Fifty Years in Ceylon by Major Thomas Skinner C.M.G.

FIFTY YEARS IN CEYLON
By Major Thomas Skinner C.M.G

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FIFTY YEAES IN CEYLON,
V'/iLAUen t Co. i.oTidon
FIFTY YEARS IN
CEYLON
AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
BY THE LATE
MAJOR THOMAS SKINNER, C.M.G.,
COJIJIISSIONEll OF PUBLIC WORKS, CEYLON.
EDITED BY HIS DAUGHTER,
ANNIE SKINNEE.
WITH A PREFACE
BY SIR MONIER MONIER-WILLIAMS, K.C.I.E.
LONDON : \V. H. ALLEN & CO., LIMITED,
AND AT CALCUTTA.
1891.
LONDON
:
PRINTED BY W. H. ALLEN AND CO., LIM., 13 WATERLOO PLACE,
PALL MALL. S.W.
OS
PEEFACE.
The following autobiography tells its own tale. In my
opinion it may be left to rest on its own merits, and
needs no introduction to help it to attract readers and
admirers. Major Skinner, the writer of it, draws his
own portrait vigorously and unostentatiously.
The
living individual, exhaling British pluck and energy
from every pore, seems to stand out before us in sharply
defined outlinea typical example of self-help and
self-reliance to be noted and observed of all men at a
time when the force of our national individuality seems
likely to undergo a process of dilution, if it be not
already too often
''
watered down " by the growing
desire for combined and corporate action in every
sphere of life.
Why then, it may be asked, do you run the risk of
spoiling this self-drawn picture by any adventitious or
h
729945
vi PREFACE.
superadded touches ? My reply is that the Editor of
this autobiography sent it to me just before its pub-
lication, with a request that I would write a short
preface. I acceded to the request not because the
work stands in any need of my imprimatur, but because
as a relative of the family, and as one who has studied
the languages, literature, and condition of our Eastern
Empire for half a centuryI feel it a duty to put on
record my appreciation of the value of Major Skinner's
services, and of the part he has taken in the task of
convincing semi-civilised populations of the advantage
of our rule as an instrument of progress and en-
lightenment.
When I was travelling in the Island of Ceylon in
1877
shortly before Major Skinner's death, and ten
years after his retirementI found the reputation of
its great engineer and road-maker still fragrant there.
Sir "William Gregory was at that time Governor, and
through his courteous aid I enjoyed special facilities
in gaining a knowledge of the island and in personal
association with its inhabitants. I learned that Major
Skinner was a man whose memory the Government
still delighted to honour, and in travelling from place
to place I met many eminent natives who dehghted
to speak of him
as one of their greatest benefactors,
and as an officer of unusual administrative abihty,
PREFACE. vii
indomitable energy, and unblemished integrity of
character.
One of these eminent natives was Mr. Alwis, with
whom I had more than one conversation. This gentle-
man was himself, I believe, an able member of the
Legislative Government at the time of my visit, though
he has since died. The address signed by him and
by
1,595 Singhalese chiefs and others, at the termi-
nation of Major Skinner's career, is well worthy of
attention, and may be taken as a key to the great
engineer's popularity and the high reputation which
he achieved.
I see that it is printed in small type at
pp.
276-278,
and in directing attention to this document I here give
prominence to two sentences extracted from it
:
We cannot forget that when you began pubhc life in this

Colony, nearly hall a century ago, the interior of the country
was almost inaccessible, and that roads and other means of
communication were then almost unknown. The Colony now
possesses a network of roads [nearly 3,000 miles of made roads
in an area of 25,000 miles"] , such as few colonies can boast of,
and this state of things is in no small degree attributable to your
indefatigable zeal and energy.
I may here state that Sir Hercules Kobinson, who
was Governor of Ceylon about twenty-five years ago,
*
Sec
p.
20").
viii
PREFACE.
has recently written to Major Skinner's daughter as
follows
:
44,
Ennismore Gardens, S.W.,
21th September, 1890.
Deae Miss Skinner,
I am afraid that after a quarter of a century's work in
other lands my recollection of Ceylon details is now so faint, that I
cannot furnish you with the
"
particulars" as to your father's life
and official work there which you desire.
You must remember that your father's work dated from Sir
Edward Barnes's time, in or about 1827, and lasted till 1867, when
he retireda period of nearly forty yearsand that it was only
during the last two years of his official life that I had the pleasure
of being associated with him. Ail I can now state is, in general
terms, that when I assumed the Government of Ceylon, in 1865, I
was fortunate in finding your father at the head of the Public
Works Department, and that he continued in that capacity till
1867, when he retired. During that period I received frcmi him
the most loyal co-operation and efficient aid in carrying out the
\'igorous public works policy which the circumstances of the
country called for, and its financial position rendered feasible.
New roads, bridges, railways and irrigation works were accord-
ingly taken in hand, and energetically pressed forward. I was thus
brought into constant intercourse with your father, and formed a
high opinion of his ability, industry, sound judgment, and untiring
devotion to duty. I saw also enough of the result of the various
works which he had carried out before my time, to realise the
benefits which his life-long services had conferred on the Colony.
We took many a long journey of inspection together, and riding
side by side he used to give me the benefit of his intimate acquaint-
ance with the resources and requirements of the country, as well
as with the characteristics of its inhabitants. I consider that any
success which attended my administration was due in a large
PREFACE.
ix
measure to the information and sound advice which he thus
imparted to me in the early days of my rule.
I wish I could have supplied you with more particulars of your
father's official services, but the recollection of these details have
Avaxed dim, whilst I retain only a very grateful and vivid general
remembrance of his usefulness and his worth.
Believe me,
Yours sincerely,
(Signed) Hercules Eobinson.
Colonel Osbaldeston Mitford, who was under Major
Skinner for a time, writes
:
What I admired in Major Skinner was that he was self-made.

He went to Ceylon at a very early age to join the Rifle Eegiment,
and succeeded by his own merit
by
perseverance and strict
attention to the several duties he undertookin raising himself
till he became Surveyor-General and Commissioner of Public
Works. In private he was a delightful companion, and an accom-
plished gentleman.
Mr. E. L. Mitford, who was for many years in the
Ceylon Civil Service, also writes :
Officially and personally 1 knew Major Skinner well. He was

the pioneer and most efficient cause of the prosperity of one of our
most flourishing colonies. When his work began there were but
two bad roads in the island, and, when he retired, the island was
a network of roads and bridges intersecting every province, all
surveyed and made by his industry and perseverance, often under
great difficulties.
Perhaps the best tribute which I have myself to
offer
to his memory is the assertion of my belief that, were
lie alive, he would deprecate my eulogising him in this
X PREFACE.
Preface. The performance of his duty was his daily
meat and drink. He did it zealously, earnestly, effec-
tively, because it was his duty, and because he took a
pride in doing it thoroughly. He desired no other
reward than the
"
witness in himself," and it seems an
impertinence on my part to add any words of my own
to those of men better qualified than myself to
speak of
his life-long devotion to the welfare of perhaps the most
beautifulif not the most importantof our Colonial
possessions.
All who know Ceylon well in the present day, agree
in describing its condition as eminently prosperous and
satisfactory. It has now, I believe, more than 180
miles of railway opened and in good working order, and
its whole moral and material well-being is rapidly
developing. It would be difficult, therefore, for any
one to speak in exaggerated terms of the debt of obli-
gation which the island owes to the man who is acknow-
ledged by all to have been the first opener of its means
of communication, and the earnest promoter of numerous
important works, such as the improvement of irrigation
and inland navigation, the encouragement of native
talent, and the progress of education.
MONIEK MONIER-WILLIAMS.
Enfield House, Ventnoe.
October 15th, 1890.
CONTENTS
PAGE
CHAPTER I.
....----
1
CHAPTER n.
...-----
26
CHAPTER III. 50
CHAPTER IV.
81
CHAPTER Y. - 96
CHAPTER VI.
119
CHAPTER VII.
.--...--
157
CHAPTER VIII.
- - - 185
CHAPTER IX. 198
CHAPTER X.
-
207
CHAPTER XL
244
CHAPTER XII.
--------
287
CONCLUDING CHAPTER
292
APPENDIX
297
FIFTY YEARS IN CEYLON.
CHAPTER I.
Before entering upon the details of my own life, it
may be interesting to some of my readers to know a
few incidents of historical interest connected with my
family in remote times. Those who have the curiosity
to hear who my ancestors were, and what they did,
will find a short account of them in the Appendix,
Note 1.
I was born at St. John's, Newfoundland, on the
22nd May
1804,
when my fatheran officer in the
Royal Artillerywas quartered at that station. I lost
my mother in infancy, and was taken charge of, from
the age of between two and three, by my maternal
grandmother.
About the year 1811, my father was ordered home,
and obtained a passage by H.M.S. Pomonc. How well
I remember my excitement whenever the ship
"
beat to
1
2 FIFTY YEARS IN CEYLON.
quarters," which occurred always if a strange sail hove
in sight, until particulars of her nationality and inten-
tions were ascertained. I
invariably rushed to the first
lieutenant, Furneux, for a supply of ammunition for
my pop-gun, on which I firmly believed the success of
any engagement we might enter upon as much de-
pended as on the broadsides of the ship. Five-and-
forty years afterwards I met my old friend, Admiral
Furneux, at Plymouth, when we had a hearty laugh
over my juvenile zeal for the defence of H.M.S. Pomone.
This voyage excited in me a strong and enduring pas-
sion for the Navy, which I have retained to this day,
having ever been impressed with the conviction that I
should have made a better sailor than a soldier.
During the voyage, we had to take on board a strong
detachment of French military prisoners of war, to be
conveyed to Lisbon. My recollections of that port, and
of the Tagus, are perfectly vivid, and have been con-
firmed as accurate, by persons who have recently
visited that place. Indeed, my memory of localities
has always been very strong, so much so that, on my
return to St. John's, in 1823, I landed and walked
through the townwhich I left when I was seven
years oldto my father's quarters at Fort Town-
send.
On his arrival in England, my father found he had to
embark for Ceylon. My sister and I were placed at schools
at and near Shaftesbury, in Dorsetshire. I was sent to
a most kind, worthy old gentleman, the Reverend
John Christie. I had no friends or relations in England
FIFTY YEARS IN CEYLON. 3
williug to be troubled with so unprofitable a charge as
I should have been during the holidays ; so that for six
years I remained a permanent boarder at Mr. Christie's,
and became so great a favourite with the whole estab-
lishment, including my indulgent master and his good
lady, that I did just as I liked ; and consequently learnt
little beyond the most rudimentary branches of know-
ledge. Hence, when in 1818 I was removed from
school, to be sent out, as intended, to join the Navy
on the East India Station, I was as ignorant as a
boy of my age could well be. On my arrival in Ceylon,
my father was so disappointed at my deficiencies that
he resolved to send me back to school by the first
vessel that presented itself. But communication
between Ceylon and England was at that time of rare
occurrence.
My father was stationed at Trincomalee, the head-
quarters of the Naval Commander-in-Chief, Sir Richard
King, whose flag-ship, H.M.S. Minden, I had fondly
hoped to join. A fine fleet was at anchor in the
harbour, of which there was a splendid view from the
Flag-staff Hill, where I went daily to feast my longing
eyes on the ships, one of which I still hoped to be
permitted to join. However, my father was relentless,
and back to England and school seemed to be my doom.
I was one evening taken by my family to a ball given
by the Commandant of the garrison, Sir Maurice
O'Connell, commanding the 73rd Regiment. This in-
dulgence did not seem to promise much pleasure to
me, for I was naturally a very bashful boy, and this
weakness was a good deal intensified by the knowledge
of my extreme deficiencies
;
however, I had to go, and
soon found myself in an unenviable position, for, being
a candidate for the honour of wearing the crown and
anchor, I was too dignified to associate with any
children there may have been of the party, and too
young and uncouth a cub to be noticed by anyone else.
Mooning about, and wishing myself anywhere but where
I was, I was accosted by Sir Francisthen Captain
Collier, commanding H.M.S. Liverpoolthus :
"
Who
are you, youngster ?
"
In reply, I told him my name,
and gave him my parentage.
"
What are they going to
do with you ?
"
"I have been sent out, sir, under an
impression that I was to be allowed to join H.M.S.
Miuclen
;
but, on my arrival, my father found me so
badly educated, that he is going to send me back to
England to school." He walked about with me during
the remainder of the evening, with the kindness and
consideration of a sailor. I little dreamt of the
importance that evening's conversation with Sir Francis
Collier was to prove to my future destiny. I went
home with my parents, tired and sleepy, and thought
little more about the matter.
The next day Sir Richard King and Sir Francis
Collier called at my father's quarters, paid him a long
visit, and were very energetic in their conversation.
My father had always been on the most intimate and
familiar terms with the naval officers stationed at
Trincomalee. I afterwards learnt that the purport of
their conversation, which I had heard at a distance, was
their urging my father to apply to the Governor for a
commission in the Army for me, as being far better
than joining the Navy, and hanging on for years before
I could hope for, or expect to obtain, a lieutenancy.
The promotion in that service was then so slow that a
cousin of mine, Charles Bentham, was then only a mate
on board the Liverpool after fifteen years' service. The
old objection was raised, that my father would not
submit to have his family disgraced by putting any
member of it into the public service until his education
was properly completed
;
and he maintained his position
obstinately, flattering himself that he had beaten off the
attack ; but on leaving. Sir Richard King said,
"
We will return and spend the evening with you," to
which a ready assent was given.
When they returned in the evening, the Admiral, I
was told, intimated to my father that they did not
intend leaving the house until their request had been
acceded to. I was informed that the besieged held out
till about 4 o'clock a.m., when Sir Richard King pro-
mised my father that he would not only supplement his
application to the Governor with a letter from himself,
but that he would send Captain Collier to Colombo with
the Liverpool to present the papers and to plead himself
for his young protege,
A vacancy had just occurred in the Ceylon Regiment
when the Liverpool reached Colombo, and my father
received by the earliest post the Gazette with my
appointment. Governors of colonies had then the
privilege of filling up death vacancies, subject to the
approval and confirmation of the Commander-in-Chief
at the Horse Guards.
I was ordered to proceed at once to head-quarters at
Colombo, and, being a second lieutenant, had to take
command of detachments of the 73rd, 83rd, and Ceylon
Rifles to march from Trincomalee across the island,
through Kandy to Colombo. I had neither time nor
opportunity to procure any uniform
;
so being very
small for my agewhich was between 14 and
15
I had
to start in my school-boy jacket on my first military
duty.
The rebellion of 1818 had so recentl}^ been sup-
pressed that the country through which our route lay
was still unsettled, but we met with no adventure.
Arriving at Kandy, I reported myself and the detach-
ments to the commandant, who was not a Httle amused
at so juvenile an authority. I pleaded hard for exemp-
tion from attendance at a general parade of troops the
following morning ; but he would not give me leave, so
I had to submit to be the amusement of the whole
garrison, when marching from the right, at the head
of my detachment, along the whole line to gain my
position on its left. I must have looked very absurd
by the side of a grenadier ensign of the 83rd Regiment,
my stature reaching not far above his elbow. However,
I managed to get through this my first ordeal, and next
day we proceeded on our march towards Colombo.
The country was truly beautiful, and I was not too
young to appreciate it. The second day's march was
down the old Ballany Pass, over which, four years
7
before, my father had brought up his battery of heavy
guns, one of them a 42-pounder, for the taking of
Kandy. It was a marvel to me how he could have
accomplished it ; I subsequently learnt that he had
parbuckled the guns up from tree to tree. I can
scarcely imagine anything better calculated to expunge
from a son's vocabulary the word "impossible" than
this feat : the mountain path was so narrow, broken,
steep, and rocky, that it was quite impassable for any
horse and rider. My father was an officer full of
resources and expedients, and it would have been a
strange country through which he would fail to take a
battery. I remember once seeing in the Quartermaster-
General's office a report of his march from Colombo to
the Pearl Fishery, at Aripo, with his battery. He had
to cross a famous swamp called "Blue boots," so
called because any man fording it sank half-way up his
thighs in blue clay. My father reported that it proved
an impediment which caused him a little delay, but with
fascines, and by breaking up his provision casks and
lashing portions of the staves on to the tires of the
wheels of his gun-carriages, he passed the obstruc-
tion without the necessity of deviating from his
route.
In due course of time I arrived at Colombo, and
presented myself to my astonished commanding
officer, who could scarcely believe his senses, when I
informed him that I had marched the detachment
from Trincomalee to Colombo. I obtained a few days
leave to get my uniform, a no smâll difficulty in those
days; and, having succeeded, I was taken to the fort
to be presented to the Grovernor, Sh* Eobert Brown-
rigg, who was most considerate and kind to me. He
said :
"If you are not sixteen yet, you will be some day
soon, if you live long enough."
From His Excellency I proceeded to report myself to
the Commandant of Colombo, Colonel
,
command-
ing the Regiment, who, on seeing my extreme
youth, said to me :
"
Young gentleman, you are beginning the service
at a very early age ; it reminds me that this day,
forty years ago, my son, now Colonel of Begi-
ment, was born on a barrack cot, when I was a
sergeant. We have both got on pretty well, you see,
and I hope you may do so, too." He added,
"
Tom
(a well known major in his regiment) was my
first batman, and I have never had my boots so well
cleaned since."
The fact was that his regiment, much to its credit,
had more officers in it who had been raised from the
ranks than any other I have ever come across. They
were not a little proud of this, and often talked of it.
I can remember seven or eight of them at this distance
of time.
Having now equipped myself, as well as circum-
stances would admit of, I was put to my drill. The
adjutant of the regiment was one of the strictest
disciplinarians I have ever met with
;
and under him I
was not likely to be dismissed while I had anything to
9
learn. He worked me too hard for my age. I was
out at daylight, for three hours before breakfast ; at
midday, for two hours in barracks ; and again in the
evening for an hour and a half.
We were commanded at that time by a Grermau
officer, a nephew of Colonel Munster ; he possessed a
good deal of interest, but was an arbitrary and most
cruel man. He tried and flogged men for every offence
;
at the constant punishment parades sometimes two or
three a weekit was a common occurrence to see men
faint and drop in the ranks.
My Colonel, who was also on Sir Robert Brownrigg's
General Staff, when he presented me to His Excellency,
was desired to take me with him to King's House when-
ever he went there to dinner
;
consequently, in about a
week I received notice from Colonel that I was to
dine with the Governor that evening, and was duly
called for at the proper hour. My sword, an ordinary
regulation one, was a serious inconvenience, being out
of all proportion, in point of size and weight, to its
wearer. I had had a heavy day's drill and felt knocked
up. Lady Brownrigg had most kindly reserved a seat
for me next to her at dinner
;
but, directly it was over,
my head drooped, and 1 fell asleep at the table ! When
the ladies retired, she most kindly took me to her room,
disencumbered me of my military paraphernalia, and
laid me on her bed, where I slept until my commanding
officer was ready to take me home again. This is a sad
story to the prejudice of my fitness for the service, but
an instance of the motherly kindheartedness of Lady
Brownrigg which I can never forget. I never went to
sleep again at the Governor's table, althougli frequently
invited to it
!
My drill went on vigorously, and the interest I took
in it extracted a compliment from my adjutant, which,
he told me, he had never paid any young officer before.
He said :
"
If you were in the ranks, I might make a lance-
corporal of you !
"
But my zeal cost me dear; I contracted the disease
of the country (dysentery), which caused me to be con-
tinually on the sick list. The day I was pronounced
convalescent, I was put in orders for regimental or
garrison duty to bring up the arrears I had missed
when non-effectivea barbarous practice, which I have
never known carried out in any other regiment. The
consequence was, that over-work and exposure, with
my immature strength, too surely sent me back to the
doctor's charge after I had enjoyed my freedom for a
week ; each relapse took me longer to recover from,
until at length the illness became chronic. In this con-
dition my regiment was ordered to march to Kandy,
and not a cooly, for the transport of baggage, could be
obtained for any consideration. In this dilemma, the
day before my division was to march, I bethought me
of what appeared to me and others a happy idea, which
was to invest in a donkey accustomed to carry packs
;
he might at least, I thought, carry my bedding and a
change of clothes. Accordingly my servant went to the
bazaar and purchased what appeared to be a promising
animal. I was so determined to be in good time for our
start in the morning that I had my beast of burden tied
up to a verandah post, and, at a very early hour, rose,
had my baggage packed in approved form, and sent my
servant with it to the barracks, with orders to load the
ass before the "assembly" sounded at 3 a.m. His
part of the play the man performed extremely well, but
unfortunately I had not given sufficient thought as to
whether the animal had been properly trained to martial
music. No sooner had the bugles sounded the first
bars of the
"
assembly," than ofT galloped my Buce-
phalus, dragging my servant with him, and carrying all
the necessaries 1 possessed into an abyss of darkness,
never stopping until he had reached the homethree
miles offfrom which I had torn him the day before.
My brother officers who had so admired the sagacious
forethought of my arrangement, joined heartily in the
laugh at its summary failure, as the donkey scampered
over the parade-ground to his own euphonious music
leaving me the unenviable discomfort of sleeping on a

