AND THE MALAY STATES 



n 



a well-known copra producing place. On the day following, at 1.15 in 

 the morning, we passed behind the great breakwater and dropped anchor 

 in Colombo harbor, in the midst of a great fleet of passenger and tramr> 

 steamers of all nations, native boats, lighters, etc. Most of the men 

 aboard were on deck, although pa jama-clad, and as the coaling was 

 soon to begin, I went ashore, passed the little black customs inspector 

 without difficulty, and, getting in a jinrikisha, was soon at the Galle 

 Face Hotel and sound asleep in a big wide bed that seemed delightfully 

 steady when contrasted with even the comfortable berths of the 

 Himalaya. 



PADDY [RICE] FIELD IN CEYLON. 



It may, perhaps, be well just here to refresh the reader's knowledge 

 of Ceylcn with the following facts. The island lies south of India 

 proper, and is two hundred and seventy-one miles long and one hundred 

 and thirty-seven miles broad, and contains about 24,700 square 

 miles. It has under cultivation, or used for pasture, some 

 3,500,000 acres more than a fourth of its area. Of this about 520,000 

 acres are devoted to rice and other grains, the next largest planting 

 being tea, of which there are about 400,000 acres. Other important 

 products are cocoanuts, spices, coffee, sugar, cacao, tobacco, essential 

 oil grasses, etc. 



The population of the island is about 3,500,000, of which less than 

 10,000 are Europeans. The majority of the natives are Singalese, of 



