POINT DE GALLE. 
11 
On the 21st of December we came to an anchor at Point de Galle, in 
Ceylon, after having been becalmed in sight of land for the two preced¬ 
ing days. A strong current had set us nearly sixty miles to the south¬ 
ward and westward. Point de Galle is a small fort situated in 6° 1' N. 
lat. and 80° 19' 20' E. long.; and the town is only remarkable for being 
clean, and the rendezvous of the East India Company’s ships, previous to 
their departure for England. We were shown into the cinnamon ware¬ 
houses, which are very extensive, and were built by the Dutch. Walk¬ 
ing through the fortifications, we saw a bread tree, seven feet in girth, in 
full leaf, though without any fruit upon it. Its branches are large, its 
foliage thick, and its leaf measured twenty inches in breadth, and 
fifteen in length. The scenery on this coast is very grand ; the prin¬ 
cipal object is Adam’s peak, which rises conspicuously from a high 
chain of mountains, and is a safe landmark for seamen. Columbo is 
the best market for obtaining specimens of the mineralogical produc¬ 
tions of Ceylon. The refuse is brought to Galle, and I bought a 
cinnamon stone for six rupees from a man who had asked me twenty 
for it. Our stock of fresh provisions had been entirely exhausted, and 
,as the provisions at Galle were scarce and dear, we only took in a suffi¬ 
cient quantity to last us to Cochin, where they were cheap and in 
plenty. We sailed for Cochin on the 22d. On Christmas day we were in 
the Gulf of Manaar, and I was amused in the morning to hear some of 
the sailors wishing a merry Christmas, and many happy returns of the 
day to my neighbours, the sectaries of Ali; for to a sailor Christmas 
day is of all religions. We found ourselves about twenty miles to the 
north of Cochin on the 28th, and were therefore obliged to bear up, 
keeping close to the shore, until we anchored in five fathoms, opposite 
to the town. The great regularity of the coast, which is bordered by 
a line of cocoa-nut trees close to the water’s edge, leaves it unfurnished 
with any striking land-mark, and it was only by a break in the line of 
trees, and a.flag-staff that is seen above their summit, that we disco¬ 
vered the situation of Cochin. The ship had not yet anchored when 
she was surrounded by fishing-boats, each of which had some excellent 
fish for sale,, just fresh from the sea. We had rock cod, mullet, and 
c 2 