bare rest-house table, without a change of clothes for
several days and nights. This did not improve the
malady from which I was suffering, and, by the time
we marched into Kandy, I was completely laid up.
The weather had been very wet and unfavourable
;
of
roads there were none, and the mountain paths were
execrable. It is a marvel to me that I survived the effect
of that march, considering the condition of health I was
in at the time.
I remained in Kandy for some weeks, when, to get
rid of the scandal of so young an officer, I was sent
with a small detachment to Maturatta, an out-station
on the Hills under Newera Ellia, to be under the
command of an experienced officer of the 73rd Regi-
ment, Lieutenant George Dawson. The quiet and
climate of this mountain station were most favourable
for my studies. I never forgot the disadvantage under
which I was placed by the over-indulgence of my kind,
affectionate old schoolmaster, and availed myself of
every opportunity I could to improve myself. 1 was
fortunate in being with a kind, fatherly old officer, who,
by dint of constant doses of port wine and laudanum,
eventually cured me of my illness, of which I have
never since had the slightest return. He told me
before he administered the first dose, that it might kill
me, but that lie thought it worth the trial. Directly I
got well, and gained a little strength, an ambition seized
me to render myself as self-sustained and independent
as my men were. The first step in this direction
appeared to be to learn to march without shoes. I
commenced my training by walking out every morning
barefooted to my bath, a short distance off. I had to
walk over a portion of the fort covered with sharp
quartz gravel, which touched up my sensitive feet con-
siderably
;
however, I persevered until 1 made a march
of sixty miles over some of the highest, most rugged,
rocky mountains in the island, perfectly bare-footed
;
and such was my appreciation of the comfort of the
absence of boot or shoe, that I never would have put
on another could I have followed my own inclinations
;
and yet, some twenty or twenty- tive years later, the
authorities had the folly to dress our native troops in
ammunition boots. The habits and equipment of the
European soldier were introduced one after another
till, as I predicted, they utterly destroyed the finest
native regiment that any country ever possessed.
Instead of limiting as much as possible their artificial
wants, and keeping them self-sustained and ready for
the field at any moment, they have burdened the Malay
with all the equipment and barrack furniture of an
European soldier, contrary to his tastes, and have made
him nearly as costly an appendage.*
I had been some time at Maturatta when my com-
mandant obtained
leave of absence for two or three
months, and left me in command of the post. A
brother officer of hisLieutenant Blennerhassetwho
had been staying with us, accompanied him the
morning he started. They left very early, before
daylight. About a quarter of an hour after they had
gone I heard two shots fired, so I jumped up and
prepared to follow my friends, expecting to see them
return
;
but finding they did not, as daylight broke, I
went up the road they had taken, to see the cause of
the shots. The senior sergeant, who had received
instructions from my old mentor to see that I got into
no mischief, followed me. The reason of the fracas
was soon apparent. A huge elephant had taken up his
billet on the road, as his foot-marks plainly showed
;
The Ceylon Rifles were disbanded in 1874.
14
FIFTY YEA US IN CEYLON.
and a broken lantern, a plate of sandwiches, and a
broken bottle were the evidences of my friends' flight.
I had never seen even a tame elephant at this time, and
became so excited at the idea of encountering a wild
one that I proposed we should follow him, for the
pleasure of only seeing him
;
but my friend Sergeant
Alliff took advantage of my ignorance, and persuaded
me that the two shots fired at the elephant would not
have checked his flight, and that he must then be miles
distant from us. "But," said he, "we will get some
plantain trees cut, and place them here ; he will be
sure to return, and we shall find him at this spot in the
morning."
He could scarcely have suggested a greater improba-
bility
;
but I knew nothing of the habits of elephants,
and was obliged to submit, taking care, however, to
have a tempting repast prepared for my expected guest
should he return. This done, my sergeant seemed
quite contented, feeling he had saved me from all
present danger, and being persuaded in his own mind
that we should see no more of the elephant. I, on the
other hand, having every confidence in his assurance,
passed a long day of expectation, looking up from the
fort every half-hour to the green hill where the ad-
venture of the morning had occurred, to see if the
animal had returned.
I went to bed, but had little sleep, the half-hours
between the sentries' call of "All 'swell" seemed to
be immeasurably long. Directly daylight broke I hur-
ried on my clothes and went out to reconnoitre ; it was
some time before objects were sufficiently clear to
enable me to distinguish between an elephant and the
rocks, with which the surface of the hill was studded.
In a few minutes, however, my doubts and anxieties
were satisfied. I could see a huge mass moving along,
its size being much exaggerated by the indistinctness of
the grey morning light. I rushed to the guard-house,
which was pretty near my quarters, seized a cut-down
flint and steel musket from the arm-rack, took ten
rounds of ammunition out of the sentry's pouch, and
off I started to bag my first elephant
my
inexperience
and ignorance of the danger giving me perfect
confidence.
I had no sooner left the guard-room than the alarm
was passed speedily to my sergeant, who I soon saw in
the distance with a file of men at the double. I was at
first a little piqued at his officiousness in supposing I
was not a match for my prey without their assistance.
I checkmated them to a certain extent by sending two
of the men to make a flank movement on the enemy,
while the sergeant and I approached him in front. As
I advanced nearer, and the Jight dawned brighter, the
proportions of this monster of the jungle appeared to
me very appalling. He was a splendid tusker. I
thought little of that, supposing that all elephants were
ihus supplied with ivory, whereas not above one in 300
are so armed. I crept up to a level with the ground on
which he was, before I made a direct movement towards
him ; but he soon discovered me, and gallantly accept-
ing the challenge, rushed headlong at us. The
sergeant being better aware of the clanger of such a
contest than I was, suggested tliat I should with all
speed climb upon a rock close by. The fury with which
the beast was rushing at us allowed little time for any
evolutions, however simple ; but, assisted by the
sergeant, I was on the top in a moment, about two feet
above the elephant's head, just as he was making for
the sergeant. I had only time to cock
"
Brown Bess,"
and putting the muzzle on the crown of the monster's
head, fired into it. He rolled over with a tremendous
crash, to my no small satisfaction. It was not until I
saw the huge mass of animal life prostrate and extinct
by a momentary act of mine, that I could realise the
great danger T had so recklessly run for my faithful
sergeant and myself. To kill a huge tusker with an old
cut-down flint musket at the first shot I would, at any
period of my life, have considered rather a feat ; but
that the first elephant I had seen, or come in contact
with, should fall to a boy of fifteen for I was not six-
teen at the timewas an event. I would have given
anything to have remained to gloat over my prey, but at
once felt that it would have been unsoldier-like and
undignified to appear at all elated at the exploit,
specially as the two men the sergeant brought from the
Fort, for
my protection, had joined us from their flank
movement : so I coolly directed that the head should be
cut ofi", brought down to the Fort and buried, to enable me
to get the tusks outthey were a splendid pairand I
then walked back to my quarters, pretending to be as in-
diff'erent as if I had bagged hundreds of elephants before.
The incident created great excitement in the can-
tonment, all the men off duty rushed up to see the
animal their tiian Michel little gentleman or officer
had shot. I saw the head and tusks brought to the fort
by about fifty men, and observed where they intended
to bury them, but still considered it would lower me in
the opinion of my men if I exhibited the smallest
interest in the subject ; so I had to bear as best I could
the feigned stoicism I thought it right to assume in
reference to this strange monster. I waited patiently
in my quarters until I thought the whole of the men
had returned to the fort for their breakfast, when I
stole out quietly and unobserved to gaze in private at
my trophy.
On approaching the headless mass I was suddenly
arrested by the most unearthly sounds, which appeared
to proceed from it. What could it be ? Tigers could
scarcely have been so prompt in their attendance on the
carcase, and that in broad daylight, on the side of an
open hill, and yet the noise sounded very like their
deep growl. I approached most cautiously. The noise
increased as I got nearer ; my courage was waning,
when it occurred to me that I might ascend the same
rock from which I had shot the animal, and reconnoitre
my position. I crept up to it by a circuitous approach.
Imagine my surprise when, on looking down, I found a
large hatchway opened in the side of the carcase, and a
couple of Caffres, or African soldiers, in the stomach,
most industriously employed. Finding I had no
danger to encounter, I descended to the scene of
2
18
action, and was astonished at the noise their voices
made within the body of the animal. When I asked
them what they were doing, they told me they were
taking out the heart, liver, and lights, which they
described as great delicacies in their own country,
where they were always used for food. The more I
saw of this extraordinarily huge animal, the more
astonished I was that he should so easily have fallen
to my one haphazard ball, and I began to think I had
done rather a good morning's work.
It was not a feat of which to write exultingly to one's
father, but several months afterwards he heard of it,
and asked me to give him the tusks as a trophy of my
first success in elephant-shooting, but I had unfortu-
nately given them to my commandant. They were a
very fine pair, and he did not feel inclined to give them
up to my father in exchange for another pair, so I never
saw them again.
In the years 1819 and 1820, the awful scourge of
small-pox for the first time made its appearance in the
interior of Ceylon, and was very fatal. Vaccination, or
innoculation had not previously been introduced, and
the disease spread with fearful rapidity. Directly persons
were attacked they were banished from their houses.
Sometimes a temporary shed was built for them, in
which they were placed, with a little cooked food, to
take their chance of recovery. Many poor creatures
thus deserted were attacked and torn to pieces by wild
animals before life was extinct. Some of them, on
being turned out of their homes, tried to crawl up
19
to the fort, in the hope of being buried when they
died.
I sent out a fatigue party daily to bring these poor
creatures in, and collected as many as twenty-six, most
of them in a shocking condition, some temporarily
blind, and nearly all in a confluent stage of the disease.
I do not remember how I was guided in my treatment
of the patients
;
but I set apart for their accommoda-
tion a large spare barrack-room, took the door and
window shutters off their hinges to secure perfect
ventilation, and spread the floor with clean river sand,
on which I placed mats and cloths. I gave to each
patient as he was brought in a dose of aperient medi-
cine, such as the post was provided with, and then fed
them on congee, or rice water, at first very thin,
sweetened with a little coarse palm sugar of the coun-
try, increasing the consistency of this rice-water daily
as the men improved. I am thankful to be able to
state that God blessed my efforts, and supplied my lack
of skill, for every individual recovered, though most o
them were awfully marked.
None of my troops, fortunately, caught the disease, or
I might have got into trouble, having no medical aid
within reach. My poor senior sergeant had two re-
markably fine boystwins ; they both caught the
small-pox together : one of them died, and I had the
survivor brought to my quarters. He was placed on a
couch by my bedside, but when I awoke in the night 1
found the poor child was dead. He had passed away
quite quietly, without even disturbing me. I was sur-
2
*
prised, in the morning, to find how calmly his parents
received the sad news of his death ; bein^ Moham-
medans they were Fatalists, and had made up their
minds that the death of one of the twins was a certain
indication that they would lose the other. The
children were both buried in the same coffin.
I very much admired my men for their extreme in-
dependence of all external aid. They were a wonder-
fully handy set of fellows, and could do anything, from
the building of a barrack to the i%-tanning of a lady's
footstool. They were excellent gardeners, built their
own lines, and our mess-house in Kandy, and, as I
have before stated, were the beau ideal of Native light
troops. Their wives partook of the same hardy nature.
A detachment of the regiment was marching from Fort
MacDonald, in Ouvah, over the Dodauatta-capellathe
Orange Branch Passto Kandy, through Maturatta,
then the most formidable series of mountain passes in
the countryand there were some stiff ones. On the
sergeant commanding the detachment reporting its
arrival, he stated that he had left a file of his men
behind on the road, three miles off, to attend a woman
who had been confined on the march, but that they
would arrive presently. I ordered a dhooly (a kind of
stretcher) to be sent up the hill to bring the mother
and infant in, and directed that her husband should
have leave to remain with them, instead of marching
with his detachment the following day. The next
morning, when I got up, I sent my servant to inquire
for the woman and her child, and, if it would be accept-
able, to give her some warm tea. When he returned,
to my surprise, he told me the woman had marched on
with the detachment at 4 o'clock that morning, over
certainly the worst road I ever saw in my life. I after-
wards learned that mother and child reached head-
quarters safely.
During the absence, on leave, of my chief, the rains
set in very heavily and continuously, and the swollen
rivers so intercepted our communications with Kandy
that commissariat supplies, which ought to have reached
us in three days, were six weeks en roiite, and our stores
of grain were nearly exhausted. I at first placed the
garrison on half, and latterly on one-third rations, and
at last was reduced to the necessity of levying contri-
butions on the villages within our impassable rivers.
These villages were not numerous, for in tropical rains
little rivulets, which can be jumped across in dry
weather, become impassable mountain torrents, and
considerably circumscribed our traversable area.
I put off my foraging as long as I could, but after
weeks of continuous downpour there seemed no chance
of a break in the weather, and, as I feared to entrust
the duty to a non-commissioned officer's command, I
took charge of the party myself. The idea of protect-
ing oneself against eitlier the weather or the leeches
was clearly useless, so I accoutred myself as like my
men as I could, the hardened condition of the soles of
my feet being much in my favour, for I had to wade
through muddy paddy-fields, occasionally far above my
knees, in which it would have been quite impossible to
have worn either shoes or boots, so I discarded them
altogether, cut off the legs of my trousers as short as
possible, and resigned myself to the leeches, which in
that district, and in such weather, required a more
expressive term than
"
legion " to describe their
numbers.
From village to village I proceeded ; the first I
reached, I drew up my men, called for the elders, and
explained to them the difficulty of my position, in con-
sequence of the non-arrival of my convoy of provisions.
I had heard of it several weeks ago, and believed it to
have been for the last week or so on the left bank of
the Bilhooloya, only two or three miles distant, but this
was so furious a torrent that it would not be fordable
for a week after the rains had ceased. I asked the
elders to decide how much grain they could spare me
without inconvenience to themselves, and induced them
to send an emissary on to the next village to inform the
authorities there of my intended visit, and the object of
it ; I measured out and gave a receipt for the grain I
took, and despatched it to the post. At every village
I was received courteously, and provided with what
I needed.
My legs, throughout the day, presented the most
extraordinary appearancethey were literally black
with leeches suspended from them ; I never attempted
to pull them off, as so doing causes the bites to fester,
whereas, if allowed to satisfy themselves, the leeches
will drop oft', and if a little sweet oil is applied after
washing, the wounds will heal up without irritation.
23
1 had to repeat this expedition before rehef came to us,
by the arrival of supphes from Kandy. N.B.In a
country destitute of bridges or roads, see that your
stores are replenished before the advent of the rainy
season !
My commandant returned to his post at the expira-
tion of an extension of his leave. I reported my doings
from the morning he left me until his return, and I had
the satisfaction of receiving his full approval. I had
now quite recovered my health, and gained much
strength from my tour of duty at Maturatta. I had
occupied my leisure in striving to improve myself, and
was not altogether dissatisfied with the result. Through
the kindness of the commanding officer of my regiment,
I had been allowed to remain for several months at
Maturatta, entirely for my own benefit, for my services
were by no means required there,
I was next ordered to Kornegalle, the capital of the
Seven Korles, where there was a larger force than at
Maturatta. The garrison was under the command of
Major Martin, of the 45th Regiment, and consisted of a
small detachment of Artillery, two flank companies of
the 45th, and a company of the Ceylon Rifle Regiment,
of which I was ordered to take command ; we had a
staff" officer and a deputy commissary general.
Amongst the officers of the 45th was an extremely
nice fellow of the name of Montgomery, an ensign of
about three years' standing, a good deal my senior in
age. He was a keen, active sportsman, and we went
out elephant-shooting nearly every day. We used to
breakfast early and start off to the jungle, on the
chance of finding the track of an elephant, which we
generally did, and often that of a herd, which we
follo^ved up till we overtook them. Sometimes we were
led on imperceptibly until, late in the evening, we found
ourselves many miles away from the post. The country
was well marked by high rocky features, so that as long
as it was daylight there was little fear of our losing
ourselves
;
but unfortunately we were often in large
deep jungles, far away from home, after dark, when it
was quite impossible to return without a guide ; many
a time we did not get back to our quarters till a very
late hour.
The shooting in Ceylon, in those days, was certainly
first-rate. Elephants simply swarmed, pea-fowl and
juugle-fowl were most abundant, specially in the Seven
Korles ; snipe, widgeon, and wild duck also in great
variety, with curlew and golden plover, were almost
everywhere to be found.
My friend Montgomery and I became desperate
sportsmen ; we were pretty well our own masters, with
nothing to prevent our indulging our love of sport to
the utmost. It was not much wonder that we were
both soon laid up with severe attacks of jungle fever,
to which my poor young friend at last succumbed. He
died in Kandy, where in the churchyard there is a
tomb, erected to his memory by his parents.
I got over my attack, but it was a marvel that I did.
One morning my doctor bled me till there was scarcely
a drop of blood left in my body; he then gave me
forty grains of calomel, and in the eveningas the
fever was still raginghe ordered me to be taken out
to the yard of my quarters, laid on a bare ratan couch,
and buckets of cold water thrown over me, for about
twenty minutes ! I was then put back to bed, and
fortunately fell asleep for several hours. I was
awakened by the melancholy call of an owl, named
by the natives the
"
Devil Bird," because its presence is
considered a certain precursor of deaths It perched
itself on the ridge-pole of my cottage, about twelve feet
above my head. Our quarters were in the small
houses, occupied by members of the Eoyal Family, in
Malabar Street. The descendants of the Dutch are
quite as superstitious as the natives, and as the cry of
the Devil Bird was heard by them as distinctly as by
me, they considered my immediate death as certain.
After the severe treatment I had received, the adjutant
did not expect me to survive the night, and when he
came to see me in the morning was not a little sur-
prised to hear that I had slept for several hours, and
was still alive. After some weeks on tlie sick list, I
was able to return to my post at Kornegalle. The
death of my friend, and my own narrow escape from
the same fate, rather cooled the ardour of my zeal as
a sportsman, but had not extinguished it.
CHAPTER II.
A FEW months after my return to Kornegalle two
friendsCaptain Lloyd, of the 73rd, and Captain
Crofton, of my own regimentcame to stay with me.
During their visit, I received a letter from an officer of the
Quartermaster-General's Department, stating that His
Excellency Sir Edward Barnes, the G-overnor, desired
to know if I wished for an appointment on the roads
;
for that if I did I was to proceed to Ambampettia
when relievedand open that portion of the great

military road which lies between that pass and Warro-
copoly, a distance of about eleven miles. This ofter
surprised me, for I knew that it required no small
amount of interest to obtain such appointments, and
that, as a rule, the most efficient officers only were
selected to fill them.
I showed the letter to my friends, expecting them to
congratulate me on my good fortune, but found, instead,
that I had to contend with their most determined oppo-
sition to my accepting the appointment offered ; and I
could not help regretting their presence at such a
critical time. They used every possible argument
against my entering upon any work which involved so
much exposure, and so many temptations to intemper-
ance and vice, as were known to characterise the habits
of the men employed in road-making, and who were
stationed in the neighbourhood of the district which
had been assigned to me. The whole day they con-
tinued trying to persuade me to refuse. I could not
help feeling grateful for the interest these kind old
officers took in me
;
nevertheless, I felt determined not
to reject an offer which, I rightly thought, might affect
my whole future career. All their warnings and advice
were met, on my part, with an assurance that I was
quite strong enough to resist the evil examples by
which, they affirmed, I should be surrounded.
Towards
the close of the daywhen I had to post my reply
my friends, finding they could make no impression upon

