A STRANGE SAIL--WE CONCEAL OURSELVES--MORE VISITORS--OLD FRIENDS--EMBARK
ON BOARD A MAN-OF-WAR--KINDNESS OF HER OFFICERS--LAND AT POINT DE
GALLE--A NEW FRIEND--SCENES IN CEYLON--SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF THE
ISLAND--COLOMBO.
Had I not kept a careful diary, we should very soon have lost all note
of time, the events of one day were so very similar to those of another.
Every day, however, we took a long walk, so that we thoroughly explored
the island from end to end. There was scarcely a tree, or a shrub, or a
plant on it which we had not noted. We were constantly reminded of the
benefit the kind doctor had been to us by pointing out the noxious and
the wholesome plants; and as in most instances there is a marked
difference between the tribes, when we found a new plant we were able at
once to tell to which it belonged. Strange as to some it may seem, the
time was a very happy one. I never felt weary; the day never appeared
too long. I ought to have said that one of my many sources of amusement
was instructing Tommy. I very much improved his reading and his
writing; and he was so anxious to learn, and intelligent, and attentive,
that it was a real pleasure to teach him.
Thus not only weeks but months passed by. In that latitude we enjoyed
an almost perpetual summer, so that there was no change of seasons to
mark the lapse of time. We kept our health for all that period, and
neither of us ever had a moment's illness. How different would have
been the case, however, had we not benefited by Dr Cuff's instructions,
and had the example of Sills and Brown not been set before out eyes to
warn us from eating the fish which so nearly killed them!
At last one day, as I was running down from the top of the peak, I put
my foot in a hole, and fell to the ground. When I tried to stand, I
found that I could not, and I had every reason to fear that I had broken
my ankle. I had only Solon with me. Tom was at the huts far out of
hearing. I was suffering agonies. Get there alone I could not. Solon
looked up affectionately in my face, as much as to say, "Master, what
shall I do?"
"Go and call Tom," I said, giving him my shoe. He took it, and off he
went as fast as he could gallop.
I groaned with pain as I lay on the ground. I had not long to wait. I
soon heard Tom shouting and Solon barking. My dog quickly led the way
to where I lay. Tom had understood what had happened, and had brought
two sticks to serve as crutches. Even with these I had great difficulty
in reaching the huts. Tenderly as a brother Tom nursed me day after
day. By bathing my ankle with cold water inflammation was kept down,
and to my great satisfaction I at last discovered that though I had
given it a violent wrench no bones were broken. I had nearly recovered,
though still unable to walk to any distance, when one day Tom came
rushing down from the peak almost breathless with haste, and crying
out--
"Mr Marsden--Mr Marsden, a sail in sight! a sail in sight! She is
standing this way from the eastward, and will be off the island in an
hour or so."
My breath came quickly; my heart leaped in my bosom as I heard these
words.
"At length we may be released. I may continue my search for poor
Alfred, and again get news from home."
These and similar thoughts crowded into my head. Then, again, it
occurred to me, perhaps, after all, the approaching vessel may be only
the slaver, or some craft of a similar character. We may be forced to
go in her, and at all events we shall be deprived of some of our
cocoa-nuts. I hurried out to meet Tommy, for I was able to walk pretty
well, and told him my fears.
"Then, sir, I think the best thing we can do is to hide and see what
sort of people they are before we show ourselves," he observed.
I agreed with him, but remarked that, if the strangers came into our
huts, they would at once discover marks of our having lately occupied
them, and hunt about till they had found us. We set to work, therefore,
to remove as far as we could all traces of ourselves. We had pretty
well succeeded in doing this when the stranger came round the point of
the island where we were. She was a ship, with taunt masts, square
yards, and very white canvas.
"I do not know what to make of her; she has a very rakish look, and is
not a bit like a merchantman," I observed, as I glanced at her through
my glass. "Why, I believe she is a man-of-war," I exclaimed, after a
more attentive look. "Yes, that she is, and there up goes the glorious
flag of Old England at her peak. Hurrah, they expect to find some one
here, or they would not have hoisted their flag. They are lowering a
boat. See, she is making direct for the passage between the reefs.
