land, their whole attention seemed to be absorbed, and all other
advantages wei-e overlooked." The impolicy of such a'system
will easily be pérceived fjro,m a few observations.
T h e soil of Ceylon, vparticukudy i a these parts bordering on
the sea-epast,. is. well adapted for the production,. not nmÉ^of
all those articlès which are common to the tropical climates,
but of many whic'hr'arevprapetly natives-of* E uropeOE^en. #19
santls tmd brittle clay, .which' are' found : scattered sup^an^<down
in different parts of the island, produce abundantly!-apd-afe-
equal in fertility to the richest earth. This is t'o be attributed ?
to ;thè uuifprçn and mild: temperature of ;Q ^ o u , . a n i # ^ j |r e |
qhent rains which s iq ^ y ;sî!k -:M * r abundantly with mçâ^turç^
while on the continent, of India, vegetation is often destroyed by
thehexçessiïé droughts and the^parphing winds to which it
subject at different seasons of the year.
: So little advantage, however, was, taken of this ^ ç ^ l l ^ h temperature
and seal, that Ceylon hus, never yet prod^je^ a,.sufïï
heient quantity of rice and -w h ^ -ifo r^ ts-w n
though Ahesel and other kinck of grain could with proper .attention
be raised here to as great-, advantage >:as at :^engaL-^r
Surat. The inattention of the- natives to agricultur.e;.;was, pqrtjy
owing to thé abundance o f spontaneous productions* with which
•nature supplied them, and I p t f?w; TO*» either; of,, c lo ^ j^ q r
food in this warm climate; their cocoa-rfrees a n d .jacjprfruit
being almost of themselves sufficient for alt thej.r purpose^.
T h e Dutch, however, by a well-directed policy, and by, hpld^
m g out proper encouragement, might have in à great measure,
overcome the indolence naturally arising from gie^e; causes,; and
might have taught them to know and appreciate the comforts,
and enjoyments arising from industry and j affluence..
- - These- meakupesb hdw^ver, Apre. ejthefo entirely oyerlooked^Pr
culpably- negl'ectedy^l the- Du'tch^^erriors. But I am happy,
tp addy£ that there!} is» eyery ,appearance pf. their being! speedily
carried -fetd- witht t'hep jonr^gPUnfrymen.
Within |theMa§feftWP< or. th r i^ 'y g ^ l ;p «gregd, increase- o f
tillage, arjd much/tknpr^yenient^n -thp nultivaf^^^-» r i b a n d
paddy ha^ep^kqn/i&ae^jnMftip.^euthj and ^sputiipveSt Iparts- of
t&e; island, in seqd&jqqe^qg'j^ > the» epeoprage^nents held- out by
gbvernmenfe;,g%Thef;ad:Vaht^es'; /to, i b.e>; derived /-from-a | pe|?eve,-
in lithis i < policy; areP incalculable. 5 The,;* h^h^ri^filtsh-, is,
every* y e a f !island to;purchase' ggaa-p -feeing re*
tained in itj m:,'«hnse^uU0eet|vof,v.aJX0ffiGtentc'quan;tij>yv‘;of that
commodity/ bpirng^ftFoducpd' wiifhfe* itself for • itsi^n;,c|h$hmption;
would tend "to the >rapidUncrease^ sof - dts sfjveahfei-and ehnsej-
quently (df**tsi imprbsfeffient.- The ' 'excitement^ of ja' Spirit g of
industry among the ^natives'* might! aMP^b,e8pioduC%^'pf adf
yardages which, a t ’^present, it wbuld r be . difficult t&, estimate.
®-theye.couldf' -first- be* engaged- -to^^iltivate rtheir.; .Ihuds, and
to . taste thetcomforts arisingffrom industry apd property-,,:theijr
pwn ;{mfcl-inatibos ,wo uld speedilp lead , them to< manufactures and
commerce: 1 1
Another immediate consequence the progress of cultivation
would be the "amelioration of the.'cUmatej^by -clearhig the: courc-
4ry i of those ithick Woods; and
perpetuate thosh-noxious' vapours.-which haye] often proved fatal
'^EQ^peak)^'' and deterred thematijps! of the- -continent-from
settling/ in the (islands s
By the increase oPteultivation,. other obstacles d-tp settlers
•would Then High- price - pf -. provisions oh the
illaiyJ* *•$&>comparisont' of what it continent from