me, sought to make a compromise, and asked me if I
would submit to
"
toss up," as to whether I should
accept or refuse the appointment. I assented, tossed,
and won, and the event influenced my whole future life.
I scarcely ever performed regimental duty after this
;
but I hope I shall be able to show that I have not been
a drone in the hive.
My letter, accepting the appointment, was written
and posted ; the next day I prepared my baggage for a
move, in readiness to start as soon as the officer should
arrive who was to relieve me
;
this he did in a day or
two, and I handed over my company to him, and started
for Ambampettia.
28 FIFTY YEAFS IN CEYLON.
Here I was met by an officer of the Quartermaster-
General's Department, who explained to me that I was to
descend that pass at a
"
gradient of one in twenty," and
gave me general instructions as to the direction which the
road was to take through the Ballapany Valley to Warro-
copoly. He wâs in a great hurry, and took little heed
of my perplexity as to the mystery of
"
one in twenty,"
if, indeed, he was at all aware of it, when he left me.
I commenced my reconnaissance of the hill, down
which I was expected to trace and make this military
road. The men I had to work with were totally un-
skilled labourers, who had never seen a yard of made
road in the countryfor the best of reasons, that such a
thing did not exist. I struck into the jungle from the
narrow mountain path by which I had ascended it, but
my progress w\as soon checked by enormous boulders
and perpendicular precipices ; it was an impossibility to
advance fifty yards on a gradual descent, owing to what
seemed to me these awful impediments. I began to
think I had shown more temerity than judgment in
undertaking so responsible a work, of which I was so
profoundly ignorant ; however, I had accepted it, and it
must be done.
Two hundred of the Kandian villagers wêre ordered
to join me in a few days, directly their tools arrived.
In the meantime, the first thing which seemed expedient
for me to do was to unravel the meaning of
"
one iu
twenty." A sharper fellow would, doubtless, have caught
it much sooner than I did
;
or if I had had the candour
to acknowledge my ignorance to the officer who came to
FIFTY YEARS IN CEYLON. 2&
set me to work, a word of explanation from him would
have spared me many hours puzzling over the difficulty.
However, the satisfaction of working out a problem of
this kind is often turned to good account in the end
;
it gives a youngster so much confidence and self-reliance
on future occasions.
A supply of tools arrived, and also my 200 Kandian
villagers, and a more helpless set of mortals than they
were at first, cannot be conceived. I had to commence
my road-making, but I will not attempt to describe the
waste of labour of those first few days, caused by my
ignorance of the subject. However, I possessed untiring
zeal and an earnest desire to do my best in the service
on which I was employed, and I soon acquired, as it
were by instinct, various methods for my work.
My Kandiaus, who had been in open rebellion against
the G-overnment only two years previously, were amen-
able
;
and I got on well with the headmen. It was
up-hill work certainly, for they were relieved from their
compulsory service every fortnight, and their successors
had to be taught the work over again
;
but I shortly
established a fair character for justice amongst them.
A neighbouring officer had managed to get into trouble
for coercing his men; but at the inquiry which was held,
they said they did not mind
"
being beaten
"
by the
"
little gentleman
"
meaning myselfas he never
ordered their punishment without their deserving it,
but they would not stand unjust punishment from other
officers.
Our reports were made weekly to Sir Edward Barnes
and to the Deputy Quartermaster-General. The former,
whenever he had an opportunity, would correct our
orthography and send back our reports for revision, to
remind us of the interest he took in our doings, and
this produced the good he intended it should, by
keeping us all "up to our work." Sometimes there
would be an encouraging remark made with his broad
pencil, such as,
"
This lad with his Kandians is doing
well." I
also received a letter from an officer of the
Quartermaster-
General' s Department, informing me
that His Excellency had observed, and wished me to be
told, that with my raw untaught Kandians I was
accomplishing a larger quantity of work than an equal
number of skilled labourers of a division of Pioneers.
This
encouragement was far more effective than any
amount of fault-finding.
I was much tormented by the wild elephants, which
.seemed to take a special pleasure in making nocturnal
raids on my
newly-formed embankments. I had been
working near my bungalow, and on a beautiful moon-
light night sat up for some time guarding a new place
of road with which I was well satisfied. Later, I went
to bed, giving strict orders to my servants to call me
immediately if they heard any alarm of elephants,
loaded my gun, and placed a supply of ammunition in
readiness.
I had not lain down more than ten minutes
when a servant rushed to my room in great excitement,
crying out that a herd of fine elephants was on the
road
quite close to the bungalow, and that if I got up
quickly 1 might get a shot at them from my door. I
jumped out of bed, seized my gun, and was out. The
elephants had moved a Httle, and the uight was so clear
and bright I thought it worth while to follow and obtain
a better aim at them. I dropped one, but the fellow
rose again, so disabled that I was led on, little by little,
in my state of deshabille^ till my poor feet which had
grown tender during my civilized lifewere so cut
that I had to hobble back to my wigwam and attend
to them. My night-shirt gave ample evidence of the
activity of the leeches, for the Ballapany paddy-fields
were fine preserves for them, and at night they simply
swarmed. This little incident is scarcely worth
recording, but, as years go by, it strikes me now that I
should hardly care for a repetition of it.
For some time my employment was at a sufficient
distance from other parties working nearer Colombo to
render it unnecessary for me to associate much with
the officers in charge ; but, as I progressed, I was
necessarily brought nearer to themindeed, we were
travelling towards each other. It was not until we met
that I could fully realise the force and kindness of my
friends, Lloyd and Crofton, in striving to guard me
against the influences and example of my brother road-
makers. Their dissipation was beyond conception.
Fortunately it was an impossibility for me to indulge in
wine, beer, or spiritsthe smell alone of any of them
acting upon me as an emetic. Seeing this, there was
nothing for it but to let me alone at their dinner-
parties
;
and it was fortunate sometimes that there was
one of the party sober enough to take care of the rest.
One night I was engaged seeing my companions stowed
away on beds and conches, when I went to poor C.'s
room and found him in a heavy sleep. Imagine my
horror on perceiving, by the head of the bed on which
he had thrown himself, a barrel nearly full of gun-
powder for blasting purposes (which he kept there for
security
!),
uncovered, with a bottle containing a lighted
candle stuck into it. T could not remove this source
of danger to all our lives without a shudder at the risk
we had run. In the morning I pointed out the insanity
of the proceeding, and declared 1 would not eat or sleep
in the house until the powder was moved to a place of
less danger. This they agreed to do.
On another occasion we were dining with H. of the
16th Regiment ; he was a literary man, and at one time
studied for priest's orders, being a Roman Catholic.
His bungalow, which, like all the rest, was constructed
of temporary materials, was well furnished, and he had
a valuable little library in it. Late in the evening an
alarm was given that the house was on fire ; we had
little time to consider, for in a few minutes the whole
was in flames. I do not think that any efforts of ours
could have arrested the fire, or that we could have saved
much of his property ; but, to one who was free from the
influence of wine, it was painful to witness the callous-
ness with which the party obeyed the directions of their
host in removing the table, chairs, glasses, and a
further supply of wine into the road, where they seated
themselves and watched the roof of the bungalow fall in
with an expiring blaze. The destruction of the whole
was accomplished in a short time, and the party pro-
ceeded to that part of the building which had been used
as a store-room, and therefrom grubbed out some
potatoes, which had been roasted by the fire, on which
they supped, the whole affair being looked upon as a
good joke. Shelter for the night was, of course, gone,
and half the party proceeded to officers' bungalows down
the road, the other half going in the opposite direction.
Such were the scenes and such the reckless style of life
prevailing among the first of Ceylon's road-makers, and
it would be useless to detail further particulars. They
were, however, a fine, devoted set of fellows ; their
General for whom they worked being their idol, and no
pressure was needed to make them do their best. Long
before the scene of the work of a division, consisting of
about two hundred men, was approached, they could
be heard singing, and occasionally became so excited
that they seemed more like madmen than reasonable
beings.
Sir Edward Barnes often came to inspect the work
and to encourage his men. He kept the best table I
have ever seen, and always insisted on living better
when travelling than when at home in Colombo
;
in
either case, he invariably dined off an entire service of
plate. We were always his guests on these occasions,
and naturally looked forward to the luxury of a good
dinner served in a first-rate manner. I remember on
one of these visits there was some urgent necessity for
his return to Colombo at once, thereby occasioning
considerable disappointment amongst his ofiicers, one
8
34
of whom gave vent to his feelings that evening at
dinner in not very parhamentary language :
'-'
It is too bad of the fellow treating us like this, when
we are working for him like mad all day, and getting
drunk for him every night of our lives
;
we had a right
to a feed, instead of his skulking back to Colombo."
His loss of popularity, however, was but of short
duration, for it became known along the line of road
that he had had a disagreement with the then Chief
Justice, Sir Harding Giffard, who, it was reported,
was to leave Colombo for Kandy by the new road in a
day or two. Without knowing any of the details of
their difference of opinion, it was pretty certain what
our judgment would be if this dignitary of the law
were tried by us, sapient dispensers of justice. A drum-
head court-martial was held and a judge advocate
appointed, who elaborated a charge against the absent
Sir Harding, and sentence was duly passed on His
Honour. The road was not completed throughout, and
we could easily pass along the unopened breaks without
the assistance of the nearest working party. Dreadful
plans were proposed and prepared to avenge our
General on the Chief Justice, Vv^ho was to travel in a
palanquin, and would most surely have found himself
dropped through sundry trap-bridges, laid especially for
him, if he had not, luckily for himself, and still more
fortunately for the road-makers, changed his mind, and
put off his journey. Had he not done so, I fear a few
of us would have lost our commissions, for so many
were engaged in this illegal proceeding against the
FIFTY YEARS IN CEYLON. H5
head of the law that the plot must have been discovered.
We were not, however, to be wholly defeated. Three
or four pioneer officers in cog. rode to Colombo by day-
light one morning, and had the honour of meeting Sir
Harding Giffard in his early ride ; they carried out their
intention of tilting at the Chief Judge, and returned
without being found out, fancying they had avenged
the cause of Sir Edward Barnes.
There was nothing chivalrous in this act, nor can
it be quoted as creditable to the parties engaged in it.
I only mention it as a proof of our devotion to our
chief. We would have done anything for him. He
must have known, as all soldiers should know, the
power true popularity gives them over their subordi-
nates. In any country or department, progress and
improvements will advance, just in proportion to the
zeal and energy of the presiding chief. Without his
intelligence and activity, Sir Edward Barnes would
have found it no easy task to have produced the results
which were the fruit of the love and devotion of
his officers and men.
I had now been several months
"
on the roads
"
;
I had opened eleven miles of the main road to Kandy
;
had exposed myself during th6 time as much as the
men who worked under me, for I was out with them
all day, and I felt all the better for it. It enforced
regular habits and early hours, and, what I knew to
be of great importance to me, I had 7iot been able to
get over my aversion to stimulants, the taste of which
made me absolutely ill.
I was now ordered to move to Allow, on the left
bank of the Maha Oya, where a large force was being
concentrated under Colonel Brown, R.E. There were
stationed at Allow a phj^sician to the forces, Doctor
Dwyer, and six or seven subalterns, some commanding
divisions of Pioneers, others superintending working
parties of Kandians. We had not been there more
than two weeks when jungle fever broke out amongst
us, and three or four subalterns were removed to
Colombo. Then Colonel Brown was attacked and
hurried off. Doctor Dwyer followed him, and I
found myself alone at the station. The Pioneer
Hospitals were crowded
;
the men along the whole
line of road from Veangoddetwenty-five miles from
Colombowere similarly affected, and all the officers
had been sent away. I felt very important, being the
only effective European officer left. This fact proved
theadvantage of my enforced sobriety and temperance.
In the course of my perambulations, I went one day
to Warrocopoly, where I heard that Sergeant Hopper of
the 16th Regiment was, with his wife and family, laid
up with fever. We had by this time heard from Colombo
of the deaths of two or three of the poor fellows whom
we had sent down from Allow. I found poor Hopper
a huge grenadier sergeantin a raging fever

;
his wife
and children very little better. I gravely expressed
my opinion that he ought to lose a little blood ; but
the question was, who was to be the phlebotomist ?
I had a lancet in my pocket, and offered to do my
best for him. He approved, so I prepared for my new
duty, and, when all was ready, I made sundry probes
at bis arm, but found it so immensely fat, I was obliged
with my pen-knife to cut a long gash over the vein
to enable my lancet to reach it. This done, it bled
freely. I then bandaged it up, gave him a dose of
aperient medicine, prescribed for his wife and children,
and subsequently had the satisfaction of hearing that
they had all weathered the storm.
While stationed at Allow, an incident occurred
which is illustrative of the life of danger which
our reckless fellow-workers ran. C. of the 16th
Eegiment rode over from Warrocopoly one evening
to dine with us, and late in the evening ordered his
horse, to return home. We all tried to dissuade him
from doing so
;
but it was the habit for everyone to
return to their respective bungalows, if possible, after
dinner, so as to be ready to muster their men and
set them to work at day-break. C.
thought he was
quite equal to the ride, but exposure to the air must
have had a bad effect upon him, for he had not
ridden a mile before he fell off his horse. At about
4 o'clock A.M., his old Welsh servant, finding
he had not returned, started off in search of him,
and found him sound asleep on the road, surrounded
by a herd of elephants, his horse standing by his side
and the bridle-rein in his hand. The elephant and
the horse have a great aversion to each other, to
which fact in this case our friend owed his safety.
Old Thomas managed to get his master home, and
in a short time he was sent to Colombo with fever.
He recovered from that attack, but not long afterwards
died from a relapse.
I continued for some time the sole representative of
authority at Allow, and thought I was proof against
the malaria which had proved so fatal to all the other
Europeans ; but one morning at breakfast I was seized
in my turn, my head nearly dropped on to my plate,
and I became very ill. In a day or two I was taken
away to Colombo. At Mahara, about eight miles from
that place, I met O'B. of the 83rd Eegiment, who, full
of sympathy, tried to save me the trouble of travelling
further. He urged me to take up my quarters with
him, pointing out with Irish hospitality the useless-
ness of my going into Colombo, and telling me sad
tales from Allow, how one had died that morning,
another was buried yesterday, and a third, as I knew,
had been carried off a week before. I did not, how-
ever, concur in his reasoning, and thought I might as
well take advantage of any chance of recovery there
might be for me, so with his good wishes I started for
my destination in my dhooly (a kind of palanquin,
carried on the shoulders of eight men)
.
I was kindly received at Colombo by a brother sub-
altern, and was subject for many weeks to tlie cow-
doctoring of the period. Finally, anticipating no
benefit from this treatment, a medical board pro-
nounced it necessary that I should be sent home
immediately. A shipthe Globewas then preparing
to sail for England. I was put on board her, with but
a very small amount of vitality, judging from my want
39
of strength. There was no vacant cabin in the ship
so I was accommodated, as far as the Cape, on a kind
of bunker in a passage just large enough to hold
my bed.
As we sailed into southern latitudes, and a cooler
climate, my fever and aguewhich had for several
weeks visited me with precise punctuality at a given
hour every alternate dayforgot to return. I soon
became able to take nourishment, and improved
rapidly.
Our ship was the slowest tub, I should think, that
ever made so long a voyage. We were passed at sea
by everything that came up with us. A sail in sight
astern in the morning, spoke us in two or three hours,
and was out of sight ahead in as many more. Our ship
was, however, admirably navigated. On landing at the
Cape I was hospitably treated by some old Ceylon civil
servants, who were residing there on leave. We were
nearly wrecked on leaving the Cape, and
"
rolled down
"
to St. Helena.
There I had a disagreeable affair to settle with a
major of Artillery, who had formerly been in the Irish
Brigade, and was nearly old enough to be my grand-
father. He had quarrelled with me at the Cape because
I declined to give him the cabin which had been
assigned to me by the captain of the ship, it having
been vacated by an officer and his family who lauded
at Cape Town. I should not have hesitated to oblige
Major B. by letting him have this superior cabin had
he asked me for it civilly, but I could only refuse his
dictatorial demand for it, as he used inexcusably gross
language to me, for "wliicli he would make no apology.
We arranged therefore to meet in a duel the moment
the ship anchored. We had but one second between
us, who was to make all preparations, and secure the
services of the first boat that came alongside, in which
we succeeded in getting off to the shore before we were
observed by anyone on board ship.
We had little knowledge of the topography of James
Town, and it was amusing to see our second with his
carpet-bag of pistols leading the way to find a spot
sufficiently private for our purpose, and it was some
time before he was satisfied with his selection. Even-
tually the pistols were loaded, the ground measured,
and a fool placed at each extremity of twelve paces. I
felt very much ashamed of myself, but the fault was
not mine. I had been insulted by a man who should
have known better, and who could have well afforded
to apologise for his loss of temper and discretion. The
usages of the Service at that time would not tolerate
that any member of it should tamely submit to an
insult without demanding "satisfaction" from the
aggressor; hence I was permitted this very equivocal
privilege of being placed in a position in which I might
have taken the life of the father of a family whose
children were older than myself, or my own life might
have been forfeited.
Our pistols were handed to us and the signal to fire
given. I remember aiming low, so that if I hit my
antagonist it should not, if I could help it, be mortally.
Our second then declared that all had been done that
was necessary for the honour of both parties, and that
we must forthwith retire from the ground. This
judgment was delivered with the most farcical official
solemnity
;
then Major B. walked up to me, begged me
to do him the favour to accept his hand, and expressed
the regret and condemnation of his hasty conduct, which
would, if admitted before, have saved us this absurd
exhibition. He was good enough to tell me that I had
acted quite correctly in the matter. This was consola-
tory, coming, as it did, from "a fire-eater" of the old
Irish Brigade. We returned to the ship as friends, and
received the congratulations of our fellow passengers
and shipmates on our safe return
;
for directly we were
missed on board and seen pulling to the shore, our
object was easily conjectured.
All such folly has been swept away by the besom of
reform. I wish I could think it had left no dregs
behind. Duelling was doubtless a barbarous custom
;
but, after all, the sacrifices of life which it exacted were
but very few. During my forty-nine years' experience
in the colony of Ceylon, where there were at times as
many as five or six regiments stationed, I can only
remember one fatal result. The change in the tone of
language and conduct of gentlemen towards each other
has been very marked and certainly not improved by the
abolition of the old code of honour. Formerly an
abrupt and discourteous contradiction could not be
given without subjecting the perpetrator to a demand
for explanation, or, possibly, for "satisfaction"; and
certainly no man dared to talk of women in the way
I have heard adopted of late years, or to behave towards
them as they do in the present day. I cannot think
that this relaxing of the accountability of men for their
words and acts has been attended with beneficial effects
on society at large, and on military society in par-
ticular.
It is surely unsatisfactory to military instinct that, if
one man insults another, he should prefer a complaint
against him to his commanding officer, or if guilty of an
indecorum towards a woman, that redress must be
sought in a court of law. I could never be accused of
being bloodthirsty or in any degree a fire-eater
;
but I
cannot, on the coolest and most mature consideration,
help regretting the changes I have witnessed since
duelling has been abolished without creating any courts
of honour to supply its place. I am of opinion that in
every regiment there should be such a court, consisting
of a field officer, a captain, and a subaltern, who should
be elected for one, two, or three years by ballot from
amongst their brother officers. All cases which could
not be otherwise amicably settled, should be brought
before them, and their opinion should carry great weight
with any authority before whom the affair might be
brought. Any man whose conduct was severely cen-
sured by this court should be removed from the Service
as a dangerous member of it.
After leaving St. Helena we saw no land until, as
predicted by the captain, we first sighted the Eddystone
light at 9.45 p.m. We were landed at the London docks,
having stuck to the ship to the last ; for I always felt
an instinctive dread of town with excessively small
means. I was too miwell, on leaving Ceylon, to have
any thought of finances, and my brother officers saw too
plainly the necessity which existed for my immediate
removal from Colombo, to have thought of the expe-
diency of keeping me until I had the certainty of means
to live in London. However, I found myself in lodgings
in an offshoot from the Strand. I forget how I got
there, but rather think I was taken by Major B., who
wâs never tired of trying to do me any service in his
power, or speaking of me to my friends in the highest
terms.
I was now placed in an awkward predicament. I had
no plain clothes, nor anything beyond what was sent
with me when so suddenly put on board at Colombo,
I knew no London tailor, and, if I had, my very small
stock of ready money would have gone but a short way
towards equipping me. I had, at that time, a horror of
debt, which would have induced me to prefer living for
months in the seclusion of my lodgings to ordering
anything for which I had not the means of paying.
Northumberland Court was not a lively place of resi-
dence, and after two or three days' contemplation of its
limited area, I thought I would venture out of my shell,
although I had nothing but my rifle jacket and forage
cap to appear in. I had not then learnt how great a
sin it was considered for a soldier to appear in uniform
when oft' duty
!
I walked down the Strand, and round by the Horse
U FIFTY YEARS IN CEYLON.
Guards, without observing that I was attracting the
observation of all passers-by, and returned to my lodg-
ings without adventure. Next day I repeated my little
enterprise, when, to my surprise and no small satisfac-
tion, I was accosted by a brother officer, the captain of
my company, who was at home on leave. He had, it
appeared, met me twice the previous day and took me
for a young German ! He would not hear of my hesi-
tating to order plain clothes until I had the means of
paying fur them, but walked me off at once to Buck-
master, who received orders to equip me with all possible
despatch
;
and I was confined to my lodgings until I
could appear in the streets as other people did. The
second morning after this I turned out in an approved
suit of *'mufty," and walked down to my liberator's
lodgings to show myself.
It was a great disappointment on landing, instead of
finding my father at Woolwich, to learn that he had
been ordered with his battery to Newfoundland again.
I had no one in London whom I knew, and felt very
cramped with the small remains of the limited sum I
had brought with me from Ceylon.
It was true that my passage-money, .^-i*;), was due
;
and, expecting I should be able to draw it, I went to
the Colonial OflSce, where I was to receive it, but was
quietly put off for a fortnight, to admit of some official
regulations from the Treasury being complied with.
This delay was subsequently prolonged another ten days;
and even while exercising the greatest possible economy
I was reduced to my last few shillings.
45
Hearing that Sir Edward Barnes was in London, I
called on him in Dover Street, and, as I was taking my
leave of him, he said :
"
How are you off for money, youngster ?
"
I replied :
'Very ^vell, sir, and I expect to get my passage-
money from the Colonial Office in a few days."
He told me to wait for a few minutes, went up-stairs
and brought me down an order on the Board of Green
Cloth for 25, which he put into my hand, and told me
to pay him when I returned to Ceylon. This generous
thoughtfulness quite set me up in the world. I drew
the money, and at once settled with Buckmaster for my
clothes. It proved a most opportune relief, for, as it
turned out, several weeks elapsed before I was allowed
to touch my passage-money, which I had called for so
often that the Under-Secretary of State, to whom my
applications were made, knew my step so well that, with
his back towards me, he "svould address me without
looking round.
At length, however, these difficulties were overcome,
and I received my due ; but unfortunately, on that occa-
sion, a relative accompanied me to the Colonial Office,
and saw me draw my money. He tried very hard to
"borrow" a portion of it, but I had the courage to
refuse him, and said that the first thing to be done with
it was to pay what I owed. To his amazement, I ran
oft' so fast that he could not keep pace with me, and I
did not feel myself safe until I gained admission at
7 Dover Street. Sir Edward Barnes fortunately was at
home. I was out of breath when I thanked him for his
timely aid, and told him I had drawn my money only a
few minutes ago. He wanted me to keep the J625 until
I could repay him with greater convenience in Ceylon
;
but I persisted in his allowing me gratefully to repay
him then when 1 could do so, and abruptly left his pre-
sence before I had well recovered from the effect of my
run up to his lodgings. I always had reason to believe
him a noble fellow, but this little incident impressed it
more deeply upon me than before. I cannot tell what
would have befallen me but for his kindness. When I
reached the street again I felt myself to be a free agent,
as free as the cool air which refreshed my heated face.
This debt had been a cause of great uneasiness to me.
I had never owed so much before, and had been long-
ing, day by day, for the means of repaying it. Having
-escaped the importunities of my needy relative, I had
the inestimable comfort of knowing that I owed no man
a shilling. Oh, that poor men could know the glorious
independence of that feeling ! How ill would they be
able to bear the wretched slavery of pecuniary indebted-
ness to anyone.
I now began to be comparatively familiar with
London, but had no pleasure in it. I viewed it as a
place filled with temptation of every sort, which must
be avoided by anyone who hoped to remain master of
himself.
The extent of my means was 5s. 3d. a day, an
ensign's pay, and to live within this was a problem
I had determined to solve, and very tight work it
FIB'TY YEARS IN CEYLON. 4^7
proved
;
though quite possible to a man who could
satisfy the cravings of hunger with simple but whole-
some food, flavoured with the sauce of love of inde-
pendence.
I had never been to a theatre, and determined to
avoid them altogether until I could better afford to pay
for so expensive an amusement.
I spent my mornings in trying to improve myself
the afternoons in exercise

;
but I was not long allowed
to lead this secluded life, for a number of friends from
Ceylon were in town, and they soon found me out.
Their society rendered my life more agreeable, but not
the less difficult ; sociability and strict economy not
being very consistent. However, I discovered I had
some relatives in England, and received kind invita-
tions from several of them. General Bentham, of the
Artillery, living at Canterbury, who had married my
mother's sister, asked me to stay with them, and I
found there a very happy home. He had four sons
George, a post-captain in the Navy

;
William, a major
of the Artillery
;
John, a captain in the 52nd Regiment
;
and Charles, a lieutenant in the Navy. He also had
two daughters, Fanny and Maria
;
the latter was a
great beauty, and married the Eev.