They must have been here before. Who can they be?"
Such were the words to which I gave expression, on first seeing what I
believed to be a vessel come to our rescue. We set off to hasten to the
spot where the boat could best land, but on our way the former feeling
of doubt and mistrust came over us, and we agreed that it would be more
prudent to hide till we had ascertained to a greater certainty the
character of the stranger. Calling Solon to keep close behind, we
retreated to a spot a little up the hill, where we could securely
conceal ourselves behind a mass of rock and thick underwood, whence, at
the same time, we had a good view of the landing-place.
"Silence, Solon, silence, good dog," I whispered, as he crouched down at
my side uttering, at the same time, a low stifled bark and growl as he
eyed the approach of the boat, and seemed disposed to resent the
intrusion of strangers.
In a quarter of an hour, or less, the boat, a large gig, touched the
land, and six or eight people stepped out of her. Without stopping to
look about them, they made directly for the huts. They were in uniform.
Others were dressed as men-of-war men, and one was in plain clothes.
Solon had planted his fore-feet on the rock, and was looking down at
them. Presently, forgetting all my injunctions, he uttered a loud bark,
and bounded off down the hill towards them, whisking his tail and giving
other signs of pleasure. The person in plain clothes turned round, and,
as he leaped up on his shoulders, welcomed him by patting his head and
shaking him by the paws. I put my glass to my eye, and looked
attentively at him.
"Why, Tom, it is Mr Henley," I exclaimed.
The next instant, forgetting my lameness, we were running down the hill
as fast as our legs could carry us, and most cordially were we welcomed
by Mr Henley and the officers of the ship in which he had come. Johnny
Spratt was also there. He had entered on board the man-of-war as a
seaman. He at once took charge of Tommy.
I can but afford a brief notice of the account Mr Henley gave me of his
escape. After leaving the island, long before he could reach the
burning ship, the gale caught him and he was driven by it away from the
land. The utmost that could be done was to keep the boat directly
before the seas, and they soon lost all hope of being able to rescue any
one from the burning wreck, while every moment they themselves expected
to founder. At length, through the darkness, they saw a huge mass
bearing down upon them. They shouted and shrieked. Their voices were
mercifully heard through the gale by those on board the ship. Sail was
immediately shortened. She was hove to. At that very moment the wind
ceased, preparatory to another blow, when it changed its direction, and
they were enabled to get safely on board. The ship proved to be a large
Indiaman, with a number of passengers on board; and the captain said
that he could not venture to heave to, even with the prospect of the
gale abating, to enable them to return to the island in the morning.
The burning ship was seen a long way astern, and he spoke of the great
responsibility he felt of delaying his voyage, even for the time
necessary to beat up to her. Still, he could not bear the thought of
allowing any of his fellow-creatures to perish without endeavouring to
rescue them. The ship was hauled on a wind under close reefed topsails,
and stood towards the burning ship. When, however, little more than
half a mile off she was seen to blow up, and instantly the spot where
she had been was shrouded in darkness. They sailed over it and across
it several times, but not a sign of a boat or raft could be discovered.
Once more, therefore, the Indiaman stood on her course; and Mr Henley
still remained uncertain whether or not the _Orion_ was the ship which
was burned. The Indiaman touched at Point de Galle, in Ceylon, to land
passengers, and here Mr Henley and his three companions went on shore,
and, reporting himself to the authorities, endeavoured to obtain a
vessel to come to the island to take us off. Some of the passengers of
the Indiaman had supplied him with the means of existence, and
introduced him to several of the merchants at Point de Galle, or he
would not have been able to remain there. Week after week passed, and
though ships appeared there was some other employment for them. Happily
for us Mr Henley was a man who, having once promised to do a thing, did
his very utmost to fulfil it.
At length, after waiting many months, the _Star_ corvette, Captain
Armstrong, came in. He gladly undertook to visit the island and to
bring us off; which he accordingly did, and landed us in Ceylon.
