account of ceylon 1861

8/9/2019 Account of Ceylon 1861

1/196


2/196

JERIfUEYIBRARYDIVERSITY OFZALIFORNIA

t-h

t


3/196


4/196


5/196


6/196


7/196

I 1


8/196


9/196

^

3fc

**


10/196

I


11/196


12/196

LOAN STACK


13/196

TO

Sir Charles J. MacCarthx,GOVERNOR AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

OF THE

Island of Ceylon and its Dependencies,

This work is by permission dedicated,

with much respect, byHis Excellency's

Obedient Servant,

THE WRITER.

| Ubi Taprobanen lndica cingit aqua.


14/196


15/196

CONTESTS,

INTRODUCTION Vll.CHAPTER I. GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION, CLI-

MATE, SCENERY, &C. OFCEYLON, 1

II. INHABITANTS AND RESIDENTS, 16III. ANIMALS, VEGETABLES, AND

MINERALS, 32IV. HISTORICAL SKETCH, 38V. ANTIQUITIES, IllVL RELIGION, EDUCATION, LITER-

ATURE, 128VII. TRADE AND REVENUE, 148

VIII. CONCLUSION, 151APPENDIX, 154


16/196

cLomnr.Da'goba, a bell shaped monumeiii

Budha.Pansala, the monasWiha'ra, a Budhist tem;


17/196

INTRODUCTION.

Emerson Tenkent has made the remark,tore works havebeenpublished on Cey-in on any other island in the world,

not excepted Such being theion may naturally be askedwhy

n thought necessary to addber. To thiswewouldreplygeneral charae ter, lias beenjcial view to the wants of

it tube chiefly interested in anid,namely, the sons of theh Government has ex-

opean learning to itsriousmissionary

oyed education as ai eir great etui ,andse benefits have

graphically, most conn-a historical ac-


18/196

VIII INTRODUCTION.

nothing of that one in which they were bornand bred.There is in the history of Ceylon, muchthat is calculated to kindle the flame of pa-triotism, and to stir up its children to exertion.At a timewhen England was unknown to thegreater part of Europe, and when the savageswho inhabited it, painted on their bodies thefigures ofthe sun, moon, and stars, Ceylonwasthe seat of civilization, the nursery of art, andthe centre of commerce in the East. Theships of Rome, Arabia, Persia, India, andChina floated in her waters,the productsof those various countries glittered in hermarts. Her stupendous monuments, heragricultural works, the splendor of hercourts, the wealth of her princes, the mild-ness of their sway, were the themes withwhich foreign ambassadors delighted theears of their masters on theirreturn. Shouldthe reader, however, turn with longing eye tothedays ofold, andthinkof " the degeneracy ofmodern times," wewouldremindhim that suchstructures as the dagobas of Anuradhapuraand Pollonnarua, the pyramids of Egypt, theteocalis of Mexico, belong to a period of theworld's history, far removed from this practic-al age :that the construction of works forthe irrigation of rice fields would not be the


19/196

INTRODUCTION.

he present day ; arid that the undertakeuitable to our times are our bridges, and ouroads,those arteries that convey betweenhe centre of our system and its remotestixtremities, the products that are as our life)lood. We would bid him remember too, thatto subjugated racenow toils as the Yakkos ofthat theirmasters may enjoy themselves ;nit that to all classes alike is acceded the

o do what they will, provided they fo-ot with the equal rights of oth

hism.


22/196


23/196

BRIEF ACCOUNT OF CEYLON.

CHAPTER I.graphical position, Climate, Scenery, fyc. of

Ceylon.Ceylon is an island, lying at the south-eastern extre

ilty of the Peninsula of Hindustan, from which it issparated by Paik's Straits and the Gulf of Manaar.

hoals called " Adam's Bridge," extend-ed Manaar on the Ceylon side, to

of Ramesuram on the Indian side, preventsssels ; and it is only by incessant

channel between Paumben andof India' is kept open for ships of light

point of Ceylon is Pt. Palmyra,,;< ; the most southerly is Dondefra.

>f the equator. Its mostkande, in longitude 81, 54',is Colombo, in longitude 79,

Its extreme length isst breadth, 137J miles. Itson its north-western coast, is


24/196

GEOGRAPHY, CLIMATE,Among the many names by which Ceylon has been

known, are Taprobane, Zerendib, and Zielan. It iscalled by the Singhalese, Singhale Dwipe, and Lanka;and by the Tamuls, Elankai.The scenery, climate, and vegetation of Ceylon, vary

considerably. In the north, the country is flat, the airdry, the soil light, and spontaneous vegetation compar-atively scanty. Along the south-western and southern seaboards, the view is diversified, the air humid, and thefoliage dense. On the east coast, about Trincomalie, hilland valley, wood and water, are mingled in a mannerpicturesque beyond description. As we advance fartherinto the interior, the undulations of the coast swell intomountains of considerable size. Here the traveller entersthe regions of forests and running water ; mist and rainalternate with bursts of glowing sunshine ; the air iskeen and bracing ; the scenery bold and striking.The highest mountains in Ceylon arePethuru Tallegalle, in height - 8,280 Eng. feet.KirigalPotte - " 7,810Tottapelle - * -7,720Adam's Peak . - 7,420NamoneKoole - " - 6,740Almost the whole of the Central province however, is

a succession of ranges of hills, covering in all, an areaof 4,212 square miles.Where there are mountains, we naturally expect to

find rivers. Of these, the three largest are :The Mahawelliganga


25/196

SCENERY, &C OF CK\These three rivers take their rise near Adam's Peak

in the SafTragarn district. The Mahawelliganga passesby Kandy, meanders through the jungles of Bintenne,.and empties itself into the sea near Trincomalie. TheKalaniganga discharges itself at Mutwal, a few milesnorth of Colombo. It is navigable for boats to the footof the mountains at Ambegamoa. The Kaiuganga flowsby Caltura, and is navigable for boats to Ratnapoora.

Next to these three, are the following :

Name of river.


26/196

GEOGRAPHY, CLIMATE,formed by the waters from the interior spreading them-selves over the low ground near the sea, from which abar of sand usually separates them. Over this, thefresh waters at certain periods force their way, and flowinto the ocean : at other times the sea has the mastery,washes over the bar, and renders the lake more orless salt. Such was probably at one time, the case withthe Colombo lake ; but means having been adoptedto prevent the entrance of the sea, it is now alwaysfresh. Between Colombo and Galle several sheets ofwater are to be met with, of the nature described. Whatis commonly called the Jaffna Jake, is however of a dif-ferent character. It is properly speaking, a lagoon orshallow inlet of the sea, subject to the influences of thetides, and entirely independent of any addition to its vol-ume from rivers, of which indeed there are none in thePeninsula.The Island of Ceylon has been artificially divided in-

to six provinces ;--the Western, the North-western, theNorthern, the Eastern, the Southern, and the Central.The principal places in each will be described in the

following pages.Colombo, the capital of the island, is situated in the

. Western Province, on the sea coast, a little below the 7thdegree of north latitude. It enjoys the benefit of a de-lightful sea-breeze, during the prevalence of the south-western monsoon. The temperature varies from 76 to86 Faht, but the winds considerably mitigate theheat. Frequent showers maintain a constant verdure,except during the months of February, March andApril, when those Europeans who can do so, betake


27/196

I

SCENERY, &C-i OF CEYLON* 5The Colombo lake forms an agreeable feature in the

scenery of the place ; its banks are dotted with the resi-dences of European gentlemen, who, confined for thegreater part of the day to their close ofiices within theFori, escape, after business hours, to their homes, whichare either, as already said, on the lake, in the cinna-mon gardens which adjoin it, or on the sea-shore.The Eurasians principally occupy the Pettah, which

is regularly laid out after the manner of D.utch towns,in streets parallel, or at right angles to each other. Amixed population inhabits the rest of the town.The Governor resides within the Fort ; which also

contains the barracks of the European troops, most of thei mercantile offices, the Banks a Library , and

Commerce; an Episcopal, a Presbyte-ii Wesleyan place of worship. The Malay

.rtered about a mile off, at a place eall-

:-hief town of the Southern Province, is3 south of Colombo. The fort is built onprojecting into the sea.