Gipps, after-
wards one of the Canons of Carlisle. I visited Canter-
bury not long ago, and went to see the old house and
the Dane John ; they are close to each other. The
door of the former was open, and so little changed that
I could have fancied 1 had but just left it. The Dane
John was precisely the same as I had known it fifty
years previously ; even the trees seemed to be of the
same size and unchanged
;
but what had that time done
for man ? General Bentham and my aunt had, of
course, passed away, but so had also every one of their
children ; the youngest, Mrs. Gipps, having died very
suddenly a short time previously. Mrs. Bentham lived
to attain a very old ageupwards of a hundred years.
When more than ninety she used to introduce her
eldest son. Admiral George Bentham, as her elder
brother, which, in truth, he looked more like, and
she would laughingly say,
"
If I admitted he was
my son, people would think I was becoming an old
woman !
"
After remaining for more than six weeks at Canter-
bury I paid a long visit to my old schoolmaster, the
Reverend John Christie, at Belmont, near Shaftesbury,
where all the old servants were still to the fore, though
some of them were married. My host scarcely knew
how to show me enough kindness. He had given up
his school ; but I could hardly believe my senses at the
enormous reduction in the size of everything I had so
recently left behind me. The house, grounds, rooms, and
play-ground were dwindled down, by my experience of
the world, to a tithe of my boyish estimate of their dimen-
sions. I was still but a boy according to the present
acceptation of the term
;
but the three-and-a-half years
since my departure from Shaftesbury had given me a large
amount of experience of the world. In the retrospect,
the time seemed scarcely a span's breadth, though so
full of incidents
;
yet where I had been accustomed
49
to be treated as a child, I was now received every-
where as a travelled man. There were not, in
1822,
many lads of eighteen to be found in Dorsetshire who
had been to India and bagged their half-a-dozen
elephants.
CHAPTEK III.
In the spring of 1822, I embarked, at Bristol, on board
the schooner La Rogue, for St. John's, Newfoundland.
I paid c10 for my passage, it having been arranged
with the captain that, for that sum, I was to expect
nothing more than ordinary ship's fare, such as he had
himself. We progressed fairly till we reached mid-
Atlantic, where we encountered a succession of tremen-
dous gales ; however, I amused myself by learning to
work the ship's reckonings and observations. For
many days we could do nothing but ''lie to" under
bare poles, unable to light a fire or cook anything
;
our bulwarks were carried away, and our long boat was
washed from her position on the deck, up between the
rigging and the fore-mast, under our futtock shrouds,
and I became at last very tired of this state of inac-
tivity. One day we found ourselves sailing through a
shoal of whales; some were playing together, others
floating on the surface of the ocean, sound asleep. We
61
passed quite close to one of the latter, which appeared
to be much longer than our vessel. We saw numbers
of huge icebergs as we approached the banks of New-
foundland
;
but I may here observe that, long before we
reached that place, our splendid system of reckoning
had placed us some degrees up in the woods, though
mine had not reached so far inland as that of the
master of the schooner. I cannot tell where he
received his nautical training, for, one day, in confi-
dence, he informed me that a few years previously he
had been a shoemaker in Newfoundland.
The fog was so dense that we literally could not see
from one end of our vessel to the other. We could
carry but little sail, and had to keep the danger bell
going continually to prevent, if possible, our being run
into ; though the bell could have availed us very little,
had we been in the track of any other vessel.
At length we reached St. John's harbour, just before
it was blocked up with icebergs in the narrows ; had we
not managed to get in at that nick of time, we should
have been long kept out, the entrance was so choked
with ice. Attempts were made to break up these
masses, which prevented communication with the
harbour, but without any result. It is a fact not
generally known, that heavy ordnance has little or no
effect upon an iceberg. My father, commanding the
artillery at St. John's, totally failed, with 4'2-pounders,
to make any impression on them, although the distance
was very short ; the round shot feU dead from them
into the water, as if the ice had been a huge mass of
4
*
india-rubber. My late neighbour, Greneral Thorndike,
R.A., then a subaltern in my father's battery, reminded
me of this incident shortly before his death.
I landed with a perfect recollection of the locality
which I had left as a child, and walked up to Fort
Townsend, where I had the happiness of taking my
family by surprise, for ours was the first vessel of the
season which had arrived, and during their long winter
they had heard no news from England.
Directly the men-of-war could get out of harbour, the
whole fleet was sent away in search of disabled vessels,
which were overdue
;
the state of the weather had been
such that all the early spring vessels were more or less
damaged. The La Hogue was, I believe, the only one
that reached port without assistance.
I seemed to know as much about St. John's as if I
had only left it the year before. My first impulse was
to go out fishing, though it was still coldso cold, that
I could not prevail on anyone else to accompany me
;
but I had inherited my father's love of the rod, and took
instinctively to the sport. Early in the season the fish
are so ravenous that it required very little dexterity to
fill one's kreel with fine trout.
Whether it was the fact that Newfoundland was my
native climate, or that I had not yet thrown ofl* the
caloric imbibed in Ceylon, I know not ; but certainly I
was able to endure a very low temperature, with perfect
impunity, and to this day I enjoy cold weather, while
suffering great inconvenience from the heat of summer.
During the greater part of my life, however, I have
borne a fierce tropical heat, and have constantly been
exposed to the direct rays of the sun, in a cloudless sky,
for six months of many years, while employed in my re-
connaissance of the mountain zone of Ceylon, and in the
construction of the map of that island, often not
sheltering under a roof from daylight until dark.
As the summer advanced, fishing in Newfoundland
became no easy matter, for the mosquitoes on the lakes
and rivers were so great a nuisance. As I could not
willingly relinquish the sport, I was obliged to adopt
some antidote to these abominable pests ; they were
far more venomous than the mosquitoes of India, for
they of the West speedily bunged up one's eyes, if they
had the chance. So the next time I went out with my
rod I took with me a mixture of hog's lard and Stock-
holm tar, wherewith to lubricate my face, neck, and
hands. Two artillery gunners who went with me
declined to submit to this disagreeable ordeal, though I
cautioned them as to the consequences of their unpro-
tected condition. I had not been fishing long when I
saw my men getting very fidgetty, owing to their
soldierlike objection to disfigurement from my horrid
mixture. A little later their faces were frightful
objects, being so swollen that they could scarcely see
;
and there was nothing for it but to lead them to a
fisherman's hut not very far off. They learned after-
wards to respect my kalydor.
One of the battahons of the 60th Rifles was stationed
at St. John's during my visit there. I knew most of the
officers well, especially the Honourable G-eorge Harvey, a
son of the Earl of Bristol. With him and some others
I went outside the harbour one day for sea-fishing.
Our bait was simply a bit of red or white rag tied on to
our hooks. With this we hauled in cod as fast as we
could lower our lines, until our hands were quite raw
with pulling in the fish. We were obliged, in the end,
to throw a quantity overboard, in order to lighten our
boat, and so take her back in safety. This was not true
sport, and I never indulged in it again.
On one occasion a party started to visit a very large
iceberg, w^hicli was grounded in deep water outside the
harbour. I did not accompany them, preferring my
rod-fishing ; but on my way to the river I had to pass
near the coast to the northward of the harbour, when I
heard an appalling noise, like a prolonged and very
heavy clap of thunder, but there was no appearance in
the sky to justify such atmospheric disturbance. When
I returned home in the evening, I found the sound had
proceeded from the breaking up of the iceberg into
two pieces, just as the boats containing the party were
approaching it. Fortunately, they were some distance
off, and only felt the shock slightly, for had they been
nearer their boats would probably have been swamped.
The noise was described as having been tremendous.
It was in Newfoundland that I received from my
relative, then Colonel Lewis, of the Kojâl Engineers,
my first lesson in surveying, in which he said I showed
great aptitude. I little expected at that time that I
should subsequently be employed in the triangulation,
survey, and sketching of the island of Ceylon.
55
I remained with my father and family at St. John's
until the end of the summer. Two men-of-war, H.M.
ships Sir Francis Drake and Egeria, were under orders
to sail for England. My brother John joined the latter
as a midshipman, and I was to sail in the former.
The day of our departure at last arrived, and I
took a sorrowful leave of home, feeling pretty certain
I should not again see some of the dear ones I was
leaving, even should I return from Ceylon myself.
I never again met either my father or step-mother, my
beloved sister, or my brothers.
The voyage to England in a large ship, like the
Sir Francis Drake, was most agreeable compared
with my outward trip ; its size, the companionship
of the officers, and also that of some of my own
relations, made it especially pleasant.
On my return to England, I visited my step-mother's
sisters, Mrs. Moore and Lady Wood, the latter at
Isleworth, near London, where they were near neigh-
bours of Sir Benjamin Hobhouse. We were a merry
party of young people. I remember one day we were
all weighed, and, to everybody's astonishment I was
the lightest of them all, being only 7st. 71bs.
In the winter of 1823 I was preparing for my
return to Ceylon, when I received a subpoena to
remain in England as witness in a distressing trial
with which I had no personal concern, but I managed
to get off.
In January 1824 Colonel MuUer was appointed
to the command of my regiment, and before
his appointment he did me the honour of calhng on
me. He was a German officer, a nephew of Count
Munster, and had been Equerry to the Duke of Kent,
in which capacity he went over to Germany to marry
by proxy, and bring to England the bride of His Royal
Plighness, and the future mother of our beloved
Queen.
Colonel Muller was very kind to me. He had
the private entree at Kensington Palace, the residence
of the Duchess of Kent, and one day wrote to the
equerry in attendance to say he would be at the
palace the following morning, Sunday, to breakfast,
and that he would take me with him. We were
unfortunately late in arriving, the Duchess and young
princess having retired to prepare for church.
Shortly after this he asked me to accompany him to
Paris, with Mrs. Muller, and he also took with him another
young subaltern of the regiment, who was at home on
leave. This proved a most amusing trip, and I wish I
could recount some of the incidents that occurred,
but I fear my memory now is too little to be
depended upon. We crossed the Channel to Calais
in one of the early steamers, and arrived there at
low tide. Directly the steamer was made fast, the
people on shore very politely lowered ladders for us
to ascend by. I was the first passenger to land, and
on reaching the quay was stopped by a set of fellows
who crossed their hands, and held them thus, to
jDrevent, I suppose, my landing until I had paid for
the use of the ladder. I did not possess a very
exalted impression of Frenchmen, and with the
greatest eJBfrontery closed my fists and hit out right
and left, with all my small might. In amazement
at my impudence, I conclude, they fell back and made
way for me.
We had to undergo a minute inspection of our
baggage at the Custom House, every article being
examined. Here I found ample justification for the
opinion I had formed of French manliness, for there
were two horrible men in uniform, with enormous
cocked hats, put on
"
athwart ships," and profuse
beards and moustaches, hugging and kissing each
other in the Custom House. It was the first occasion
in my life on which I had witnessed such a spectacle,
and it was no longer a wonder to me that I should
have been permitted so easily to clear a way for myself
through a crowd of such so-called men !
We next proceeded to the Diligence Office to
secure our four seats for Paris
;
all the others had
been taken, and our party just filled the extraordi-
nary vehicle. On approaching Abbeville in the
morning we were surprised at the crowded state
of the road for many miles outside the place.
Numbers of women were riding, and, in many cases,
two on one horse. When we drove into the town,
we found a guillotine erected in the Place, where
there was to be an execution that morning. The
crowd around the scafi'old at nine o'clock was so
dense, that by eleven o'clock, when the execution
was to take place, and at which time the travellers on
the road would have arrived, the scene must have
been that of a closelj' wedged mass of human curiosity.
This journey called forth no ordinary degree of
patience. The snow was deep upon the ground, and
the smallest ascent was pronounced by the postillion
to be
"
ane grande montagne," and was an excuse
for the slowest pace at which his horses could
crawl. However, in course of time, we reached the
French capital, and at first took up our quarters at
Meurice's Hotel in the Hue de Rivoli.
My colonel's wife was an exceedingly tall woman,
with very light hair, and would have been conspicuous
anywhere. Her dress was out of fashion in England,
but in Paris, even to our indulgent eyes, we knew that
she was an object of universal observation, especially as
there were very few English women there at the time.
She was, however, quite unconscious of the sensation
she was creating, and adhered to her antiquated bonnet
and dress. Before a week had passed she was carica-
turedno, faithfully representedin every print-shop
in Paris. Both she and her husband must have seen
these full-length portraits, but they never noticed them,
and she had the pluck to brave them all, for she con-
tinued to wear her English costume the whole time we
remained abroad.
We enjoyed our visit to Paris, and benefited much
by the experience we gained there, coming back to
England in time to make our preparations for our
return to Ceylon. We embarked on board H.M.S.
Princess Charlotte on the same day, the 10th April, and
FIFTY YEABS IN CEYLON. 59
from the same place, Gravesend, that I did on the first
occasion of my going to Ceylon. We took out the
head-quarter division of the 97th Regiment, under the
command of Colonel Christopher Hamilton, and had
besides a large and very agreeable party on board. I
have a list of the names, and will insert it, though
very few, I fear, are now alive
:
Sir John Sinclair, Bart., Madras Artillery.

Lady Sinclair.
Sir Robert Comyn, Chief Justice, Madras.
Colonel and Mrs. MuUer, Ceylon Rifles.
Colonel and Mrs. Hamilton.
Major and Mrs. Haddock (the former was after-
wards killed by an elephant in Ceylon).
Captain Darrah.
Lieutenant O'Neil.
,,
Macintosh.
Ensign Chesney.
,,
Stannus.
,,
Handcock.
Assistant- Surgeon Austin.
Mr. Abbott, Madras.
Mr. Bathie, Madras.
Lieut, and Mrs. Armstrong, 45tli Regiment.
,,
and Mrs. Sidley, 45th Regiment.
,,
and Mrs. Metge, 45th Regiment.
Ensign Lascelles, 45th Regiment.
Doctor Stewart, M.D., Bengal.
Mr. J. Stewart, Bengal.
Mr. Gibbings and Mr. Walker, Cadets, Madras.
Mr. Brownlow, Cadet, Bengal.
Mr. Burriclge and Mr. Snoak, Madras.
Mr. Turtou, and myself.
I had a splendid cabin, with a large port where I
could have three chess-tables. We were a large party
of chess-players. Colonel Hamilton was the best
;
next to him were Sir Robert Comyn and Mr. Abbott.
We formed ourselves into a club, and met twice a week
in my cabin. It was great presumption in me to join
it, for I was by far the most indifferent player of the
party, and at first had to endure many defeats from
them all ; but after a few weeks' practice I was some-
times successful, and then the game began to engross
my thoughts to such a degree that I constantly dreamt
of chess, and played whole games in my sleep. So
wônderful is the power of the brain, wdien undisturbed
by other things and intently absorbed with one subject,
that, when suffering from fever, I have passed most
painful nights in working out logarithms, keeping every
figure of a whole theorem in my mind; but this left
me in a fearful state of debility when I awoke.
Our chess club became a matter of interest on board,
and was fully discussed every day of our meeting, when
we went up on deck before dinner. Before I left the
ship I had the satisfaction of beating Colonel Hamilton
in nine games out of a rubber of eleven, and thereby
became the champion of the club. This honour 1 had
made up my mind if possible to attain ; and on the
mornings of our club meetings in my cabin I never left
it till the day's work was over. I had a roll and a cup
of tea brought to me for my breakfast, and b}' thus
isolating myself kept my mind entirely free from other
subjects.
In going through the Bay of Biscay, a little girl
was born on board our ship. Her father was in
the 97th Eegiment, and, when she was christened,
bestowed on her a number of names, which I hope
she bore well through life
" Christopher Hamilton

