No. 44.— 1893.] KNOX'S " CEYLON." 33 



There is, as could be expected, very little humour in Knox's 

 book, but I have culled two rather comical expressions and 

 one bull, although he was no Irishman. He says of the 

 headmen : — 



These Inferior Officers commonly get their Palaces by Bribery* 

 Their Children do pretend a right to them after their Father's 

 Death, and will be preferred before others, greazing the Magistrate. 



This does not mean smearing that functionary with 

 -cocoanut oil, but, as we would punningly put it, " applying 

 palm oil." 



Again, speaking of the method of catching fish in shallow 

 water with a basket, he says : — 



These baskets they jobb down and the ends stick in the mud, which 

 often happen upon a Fish. 



To "jobb" is now only used as pure slang. Knox^s bull 

 is only a small one : we might describe it as a " this 

 -country bull." He describes Kandy as " three square like a 

 triangle. 



In spite of his lack of education in the ordinary sense of 

 the word, this castaway sailor lad has given us a most de- 

 lightful book, which is as interesting as " Robinson Crusoe,' 1 

 and in style it is the equal of Defoe's masterpiece, although 

 Defoe was what might be styled an experienced literary man, 

 and is now an English classic. 



Knox's work was favourably ushered into the world 

 with a brief preface by Sir Christopher Wren, and a longer 

 ■one by Robert Hooke, a portion of which I will quote. 

 He says : — 



\, . 



He has in this History given you a taste of his Observations, in 

 which most Readers, though of very differing Gusts, may find somewhat 

 very pleasant to their Pallat. The Statesman, Divine, Physician, Lawyer, 

 Merchant, Mechanick, Husbandman, may select something for their 

 Entertainment. The Philosopher and Historian much more. I believe 



at least all who love Truth will be pleased Read therefore 



the Book itself, and you will find yourself taken Captive indeed, 

 hut used more kindly by the Author than he himself was by the 

 Natives. 



42-93 d 



