Ea:pence of living at Columbo. 143 
reared in great abundance; although neither I nor my brother 
officers were very partial to them, as soon as we found that 
^ cleanliness was reckoned an entirely superfluous article in feed- 
ing them. From the same cause we were not very fond of see- 
ing ducks on our tables, although they were rather cheap and 
in plenty. Geese are rare, and turkeys not to be had, except 
a few imported occasionally by ships coming from other parts 
of India. 
In consequence of the additional expence to which the mili- 
tary stationed in Ceylon were unavoidably subjected, govern- 
ment granted them full batta, or a double allowance of the 
East India company’s pay. This however went no farther than 
the half batta on the continent ; where indeed one might live 
better in every respect on the lesser allowance. One considerable 
difference arose from lodging ; as on the continent, quarters, or 
an allowance for finding them, are always given to the officers; 
whereas in Ceylon, they are obliged to pay for their own houses, 
generally at the rate of from six to twelve pagodas a month. 
V 