Charlotte Biden Biscay," the first two in honour
of her colonel, the third the name of our ship, the
fourth after our worthy captain, and the fifth from
the locality in which she made her advent into this
world.
The 97th Eegiment had only recently been raised.
They were a fine set of young fellows, the average age
of the men being only nineteen. They retained their
health in Colombo better than some of the other regi-
ments, though they were subjected to very unfavourable
treatment. As I was Staff Officer of the Garrison for a
few years after the arrival of this regiment, I was toler-
ably competent to judge. My orders were to give the
effective strength of the troops three nights in bed each
week. With so much garrison duty as there was at
Colombo, this was not always an easy matter. In
England, I believe, the troops are always supposed to
have six nights in bed each week. This can only be
because
garrisons at home have so few military duties
to perform, and a turn of home work may be intended
to set a
regiment up, and therefore the less night-work
they are subjected to the better.
I think that the English theory of the undesirableness
of enlisting young recruits is carried to excess. A young
thoughtless lad may require more looking after than one
of more mature age ; but if the system and discipline of
a regiment is really good, and officers and non-commis-
sioned officers take an interest in their men, I should
prefer a recruit of eighteen or nineteen to one of five-
and-twenty years old. He would require a year or two
of feeding and training, but he is more likely to turn
out a satisfactory soldier than a man who has passed
several years in another occupation.
There is also a quantity of twaddle talked, in reference
to the unhealthiness of tropical climates. I am myself
an instance of a boy, not fifteen years of age, put into
the Service ; and I was always far too restless a spirit
to save myself in any way. From the age of sixteen,
when I was first employed away from my regiment,
scarcely any labourer could have worked much harder,
or have gone through greater exposure, than I was sub-
ject to during my forty -nine years' service in Ceylon. I
shall soon be seventy-three years old, and have paid
more than double the amount,
3,000, for which I
insured my life twenty-six years ago.
In support of this opinion, I will mention my father-
in-law's regiment, the 18th Royal Irish, which was
stationed at Trincomalee when the order was received
for active service in China. When I went to the former
place to take leave of Colonel Burrell, there were no
men in hospital ; and, when they embarked for China,
every man marched on board the ship with his arms and
knapsack on. How seldom is this the case with regi-
ments serving in England or elsewhere !
My father, when quartered for four years at Trinco-
malee, with a strong detachment of artillery, kept two
very good boats, both schooner-rigged, in which he
often went out sailing or fishing. They were manned
by his own men, and, during the S.W. monsoon, were
anchored near the Sally port, in Back Bay, close to their
barracks. These boats were the pride and amusement
of the battery. In consequence of the men having
plenty of work to occupy their time, they scarcely knew
what it was to be ill, and did not lose one of their
number during their tour of duty there.
It would be difficult to describe the regret with which
everyone on board the Princess Charlotte contemplated
the approaching termination of our happy voyage, and
our separation from Captain Biden, one of the best and
most kind-hearted sailors that ever trod a quarter-deck.
The captains of the old East India Company's ships
were a very superior class of men, well educated and
accomplished, of whom Christopher Biden was an un-
usually fine specimen. He was for many years after-
wards master attendant of Madras, and came once to
Ceylon to pay me a visit.
I have already stated the extraordinary coincidence of
my having embarked for Ceylon on two occasions from
the same place on the same day
;
still more remarkable
is the fact that on the same day of the month we
dropped anchor on the same spot in Back Bay,
Trincomalee.
loth April 1818, emkarkecl off the "Falcon Hotel,"
at Gravesencl.
10th August 1818, anchored m Back Bay, Trinco-
malee.
15th April 1825, embarked off the
''
Falcon Hotel,'*
at Gravesend.
10th August, anchored on same spot in Back Bay,
Trincomalee.
The distance run in 1825 was 13,581 miles.
On our arrival at Trincomalee, we were met by Major
Anderson, of the Ceylon Rifles, Staff Officer of the
Garrison, who assisted us in our preparations for the
journey to Colombo, round by Jaffna, the extreme
north of the island. We proceeded as far as Jaffna by
water, but from thence we had to travel by land, and
a very tedious affair it was.
When we reached Colombo, one of the first pieces of
intelligence I heard was, that on Captain Mainwaring's
promotion, the adjutancy of the regiment had been kept
open for me. It was in vain that I protested I did
not want it, as I heard that a most efficient officer.
Lieutenant T. W. Rogers, had applied for it and was
most anxious to obtain it. At length, after several
days' negotiations, I agreed that Mr. Rogers should be
brought to head-quarters, that we should both work
together for three months, and, at the termination of
that time, the more competent of the two should be
appointed.
The morning after this arrangement had been made.
Colonel Churchill, Sir Edward Barnes's Military Secre-
FIFTY YEARS IN CEYLON: 65
tary, called on me, by order of the General, and said
the latter officer advised me on no account to accept
the adjutancy, but desired to know whether I should
prefer to be one of Sir Edward Barnes's "A.D.C.s, or
to be made Staff Officer of Colombo ? My reply was
thoughtlessly given, expressing my feelings on the
subject : I said I never wished to be an A.D.C. to any
man in time of peace, but that if His Excellency would
make me Staff Officer of Colombo, which involved con-
stant active military duty, I should be very proud of the
appointment. The garrison then consisted of
A Troop of Dragoons.
A Detachment of Royal Artillery.
A Detachment of Royal Engineers.
A Company of the Royal Staff Corps.
16th Regiment. A portion of this regiment de-
tached.
78th Regiment.
83rd Regiment.
97th Regiment.
Ceylon Rifles.
Gun Lascars.
Armed Lascoryns.
Several detachments were drafted from these regiments,
but still the garrison was large, and its duties were con-
ducted on the most strict and rigid principles. A field
officer and two subalterns were on garrison duty every
day
;
guard-mounting was done with the utmost for-
mality
;
guards were "trooped" every morning, and
not the slightest deviation from established forms was
66
permitted without the field officer of the day being
called upon to give his reasons in writing. The com-
mandant was present at guard-mounting about three
days in each week. I do not believe that the garrison
at Gibraltar could have been under stricter discipline
than that of Colombo at this time.
It was not till half-an-hour after I had sent my
message to the Governor that I reflected on its imper-
tinent character, and thought I had completely done for
myself, and had no chance whatever of getting any ap-
pointment. My surprise was the greater, therefore, when,
the following morning, I found myself in General Orders
as Staff Officer of Colombo. The officer who had pre-
viously held the appointment being sent to Point de Galle,
where the garrison was smaller and the duties lighter.
When I went to thank His Excellency for my pro-
motion, imagine my surprise at his asking me to take
up my quarters at King's House, and to become a
member of his family. I began to think I had not
done so far wrong in being honest and straightforward
in my dealings with men in authority. My error would
have been in thinking that I should always meet with
so great and noble-hearted a man, and such a true
soldier as Sir Edward Barnes, whose equal, for largeness
of views, generosity, and nobleness of mind, I have
never known in any position of life. He was a com-
mander for whom any soldier would have considered it
the highest privilege to have served even unto death.
It was impossible to ride in his cortege without being
inspired with the most devoted enthusiasm. How well
any man who ever served under that perfect soldier can
realise the description the late Sir Eobert Arbuthnot
gave of a desperate attack which he once saw Sir
Edward make on a French position. The scene of the
attack was an orchard, walled all round, to which he
took his brigade up in open columns of companies
;
when at the proper distance he wheeled them into line,
and then, having fired his men with his own enthusiasm,
he rode his charger at the wall, and, cocked hat in
hand, cleared it in the most splendid style. Sir Robert
Arbuthnot said it was the finest sight and most effective
attack he had ever witnessed. Sir Edward was, at the
time, an exceedingly fine, handsome man.
I was now of age, having attained my twenty-first
year, and for the next four years I acted as Staff Officer,
which comprised every military department. The Staff
Officer had charge of all military buildings, quarters and
barracks, barrack furniture, and equipment of every
description in the district, as well as performing the
duties of brigade major of the garrison
;
he was assistant
to the Deputy Adjutant-General, to the Deputy Quarter-
master-General, and to the officer commanding the
Ptoyal Engineers whenever they required his services.
I was a very active little sprite, and was never late for
one of those 6 a.m. guard-mounting parades, or for any
duty,- though I must not say how often, during those
four years tenure of office, I did not go to bed till after
guard-mounting. One morning Sir Edward Barnes
came down to the bilHard-room, as he usually did,
between 12 and 1 o'clock, where we all congregated
5
*
after breakfast. Seeing me intent on a game, he
said
:
"
What are jou doing here, youngster? I thought
you would have been at Negombo by this time."
"
What to do there, Sir ?
"
I asked.
"
What ! Have you not received your orders from
the Quartermaster- General ?
"
*'
No, Sir
;
I have not seen him to-day."
"Go to him at once, and be quick in what you have
to do."
It was nearly 2 o'clock before the Quartermaster-
General could be found. When I caught him he
directed me to proceed to Negomboan old fort twenty-
three miles north of Colomboto make a plan of the
barracks there and to prepare an estimate for their
repair, so as to fit them for immediate occupation.
This was rather a bore, for I was engaged to a very
pleasant dinner party that evening, to which I knew the
Governor and Lady Barnes were going. It was 2 o'clock
when His Excellency saw me ride out of King's House
grounds. I knew I could depen-d upon my grey arab
charger, so the moment I got clear of the fort I started
at a moderate hand-gallop, drew bridle for a minute or
two at every sixth mile, and found that I reached
Negombo within the two hours. There was no time to
lose
;
I hooked my reins to a tree in the barrack square,
and took out my field-book and tape
;
measurements for
the plans were soon made, data for estimate all taken
within the hour, my horse girthed* up, and I in my
saddle on my return to Colombo. I allowed my arab
to go his own pace, which was always good, and found
he had done the twenty-three miles home faster than on
going out. I had my bath, dressed, and jumped into
the buggy of one of the A.D.C.'s, and arrived at the
dinner party very nearly as soon as the Governor and
Lady Barnes.
The moment Sir Edward saw me he came up to me
;
there wâs no mistaking when he was displeased, though
he had never found fault with me before. However,
I thought to myself,
"
I will have a bit of fun
;
for I
see you think I have neglected my orders." I was not
left long in doubt on that point, for the following
dialogue took place between us :
"
Well, youngster, what the are you doing
here ? I thought I told you this morning to go to the
Quartermaster-General for orders."
''
So I did, Sir."
"And what did he tell you to do?"
"
He ordered me to proceed to Negombo, Sir, to
take plans of the barracks, to report the number of
men they could accommodate, and to submit an esti-
mate for their repairs."
"
And what do you mean, Sir, by neglecting those
orders
;
you ought to have gone off instantly.
Colonel should have given you your orders
yesterday evening."
"
I have not neglected them, Sir ; I have been to
Negombo, and your Excellency will have all the
information you require laid before you to-morrow
morninsf."
"You have been to Negombo ?
"
"Yes, Sir."
"
And taken plans of the barracks ?
"
"Yes, Sir."
"And framed an estimate for their repair?"
"Yes, Sir."
"
At what time did you leave King's House ?
"
"
Two o'clock. Sir; reached Negombo at nine minutes
to four; and left it at a quarter to live."
"
And what did you ride ?
"
"
My own charger. Sir."
I saw the satisfaction he felt by his expression ; he
turned round, and although I pretended not to be
looking at him, I saw the glee with which he was
repeating my little exploit to our host, the Honourable
Mr. Granville, and other members of the party. It was
a fair ride and amount of work against time, but much
more credit was due to my dear little horse than to
myself.
I was only a pound or two over eight stone, and never
tired of riding if allowed to go the pace. This little
incident pleased my patron immensely ; he was a per-
fect horseman himself, and there was nothing he liked
better than to have things done quickly.
Not very long after this, we wêre sitting over our
wine one evening, when one of the aides-de-camp, a
brother of Lady Barnes, told us of some feat which a
man of his regiment, the 10th Hussars, had performed
in England, namely, riding a given distance against
time in the dark. I ventured to say it was a good ride,
but I thought nothing so very extraordinary, and that
the same thing might be done in Ceylon. Little
Churchill, the military secretary, took me up at once,
and in his most sarcastic manner said :
"
Oh, I suppose you imagine you could do it ?
"
*'
I do not imagine anything about it, I feel sure I
could do it if I tried, but would rather not attempt it,'*
I replied.
"
Ah ! do you think you could ride to Veangodde
and back before guard-mounting ?
"
That took place at 6 a.m., and it was now past 11.
Churchill went on bullying me until I could stand it no
longer, and at last I asked Sir Edward if he would
excuse my leaving the party if I accepted Churchill's
bet of ^50.
He struck the table with his fist and exclaimed,
"
Well done, youngster ! I thought you could not stand
it much longer. Certainly, take his bet and win."
The bet was that I could not ride my charger to
Veangodde, which was twenty-five miles distant, and
back again to Colombo before guard-mounting at
6 o'clock the following morning. I went down-stairs,
threw off my coat, went to the stable, roused and
saddled my poor little horse, who had eaten his grass
for the night, and was sound asleep when I disturbed
him
poor little beast, he had been out with me the

whole previous day. I tied a small feed of corn in my
handkerchief, round my waist, and vaulted into the
saddle without cap or coat. I allowed the horse to go
his own pace, drawing bridle at seven and a half miles
to put the saddle back and tighten my girths
;
he then
went on briskly till we reached Veangodde, when I
looked at my watch and found he had done his twenty-
five miles in just two hours and a half.
I knocked up an old bazaar woman who made me a
cup of coffee while my horse was eating his feed of
grain. I re-saddled and gave my grey the reins, he
went off at his usual pacewe were never very slow in
our movementsand when I had nearly reached the
Bridge of Boats I got a light from a bazaar man to look
at my watch, and found we had returned faster than we
went out, so I was enabled to go into Colombo and
reach the fort at half-past 5 o'clock, where most of the
Staff were waiting up to congratulate me on my success.
I had my bath and attended guard-mounting parade as
fresh as need be.
When I met Churchill he paid me my
50, con-
demning his folly for having made a bet which I was
enabled to win with so little trouble. The fact was my
charger could do almost anything but fly ; he was one
of the most spirited and enduring animals I ever met.
On field-days and at reviews we used to be the amuse-
ment of many and the dread of a few. The little
creature quite enjoyed his work, and entered into it
con amove. In throwing out points for the formation of
a line he would, at full speed, interlace any number of
covering sergeants, going alternately to the right of one
and to the left of the next ; he would go round a flank
at a gallop so that I might touch the outer file, or, in
taking orders to a commanding officer of a regiment,
73
he would tear furiously up to him, and then stop dead
short, so that our stirrup-irons touched, the old gentle-
men sitting uneasily in their saddles until the fear of a
collision had subsided. It was very wicked of me to
startle them like this, but I knew my arab so well
that I was perfectly sure there was no danger to be
apprehended.
Sir Edward Barnes was himself the best mounted
officer I have ever seen, he rode a magnificent bay arab
charger with black points, whose coat shone like satin.
Lady Barnes presented this Nigitte arab to her hus-
band
;
he had cost her between JC400 and j500,
and
was thought to be cheap at the price.
For a staff officer to appear on parade badly
mounted was considered almost a military offence.
One morning after a field-day, Sir Edward called
"
Mounted officers to the front."
They accordingly trotted round and formed a semi-
circle before him, when he thus addressed them
:
"Gentlemen, the next occasion on which I have the
honour of meeting you here, I shall expect to see
you all properly mounted. Outward face. To your
respective corps. Trot
;
canter
;
gallop !
"
The scene that followed was amusing.
Riding was not considered as essential to an officer
in those days, as it is now, and young fellows were
not taught before entering the Service. Swimming
should, in my opinion, be as necessary an accomplish-
ment in the army and navy as riding or walking.
The first drill for a recruit should be his swimming
74
FIFTY YEABS IN CEYLON.
lesson
;
and as for a sailor, he should be able
almost to live in the water. Every child, if I had
my will, should be a proficient in that art.
I had not held my appointment very long, before
Sir Hudson Lowe arrived as second in command, and
after some persuasion assumed the duties of Com-
mandant of Colombo. He had not held any command
of the kind for some time. A general impression
prevailed that Sir Hudson Lowe was a surly, austere
man, but never was a character more maligned ; a
more kind, I may say tender-hearted man, I never
met with. For a military commander it almost
amounted to a fault, for it was with extreme difficulty
we could get him to notice irregularities, or to
punish breaches of discipline. If I had not had the
support and co-operation of his A.D.C., Oliver De
Lancy, the discipline of the garrison would soon
have fallen off under his command.
He was terribly undecided, and I have often
wondered how his wavering mind could have carried
him so far through the service, or enabled him to
perform those delicate duties which were imposed upon
him. I retained until very lately a striking proof
of this characteristic. He was involved in a corre-
spondence with the Government on an important
question connected with the duties of his command.
On my waiting on him one morning, he desired me
to sit down and write a letter from his dictation.
He paced up and down a long room, the whole
width of his house, and in three hours finished and
corrected his composition. I read it to him, and he
desired me to take it home, copy it, and bring it to
him for his signature. I obeyed his orders, but was
far from obtaining his signature. I had to sit down
again
*'
to make a few verbal alterations," and this
was repeated until I had seven copies of the letter
;
the
one to which he finally attached his signature proved to
be a very slight deviation from the original draft.
I never could understand why none of Sir Hudson
Lowe's works were ever published, for he had un-
doubtedly several on hand, and a very large quantity
of MS. ready for the press. Two or three amanuenses
were continually engaged by him, and vuuiij reams of
foolscap paper were filled, and so arranged in his private
room as to indicate that there were at least three
subjects to which his attention at the time was devoted.
No circumstances could have been more favourable
to quiet reflection than those of his life. He was
very hospitable and generous
;
kept an excellent
table, and first-rate cellar.
Sometime about the middle of the year 1826, an
incident occurred to me illustrative of the kind-
heartedness and generosity of my brother officers.
I was at the time, I think, fifth or sixth lieutenant,
and there was no one before me for purchase. One
evening the members of the staff and of Sir Edward
Barnes's family were in the A.D.C.'s room, when
Captain Dawson, C.R.E., said it was a scandal I
should not have my company for the want of a few
hundred pounds, and at once circulated in the room a
76
proposition to make up the required amount. I was
not made aware of this proceeding until it was
announced to me that the sum was made up and
at my command. I was very deeply grateful to
my brother officers for their most kind impromptu
suggestion, but positively declined their generous
offer, for I knew full well that there were those present
who could ill afford to contribute.
Later in the year, or more probably it was in
the beginning of
1827, I was surprised one morning
by Sir Edward Barnes sending me a message that he
wanted to see me directly. I began to take a
retrospect of my late life, wondering what I could
be required for, at that early hour. When I went
to his dressing-room, which was immediately over
my own bed-room, I at once saw I was about to
"
catch
"
it. The difficulty which presented itself to
my mind was to determine for which of my many
peccadilloes I was to be brought under His Excellency's
displeasure, for, T must own that while I was acknow-
ledged to be a good, smart officer, in all matters of
duty and punctuality, I was a very wild one.
Always consulted, and the first to be referred to,
when any piece of mischief was wanted, I had had
so many little adventures lately of which I was the
originator, that I was fairly puzzled when confronted by
the Governor. With his face covered with lather and a
razor in his hand, he exclaimed in a very angry tone :
"What have I done, Sir, to deserve this treatment
from you
?"
'!7
I had never seen him look so angiy, or heard him
speak with such austerity before
;
and I had some diffi-
culty in restraining my feelings, for I felt extreme
sorrow and contrition for having offended the best
friend that any youngster ever had. Every naughti-
ness I had been guilty of seemed instantly to crowd
upon my memory, as a personal offence against the
kindest and most partial of patrons, and I was over-
come.
I fancy I see him now, with his arm up, his razor
just as he had taken the first sweep from his chin, as I
stammered out
:
'*
I am extremely sorry, Sir, that I have done any-
thing to displease you ; will you be so kind as to tell
me what it is ? Be assured I would not intentionally
have incurred your reproof."
*'
I feel it very much, and thought better things of
you
"
I could not help interrupting, and implored of him to
tell me in what respect I had been so unfortunate as
to displease him.
"
I hear, Sir, that you are allowing a man to purchase
over you."
I replied: "Yes, Sir; but I have no money, and
you know I am too thoughtless and extravagant a
fellow to borrow it ; I might never be able to repay
it."
"
Why did you not consult me ? You must have
known I could have helped you, and might, I should
think, have been sure that I have the inclination to do
SO. I cannot easily forgive you for your want of
confidence in me."
He laid down liis razor, and, with his face covered
with shaving soap, sat down and wrote the address of
his banker, desired me to take it instantly to my
adjutant, return my name for purchase, and state that
he had already ordered the money to be paid on
being applied for. He then told me to mount my
horse and ride out at once, before breakfast, as a
ship was about to sail, and I must not lose the
opportunity.
I did as he desired me, and a supplementary return
of officers for purchase was instantly prepared and
submitted, but not in time to catch the ship, whose
departure for England was earlier than the Governor
supposed.
The consequence of this failure, by an hour or two,
in the despatch of the regimental return of my name
for purchase, lost me nearly nine years rank as a
captain.
My friend Rogers got the step. 1 never regretted it,
or envied him his good fortune. We
i.e. his brother

officers and friendswere very fond and justly proud of
him. A nobler fellow, a finer soldier, or a truer friend
could hardly be imagined. Sir Robert Wilmot Horton,
Sir Edward Barnes's successor in the Government, who
had seen as much of life as a very large experience of
European society could afford, was one day speculating
on what would be the effect of the possibility of
beginning life anew, with his matured knowledge of the
world, and the privilege of personating any character
he had met with in life. He was himself a most able
and accomplished man, and it seemed strange that his
self-esteem could admit of his preferring any character
to his own
;
but, to our surprise, he declared that if it
were possible to adopt another's identity, that Captain
Kogers was the one he would select of all the men he
had ever known. This was a grand compliment, and as
high a tribute to the merit of my friend as one man
could pay another.
This splendid fellow, Rogers, was struck dead by
lightning on the Happootella Pass on the 8th June
1845. At the time of his death, he was performing,
most
efficiently^
and to the entire satisfaction of the
Government and public, the offices of Government
Agent of the district of Ouvah, District Judge, Com-
mandant of the District, and was also my assistant in
charge of the roads of that provinceduties which,
after his death, required four men to perform, with far
less efficiency, promptitude, and punctuality than when
they were administered by him alone.
He was also a keen and successful sportsman, and
had bagged more elephants than any man in Ceylon;
I cannot state with accuracy the number, but am under
the impression it was about fifteen hundred.
The Kandian population of the Ouvah districtall
Buddhists
paid the highest compliment in their power

to their late energetic chief, by erecting, to his memory,
a pretty litttle Christian church in the town of Badoola,
the metropolis of the district. It has always appeared
80
to me very beautiful, that their love and regard for
Captain Kogers should have been so great as to
overcome their religious scruples.
I have already stated that Rogers got his company
when my name was too late to be returned for pur-
chase. It was nearly nine years between the dates of
our respective promotions, during which time eleven
officers were promoted, or placed on full pay, over
my head, besides fourteen being senior to Rogers
when he got his company, so that it was a curious
fact that when he was killed I occupied his position
of senior captain of my regiment. It is not often
that so many captains are disposed of so quickly.
This loss of time gave my kind patron far more
uneasiness than it did me ; he appreciated, better
than I did then, the great advantage of early pro-
motion.
CHAPTER lY.
In the years 1827-8-9, whenever elephants made their
appearance within thirty or forty miles of Colombo, I
received notice of their arrival from, the headmen, and
when I could get leave, exercised my privilege of taking
some of my brother officers out shooting. A good
many absurd incidents occurred on these occasions, on
one of which Captain Forbes, of the 78th Regiment
he has since taken the name of Forbes-Leslieand

