ARIPO. 
335 
Aripo: opposite to these places are the celebrated pearl banks, 
to superintend the fisheries of which Mr. North has erected a house 
at the expense of four thousand pound sterling. It is certainly a 
pretty piece of Doric architecture, and, I believe, very pure. The 
outside is entirely covered with a brilliant white chunam, which 
has all the effect of marble. The oyster shells have been burnt to 
form it, and certainly answer better than any thing else. The in- 
terior is inconvenient, and small. I am surprised that Mr. North 
did not prefer St. Sebastian to this place, where he can reside for 
a few weeks only in the year. He would also there have had the 
benefit of beautiful scenery, and lofty shady trees ; whilst here 
nothing can be more unsightly than the country around, which is 
a perfect flat, sandy, and without a tree. A garden, they say, is 
to be formed ; but for years nothing but the ocean, and as dreary a 
waste on land, will be visible from the windows. We went a little 
farther to a bungelow built for the Governor, till the house should 
be finished. It was cool and spacious: near it is a little fort-like 
. house, where a Mr. Nagle resides, who is the acting architect. From 
him I met a very civil reception, and staid to rest myself the 
whole of the day. At half after nine we re-embarked for Manaar, 
the breeze being favourable ; hy one we were at the mouth of the 
channel which separates that island from Ceylon. Our men were 
unwilling to enter it in the night, and consequently cast anchor. 
January 22- — As soon as it was light we entered the channel, 
which is of considerable width at high water, but extremely shal- 
low, except for a very narrow winding space, which is marked off by 
stakes driven into the mud. We were two hours in reaching the 
fort, which is the strongest I have seen since I left Golumbo, having 
