Jjov, h 1893. J THJi TROPICAL AGRiCliLTURIST, 
343 
THE EARLY EUROPEAN COCONUT IN- 
DUSTRY IN THE BATICOLOA DI3TEICr. 
Batticaloa North. — An old resident in Batticaloa 
has sent us the following interesting notes in con- 
nection with this subject : — 
The coconut planting enterprise in Batticaloa 
North was commenced fifty years ago by the late Dr. 
Sortain, a worthy Britisher who. after distinguishing 
himself in physical science and metaphysics at 
Edinburgh and Germany, came out to the Bast as a 
navdl doctor, and then joined the Civil Medical 
Department. He eventually devoted himself exclusi- 
vely and successfully in 1816 to the coconut industry 
at Tannamunai estate, five miles from the town of 
Batticaloa, at the head of the northern arm of the 
lagoon. Simultaneously Mr. Robert Atherton, 
senior, then Assistant Government Agent at Batti- 
caloa, opened Kalmunai estate, IJ miles to the north 
of the bar, and perhaps owing to the Governor's minute 
as to Civil Servants holding landed property, he sold 
it to his cousin, Capt. (afterwards Colonel Meadows 
Taylor, the well-known historian and novelist of Cen- 
t -•dl Itidif .) His bro:hers, Mtssrf. Selby and GUnvile 
'J aylor, came over here, the latter fo look after hia 
brother's Hyderabiid estate, and thfi other to open 
out Lineogoor for Captain (i-fterwardi General) Bal- 
m«in Aviiiling- themselvps cf a series of watsr holes 
or "cobbs they made an artificial cinal up to the 
mouth of the river for cheap and oisy transport of 
materiala and produca to and from the g iup of 
estate-. But pioneer work of this bind was too 
ranch for the young mca, and they both succumbed 
ti dysentery one altsr another. The large herd of 
black cattle they hai acquired were brought down 
to the towQ and eold with their other effect'. But 
some of them seem to have broken ewiy inti the 
jangle and their progeny — a herd of wilJ black cattle 
knowQ Bs '■ Tijlor Dnrai's cattle" — are still roam- 
in about the jungles ; the ynung imes being occasion- 
ally trapped and trained by the wily natives. More 
than oue of those estates now belong to Mr. 
Edward Atherton, retired District Judge. 
Mr. Charles Dixon was the son and heir ofOolonel 
Dixon, who iotroduced civilization among the Abori- 
ignoa of Central India near Ajmere, and induced the 
Iridian ru'er of the place to lound a new city "Nya 
Nagger, " and for whom a permanent memorial has 
been lately rnised there. Young Charles Dixon set 
to work vigouroubly, and opened out the Ajmere and 
Nya Niigger eststee, founded a town residence and a 
country residence, became connected with the Athertom 
by marrroge with a relatives of thtir, and was gett- 
ing on splendidly for a time. But in an evil hour 
he became enchanted with the dazzlirg proopecta of 
ooSee, sold out his estates, one to a Tamil broker 
and the other to a Moori-h trader, while his tiny 
garden was donatod to his god-daughter, the child 
of the Rev. S. Nicholas, then of Batticaloa and who 
died as the Colonial Ohapiain' of St. PaulV, Colombo. 
The property was eventually bought by the Jato Dr. 
Coviugton, and noiiv forms a part of that bone of con- 
teutiou, the new market of the Local Bo rd, Mr. C. 
Dixon proceeded to the Central Province and invested 
his savings in coffee. Ho failed with the failure of 
coffee, sickened, and died there. Ilia tldest daughter 
married young Forbes (son of the late Government 
Agent), who diedatMatari lately. only eon, C. 
Dixou, junior, went out to Ainerioi, bu6 ia now, we 
.believe, in the Struts Settlement". Besides the 
Tanramunai estate, opened by Dr. Sortain, the pioneer 
plnnter, there was also another medico. Dr. Jal'and, 
who opened Mylampiveli estate, but disappeared from 
the scene without making his mark. 
Myhnipavtdi estate belongs to Mrs. Atberton, sanior. 
The Hftvcn belongs to the luirs of Mr. Treahy — a 
thrifty non-commissioned otfioer who took to coconut 
pUritio?, and owned estates at Trineomalee and Batti- 
ciloa. lie wan a good man, and was snccesaf ul for a long 
time anil when K t'.aimuiiai (Fur^. point) became the 
northern suburb of the town uftir ttio cuustructioii of 
the bridg^i, ho built good hou;ei in tlie most desirable 
nooka of jungle lands that he hid had the forothcught 
^3 bu}-, and I'cute) (hoaa out;to Bavopotko residents. 