myself started after a herd, which was reported to be
about forty miles off. We got up to the elephants,
killed, as we thought, one of them, and gave chase to
the rest. It was awfully hot weather, and the pursuit
turned out unfavourably for us, and the elephants beat
us
;
so we returned to our defunct friend, whom we
imagined as dead as ''Julius CiBsar," he having resigned
to us his tail as a proof of death
;
but he soon began to
show signs of animation, which signs were increased by
our repeated discharge of balls into his head. To our
no small dismay the animal presently discovered a tree,
6
np which a native had climbed for safety, rushed at it
with great fury and brought it to the ground ; in his
fall from the branches the poor fellow's skull was ter-
ribly fractured, in fact, completely opened. I did all I
could for him with my small amount of medical skill
and appliances
;
I cut off his hair and bandaged up his
head with strips of wax cloth, which we used for the
protection of our guns. In the course of the morning
he seemed to us all to have passed awây
;
we felt glad
the poor fellow's sufferings wêre over. With my official
notions I went through the form of recording the cir-
cumstances attending the accident. We passed an
unanimous opinion that the deceased had met his death
accidentally, having been killed by a wild elephant.
This nice little bit of formality had not been long com-
pleted when my attention was drawn to the fact that,
like the elephant who had injured him, the man we had
pronounced to have been
"
accidentally killed," was
showing unmistakable evidence of life, and we had to
cancel the proceedings of our impromptu coroner's in-
quest. I am sorry to be obliged to add that the poor
man, as well as the elephant, departed this life the
following day.
A few years later I was extending my trigonometrical
points in this direction, and overheard one of the
attendant headmen giving rather an amusing account of
this affair, and especially of myself, who had taken a
prominent part in it. There was a large concourse of
idlers standing round the instrument, and, as I cor-
rected some of the details of the storv, the narrator
asked me how I could know anything about it, as there
were only two gentlemen present, one of whom was very
tall and the other extremely small. They were very
much amused when I proved to them my identity. I
heard from Colonel Forbes-Leslie a few weeks ago, when
he reminded me that it was upwards of fifty years since
our shooting party just referred to.
On another occasion my old friend, the Hanwell
modelair, sent to tell me there was a fine herd of wild
elephants near Avisavella, about twenty-eight miles off.
Accordingly I, with three other friends. Colonel Lindsay,
Captain Forbes, and Lieutenant Holyoakeall belong-
ing to the 78th Regimentrode out to the Avisavella
Rest House, where we dined, and made our preparations
for an early start the next morning. We were all up
long before daylight, and divided our forces
;
Colonel
Lindsay and Holyoake holding one Pass, while Forbes
and I took charge of the other. The herd was a fine
large one, and we looked forward to a glorious day's
sport. Presently the elephants came on with a splendid
charge, when suddenly a man came running to us cry-
ing out,
"
Grentleman plenty sick. Sir !
"
Forbes gave the man his brandy flask, and desired
him to take it to the
"
gentleman." We had hardly
got rid of this fellow before another came tearing down
in a frantic state, saying
"
Gentleman soon will die. Elephant catch him !
"
We went at once and found poor Holyoake in a sad
phght. He had been charged most viciously, and while
making his retreat down hill the elephant caught him,
6
*
84 FIFTY YEABS IN CEYLON.
and attempted to ''butt" him with his forehead, but in
doing so over-reached Holyoake, and thus enabled him
to crawl under the body of the elephant and creep out
from between his hind legs. No sooner, however, did
the enraged animal find he had lost his victim, than he
gave chase again, and this time he caught poor Holy-
oake and took his revenge, breaking his arm and collar
bone and smashing in his ribs on one side. In this
state we found him, and had some difficulty in taking
him back to Colombo. We managed to carry him to a
boat, and conveyed him by the Kalanyganga river,
getting him back to his quarters at about 2 a.m.,
when we had to call in the surgeons to patch him up.
As none of us had tasted any food since very early
morning we were pretty well tired and done up ; so
when we had received the report of the medical officers
that no danger was to be apprehended, and that in due
course of time our friend would be as well as ever, we
separated and went off to our respective quarters,
anxious to get to bed.
Forbes went with Colonel Lindsay, as his wife was
staying with Mrs. Lindsay during his absence. On
entering the dining-room his host poured out a glass of
what he imagined to be first-rate curagoa, which Forbes
drank off before he discovered that he had taken a large
dose of castor oil. His disgust was too great to be
restrained until his host had also partaken of it, and
he hurriedly exclaimed,
"
It 's castor oil you have given
me!
"
Colonel Lindsay was a most absent-minded man, and
was often known to go into a house, or committee-
room, holding a dripping wet mnbrella over his head
until relieved of it by someone.
With reference to elephant-shooting, I have heard
men who have never come in contact with these animals
assert that in their wild state they are never dangerous
;
but the two cases I have mentioned, and also those of
Major Rogers, who was very badly wounded by one,
young Wallet, a very fine young fellow of my depart-
ment, who was killed close to the place where Holy-
oake was so mauled, and the death of Major Haddock
of the 97th Regiment, are a few evidences of the
expediency of being well prepared for mischief.
Elephants are strange animals. I have seen many
little traits of which I have never read any account in
books on natural history. One thing I noticed, that
the larger and more powerful they are when first cap-
tured and brought to the stables, the quieter and more
docile they appear. The largest captured elephant I
have ever seen was one in the possession of Mr. Cripps,
the Government Agent of the Seven Korles ; he was a
full-sized animal, and yet he fed from our hands the
evening he was brought in. He was very docile in his
training until the day he was first put in harness, when
he could not stand the indignity of being expected to
draw a waggon. He dropped in the shafts and died
the natives declared of a broken heart. This was by

no means a solitary instance of casualties from a like
cause. I have had several animals in my own depart-
ment who have died when first put into harness, and
who, apparently, had nothing the matter with them
before.
Another peculiarity in the elephant it may not be
amiss to mention is that I have often witnessed at
kraals* very small elephants used for catching the
wild ones
;
and remember one case in particular at the
Three Korles, in which MoUigodde, the first adigarf,
took a prominent part. He rode a very small animal,
so small that his head did not reach the height of
several of the elephants about to be captured ; but he
went into the kraal with the utmost confidence, and
was very active during the business. Many large
elephants were taken without any of them using the
least violence towards the little animal ridden by the
adigar. This adigar possessed numbers of large tusked
elephants, any one of which, one would have supposed,
would have been far more formidable and efficient for
the work than the puny animal which he rode. I have
never seen the mahout]: of the small elephants at kraals
ill-used or in the smallest danger, however violent the
wild ones might be.
A scene I witnessed of a herd of elephants bathing,
while I was surveying in the central forest, is described
in Sir J. Emerson Tennent's book, The Wild Elephant.
He writes
:
'-^'^
Kraal, a strong enclosure, in the heart of the forest, formed of
trunks of trees, for the capture of wild, elephants.
1 Adigar, Kandian chief.
I
Mahout, elephant-driver.
The following nai-rativc of an adventure in the great central
forest toward the north of the island, communicated to me by
Major Skinner, who was engaged for some time in surveying and
opening roads through the thickly-wooded districts there, will
serve better than any abstract description to convey an idea of
the conduct of a herd on such occasions
:
"
The case you refer to struck me as exhibiting something more
than ordinary brute instinct, and approached nearer reasoning
powers than any other instance I can now remember. I cannot do
justice to the scene, although it appeared to me at the time to be
so remarkable that it left a deep impression in my mind.
"
In the height of the dry season in Neuera-Kalawa, you know,
the streams are all dried up, and the tanks nearly so. All
animals are then sorely pressed for water, and they congregate in
the vicinity of those tanks in which there may remain ever so
little of the precious element.
"
During one of these seasons I was encamped on the bund or
embankment of a very small tank, the water in which was so dried
that its surface could not have exceeded an area of 500 square
yards. It was the only pond within many miles, and I knew that
of necessity a very large herd of elephants, which had been in the
neighbourhood all day, must resort to it at night.
"
On the lower side of the tank, and in a line with the embank-
ment, was a thick forest, in which the elephants sheltered them-
selves during the day. On the upper side and all around the tank
there was a considerable margin of open ground. It was one ol
those beautiful bright, clear, moonlight nights, when objects could
be seen almost as distinctly as by day, and I determined to avail
myself of the opportunity to observe the movements of the herd,
which had already manifested some uneasiness at our presence.
The locality was very favourable for my purpose, and an enormous
tree projecting over the tank afforded me a secure lodgment in its
branches. Having ordered the fires of my camp to be extinguished
at an early hour, and all my followers to retire to rest, I took up
my post of observation on the overhanging bough
;
but I had to
remain for upwards of two hours before anything was to be seen or
heard of the elephants, although I knew they were within 500 yards
of me. At length, about the distance of 800 yards from the water,
an unnsually large elephant issued from the dense cover, and
advanced cautiously across the open ground to within 100 yards of
the tank, where he stood perfectly motionless. So quiet had the
elephants hecome (although they had been roaring and breaking
the jungle throughout the day and evening), that not a movement
was now to be heard. The huge vedette remained in his position,
still as a rock, for a few minutes, and then made three successive
stealthy advances of several yards (halting for some minutes between
each, with ears bent forward to catch the slightest sound), and in
this way he moved sloAvly up to the water's edge. Still he did not
venture to quench his thirst, for though his fore feet were partially
in tlie tank and his vast body was reflected clearly in the water, he
remained for some minutes listening in perfect stillness. Not a
motion could be perceived in himself or his shadow. He returned
cautiously and slowly to the position he had at first taken up on
emerging from the forest. Here in a little while he was joined by
five others, Avith which he again proceeded as cautiously, but less
slowly than before, to within a few yards of the tank, and then
posted his patrols. He then re-entered the forest and collected
around him the whole herd, which must have amounted to between
80 and 100 individualsled them across the open ground with the
most extraordinary composure and quietness, till he joined the
advanced guard, when he left them for a moment and repeated his
former reconnaissance at the edge of the tank. After which,
having apparently satisfied himself that all was safe, he returned
and obviously gave the order to advance, for in a moment the whole
herd rushed into the water with a degree of unreserved confidence,
so opposite to the caution and timidity which had marked their
previous movements, that nothing will ever persuade me that there
was not rational and preconcerted co-operation throughout the
whole party, and a degree of responsible authority exercised by the
partriarch leader.
"
When the poor animals had gained possession of the tank (the
leader being the last to enter), they seemed to abandon themselves
to enjoyment wdthout restraint or apprehension of danger. Such
a mass of animal life I had never before seen huddled together in so
narrow a space. It seemed to me as though they would have
nearly drunk the tank dry. I watched them with great interest
until they had satisfied themselves as well in bathing as in drinking,
when 1 tried how small a noise would apprise them of the proximity
of unwelcome neighbours. I had but to break a little twig, and
the solid mass instantly took to flight like a herd of frightened deer,
each of the smaller calves being apparently shouldered and carried
along between two of the older ones.""
Although on the garrison staff of Colombo, where
the duties were carried on with the utmost punctilious-
ness, I was often employed by Sir Edward Barnes in
surveying and tracing new roads ; my garrison duties
being at these times provided for. In 1828 I traced
the Newera Ellia road from Rangbodde to Gampola,
having previously laid down a line from Colombo to
Chilan and Putlam.
I have seen controversies in newspapers on the
subject of the curing of the bites of poisonous snakes,
some medical officers stating that it was impossible to
do so. My own experience convinces me to the con-
trary. In tracing the Newera Ellia road above men-
tioned, near to Poocellawa, we were at work, the
clearing party in advance opening the jungle, when a
cry was heard that a pioneer had been bitten by a tic-
polonga, the most venomous snake known in Ceylon,
said to be much more so than the cobra de capello.
1 was at my instrument in the rear when the man was
brought to me. AVhat was I to do with him ? In half
an hour, at the most, we all supposed he would succumb
to the poison ; but listlessly to resign ourselves to
inaction seemed too hard-hearted. My powder-flask
The Wild Elephant,
p. 51.
contained the whole extent of my field materia medica.
How was it be applied ? I laid the man down, and
with my pen-knife deeply scored the bitten arm. I
then emptied a charge of gunpowder over the wound,
and applied a match to it. I repeated this severalit
may have been five or sixtimes, and sent the man
away to the camp, never expecting to see him alive
again. After our day's work was completed I returned
to my wigwam, and, on going to look up the invalid,
to my surprise and immense delight I found him alive
and moving about. In two days more he was as
effective as any of my party.
It was curious that the day this man returned to
work another fellow was bitten in the foot by a splendid
specimen of the same description of snake, which was
killed and brought to me with the disabled man. This
seemed intended to be a confirmation of the previous
experiment, which I followed out exactly, but with con-
siderably greater confidence. Neither of the men
suffered pain from the surgical treatment, the parts
operated upon having been numbed by the poison of the
snakes. In this second case, the man left me for his
camp in better spirits than the first-named, and he
was at work with the rest of the men the following
morning.
I was too much engaged with my work to take much
notice of this at the time, but I mentioned it in subse-
quent discussions on the subject. Sir Robert Wilmot
Horton, who was then Governor of Ceylon, thought the
information so valuable to the public that he induced
me to publish an account of it in a local paper. I have,
since my retirement from Ceylon, sent an account of
these facts to the London Times in reference to a corre-
spondence in its columns on the subject, with the object
of refuting the assertion of some Indian medical officers
that there was no known cure for the bite of venomous
snakes.*
It would, I think, be worth while for some analytical
chemist to determine what element of gunpowder could
have had the curative effect in the cases of the two pioneers
just mentioned, as having been bitten by large full-grown
ticpolonga. I am disposed to attribute it to the char-
coal, for I sent home, through Sir James Emerson
Tennent, specimens of snake-stones with which I had
seen cases cured ; and the result of Mr. Faraday's
analysis of the
"
Pamboo-Kaloo
"
was that it appeared
to be animal charcoal. If this be the case, surely a
specific might be discovered which might diminish the
mortality at present attributable to the bites of venomous
''
Extract from Sir J. Emerson Temient's book, vol. i.,
p.
193.
"
Major Skimier, writing to me, mentions the still more remarkable
case of the domestication of the cobra de capello in Ceylon.
'
Did
you ever hear,' he says,
'
of tame cobras being kept and domesti-
cated about a house, going in and out at pleasure, and in common
with the rest of the inmates? In one family, near Negombo,
cobras are kept as protectors, in the place of dogs, by a wealthy
man who has always large sums of money in his house. But this
is not a solitary case of the kind. I heard of it only the other day,
but from undoubtedly good authority. The snakes glide about the
house, a terror to thieves, but never attempting to harm the
inmates."
"
snakes. Sir J. Emerson Tennent says, in his book on
Ceylon
:
The use of the Pamboo-Kaloo, or suake-stoue, as a remedy in

cases of wounds by venomous serpents, has probably been com-
municated to the Singhalese by the itinerant snake-charmers who
resort to the island from the coast of Coromandel ; and more
than one well-authenticated instance of its successful application
has been told to me by persons who had been eye-witnesses to what
they describe. On one occasion, in March 1854, a friend of mine
was riding, Avith some other civil officers of the Government, along
a jungle path in the vicinity of Bintenne, when they saw one of
two Tamils, who were approaching them, suddenly dart into the
forest and return, holding in both hands a cobra de capello which
he had seized by the head and tail. He called to his companion
for assistance to place it in their covered basket, but, in doing this,
he handled it so inexpertly that it seized him by the finger, and
retained its hold for a few seconds, as if unable to retract its fangs.
The blood flowed, and intense pain appeared to follow almost
immediately
;
but with all expedition, the friend of the sufferer
imdid his waistcloth, and took from it two snake-stones, each of
the size of a small almond, intensely black and highly poHshed,
though of an extremely light substance. These he applied, one to
each wound inflicted by the teeth of the serpent, to which the
stones attached themselves closely, the blood that oozed from the
bites being rapidly imbibed by the porous texture of the article
applied. The stones adhered tenaciously for three or four minutes,
the wounded man's companion in the meanwhile rubbing his arm
downwards from the shoulder towards the fingers. At length the
snake-stones dropped off of their own accord, the suffering appeared
to have subsided
;
he twisted his fingers till the joints cracked, and
went on his way without concern. "Whilst this had been going on,
another Indian of the party who had come up took from his bag a
small piece of white wood, which resembled a root, and passed it
gently near the head of the cobra, which the latter immediately
inclined close to the ground
;
he then lifted the snake without
hesitation, and coiled it into a circle at the bottom of his basket.
The root by which he professed to be enabled to perform this
operation with safety he called the Xaya-thalce Judhii/a (the root of
the snake-plaut), protected by which he professed his ability to
approach any reptile with impunity.""
*****
On the 28th of March 1829, I lost a very clear friend,
and the service a most invaluable officer, m Captain W.
Dawson, commanding Eoyal Engineers. The poor
fellow died in my arms. The whole island mourned
him. Wherever he was known, he was dearly
loved. Sir Edward Barnes had, notwithstanding
Dawson's junior rank, selected him for the position of
C.R.E., which was a colonel's command, for Sir Edward
knew, from his Peninsular experience of him, the great
merit Dawson possessed as an officer. A singular coin-
cidence occurred in reference to the monument erected
to his memory on the top of the Ivaddoganawa Pass,
which was one of the triumphs of his skill. The founda-
tion of this column was laid at the same time as that
to the memory of His Pioyal Highness the Duke of
York, late Commander-in-Chief, at the entrance of the
Park at the end of Waterloo Place. The dimensions of
these two memorials are identical, the only difference in
them being that Dawson's monument is built of brick,
whereas that erected by the nation to the memory of
the Commander-in-Chief of the Army, in a conspicuous
position in the metropolis, is of granite, surmounted by
a statue of His Pioyal Highness. Dawson's remains
were interred in a vault in Saint Peter's Church, Colombo.
"-'
Ceijlon, by Emerson Teuuent, vol. i.,
p.
1!)7.
On the 25th of November in the same year, we lost
another good officer, Lieutenant W. Moore, of the
Royal Staff Corps. He was Deputy Assistant Quarter-
master-General. Being very ill, a medical board decided
that he was immediately to be sent to England. I had
therefore embarked him on board a ship which was to
sail for England the following day. In the morning the
captain wrote to me suggesting the expediency of my
landing the poor fellow again, as he had become much
worse during the night, and the captain thought he could
not long survive. 1 went off at once and brought him
on shore, and was glad I did so, for he died during
the night, and was buried the next day.
On the morning of the 27th of November 1829,
Colonel Churchill, the military secretary, brought me a
message from the Governor to the effect that he intended
giving me the appointment now vacant by Moore's
death in the Quartermaster-General's Department. I
ran off instantly to Sir Edward Barnes, told him what
Churchill had just communicated to me, and said :
"
You know, Sir, I am quite ignorant of the scientific
duties of the department. I literally know nothing of
them."
He answered : "Do you think I do not know that as
well as you do ? Will you promise me that you will do
what you can to qualify yourself?
"
"
Certainly I will, Sir."
''That is quite enough; go about your business."
And he turned on his heel and left the room.
This was an awful responsibility I had taken on
myself. I knew my new chief to be one of the most
talented officers in the Armj^ very scientific and extremely
exacting, and I felt quite sure that he would never tole-
rate inefficiency in an assistant. However, the thing
was done. I had accepted the appointment, and all my
life I had thoroughly believed that any man with ordi-
nary abilities could make himself anything he liked,
unless he acknowledged himself infirm of purpose or
idiotic. So off 1 started at once, knowing I had
everything to learn.
I had not been in General Orders a couple of days
before I was ordered to relieve Lieutenant F of the
Royal Engineers, who was employed in the construction
of a rope suspension bridge over the Ambepoose river,
midway between Colombo and Kandy. The Governor was
very much interested in this work, on which the commu-
nication withKandy and the Seven Korles route depended.
The consequence was he frequently visited it, and was
pleased to approve of the mode in which I proceeded.
My taste for everything connected with the sea gave me
a facility in the management of tackefalls, &c., which
had its advantages in helping me with my present
work.
Having completed this job, I was placed in charge of
the roads of the interior, under the Quartermaster-
General, all public works being at that time conducted
by the military. This employment gave me plentyôf
riding, and compelled me to be as nearly
"
ubiquitous
"
as possible.
CHAPTER V.
I WAS now to be employed on rather important special
service. In August 1830, I received instructions that
His Excellency the Governor required me to proceed to
the Eastern Archipelago on a special service, for which
I was to prepare. The Government barque Anne was to
be armed, and I was to proceed to Trincomalee to take
on board guns, ammunition, and necessaries for the
expedition, and thence to embark for Prince of Wales
Island, Malacca, Singapore, and Java, to hold a con-
ference with the Governor-General of Netherlands,
India, and to regulate my subsequent movements by the
result of this conference.
Having received my final instructions, and taken
leave of the Governor on Saturday, the 28th of August,
at daylight on Sunday I embarked on board the
Government barque Anne, with the detachments, 1
subaltern, 1 sergeant, and 15 rank and file of the
58th Regiment, to act as marine artillery in charge of
the guns and stores, and 61 of all ranks of the Ceylon
Rifles, a staff surgeon, and a good crew. The 58th
Repîment were well drilled to artillery practice, and
could work a battery of guns most efficiently.
At half-past 7 we got under weigh and sailed,
according to orders, in company with the Government
barque Wellington, which was conveying Sir Hudson
Lowe to Battle aloa. With fresh, steady breezes, we
reached the latter place at 3 o'clock on the 31st of
August, when I bore down to the Wellington to ask, by
signal, if Sir Hudson Lowe had any orders for me.
Not having any, he released me, and authorised my
making sail for Trincomalee, where I arrived, and
anchored in Back Bay, at 7 o'clock the following
morning.
Having mounted an European guard on board, and
given the necessary orders regulating their duties while
in harbour, I landed, and waited on the commandant,
my old friend Colonel Hamilton, of the 97th Regiment.
I then lost no time in putting myself in communication
with the departments for the purpose of getting on
board our guns, ammunition, and small stores. I dined
with Colonel Hamilton at the 97th mess, and during
the evening a bet was made by the Colonel and
Lushington ou Major Hall's and my rifle-shooting,
which was to be decided the following day, and was
settled by my beating Major Hall in the best of seven
shots at 100 yards.
Early next morning I inspected the guns, and dis-
covered that the carronade carriages were made so
much too large that there was no possibility of working
7
the gnns. I was obliged to have them dismounted, and
sent the sHdes and carriages on shore immediately to be
altered. This detained us until the 9th of September.
Sir Hudson Lowe arrived in the Wellington on the
3rd, and was received with the usual salute and
honours. During my detention here, I joined a party,
one afternoon, and went an excursion in the inner
harbour ; we had a delightful sail, and much enjoyed
the beauty of the scenery.
I wrote to His Excellency and explained the cause
of my delay, naming Thursday, the 9th, as the pro-
bable day for sailing. One evening, the non-commis-
sioned officers and soldiers of the 97th Regiment acted
Paul Pry and the Liar wonderfully well. The greater
number of the performers were men who had come out
with me, in the Princess Charlotte, five years previously.
I was much gratified to find that many, who came out
as raw recruits, had, by their steady, good conduct,
been promoted to the rank of sergeants, and had grown
fine soldier-like fellows. I never could have imagined
it possible that the 97th Eegiment, as I knew it three
years before, could have so rapidly risen to its present
state of appearance and discipline. Corporal punish-
ment, which used to be almost an every-day occurrence,
was now seldom known in the regiment.
On the 9th September we took on board our ammu-
nition, and prepared for sea. Just as we were starting,
H.M.S. Crocodile came in, and
"
hove to
"
in Back
Bay ; she had arrived from New South Wales and
Batavia ; and finding that the Admiral, Sir Edward
Owen, was in the Straits of Malacca, Captain Montague
asked me to be the bearer of despatches to him, for
wliich I waited. My old friends, Wilson, Dan Mac-
kinnon, and Frith, of the 58th Regiment, came on
board. At 6 o'clock, having received the despatches
from the Crocodile, or, rather, seeing her boat putting
off with them, we weighed anchor, set sail, and started
on our course before the boat was alongside, for we had
so many hands on board, we could work the little ship
like lightning
;
she was a beautiful craft, and sailed
remarkably well. On leaving, our friends gave us three
hearty cheers, which we returned with interest.
From the 10th to the 17th September 1830 we had
days of calm and a tremendous swell from the S.E.
;
a
steady breeze then sprang up, but with it dirty weather,
and, the wind being aft, we rolled immoderately and
shipped a great quantity of water, the pumps going
every hour. We were too late in starting from Ceylon,
the S.W. monsoon having nearly expended itself.
At daylight on the morning of the 17th the island of
Pulo Rondo came in sight about fifteen miles distant,
and at 8 o'clock we saw the high land of Acheen
Head. The sea here assumed the most curious appear-
ance, occasioned by what Horsburg describes as a
"ripple." There was very little wind, and that little
variable
;
to this was opposed a swell, sometimes short
and irregular, at others long and continuous, which
broke with considerable violence, and in the former
instance was not unlike the effect produced on the water
by a sudden hurricane.
On Sunday 19tli we paraded for divine service, and I
officiated in a clerical capacity for the first time.
On Tuesday 21st, we made Penang or Prince of
Wales Island, at 2 o'clock, but in consequence of light
winds could not get into the harbour, so anchored off
the northern point of the island. At daybreak the
following morning we got under weigh, although there
was wet, dirty weather, with light contrary winds. We
passed a Company's brig at anchor, and I afterwards
learnt Lord and Lady Dalhousie and their retinue were
on board, returning from the Straits to Calcutta, His
Excellency having been on a tour of inspection to these
settlements.
We anchored about 12 o'clock in the harbour, where
we found six ships, eighteen brigs, and a number of
Chinese and other small vessels. I went on shore
directly to deliver despatches from Sir Edward Barnes
to the President, Mr. Ibbetson, who kindly invited me
to take up my quarters with him during my stay at
Penang, which I agreed to do. From Mr. Ibbetson's I
proceeded to the Admiral to report my arrival and to
deliver despatches. Sir Edward Owen was most kind,
and desired me to call upon him for any assistance he
could render me in furtherance of the service on which
I was engaged. We all dined with the Admiral, and
much enjoyed the society of Lady Owen and her niece.
Miss C.
The mess arrangements of the native regimentthe
25th Madras Infantry I think it wasstruck me at the
time as being peculiar and undesirable. They had no
establishment, every officer's servant brought his own
table equipment ; if it did not arrive in time, the officer
had to wait and look on till it came. I do not know,
however, that it was not a less objectionable extreme to
go to than the opposite one of extravagant luxury and
display which most of Her Majesty's regiments now
indulge, in placing upon their tables more costly plate
than they can possibly accommodate. I know a regi-
ment, which has not long returned from foreign service,
which has burdened itself with a centre-piece for the
table which cost i'500, although it was acknowledged
before they bought it that they possessed more plate
than they could possibly use. Is it any wonder that so
many young men are ruined by such encouragement
to
extravagance ? I think as many as five or six officers
have had to leave that regiment and sell out. The com-
manding officer and seniors of regiments should be made
a great deal more responsible than they are for the mess
expenses of their juniors ; but so little are they now
responsible that it frequently happens that the colonel
and field officers of a regiment spend much less on the
mess than many of the subalterns, who are impressed
with the idea of the necessity of
"
keeping up the credit
of their regiment." This would be much better pre-
served by a prudent regard to economy than by any amount
of reckless entertaining involving, as it so often does, the
necessity for their selling out, and becoming heavy bur-
dens to their family and a discredit to the reputation of
their regiments. When will the Horse Guards become
alive to the expediency of looking into this subject ?
But to return from this digression. Much as I had
been led to expect from the extremely beautiful
approach to this superb little island, I was agreeably
surprised in my expectations being more than realised.
The first object which strikes the visitor on arriving
at Penang is the excellent landing-place or jetty, pro-
jecting for a considerable distance into the harbour; it
is built of cut granite, having an inclined plane about
twelve feet wide in the centre and a flight of steps on
either side ; it is paved with slabs of granite and
covered in with a substantial tiled roof, affording
delightful shelter. The jetty is about one hundred feet
by forty.
Directly we landed we were assailed by
'
' link
boys," who contended for our patronage of their
master's vehicles, which are exactly similar to the
palanquin carriages used throughout India, drawn by
small Sumatra ponies and led by a horse-keeper or
"
syce." The palanquins are extremely clean and com-
fortable, and the greatest convenience to strangers
;
they seemed to be in much requisition, for the natives
use them as much as the Europeans. These ponies
there are very few horses in Penangare small but