Captain Armstrong, who was one of the officers we had seen, was a very
kind man, and seemed much interested in the account we gave of all that
had happened to us.
I had seen a number of beautiful spots during my voyage, but Galle was
by far the most interesting and picturesque which I had yet visited. As
we approached the land we caught sight of Adam's Peak, with its summit
enveloped in clouds, and then by degrees the old forts, built as a
defence to the city, on rocks rising out of the sea, blue as sapphire,
appeared before us, with the bright yellow sand fringed with palm-trees
bending over the water, while the ground behind was covered with flowers
of the most brilliant hues; and beyond, again, rose hills of graceful
shapes, clothed to their summits with forests of perennial green; and,
further still, range beyond range of purple and blue mountains, rising
one above the other till lost in the distance. It struck me as being a
very strong place, all the fortifications being almost entirely
surrounded by water. There are two harbours--an outer and an inner one.
The _Star_ came to anchor in the outer one, among a number of vessels
of all sorts of curious rigs--the petamars of Malabar, the dhows of the
Arabs, the dhoneys of Coromandel, and curious sea boats from the Maldive
and Laccadive islands.
The captain, knowing how anxious I was to prosecute my search for
Alfred, invited me and Mr Henley to accompany him at once on shore. I
parted from the officers with much regret, all expressing themselves
most kindly towards me, especially the midshipmen, who invited me, if I
was able, at any time to take a cruise with them, and I assured them
that I should be very glad to accept their offer if I could do so. I
had fortunately kept my pocket-book about me when I left the _Orion_, in
which were my letters of introduction, so that, besides having gained
the friendship of the officers of the _Star_, I did not land as a
stranger in Ceylon, but had the means of forming numerous acquaintances,
whom I hoped would render me the assistance I so much required. I had
also, according to kind Mr Ward's advice, kept the gold he had given me
about my person, so that when I landed I did not feel that I was
altogether dependent on the charity of strangers; but I did not forget
that it was necessary, at the same time, to husband my resources to the
utmost. Of course, my clothes were almost in rags when I was taken off
the island, but my friends, the midshipmen of the _Star_, had rigged me
out completely while I was on board, and supplied me with the luxury of
clean linen, which I had not enjoyed for a long time. I had so many
matters of interest to mention during my stay on the island, that I did
not describe how Tom and I had to wash our shirts, and to sit without
them while they were drying, and to mend our clothes and shoes with bits
of sail-cloth, and how we made hats of leaves; indeed, we looked very
much like two young Robinson Crusoes by the time we went on board the
_Star_. I was now comfortably dressed, but as I had no right to wear a
naval uniform, I was anxious to get a suit of plain clothes as soon as
possible. I should have said that we had given Captain Armstrong a full
description of the slaver which had visited our island, and of Captain
Hansleig, and he said that he should keep a sharp look-out for him, and
try to ascertain his haunts that he might catch him if he could.
Passing under the frowning batteries of the old fortifications, we
landed at a handsome wharf among a crowd of people of various tints,
from the white skin of the European to the ebon one of the sons of
Africa, and habited in every variety of Eastern costume--Englishmen in
white dresses wisely shading their heads under japanned umbrellas;
Parsees, Chinese, Caffres, and Chetties from the coast of Coromandel,
wearing prodigious ear-rings, and with most peculiar head-dresses; then
there were Malays, Malabars, and Moors, Buddhist priests in yellow
robes; Moodhars, Mohandirams, and other native chiefs, habited in richly
embroidered dresses with jewelled swords and pistols.
