Chapter XXIII: Part II: , p. 608.) (13)

The gems found on the island are distinguished, less for their intrinsic value than for the great variety of precious stones which are present. They are, with few exceptions, found to have been disengaged from the primitive rocks, and washed into the alluvial soil, especially in the outskirts of the mountainous districts, where they are rolled along the beds of the streams together with other pebbles, or are washed out of the alluvial deposits. Hitherto, they have only been searched for for purposes of trade, and then only in the most desultory and thriftless way, no one having as yet examined the rocks themselves, by the disintegration of which the valuable stones are disengaged. There was, indeed, no detailed information as to the wealth in precious stones of the island, until the researches of the English mineralogist, Dr. Gygax, who has very lately published on this subject many interesting observations and remarks. The locality in which precious stones are most abundant is, so far as present experience goes, the district of Saffragam, the capital of which in consequence takes the name of Ratnapoora, or Anarhadnaporra, "the city of rubies." They are also found at various other parts of the island; in the plains on the West coast, between Adams' Peak and the sea, at Nuwera Ellia, Kandy, Matelle, and Ruanwelli, near Colombo, as also in Matura, and the river courses on the eastern side, towards the ancient Mahagam. The geologist of the Expedition visited some mines of precious stones near Ratnapoora. These are situated on the Kaluga-Sella, a small tributary of the Kalu-Gunga, and lie, some in the very bed of the river, some on the steep bank. They are about thirty feet deep, but having been some time disused, they are full of water. The uppermost stratum of these pits or mines is a rich fertile yellow loam, exactly resembling our diluvial loams. This is succeeded, according to the report of the proprietor of the mines, by a slimy black clay, and clayey sand, beneath which again is a bituminous clay, holding numerous organic remains, such as leaves, trunks of trees converted into a substance resembling lignite, and not infrequently elephants' tusks and bones of animals; thereafter sand, and lastly a bank of rolled gravel, forming a species of conglomerate with red, yellow, and occasionally blue clay--being, in fact, what is known as stone-gravel. This bank of pebbles is the layer in which the precious stones occur, and these are most commonly found between the larger masses of agglutinated matter, that are always found especially to abound in gems, whenever they are superposed upon what is called malave, which appears to be a sort of greenish-coloured talc-like half-decomposed mica. The most valuable stones that are obtained from these mines are rubies and sapphires. In the Kalu-Gunga, also, precious stones are occasionally washed down, and as the geologist of the _Novara_ Expedition was descending the river in a boat, from Ratnapoora to Caltura, he perceived at several places, more particularly at the various rapids, men standing in the water, provided with flat pan-shaped baskets, in which they sifted the sand and pebbles.

The gems found on the island are rubies, sapphires topazes, amethysts, garnets, cinnamon-stone, and tourmaline. On the other hand, all the diamonds, emeralds, carnelians, agates, opals, and turquoises, which the natives offer for sale, are imported from India. One precious stone, on which the Cingalese set an exceedingly high value, because they erroneously believe that it is peculiar to the island of Ceylon, whereas it is also found on the southern shores of Hindostan, is the "Cat's-eye," a greenish transparent quartz, which, when polished in its natural shape, or "_en cabochon_," exhibits in its interior a varying reflected light, undoubtedly arising from the presence of fibres of asbestos, and which, in fact, bears some resemblance to the eye of a cat. The natives, as a rule, estimate the value and symmetry of this stone by the brilliancy and tenuity of the beam which it emits, and the clear olive-coloured ground upon which it shines in relief.

A vast number of men give themselves up to the exciting but most uncertain occupation of searching for precious stones, and barter what they have found, chiefly to Mahometan merchants, for clothes and salt. As, however, the natives themselves set a high value on jewels, in consequence of their small bulk admitting of their being readily concealed and easily carried about, the finer descriptions are readily disposed of at a good price, and, singular to say, it has frequently happened, as we ourselves found by personal experience, that precious stones are dearer in Colombo and Galle than in the European markets! The explanation of this paradox is probably that the steady copious influx into the London and Paris markets of precious stones from all parts of the earth where jewels are found, admits of by no means such excessive fluctuations in value as at Ceylon, where the supply actually on hand is so varying, and where the value of the article almost always depends upon the rank and wealth of the Indian purchaser. The foreign traveller very often cannot restrain a feeling of surprise at seeing the fingers of the stately Mahometan jewellers adorned with rings of costly gems, which are only offered for sale to himself at an exorbitant sum.

The value of the precious stones of all sorts found in Ceylon in the course of a year is estimated by Sir Emerson Tennent at about £10,000, one-fourth, at least, of the entire quantity finding a market on the island, a full half being sent to the jewel-polishers of India, so that only the remaining fourth is exported to Europe.

The scant time allotted to us at Colombo was zealously occupied in seeing the utmost that we could of the many interesting objects that invited attention. Among others, we visited one of the largest industrial enterprises in Ceylon, known as Hultsdorf Mill, a cocoa-nut-oil factory, the proprietorship consisting in shares, of which the largest holder is David Wilson, Esq., the Austrian Consular Agent. Here are carried on all the various processes connected with the manufacture, the preparation of the oil-cake from the cocoa-nut, the expressure of the oil, &c., which are carried on by apparatus, partly sent out from England, partly put up in this country, all set in motion by steam-engines. The task assigned in these factories to the natives, of whom above a thousand are employed in the various departments, is, nevertheless, not the less important and significant, that, while machinery is used in those processes where it is necessary to use an agency far transcending the powers of mere human labour, all collateral products, such as soap, candles, perfumery, as also the implements and tools required for the works, and even the barrels and chests required for the transport of the manufactures, are prepared and used by handicraft labour.