Galle marks it at once as the na-br the steamers which ply be-Calcutta, China, and Australia.

p!ace of much resort. The na-1 are expert in the manufacture

with ivory and the vaiid is celebrated, as well

>, &c. &c, which

iule is picturesque, and the cli-


28/196

prevails there, called elephantiasis. The main symp-tom is the swelling of one or both legs to an enormoussize. The natives attribute it, rightly or wrongly, to thoquality of the water.The investigations of Sir Emerson Tennent have led

him to believethat Galle was the Tarshish of Scripture,whence the ships of Solomon carried ivory, apes, andpeacocks. The reasons assigned if not conclusive,are in favor of the supposition.

Trincomalie, the capital of the Eastern Province, issituated on the east coast. Its harbor is one of the fin-est in the world. It is land locked ; and so deep is thewater even close to the shore, that vessels of the largesttonnage may lie close alongside the naval yard, whichhas there been constructed for the use of Her Majesty : *ships in the Indian seas. Its name is thought by someto be a corruption of Terukonatha rnalai or the moun-tain of the sacred Konather, in whose honor a temple,celebrated throughout India, once stood within the limitsof what is now called Fort Frederick ; but its name isin reality derived from Tirikona malai, or the threeconed mountain. Fort Frederick, which commandsthe Back and Dutch bays, is protected on the side facingthe open sea, by a projecting cliff, on which a flagstaff and light house are erected. From the verge ofthis eminence, the eye looks down a declivity of severalhundred feet, sheer into the boiling surf below. Thereis a monument on its summit, to the memory of aDutch girl called Francina van Reede ; and traditionsays, that the hapless damsel threw herself over this fear-ful precipice, in sight of her faithless lover, as he sailed


29/196

SCENERY, &LC OF CEYLON.The coast about Trincomalie is indented by numerous

bays. The Inner harbor, commanded by Fort Ostenberg,is studded with islands, one of which is called SoberIsland, where there is a pleasantly situated bungalow,Jcept up by the naval officers on the station.The geological features of Trincomalie are remark-

able. The jungle in its neighborhood is dense, and exrtends to the very water's edge ; and wild animals in-cluding elephants and cheetas, are to be met with closeto the town. The scenery is beautiful ; but the heat fora great part of the year, is intense ; for the town is shutjn by hills, and the soil consists ofquart?, each particle ofwhich acts as a minute rnirror, in reflecting the rays of thesun. During the prevalence of the north-east monsoon,which, on this coast is the sea breeze, as the south westis on the opposite side of the island, the climate is delight?ful ; and the loveliness of the country and the facili-ties for water excursions, offer inducements for pleas-?ure parties such as no other part of the low countryaffords.About seven miles from Fort Frederick at a place

called Kannia, are six hot springs which though varyingin temperature from 98 to 160 Faht., are evidentlyconnected with each other.The town of Jaffna, the principal station in the North?

ern Province, is 221 miles north of Colombo, on thesouthern side of the peninsula of the same name, andon the shore of the lagoon called the Jaffna lake. Ow-ing to the shallowness of the water, vessels usually unloadtheir cargoes at the other ports in the district. Thefort is a neat and compact structure, built by the


30/196

GEOGRAPHY, CLIMATE,constructed of square blocks of coral, a substancewhich is abundant in the peninsula. It admits of beingcut into any required shape, with the saw and adze, andhardens on exposure to the air.The peninsula of Jaffna is intersected by excellent

roads, and the facilities for making them are great-er than in any other part of the Island, on account ofthe comparative cheapness of labor, the abundance ofmaterial, and the absence of engineering difficulties.We may observe parenthetically here, that the excel-lence of the roads throughout the Island is always asubject of remark with strangers, and is highly credita-ble to the Government, and the department of publicworks.The scenery about Jaffna differs considerably

that of the rest of the Island. The diversity of hill anddaie is entirely wanting ; rivers and streamknown. It has however beauties of its ovselse in Cevlon has agriculture been carriedperfection. Viewed through a crystal atrnosphr iboring objects stand out io relief withline remarkable even, in the tropics. Ti.headlands seen across the smooth lagoon, at t :to hang in air, so imperceptibly do skthe landscape appears rath/and the soft sun-octs, the still aications i iculturist,and calm.We must content oui

of the smaller towns and ports -fore proceeding to the inter


31/196

SCENERY, &C-, OF CEYLON.Pantura, a thriving and busy little place about 15 milesfrom the capital. It has a police court and a customhouse.

Caltura comes next, a pleasant and salubrious locali-ty, 26 miles from Colombo, on the banks of the Kalu-ganga. It is a district judge's station, and has also aCustom house. The dilapidated fort is used as a jail.Barbaryn is a port of entry, between Caltura andBentotte ; the latter, famed for its oysters, is 88 milesfrom Colombo on the south bank of the Bentere river,which separates the Western from the Southern Pro-vince.

Balipitye Modera, between Bentotte and Galle, is asea port, and magistrate's station.Dodandowe is a small port, eight miles north of Galle.Proceeding eastward from Galle, we come to Belli-

gam, a customs station, 16J miles from Galle; andthence we proceed to Matura, 11 miles further, the re-sident station of an assistant agent. The spirit of liti-gation must be strongly developed about Matura, for kis the only place in the Island where there are two dis-trict judges.

Gandura is a port between Matura and Tangalle.Tangalle is about 23 miles east of Matura, and is a

district judge's station.Hambantotte, the last place of note in the Southern

Province, lies on the shores of a large bay, and is 79miles east of Galle. An assistant agent resides here,as well as a commandant in charge of a detach-ment of the Ceylon Rifles. The extensive salt pans inits neighborhood supply a great part of the island with


32/196

10 GEOGRAPHY, CLIMATE,Batticaloa is the first town in the Eastern Province,

which the traveller reaches after leaving Hambantotte;the distance between them is upwards of 154 miles.The town is built on an island in the lake, which islandis about three and a half miles in circumference, andis called Puliantivu. The fort has been converted into an sidence for the assistant government agent. A dis-trict judge is stationed there. The distance from Trin-comalie is upwards of 106 miles by land.

Mullitivu, is a small station between Trincomalie,and Point Pedro, It belongs to the Northern Pro-vince, and one officer discharges the united duties ofassistant agent, magistrate, and collector of customs.

Point Pedro is 21 miles from Jaffna, at the extremenorth of the Island. It is a thriving place of trade, andhas a police court, and a custom house : but rhe town ofVelvattetorre, 4J miles west of it, threatensstrip it in commerce. The port of Rangebetween this place and Kayts, which is a seamagistrate's station.

Manaar, built on an island of the s;arated from the mainland by a sh?tween two and three miles broad. It 1:miles north of Colombo. An assist:ment agent of the Northern Provas well as a sub-collector of customfort.

Leaving the Northern ProvinceNorth-western is that of Calpenhsula which forms the western bng locat-ed here as to have lost all connection with the countryfrom whence they originally came, and to justify theirbeing regarded now, as sons of the soil. They arcthe descendants of Arabs who settled in Ceylon and theIndian potTheirspoken lain ah tfohamedai

-laiive, ei

the Jews of the east. In theshop-or px a purchaser. In ' pene-trate to the re irrying w7ith th

sring them for horn otton, gratie, &c. The;heads or shouldeilocks in pack saddles. Tltalipot leaves, theiiThus they wander

ell know:a fire lb*

'

a hu huv as ihey drivevvliosf tinkling bra

the bright moon-1;for tra


51/196

RESIDENTS OF CEYLON. 29of his head to grow ; he uncovers his head to salute afriend and smiles. The moorman shaves his head and letshis beard grow ; he uncovers his feet and looks gravewhen he meets an acquaintance. Moormen generallywear on the head a white cloth cone-shaped skull cap,affording but little protection against the sun for theirshaven crowns, which nevertheless they expose writh im-punity to its rays. They are finely made, and their fea-tures delicately chiselled. They are inimitable traders,and generally succeed in getting the best side of a bargain.