E ookwood estate was opened in 1850 by Mr. Kidd ; 
but the natural advantages posjessed by lands in that 
quarter were not discovered until more recent times, 
when theall classes and creede, nor ia it devoid of 
several queer differences ofopinion and romantic tales. 
Kumour bas it that ouce upc n a time a public servant, 
who also had a hereditary penchant for planting enter- 
tained a friend of his at 'his town residence. While 
conducted through the rooms to his aooustomod morn- 
ing bath the friend espied on the walls the plans of 
all the estates in which the public servant and the 
members of his family were interest)ed. Ampler 
details no doubt must have been freely given during 
the post-prandml small talk. Several inaccurate 
impressions were received and formed. Time passed 
by, months elapse 1, the friendship cooled, and causes 
of difference arose, blatters were bronght to a 
head, and then followed in quick Bucctssion a 
commiBsion of enquiry and iia train of at- 
tendant circumstance. In the meantime the cooonnt 
plant? rose up, as no earthly commission coull arrest 
their natural growth. A few changes, a mer e flea- 
bite, the coast cleared, and the quondam public ser- 
vant reigned supreme. Land-grabbing is thought by 
some to be a vice peculiar to the members of the 
Anglo-S\xon race, but when accompanied by a benign 
patriarchal disposition and a kindly and philanthropic 
dispo.itiou, it is of immense and lasting benefit to the 
natives around, which though real is honestly acknow- 
ledged by a few only, 
Cbantiveli (upper and lower), in the Northern divi- 
sion of the Batticaloa district was opened in 1847 by 
the Messrs. Mnnro, The p'ace was then (and to some 
extent is even now) the haunt of the bear, the cheetah, 
and the elephant. Being keen sportsmen they were in 
their turn spotted by the wild beasts. They bad 
monthly encounters during full moon time and contend- 
ed for the mastery of the primeval forest that had 
hitherto remained untouched by civilized man. One o£ 
the brothers was hugged and severely bitten by a 
bear, which disabled him from active work for a It-ng 
time. The other brother fell ill and eventually died. 
Au Assistant Superintendent, a gigantic Highlander, 
escaped malaria and the wild beaats for a time, Au 
elephant at last trampled him olmoat to death, and 
returning to Bnrope, he died there. Strange to say 
the "beir-bit ea Durai" (Mr. Stuart Canada Mnnro) 
has returned to hia first love. Half of the estate 
belongs to the heirs of Colonel Spencer, vizi — 
(1.)— Charlotte France? Bona, widow ot George 
Fitzory, Efquire; (2.) — Frances Isabella Catherine, 
widow ot Lord Vere Choloaondeley ; (3 ) — Caroline 
Louisa Elizabeth, widow ot the Hon. Charles Murra ; 
Hay Forbes; (4.) — Georirica Meliceut Julia Spencer, 
and (5.)— Joiin Winston Thomas Spencer, Major, K. A. 
But the "Liird ot Chautiveli," an old bachelor still, 
loved and honoured alike by all classes, remains the 
sole representative of the pioneer planters of the 
liastern Province, a model of justice, equity, and 
liberty. A list of tho ettatas and the present owners 
is as follows : — 
Rockwood 
Hyderabad 
Linsogoor 
Newnham 
Kumbilymadu . 
Mylampaveli , 
Tannmuuai . 
Havoii 
Ajmere 
Nya Nugger . 
Navalkoni 
Kuhunuai 
Extent 
Name of Estate. Properties, in acres 
Kumbi^rumulai S. A. Crowther 135 
Chautiveli, Up. ^ p" * I r,00 
per and Lower 1 '^""^^q^ - 
^ I nel Spence i 
E. N. Atherton 277 
E. Ni. Atherton 500 
B.N, Atherton 40 
E. N. Atherton 180 
E.N. Atherton SO 
Mrs. E. T. Ather- 
ton 400 
Mrs. Sortain 63S 
Heirs of Treahy 80 
Vannithamp lOo 
M. Ahamatu- 
levai c^i- Brothers 100 
Dr. Orr 200 
U, Kadramnr") 
and Mrs. J. B. > 370 
(a, Swamiuft^Jcr J 
—V Lijcal Times," 
Bemarks. 
Acres. 
125 cultivated 
Estate, grass 
Land & Jangle 
ICO cultivated 
100 do 
20 
150 
54 
150 
208 
4 
do. 
do, 
do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 
OOOcnUivfttQ^^ 