To the thoughtful visitor it is a scene of no ordinary interest to behold several hundreds of Cingalese, Hindoos, and Mozambique negroes, all thoroughly conversant with the management of the most magnificent invention of the nineteenth century. Here are a number of artisans employed at the hydraulic presses and iron turning-lathes; in another apartment the various parts of the different machines are being constructed or put together, which regulate the pressure of the steam supplied to the apparatus when in activity; in a third, persons are busy examining and testing the resulting products with scrupulous precision. With all its development, European industry has, in this quarter, exercised but an obscure influence; and, thus far, has been productive of but small results as a civilizing element among this population, which has hitherto shown itself so little disposed to accept the Christian form of civilization.

In the large warehouse belonging to Mr. Wilson, we also saw huge heaps of "Kauris," or Cowries, (_cypræa moneta_), the renowned, or rather ill-reputed, species of mussel, which comes from the Maldive Islands, and plays so important a part in the commerce with the coast of Malabar and the interior of Africa; while here, it constitutes the sole medium of exchange, which is used by way of barter for almost all sorts of agricultural produce, chiefly among the blacks.[93] These mussels are sent from Ceylon to London, and thence back to the Eastern Coast of Africa, and thus indirectly uphold the slave-trade, as, the native merchants of that region barter these shells, so greatly sought after by all African tribes, as ornament, for negroes and negresses, who are in turn sold to the "speculators in human flesh." A ton of these shells, of which the smaller description are most in request, and therefore the most valuable, costs in Ceylon about £70 to £75.

[Footnote 93: The Malay name for this mussel is "beya," implying duty, toll, tax, thus leaving it open to conjecture that that nation, in their commerce with the Asiatic and African continents, have for untold ages employed the same principles of currency and expressions of value as ourselves.]

To the kindness and active interest in our objects of Mr. Wilson, in whose agreeable villa at Mootwall--the plan and method of construction of which reminded us of the beautiful planters' houses on the sugar estates of Louisiana--we spent the last night of our stay at Colombo, we are also indebted for a copy, with which he presented us, of the most ancient annals of Ceylon, inscribed with an iron graver upon Talipot palm-leaves in the highly-esteemed Pali language, and preserved between richly-carved boards of the costly wood of the Kalamander tree (_Diospyrus Hirsuta_). This carefully-preserved MS. includes, among others, the celebrated epic poem "Mahawanso," (an abbreviation "Mahantaman Wanso," "Genealogy of mighty men,") which recites under 100 heads, and in 9175 verses, the most important events connected with the interior constitution and history of the island, as also of all the battles fought by the inhabitants in foreign countries from B.C. 543 to the year 1758, A.D. Of these, the most renowned historic relics of the Cingalese, 38 chapters, of 262 pages 4to, were translated into English by George Tumour, Esq., an eminent Pali scholar, and printed at Ceylon, in the year 1837. Unfortunately, his earnest desire to publish the rest of this highly-interesting work was destined not to be gratified. The grave closed over him ere he could realize his wish. At present, however, there is a prospect of the translation of the "Mahawanso" being completed by Mr. James de Alwis, a worthy follower in the footsteps of Mr. Turnour, chiefly through the munificence of Government and of the Scientific Institutes, which were invoked to supply the requisite assistance for the prosecution of an undertaking likely to prove so unremunerative.

In addition to the copy of the "Mahawanso," we also procured a number of other important Cingalese MSS. on Talipot palms, which were made use of by Tumour, partly in his translation of the "Mahawanso," partly in his other works upon Ceylon, and which embrace numerous valuable historical details not comprised in the "Mahawanso." This complete collection of the most antique annals of the Island of Ceylon, in the purchase of which we were kindly favoured with the advice and assistance of Mr. Wilson at Colombo, together with a variety of other Cingalese MSS. on palm leaves, collected at a subsequent date, now form part of the collection of valuable books in the Imperial Royal Library at Vienna.

Besides Mr. Wilson, our very best thanks are due to the Colonial Secretary, Sir C. J. McCarthy, who had the kindness to provide several of the members of the _Novara_ Expedition with the requisite letters of introduction to the authorities in the interior of the Island: also to Mr. John Selby, the very obliging proprietor of the _Examiner_; to Dr. Kelaart, physician and naturalist; to Charles P. Layard, Esq., the Government Agent for the Western Provinces; and to Captain Gosset, Surveyor-General, for their numerous attentions. The last-mentioned gentleman very kindly provided us with a pair of level-tubes which we urgently needed for one of our levelling instruments, and which, in this quarter of the globe, were more rare and difficult to be met with than pearls or precious stones.

