Chapter I: Front Matter

Eight Years' Wanderings in Ceylon

by

Samuel White Baker

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Colombo--Dullness of the Town--Cinnamon Garden--A Cingalese Appo--Ceylon Sport--Jungle Fever--Newera Ellia--Energy of Sir E. Barnes--Influence of the Governor--Projected Improvements.

CHAPTER II.

Past Scenes--Attractions of Ceylon--Emigration--Difficulties in Settling--Accidents and Casualties--An Eccentric Groom--Insubordination--Commencement of Cultivation--Sagacity of the Elephant--Disappointments--"Death" in the Settlement--Shocking Pasturage--Success of Emigrants--"A Good Knock-about kind of a Wife".

CHAPTER III.

Task Completed--The Mountain-top--Change in the Face of Nature--Original Importance of Newera Ellia--"The Path of a Thousand Princes"--Vestiges of Former Population--Mountains--The Highlands of Ouva--Ancient Methods of Irrigation--Remains of Aqueducts--The Vale of Rubies--Ancient Ophir--Discovery of Gold-Mineral Resources--Native Blacksmiths.

CHAPTER IV.

Poverty of Soil--Ceylon Sugar--Fatality of Climate--Supposed Fertility of Soil--Native Cultivation--Neglect of Rice Cultivation--Abandoned Reservoirs--Former Prosperity--Ruins of Cities--Pollanarua--The Great Dagoba--Architectural Relics--The Rock Temple--Destruction of Population--Neglected Capabilities--Suggestions for Increasing Population--Progress of Pestilence--Deserted Villages--Difficulties in the Cultivation of Rice--Division of Labor--Native Agriculture.

CHAPTER V.

Real Cost of Land--Want of Communication--Coffee-planting--Comparison between French and English Settlers--Landslips--Forest-clearing--Manuring--The Coffee Bug--Rats--Fatted Stock--Suggestions for Sheep-farming--Attack of a Leopard--Leopards and Chetahs--Boy Devoured--Traps--Musk Cats and the Mongoose--Vermin of Ceylon.

CHAPTER VI.

"Game Eyes" for Wild Sports--Enjoyments of Wild Life--Cruelty of Sports--Native Hunters--Moormen Traders--Their wretched Guns--Rifles and Smooth-bores--Heavy Balls and Heavy Metal--Beattie's Rifles--Balls and Patches--Experiments--The Double-groove--Power of Heavy Metal--Curious Shot at a Bull Elephant--African and Ceylon Elephants--Structure of Skull--Lack of Trophies--Boar-spears and Hunting-knives--"Bertram"--A Boar Hunt--Fatal Cut.

CHAPTER VII.

Curious Phenomenon--Panorama of Ouva--South-west Monsoon--Hunting Followers--Fort M'Donald--River--Jungle Paths--Dangerous Locality--Great Waterfall--Start for Hunting--The Find--A Gallant Stag--"Bran" and "Lucifer"--"Phrenzy's" Death--Buck at Bay--The Cave Hunting-box--"Madcap's" Dive--Elk Soup--Former Inundation--"Bluebeard" leads off--"Hecate's" Course--The Elk's Leap--Variety of Deer--The Axis--Ceylon Bears--Variety of Vermin--Trials for Hounds--Hounds and their Masters--A Sportsman "shut up"--A Corporal and Centipede.

CHAPTER VIII.

Observations on Nature in the Tropics--The Dung Beetle--The Mason-fly--Spiders--Luminous Insects--Efforts of a Naturalist--Dogs Worried by Leeches--Tropical Diseases--Malaria--Causes of Infection--Disappearance of the "Mina"--Poisonous Water--Well-digging Elephants.

CHAPTER IX.

Instinct and Reason--Tailor Birds and Grosbeaks--The White Ant--Black Ants at War--Wanderoo Monkeys--Habits of Elephants--Elephants in the Lake--Herd of Elephants Bathing--Elephant-shooting--The Rencontre--The Charge--Caught by the Tail--Horse Gored by a Buffalo--Sagacity of Dogs--"Bluebeard"--His Hunt--A True Hound.

CHAPTER X.

Wild Fruits--Ingredients for a "Soupe Maigre"--Orchidaceous Plants--Wild Nutmegs--Native Oils--Cinnamon--Primeval Forests--Valuable Woods--The Mahawelli River--Variety of Palms--Cocoa-nut Toddy--Arrack--Cocoa-nut Oil--Cocoa-nut-planting--The Talipot Palm--The Areca Palm--Betel Chewing--Sago Nuts--Varicty of Bees--Waste of Beeswax--Edible Fungi--Narcotic Puff-ball--Intoxicating Drugs--Poisoned Cakes--The "Sack Tree"--No Gum Trees of Value in Ceylon.

CHAPTER XI.

Indigenous Productions--Botanical Gardens--Suggested Experiments--Lack of Encouragement to Gold-diggers--Prospects of Gold-digging--We want "Nuggets"--Who is to Blame?--Governor's Salary--Fallacies of a Five Years' Reign--Neglected Education of the People--Responsibilities of Conquest--Progress of Christianity.

CHAPTER XII.

The Pearl Fishery--Desolation of the Coast--Harbor of Trincomalee--Fatal Attack by a Shark--Ferocious Crocodiles--Salt Monopoly--Salt Lakes--Method of Collection--Neglect of Ceylon Hides--Fish and Fishing--Primitive Tackle--Oysters and Penknives--A Night Bivouac for a Novice--No Dinner, but a Good Fire--Wild Yams and Consequences--The Elephants' Duel--A Hunting Hermitage--Bluebeard's last Hunt--The Leopard--Bluebeard's Death--Leopard Shot.

CHAPTER XIII.

Wild Denizens of Forest and Lake--Destroyers of Reptiles--The Tree Duck--The Mysteries of Night in the Forest--The Devil-Bird--The Iguanodon in Miniature--Outrigger Canoes--The Last Glimpse of Ceylon--A Glance at Old Times.

EIGHT YEARS' WANDERINGS