At first I thought that there were a number of women standing about, for
the people, I saw, had their hair drawn back off their foreheads and
fastened up in a bunch behind, with a large comb stuck in it, while they
wore what looked very like petticoats. Captain Armstrong laughed at a
remark made to him on the subject, and assured me that they were men,
and they were dressed in the usual style of the country, which had
probably existed for many hundred years. Their features are generally
delicate, and as many of them have no beards they have often a very
effeminate appearance. The women dress much in the same way, and wear a
loose white muslin jacket which covers the body, and they seem to
delight in loading themselves with jewels. The children, though dark
coloured, are especially handsome. Even the principal houses, I
observed, consisted only of a ground floor, but of considerable height,
with latticed windows and tiled floors--a style which greatly conduced
to their coolness. Not only is Galle surrounded by palm-trees, but far
as the eye can reach they are to be seen on every side; indeed, the
whole of the southern portion of the island is covered with them, and
their produce, in a variety of forms, are the chief articles of export
from the place.
Captain Armstrong said that he had to go and call on the governor, and
so Mr Henley undertook to accompany me while I left my letters of
introduction.
"But you must have some head-quarters where your friends may find you,"
observed Captain Armstrong; and he kindly took us to a hotel where he
introduced us, and laughing, said he would be answerable for our good
conduct.
"Remember," he said at parting, "I shall be glad to see you on board my
ship whenever you can come; and if you find your brother, tell him from
me that I have no doubt that he will be reinstated in the navy. Certain
circumstances have come to my knowledge about that ship which make me
think this, while also no one now survives to bring any charges against
him."
I thanked the captain over and over again for his kindness, and more
especially for the encouraging remarks he had made about poor Alfred.
Indeed, this made me still more eager to try and discover him without
delay. I was received fully as kindly as I expected by all the
merchants and other gentlemen to whom I had letters, and after I had
told them my adventures they offered me every assistance in their power.
My grandfather was known to most of them. His estate was, I found, to
the north-east of Colombo, towards the interior of the country. It
seemed very uncertain whether he was there or not. None of them had
heard of my brother, but they told me that he had in all probability
landed at Colombo, and that I should be more likely to hear of him at
that place than at Galle.
I have not particularised the various people to whom I was made known at
Galle, but one of them, Mr Fordyce, a kind old gentleman, I must on no
account omit. Indeed, he took even more interest in my object than did
my many other friends. I have always found myself more attracted
towards old men than young ones. When they are inclined to be kind they
are so very kind, and considerate, and thoughtful. Mr Fordyce was
especially so.
He had been a clerk, without money or interest, but he had steadiness,
perseverance, and intelligence, and thus he rose to become junior
partner, and was now the head of the firm. He had realised a handsome
independence with, which he intended to return home; but he was doing so
much good in the place with it that he could not be spared, and this he
himself could not help seeing also, so he had stayed and stayed on,
fortunately for me, till I went there. He had travelled all over the
island, and knew as much about it as anybody in it. He was thus able to
give me a great deal of interesting information, of which I did not fail
to profit. After he had heard the account I gave of myself, he invited
me to take up my residence at his house.
"You must bring your dog too," he observed in a kind tone. "We must
keep him in a cool place, and not let him run about in the hot sun, or
he will be killing himself. And so you wish to set off to your
grandfather's property. I think that I can help you there also. A
young military friend of mine, Mr Nowell, is about to travel through
the country by way of Colombo to Trincomalee. You may travel together,
much, I hope, to your mutual satisfaction. He is a great sportsman,
and, very probably, during your journey, without being much delayed, you
will be able to see some elephant and buffalo hunting, and get, perhaps,
a shot at a deer and a wild boar or two."
I answered that I believed I should very much like to see the sport he
described, but that my experience was small in such matters. I had to
return to the tailor's to let him fit on my clothes, and to tell him
where to send them to.
"I shall now leave you with perfect satisfaction, my dear Marsden," said
Mr Henley in a tone which showed his regard for me. "I must now look
out for employment for myself, and have no doubt of finding it. I do
not intend to leave these seas for some time, so that I hope we may fall
in with each before long. One thing I promise you, that I will make
every inquiry I can for your brother; and should I gain any clue to him,
I will instantly write to Mr Fordyce, who will let you know what to do.
I had thought of proposing to leave Tommy Bigg with you, but I suspect
that in travelling through the country the little fellow would only be
an encumbrance to you, so I propose to take him with me, if he does not
break his heart at being separated from you."