Our return from Colombo to Galle, was not less marked by misadventures than our journey thither. As far as Caltura, where our amiable Father Miliani was in waiting for us with his neat single-horse equipage, to convey us to the beautiful parsonage of St. Sebastian Makùn, all went tolerably smoothly with us. We arrived, as had been concerted, to breakfast with this hospitable shepherd of souls. On our way to the parsonage, we noticed that great respect was paid to the worthy Father, by such of the Cingalese as met us. Their usual salutation was to bend themselves to the earth, veiling their eyes at the same time, and bending forward the outstretched head as though to implore a blessing. Father Miliani, who held the reins in his left hand, while his right hand flourished a long heavy whip, slightly inclined his body upon the cabriolet, and so dismissed in peace the poor folk that besought his benediction. When we had now got pretty near the parsonage, we were suddenly brought to a halt by a couple of natives, of whom one implored the spiritual ministration of the Father for his wife, then lying almost _in articulo mortis_, while the other had brought with him, from the sacristy of Makùn, the Communion-plate required for the purpose. The priest, to whom this interruption seemed to come as a matter of course, stopped, apologized for the unexpected delay, threw the reins to one of the party, sprang from the waggon, and disappeared in the gloom of the forest. It was not for long, as it proved; for the stately, handsome figure of the priest of Makùn presently appeared between the cocoa-palms. He had found the woman much less dangerously ill than he had been led to expect by the report of the husband, the native converts to Christianity being very much given to requesting the administration of the rites of the Church, upon being attacked by the slightest indisposition, because they anticipate much more benefit from spiritual treatment than from the medicines of their body-curers. And now we proceeded on our way to the parsonage at a smart gallop, which, however, did not prevent a zealous, much-believing Cingalese from keeping up with the mettled horse, stride for stride, for the entire distance, keeping close to the waggon as he ran alongside. We were not then aware, indeed, whether this violent bodily exercise was undertaken as a matter of choice or as a penance, but it seemed to us, in any case, an act far less meritorious than prejudicial to health.

In St. Sebastian de Makùn, the entire community were awaiting our arrival, and escorted us by a romantic hill, and through a delicious palm-forest, to the priest's abode. Here we found the porch of the house gaily adorned, and metamorphosed with tropical fruits and flowers into a smiling fragrant bower, with the feathery leaf of the cocoa-palm cut into thin strips. The inventive ingenuity of the Cingalese had endeavoured to represent the various birds found in tropical forests, which were suspended in ornamental baskets of green leaves among the festoons. Over the entrance to this bower, improvised out of materials supplied by the primeval forest, was placed a picture painted by the good Father himself, representing a large anchor, with the superscription in Italian "La speranza non confunde!" (Hope never disappoints!) This was evidently a delicate allusion of our kind-souled entertainer to the hope which he had expressed during our previous visit, that he should see us on our return from Colombo, "which had not been disappointed."

In the interior of the arbour appeared an elegantly appointed table, that seemed ready to give way under the weight of good things spread upon it, around which were placed a number of arm-chairs, worked in tapestry, while the plastered floor was strewed with the glistening green leaves of the _Ficus religiosa_. As soon as we had taken our seats, the members of the community, consisting of more than a hundred tawny, half-naked Cingalese (principally men and children), arranged themselves in a circle, and some half-dozen dancers began to execute a very ordinary-looking dance to the sound of a drum. The entire figure consisted in their simply approaching each other from opposite sides, during which they struck the hollow-sounding instrument pretty sharply, holding it in their hand the while, after which they drew away from each other, and wound up by dancing round in a circle in couples. A boy of eight, in glittering costume, next performed a dance, in which he was accompanied by a grown-up Cingalese who sung, occasionally accompanied by drum and fife. Frequently we enquired what was the meaning of the vocal accompaniment to the dance, but could get no information upon the subject. But we have always had occasion to remark among the various primitive races, that they are rarely able to give any connected account of the history of their dances or even their songs, but simply go through a set of mechanical figures which they have learned, or rehearse a set of words by rote, without being able to assign any signification to either. Over and over again have we put the question, only to receive the same stereotyped answer from Hindoos, Negroes, Chinese, Malays, and Polynesians, that they could tell us nothing more than that these songs and dances took their origin in the "olden times." Breakfast was served in the arbour by Cingalese boys. As often as the hospitable Father turned to apologize for his scanty means, which prevented him from ministering to our entertainment as he could wish, some new dish would be forthcoming, or some fresh kind of wine would be produced, till one knew not which most to admire, the variety of the entertainment, or its cost in preparation.

On inquiring of Father Miliani, in the course of conversation, whether he had any acquaintance with the plants to which the natives ascribe healing properties, he sent for a phial containing an oily substance, which; according to the Cingalese herbalists, is composed of 57 different roots and as many flowers, and has already been wonderfully efficacious in cases of persons bitten by poisonous serpents. It is called by the natives, _Visanili-Katail_ (oil against poison); and the priest of Makùn remarked to us, he had himself had an opportunity of satisfying himself as to the marvellous curative qualities of this vegetable substance, in the case of persons who had been bitten by the most venomous snake in the whole island, the _Cobra di Capello_, who had entirely recovered by the copious use of this antidote. The application is very simple. The mouth is rinsed out with it, and the patient further takes from 15 to 20 drops of the oil internally. Unfortunately, we were not able to inquire more particularly as to the ingredients from which the Visanili-Katail is compounded, of which we eventually got a small quantity to carry away with us, after much entreaty; but by way of compensation, Father Miliani was able to give us much valuable information as to the manners, customs, and traditions of his flock. He regretted, however, that they were all of a highly impassioned strain, and that they constantly passed from one extreme to the other. The following trait, which was pointed out to us by the Father in the course of conversation, may serve to indicate the modes of thought and observation of the natives. When the Cingalese perceived how eagerly and with what warmth of friendship the Father received us, they inquired of him whether he had been previously an acquaintance of ours, as they were unable to conceive the existence of such hearty good-will between persons who were utter strangers to each other. The priest, readily appreciating the results which must flow from the reply he should give, in confirming the devout souls of his children, replied that the reputation of his name had long since penetrated to us, and we were unwilling to ride by without turning aside to salute him, to which he had readily expressed his assent, and had also long since been apprized of the important mission of the Austrian ship of war, whose commander was termed by the natives, with the bombast of their native tongue, "King of the Sea." At our departure, the kind Father presented us with several interesting articles, as _souvenirs_ of Makùn, while we, on our part, left with him a donation in money to defray the expenses of erecting his church.

