142 Expence of living at Columho. 
One principal cause of the scarcity of vegetables, (which form 
so great an article of food in these warm climates) for the first 
years after our gaining possession of the island, was the Dutch 
having failed two successive seasons in procuring their usual an- 
nual supply of seeds from the Cape of Good Hope and Holland, 
The seeds of European plants of all sorts degenerate very much 
in this climate in a few years, and soon yield but an indifferent 
produce. The plants require much care in the rearing, and no 
less is necessary in preserving the seeds from the ravages of 
the ants and other vermin, which fasten upon every thing of 
the vegetable kind that comes within their reach. To preserve 
the quality, it is absolutely necessary to have a fresh import- 
ation of seeds nearly every year from their natural climates. 
Such articles however, as are the native produce of the island, 
are found in great abundance and at a moderate price. Beef, 
fish, and fowl in particular, are both cheap and plentiful. Mut- 
ton is excessively dear, as no sheep can be reared in the neigh- 
bourhood of Colombo . I have already mentioned that it is 
only at Jafnapatam they have ever been pastured on Ceylon 
with success ; and the transportation of them from thence or 
from the continent of India must of course render the price 
of mutton excessively high at Columbo. I am doubtful, how- 
ever, if either the climate or pasture of the island be so noxi- 
ous to them as is generally imagined. I have eat remarkably 
fine and fat mutton, which had been brought from Bengal and 
the Coromandel coast, and pastured on Ceylon several months 
before it was killed. 1 am led to think that one principal 
reason, why sheep have not been reared here with success, is 
their falling so easy a prey to jackals, snakes, and other noxi- 
ous animals. There are also in many places certain poisonous 
herbs which prove particularly destructive to sheep. Pigs are 
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