405 



CEYLON. 



CEYLON. 



406 



with the prodigious extent of native plantations previously existing, 

 which extend in a belt along the western coast of the island almost 

 from south to north, and on the east as low as Batticaloa, an idea 

 may be formed of the remarkable capabilities of Ceylon in this one 

 article, now in so much demand in Europe. Large establishments 

 for crushing the oil by steam have been opened at Colombo, where 

 it is shipped to England for the manufacture of candles. 



The Palmyra palm abounds in Jaffna, and being productive in 

 seasons of drought, when the crops fail, is of great value to the 

 people. The leaves are used in the construction of huts, and also as 

 a substitute for paper, and various other purposes. Toddy is extracted 

 from it as from the cocoa-nut tree. The timber is used for rafters, 

 and is exported in large quantities. The kittul-tree is peculiar to the 

 south : its sap produces a coarse sugar, and its fruit dried and pul- 

 verised serves as a substitute for rice flour. The leaves of the 

 talipot-tree are so large that one will shelter many individuals. 

 They are used by the natives to protect them from the sun and rain. 

 When softened by boiling they serve to write upon, and are of great 

 durability. The Ceylon areca-nut is celebrated for its superior 

 quality, and is exported in great quantities. 



The cinnamon grounds are situated between Tangalle on the south 

 and Chilaw on the west, and in the more temperate part of Kandy. 

 They present, when the tree is in flower, an extremely beautiful 

 prospect, the small white petals affording an agreeable contrast with 

 the flame-coloured extremities of the upper and the dark green of the 

 inferior foliage. About half a million of pounds are exported 

 in a year, but the amount is gradually decreasing. 



A great variety of timber abounds in this island, and the restric- 

 tioui by which government formerly prevented its being cut without 

 a licence have been removed. Calamander, satin, rose, ebony, sapan, 

 iron, jack, halmalille, and other beautiful woods for cabinet-work are 

 in profusion. 



The coffee-plant thrives, particularly in the interior, and has of late 

 been greatly improved by culture. The number and size of the 

 coffee plantations had largely increased for several years before the 

 recent equalisation of the duty in England, which appears for a while 

 to have checked the progress of the planters; but the quantity 

 annually raised i still very great. The importation of coffee from 

 Ceylon into the United Kingdom in 1832 was 2,824,998 Ibs. ; in 1852 

 it had risen to 3A,316,9161bs. ; the entire quantity exported from 

 Ceylon in 1852 was 41, 706,448 Ibs. It is only within the last few 

 yean that any attention has been paid to the sugar-cane in Ceylon ; 

 but there are now several extensive and flourishing plantations, and it 

 is highly probable that sugar will soon form an important article in the 

 export trade of the island. Chaya root, which yields a scarlet 

 dye, was once monopolised by the government ; but the mono- 

 poly has been relinquished. Tobacco is raised principally in the 

 northern and southern districts. ludigo grows wild, but is turned 

 to little account, though it was in ancient times exported from 

 Trincomalee and celebrated all over India, Arabia, and Persia, and 

 greatly enriched the Ceylon merchants. Some cotton is raised, but 

 at present little more than is required for consumption in the island ; 

 64, 848 Ibs. were however exported from Ceylon into the United King- 

 dom hi 1852. The pepper- vine grows almost in a wild state. The 

 cardamom plant is abundant. FruiU and culinary vegetables are 

 produced in great variety and profusion. The cultivation of rice had 

 become neglected, hardly enough being produced for the consumption 

 of the inhabitants ; it* culture has however been vigorously resumed, 

 and a considerable quantity is now annually exported to Great Britain. 

 There are two rice harvests in the year ; the first about February, the 

 second in September. Gamboge, gum-lac, and cardamom seeds are 

 among the articles produced in Ceylon. 



The quadrupeds of Ceylon are for the most part like those of the 

 opposite continent. Elephants are most numerous in the northern 

 and eastern provinces ; one European officer in two years killed 400. 

 They often make predatory incursions in troops, and do great injury 

 to the crops. Among the ancients the elephant of Ceylon was cele- 

 brated for it extraordinary size and beauty. Leopards, tiger-cats, 

 hysenas, jackals, bears, racoons, and monkey* are among the more 

 numerous of the wild animals. There are several species of deer, of 

 which the elk and fallow-deer are found in the greatest number; 

 there is also another of very diminutive size called the moose-deer 

 (C'ermu Ant), which is caught by the natives, and exposed for Bale in 

 the markets. Wild hogs abound in the plains to the eastward. 



Of 20 different species of snakes examined by Dr. Davy, 16 were 

 found harmless. The Tie polonga is the most venomous. Pea-fowl 

 abound wild. Beche de Her, used for food and paste in China, is 

 collected off Chilaw and Jaffna. 



The chank, a species of cowry (Voluta grant), abounds on the 

 north-west coast of Ceylon. There are two kinds, payel and patty, 

 one red and the other white. A third species, opening to the right, 

 is very rare, and highly valued by the Hindoos. It has occasionally 

 been old for 10,000 rupee*, or WOOL The demand for chanks, caused 

 by the rites of the Hindoo religion, was once so great that the right 

 of fishing for them was sold by the government for 60,030 rix dollars 

 per annum ; but the demand decreased, until the revenue from this 

 source became not worth collecting, and now this fishery is free to 

 all. The chank fishery was important as a nursery for divers. 



