G28 



THE RUINED CITIES. 



[Part X 



Then, as now, the main source of emplopnent for the 

 population was derived from the salt-works, which still 

 constitute the principal wealth of the place. ^ 



A great estuary, or ^'- gohh" separates Putlam from 

 the peninsula of Calpentyn, the population of which, 

 chiefly Tamils and Moors, are amongst the most in- 

 dustrious in Ceylon. The soil is admirably suited 

 for the groAvth of the coco-nut palm, of which large 

 plantations have been formed in recent years, and con- 

 siderable quantities are annually exported of a hchen 

 [Rocella fuciformis of Achaiius), which yields the red 

 orchil dye. Though too shallow for shipping, the bay 

 is actively traversed by dhoneys and ballams ; and a 

 canal formed by the Dutch, maintains the commimica- 

 tion with Colombo. 



The bay of Calpentjai has always been remarkable for 

 an extraordinary abundance of fish^; and there is a 

 considerable trade in that article salt and dried ; as well 

 as in sharks' fins and trepang for exportation to China. 

 The shore also produces an esculent fucus, nearly alhed 

 to CJiondrus crisjyus ; and known as " Calpent}Ti moss." 

 The turtle, which are caught here in staked enclosirres 

 called sars, are the finest in Ceylon ; but the fishermen 

 express their dread of the sea-snakes^ which infest the 



1 /Vn interesting paper on the 

 Manufacture of Salt at Putlam, by 

 A. O. Bkodie, Esq., will be found in 

 the Jotmi. of the Ceylon Branch of 

 the Asiat. Soc, for 1847, vol. ii. p. 

 99. 



" Valen TYN says, " If there is any 

 place on the sui-face of the globe in 

 which iish is more abundant than 

 another, it is Calpentyn." — Oud en 

 Nicuw Oost-Indien, ch. xv. p. 222. 



3 ILjdrus Major'? Shaw. In tlie 

 course of an attempt which was re- 

 cently made to place a lighthouse on 

 the great rocks off the soutliern coast 

 of Ceylon, known by seamen as the 

 Basses, or Ba.vos, the worlcmen who 

 first landetl found that portion of the 

 surface liable to be covered by the 

 tides, honey-combed, and sunk into 



deep holes filled with water, in which 

 were abundance of fishes and mol- 

 luscs. Some of these cavities con- 

 tained also sea snakes fi-om four to five 

 feet long, which were described as hav- 

 ing the head " hooded like the Cobra 

 de Capello, and of a light grey colour, 

 slightly speckled. They coiled them- 

 selves like serpents on land, and 

 darted at poles thrust in among 

 them. The Singhalese who accom- 

 panied the pai'ty, said that they not 

 only bit venomously, but crushed the 

 limb of any intruder in their coils." 

 The Basses are believed to be the 

 remnants of tlie island of Giri, swal- 

 lowed up by the sea. — Mahaxcanso, 

 ch. i. p. 4 ; see antCy Vol. I. Pt. I. ch. i. 

 p. 7. They may possibly be the 

 Basses of Ptolemy s nuip. 