Father Miliani, the band of musicians, consisting of ten or twelve wild-looking fellows, with all manner of barbarous musical instruments, of which they made not less barbarous use, together with a laughing, yelling, gesticulating crowd of half-naked Cingalese, with long raven locks floating over their shoulders, accompanied us to our travelling chariot. Here we took leave of the hospitable Father, the vehicle set out on its route, and the whole brown retinue at once dispersed.

Hardly had we left the Mission of St. Sebastian Makùn behind us, ere our troubles began afresh. At almost the very first station we came to, we had to hire a horse from a resident at an exorbitant rate--the animal belonging to the station, and which had been engaged for us, being utterly useless. This gave occasion for fresh delays. The party letting the horses was what is called a native doctor, who assumed the title of "native vaccinator," and bitterly complained, that for his attendance four days in every week, as required by the law, for the purpose of inoculation, he only received from Government a monthly salary of £2 5_s._ sterling. Whatever deficiency existed in his salary, he seemed determined to make up for in the hire of his horse, which he charged for at the rate of ten shillings for six miles! On the cash being forthcoming, our "native vaccinator" did not disdain himself to take the reins, and, with his own hands, apply the whip to his mare between the shafts of our vehicle. But this mark of distinction was destined, ere long, to cost us dear. Hardly had we proceeded a couple of miles under his care, when the hind-wheels of the vehicle sunk into a rut, whence our Æsculapian steed lacked the strength to extricate us. To complete the sum of our misfortunes, at the very moment we were using our utmost endeavours to replace the waggon on the regular track, it came on to rain heavily, and we were, in a twinkling, wet to the skin. Some thirty young Cingalese, in the full dress of Adam before the Fall, who were standing open-mouthed round the waggon, could only be roused by threats from their passive attitude; and when, finally, they lent a hand to assist, they, in their ill-timed zeal, came near oversetting the waggon into the ditch on the opposite side. Next, we exchanged this stubborn brute for one that was blind. For a brief space we hoped the latter might probably be the more easily driven in consequence of his not seeing what was going on around him; but these anticipations were speedily dispelled, and in a rather unpleasant manner. The short distance that now separated us from our destination seemed as though it would never have an end; and, in a word, it was already verging on midnight ere we reached Galle, where we had been expected to dinner five hours before, by our hospitable friend, the Consul for Hamburg. Some of the invited guests had already left this agreeable house, while others were still seated at the whist-table, as, wearied and exhausted, we entered the drawing-room. The circumstances that had so seriously delayed our arrival were explained by way of apology, and proved the subject of some goodnatured quizzing on our misfortunes by the guests present; and in such agreeable society, and over a sumptuous supper, we speedily forgot the trifling annoyances of our latest experiences.

In the course of a desultory agreeable conversation about the natural beauties of the island, many were the plans of more distant excursions which we projected this evening--which, however, upon more mature consideration, all proved impracticable, owing to the scanty time at our disposal. Thus we found ourselves, much against our wishes, compelled to forego a visit to Kandy, and its beautiful environs, in which is situated the renowned temple that enshrines the tooth of Buddha, the occupation of which by the English was, in the eyes of the Cingalese, the most manifest indication of their being the legitimate conquerors of the kingdom.[94] Neither were we able to take part in an elephant hunt, although these animals are found in the island in such quantities, that it is related, with every appearance of accuracy, of a single elephant hunter, the late Major Rodgers, who was struck dead by a flash of lightning a few years since in the midst of the forest, that he had, in the course of his life of active exercise, laid low fifteen hundred elephants with his own hand! But permission was granted by the commander of the Expedition to the geologist and one of the zoologists to remain in Ceylon, and rejoin the frigate at Madras by the steamer which runs fortnightly, so as to enable them to ascend the world-famous Adam's Peak, 7000 feet high, one of the loftiest peaks in Ceylon, where, according to tradition, the founder of the Buddhist doctrine, when last he visited the earth, in answer to the supplications of a priest, left behind the print of his footstep (_Sri-pada_), as a visible sign of his presence.

[Footnote 94: The legend relating to these relics, about which so many wars were waged, goes back as far as the third century of the Christian era, when Mahasana, a true believer, having become King of Ceylon, purchased these teeth for numerous valuable presents, of one of his kindred, a Calinga king in Bengal, who sent them over by his princes. The tooth Dahata Wahansa immediately achieved a miracle--it illumined the entire island, and supplanted all heretical teaching. It was forthwith enveloped in a hundred cloths, and a temple erected to enshrine it, since which it has been regarded as the Palladium of Ceylon. When, in 1560, this tooth was transferred to the temple at Manaar by the Portuguese under Constantin de Braganza, the king offered the Portuguese bigots 600,000 pieces of gold by way of ransom. Braganza judged it more advisable to destroy the tooth. But he little knew the adroitness and subtlety of the Buddhist priesthood. The very next morning the tooth, that had been supposed to be destroyed was marvellously found in a Lotos leaf in the temple, where it had been deposited by Buddha himself!]

