Vol. XVII.] COLOMBO, JUNE ist, 1898. [No. 12 . 
A PIONEER PLANTATION IN 
CEYLON AND A 
SOLDIER PLANTER. 
OOFFEE-TEA— CACAO IN THE DUMBARA 
VALLEY. 
[We are much indebted to the London friend 
who writes “ You have published Memoirs of 
many of the Pioneer Planters. Would jour readers 
care for one of the Pioneer Plantations ? If so, 
the enclosed may interest you. I think all the 
figures and statements can be depended on as 
far as they go, if you pui them into shape.”— We are 
exceeedingly pleased to have the following most in- 
teresting contribution, and to see that it tells us a 
good deal about a distinguished soldier-planter as well 
as about his plantation ; and also gives us the story 
of the very beginning of Coffee ; and afterwards of 
experiments in Tea ; and later still describes Cacao 
cultivation in the Dumbara Valley. — Ed. “ T.A" \ 
N some respects the history of 
The Ra,j.iwella Estates may 
be considered interesting if only 
as illustrating the more general 
story of Ceylon as a “ Plan- 
tation Colony.” 
It commences on the 18th 
June, 1836, when a tract of 
land called Diabululawella and 
Rajawella, situated at Kcngalle in the Oodoogampattu 
Korale of Dumbara, consisting of 1,583 acres, was 
granted by His Excellency the Rt. Hon. R. Wilmot 
Horton, Baronet, Knight of the Rl. Guelphic Order, 
Governor, Ac., of Ceylon, (in consideration of the 
payment of ^395 16.9. “id.) to the Hon. George Tumour, 
Esq. and Colonel Martin Lindsay, C.B.; and was 
opened by them as a Coffee Plantation. 
There have been some additions and subtractions 
from the acreages of this gran ; but much is still 
owned by the Colonel’s grandsons, Messrs. Martin 
Hadden and Charles & Martin Pirie. 
Colonel Lindsay, a well-bred Scotchman and toiigh 
old soldier, had entered the Army in 1794 (above 
104 years ago) at the early age of 12, and had seen 
much active service with the 78th Highlanders in 
India, Java, and Holland, in the great struggle with 
Napoleon Bonaparte. In the actions at the taking 
of Java he commanded the regiment as Major, the 
Colonel of it being shot, it was said, by his own 
men. In Holland at the attack on Merxem, January 
1814, Lieut. -Col. Lindsay (promoted Lt.-Col. 1813 
won his C.B., heading the gallant 78th in a bayonet 
charge which decided the day. He had his grey 
charger shot under him. He distinguished himself 
also at the bombardment of Antwerp, and indeed 
wherever he fought. 
In 1826, Colonel Lindsay brought his Highlanders 
to Ceyljn. He filled various civil and military posts 
here, until 1835, when he retired from the Army. In 
1828 he was appointed First Commissioner for the 
Kandyan Province, and in early days turned his 
attention to Coffee planting as we have seen, in 
conjunction with his old friend and associate in office, 
the Hon. George Tumour. It used to be said that 
these old friends and associates in office were helped 
not a little in their Coffee ventures by commissariat 
carts in transport, and in various other ways* This 
may be only the ill-natured or envious remarks of 
some with less suitable land ; for, as always happens, 
very many of the pioneers were unfortunate in their 
choice of land. They were all helped at first by 
“Protection,” differential duties in their favour against 
Brazil rivals, and others ; and for awhile by good 
prices. 
* Even within our day, the Eostmaster-General 
of Ceylon, old Major Barton, who fought at 
Waterloo, used to “ frank ” his daily supply of “ oats ” 
for a race-horse in training, through the post from 
Colombo to Nuwara Eliya. — E d, 2\A. 