RESIDENTS.The residents in Ceylon as distinguished from the in-habitants, are the Malabar Coolies, the Na'ttucotta chitties,

the Parsees, the Caffres, the Malays, and the Europeans.The Tamil coolies come over from the eastern or Coro-mandal coast, principally from the district of Madura.By them, all the work on the coffee estates is done, ex-cept the felling of forest. They are induced to leavetheir country by the high wages they receive here. Theyperiodically revisit their own land and when they havesaved enough they usually cease to return here. Theirhabits are simple and their wants few. They are muchbetter treated, and enjoy more liberty here than underthe company's government. But now that India belongsto the crown, matters will mend in that respect. Theirreligion is Hinduism.The Na'ttucotta chitties are a very interesting class of

people. They are brokers from India and are engagedactively in trade. Their fidelity in their transactions usedto be proverbial, and while thousands of rupees passthrough their hands their mode of life is simple in


52/196

30 THE INHABITANTS ANDCeylon, They are generally connected with mercantilehouses in Bombay, whither their ancestors fled to es-cape the persecution they underwent in Persia from

trymen. They are disciples of Zoroastera re fire worshippers. " 5 ss ia* white, with a

glazed elevated turban. They are a fine race, and theirmanners are very pleasing and gentlemanly. They livein great style in Bombay, and generally drive the finesthorses. One of their number the late Sir JarnsejeeJijeebhoy of Bombay was created a baronet by theQueen. Here they only remain on account of the de-mands of bThe CarTrefc are the , from the

west coast of Africa, many of whom were once slavesunder the Portuguese at Goa. They are woolly head-ed, and have all the characteristics of the Negro,are either soldiers or pioneers in the road departs

The" Malays originally came from the straits of Malac-ca, and were enrolled in the Ceylon Rifl< , as. Theirdescendants are mostly to be found engag mil-itary service. They are in religion Mstatui , but they are co-made, very brave, and fond of war. Theirweapon is a poisoned l< they usequarters. They are howev,ropean style, and on pamEuropeans. Thelanguage and trained to the art of w ibie, and they grow up smart inlThe Europeans are either civil or r

Government, or else merchants, phmen. Most of them lo


53/196

RESIDENTS OF ClYLW' 3*on securing a competency ; though this hope too oftenproves futile. The climate is not unfavorable to healthwith ordinary prudence and attention to food and drink

,

and the mountain regions produce specimens of stalwartmen, with ruddy countenances and free step, that woulddo credit to any country.The missionaries are both Europeans and Americans.

They have devoted themselves to the noblest olwithin the scope of man,the elevation and salvation oftheir ignorant brethren. Many of them are located in thepeninsula of Jaffna, where several have attained to a goodold age ; willing to live and die amongst the sons oftheir adoption, for whose sake many of them have part-ed for life with those of their own race most dear ttthem, The subject of missionary labor will however betreated of separately hereafter.


54/196

32 THE ANIMALS, VEGETABLES, AND

CHAPTER, III.The Animals, Vegetables, and Minerals of Ceylon.In a country where the climate, soil, and scenery-

vary so much as they do in Ceylon, we are prepared tofind an equal variety in its animal, vegetable, and min-eral productions ; and such is indeed the case.

ANIMALS.The natural history of Ceylon affords a wide field of

research for the student. Its vast forests, seldom dis-turbed save by the hunter, abound with every form oflife from the stately elephant, to the blood thirsty mus-quito. Its seas and rivers team with fish of the most ex-quisite beauty and the most grotesque form, their colorsoften rivaling those of the birds and insects that swarmupon its shores.The principal quadrupeds are the elephant, the buffa-lo, the elk, the cheeta, the bear, the wild hog, the deer,the porcupine, the monkey, the jackall, the wild cat, thehare, the mongoos, the squirrel, the jerboa, the houserat, and the musk rat.The principal birds are the eagle, the kite, the hawk,the owl, the devil bird, the crow, the pea fowl, the junglefowl, the pelican, the flamingo, the crane, the heron,the curlew, the duck, the partridge, the quail, the snipe,the pigeon, the parrot, the woodpecker, the myna, &c.Amongst sea fish there are the shark, the dolphin, thosoa-pig, the porpoise, the seer fish, the mullet, the sole,the sardine, and the rock cod, besides crabs lobsters,


55/196

MINERALS OF CEYLON- 33gators, eels, water tortoises, and various kinds ofThe principal reptiles arc igu

frogs, toads, tarantulas, and centrflies. mol

Jibppers,It would occi

permit, 11 theparticularly only oThe elephant is to he met i

him shelter and man's ruthle

UllOfc, v.vtthan our limits can

reatures ; *

nature afford*d against

auders alike m the cold forests of New*jungles of Bintenne. The

hat of theales, and very few

bouttving

n, than tohant

r some uncx-. rated by

y; and henceforth his hand.-.and

word, signifyhem indiv


56/196

34 THE ANIMALS, VEGETABLES, ANDtrunks of the elephants are secured to large trees bystrong ropes, when hunger and fatigue soon subdue thern,after which they are employed in dragging or liftingheavy burdens, or in adding dignity and grandeur to pro*cessions. By their capture, and by the assaults of sport-men who seek them in the remotest jungles, their num-bers are diminishing in many parts of the island.The buffalo, though a denizen of the forest, has been

domesticated, and is commonly used by the natives toplough their fields. At some seasons ofthe year, they areturned loose, often mixing with their untamed brethren.They however, know the voice of their owner, and thoughsometimes dangerous to strangers, submit to his rule.The bear and cheeta roam the forests, and when

wounded or apprehensive of being attacked, are some-times dangerous to man. They are however seldom theaggressors.The peafowl is a shy and wary bird remarkable for

the beautiful plumage of the male ; it is to be met withmost commonly in the northern and eastern districts.The jungle fowl resemble our domestic fowl. They arevery numerous on the central road leading from Kandyto Jaffna. On seeing man approaching, they retire intothe jungle, and reappear when he has passed. Thedevil bird is so called from the appalling shriek whichit often utters in the jungle at night.Crows are the scavengers of towns ; wherever man

takes up his abode, these useful though often annoybirds follow, andjn company with the pariah dogs.move from his vicinity all those impurities which wcotherwise breed disease.


57/196

MINERALS OF CEYLON. 35end of the year, the low grounds in the northern and

rn provinces are converted into sheets of shaliowwater. These become the haunts of innumerable birdsof the wading and swimming order. The pelicans arepeci; y\ from their remarkable billswhit aciotis pouch attached to them. Theylivc mainly on fish, whidn they are able to swallow whole.tent the rivers and kare formidable and dangerous to man. Those which

jwarm in the tanks, are properly crd the Rajavali, as well as to

ailed the Ramayana*ivided in these pages, into io, or great dynasty ; the Sulu-

; the Tamils ; and the European

portion of the.1 met with the work,

il be consider-s historical authenticity." (Tumour's in-

' by Tur-r the landing of

by some that it took ,


62/196

40 THE GREAT DVNASTY.THE MAHAWANSE, OR GREAT DYNASTY.

In the sixth century before Christ, there reigned inLa'la, a principality of Magadha, or as it is now calledBahar, in the valley of the Ganges, a king named Sing-ha, or Siha bahu, who was said to have been descendedfrom a lion. He was also of the illustrious race of Su-riavas who claimed as their progenitor a beneficent Be-ing, who came down from the sun, and taught mankindthe arts of civilized life. Wijayo the eldest son of thisking, was so lawless and unruly a character that hisfather was eventually compelled to dismiss him from hiscourt. Collecting together a band of kindred spirits,Wijayo set sail in search of adventure, and ultimatelyreached Ceylon and landed on its shores in the neigh-borhood of what is now called Putlam. He found theisland inhabited by a rude uncivilized people, whoseorigin is involved in obscurity, and who worshippedsnakes aad devils, and were consequently called Na'gas,and Yakkos.

Marrying a Yakko Princess, Wijayo established him-self at Tamena Newera, not far from the place of hislanding; and having by the aid of his wife obtained themastery of the island, he repudiated the alliance, dis-missed her and her children, married the daughter ofan Indian Prince, invited over from the Continent, mer-chants and artizans ; located his followers in differentparts of the country, the better to develop its resources;and laid the foundation, of its future greatness, givingto it the name of his father, Singha.Dying without issue, his nephew Panduwa'sa succeed-

ed him, and pursued the same line of policy as his pre-


63/196

THE GREAT DYNASTY- 4iin order to spread civilization encouraged the brothersof his queen, who came over with her from the conti-nent, to found subordinate principalities, which were how-ever subject to himself and his successors as the para-mount sovereigns of the whole island; a fact it will bewell to bear in mind in perusing this work.

It was during this reign, that Ceyion was subdividedinto throe parts. "All to the north of the Mahawelli-a was comprised in the denomination Pihiti, or the

JRaja-ratta, from its containing the ancient capital andthe r ; south of this was Rahano orRohuna, b on the east and south by the sea, andby the Mahawelligangaand Kalugangaon the north andwest : a portion of this division near Tangalle still re-tains the name of Roona. The third was the Maya-rattawhich iay between the mountains, the two great riversand the sea, having the Dedera Oya to the north, and theKa ! - its southern limit."*

aluwa'sa established himself at Anuradhapura, soi from Anuradha its founder, and there constructed

rst of those vast t h subsequently becamewhich testify to this day to the efforts

is it appears with so much success, to de-i agricultural resources of a country which

ad iaid uncultivated. For thevyo hundred years, more atten-

1 to agriculture and im-jion. The succession to the crown

the same work onKandy were in-osay that

"tains, the two great rivers, and the.