We had left Tommy, who had come on shore with us, to look after _Solon_
at the inn. He had thought that he was to accompany me; and when he
heard that I was unable to take him with me (which certainly I could not
have done), he burst into tears, and said that he should never see me
again, and begged and entreated that I would change my decision. When,
however, Mr Henley told him that he would take charge of him, and that
he hoped to be of service to me by looking out for my brother, the
little fellow was at last comforted.
"It will be a pleasure indeed, Mr Marsden, if we can find out for you
where Mr Alfred has been carried to," he exclaimed, his countenance
lighting up with animation. "I don't believe that he could go and hide
away from his best friends of his own accord, from all you have told me
of him--that I do not--no."
I thanked the honest-minded fellow from my heart for the good opinion he
had formed of my brother. Right feeling himself, he at once intuitively
perceived how an honest, right-feeling person would act, and he divined,
therefore, that Alfred had not the power of communicating with his
family.
On parting from Mr Henley and Tom at the door of Mr Fordyce's house, I
found myself for the first time separated from all those with whom I had
left the shores of England. I felt more alone than I had ever done
before, till I looked at Solon, and he wagged his tail and rubbed his
nose against my hand, as much as to say. "Never mind, dear master, I
will stick to you to the last."
Mr Fordyce's residence was in the suburbs of Galle, on some high ground
surrounded by gardens overlooking the ocean. I cannot describe the
number of plants and shrubs bearing the most gorgeously coloured flowers
which adorned it. Everything was done to keep the house cool and airy,
with latticed windows, tiled floors, and high roof, such as I have
before described. My kind host very soon made me thoroughly at home,
and I quickly forgot that I was separated from all my older friends. At
dinner I met the young military officer, Mr Nowell, of whom Mr Fordyce
had spoken. I was altogether very well pleased with him, though he did
not show out much at first. He had a firm, independent manner, and a
mouth and eye which gave me a favourable opinion of his courage and
decision--qualities very important in a travelling companion in a
country full of wild beasts like Ceylon. He was not, however, greatly
to my disappointment, to start for some days; but I found that in that
part of the world things are not to be done in a hurry, and if I
attempted it I should exemplify the proverb, "The greater haste the
worse speed." I had no reason, indeed, to regret my stay with Mr
Fordyce, as I learned much more about the country than I should
otherwise probably have done. He also lent me a horse, and made me ride
out every morning for two or three hours after sun-rise, and again in
the evening, to get into condition, as he said, for my journey. He also
advised me to practise with my rifle.
"I do not wish you to become a mere lion or elephant killer, or to think
sporting superior to any other employment in life," he observed; "but in
this country a correct eye and a steady hand may often be of great
service to you, and they can only be obtained by practice."
Nowell coming in one day, and finding how I was employed was highly
delighted.
"You are just the sort of fellow I like to have with me," he exclaimed.
"You take to the work _con amore_. It will not be my fault if we do not
have some good sport. I like the look of that dog of yours too; for
though he has not, I suppose, been trained to this sort of sport, yet he
has evidently got so much sense in his head that I have no doubt he will
behave as you tell him."
I was as highly flattered with those encomiums passed on Solon as I was
with the compliments paid to myself. As may be supposed, with renewed
zeal I continued the preparations for my journey. For the greater part
of the day Mr Fordyce was at his counting-house; but I had the pleasure
of spending the mornings and evenings with him, when he gave me very
full descriptions of the country through which I was about to travel.
Ceylon is in shape like a ham, with the small end to the north. At the
south-west end is Galle, further up on the west coast is Colombo, and on
the north-east coast is Trincomalee, all which are now the principal
British settlements, while Kandy, the late native capital, is situated
on elevated ground surrounded by mountains in the very centre of the
island. A well-made road from Galle passes through Colombo and on to
Kandy, the native capital, thence it proceeds on to the sanatarium of
Neura-Ellia. The country on either side of the high road is for the
most part highly cultivated, and would give a stranger an
over-favourable idea of it, for but a short distance off on either side
of it, especially as it advances north, dense jungles and forests are to
be found in a primeval state, full of wild beasts of every description.
