COLOMBO. 241 



waist, and displaying a breast as hairy as Esau's, whom a stranget 

 ■would not suspect of being able to buy a hen and chickens, will sit 

 down and sign his name to a check on the Oriental Bank for fifty 

 thousand rupees as calmly as I would. But the similarity would 

 end there, for he would get the money, and I would "get left" 



My reception by the Government authorities at Colombo was 

 of a highly characteristic nature, and I am tempted to record it as 

 a fair illustration of the aggravation a traveller is sometimes forced 

 to endure. The incident may serve as a caution to other natui*al- 

 ists who intend to visit Ceylon. 



When Professor Ward and I were in London we looked up the 

 question of alcoholic supplies in the East Indies, and upon being 

 informed that methylated spirits (alcohol charged with methyhc 

 acid to render it forever unfit for drinking in any way), by virtue 

 of its character, entered all ports free of duty, the Professor pur- 

 chased ninety-six gallons of it at 3s. 2d. per gallon, or seventy-six 

 cents. Thirty-six gallons were shipped to Colombo, care of Messrs. 

 Lee, Hedges & Co., to await my arrival, and the remainder was sent 

 to Singapore. I hardly need to say that this spirits was of greater 

 strength than anything procurable in Ceylon, and was to be used 

 in preserving fishes, small reptiles, and crustaceans. 



The case of spirits lay in the Custom House until I reached 

 Colombo, when it so hapj)ened it was cleared by our agents, at my 

 request of course, while I was off for a few day's shooting. 



Imagine my horror to find upon returning that the customs au- 

 thorities had levied an import duty of six rupees per gallon ($2.70) 

 on the spirits, the same as if it had been good alcohol, and of course 

 Messrs. Lee, Hedges & Co. had paid it. It amounted to the neat 

 little sum of two hundred and sixteen rupees, or over a hundred 

 dollars, and the case was in my possession. 



I mentioned the matter to ]\Ir. Ferguson, editor of the Ceylon 

 Observer with a statement of the circumstances, and he immediately 

 assured me that some one had blundered ; that the authorities cer- 

 tainly could not intend to give me so hostile a reception ; and that 

 without doubt, a proper representation of the case to the Governor 

 would procure a rebate of the amount charged. Our agents were 

 of the same opinion. Accordingly I went to see the Collector of 

 Customs, I\Ii-, W. D. HaUiday, who, when he had heard my state- 

 ment, gruffly remarked : 



" Might write to the Colonial Secretary about it ; that's all the 

 S^dvice I can give you ; good day." 

 16 