64/196

43 THE GREAT DYNASTY*was on the death of Panduwa'sa, the subject of dispute^and ultimately Pandukabhayo, by the aid of the abori-gines or Yakkos, succeeded in placing himself upon thethrone. He built several tanks and divided the islandinto village settlements.

In the year B. G. 307 King Tisso, or as he is calledDe'wa'nan pia tisso or " Tisso, the delight of the Deities,"ascended the throne. Having dispatched an embassy en-trusted with valuable gifts, to Dharmmaso'ka,the king ofMagadha, that sovereign in return sent his son Mahindo,to inculcate the doctrines of Budhism in Ceylon ; whichwith the aid of his sister Sanghamitta, he succeeded indoing, (B. C. 267.) At the urgent request of the Singha-lese king, a branch of the Bo tree under which Gotamaattained the Budhaship, was with much pomp broughtover from Magadha, and planted at Anuradhapura, whereit continues to flourish to this day, after the lapse of2,000 years. The energy which had heretofore been ex-pended mainly on agricultural works, now took a new di-rection, though not entirely diverted from its former chan-nel ; and from this period dates the erection of those stu-pendous masses of masonry about Anuradhapura andother ancient cities, which Singhalese kings vied witheach other in constructing. The earliest of these Dagobas,as they are called, were erected by king Tisso, whosename has consequently been handed down to posterityamidst the plaudits of the historian. The three cousins ofthe king who successively filled the throne, followed inhis foot-steps, and during the century immediately en-suing on his death, the number of Wiharis and Dagobasrapidly increased, though it is but just to add, that thenumber of tanks increased also.


65/196

THE GREAT DYNASTY- 43During the reign of Suratissa, the last of the three

cousins, two Malabar adventures, Sena and Gootika by-name, who had been respectively entrusted with milita-ry and naval command, turned their arms against thesovereign to whom they had pledged themselves andusurped his throne. (B. C. 237.) After a reign of twen-ty-two years, they were deposed and killed by Asela, amember of the royal family, and the crown reverted to itsrightful owners. It would have been well had they takenwarning by this event ; but the people being better suitedto an agricultural, than to a military life, it had becomecustomary to employ Tamil mercenaries in the militaryservice ; and in course of time the superior energy andbravery of that people proved highly dangerous to thesupremacy of the Singhalese race. Ten years after therestoration of that dynasty Elala a prince of Tanjore in-vaded the island, slew the reigning king, and ascendedthe vacant throne ; it is however due to the usurper toadd, that on the testimony of his enemies he is said tohave " administered justice with impartiality to friendsand foes." A bell was suspended by his bed side, whichall those who had any grievances to redress, and desir-ed an audience, were at liberty to ring.At the end of forty-four years, Dutugaimunu, a de-

scendant of the deposed king, encountered Elala oathe field of battle and engaged him in single com-bat. After a conflict in which equal bravery was dis-played on both sides, the elephants on which the rivalprinces were mounted closed with each other, and thatof Elala falling in the charge, crushed his rider to death.The generous conqueror caused a monument to beerected on the spot where his brave adversary had fallen


66/196


67/196

TfiE fiftEAT DYNASTY. 43compelled him to seek refuge in the vicinity of Adam'sPeak, while the victors took possession of Anuradhapu-ra, a considerable part of the spoils of the richly endow-ed city, and one of the wives of the king, being sent astrophies, to the Dekkan. At the end of fifteen years,the deposed sovereign succeeded in recovering his throneand his queen ; events " which he commemorated in theusual manner by the erection of dagobas, tanks andwiharis. ,>* It was under the auspices of this kingthat the oral discourses of Budha, as handed downby tradition, were reduced to writing by priests appoint-ed for the purpose, (B. C. 89,) in a cave temple nearMatele called the Alu-wihari, which is still in texistence.In the year B. C. 47, we meet with the first instance ofa Woman assuming the reins of government. They wereseized by u the infamous Anula," as she is designatedin the Mahawanse, after having poisoned both her hus-band and her son. Her subsequent career is one cata-logue of iniquity and crime ; and her death was eventu-ally brought about by the son of that son whom she hadcaused to be made away with. His name was Makalan-tisso: and after ascending the throne he enclosed thecity of Anuradhapura by a stone wall sixty-four milesin circuit, and ten and a half feet wide : he died B. C.19.

During the two following centuries little that is worthyof note occurs in the history of the island ; one episodemay however be mentioned, as a warning to " merrymonarchs." King Yasa Siloo, or Yatalakatissa ascendedthe throne A. D. 52, after having put an end to his eld-er brother the reigning king. " There was a young gate-

*


68/196

46 THE GRE4Tporter' (says the Mahawanse,) *< the son of the porterDatto, named Subho, who in person strongly resembled

The monarch Yassalako (Yataiakatissa) in amerry nu ; decked out the said Subho the mes-

r in the vestments .of- royalty; and seated him orithe throne, putting the livery bonnet of the messengeron his own head, stationed himself ar >viththe potter's staff in bis hand. While the ministers ofstate were bowing down to him who was seated on thethrone, the raja was enjoyin eption. He was inthe habit, frorri time to time of indulging in these scenes*On a certain day (when the farce was repeated.) adoing himself to the onarch* the r,claimed ' hdw does that balattho dnie to laugh inpresence p and succeeded in getting the king put to?

k The porter Subho thus usurped the sovereignty,and administered it for six years, under theSubho;"In the y i d 209 , a n ear of the

feign of king WairatisSa, famed for his thorough acquain-tance " with the principles of justicehawane j) a schism occurred among the 6u deists, c

.

fhe We'tullian heresy. Violent,ful efforts it; but

throne ARely professed his adhecat party, their doc'trinehim by one of the sdhisfrtfatimutilate the Wrzen palace which bad b

once of the priests, and introdncnj subject however to appeal ; the magistrates and criminal jurisdiction in minor cases, and

.slices of the peace, take depositions in cases of ao nature, for the queen's advocate. The colonial

., auditor general, and treasurer, have officesolombo. The sea customs', civi't engineer's, survey -and post master's departments, are each presidedone head wi < ;ers, who act

under his control, atrrar's office is an appendage of the supreme court


132/196

110 THE EUROPEAN OCCUPATION.department. The school commission, master atten-dant's department, steamer agency, botanical garden,loan office, saving's bank, medical department, and imi-gration labor commission, make up the total of the dif-ferent branches of the public service, with the exceptionof the ecclesiastical, which is composed of an Anglicanbishop and clergy, besides two Scotch and two Dutchpresbyterian chaplains.


133/196

THE ANTIQUITIES OF CEYLON. Ill

CHAPTER, V.The Antiquities of Ceylon,

The descriptions of the public edifices and agricui-I works of Ceylon in the olden times, are substanti-

ated by the ruins that to this day remain, envelopedfrequently, within the dense foliage of forests that be-neath a tropic sun have sprung up around them ; andafter making all due allowance for oriental hyperbole,

i is evidence amply sufficient to satisfy the travellerihat the now solitary and unhealthy regions about Anu-radhapura and Pollonnarua were once instinct with hu-man life j that the sovereigns who successively swayedthe sceptre were keenly alive to the importance of dev-eloping the resources of a grateful soil ; and that thelabor expended on their stupendous agricultural worksbrought back a return, not only sufficient to supply thewants of a teeming population, but also to enable them,maintaining a court, the splendor of which was the

es, and the incentive to fr-iend count!* on structures. In design-

vhich, the idea of utility was utterly discarded, anded

RUINS OF EDIFICES.We begin with those of the more ancient capital.

bout Anuradhapura, the sculptured re-s of its former splendor exist. Selected by Panduwa'sa. capital, in the sixth century before Christ, his im~

:ccessors vied with each other in embellishingccordingto Tumour,, it. was eventually enclosed

>en gowSj or sixty four miles round, em-


134/196

1 12 THE ANTIQUITIES OF CEYLON.bracing an area of244 square miles ; including doubtless,gardens as well as buildings within its compass.The most venerable monument of antiquity is the en-

closure within which stands the " Jaya Sri Maha BodinWahanse" the celebrated bo tree which was broughtfrom the kingdom of Magadha, the modern Bahar, inthe third century before Christ, during the reign of theSinghalese king, Devenepiatissa, and plan-ted where itnow stands. According to the Mahawanse, Dharmasokaking of Magadha having with a vermillion pencil mark-ed the desired place of severance on the parent tree,which was said to be that one under which Gotama at-lained the Budhaship, the branch spontaneously disuni-ted itself, and was carried to Ceylon with the utmostsolemnity and reverence ; numberless miracles are al-leged to have been performed during its transit and sub-sequent planting where it now stands.

