CEYLON. 



Ceylon. 



Animals. 



of the precious stones which are found upon it. To 

 the class of minerals we may refer the diamond, the 

 ruby, the hyacinth, the agate, the amethyst, the 

 sardonyx, the emerald, the jasper; the tourmaline, 

 red, green, blue, and yellow ; the topaz ; the sap- 

 phire, green and blue ; the suphrytus, white, yellow, 

 brown, and black ; crystals ; cat's eye ; and corne- 

 lians. All these precious stones occur, particularly 

 in the region round Matura, in the vallies, and at 

 the foot of the mountains, in a compound of earth 

 and fat clay. Several different kinds are found in 

 the same soil, and in the same place. Sometimes 

 they are found likewise on the surface of the earth, 

 where they have been brought down from.the moun- 

 tains by the violence of the currents or rains. The 

 ruby, the topaz, and the diamond of this island, are 

 not, however, so valuable as those of Golcomla or 

 the Brazils. The sapphire, aquamarina, and tourma- 

 line, are, on the contrary, equal to those of any other 

 country. Formerly the precious stones were an ar- 

 ticle of revenue, and were collected by farmers, who 

 contracted for a particular range with government. 

 This plan, however, was for some years given up, as 

 the stones found in the king of Candy's dominions 

 were superior to those of the coast ; and the Dutch 

 found it the easiest method of procuring them, to 

 demand from him a certain quantity in the way of 

 tribute. For some time that prince was obliged to 

 comply with the mandates of his imperious neigh- 

 bours, and sent them a certain proportion of stones 

 every year. Of late, however, he his shaken off this 

 servitude ; and, in order to tempt the avarice of Eu- 

 ropeans as little as possible, he has prohibited any 

 more from being collected in his dominions. He 

 does not now allow his subjects, on any account, to 

 barter precious stones with Europeans, or to carry 

 any above a certain value out of his territories, under 

 pain .of death. It is even dangerous for a Candian 

 to retain any, above a certain value, in his possession, 

 as, 'by .-a -royal decree, they all belong to the king. 

 Lead and tin are found in the interior j but they are 

 .not applied to any useful purpose. There is also 

 abundance of iron stone, the preparation of which 

 constitutes one of the principal manufactures of the 

 natives. They melt it in crucibles over a fire, which 

 is blown with two pair of bellows. They sepa- 

 rate the scoriae with tongs made for the purpose : 

 The melted mass is then poured into a mould of 

 clay ; after which it is purified further, and forged 

 for a variety of purposes. There were also several 

 mines of quicksilver wrought by the Dutch ; and 

 they have again been opened since the island fell into 

 the hands of the British. See T/tunb&g, vol. iv. 

 Perci vol. Knox. 



Among the quadrupeds of this island, the elephant 

 justly holds the highest place. This animal is pro- 

 duced in great numbers in Ceylon, and is superior to 

 those of every other part of the world, with regard 

 to shape, appearance, and docility. In 1797, no 

 fewer than 176 were sent over from this country by 

 Adam's Bridge to the continent of India. Of ani- 

 mals employed for domestic purposes, Ceylon pro- 

 duces but few. The horse and sheep are not natives 

 of this island, and can scarcely be made to thrive 

 even when imported. The former are never em 

 ployed in senrle work, but are chiefly used for draw- 

 ing gigs* and other light pleasure vehicles of the Eu- 

 ropeans. The Indian horses are extremely spirited, 



and often defend their riders from the attacks of CeyltJn. 

 other animals. Captain Percival mentions, that, on ""' "Y"'"*'' 

 one occasion, he was indebted to their prowess for 

 his preservation from the fury of a buffalo. It is 

 only when so vicious as to be perfectly unmanage- 

 able, that these animals are ever castrated ih this 

 quarter of the world ; and in this mutilated state they 

 decrease greatly in value, as they are then by no 

 means so capable of enduring the heat of the climate, 

 and the violent fatigue occasioned by exertion in a 

 warm country. The oxen of Ceylon have a hump 

 on their back, and in size scarcely exceed our calves 

 of a year old. The beef, however, is sometimes to- 

 lerably good, and forms the principal food of our Eu- 

 ropean soldiers ; and, though these animals are so re- 

 markably small, they are very useful as beasts of bur- 

 den. The buffalo is also found in great numbers on 

 this island ; and, being much larger and stronger than 

 the ox, it is more frequently employed for the lat- 

 ter purpose. Few parts of India produce a greater 

 variety of wild animals than Ceylon ; indeed, the fo- 

 rests are extremely dangerous, in consequence of the 

 number of beasts of prey and noxious reptiles which 

 infest them. Many wild ammaL are also offend to 

 the use of man ; and afford subsistence to the tubes 

 who, like them, range the forests. Among these we 

 may mention tygers, leopards, jackals, monkiea, por- 

 cupines, racoons, armadilloes, the ichneumon, the 

 flying fox, the cobra de capillo, the alligator, deer, 

 hares, wild hogs, and a varit-ty of others. The birds 

 of Ceylon are also a numerous class. The different 

 species of out domestic poultry are natives of this 

 island ; and there are few birds found in our wouds 

 which do not abound here. The more remarkable 

 birds of Ceylon, are peacocks, parrots, pheasants, the 

 honey bird, the Indian roller, the tailor bird, some 

 of which are found both wild and tame. Many ex- 

 cellent kinds of fish are caught all around the coasts 

 of Ceylon, and form a principal article both of the 

 traffic and of the food of the natives. See Percival. 

 For a more particular account of the zoology of Cey- 

 lon, see Pennant, vol. i ; Percival, p. 278 312 ; 

 Gardiner, vol. i. p. 213 248, 422 445; Knox, 

 p. 20 32 ; and Thunberg, vol. iv. 



In this place we shall introduce some account of Pearl fish- 

 the pearl fishery in the bay of Condatchy, which is er y* 

 one of the most important and valuable acquisitions 

 which the British have made on the island. The 

 banks where it is carried on extend several miles 

 along the coast, from Manaar southward of Arippo, 

 Condatchy, and Pomparippo. There are fourteen 

 beds, but they are not all productive ; and only two 

 or three of them are fished in one season. The 

 principal bank is opposite Condatchy, and lies out at 

 sea about twenty miles ; it is about ten miles in 

 length, and two in breadth : the others are much 

 smaller. The depth of water over the different 

 banks varies from three to fifteen fathoms ; but the 

 best is in about six or eight fathoms. 



The pearl oysters on these banks are all of one 

 species, and of the same regular form ; but they 

 are of different qualities and denominations, accord- 

 ing to the nature of the ground to which they are 

 attached, and the appearance of the zoophytes which 

 adhere to the outside of the shells. Thr shape of 

 the oyster is an imperfect oval, pretty nearly the same 

 as that of a cockle, and is about nine inches aad a half 

 in circumference. The outside of the shell is smooth, 