The island is about 270 miles long and 145 wide. It is divided into
five provinces--Central, Southern, Eastern, Western, and Northern.
A large portion of the southern province is covered with palm-trees; the
centre is a mountainous region, with magnificent scenery, crowned by the
lofty summit of Adam's Peak; while the low lands, where cultivation does
not extend, are overgrown with dense masses of forest and impenetrable
jungle. This is the condition of the northern and a large portion of
the eastern province. Kandy, the capital, is situated in the central
province, and in the high lands. In the northern part of it are to be
found the newly-established coffee-plantations, which promise to be a
source of great wealth to the country.
The country is indebted to Sir Edward Barnes and to Major Skinner for
the fine roads which have been constructed in every direction, and have
so much tended to civilise the people, to open up its resources, and
thus to add to its material wealth, while they have enabled the British
with much less difficulty to maintain their authority over it. From the
lofty mountains in the centre numerous rivers and streams flow down, and
thoroughly irrigate the greater part of this lovely island: indeed, it
may well be looked on as the Paradise of the East; for though, in the
low country, the climate is relaxing and enervating to European
constitutions, in the higher regions the air is bracing and exhilarating
in the extreme.
Next to the cocoa-nut and palm-trees, the chief vegetable production of
Ceylon is cinnamon, which grows both wild and cultivated wherever there
is sufficient moisture for its nourishment. Bread-fruit and jack-fruit
trees grow in large quantities, so does cotton, the coffee-tree, the
sugar-cane, and tobacco. Rice, cardamom, and the areca-nut are also
produced, while the Palmyra palm, teak, and numerous other woods
valuable for cabinet-making, grow in profusion.
With regard to wild beasts, in no part of the world are elephants finer
or more numerous; tigers are very formidable and destructive. There are
savage wild boars, buffaloes, and elks of great size, besides other
sorts of deer; snakes are numerous, and some of them of great size, and
wild peacocks and other game are to be found in abundance in the higher
country.
The aborigines of Ceylon are supposed to have been of the same race as
the people of Dekkan. They were demon and snake worshippers, and very
barbarous. In the sixth century B.C. they were conquered by Wijayo, a
native of India, who first introduced Buddhism among them, which
religion was afterwards established by his successors. From the vast
ruins and other gigantic works which are found scattered over the
country, there can be no doubt that Ceylon was for long inhabited by a
civilised and highly intelligent people.
Marco Polo visited it in the thirteenth century, and described it as the
finest country in the world. In A.D. 1505 the Portuguese, having
doubled the Cape of Good Hope, arrived there, and found the country in a
declining state, owing to intestine wars and the invasion of foreign
enemies. The Singhalese king besought their assistance, which having
afforded, they began in 1518 to fortify themselves in Colombo and Galle,
and finally possessed themselves of the greater part of the sea-coast,
shutting up the King of Kandy in the interior. In 1632 the Dutch,
uniting with the King of Kandy, in their turn drove them out and held
the country, though engaged in constant hostilities with the natives
till 1796, when the British (Holland having fallen into the power of
France) took possession of Colombo, Galle, Trincomalee, and other towns
on the coast. We, however, became involved, as had our predecessors, in
hostilities with the King of Kandy, and this led to the capture of his
capital in 1803. We, however, allowed the king to retain nominal
possession of his capital till 1815, when, in consequence of his
repeated acts of cruelty, the chiefs invited us to depose him, and the
whole island has ever since been under British sway, except during a
serious insurrection which lasted from 1817 to 1819, and various other
less important attempts at insurrection which have happily without
difficulty been quelled.
