the management of the • 'works, a n d , the cafe of supplying
bath its own subjects and the Candians. In. .order* to kebp' a
constantj cheek on the latter,'; the Dutch - were careful noti to
allow them too ! greats a quantity, -at once; and whatever
remained at .Putillomj;. after supplying . the-. demands- of each'
year,' f they. destroyed,' th a t' it mighthnot. be sei^ed^upon -lsy
surprise..- >-
A - little . farther southward dips Chiloii, a-viliage vwheremthe
It'stands, cm the banks of a'b ro ad river,; withranother at no
great: distance,. The country around thi&Srplaf e ;«s i particularly
wild ; and perhaps there is-no road in the-island anore- dangerous
to travel, ffi-om, the multitude ©fe.wild beasts rvith-which
it. is- infestedv To . the southward, of sChilou;: elephaitts^arc numerous,
and are,.hunted here With considerableosuceess. * ‘
From this place..nothing worthy of observation’ pcehtsd-till
we .arrive at- Nigumbo, a very-pleasant willa^;, n within‘twenty-
four miles of (Golumbo. The- flat and open country^'-to -which
we *aie' noW come, .presents a mostbgautiful. prospect ^to. the
traveller^. The fields are every where fertile,» )aad*'«efothC-d
with ■:& profusion of. productions! which. offempa\iGhmvming
variety; to tire . eye.. . The pastures are?? of Aetegreerfesb and;
richest kind ; and the-, fields are . peculiarly WfeM^dapted ; to
pee, feorn the. constant supply of ; water1* »as
easily inundated- dining' the rainy season. The'number.-'of
rivers which intersect, and shady: hedges, which-fcsurrouhdvthese'
rich fields, joined to the beautiful topes or ■ groves-.etery where
interspersed among them, .at once.• contribute to - fheir fertility;
and give them the most luxurious appearance.
Nigumbo j is»situated, on the" sea-coast in , a , most picturesque
Spot, ...accounted -pne -iof-oBhe ^Healthiest;; in1’- the;’island. Many
Dutch» families, „oh. thi^î,aécûupt^resid^'herekland, have* hq&ses*
and gardens, 'smttered’^upi an# town iq> • delightful }i g»ovesu;pf
cocoa-nut and vbther-. t'rees. Nigumbcfcd&- the largest>village - in
Ceylon, and» fed its îsi^ co n taim , th e ^ é a te e f nuplhén^of’j inhabitants
« Tshe' Duteh .built a fort - her^iifoki/thejprdtectiarWofi^the
cinnamon-cutters,, as^âL çâ'jifeiderable quantity. ©fLthafc spice- grows
in' the- adjacent-cidistrict^,tore-vla'onseqoajredvalgOperected in>. thé
"fort,, whereg the ■- cinnamon, „after- beingmdrie'd,- - is. /lodged; -tillnao
opportunity, .offers "to-, Convey - i t TcD C.olumbo^^Fhi.vf' cinnamon is
reckoned-! equal» in',.quality».to-Aany ân^h^tislahd/ é
,;xThe hord -is not,strongfnbeing.^nly defended',byqj, .steep square
embankment, oft,sand; encompassed with -ahtbibk,)hedgebs)J; -
milfehrpe:>hthp h ro n t aionfijiis' constructed, of (Staheh^rkf • and
has a! règulafijgate and draw-bridge; at its - .ehtfanpe.- , bAt«eacI|
angle,cfiiéhèi square dkn»bastion-with abfew ;old?gm^^-plaatedion
them-; andin the.gateway,-areiguàrdf<housfes,'^i.th.,an archedfcupola
for a -bell ^ Witbipathe. «. fort -arh'thnee longtraqges'-:of; huildings;-
which serve < for barraeks., to .«sthes fropps,^ andt%fo®|t»f^lbou&es
to the'cinnamon.', The*-comniand»wâs -formerly' given to a ,su b altern
rfidmt ! according^ tohthe . new - arrangements.' made-
pernor North, vit? is; gben to» a „field officer,.,'who «also, atts .as
president .'©fe the Landraêd, or civik-CQurfe;»appointed'- ta-he^rand
determine differences among the n&tiVes, £ and ’ take -cognizance
off. the crimes-Committed- .within tiris.dfeti)iat.; <
- These civil eburfsiexisted under the-igovernriieht ofeihelDutch;
and are now established b y Mr., North a t all tjra military;posts f
and commands round.tile island.-; .The,commanding. ’Officer, who.
is alwaysv the. president, aftet .investigating' any .affair brought
before him; if ' hetfinds it „of. a trivial natur^, has'the .povfer to -