
a n d ' the: unsettled state' of affairs, that •goverMnentr could - not
procure a sufficient quantity of it? to :paythei#aopS This- we
have often’ felt a great disadvantage ■ whenir-ships .occasionally
fduched a t , Clolumbo; particularly, the vessel from
those I were? the only.itimes7 at which; many neeess&ry articles
could be procured. . The ^foreign merchants would hoto-take the
copper-money o f the island! in payment,- as i t »passes no whefe
else; our. only feSource'ibn such »occasions' thbreiore; ivas’/;tb
carry bur copper-money to the shroffs? or momeyrfchangers, and
procure gold and silver from them, for it on their own terms.?!
• The expeftce of' living at Columbo is much ; more considerable
than might- be expecteii Evely thing in Gbytepmm geneVahris
indeed dearer than on the continent of India, fromwhentbtpolst
of the articles in “use are imported, and the expenee_rt)’f carriage
has consequently to be added to their- original febsh - HorsSis^
and servants are particularly- expensive.. To keep . one horses at
Columbo will cost as much as to keep two- at Madras. S ervants’
wages are also nearly double, as it is ithe^u§t©im»to'bring
them from Bengal and Madras, and. they,- as we-lbas’ their masters,
must pay dearer for their clothes and food’ than h i .4heir
native countries where these articles are producedi ■ 'Thelservahts
also stipulate for higher wages before! they will peine-to ©eyien;
as they are very much prejudiced against it on. account o f»its
dearness, and distance from their homes and plaees^of religious
worship. There prevails also among the people of the continent
a rooted and unaccountable persuasion that Ceylon. is -the
most unhealthy part Of .India. Europeans are universally convinced
of the absurdity of this idea,- as they have found by experience,
that it has in fact the best climate in that part of the
world.
• The Dutch,, to -avoid1;-the;'expepçe'jof keeping, coast’ servants,
introduced-'ithe- hpractiae-jof- rearing-islands of African casts,
and employing Malays,-vi^iOv-ma^e .,v^f^%Oellent-qqpks. and gardeners,
and indeed,jgp^dy'sOçvantg jn^eyery -respect, although ?they
JV^peT kept''for a 'trib e in Tep^ptóisoi^^^ijthe^io^hers. I t , would
s$jjl; greatly redüGo;4her>e^’sneêqéfî...the cpuld
he employed? fowCdpiÿestipKpurpases-.o» The ,’géperal idea however
isfe that from .their* dispositions .and habitax-th^pwesjahat ijl», calculated
fort; them ; it as particularly ^{wnplpmqdfrtffi that they,
very, inexpert;and ignorant in.jfher^manageqient|pp^h®|^.§g$ I
cannot, 1 ;Ajt|faevBc^sb:e. ^whyoth^i.^bjee^iq^s. might .».not y,teè^b-
yiatedij'Hfilftîfepîriwero- early? trained -tb»,- fhcVdj®fe®t a!
servant. -If would hena .‘means of in t^tlqeing. European manners
and ideasïam©ng^ the»7 natives^- and would likewise Retain in. the
island a’» portion;- of wealjfeb that is; carried off; -by,, strangers.
■ ieFhea btherrartieles of^lifefc>at. Columbo, and,.indeed
part',1 ©f^Qeylon, have;?föiSïS®toe-j-years'. been .proportionally*’ high.
They'have, allnadvancedlweny much in pried, and vegetables ..and
other provision^, s-^hat-weie formerly; in th e - greatest-Iabuj^apee,
have b,eepme.’equally s^aroe-fand -dear.. This is-tO;jbe>.attribpted
to, several- -édusês. Since the British took possession *of ; CeMon,
there hasîbeen a great*influx oY people of all- 'descriptions,---both
: those ÿwhorsotfl^iS^qrt tbê ; sake of traffic,
and such asèièimt; with the mtontian, qf making it their per-;
inanent. residence. This influx, of g ran g ers wasi formerly* .greatly
restrained by the narrow and. jealous policy ;,qf the Dutch but
the liberal- policy ;!®f ourj. government in encouraging it, although
a few temporary inconveniences, such as a.irise jh. the pp.cp qf
psoyisionsi i may b e the»; cdnsequCnce, lays», the. foundation pf 0
moré numerous population, and consequently a. future encrease
for wealth- and prosperity. .