No. 9.— 1856-8.] DISTRICT OF nuwarakalawiya. 



147 



At present, the people seldom get more than 3s., for a load 

 of cotton : this is attributed to the vast quantities of cloth now 

 imported from India and England. 



Being anxious to multiply as much as possible the varieties of 

 plants on which the people depend, I applied for, and obtained 

 from Government, two sacks of Bourbon and New Orleans 

 cotton seed, which I am now distributing among the people, 

 who, however, shew their wonted apathy on this occasion also. 



High forest land is invariably selected for cotton. 



Tobacco, when grown at all, is only found in small gardens, 

 containing forty or fifty plants. 



With regard to che'nas generally, it must be observed, that, 

 unlike paddy fields, they belong not to individuals, but to 

 villages collectively ; and it is by amicable arrangements among 

 themselves, that it is in each season arranged what portion shall 

 be allotted to each man. As a general rule, all land from which 

 water drains to the tanks or field of a certain village belongs to 

 that village ; and to its inhabitants is reserved the right of 

 cutting che'nas within the limits so defined. 



For some reason, which I do not know, chenas are not 

 portioned off by parallels, but by radiating lines from some 

 central spot, such as a large tree, boulder, &o. 



Inhabitants. 



The mass of the inhabitants are Sinhalese, approximating in 

 manners, feelings, and appearance to the Highlanders, and not 

 to the degenerate race which swarms in the maritime districts, 

 and for whom they entertain a thorough contempt. Every 

 man is a cultivator or proprietor of land, and I do not sup- 

 pose that there is one Sinhalese villager who is to any extent 

 dependant on a trade for livelihood. Many persons are by 

 caste mechanics, as blacksmiths, goldsmiths, washers, tom-tom 

 beaters, &c, but the last two bodies alone devote any attention 

 to their hereditary business, and even their reward consists 

 not in money, but in land ; thus the people of a village will 

 give a piece of land to some dhohies on condition that thev 



