APPENDIX. 316 



a thin shell. Having no keel, this kind of a «raft wouldj of 

 course, very easily upset, were it not that this is provided against 

 by having what is called an " outrigger," consisting of another* 

 smaller, solid log placed parallel with it and about ten feet off, 

 connected with, the canoe by two strong arms of wood, slightly 

 curved above the water, and which are fastened so as to give 

 them great rigidity — in effect, all the staunchness of a raft, but 

 with clipper-ship sailing qualities. Above the slit in the canoe is 

 built up a light weather-board, or rather water-board, to prevent 

 the water dashing in during rough weather; and these crafts, 

 carrying a large sail and manned by four or more natives, go 

 through the water at a rate which, it is said, is equalled by no 

 other class of sailing craft afloat. When there, is a stiff breeze, 

 in order to ballast them, they put a man out upon the outrigger, 

 and when it blows heavily they put two men out, this living bal- 

 last clinging fast to lashings, and in their parlance it is called a 

 " one-man " or " two-man " breeze. To a European, seeing them 

 for the first time, they look precisely like a large and a small cigar, 

 made with both ends tapered, placed parallel with each other in 

 the water, connected by a couple of straws, and he wiU hardly 

 believe that they are safe craft for him to venture in ; but they 

 are largely used as ferry-boats between the shipping and the shore, 

 carrying trunks even, as well as passengers, and are said to be the 

 best boats that can possibly be made for going through a heavy surf. 

 Point de Galle itself is a quaint old town, originally fortified 

 by the Portuguese, from whom it was taken by the Dutch, and 

 they, in turn,, were dispossessed by the English about the begin- 

 ning of the present century. It has but Httle coromerce, the great 

 bulk of the exports and imports of the island being made at the 

 port of Colombo, which is about eighty miles along the coast to 

 the northward. Between these two places communication is 

 regularly, maintained by steamers, and there is also a very excel- 

 lent road along, the coast,, by which the distance between the two 

 places is made by post-coach in nine or ten hours. This stage- 

 coach ride proved one of the most enjoyable parts of my whole 

 journey. The road, like most English roads, is smooth and level 

 as a floor, and throughout nearly the whole distance is densely 

 shaded by graceful cocoa-nut palms, which here grow in great 