Rejecting the supernatural parts of the narrative, thereis every reason for believing that the antiquity of thetree has been correctly stated : though now upwards oftwo thousand years old, it is still fresh and healthy. Sueceeding sovereigns adorned the spot where it was plant< i d, and it stands at the present day, a silent but most iteresting witness of ages gone by.Among the dagobas about Anuradhapura, deservi

of special notice, the first in point of antiquity is the' Thuparamaya, a monument enclosing as it is said, theright jaw bone of Gotama. It was built by Devenepia-tissa in the third century before Christ, and is 70 feet inheight. Some of the classic stone pillars, with elegant-ly chiselled capitals, which surrounded it, are still in ex-istence.

JC-nt-

:


135/196

EDIFICES. 1 13Next in antiquity, and far superior in size and magni-

ficence, was the Kuanwelli dagoba, commenced b}r Dn-lugairnunu, B. C. 160, and completed by his successor.ft sustained much injury during a Tamil inroad, A. J).1214. It is now 150 feet high, and is built of brisubterranean passage formerly led to the interior.

>t far from the sacred bo tree, the eye is arrested bya number of stone pillars, some standing, others fallen,or as if about to fall. These are the pithe famous Low a Maha Paya, or brazen palace ofDutugaimunu, so called, because the roof was coveredwith that metal. It was built in the second ceritunbefore Christ, as a residence for the priests, and was

orted by sixteen hundred pillars. In their pro-sent rough condition, these pillars fail to spggcst

lea of beauty; particularly when compared witholumns of Mehinialai or the Thup

a. It is however more than probable that they weremer times covered with cement, and adorned

substances. It is related in the Mahawa363, that the king ; ' caused a gilt hall to be"acted in the middle of the palace." "Thebaicapported on gi liars representing lions andanimals, as well as the de'wata's. At the extrem-

.amented with festoons of pearls.ii around

ere were nine stories,h of them one hundred apartments. AH tl

nts were highly embellished ; they had festoon^ndant like gems. The flower ornament

,

tabling thereto were also set with gems, and the


136/196

114 THE ANTIQUITIES OF CEYLON.a thousand dormitories having windows with ornaments(like unto) jewels, which were bright as eyes."Such is part of the description of the famous brazenpalace, a testimony both of the munificence of its erecterand his reverence for the priesthood, It is specially re-corded that the laborers employed in its constructionwere remunerated; the king being of opinion that " onthis occasion it was not fitting to exact unpaid labor ;vfrom which it may fairly be inferred that it was gener-ally the practice to employ compulsory labor, probablythat of the aborigines ; and this may account for thesatisfaction with which the Gangetic race regarded theconstruction of public edificesa feeling that wouldprobably not have existed had their own efforts beentaxed.The Abha'yagiri dagoba was erected by Walagam

Bahu 1st, B. C. 87, on his rescuing the throne from theusurpation of the Tamils. It was originally no less than180 cubits in height, but is now reduced to 240 feet,The Suvvana ra'maya dagoba was erected by the sameking. The Jaytawana'ra'ma dagoba was built by Ma-liasen in the third century after Christ. It was 210 feetin height, and its circumference is still 1080 feet. It issurrounded by a spacious court paved with stone, and ithas been estimated, (according to Sir E. Tennent,) thatthe whole mass contains twenty millions of cubic feet.

About eight miles from Anuradhapura, in an easterlydirection, a hill suddenly rises above the plain. A flightof a thousand steps, partly built, partly cut out of thesolid rock, leads to a stone dagoba ; and ascendingstill farther, the traveller finds himself at the base of a


137/196

EDIFICES. 115Mahintalai, in honor of Mahindo, the founder of Budhisrnin Ceylon. The lower, or Arnbustulla dagoba is sup-posed to mark the exact spot where the meeting tookplace between Mahindo, and king Devenepiatissa. Theupper dagoba, called the Ambhalato, is said to enshrinea single hair from the forehead of Budha.

Between Mahintalai and Kandy, at a distance of forty-five miles from the latter place, is a huge mass ofgneiss which towers above the level country to the heightof 350 feet. The name of the place is Dambool, andthe caves in the side of the rock have been convertedinto Budhist temples, and at the present day glow withall the brightness of coloring the painter's art can be-stow. On entering a richly carved gateway, an imageof Budha is discovered in a sitting position, and within, isa figure " in a reclining posture 40 feet in length.'" (SirE. Tennent.) This temple was first endowed by Wal-agam Bahu, B. C. 86. It is still a place of much resortand when in 1855, the writer inspected it on his way fromAnuradhapura, in company with one of the few Europe-an ladies vVho have ever visited these spots, crowds otpilgrims of both sexes, dressed in their gayest attire,were swarming up and down the sides of the well worurock.We next proceed to Pollonnarua, the more recent cap-ital of the island, situated on the banks of an extensivetank. No scene " (says Sir Emerson Tennent)" can beconceived more impressive than this beautiful city musthave been in its pristine splendor ; the stately bu. dingsstretching along the shore of the lake, their gildedcupolas reflected on its still expanse, and embowered


138/196

I iO THE ANTIQUITIES OF CEYLON-'resent day it is by far the most remarkable a;1 of ruins in Ceylon, not alone from the niK,

and dimensions, but from theity of its buildings,"

Pollonnarua had been a favorite residence of rov:arly as A. D. 718. It was however Mahindo 1st who

about the year 775 abandoned the ancient capital andadopted it as the seat of government. It was herfPrakrama Balm the magnificent was crowned A. D. 1 1 5riand he it was that raised it to the height of its splendor.According to the Mahawanse itwas sevengows or 28 mileslong, and 4 gows broad, the whole surrounded by a

-Tral arged the lake, erected uumerous edifices.and planted gardens. The Rankot dagoba was binhis queen. It is 558 feet in circumference and 186 inheight. The main street of the city, which formeapproach to this monument, may (according to Sir E.Tern raced by the i

ined it on eithor side.Farther up the street is the Jayta Wana Rai

pie, built by the king, on a model it ifat Kapilewasta by

tures generally, an \r the alptured o\the living rod


139/196

EDIFICES 117The remains of the royal palace testify to its having

been a splendid specimen of art. It appears to havebeen built at a period later than that of Prakrama Bahu,and is supposed to owe its existence to VVijayo Bahu 3d,on the restoration of Pollormarua after a Malabar inva-sion, in the 13th century. '.The Sat Mahal Pasada, or seven storied house, still

exists; and in front of it is the Galpota, or stone book,shaped to resemble an ola book. It is 26 feet long, 44broad, and 2 thick ; and it bears an inscription to theeffect that king Nissanga's strong men brought it fromMahintelai, a distance of 80 miles. Near it is the Delada^Maligawa, which held the sacred tooth.

