No. 62. — 1909.] NOTES ON DELFT. 359 



only part of Ceylon where it (wheat) has yet been found to 

 thrive." Neither hemp nor wheat is now grown in Delft, 

 though we have had two agricultural societies at work, one 

 in the forties of last century and the present society of sixty 

 years later date. I do not know of any other Governor's 

 visit. There may have been others during pearl fisheries. 



The Hon. Mr. Robert Boyd, Commissioner of Revenue, 

 visited Delft in the schooner Eliza, which left Colombo on 

 February 27, 1823. 



5. His Excellency the Governor invited the Meeting to offer 

 comments on the Paper, and none being forthcoming, His Ex- 

 cellency said that he would like to make one little remark. It had 

 interested him on looking through the Paper before coming to the 

 Meeting that a reference was made to the fact that a survey 

 of the island of Delft was made in 1854 by Mr. D. Quinton. 

 When His Excellency was in Singapore he had very often to refer 

 to old plans, and like most old plans they were often inaccurate. 

 But he frequently came across the name of D. Quinton, whose 

 surveys were always reliable and accurate. His Excellency could 

 not say whether this was the same D. Quinton ; but if it was the 

 same , they could rely on the survey being very good and accurate. 

 The Paper that had been read was a most interesting and instruc- 

 tive one. He was sure that everybody would regret the fact that 

 they were soon to lose Mr. Lewis, who took such an interest in the 

 Island, and so thoroughly. They would all regret his departure 

 when the time came to lose him. One fact, which would be of 

 special interest to temperance workers at home, was that the 

 inhabitants of Delft were always drunk, and, consequently, lived 

 to a good old age ! 



6. His Excellency the Governor next called upon Mr. P. E. 

 Pieris, C.G.S., to read his Paper entitled " The Dutch Embassy to 

 Kandy in 1731-32." 



Mr. Pieris, before reading his Paper, said that he was unfortu- 

 nate in that he had to follow the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, 

 which placed him at a disadvantage. 



His Excellency the Governor : Always follow him ! 



7. Mr. Pieris, continuing, said that he had forgotten to bring 

 the original manuscript, and as he lived 75 miles away there was 

 no way of his getting it in time for the Meeting for their inspection. 

 He then read the Paper, which is a translation by him from the 

 Sinhalese of Wijesiriwardhana, Maha Mudiyanse, otherwise called 

 Lewis de Saram, Maha Mudaliyar. 



The original document was found in an old walawwa in Matara, 

 and was placed at his disposal by Mudaliyar Gunaratna. The 

 name of the writer was well known in the low-country, being that 

 of a member of a family which supplied more Maha Mudaliy&rs 

 than any others. 



