ISLAND OF CEYLON. 117 



In olden time, before its occupation by the Europeans, Ceylon was one of tbe richest and 

 most productive of the kingdoms of the east. The natives, at a very early period, showed 

 great skill in the development of the resources of the island, and increased the fertility of the 

 soil by ingenious modes of artificial irrigation ; and numerous vestiges of imposing works, 

 constructed for this purpose, remain to this day. 



The climate of Ceylon is very much influenced by the monsoons. The northeast prevails 

 from November to February, and the southwest from April to September ; but there are certain 

 local causes which influence these winds and modify their temperature. There is a great 

 difi"erence between the climate of the northern and southern portions of the island, and a 

 curious effect results therefrom ; for not seldom on one side of a mountain the rain is falling 

 abundantly, while on the other it is so dry that the herbage is parched and withered ; and 

 thus while the inhabitants of the former are doing their utmost to protect their lands from the 

 flood, those of the latter are striving to obviate the consequences of the drought by availing 

 themselves of the scant reservoirs of water which may have been left from iirevious rains. 



The island is comparatively healthy, as is indicated by the rate of mortality, which, being 

 less than three per cent., shows a remarkable salubrity for an eastern country. As the 

 clearing of the jungles and the draining of the marshes proceed, a still higher degree of 

 health may be reasonably expected. 



Ceylon did not appear as flourishing a colony as the Mauritius, though it possesses superior 

 geographical advantages. Lying, as it does, as a sort of outpost to the principal possessions 

 of the English in the east, and oifering, in its port of Galle, a point for the distribution of 

 intelligence throughout India and China, it is much resorted to. 



With all its natural advantages, however, the island at present is far less flourishing than 

 might have been expected. The exports are limited in comparison with the acknowledged 

 fertility of the island, to the productive power of which there would hardly seem to be any 

 limit. Labor may be obtained, too, for twelve cents a day, and yet the agricultural interests 

 are not as promising as, under such favorable circumstances, they should be. The natives, too, 

 are said not to be wanting in industry, but their needs are so few, living, as they do, upon 

 fish, rice, and cocoa-nuts, that they are never forced by necessity to labor hard for their 

 subsistence. 



Of the productions of the island the cocoa-nut is probably the most valuable to the natives. 

 Everywhere in Ceylon, as far as the eye can reach, extensive plantations of this tree are to be seen, 

 and the numerous roads throughout the island are bordered with it. The weary and heated 

 traveller finds not only protection from the sun in its shade, but refreshment from the milk of 

 the fruit, which is both agreeable to the taste and wholesome. The cocoa-nut palm has a great 

 variety of uses. The green fruit, with its delicate albuminous meat and its refreshing milk, is a 

 favorite article of food. When ripe, the kernel of the nut is dried, forming what the natives 

 term copperal, and an oil of great value is expressed from it, while the residuum forms an 

 excellent oil-cake for the fattening of animals. Even the husk of the nut is useful ; its fibres are 

 wrought into the coir rojje, of which large quantities are annually exported, and the shells are 

 manufactured into various domestic utensils. From the sap of the tree a drink is obtained 

 which is called "toddy," and made into arrack by distillation. The leaves afibrd a good 

 material for the thatching of the native huts, and are moreover given as food to the elephants. 

 The Palmyra palm, which also abounds in the island, shares with the cocoa-nut tree in many 

 of its advantages. 