In a former part of this work, allusion was made to,king Kasyappa, who after the murder of his father, fort-ified himself within the rock Sigiri, a contraction of Si-ha-giri, or the lion rock. This remarkable hill shoots upperpendicularly 400 feet from the plain ; it was sur-rounded with a rampart by the parricide, and a flight ofstone steps led to his place of retreat. Tradition saysthat on the summit a tank existed ; but no one has inlater times ventured to test the truth of the story.The last, though- by no means the least ancient or in-teresting dagoba we shall speak of, is the one at Binten-

ne, in the Badulla district. The city itself was of extremeantiquity ; according to Sir E. Torment, it was he Maa-grammum of Ptolemy, and a f *iity of the ITakkos ;and it was here that Gotama % .o have first set footin Ceylon. Its ancient name vn!s Maha ;angana, and itwas built on the banks of the Mahavilleganga. So lateas 1602 the city was still in a flourishing condition ; andthe Dutch Admiral Spelbergen passed through it on his


140/196

118 THE ANTIQUITIES OF CEYLON.way to Kandy. The dagoba was built three hundredyears before Christ, by the brother of king Devene-piatissa. M It is a huge semi-circular mound of brickwork, three hundred and sixty feet in circumferand still one hundred feet high, but so much decayedat the top that its original outline is no longer ascertain-able." Sir E. Tennent.Such are the principal edifices to be met with among

the ruined cities of Ceylon. Space will not permit us todwell at greater length on the elaborate carvings andsculpturings still in existence, though manifesting as theydo, considerable acquaintance with the fine arts. Thefeelings of the spectator in contemplating these relics ofa by-gcne age, are of a mingled character. Calculatedapparently to resist for ever the ravages of decay, theyhave crumbled away beneath the insidious influencea foe, from which danger would scarcely have beenexpected. The tiny seed dropped between the crevi-ces of the masonry by some bird, as it rested for awhile in its course, has germinatedit has insinuatesroots within the structureincreasing in size it has rentthe mass asunder, and the work of destruction oncegun, has advanced more and more rapidly with each -reeding year. As vegetation has encroached on

thickly peopled city, sickness has followed in itstrain: a heavy op, ur broods overall-undergrowth spring und, The alreadpopulation the feeble succumb,survivers its roam amidst thehalls of princesthe elephant browses at will be

statue of Budha. Silence and desolation reignpreme; and a few sickly, fever stricken inhi


141/196

WORKS OF IRRIGATION. 119scattered here and there in hamlets, and an ignorantpriest or two, gliding, in yellow robes amidst the colossalmonuments of the past, are all that remain to representthe ancient grandeur of the spot.

WORKS OF IRRIGATION.In one of the earliest of his minutes, Sir Henry Ward

says, that branching off from the main road to Trincoma-lie, about six miles from Dambool, he met with no lessthan nine tanks within a distance of sixty miles. In thecourse of his investigation he found that they were con-structed "with great labor, considerable engineering skill,and of such solidity, that their embankments seemed todefy the hand of time. North of these again, aboutforty miles, is Paduvil colum, the most gigantic workof all, for the bund, which is in perfect repair exceptat the one Spot where in the course of ages the watershave forced a passage between it and the natural hillswhich it united, is eleven miles long, thirty feet broadat the summit, one hundred and sixty feet at the base,and seventy feet high : and that to the westward of Pa-duvil colum again, lie the tank of Anuradhapura and thegiant's tank, the dimensions of which I cannot give, asthe work was never completed according to the originaldesign."" Paduvil colum great part of which I walked or rode

over, was formed by the water ^the rivers Morra oyaand Moongamo oya, confiner plain by the enor-mous bund which I have just wscribed. Its construc-tion must have occupied a million of people for 10 or15 years."

" The tank when full is said to have irrigated the whole


142/196

120 THE ANTIQUITIES OF CEtLON.space between the bund and the sea, in the direction ofKokekL A vast breach is now open, the depth of whichis said to be unfathomable ; and what was once the basinofthe tank is covered with magnificent timber, except inthose parts which are still under water during the rainyseason. These are overgrown with a coarse rank grassfor miles around, there is not a vestige of man, and thetemporary building erected for our reception had the ef-fect of frightening away all the game in the country, sounaccustomed were the deerand buffaloes which frequentthe tank to any intrusion upon their solitudes." (SirHenry Ward,}The nine tanks between Dambool and Trlncomalie,

alluded to abova^are those of Sigiri, Kondruwewe, An-gouiassa, Dimitelle,


143/196

WORKS OF* IRRIGATION. 1 52The work to which we iirst propose directing our air

tion, is th tara- canal, which Messrs BaChurchill, and Adam?, succeeded in tracing from theMatele district to the neighborhood of Trincomalie.The Eilahara as commenced by king Mali:

A. D. 275. It was fed by the waters of the Karagaia rive lie gentlemen before named have idfied v Vmbanganga of Matele, This* 'river fedthe various tanks in its course, including those of Mand Kowdelle, the first of which is 21 miles in circumence : the second, though now in rui d beingcovered by forest trees, is said to have been 37 n

id. Although the canal wasMahasen, the original design was extended and con-siderably d by king Prakrama Bahu 2nd, A.D. 1153. By constructing a bund at Ellahara, lie di-

ters of the Karaganda into what is calledthe " seb of Prakrama,'* an expanse of water formedby a.series ofextensive tanks connected with eachby canals. It would be difficult to say what extent of

ius converted ' butformed of the i he under-

it is stated that one of the embankmentsretches along a, distance of 24 miles, and varies

i 40, to 90 feet. To follow more at lengthreport of the explorers, and tor..

r description of the hewn ii waters, sluices, & i beyond our limits:

t they succeeded in tracing the Ella-lelle near Trincomalie, where that

surplus waters into the sea at Tamblegamvif believed to have at one time beei;


144/196

l f22 THE ANTIQUITIES OF CEYLON.an extensive tank, into which the sea forced its way.The locality of the famed sea of Prakrama," whichhad previously been a matter of uncertainty, has nowbeen determined ; it has also been satisfactorily ascer-tained that in ancient times boats from the vicinity ofTrincomalie navigated the Ellahara canal ; and a treewas pointed out by the natives as the " tamarind tree towhich the boats used to be tied."The Anuradhapura tank, though not the most impor-

tant, is the oldest work of its kind. It was constructedby Panduwa'sa, in the fifth century before Christ.The giant's tank, in the Manaar district, is so called

because the huge masses of rock forming the lowerpart of its dam, which are said to have sustainedno injury by time, were supposed to have been hewnand carried to their placesv by giants. To whom the de-sign is due, of attempting to collect and confine a massof water as extensive as the lake of Geneva, is unknown.In order to feed this tank, it was intended to divert fromits course the Aripo river, the tributaries of which aloneare often formidable streams. The attempt provedabortive, for, after all the vast expenditure of labor,the evidences of which continue to this day, it wasfound that the levels had been wrongly taken ; and thecourtly chroniclers, unwilling to record royal failureshave refrained from naming the sovereign in whose reignthis work was under* n. The giant's tank now con-tains within its basu. villages which have sprung upsince its formation.A companion piece to the giant's tank, is that of Kal-eweva, between Anuradhapura and Dambool, whichTumour calls %i one of the most stupendous monuments


145/196

WORKS OF IRRIGATION. 123of misapplied human labor existing." It was improif not constructed by king Dhatu Sena, by drawingembankment across the Kalu Oya, A. T). 460. The bundis twelve miles long, and the spill water is of hewngranite. The waters thus confined were thrown backfor twenty miles to the foot of theDambool rock, wherea canal sixty miles long connected the lake with thecity of Anuradhapura : but the waters burst the embank-ments, and rendered the work useleThe Horra-borra tank in Bintenne, is the last' work

of the kind, which we shall notice, on which no mo l^ o l^

c ' *-o- c 25-2 . 3 - oa

-Toe

o o

o> -S x> J IS

; co' J-2 *j c

Boa >-P--S-s*g--3 H3 -^ Bfl4.? 5 "5

.2 y o o o ia is > o I> > o

51

ofl

32

^O ~OuHj _ o

m a fl 9

2 5 Oso5 o * -abn g a> < S

fcCs = w zi ^flsfiC go ~

.2 S S3 _.2E - w J! z: 5 Bm * "S

as S ri 35 W


173/196

CONCLUDING CHAPTER. 151

CHAPTER, VIII.Conclusion.