extremely hardy, equal to heavy weights, and able to go
through an incredible amount of work. They are very
sure-footed little animals ; I scarcely saw one with a
broken knee. They are never shod, v^hich confirms the
opinion I have always entertained, that half the falls
that horses meet with are more often due to bad shoeing
than any other cause.
The streets, roads, and dwelling-houses of this island
all claim an equal share of admiration ; but the little
English-looking church, which attracts the attention of
the stranger, is truly beautiful ; it is surrounded by a
number of very fine trees not unlike the cypress. Its
appearance is sufficient to inspire one with a feeling of
devotion, and enough to make one fancy for the moment
that he is at home
;
the interior is quite in keeping with
its exterior, only more beautiful and chaste.
I went for a delightful ride one day with Mr.
Ibbetson to the top of Flag-staff Hill, which is 2,500
feet above the sea, and is reached by a bridle-path.
On the summit is the Grovernor's bungalow : the
grounds are laid out with great taste, and the scenery
from there is truly exquisite
;
the view comprises nearly
the whole island of Penang and a considerable portion
of the opposite shore of Quedah, which near the coast is
richly cultivated. Our possession there is called Pro-
vince Wellesley, and is bounded on the north and south
by two rivers, which can be seen from Flag-staff Hill,
winding from the densely-wooded country of the
interior to the sea-shore, the whole scenery being
enriched by the numerous small islands with which
these seas are studded.
On the 23rd I landed the recruiting parties, and sent
them to different parts of the island for a week. During
that time a few men offered themselves
;
but I was
under the necessity of rejecting them, as they were
very inferior specimens. Penang is, in fact, the worst
place for raising recruits. The Malay population is
104 FIFTY YFABS IN CEYLON.
principally composed of men from Quedab, who possess
boats or small vessels, and lead a roving, lawless life,
and will not for any consideration leave it for husbandry
or any other employment. Piracy was considered by
tbe Malays not only legitimate, but an honourable mode
of gaining a livelihood ; so much so that the younger
sons of Rajahs, who could not be independently provided
for, almost invariably adopted it as their profession.
There have been several cases of piracy in the Straits
this year. Men-of-war have been sent in search of
the pirates ; but as yet with little or no success.
So daring are these fellows that while we were at
Penang there was an instance of a fleet of their
vessels passing through the harbour in the night and
capturing a boat. They murdered the crew with the
exception of one man, who escaped badly wounded and
brought the intelligence to Penang. Not long since, the
wife of a celebrated pirate resided here, and was the
agent through whom the prisoners, taken by them,
were ransomed.
The size of Penang is twenty miles long, the greatest
width is nine miles, and only three miles at the
narrowest point. It is for the most part hilly, the
only level space being that on which George Town is
built, and on the highest point of which2,500 feet
above the level of the seathe Governor has his
bungalow. The whole range of hills is covered with
jungle, except where cleared for cultivation.
Tlie climate is extremely healthy and the atmosphere
moist, except in February and March, which are the
driest and coolest months. The temperature is very
regular, its extremes in George Town being
76
and
78, and at Flag-staff Hill
64
and
76.
The soil on the low ground is generally of a white
sandy description, the hills being composed of a red,
soapy clay and cabook, with very little appearance of
rock throughout the island.
The only cultivation carried on as yet is that of
nutmegs, cloves, pepper, coffee, sugar-cane, paddy,
cocoa-nuts, and beetle-nut, for which the soil appears
well adapted ; of the foregoing, cloves and coffee are
found to thrive best on the high ground, the others are
confined to the valleys. The proportion which the
cultivated bears to the uncultivated land is estimated at
about one-tenth. Ground is of little or no value, and
is given by Government to all applicants almost uncon-
ditionally. The exports are nutmegs, cloves, and
pepper
;
of rice, coffee, and sugar-cane there is not
a sufficient quantity grown for the consumption of the
island.
The only extensive proprietor is Mr. Brown, the son
of the man who first introduced the cultivation of nut-
megs. The remainder of the land is subdivided, prin-
cipally amongst the Chinese, who are the chief
cultivators. English implements of husbandry are
scarcely known here ; the Buffalo plough and mamoty
being used as in Ceylon.
The island produces abundance of fine timber for
purposes of house-building, also a tree called poou,
suitable for mast-poles
;
but there are no ornamental
woods. The roads are numerous and good in the
vicinity of the town, and the island is intersected by
them in all directions. The population amounts to
35,000, the greater proportion being Chinese. Of the
aborigines there are none. When the island was taken
possession of in 1786 it was merely a haunt for pirates,
who immediately vacated it for Pulo Dinding, a large
island to the southward, which is still their favourite
place of rendezvous.
C'onvicts from all the settlements of India are sent to
Prince of Wales Island, and a few to Malacca and
Singapore. There are at present at Penang 1,200;
the best behaved of these, numbering about 500, are
hired out as servants, horse-keepers, and grass-cutters,
the others being employed on the roads and public
works.
The settlement of Province Wellesley extends for
thirty miles along the opposite coast, and to the dis-
tance of three miles inland. Its population is
25,000,
and the chief product is rice, with which Penang is
supplied.
On the 1st October I took leave of my hospitable
host, Mr. Ibbetson, to whom I am indebted for the
greatest kindness and attention. On the following day
we sailed for Malacca, and had a most tedious passage
of seven days, arriving on Saturday the 9th. In
consequence of the caution given me by Sir Edward
Owen, I made arrangements for an officer's watch
being kept at night, to be taken alternately by Mann,
Brook, and myself. We had scarcely been at anchor
FIFTY YEARS IX CEYLON. 107
ten minutes when a fresh gale sprang up from the
north-east, and our ship dragged her anchors a
considerable distance. This is not unusual at Malacca,
the ground being of a soft, muddy description, not
adapted for secure anchorage
;
but, at the same time,
ships are seldom damaged, although they are fre-
quently driven on shore.
I lauded as soon as possible, and waited on Mr.
Fullerton, the Governor, with despatches from Sir
Edward Barnes, Sir Edward Owen, and Mr. Ibbetson.
Mr. Fullerton, readily granted me permission to
raise men, but held out no hopes of my being able to
procure any of a desirable description. This opinion
was confirmed by other residents at Malacca, so I
decided not to land the recruiting party, but gave
directions for proceeding to Singapore directly the ship
had taken in water.
Malacca, as well as Penang, belonged to the East India
Company. The former settlement consisted of an area
of about thirty-six square miles, extending to the base of
Mount Ophir, the altitude of which is 4,000 feet above
the sea. It bears traces of great antiquity as an
European settlement. In an old church on the Flag-
staff Hill, just over the Stadt House, as Government
House is still called, there are some tombstones with
Dutch inscriptions bearing dates from 1650 to 1?60.
The Chinese burial-ground, situated just behind the
towai, is five miles in circumference, and is very
interesting.
The Anfflo-Chinese Colleire is also worth visiting.
The number of Chinese boys educated in Eughsh at
this college is thirty-two. They have a Chinese
printing establishment, and also an English Press.
About ten miles from Malacca in the south-easterly
direction, there are some hot wells, which vary in
temperature.
We sailed from Malacca on Monday, 11th October,
at 8 P.M., but the winds being light and contrary we
were four days working down to Singapore, the usual
run occupying from thirty-six to forty-eight hours.
The scenery was very beautiful. We were continually
sailing between wooded islands and narrow channels,
and the number of vessels which met and passed us
enlivened the otherwise monotonous voyage. The
passage into Singapore, leading through groups of
islands, was very tine, the town and harbour opening
abruptly immediately on rounding St. John's Island,
which forms the western boundary of the harbour.
Perceiving a sloop of war at anchor, we ran in ahead
of her ; had every brail, down-haul bunting, and leach-
line manned and ready, and came to anchor two cables
length inside H.M.S. Zebra, Captain Pridham. Sails
were furled, yards squared by lifts and braces in the
shortest space of time, and our little craft sat like a
duck upon the water ; she was a perfect beauty, the
Zebra by her side looking like an old hulk.
There were ships of all classes in the harbour :
European square-rigged
;
Chinese junks of enormous
size
;
buggis prows from Celebes, Borneo, and all the
islands of the Malayan Archipelago
;
no less than 849
109
sail at anchor
;
but of all the vessels assembled there,
ours was acknowledged the
"
belle." She created a
little jealousy, I fear, on board the man-of-war, our
neighbour, for the morning after our arrival a boat came
alongside from H.M.S. Zebra, with a lieutenant, to ask
if we had a Governor on board, for, if we had not, the
lieutenant informed me, we were transgressing in flying
the
"
Union Jack
"
at our main, which, he said, is the
flag of an
"
Admiral of the Fleet."
I had, with great modesty, forborne to fly the
pennant, which our vessel carried in her own waters,
and had hoisted the
"
Union Jack," which is always
used on forts and military positions when a flag is used
at all. I informed the lieutenant that on the coast of
Ceylon, where our ship was constantly under the obser-
vation of the naval authorities, she invariably wore a
pennant and the colours of the Commander-in-chief of
the station, but, to avoid any question on the subject, I
had hoisted the flag I should use if on shore. I re-
quested, therefore, that before hauling down my flag I
might see the regulations which justified this inter-
ference. He gave me a seat in his boat, and on reach-
ing the Zebra I found Captain Pridham was on shore.
The first lieutenant received me very politely, and
showed me the regulations on the subject, begging me
not to make any change until I had seen his captain
;
but the regulations seemed to me perfectly clear, and on
returning to my ship I ordered the ofi'ending flag to be
hauled down.
When Captain Pridham became aware of the fact he
110
was much annoyed at the officiousness of his first Heu-
tenant, and begged me to re-hoist my flag, or to wear
the pennant which our vessel always carried in Ceylon
waters. At first I thought it wiser not to run the risk
of further question on the matter, but the naval Com-
mander-in-chief, hearing of it, issued a General Order
that vessels belonging to colonial governments were to
be allowed to fly the blue ensign.
On Sunday morning, the day after our arrival, I
received a very kind letter from the Resident, Sir
George, then Mr. Bonham, requesting me to become his
guest during my stay at Singapore, which invitation I
accepted, and delivered to him the despatches from Sir
Edward Barnes. He offered me every assistance, and
held out hopes of success in procuring men for
enlistment.
Singapore is a wonderful instance of the advantage of
the unrestricted enterprise of free trade : so late as the
year 1822 there was scarcely a native hut, certainly not
one European habitation on the island
;
in eight years
it had not only grown into the most important settle-
ment in the whole of the Malay Archipelago, but was
the emporium of more trade than the whole of the other
ports put together. The trade is almost exclusively
one of barter, the English merchant procuring profitable
exports in exchange for English goods. The annual
value of importations in 1830 was five miUious sterling.
The advantages the native merchants experience in
finding free trade established at Singapore has with-
drawn the whole commerce from the neighbouring
FIFTY YEABiS IN CEYLON. Ill
Dutch ports. On my subsequently going to Batavia I
found the harbour there perfectly denuded of native
vessels, while at Singapore there were between 300 and
400 at anchor bringing produce from every island in the
archipelago.
The society of Singapore was tolerably extensive,
and most hosjîtable, and conviviality and good fellow-
ship reigned pre-eminent. During the fortnight I was
there we only dined at home three times, and on each
occasion there was a large party. Mr. Bonham was
extremely popular. The merchants form a conspicuous
portion of the society at Singapore. As at other
Settlements, early hours were adopted for dining, which
I should have supposed very objectionable for men of
business, as no work was ever done after the 3
o'clock dinner. Cigars and an evening drive closed the
daylight occupations
;
people meeting again in the
evening till about 10 o'clock. Ladies were very much
in the minority in 1830.
Government House was situated on elevated ground,
commanding a line view of the whole harbour. Captain
Pridham and I spent much of our time looking through
a very fine telescope, belonging to Mr. Bonham, and in
rival criticisms of each other's vessels. I had a very
quick eye for anything which was out of place or order,
and often worried the naval commander by pointing out
a slack rope or a yard that was not quite square. On
one occasion he challenged me to go on board and
overhaul his ship, to see if I could detect anything
wrong in her.
112
I said :
"
That is all very fine
;
of course, you will
have her in the order she would be in for an admiral's
inspection."
However, I accepted the invitation, and promised to
lunch on board
"
the day after to-morrow."
Accordingly, the captain's boat was sent for me, and
on our way to the ship I looked her all over, and, to
my delight, observed that by some accident her
pennant had not been hoisted to the truck, but was
half-way down her top-gallant mast. I was in a great
fright lest the midshipman should detect it, so I kept
him in constant conversation, never looking again at
the Zebra until we were alongside of her.
I was received by Captain Pridham and his officers,
and directly after was invited to go round, and pull
her to pieces. I pretended not to have observed any-
thing
;
but, on being taken aft to the stern of the
vessel, I looked aloft, and coolly suggested to them that
unless they were in mourning they had better hoist
their pennant to the mast-head, as at present it was
only
"
half-mast
"
!
If a live shell had fallen on the deck, I do not think
it could have caused greater consternation than did this
remark. Had it not been for thisto me fortunate
accident, I might, with a microscope, have looked in