The most productive pearl banks are situated off Coudachy, 

 extending 30 miles from north to south and 20 milea from east to 

 west. The fishery generally commences in March, when the calm 

 weather permits the boats to go out and return daily. Killecarre" is 

 probably the Colchi mentioned in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea 

 as the site of these fisheries, and they are carried on in the same 

 manner as described by travellers several centuries ago. The ancient 

 towns of Mantotte and Putlam probably derived much of their import- 

 ance from their vicinity. In 1833 there were 1250 divers employed, 

 of whom 1100 were volunteers from the opposite coast. Each pearl 

 bank is available only for one period, of about 20 days in every 7 

 years ; in no season does the fishery last for more than 30 or 35 days, 

 commencing with the calm weather, about the 5th of March. If the 

 oyster is taken before seven years old, ita pearls are imperfectly 

 developed ; vigilance is therefore necessary to prevent indiscriminate 

 fishing, which would destroy the banks, or at least render them quite 

 unproductive. The banks are let, or the pearls sold by the government 

 to the highest bidder. In 1797 the revenue derived from the pearl- 

 fisheries was 140,OOOZ., being the largest ever obtained by the British 

 government. From that time the fisheries gradually declined, until 

 they at length became wholly valueless as a source of revenue : they 

 are closed until 1855, when a valuable fishery is anticipated by the 

 governor. The sea-fisheries are very productive on all parts of the coast. 



Commerce. We have historical proof that, from the Christian era 

 until the beginning of the 6th century, Ceylon was the emporium of 

 the trade carried on between Africa, India, and China. The Romans 

 particularly, after the discovery of the passage by way of Babelman- 

 deb to Guzerat, by Hippalus, until the decay of their empire, traded 

 extensively with India and Ceylon ; the latter place being the usual 

 limit of their navigation, where they exchanged their gold and silver, 

 the chief instruments of their commerce, for the silks, fine cloths, 

 and costly commodities of Eastern India and China. This trade was 

 afterwards engrossed by the Persians, the principal part of whose 

 imports consisted of horses for the king. The persona on the islaud 

 engaged hi this trade were settlers Arabs, Persians, and Malabars 

 successively. The great commercial ports were Colombo and Galle, 

 though grain and provisions were exported in abundance from Trin- 

 comalee to the opposite coast. In the llth century the trade was 

 entirely in the hands of Mohammedan Arabs, who circulated its 

 productions through the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, and various 

 countries of Asia, Europe, aud Africa. 



The vast commerce of Ceylon was not materially checked till the 

 Portuguese engrossed the trade of its principal productions, and 

 interrupted those maritin>s relations which had existed previous to 

 the discovery of the paasa b b round the Cape of Good Hope. But it 

 was reserved for the Dutch system of pernicious monopoly to inflict 

 vital injury on its commercial interest*. The narrow policy or 

 individual interest of the Dutch governors shackled the commerce of 

 the island, and almost destroyed her natural powers of production. 

 These impolitic restraints have been removed ; but it may be still long 

 before Ceylon will cease to feel the effects of the evils which she has 

 suffered from misgovernment in her commercial affairs. 



The value of the exports from Ceylon in 1833 was estimated at 

 182,530*. ; of imports at 320.89M. In 1852 they had increased to 

 948,000^. and 1,000,4742. respectively; exclusive of the specie from 

 India, and of the imports re exported. The principal articles of 

 export are coffee, cocoa-nut oil, cinnamon, and areca-nuts. In 1847 

 the tariff of the island was entirely remodelled ; a low fixed duty, 

 instead of an ad-valorem duty, being charged upon nearly all articles 

 imported ; upon the exempted articles a duty of 5 per cent, ad- 

 valorem is still charged. Cinnamon is the only export paying duty, 

 and the duty on that is about to be removed ; there has been for 

 some time a falling off in the quantity exported. It used to average 

 upwards of a million pounds annually ; in 1350 it was 644,857 Ibs., 

 in 1852 it had fallen to 427,666 Ibs. 



Inhabitants. The population is at present composed of Singhalese, 

 Malabara, Mohammedans or Moors, Veddas or Beddas, a small pro- 

 portion of Europeans and their descendants, and negroea, Malays, 

 Chinese, &c. The Singhalese inhabit Kandy and the south and 

 south-west coasts from Hambantotte to Chilaw, and comprise the 

 great body of the people. They are probably descended from the 

 aborigines and the Gangetic nations, who invaded the ialand about 

 B.C. 543. The language and customs of the Singhalese are in some 

 respects peculiar. A woman was frequently married to all the 

 brothers of the same family, but this practice is going out of fashion 

 like many others. The civil distinctions of caste are strictly observed. 

 The abolition of the religious distinction of caste constitutes a 

 remarkable peculiarity in the institution of the Buddhists. 



The Malabars or Tamuls occupy the northern and north-eastern 

 coast, and the peninsula of Jafiuapatam. Their own traditions and 

 the Singhalese annals inform us that they came as invaders from the 

 opposite coast, and formed a powerful kingdom in Jaffua, besides a 

 number of petty states. They are Hindoos, aud have retained the 

 religious as well as the civil distinctions of caste, and the language 

 and customs of southern India, under some modification, occasioned 

 by their intercourse with the Singhalese. 



The Mohammedans or Moors are derived from the various neigh- 

 bouring islands and the continent, with the converts they have made. 