In bringing this book to an end, we shall add but afew words. About the year, 1679, an Englishman ofthe name of Knox, who had for a length of time beena captive m the Kandian country, effected his escapeto the sea-coast, and # eventually succeeded in return-ing to England, where he published in a simple,yet truthful manner, a narrative of his adventures,and a description of the land of his captivity. Amongstother things, he drew a picture of the abject conditionof the people under the despotism of an unfeeling king,and the oppression of rapacious nobles. The punishmentsinflicted on those who offended the sovereign, were cruelin the extreme. Mutilation, dismemberment by elephants,and impalement were among those most common. It wasa capital offence for a man to whitewash his house,this being a royal prerogative ; and none of the humblerclasses could venture to manifest the appearance ofwealth, lest their so doing should provoke spoliation bythe more powerful. If we compare this state of thingswith the freedom now enjoyed alike by all classes, itmust be admitted that the condition of the people has beenmuch improved ; and although in the more remote dis-tricts of the interior, where knowledge and civilizationhave yet made but little progress, there may be a yearn-ing after the days gone by, still it may be said, that, as arule, the people of Ceylon are happy and contented.When in 1857>8, the wave of rebellion swept overthrgreater part of the continent ofIndia, threatening to carryevery thing before it, in its headlong course, not a ripple


174/196

lo% ;ludxng chapter.disturbed the smooth surface of events in Ceylon, andthe Governor, Sir Henry Ward, had sufficient co.in the loyalty of the inhabitants, to enable him to send re*

ents to Bengal, reserving only our faithfulregiment of Riflem* Iful of European troops.At a place called Peredinia, four miles from Kandy,

where a bridge, constructed of satin wood, spans with asingle arch, the broad channel (ff the Mahawellithere is a garden, in which the indigenous produe-

of Ceylon grow side by side with exotics trans-ported from distant lands. Both classes of plantsare alike the objects of the superintendent's care, who,discriminating between the wants of each, seeks thefull development of both. What suits the consti-

would prove fatal to the other;right discernment of the requirements of each,

lies the difficulty of his task. So is' it also, withrrnnent of a country like Ceylon, inhabited b

mixed community. To maintain harmony,to adapthimself to the peculiar wants of each body,to secthe simultaneous development of the whole,is awhich would tax the powers of the most a bcomparatively easj for a right thinking man of commonand energy, ro be the autrocrat of a people accus-tomed implicitly to obe; comparatively eato be the chief magistrate of an enlightened rep;;;

so easy to hold the reins of government aright,when a nation is bursting into freedom, and shakingthe shackles that enthralled it, and in the firs;

new felt power, is disposed to career onwardstoo rapidly, and to throw aside restraint of afckind. Butmore difficult still is it, to hold the helm, wher


175/196

CONCLUDING CHAPTER. 153and eastern races are intermingled,where, instead offreedom being born of the masses, and fostered by thegovernment, it is bestowed on the people by their rulers,unasked,and sometimes even uncared for. It is no lighttask, to steer clearly through the complications arisingfrom the pushing energy of the Saxon, and the conser-vative tenacity of the Asiatic ;to maintain the rightsof those who have staked their all in the land of theiradoption, and have brought British thought and feelingwith them, and at the same time to consult the interestsof the natives, who are equally entitled to the protectionof Her Majesty's Government.

If, in forming an estimate of the government of Ceylon,we bear these facts in mind, we shall be justified in say-ing that the system pursued is judicious, and well adapt-ed to the warjts of the country ; and it is our convictionthat those entrusted with the framing of the laws, sin-cerely desire to do what they believe to be best for thewelfare of the island.

To conclude.Let us remind our readers of the im-portant fact, that it is righteousness that "exalteth a na-tion

1 'that Britain owes her prosperity to her princi-ples ; and that it is her duty to maintain those princi-ples in all climes, and to exemplify them amongst all-classes. Convinced as the writer is, that the principles ofthe book of god are the foundation of moral and of so-cial progress, he lays down his pen with the hope that itstruths may be received and adopted by all who dwellin Ceylon, without distinction of race, sex, or degree.


176/196

SOVEREIGNS OF COLON.

APPENDIX.^!amt Sotartffliia of . Mootaseewa, Paternal grandson,,7. Devenipeatissa, Second8. Oottiya, fourth son of Mootaseewa,9. Maha-seewa

10. Suratissa, sixth put to death11. Sena and Goottika, fbi ;)ers--put todeath, - -'*

12. Asela, ninth son of Mootaseewadeposed,13. Elaala, foreign usurperkilled in battle,14. Dootoogaimoonoo, son of Kaawantissa,15. Saidaitissai. Brother16 Toohl or Thuliathanaka, youn

toaed, -Lniminitisaa 1st or Lajjetissa, elder brother,Kaloonna or Khallaa:anaaga, brother- putto death, --...-Waiagamfeahoo 1st or Wattfrgaamini, brother deposef Bulahattba, "1 fi Baayiha, | 14.7Foreign usurpers |

20.


177/196

NATIVE SOVEREIGNS OF CEYLON. 15SNames, and relationship of each succeeding Sovereign.30.31.32.

33.

34.

35.36.37.

36.39.40.

41.42.43.44.

45.46.47.48.49.50.

51

53.54.55.

56.57.58,59.606162

Kinihirridaila or Kanijaani Tissa, Brother,Kooda Abhaa or Choolaabhaya, Son,Singhawalle or Seewalli, Sisterput to deathInterregnum, ...Elloona or Ilia Naaga, Maternal nephew ofAddagaimoonoo,Sanda IVJoohoona or Chanda Mukha Seewa

Son, ....Yasa Silooor Yataalakatissa, Brotherput todeath, ....Subha, Usurperput to death, -Wahapp or Wasahba, descendant of Laimin-

itissa, -Waknais or Wanka Naasika, Son, -Gajaabahoo 1st or Gaaminee, Son,Mahaloornaana or Mallaka Naaga, Maternal

cousin, ,Baatiya Tissa 2d or Bhaatika Tissa, Son,Chooia Tissa or Kanitthatissa, Brother,Koohoonaor Choodda Naaga, Son-murdered,Koodanaama or Kooda Naaga, Nephewdeposed, ....Kooda Sirinaa or Siri Naaga 1 st brother-in-law

VVaiwahairatissaor Wairatissa, Son-murderedAhha Sen or Abha Tissa, Brother,Siri Naga 2d, Son, -Weja Indoo or Wijaya 2d, Son-put to death,Sangatissa 1st, descendant of Laiminitissa-poisoned, -Dahama Sirisanga Boor Sirisanga Bodhi 1stDo. do.deposed,Gooloo Abhaa, Gothaabhaya or Meghawarna

Abhaya, Do. do.,Makalan Detoo Tissa 1st, Son,Maha Sen, Brother, ...KitsiriMaiwan 1st or Keertissree Megha war-na, Son, -Detoo Tissa 2d, Brother,Bujas or Budha Daasa, Son,Oopatissa 2d, Son, Maha Naama, Brother, -Senghot or Sotthi Sena, Sonpoisoned,Laimini Tissa 2d, or Chatagaahaka, descen-dant of Laiminitissa,Mitta Sena or Karalaora, not specifiedputto death,

A. D.


178/196

156 NATIVE SOVEREIGNS OF CEYLON.Names, c hip of each succeeding Sovereign. I Acec

1I 24.9.-

ers-For usurp-

f Paandu,J Paarinta, Kooda,

63.^[ Khudda Paarinda, *>| Daatthiya, |iPitthiya,

64. Daasenkelleya or Dhaatu Sena, descendantof* the

A. D. 434" 43l>

65. Seeroyal familyput to death,Kaaiyapa 1st, Son

66. Moogal -67. Koomaara Daas or Kcnmaara Dhaatu Sana,Son immolated himself, -(58. Kirti Sena, Sonmurdered,

Haidee Secwooor Seewaka, maternal unclemurdered, -70. Laimini Oopatisaa 3d, brother-in-law,71. Ambaherra Salamaiwan or Silaakaala, son-

in-law, --:...,72. Daapuloo 1st or Daatthaapa Bhodhi, secondsoncommitted suicide,

*">


179/196

NATIVE SOVEREIGNS OF CBl

~andidal?88.

89.

90.91.92

95.96.97.93.99.100.101.10*2.103.104.105.106.107.108.109.110.111.112.113.114.

115,1 16.117.ne,

119.

121

Walpitti Wasidata of Dantanaama, Okaakabranch,Hoonoonaru Riandala or Hatthadatha, ori-ginal royal family decapitated, -

Mahalaipaanooor Maanawamma, do. do. do.ippa 3d or Kasoombo, Son, -

Aggrabodhi 3d or Akbo, Nephew,Aggrabodhi 4th or Kuda Akbo, Son,Mihindoo 1st or SaUmaiwan, original royalfamily,Dappoola 2d, Son,Mihindoo 2d or Dharmika-Seelaamaiga, Son,Aggrabodhi 5th or Akbo, Brother,Dappoola 3d or Kuda Dappoola, Son,Aggrabodhi 6th cousin, -Mitwella Sen or Selaamaiga, Son, -Kaasiyappalth or Maa >na or Mihuidoo, Grandson,Udaya 1st Brother)Udaya 2d, Son,Kaasiyappa 5th nephew and son-in-law*Kaasiyappa 6th, son-in-law, -Dappoola lth c?on,Dappoola 5th, noUdaya, 3d, Brother,Sena 2d, not specified,Udaya 4th, do do.Sena 3d, do. do.Mihindoo 3d, do 'Sena 4th, Sonminor,Mihindoo 4th, Brothercarried captive to