We cite, in the following extract, the most prominent features of this venture, as supplied by the two members of the Expedition who undertook it, so as to complete the description of the _Novara's_ visit to Ceylon:--

"On 13th January, 1858, we proceeded from Colombo to Ratnapoora, _en route_, to visit Adam's Peak, a tolerably long and tedious journey. On the margin of a river we encountered an elephant, who was engaged in assisting the labourers on the public roads in that vicinity. While our car and the baggage were being embarked here, and again put in order, this animal went through a number of tricks, such as swaying to and fro, lying down, raising his trunk, and trumpeting, the latter of which, at a sign from his driver, he did with a vengeance, and for so doing was rewarded with a few plantains. These exercises seem to constitute the first steps in taming, as they were gone through in a similar manner by all the elephants we afterwards saw, whether employed like this one in task-work, or maintained for show, or made use of in the Temple service.

At mid-day we reached Ratnapoora, and as we were anxious to shorten as much as possible our next day's journey, we decided on pushing forward in the course of the afternoon, as far as the little village of Gilli-Mali, seven miles further on. We had been provided by C. W. Layard, Esq., the Government Agent in Colombo, with letters of introduction to his deputy, Mr. Mooyart, at Ratnapoora, who, however, we unfortunately found was absent from home. Next day, however, we had unmistakable evidence that our letters had, very shortly after our departure, reached the hands they were intended for, by a variety of precautions which the hospitable gentleman must have at once arranged with a view to our greater comfort. While yet on the second-half of our road to Gilli-Mali, night overtook us, and we prosecuted our march by torch-light through the dense jungle. Our guides and porters had shown some reluctance to enter this jungle, partly on account of the swarms of land-leeches (_litchies_, as they are termed here, doubtless by a corruption of the English name), which are especially active during the night, partly from other causes of anxiety. Accordingly, they kept reciting Cingalese ditties, alternated with shrill yells, or shouted, so as to be heard at a distance; whether to drive away evil spirits, or to frighten the _chetah_ or leopard, we could not ascertain. No long time elapsed ere we ourselves began to perceive traces of having been victimized by that most uncomfortable of guests, the land-leech. The naked Hindoos were incessantly occupied with pulling off these painful blood-suckers, and we had to call a halt from time to time, in order to loosen and carefully fling them away, as they had succeeded in reaching the skin, through the trousers immediately above the boot. They are found up to an elevation of 4000 feet above the sea on the mountains, chiefly in damp or wet localities, and are most active during the evening and night in the selection of a victim.

At Gilli-Mali, we fell in with Mr. Braybrooke, an English engineer, who most hospitably invited us to his bungalow, and with whom we conversed upon topics relating to Ceylon, till far into the night.

Next day we had to ascend the Peak itself; which is in so far a difficult undertaking on the side from which we approached it, that one has gained no vantage-ground at Gilli-Malli, our last night's resting-place, towards reaching the summit, so that one sees it in its entire colossal height of above 7000 feet directly in front; whereas, in ascending from Kandy, one has already, at Neuwera Ellia, attained an elevation of 4000 feet, which can be performed in a carriage. We set out at 7 A.M., and after an hour-and-a-half's march, gained the last village, Balahab-a-Dullu, in the Buddhist temple of which is kept a flat metal dish, adorned with silver _rosettes_, with which the imprint of the holy footstep is covered over at the season of the annual pilgrimage. On the table, before a colossal figure of Buddha, were strewn, as usual, a quantity of flowers presented by the faithful; these were the flower-shrubs of the _Areca palm_, _Hibiscus_, _Alamanda_, _Tagetes_; also, close to the wooden statue, are placed several small figures of silver or wood, 3 or 4 inches long. The priest also showed us a magnificent manuscript of at least 1000 palm leaves, closely and beautifully engraved on both sides with Cingalese characters, which belonged to the temple, and was guarded with great care.

At a solitary house on the road, we left our guides and porters to discuss their modest repast, which, in consequence of the strict ordinances of the Buddhist faith, consists of vegetable substances only. Reclining on a mat spread on the ground, each took a piece of green plantain leaf, scattered upon it a little rice which they had just brought with them, and some chili (red Spanish pepper), and thence conveyed their simple food to their mouth with the hand. This frugal meal was speedily concluded, and we once more pushed forward. From this point we had the dense covert of the high forest trees, the lofty foliage of which afforded a most agreeable shade, and kept us comparatively cool. The path, which consists simply of ravines, formed by the rush of torrents during the rainy season, is so steep that it seems like one uninterrupted flight of stairs, the steps of which seem partly constructed by Nature, partly by the hand of man. Frequently they are artistically chiselled in the solid rock; at one stupendous precipice a Cingalese monarch has had four flights, of 250 steps in all, hewn out of the living rock. Here and there, also, ladders have been contrived, the rounds of which are composed of pieces of bamboo bound together, by which one clambers up. The whole route bears marks of being much used, and is considerably worn, the stones being rubbed quite smooth. Under the damp shade of the forest are found a vast quantity of the most beautiful ferns and _Lycopodium_ (Club-moss; or Wolf's-claw, as it is called in Sweden, whence the Linnæan name); from the delicate beauty of the _Jungermania_ (Star-tip), to the tree-like fern, _Filius Phyllophisidos_, which vies with the giants of the forest. The more deeply shaded spots are adorned here with beautiful balsams, a genus of plants which, besides being unusually luxuriant and beautiful in this district, exhibits certain peculiarities of form not usually met with.

