From one of the neighbouring mountains there is said to be a very
fine prospect of Pinang, a part of Malacca, and the sea, and, on the
road to the mountain, a waterfall. Unfortunately, the few hours at
my disposal did not allow me to see everything.
The greatest portion of the population of this island consists of
Chinese, who perform all the manual labour, and engross all the
retail trade.
On the 11th of October we saw the small island of Pulo-Rondo, which
appertains to Sumatra. We now took the shortest line across the Bay
of Bengal, and beheld land no more until we came in sight of Ceylon.
On the afternoon of the 17th of October, we neared Ceylon. I
strained my anxious eyes to catch a glimpse of it as soon as
possible, for it is always described as being a second Eden; some go
so far as to affirm that our common father, Adam, settled there on
his expulsion from Paradise, and, as a proof of this, adduce the
fact of many places in the island, such as Adam's Peak, Adam's
Bridge, etc., still bearing his name. I breathed the very air more
eagerly, hoping, like other travellers, to inhale the fragrant
odours wafted to me from the plantations of costly spices.
It was one of the most magnificent sights I ever beheld, to observe
the island rising gradually from the sea, and to mark the numerous
mountain ranges, which intersect Ceylon in every direction, becoming
every instant more defined, their summits still magically lighted by
the setting sun, while the thick cocoa-groves, the hills, and plains
lay enveloped in dusky night. The fragrant odours, however, were
wanting, and the vessel smelt, as usual, of nothing more than tar,
coals, steam, and oil.
About 9 in the evening, we arrived before the harbour at Pointe de
Galle, but, as the entrance is very dangerous, we quietly hove-to
for the night. On the following morning two pilots came on board
and took us safely through the narrow passage of deep water leading
into the port.
Hardly were we landed before we were surrounded by a crowd of people
with precious stones, pearls, tortoiseshell, and ivory articles for
sale. It is possible that a connoisseur may sometimes make a very
advantageous purchase; but I would advise those who have not much
experience in these things, not to be dazzled by the size and
splendour of the said precious stones and pearls, as the natives,
according to all accounts, have learnt from Europeans the art of
profiting as much as they can by a favourable opportunity.
Pointe de Galle is charmingly situated: in the fore-ground are some
fine groups of rock, and in the back-ground, immediately adjoining
the little town, which is protected by fortifications, rise
magnificent forests of palms. The houses present a neat appearance;
they are low, and shaded by trees, which, in the better streets, are
planted so as to form alleys.
Pointe de Galle is the place of rendezvous for the steamers from
China, Bombay, Calcutta, and Suez. Passengers from Calcutta,
Bombay, and Suez, do not stop more than twelve, or, at most, twenty-
four hours; but those proceeding from China to Calcutta have to wait
ten or fourteen days for the steamer that carries them to their
destination. This delay was to me very agreeable, as I profited by
it to make an excursion to Candy.
There are two conveyances from Pointe de Galle to Colombo - the mail
which leaves every day, and a coach which starts three times a week.
The distance is seventy-three English miles, and the journey is
performed in ten hours. A place in the mail costs 1 pounds 10s.,
and in the coach 13s. As I was pressed for time, I was obliged to
go by the first. The roads are excellent; not a hill, not a stone
is there to impede the rapid rate at which the horses, that are
changed every eight miles, scamper along.
The greater portion of the road traversed thick forests of cocoa-
trees, at a little distance from the sea-shore, and the whole way
was more frequented and more thickly studded with houses than
anything I ever saw even in Europe. Village followed village in
quick succession, and so many separate houses were built between
them, that there was not a minute that we did not pass one. I
remarked also some small towns, but the only one worthy of notice
was Calturi, where I was particularly struck by several handsome
houses inhabited by Europeans.
Along the road-side, under little roofs of palm-leaves, were placed
large earthen vessels filled with water, and near them cocoa-nut
shells to drink out of. Another measure for the accommodation of
travellers, which is no less worthy of praise, consists in the
establishment of little stone buildings, roofed in, but open at the
sides, and furnished with benches. In these buildings many
wayfarers often pass the night.
The number of people and vehicles that we met made the journey
appear to me very short. There were specimens of all the various
races which compose the population of Ceylon. The Cingalese,
properly so called, are the most numerous, but, besides these, there
are Indians, Mahomedans, Malays, natives of Malabar, Jews, Moors,
and even Hottentots. I saw numerous instances of handsome and
agreeable physiognomies among those of the first three races; the
Cingalese youths and boys, in particular, are remarkably handsome.
They possess mild, well-formed features, and are so slim and finely
built, that they might easily be mistaken for girls; an error into
which it is the more easy to fall from their manner of dressing
their hair. They wear no covering on their head, and comb back all
their hair, which is then fastened behind by means of a comb, with a
flat, broad plate, four inches high.
