COLUMBO. 
317 
of Ceylon must be considered as equal in respectability to that of 
any of the Company's Presidencies. It gives me real satisfaction to 
observe that the good humour of the Governor has extended to all 
afound him ; no animosity is discoverable ; on the contrary, every 
body tries to contribute to the general satisfaction. 
The difficulty of procuring European articles for the table is very 
great in Ceylon, no ship having lately arrived from England. The 
only luxury is fish, which is fine and in abundance, but dear.* No 
splendour is attempted; but every thing is neat, and the reception 
is most hospitable. The hours are early, which to me was a pleas- 
ant circumstance ; we were generally in bed by nine o'clock, and 
the refreshing sea breeze procured a repose that is unknown in 
the sultry plains of Bengal. 
General Macdowal has taken great pains to cultivate European 
vegetables ; in this he has not had much success. He has however 
procured many fruit-trees from Bengal, which will be a valuable 
acquisition : amongst them are the Loquot and Lichi. With care and 
exertion I am sure the island would produce everything that could 
be wished ; but at present there is nothing but what is indigenous. 
The houses are in general large and cool, with verandahs the 
whole length of the front. They are but one story high and have 
no pretensions to elegance. A prejudice existed among the Dutch 
that the sea air was unwholesome, they therefore built all the 
houses in the Fort of Columbo, with their backs towards it, and by 
means of walls kept it off as much as possible. 
* In soine houses, particularly General MacdowaFs, the table was well served. Mr. 
North, though he loved good things, could never scold, and consequently his dinners 
were the worst in Columbo ; at which he would often laugh himself, and express his satis- 
faction when he was to dine out, where, as he said, we should have something eatable. 