At one place, called Nihilabellagalla, there was pointed out to us, at a few paces to the side of the road, near a rugged projecting rock with a steep declivity in front, a narrow valley which seemed to be closed in by perpendicular walls of rock on the opposite side. This _cul de sac_, we were informed, was a favourite resort of numerous wild elephants. A shot fired at this point, with the gun directed towards the rocks opposite, returned a thundering echo.

By 4 P.M. the last halt, or resting-place, was reached, above which the singular-looking cone towers sheer overhead, some 500 or 600 feet high. The vapours which, during the entire day, had been playing about the summit, from time to time lifted like a veil, as though to indulge us with an opportunity of beholding this sublime mountain-peak under the magical effect of twilight. Our native retinue, which had gathered fresh accessions of strength at every place we passed, and now consisted of from 24 to 30 persons, showed no inclination to proceed farther, but appeared desirous of passing the night at the last halting-place, which was nothing but a sort of hovel. It was only by a resolute expression of our determination to reach the summit the same evening that they gave in. Their reluctance arose from an idea that no one could with impunity pass the night on the highest point of the mountain--which, indeed, is natural enough, since the sharp night-air at such an elevation may well be prejudicial to the health of those who are not sufficiently protected against its attacks.

The last portion of the ascent is so steep, and so difficult, that all superfluous baggage was left behind, and we took with us only what was absolutely indispensable. Thus far we had seen occasional traces of elephants, sometimes so fresh, that they could not have been more than an hour old. According to a report of Major Skinner, the unmistakable marks of one of these animals was remarked in the year 1840 quite close to the rock which bears the sacred footprint! At the steepest points, iron ladders have been made fast, by which the visitor has to scramble up. There were, also, innumerable chains fastened to the rock, of every description and variety of link, which swung to and fro by dozens on either hand, some eaten away with age and rust, some forged quite lately, it being considered a meritorious work to provide such as a protection against the occurrence of accidents. By 6 P.M., we at last reached the summit, and were rewarded with a panoramic view of indescribable magnificence. The mists were almost entirely dispersed, and in the clear, calm, evening light, the eye wandered at pleasure over the vast, almost limitless, panorama at our feet, as far as the sea, barely visible in the grey distance. Bounding our view from north-west to east, the mountain ranges rose by three distinct terraces of hills, each behind the other, and in regular gradations, till they culminated in the highest peak on the island, the Pedro-talla-galla, which overtops Adam's peak by nearly 1000 feet,[95] but presents no pre-eminent peak, similar to that on which we now stood. The remainder of the horizon was filled with low mountains, which gradually became more and more flat as they approached the coast. The followers of three religions,--Buddhists, Brahmins, and Mahometans, stand face to face with each other on this space of barely a few steps, in order to bow before these visible emblems, in sincere devotion to the invisible Deity. The highest surface, which is nearly level, is of an irregular oval form, and is about 60 or 70 feet in length, by from 36 to 40 feet in breadth, and is inclosed within a wall 5 feet in height, with two entrances on the west and south, while the north-east corner is shut out by an artificially rounded rock, easily surmounted, however, by any one who ascends it. In the middle of this enclosure stands a block of rock some 10 or 11 feet high, which, on the extreme top, has a depression, the divine _Sri-pada_, or Holy Footstep. The adoration consists chiefly of offerings of flowers which are brought up hither, and presented with innumerable genuflections, invocations, and exclamations of "_Sadoo_," which corresponds to the Christian Amen. The impressed foot-print is ascribed by the Buddhists to the last incarnation of Buddha, the gentle hermit Gautama; while it is regarded by the Brahmins as the footstep of Siva, and by the Mahometans as that of Adam, as being the spot on which the progenitor of the human race stood so long, doing penance after his expulsion from Paradise, until the Almighty pardoned him.

[Footnote 95: The precise relative elevations of the two mountains are, Pedro-talla-galla 8280 feet, Adam's Peak 7420 feet. Two other peaks of the main range are also higher than Adam's Peak, viz. Totapella 7720 feet, and Kirrigal-potta 7810 feet, while the plains, or table-lands, of Welinani and Neuwera Ellia are, respectively, no less than 6990 feet and 6210 feet above the level of the sea.]

