40 
THE ISLAND OF CEYLON. 
as goldsmiths, jewellers, joiners, and makers of all different 
parts of household furniture. They are very expert in their 
respective occupations ; particularly that race known in this 
island by the name of Portuguese, who surpass all the rest 
in the beauty and dexterity of their workmanship. 
Dependent upon the district of Jaffna, and at a small dis- 
tance in the sea to the north-west of Point Pedro, are seve- 
ral small islands, which the Dutch named from their own 
native cities. Delft, Harlem, Leyden, and Amsterdam. These 
islands they employed in breeding horses and cattle, as from 
their excellent pasturage they are better adapted to this pur- 
pose than any part of Ceylon. The English government con- 
tinues the same system. The horses are bred under the superin- 
tendance of officers appointed for the purpose, and when at a 
proper age, are disposed of on account of government. It 
would be unjust to pass unnoticed the many improvements 
introduced into every department of this district, by Colonel 
Barbet of the seventy-third regiment, who has been commander 
and collector of this district ever since it came into the pos- 
session of this country. His conduct has rendered him equally 
esteemed by his countrymen and the natives. 
The woods towards the interior which separate this district, 
and the others we have hitherto described, from the king of 
Candy’s dominions, are inhabited by an extraordinary race of 
savages, supposed to be the aboriginal inhabitants of the island, 
and known by the name of Bedas or Vaddahs. As they never 
leave the recesses of their woods, and carefully conceal thern- 
H 
