230 G.V3IP0LA AND THE COFFEE REGIONS. [Part VII. 



and the first attempt, tliougli begun in a comparatively 

 low altitude, sufficed to demonstrate the superiority of the 

 hill country over the low land for cidtivation, both in the 

 quahty and the abundance of the produce. 



At this crisis the fate of the experiment was decided, 

 by the adoption, in 1835, of a measure wliich Sir Edward 

 Barnes had urged on the home government in 1826 ; 

 the duty was equahsed upon East and West India coffee 

 imported into the United Kingdom, at the moment when 

 the faihng supply of the latter turned attention eagerly 

 and anxiously towards Ceylon. In the very next year 

 nearly four thousand acres of mountain forest were 

 felled and planted, and in an incredibly short time the 

 sale of crown lands exceeded forty thousand acres per 

 annum. ^ 



The mountain ranges on all sides of Kandy became 

 rapidly covered with plantations ; the great valleys of 

 Doombera, Ambogammoa ^ , Kotmalie, and Pusilawa 

 were occupied by emulous speculators ; they settled in 

 the steep passes ascending to jSTeuera-eUia ; they pene- 

 trated to BaduUa and Oovah, and coffee trees quickly 

 bloomed on solitary hills around the veiy base of Adam's 

 Peak. 



The fii'st ardent adventurers pioneered the way through 



' The sales of crown lands between 

 1837 and 1845 were as follows : 



1837 . . . 3,061 acres. 



1838 . . . 10,401 „ 



1839 , . .- 0,570 „ 



1840 . . . 42,841 „ 



1841 . . . 78,085 „ 



1842 . . . 48,533 „ 



1843 . . . 58,330 „ 



1844 . . . 20,415 „ 



1845 . . . 19,062 „ 

 Much of this land was boii<rlit on 



speculation, and not with a view to 

 immediate cultivation. 



- Of tliese districts, one of the first 

 towards which the rush of enteii^rise 



the Kalany river, which is navigable 

 for a oTeat distance above Colombo, 

 promised the utmost amoimt of suc- 

 cess to the experiment. A new road 

 was constructed to connect it with 

 the capital, and thousands of acres 

 of crown lands wore eag-erly bought 

 up for future speculation. But in 

 no quarter of the island has dis- 

 appointment been so gi-eat as in these 

 favourite valleys. The quality of 

 the soil proved deceptive, a liU'ge 

 proportion of the estates opened were 

 allowed to return to their original 

 wildness, and at the present moment, 

 although the number of plantations 



was directed was the beautiful region is still large, the average produce of 

 of Ambogammoa, the altitiule of j the district is the lowest in Ceylon, 

 whitli; combined with its vicinity to | 