This depression, in which only the most unbridled imagination can see any resemblance to the human foot, is about 5 feet in length by 2-1/2 in breadth, and is set, as it were, in a level stratum of mortar, several inches in height, by six in breadth, shaped to resemble the outline of the human foot. At its anterior extremity, it presents a straight line, on which the five toes are artificially formed by several tolerably thick, narrow crevices, filled with mortar, and about 8 or 9 inches in length, which jut inwards, the great toe being on the right or east side, and thus indicating that it is a representation of the left foot. At the heel end the setting of mortar is somewhat narrowed and rounded off. Over the whole affair a wooden temple with balustrades open on all sides, has been erected, which is fastened by iron chains to the rock, and to beams of rhododendron fastened on the N.W. side, outside the wall, to prevent its being swept away by the storms which, on this lofty, exposed peak, occasionally rage with great vehemence. These cables, as also several of the poles by which the temple was supported, were thickly hung with carved figures of Buddha enveloped in linen cloth, which, originally the votive offerings of pilgrims, and bleached by long exposure, fluttered in the breeze. On the front of the temple is erected a penthouse roof, shading a bench beneath, on which several of our porters, who regarded our impious presence, and still more impious admeasurements of the holy footprint, with a horror which they flattered themselves was unobserved, deposited their offerings of flowers, and humbly bent the knee. On the west side, under two small distinct roofs, were two bells, and quite apart, on the rock itself, and somewhat in the background, a smaller temple. Between the block of rock and the inner half of the enclosure, a small house has been erected, 12 feet long by 6 feet broad, which is used as a shelter at night by the priests who are on duty during the pilgrimage season,[96] in which we too took up our quarters. Suddenly, from the depths below there arose, through the unbroken silence of the night, a confused murmur, in which the sounds of human voices were plainly recognizable. The singularity of such a phenomenon produced a certain degree of excitement among our superstitious spectre-dreading followers, inasmuch as it had never happened that strangers undertook the ascent of the peak at night, seeing it gives trouble enough to reach the summit by daylight. By degrees we perceived a number of torches borne by natives, who, with loud and long-continued cheers, set about slowly ascending the ladders. To the inquiries of our followers they made no reply; and we had, in a word, to wait a considerable interval, until, indeed, the leading torch-bearer had reached the summit, ere we were enlightened as to the object of this mysterious nocturnal visit. How great, and let us add, agreeable was our surprise at finding ourselves suddenly surrounded by a choice array of wines, with food of various sorts, which the overflowing hospitality of Mr. Mooyart had dispatched after us to the summit of Adam's Peak, together with his card, the whole being conveyed in huge baskets by the supposed spectres! A cheerful fire speedily blazed up, at which our tea and provisions were cooked, and, as may well be supposed, while, enjoying our delicate fare, we thankfully toasted the kind and thoughtful donor.

[Footnote 96: The dry season, occurring in the south-west side of the island from January to April, is likewise the chief season of pilgrimage, at the end of which the entire amount of the offerings, annually averaging from £250 to £300 sterling, is handed over to the High-Priest of Buddha.]

Deep silence once more fell on all around, no cry of any wild beast reached us at this elevation, no hum of insect broke upon the awful stillness. Our coolies lay cowering together around the drooping blaze, seeking some shelter against the night air. One division stowed themselves away in a second sleeping-house for priests, which had been run up some twenty paces distant, in which we also were in the end fain to seek shelter from the ever-increasing keenness of the air, the temperature of which fell to 54°.5 Fahr., where, with our wrappers drawn close around us, and stretched at full length on the bare rock, we awaited the approach of morning.

The first faint glimmer of dawn invited us once more to the open air, in order to contemplate the wonderful aspect of Nature at this elevation. We had, after leaving Ratnapoora, taken barometrical and thermometrical observations, with the view of determining the elevation at nine different stations, which had been, wherever practicable, selected in such manner, that by means of them the various limits of certain classes of vegetation were indicated, which in many instances are marked out with extraordinary distinctness upon the perpendicular side of the peak. These series of observations, which were at the same time supplemented by investigations as to the temperature of the soil and of various springs, will be compared with the results of previous scientific visitors to the summit of Adam's Peak, and published in another form. The geology of the isolated pinnacle of Adam's Peak, so far as the dense covering of primeval forests permitted us to observe, is uncommonly simple and uniform. The chief directions of the lofty chain of mountains in Southern Ceylon, separated from each other by level plateau-like depressions, is from S.S.E. to N.N.W., corresponding likewise with the chief directions of the strata of gneiss, of which these mountains are composed. The gneiss is uniformly of a species not often met with, studded with garnets, and between its strata are inserted single beds of hornblende-gneiss and splinters of pure hornblende, as also granulite-gneiss and pure granulite. The steep, final cone of the rock consists of a granulitic gneiss of varying texture from coarse to fine, and abounding in garnets. Everywhere, even up to the highest summit, the gneiss is decomposed on the surface into laterit-like products. The huge blocks of brown ironstone, however, which are found near the summit, in the hollow path by which it is customary to ascend, owe their origin to the decomposition of the hornblende.

After these interesting observations, admeasurements, and investigations, made at the summit of the most remarkable peak in the world, had been brought to a conclusion, we set out on our return to Gilli-Mali, which we reached late at night. Here we found, at the abode of our hospitable entertainer, Mr. Braybrooke, a fresh guest, who likewise intended to ascend Adam's Peak the following day. This was the well-known Count Medem, a Russian gentleman, who has frequently traversed both the old and new worlds, and was now about making a second visit to China.[97] The next day saw us at Ratnapoora, from which point we continued our return journey on the waters of the Kalu-Gunga, or Black River, as far as Caltura.

[Footnote 97: Count Medem died the same year at Shanghai.]

Our boat consisted of two trunks of trees hollowed out and fastened together, upon which was erected a semicircular tilt, covered with the leaves of the Fan Palm (_Borassus Flabelliformis_), under which one might sit or lie at pleasure, sheltered from the sun. As the mail-car that runs daily from Colombo to Caltura was already full, we were compelled, in order to pursue our journey to Galle, to make use of the native waggon, or bullock-bandy. This is a two-wheeled cart drawn by oxen, and covered with a semicircular tilt of palm-leaves, beneath which there was room for two persons to lie at full-length packed closely together. The oxen, of a breed that have humps and erect horns, are small, and walk with a quick, short tramp, while their entire bodies are tattooed with Cingalese characters and ornaments. The horns are usually adorned with metal tips, and frequently are dyed, the one red, the other green. The cross-piece of the pole is fastened to the neck instead of the customary yoke, and the cord for guiding the animal passes through the nose. The driver either strides along between the two oxen, or sits with his back to them on the pole. The rate of progression by this national conveyance is so slow, that the mail-car which left Colombo the day after overtook us long ere we reached our destination, and it was with some difficulty we reached Galle in time for the overland steamer which was to bring us to Madras."

