I860.] REVIEW. 25 



view includes Adam's Peak, the mountain sacred to Hindoos, Buddhists and 

 Mahomedans alike. Adam's Peak is really a mountain, and is conspicuous 

 to navigators from its form and position ; but it is not the highest moun- 

 tain in Ceylon, though geographers say it is. Its summit is 7,420 feet 

 above the level of the sea. The mountain plain of Newera EUia, the Sa- 

 natorium of Ceylon — 



" Where Eiorope amid Asia smiles," — 

 is only 1,210 feet lower, and over it tower three mountain-masses, which 

 are aU higher than Adam's Peak, viz. PedrotallagaUa, which is 8,280 feet 

 above the level of the sea, and which therefore overtops Adam's Peak by 

 860 feet; Kirigalpota is 7,810 feet high, and Totajtala 7,720. Adam's 

 Peak therefore, though the most conspicuous, is not the highest mountain 

 in Ceylon. 



" By far the larger portion of the population of Ceylon are engaged in 

 agriculture. But as yet they grow only two-thirds of the Eice consumed 

 in the Colony. Those engaged in manufactures are chiefly arrack dis- 

 tillers, oil-makers who use the native bullock chekko, weavers, potters, 

 carpenters, masons, etc. A goodly number of the people now find employ- 

 ment in connection with the European establishments for the preparation 

 of Coffee and the manufactm-e of Oil. Cask -making has largely developed 

 mth the increase in the exports of Coffee, until now there seems some 

 danger of the available timber being exhausted. The larger portion of the 

 timber used in Colombo is obtained in the forests of the Eastern Province, 

 chiefly in the neighbourhood of Batticaloa. Eor the railway, timber is to 

 be imported from Western Australia." 



We have taken a longer extract tlian usual, because the sub- 

 ject is of unusual importance. This beautiful Island presents the 

 most attractive features to intending emigrants, as well as the 

 most promising field for the investment of capital. Ceylon pro- 

 duces the most valuable commercial commodities, which have 

 been celebrated ever since the treasures of the East were acces- 

 sible to European enterprise. 



History of Singhalese Botany. 



"Nearly two hundred years ago (1670) D. Paul Hermann came to 

 Ceylon at the expense of the Dutch East India Company, for the purpose 

 of describing aU the plants and spices growing in the Island, and remained 

 here about seven years. 



" During this period he made drawings of, and collected and preserved 

 a considerable number of Ceylon plants. He learned to read and write 

 Singhalese, and we are not surprised to find that then the Singhalese names 

 he received with facility were generally correct. .■ 



N. S. VOL. IV. E ' 



