued with cis-Atlantic tradi-
items only a few hundred years old at the
most and yet radiant with the accomplish
ments of those early pioneers who settled
In the fertile valleys of fair Virginia and
the rocks of the bleak New England coast.
the bare suggestion of visit to Ceylon.
l2OOO miles into the land of sunrise,
awakens recollections or school Biographies
which taught that the great peninsula of
India and the little Island Of Ceylon were
fitted to be associated in the minds of the
western world only in connection with
coffee. teas. spices and benighted humanity.
They may have also taught that some
Europeans had been stranded on those dis
tant shores and had remained there for
purposes Of barter and that a few mission
aries had been sent there to sacrifice their
lives in an endeavor to regenerate the mil
lions OF human beings buried in the terths
or heather darkness and to lead them to
the full enjoyment of the modern spiritual
day. The name of Ceylon is derived from "a
Singalese word, meaning the home OF the
Len race. The Greeks and the Romans re-
ferred to II as the Utmost Indian Isle"
ana the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES who settled in the
mountain provinces during the early por-
ton OF the fourteenth century knew IL as
Seundib. while the early Portuguese and
Dutch coionists called ii Tabrobane. Almost
connected with the Indian peninsula by the
Island OF Mannar, a long sand-bank known
as Adams Bridge. and the Island o. RAJ
meswefnas, noted for it's Hindoo temples
II extends southwardly under a tropical
sun TO a distance of 2ao miles and has an
extreme breadth of 40 miles According
to Buddhist traditions Buddha visited Cey.
ION three times, although there is no su-
thentic information that he visited Ceylon
AZ an On the occasion of his alleged last
visit he Is said to have left the imprint
OF his foot on Adams Peak when he passe5
over into India. The Brahmins claim thar
II Is the footprint OF Vishnu, the Moham-
meoans that II is that Of their prophet, ard
the Christians attribute IL TO St Thomas
and have built chapel and a number of
cells ON the mountain for the use of nri.sts
Inc lecturer then carried his audience
.nrousn tne city OF Colombo. where he was
born. and showed them a picture of the
little chapel of the Church of England. in
wnich he was baptized a Christian Colo,n-
DO Is city of 10000 population. with
no, noae,s. coleses museums, parks and all
.ne accomplishments of city life The great
breakwater which protects it's harbor from
the ravages OF the Indian ocean at the
periods OF the southwestern hurricanes was
SHOWN ana explained. Handy. the capital OF
the ancient Kandyan dynasty. Was x-iSi,a5
ana Inspected. Thence all hands went 10
foint de Gale. and Travelled through great
cocoa groves and tropic jungles, along the
panks OF tne abandoned Dutch canal Mr..
Morey dwelt on the home life of the ma
yves and treated of the racial and relig-
ious differences of the inhabitants I'm an
entertaining and instructive manner. Mr.
noey Is peasant talker, with an eastern
accent and an oriental Imagination Ha
received hearty applause and was warmly
congratulated at the close of his discourse
Inc Illustrations. thrown on the screen nv
MI Morey In his wanderings in the far-off
isle. o1A