At 6 A.M. of the 16th January, the _Novara_ set sail from the roads of Point de Galle with light breezes off the land, and steered southerly in order to avoid the Basses or Baxos, a much-dreaded rocky shoal, traditionally alleged to be the remains of the island of Giri, swallowed up by the sea, and which, owing to the very strong current, require the utmost care to be observed, in order to avoid drifting right upon them.[98]

[Footnote 98: A late survey, instituted with the intention of erecting a lighthouse on the "Basses," proved a failure, in consequence of the ground having sunk in while an examination was being made by the diver, and left nothing but holes filled with water, in which, according to the report of the fishermen, besides fish and molluscs, sea-snakes are occasionally seen, of a light-gray colour, and about 4 or 5 feet in length.]

The evening before our departure, the Consul for Hamburg had requested from the Commander of the Expedition the favour of a free passage to Madras, on board our frigate, for a native of Berlin, named Neupert. This man had come to Ceylon a long time previously with a company of rope-dancers, and had at first made a good deal of money as an acrobat and juggler, despite the dangerous competition of the Indian practitioners, but had afterwards lost his all, and had been for some weeks in a pitiable plight. The request was at once acceded to, and Neupert came on board during the night. His luggage did not encumber him much. However, although the greatest part of his effects had disappeared in Galle, he fortunately had kept his various apparatus; and, by way of showing his gratitude for the free passage that had been accorded to him, professed his willingness, in the course of the voyage, to give us some specimens of his skill on deck. Accordingly, one fine afternoon, he gave us an entertainment out on the open ocean, which not alone hugely pleased the sturdy tars grouped together on the forecastle, but ultimately, in consequence of a collection set on foot for the unfortunate Berlin acrobat, procured him enough ready money to enable him to pass the first week after his arrival at Madras free from anxiety, besides supplying him with a fresh outfit.

Within a few days after our departure from Galle, several severe cases occurred of hemeralopia, chiefly among members of the ship's band. Every evening, as darkness set in, these men lost all power of distinguishing objects, and had to be led about like blind men. In Vienna, we had been advised by various physicians there, with a view to the confirmation or refutation of the popular belief, to try the use of boiled ox-liver;[99] and, as one of the oxen shipped at Ceylon had been slaughtered, we were in a position to make the desired experiment, which, it must be confessed, proved eminently successful. This time, moreover, several of those thus afflicted were treated with cooked pig's-liver, which was given them to eat, while the steam rising from the dish was applied to their eyes. But we had, on our return voyage, the most convincing proof of the efficacy of the liver of animals of the ox tribe in cases of night-blindness, when above twenty of those afflicted, after frequent relapses during the voyage from Valparaiso to Gibraltar, were treated in the last-named port with ox-liver, and dismissed permanently cured.[100]

[Footnote 99: This cure is likewise very much resorted to, even of late years, among the Highlands of Scotland!]

[Footnote 100: During the entire voyage round the globe, there occurred 75 cases of _Hemeralopia_; the largest number of which, 60, occurred between Cape Horn and Gibraltar. The remainder were isolated cases, occurring at Rio, Ceylon, the Nicobar Islands, and on the voyage from China to Sydney.]

The voyage from Ceylon to Madras was, on the whole, monotonous and void of interest, with the exception of one single event, which no one on board is likely to forget for the remainder of his life. About 3.30 P.M. of the 2nd January, 1858, there suddenly resounded from the hold, the astounding cry of "Fire! fire!" Everyone rushed, in the utmost excitement, on deck. It turned out that a by no means insignificant quantity of pure alcohol, which was stowed away in the hold for the preservation of specimens of natural history, had, from some unknown cause, caught fire. Forthwith the pumps were manned, the sails clewed up, all the portholes closed, so as to cut off the slightest draught, and all the hammocks of the crew trundled, _pêle-mêle_ on deck anyhow, out of the quarter-nettings, in which they are stowed away during the day, there to be dipped in sea-water, and in that wringing-wet condition applied, partly in extinguishing the flames, partly in preventing the fire from spreading. In less than a quarter of an hour the worst danger was over, and our wonted quiet restored, despite the first terrible excitement. On a more searching investigation, several of the tin carboys in the hold, filled with spirits of wine, and kept between layers of sand in iron chests, were found to have been corroded till the liquor had oozed through, while the air, having free access to the sand, had become strongly impregnated with gas. This atmosphere, impregnated as it was with alcoholic fumes, took fire on one of the sailors carelessly entering the hold with a badly-fastened lantern, and in a moment the light flames which speedily enveloped the man in such a confined space, at once gave the alarm. The full carboys remained uninjured by the fire. Had such a catastrophe happened, and the whole quantity of spirit (about 40 gallons) taken fire, considering the immense quantities of combustible matter we had on board, among the rest a ton-and-a-half of gunpowder, the upshot must have been of a far less agreeable nature. The extraordinary lightning-like activity displayed by the entire ship's company on this occasion was something wonderful. Each man seemed to have got wings. There was the most laudable emulation displayed by all hands in seeking to save the lives of themselves and others from such a terrible doom.