A
DESCRIPTION

OF

CEYLON,

CONTAINING
AN ACCOUNT OF THE COUNTRY, INHABITANTS,
AND
NATURAL PRODUCTIONS;

WITH
NARRATIVES OF A TOUR ROUND THE ISLAND IN 1800, THE
CAMPAIGN IN CANDY IN 1803, AND A JOURNEY
TO RAMISSERAM IN 1804.

ILLUSTRATED BY
Twenty-five Engravings from Original Drawings.

By the Reverend JAMES CORDINER, A.M.
LATE CHAPLAIN TO THE GARRISON OF COLUMBO.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, AND ORME, PATERNOSTER ROW,
AND A. BROWN, ABERDEEN.

1807.

J. By sdy. Dake Sir. Stedde.

London, Published by Longman & CO, Paternoster Row, June 1, 1877.

PART FIRST.

DESCRIPTION OF CEYLON.

CHAPTER I.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF CEYLON—SITUATION—NAME—EURO-
PEAN CONQUESTS—APPEARANCE—ADAM'S PEAK—RIVERS—
HARBOURS—CLIMATE—SOIL—FOSSILS—ROADS—REVENUE—
GOVERNMENT—TENURES—EXTRACTS FROM KNOX'S HISTORY.

CEYLON is an island in the Indian Ocean, situate at the entrance of the bay of Bengal, between five degrees forty-nine minutes and nine degrees fifty minutes of north latitude, and between seventy-nine degrees thirty minutes and eighty-one degrees fifty minutes of longitude east of Greenwich.

It is said by Strabo to be as large as Britain*. Onesi-
critus, according to the same author, declared it to be in
size upwards of five thousand stadia, not distinguishing

* Strabo, Lib. II. p. 72. Paris, 1620.

VOL. I.

B

TOUR ROUND CEYLON.

families, whose feelings do not permit them to solicit
charity.

The fort of Point de Galle, one mile and a quarter in circumference, is situate near the southern extremity of the island, on a low rocky promontory, from which its name is derived. Some of the bastions command the passage which leads into a tolerable harbour, the second in rank on the coasts of Ceylon. It is not large, but commodious and secure: except that the entrance is so choked up with rocks, that the channel, through which a ship must be steered, is very narrow, and cannot be attempted safely in the dark, unless by an experienced pilot. On the side opposite to the fort stand a reservoir of excellent water, and a wooden quay provided with every convenience for lowering casks easily into boats. The harbour is, however, susceptible of many improvements; and were it to become a place of much resort, these would, no doubt, be attended to.

It was here that, during the government of the United States, the cinnamon and other productions of the island were shipped for Europe; and it is still partly used for that purpose. Ships sometimes call there on their way to Columbo, and take in what cinnamon is raised in the districts of Galle and Matura: afterwards complete their cargo at the presidency, and, on some occasions, sail direct for England; on others, return to Madras, land the cinnamon there to be divided amongst different ships, and take in a

PEARL FISHERY.

Rama has recovered its ancient splendour; but the coasts of Ceylon have been laid waste by a second race of invaders. To the fury and fanaticism with which the Portuguese pulled down every monument of the Hindoo religion, and the cruelty with which they persecuted those who professed it, may, in a great measure, be ascribed the still conspicuous barrenness of this part of the coast. It is likewise subject to seasons of extraordinary sickness; and is moreover liable to summers of great drought, so that it can never be rendered fertile, without the construction of capacious tanks for preserving water to overflow the fields, and prevent a failure of the crops.

The governor's house at Aripo, on the western coast of Ceylon, is situate two miles north of the scene of the pearl fishery, in 8° 47' north latitude, and 79° 40' east longitude. It is undoubtedly the most beautiful building in the island, and almost the only one which is planned according to any order of architecture. The design is purely Doric, and was given by the Honourable Frederic North himself: but the house, although of a splendid appearance, is of small dimensions; the internal accommodations not entirely corresponding with the grandeur and elegance of the outward structure; but completely answering all the purposes for which they were intended. There are four small bed-rooms on the ground floor, one at each corner; a spacious flight of stone stairs occupies the centre; and two well proportioned rooms above extend from east to west of the building, ornamented on each side by graceful colonnades. One of these is used as a dining-room, and calculated to con-