perature as the coast of Coromandel, this worthy of 
remark, that it may not be atLerapted, as has in 
past time occurred, to inrroduce unsuccessfully 
objects for cuitivenioM, whicu are not wuit^d to 
tbb climate ; as for example, pepper and coffee in 
the dry toil of the east and co.ton in tlie moist 
ground on the west. Very higli mountaiiis occupy 
ail the Ulterior of the Is-laud towiirds itie south, 
these approach on the west, v.;ry near to the coa^t, 
which is s(enerally unequal ; 'out m bending froui the 
south to the east they have extensive plains be- 
tween lliemselves and the sea. In the north of '.he 
Island, from the river Mahaweliganga which fl^iws 
to the east and that of Chilaw to the west excepting 
the mountains near Trincomalie, no elevation moie 
than one hundred yards exists. 1 he country i« not- 
withstanding generally high, and without exten- 
sive marshes, except the salt works of Pullam and 
some parts of the district of Jafnapatum. A great 
number of rivers, having their so\ucts in the moun- 
tains, irrigate and fertilize the counciy, but some 
are only navigable 6 or 8 leagues from their mouths 
in the sea. 1 lie Mahaweliganga alone has a very 
extensive and considerable current, but it is rapid 
from its source in Ihe mountains so that it is not 
navigable against the stream, before its separation 
into three branches in the districts of Taman- 
kaduwa. 
The inhabitants of Ceylon consist of four tribes 
who are very distinct in origin, religion and man- 
nerso In the district dependant on Kaudy the 
mass of population is composed of Singhalese. They 
occupy a portion of the southern and western 
parts, to the boundaries between Chilaw arid 
i: otiam. The Malabars or Uiudoos all the 
north and east of the Islaul, ilie Moors 
who are the moso laburioiis, aie spread everywhere, 
Veddas or Beddas, who according to every appear- 
ance are the only iudigeui>us tribe, live in a wild 
state and in small numbers in the forests which 
extend throughout the whole length of the Island 
from south to north in the east. 
The brevity of this document will not permit 
further details of these people, except that the 
Singhalese proless the Buddhist religion, ana that 
the Maldbtirs are the same as Hindoos who 
inhabit the peninsula of India. 
The Forluguese established themselves at Ceylon 
more than three cenlurits ago, but occupied with 
the wars which their aiiibiiious projects gave rise 
to, and with spirit of proselyiism they contributed 
to further depopulate the Island wherever they 
went, without however experiencing any inconve- 
nienae from it, as they weie provided with every- 
thing by their establishments on the continent. 
The Dutch who expelled the Portuguese 150 years 
subsequently made a slow progress towards the 
better state of things which their peaceable 
character and the mild and economical nature of 
their Government would naturally bring iabout. It 
is to be remarked that those two nations carefully 
preserved the ancient forma and usages for the 
Government of the interior of the country, not 
considering it prudent to govern on a foreign plan. 
The Dutch first turned their atteuiiou to the 
Cinnamon alone and to some other products 
which they suiij'tcied to an exclusive monopidy, 
although they were the fru.ts ol the cultiva- 
tion and the labour of the inhabitants, who 
Bhoula iheiefote have their part of the trade. 
The Hjuciehing state of the company caused them 
to pay less attention to cultivations of the hrst 
necessity ; unless these are re establishedi no terri- 
torial revenue of any consequence can be expected 
They have introduced, ir is true, and with some 
success ihe cultivation of Pepper, Cotlee and Carda* 
mom ; othei trials have been less successful. That 
ot the mulberry and vine entirely failed. The 
(Joioiiy was only in consideration for the Cinnamon 
and for the laeiaty which it gave the Directors and 
generally the members of Government to enrich 
some of their relati.'ius and creatures. 
The petty interest of functionaries, the egotism, 
folly and e-fpecially the want of energy of the 
general Government have formed almost continual 
obstacles to a seoiled plan of amelioration, and 
Governor-General Van Goens and Baron Van 
Imlioff are the only ones, who in former periods 
have had such a plan for their object ; the others 
occupying themseives with the dt-tails, lost sight 
of the main purpose. Peaceable possession permit- 
ted strict economy in expense, yet they always 
exceeded the revenue which in the former state of 
things amounted to 6 or 700,000 florins. 
The deficit was taken from the profit on 
Cinnamon. Towards the middle of the last century 
appeared what was called the economical Memoir 
of Governor-General Mossal, to fix the ordinary 
expenses of each escablisfament. 
This Memoir within the bounds of which it 
was impossible to keep, had no other effect than to 
introduce into the books of ihe company an account 
of the extraordinary expenses which were liable 
yeariy to be sciutiuized and questioned by the 
Genernl Government. 
In 1761 the violent measures of the Governor 
Sohreuder caused troubles in the western parts 
of Ceylon, and the Kiiidians by animating 
and supporting the revolted, gave rise to the 
v;ar wbich lasted many years. It was at first 
unsucceasfnl on the part of the company, but 
it changed character, when Governor Schieuder was 
recalled and superceded by Governor Van £ek, 
who took Kandy and occupied all the frontier 
provinces. At last the Kaudians were so har- 
rassed and ciicuuiscribed in their mountains in the 
interior, that not being able for three years to 
tow or reap, the chiefs ot thecounti v were on the 
point of giving up their king on the condition 
that eacii should be independent in his own 
province, when Governot Van £ek died. The event 
did great injury to iifFtirs till Governor Falck 
arrived in 1765. Then the war and negotiation com- 
nienced with success and peace was concluded in 
Feb. i4th, 1766, by a treaiy which ensuied 
to the company the sovereignly of the whole 
circumference of the Island, or of an extent of the 
country three times as considerable as that they 
previously held. The new Governor was persuaded 
of the propriety ot contending himself with that 
advantage, and even avoiding the acquisition of 
territory in the interior of Dhe Island which far 
from giving produce at a lower price would aug- 
ment its values 
The advantages obtained by this treaty were 
rather dearly bought. The war had cost them 
ten millions of florins, some thousands of soldiers, 
and it had coiisideiably retarded the progress of 
cultivation. Tlie Kaudians were so much humili- 
ated by the treaty, that they did not dare to stir 
for the 20 years during the Government of Falck 
lasted. 
Agriculture made some progress under so long an 
adiuiniitratiou J the probity and oider introUuced 
into the ditterent departnienis augmented the 
revenue of Ceylon ; but averse from prudaoe to 