Such was a rapid sketch Mr Fordyce one day gave me of the country at
large. He remarked, however, that in his mind an especial interest is
attached to Galle. He considered it the most ancient emporium of trade
existing in the world, for it was resorted to by merchant-ships at the
earliest dawn of commerce. It was the "Kalah" at which the Arabians, in
the reign of the great Haroun Al-Raschid, met the trading junks of the
people of the Celestial Empire, and returned with their spices, gems,
and silks to Bassora. It was visited by the Greeks and Romans, and by
the mariners of Egypt under the Ptolemies. But still more interesting
is it from its being in all probability the Tarshish visited by the
ships of Solomon. They were built, we are told, at Ezion-geber, on the
shores of the Red Sea. The rowers coasted along the shores of Arabia
and the Persian Gulf, headed by an east wind. Tarshish, the port to
which they were bound, was in an island governed by kings, and carrying
on an extensive foreign trade. The voyage occupied three years in going
and returning, and the cargoes brought home consisted of gold and
silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. Ophir is supposed to have been
Malacca, whence ships brought gold to Tarshish. The sacred books of the
Singhalese are even now inscribed on silver plates, particularised by
Jeremiah as an export of Tarshish. Apes and pea-fowls are still found
in great numbers, while ivory must at that time have been even more
abundant than at present.
"Hurrah! old fellow," shouted Nowell one day, rushing into my room,
where he found me just as I had returned from my morning ride, and was
preparing for breakfast, "I have got my leave, and we are to be off
to-morrow morning. Are you ready?"
"Of course I am, and could start this moment," I answered. "All right,"
said he. "We are to go as far as Kandy in a carriage, I find. It will
not be so romantic, but far more comfortable in the hot weather. After
that we shall get horses and tents, and then our fun will begin, I
hope."
Great was my pleasure to find that Mr Fordyce was going with us through
Kandy to Neura-Ellia, a station established as a sanatarium, 6000 feet
above the sea. The next morning we found ourselves seated in a
primitive-looking vehicle, denominated a mail coach, which ran daily
between Galle and Colombo. Nothing could be more beautiful than the
road. We were literally travelling under an avenue, seventy miles long,
of majestic palm-trees, with an undergrowth of tropical shrubs bearing
flowers of the most gorgeous hues, and orchids and climbers hanging in
graceful wreaths to all the branches. Birds of the gayest plumage,
gaudy butterflies, and insects with wings of metallic lustre, were seen
glancing in and out among the trees, while lizards of various hues ran
along the road, all adding to the brilliancy of the scene. Whenever
there was an opening, on the right side could be seen the white cottages
of the natives amid their gardens of cocoa-nuts and plantains, with the
purple mountains beyond, and that mysterious Peak of Adam in the
distance; while on the left glittered the blue sea, studded with islets,
round which were dancing masses of white foam; the yellow beach,
approached almost to the water's edge by the green fields and tall
palms, while here and there bold headlands rise up and form sheltering
bays to the fishermen, whose primitive craft we could see moving along
the shore.
There are several resting-places on the road. We remained longest at
Caltura--considered, from its position on a height facing the sea
breeze, one of the most healthy places in Ceylon. The scenery in the
neighbourhood is also magnificent. From the extent of the cocoa-nut
groves, arrack is here largely distilled. The toddy or juice is drawn
from the trees into bowls suspended to catch it, and numbers of the
great bat _Pteropus_, called by Europeans the flying-fox, come and drink
from them. They begin quietly enough, but by degrees the toddy takes
effect, and, like human beings, they break into quarrels, and continue
increasing their noise till it becomes most uproarious.
Having been ferried across several rivers, we reached Colombo in about
twelve hours after leaving Galle.
Colombo is not an interesting place. It is on a level, strongly
fortified, and has a lake in the rear, from which the inhabitants are
nightly serenaded by huge frogs and mosquitoes, and tormented in the day
by numberless flies. The European merchants, therefore, have their
houses chiefly in the neighbourhood shaded by palm-trees among the
cinnamon plantations. We spent but a day here, while, with Mr
Fordyce's assistance, I made inquiries for my grandfather and Alfred,
but could gain no information on which I could in any way rely. We
again, therefore, continued our journey in the same way to Kandy.