Indiaduring the Soieean conquest, Interregnum Soleean vice-royalty, -Wejayahahoo 1st or Sirisangabo 4th Grand-

son of Mihindoo 4th,Jayabahoo 1st, Brother, -Wikramabahoo Isl^J

Acces

A disputed successionManaabaraaaGajaabahoo 2dSiriwallaba, or Kit-

\

siri Maiwan JPrakramabaho 1st, son of Maanaabarana,Wijayabahoo 2d, nephewmurdered,Mihindo5th or Kitsen Kiadaas, usurper-putto death,

nga, a princeabahoo,

ninga,11871187


180/196

158 NATIVE SOVEREIGNS OF CEYLON-Names, and relationship of each succeeding Sovereign.123

Accession.Wikramabahoo 2d, brother of Kirti Nissan- Agaput to death, -

124. Chondakanga, nephewdeposed, - |125. Leelawatee, widow of Prakramabahoode126. Saahasamallawa, Okaaka branchdeposed,127. Kalyaanawati, sister of Kirti Nissanga, -128. Dharmaasooka, not specifieda minor,129. Nayaanga or Neekanga, minister, put to death

Leelawatee, restored, and again deposed,130. Lokaiswera 1st, usurperdeposed,

Leelawatee, again restored and deposed athird time, -

131. Pandi Prakramabahoo 2d, usurperdeposed,132. Maagha, foreign usurper, - [lst,|133. Wejayabahoo 3d, descendant of Sirisangabo,]134. Kalik ila Sahitya Sargwajnya or PaanditaPraKramabahoo 3d, Hon, -135. Bosat Wejayabahoo 4th, Son,136. Bhuwanekabahoo 1st, Brother, - [1st,137. Prakramabahoo 3d, soh of Bosat Wejayabaho,138. Bhuwanekabahoo 2d, son of Bhuwanekabaho139. Pandita Prakramabahoo 4th, not specified,140. Wanny Bhuwanekabahoo 3d, do.141. Wejayabahoo 5th, do.142. Bhuwanekabahoo 4th, do.143. Prakramabahoo 5th, do.144. Wikramabahoo 3d, cousin, do.145. Bhuwanekabahoo 5th, not specified,146. Wejayabahoo 5th, or Weerabahoo, do147. Sree Prakramabahoo 6th, do.148. Jayaabahoo 2d, maternal grandsonput

death, -Bhuwanekabahoo 6th, not specified,Pandita Prakramabahoo 7th, adopted son,Weera Prakramabahoo 8th brother of Bhu

vvanekabalioo 6th, .-:-..-152. Dharma Prakramabahoo 9th, Son,153. Wejayabahoo 7th Brothermurdered, -154. Bhuwanekabahoo 7th, Son, -155. Don Juan Dharmapaala, -156- Raajasingha 1st, son of Maayaadunnai,157. Wimala Dharma, original royal family,158. Senaaratena or Senerat, Brother,159 Kaajasingha 2d, Son,.160. Wimaia Dharma Suriya 2d, eon of Rajaainga,;161. Sre^wcera Prakrama Narendraiiugha or,

to

J49.J50.151.

D.


181/196

PORTUGUESE ANv i> DUTCH UOVEhNORS. 159Names, and relationship of each succeeding Sovereign.162. Sreewejaya Raajasinghaor Manguranketta,brother-in-law,163. Kirtisree Rajasinghn, brother-in law,164. Raajaadhi Raajasingha, Brother,165. Sree Wickrema Raajasingha, son of the late;

king's wile's sister, deposed by the English'and died in captivity,

Accession.

A. D. 173917471781

1798

Cfaptafns Gffrnrtral anTreJofocrnona of GTrgion.Wkilst in possession of the Portuguese.

Pedro Lopez de Souza,Jerome de Azevedo,Francois de Menezes,Manuel Mascarenhas Homen,Nun ha Alvares Pereira,Constaniin de Say Noranha,George d'Albuque,Constantin de Say Noranha,D. George d'Almeida,Diego de Melho,Antoine Mascarenhas,

Philippe Mascarenhas,Manuel Mascarenhas Homen,Francois de Mello Castro,Antoine de SW$a Continho,

r whose administrationColombo was surrendered tothe Dutch,A. D. Merely Menezes lastCaptain General in commandof Jaffna and Manaar,


182/196

160 DUTCH GOVERNORS.Thomas Van Rhee, Governor and Extraor

dinary Councillor of India,Paulus de Rhoo, appointed Governor andDirector of Ceylon, - ,_/ '... ';'; y" ' -Gerrit De Heer, Governor,The Members of Council,Mr. Cornells Johannes Simonsz Governor.Ilendrick Becker, Governor and Extraor

dinary Councillor, ....Mr. Isaack Augustin Rumph, Governor and

Extraordinary Councillor of India,Arnold Moll, Commander at Galle, -Johannes Hertenberg, Governor,Jan Paulus Schagen, Commander at GallePetrus Vuyst, Governor and Extraordinary

Councillor or India, -Stephanus Versluys, Governor and Extra

ordinary Councillor of India, [pattamGualterus Woutersz, Commander of Jaffna-Jacob Christian Pielaat, Extraordinary

Councillor of India and Commissary,Dederic Van Donburg, Governor,Jan Maccara, Commander of Galle, -GustafT Willem Baaron Van InhorT, Extra-

ordinary Councillor of India and Governor,Willem Maurits Bruininck Governor,Daniel Overbeek Governor and Extraordinary Councillor of India,Julius Valentyn Stein Van Gollnesse, Ex

traordinary Councillor ofIndia and Governor,Gerard Van Vreeland, Extraordinary Coun-

cillor of India and Governor,Jacob De Jong, Commander ofJaffnapattam,Joan Gideon Loten, Extraordinary Coun

cillor of J dia and Governor,Jan Sc.i-euder, Extraoidinary Councillorof India and Governor,

Lubbert Jan Baron Van Eck, Governor un-der whose administration Kandy was takenon the 9th February, 1763, - - [pattam,Anthony Mooyaart, Commander of Jaffna-Iman Willem Falck, Governor and Direct-or of India,. -Willem Jacob Van De Graaf, Extraordina-ry Councillor of India and Governor, -

Joan Gerard Van Angelbeek, OrdinaryCouncillor of India and Governor, underwhose administration Colombo surrendered to

10th Jan. 1693.29th Jan.


183/196

ENGLISH GOVERNORS. I6i

The Honorable the Governor of MadrasCouncil,Hon. Frederick North, (late Earl of Guild-ford,)

Lieutenant General Right Hon. Sir ThomasMaitland, g. c. b.,Major General John Wilson, Lieutenant

Governor,General Sir R. Brownrigg, Bart. g. c. b.,Major General Sir Edward Barnes, k. c. b.,Lieutenant Governor, -Lieut. Gen. The Hon. Sir E. Paget, k. c. bMajor Gen. Sir James Campbell, k. c. b.,

Lieutenant Governor, -Lieut. Gen. Sir Edward Barnes, k. c. b.,Major General Sir John Wilson, k. c. b.,

Lieutenant Governor,The Right Hon. Sir Robert Wilmot Horton

Bart. g. c. h.,The Right Hon. James Alexander StewartMackenzie,Lieut. Gen. Sir Colin Campbell, k. c. b.,Sir J. E. Tennent, k. c. s. Lieut. Governor,The Right Hon. the Viscount Torrington,The Hon. C. J. MacCarthy, Esq. Lieute-

nant Governor, -Sir Geo. W. Anderson, k. c. b.,The Hon. C. J. MacCarthy, Esq. Lieutenant Governor, -Sir Henry George Ward, k. g. c. m. g ,Major General Henry Frederic Lockyer,

c. b., k. h., Lieutenant Governor,Colonel Charles Edmund Wilkinson, R. E.Lieutenant Governor,Sir Charles Justin MacCarthy, Kt. -

16th Feb.


184/196


185/196

CORRECTIONS.Page. 3. We have been informed on the best" * authority, that the Mahawelle ganga" 4 takes its rise in Pethuru Tallegalle." 4. In Colombo, the thermometer some-" ' times rises so high as 90 3' 0", in" ' April, and falls so low as 68 4' 0", inw c January." 14, Kurnegalle, lies north west of Kandy.11 " The highest offices ofa local character," '* are those of Maniagarand Odiar; but the


186/196


187/196


188/196


189/196


190/196


191/196


192/196


193/196


194/196


195/196

UC. BERKELEY LIBRARIES


196/196

account of ceylon 1861

Documents