vain for anything to find fault with, for the Zehra was
in first-rate order. It was an unfortunate incident for
poor Pridham, for he had, laughing at my passionate
love for everything connected with the sea, told all
his other guests the object of my visit. He never
heard the last of it ; everybody chaffed him unmerci-
fully, but he was such a good-tempered fellow that he
was not put out about it.
During our stay at Singapore Mr. Bonham gave a
delightful picnic for us on a beautiful island, called
Battoo Battoo Ballia. After a very pleasant lunch,
at which enough champagne was consumed to swamp
the discretion of some members of the party, my
subaltern, poor John Mann, began to boast most
absurdly of my rifle-shooting, and suggested that I
should have a shot at one of Mr. Bonham's pretty little
crystal salt-cellars, if he would allow it, offering him
ten Spanish dollars if I missed it.
Under any circumstances, it would have been a most
foolish engagement to make, for Mann could gain
nothing if by accident I should succeed ; but after such
a lunch it was simple madness. To add to his folly,
he insisted on putting the salt-cellar on the crown of a
new black hat for which, the day before, he had paid
eight dollars. I tried to back out of the affair, but was
allowed no choice ; so I loaded my rifle, the mark was
put up, and the distance measured. I felt the odds
were at least 500 to 1 against my subaltern, and I
would have given a good deal to have let him off; but
he insisted as obstinately as, in the first place, he had
heedlessly made the arrangement. My rifle hung fire,
but I kept the salt-cellar covered, and when it did go
off, by the most extraordinary accident not a vestige of
the salt-cellar was to be found, and Mann's hat had
escaped without a ventilator having been made in it.
8
I have always been a fair rifle shot, but by this complete
accident I acquired such an undeserved reputation, that I
determined not to risk it again by any further attempts
at practice.
A short time after our arrival I received a curious
message from Tankuah Parahsah, son of the Sultan
Bermah, and nephew of the Sultans of Singapore and
Rhio, to the effect that, if I would remain long enough
to allow him to sell off his property, he would enlist with
the whole of his followers, and bring with him as many
Buggis men as I would take. There were several
objections to my accepting his offer. He was himself
under age, and not one Buggis man in a hundred would
have been of the standard height required by Govern-
ment, although the build of these men for strength and
endurance is more like the little Coorgh soldier of the
East India Company's army than any I have met
with.
I was, for the reasons assigned, unable to entertain
Tankuah's proposals. He and his father sent me some
very beautiful and valuable specimens of arms, peculiar
to the Malay Archipelagospears with male rattan
shafts, mounted with gold and red horse-hair heads
;
shafts of worked steel ; varieties of Borneo and other
swords ; a great number of creses, one very handsomely
set with brilliants. The former of these I gave to
Sir Edward Barnes, the latter had all the brilliants
and gold picked out and stolen while I was away from
home on a reconnaissance.
Of the natural productions of Singapore little can be
said, it being covered with a mass of jungle from its
shore to the very centre of the island. Sufficient timber
is grown for building purposes, and enough grass
to feed a small number of ponies and cattle. The
population is between 18,000 and 19,000. Of roads
there are none which deserve the appellation, but a few
are in progress in the vicinity of the town.
The Kesident's, or Head Commissioner's House and
the Jail, are the only public buildings, the ground-floor
of the latter being used as Court House, Treasury, and
Offices. The private dwellings are numerous and ex-
tremely good. The spot on which the town is built
appears to have been an immense swamp, but it has
the advantage of two rivers about a couple of miles from
each other, on the banks of the largest of which are
built the principal mercantile houses and godowns.
This river is at high tide navigable for a short distance,
for small craft, even a vessel of 180 or 200 tons, may
be brought a little way up its entrance.
Malacca and Singapore are both under the Governor
of Penang.
Having arranged to stay at Singapore till the end of
November, by which time I hoped to accomplish the
object of my mission, I gave orders for the ship to be
in readiness to sail early on the morning of the 1st of
December ; but, in consequence of the arrival of the
Governor, Mr. Fullerton, and Mr. Ibbetsou, for whom I
had to wait, I could not get on board till later. With
a moderate but fair breeze, and a favourable tide, we
soon lost sight of Singapore on our passage to Batavia.
"We made the mouth of the Strait of Rhio the same
eveniug, and there fell in with a ship, the Trmmjyhy
bound for Point de Gralle. Her captain kindly offered
to take letters or anything else for us, so I wrote to
Mr. Bonham requesting him to send the despatches I
had left with him.
Calms and contrary winds beset us in every direction.
The consequence was we did not reach the town of Rhio
till the following day, and were obliged to anchor there,
the wind being strong and adverse. Rhio is a Dutch
settlement on the west of the Island of Bintang, insig-
nificant in appearance and equally so in reality. We
found at anchor here a Dutch sloop-of-war, the La'isle,
just arrived with a commodore to relieve Colonel de
Loul, who had for some years administered the Govern-
ment of the settlement.
We had not been long at anchor when the report boat
boarded us, from which we received the first intelligence
of the death of King William IV. Immediately I
ordered the ensign and pennant to be lowered to half-
mast. The breeze freshening, we continued our
course. As usual, it played us false, but we were
enabled to take advantage of the tide when it turned
in our favour. We were carried by adverse winds
amongst a group of islands in the straits of Dumpoo,
communicating with those of Drion
;
from thence we
coasted along the eastern shore of the beautiful island
of Linga, with its two peaks in the centre called
the "Ass's Ears." On leaving this, we for some
time lost sight of land, Pulotogu, or the Seven Islands,
being the only ones we sighted between Linga and
Banca.
After a most tedious passage, destitute of any
incident of interest, even that of a moderately fair
wind, of which we had had but very little experience
since our departure from Ceylon, we arrived on the
9tli December in the Straits of Banca, off Minto, also
a Dutch settlement on the west coast. We here
found the English brig Ag7ies bound for England,
which left Singapore a week before we did. We all
sent letters home by her. Captain Milu dined with
us ; in the evening wê parted company, and before
morning we had run her out of sight.
While beating down the straits on the 11th, we fell
in with H.N.M.'s schooner the JVindhimd, commanded
by Lieutenant Kettervil. She is stationed in these
straits as a cruiser, and carries twelve four-pounders,
and has a crew of twenty-five Europeans and fifteen
Javanese. The second lieutenant Pecke and the
assistant surgeon dined with us, and were little
disposed at 10.30 to obey their recall to their vessel,
which fired a gun for that purpose. The following
morning the Windhwul got under weigh with us, and
politely piloted us through the eastern Lucepara,
the southern entrance to these straits, which are
little known and seldom frequented by vessels. After
getting well through them, she
"
put about " and
we parted company.
We had scarcely entered the Java Sea, when, on
the 14th, wê experienced a heavy gale from
the S.W., dead against us. Our ship laboured
much, and we had one of our boats carried clean
away, with her davits, which were snapped short
off.
On Wednesday the 17tli December, we sighted
two brigs ahead, beating to the southward. When
we came up with them, we found one to be the
Agnes, which we parted from on the 9th. She had
taken the western Lucepara channel, which gave
her a better position, and enabled her to weather
the gale of the 14th better than we had done.
On Friday the 19th, we found in the morning that
the current had driven us to near a rock close to
the Thousand Islands, from which point to our
anchorage our sail was truly beautiful, passing
through numerous small islands, and within a
"
stone's throw
"
of some of them. Many of these did
not exceed a few acres in area, but all wêre most
richly wooded, with here and there a fisherman's
hut, under a canopy of luxuriant and variegated
foliage, conveying to my mind the most perfect idea
of tranquillity, independence, and repose.
The last island we passed before reaching our
anchorage was Onrust, where the naval yard is
situated, and where the Bujjle, a fine Dutch 28-gun
frigate was then undergoing repairs.
CHAPTER YI.
On taking up our berth in Batavian waters, I
saluted the Fort with thirteen guns, which salute
was duly returned. About 5 p.m. two Custom House
officers came on board, intending to remain with
us while we stayed at Batavia, but, ours being a
king's ship, I protested against there being any
necessity for their presence, politely showed them
to their boat, and heard no more of them. I then
went on shore, and had to appear at the Custom
House, where I was closely interrogated as to whether
my vessel was a king's ship, or belonging to the East
India Company's Marine. On assuring them that
I had no connection with the latter, but belonged
exclusively to His Britannic Majesty, they became
more civil.
Our pull to shore was a most tedious one
;
the water
for three quarters of a mile, before we reached the
canalor, as the Dutch call it, the boomwas so
shallow that our gig, \Yhich was by no means a large
one, ploughed up the mud for the whole of that dis-
tance. We saw several alligators, with which this
shallow water abounds. We now entered the canal,
which extends for about a mile, at the head of which
is the landing-place, the Custom House, and Master
Attendant's office.
This canal is formed partly by excavation inland, but
principally by two treble rows of huge piles driven in
on either side, strongly braced together, and running
a considerable distance out to sea. On each side of
the canal, which is not less than 60 feet wide, is a
roadway, or towing-path, formed by filling in between
the three rows of piles, already described
;
that part
of the canal which has been carried out to sea has
been deepened, the excavated soil serving to fill up
the sides.
I went to the French hotel, a short distance from
Batavia, on the Welterfreden road, considered the best
there
;
the table tVliotc is at 4 o'clock, and they seemed
startled at my ordering my dinner at 8 p.m. After
dinner I adjourned to a large well-lighted billiard-room,
with two tables, one of which seemed devoted to Eng-
lish, the other to Dutchmen.
Being anxious t^ô select a desirable companion from
my own countrymen, I made the acquaintance of, and
played a game of billiards wdth, a major of the Dutch
service, in order to reconnoitre the group. My observa-
tions did not leave me favourably impressed wdth the
gentlemanly demeanour of my own people, wdio were
loud and boisterous, and not very particular in their
choice of language. I have always had great faith in
my use of physiognomy in judging of character, and
bringing that to my aid on the present occasion, I
selected one whom I thought the most quiet, polished
man of the party.
I entered into conversation with him, and asked him
to have supper with me. I would have defied anyone
to have supposed, from his pronunciation and language,
that he was a foreigner; but before we parted com-
pany, towards the small hours, he informed me he was
not an Englishman.
"
If you are not," I said,
"
you must, at any rate,
have been born in England, and brought up there."
He replied :
"
No, I cannot say that I have never
been in England, for I landed in the north of Scotland,
and travelled south. I may have been in England for
about three weeks, but feel sure that I understood and
spoke English as well before I left St. Petersburg as I
do now. At the Russian Military Colleges every student
is obliged to pass an examination in three European
languages, besides his own, before he can leave the
college."
After he told me that he was a Russian, I fancied
I detected in Mr. Fearon a certain degree of
pedantry in his conversation, but his language was
always critically correct in its application. He gave
me some valuable local information which I much
needed.
Having ascertained that Messrs. Miln and Haswell
were the oldest established and most respectable
mercantile house in Batavia, I called on them to secure
them as my agents, and also to seek their advice, should
I require it. I then wrote to the Chief Government
Secretary, Mr. Van Schoor, at Bintenzorg, enclosing Sir
Edward Barnes's despatches for His Excellency the
Governor General, and stating that I would wait on
His Excellency on any day he might be pleased to
appoint.
I next went to the head of the police, to obtain his
authority to land some
"
time-expired
"
men, Javanese,
whom I had brought down in the ship with me. The
permission being granted, I went to the Master
Attendant, to request him to send off boats for the
men ; this he promised to do, and I returned on board
to settle with them, and give them their discharges.
Mr. Miln having offered to accompany us to Binten-
zorg, kindly asked me to dine and sleep at his house the
night before we started. John Mann was anxious to go
with me, so on December 20th we dined with Mr. Miln,
where we found a party assembled to meet us, chiefly
composed of men who had resided many years in the
island, and who remembered our army which had held
the country from 1811 to 1816. Their inquiries for
their old friends and acquaintances were more numerous
than we could satisfactorily answer. It was, however,
a pleasing proof of the high appreciation in which they
were held by all parties, Dutch as well as Javanese
;
indeed, the sight of our red uniforms created quite a
sensation, especially amongst the natives, who had but
recently been subclned in a very serious revolt, when
the Dutch nearly lost possession of this magnificent
island.
The Javanese, who undoubtedly are much impressed
with the idea of our prowess in arms, have a saying which
they are rather found of using, particularly before our
countrymen
;
it is to this eflect :
"
When the rain comes,
the goats run away
;
when the English come, the Dutch
run away
"
referring to the peculiar and very strong
antipathy the goats have to rain, and the efforts these
animals always make to get under shelter from it.
For some little time a report had been spread that
we were part of an advance guard coming to take over
the island again for our sovereign. It should be no
matter of surprise that the liberal and enlightened policy
of Sir Stamford EaiSes's Government should have been
preferred to that of the Dutch, or that the natives
should have risen in revolt against the latter, whose
Government appears to us to be both narrow and most
oppressive. They exact from the native population
sixty days labour, or 16 per cent, of their entire time, in
each year. The whole staple produce of the soil
cofi'ee, sugar, indigo, and riceis required to be sold to

the Government at rates which it fixes, and which, of
course, reserves a large margin of profit for itself.
But to resume my story. At daylight on the 20th
December a lumbering post-carriage drove up to the
door. The four little ponies which were attached to it
would scarcely, I thought, have strength to draw the
empty carriage, much less when encumbered with the
124
heavy load it was destined to bear. In the first place,
there was a very fat Javanese coachman, of at least
fifteen or sixteen stone in weight, who, with his inverted
wash-hand basin shaped hat, rope reins, and peculiar
long
Javanese whip, amused us not a little
;
next on
the list, who shared with
"
Coche
"
the honour, though
unfortunately not the comfort, of his elevated position,
came my friend Lieutenant J. B. Mann, a grenadier
officer of no mean stature or weight. The driving-box
of this vehicle was not constructed for the dimensions
of its present occupants.
"
Coche," without much courtesy, availing himself of
his official supremacy, seated himself with little solici-
tude for his companion's ease, who, having only just
half the space necessary for his accommodation was
most inconveniently situated on the iron rail which
surrounded the box. In this unenviable position we
travelled for some twenty or thirty miles, when poor
Mann's discomfort was somewhat ameliorated by the
demolition of the railing which yielded to his weight.
The inside freight was composed of the following:
Messrs. Haswell, Young, and myself, two servants, and

also a kind of guard, footman, or groom attached to the
coach behind, and the boot full of luggage underneath.
Thus we were eight in number, a good load for horses
of any size. The little ponies, at the well-known crack
of the driver's whip, started off, and in a minute were at
full speed ; this, I thought, could not possibly last long,
but they never slackened their pace till they had accom-
plished the first stage of six miles, which they did in
less than lialf-an-hour. The whole distance of forty
pauls, equal to thirty-six English miles, was accom-
plished in three hours and a quarter ; this included
stoppages at every sixth mile. The time occupied in
chaDging horses was so unreasonably long that the pace
at which we drove must have been more than twelve
miles an hour, which would have done no discredit to
any horses in England.
The road to Bintenzorg is extremely good, about
thirty feet wide, covered throughout with small, washed,
river gravel. The manner in which the roads are kept
in repair throughout the island is by dividing it into
certain portions, which are given in charge to the
several districts ; this portion of each district is again
subdivided until it eventually becomes allotted to indi-
viduals, who are then responsible each for his share
being kept in the most perfect state of repair. Buffalo-
carts and waggonsthe universal mode of transport in
Javaare not permitted on the high roads, a space
being allotted for them on either side of the road,
which, from never having been made, is merely dis-
tinguished by the ruts of mud, often up to -the axle-trees
of the waggons, which mark its track. This system
must be very bad for commerce, and quite contrary to
that adopted in Ceylon, where the roads are opened to
facilitate the trade of the country, quite as much as for
any other traffic.
The scenery on the way from Batavia to Bintenzorg
is in many places so similar to that of Ceylon, that
at times it was difficult to realise that one was not
126
travelling between Colombo and Kandy, though I must
admit that the general appearance of the scenery is
more open, with undulating pasture lands, and numbers
of fine residences situated on the different estates,
which give to the country a more civilized and Euro-
pean
appearance.
On our arrival at Bintenzorg Mr. Haswell very kindly
took us to the house of an acquaintance, M. Diard, a
French
naturalist in the employment of the Govern-
ment.
He was a favourite pupil of the celebrated
Cuvier, and is highly spoken of in Finlaijson's Mission
to Siam.
Having taken him by surprise, we found him
hard at work with his establishment of silk-worms, in
which he is succeeding remarkably well. The whole
process, as described by him, appeared extremely
simple.
Having sent up to the aide-de-camp in waiting to
ascertain at what hour His Excellency could give me
an audience, I received in reply a most courteous and
polite note from M. Knorle, by desire of the Governor-
General, inviting me to. take up my quarters at the
Palais during my stay in Java, and appointing 12
o'clock as the hour he wished to receive me.
Having breakfasted with M. Diard, I repaired to the
Palais at the appointed time, and was shown into a
very spacious state drawing-room, where Lieutenant-
General J. Vanden Bosch soon joined me. He was
about fifty-six years of age, of neither a martial nor
very dignified appearance ; he wore what I afterwards
discovered was a household uniform of his own
a
127
lightish green coat without facings, gold embroidery
round the collar, cuflfs, skirt, and down the front, with
a large gilt button, on which was the letter
W
;
two
epaulettes with three small plain silver stars forming
an equilateral triangle on each strap.
Having previously submitted to him, through the
Chief Secretary of the Government, Sir Edward
Barnes's despatch, he opened the conversation on the
business of my mission by saying that the letter
which he had had the honour of receiving from His
Excellency Sir Edward Barnes notified to him that I
had brought a certain number of old soldiers,
"
time-
expired men," discharged from the British service, to
be landed at Batavia, but that he was sorry to inform
me this had been prohibited by an Order in Council,
passed some time since, forbidding the return to their
country of any Javanese or native of any of the
Netherlands possessions in India, after having
been in
the service of another foreign power.
I explained to His Excellency that the men had all
received their discharges from me, had been finally
settled with, and that I had therefore no more autho-
rity over them than I had over soldiers in the Nether-
lands Army ; that I had not ventured to land them
without the authority of the Head of the Police and
the Chief Magistrate of Batavia, who had kindly
ordered boats to be sent off by the Master Attendant,
by whom the men were in fact landed.
He exclaimed :
"
Has Master Venn been so indis-
creet as to take this upon himself?
"
I expressed my regret and astonishment that, with
the existence of such a regulation, the Chief Magis-
trate and Head of the Pohce should, immediately
on my application, have granted my request. It was
clear that I had no power to correct the error that had
been committed. After a moment's hesitation, he said
that the men should be provided with quarters and
taken into the pay of the Government. This was one
way of keeping a hold upon them !
His Excellency could not help showing his mortifica-
tion and displeasure at being thus checkmated, while I
could not help congratulating myself that I had so
cautiously but successfully got to windward of this
narrow-minded policy
;
had I delayed for a day in
getting rid of the men, I should undoubtedly have been
involved in a most perplexing difficulty.
I begged the Governor to communicate the Order in
Council to which he had referred to Sir Edward Barnes.
He
explained to me that the reason which had
prompted this prohibition arose from the difficulty they
had experienced in quelling the insurrectionary war,
which had been much prolonged by the knowledge of
military tactics which had been acquired by men who had
served in our army while we held possession of Java, and
who had received their discharge from it on our handing
over the island to the Netherlands in 1816.
With regard to Sir Edward Barnes's wish to recruit
men in Java, he said, if we were in any military
difficulty he would ask the Council of Netherlands India
to rescind their resolution and permit the enlistment
;
129
but as the case stood, he much feared the possibihty of
his being able to carry the Council ^Yitll him in his
desire to meet Sir Edward Barnes's wishes.
In placing me under such restrictions, General
Vanden Bosch evidently tried to do so in as conciliatory
a manner as possible. Not having the candour to say
that it was contrary to their policy to allow their people
to serve another Government, he tried to shelter himself
under the plea of an Order in Council which, I firmly
believe, had never been passed. His Excellency
imagined, I suppose, that any tale would be plausible
enough to
"
gull
"
a youngster in diplomacy, such as
he thought me to be ; he therefore indulged me with
the following speech :
"
So much were we impressed with the necessity
of making the regulations I have quoted, that during
our late troubles, although sorely pressed and in a
critical and dangerous position, we could not ask for
assistance either from Bengal or Ceylon, knowing that
in return we could not assist you with men as you now
desire."
General Vanden Bosch little thought I was aware
that they had on two occasions made applications for
help, which he now tried to make me believe they had
not done. They first applied to the Governor-General
of India for the aid of troops, which request was
declined, and subsequently for permission to recruit in
Bengal, which was freely acceded to
;
but the Govern-
ment distinctly refused to enter into any responsibility
with the men. Permission to recruit they gave wil-
9
lingly ; but all engagements must be made between
the Government of Netherlands India and the men.
My reasons for doubting the existence of the Order
in Council quoted by the Governor-General were these
:
In the first place, in so rigid a Government as that of
the Dutch, it appeared to me to be extremely impro-
bable that one of the first Civil authorities in Batavia
should not have been furnished with a copy of the order,
and should so unhesitatingly have acted in direct
violation of it. This, however, might possibly be
attributed to an oversight, had I not subsequently to my
interview with His Excellency at Bintenzorg called on
a gentleman (Mr. Be Puis) who was formerly in our
service when Java was in our possession. Until lately
he had been the Chief Secretary to the Government at
Batavia, but now held another office. Thinking he
would have some influence and likewise inclination to
be of service, I called on him, and without informing him
of the result of my interview with the Governor-General,
I asked him if he thought there was any probability
of my succeeding in raising a force of Javanese, and
whether there was any prohibition to my doing so, or
to the Javanese enlisting in our service ? He imme-
diately replied
:
"
There is no regulation against their enlisting; but,
of course, the previous permission of the Java Govern-
ment would be required, and I doubt your being able
to obtain that, seeing that so recently in our great
emergency the assistance of troops was refused by the
Bengal Government."
Having for the time finished our business, General
Vanden Bosch entered into private conversation on
various subjects. He was much struck with the
mourning we wore, especially when he learnt it was a
mark of respect shown throughout the army for our
late sovereign William IV., of whose death we
heard at Khio. Personally, nothing could exceed the
Governor's kindness : he repeated his invitation that I
should take up my residence at his palais during my
stay in Java ; he gave me splendid apartments
;
pro-
vided me with a carriage and four greys, which I was
given to understand were for my exclusive use whenever
I required them
;
saddle-horses ad libitum ; and an
A.D.C. was always ready to attend me, a distinction
which would certainly not have been extended to an
officer of far superior age and rank to mine who should
visit any of our colonies.
After leaving the Governor I went to the quarters of
Captain Du Bus, one of the A.D.C.s, to join Mann
and M. Diard, who accompanied me to the grounds of
the palais. It would require an abler pen than mine to
do justice to this fairy scene. The palais is a splendid
building, and deserves its dignified appellation ; it is
built in the form of a segment of a circle, two stories
high, with an octagonal dome in its centre. It was
erected by Marshal Darndelles, but considerably added
to by Sir Stamford Raffles, who took the palace of Cal-
cutta as his model, which this one at Bintenzorg much
resembles in miniature.
The grounds on which this palais is situated are not
9
*
sufficiently extensive, but the beautiful surroundings
and extreme taste with which they are laid out go far
to compensate for this defect. In front of the palais is
a park with some fine timber and crowded with deer, of
the same description as those in Ceylon. The other
side of the palais faces the S.W., and commands one of
the most beautiful scenes that can be imagined ; the
grounds in this direction extend to the banks of a river,
which sweeps round the base of the hill and forms the
boundary. This river can be seen for a considerable
distance up the valley, and is a most beautiful feature in
the foreground of this truly lovely scene. After visit-
ing the baths, grottoes, fountains, and other objects of
interest, we were taken by M. Diard to see his valuable
collections of Natural History. They are very extensive
and beautifully preserved.
I then returned to the palais, while Mann went with
M. Diard to his house. At 4 o'clock young Knorle, the
A.D.C. iu waiting for the day, came to announce dinner
and attend me to the drawing-room, notifying that I
was to have the honour of taking in Miss Vanden
Bosch, and on joining the party assembled in the draw-
ing-room the General introduced me to his wife and
daughter. At dinner I found, to my embarrassment,
that our conversation must be limited, owing to the fact
that neither of us was a good French scholar. My fair
friend could not speak English, and I could not con-
verse in Dutch. However, the time passed pleasantly
iu trying to instruct each other.
After Sir Edward Barnes's magnificent table equip-
ment, that of the Governor of Netherlands India
appeared extremely plain. He was, however, very
hospitable, and the dinner, which lasted about an hour,
was better than the appointments. Mterwards we
adjourned with the ladies to the balcony. Cigars, very
first-rate ones, were handed to His Excellency, who
begged me to join him in smoking. Thinking it best to
comply with all the Dutch habits I took one, rather at
the expense of my conscience, for it appeared to me
sacrilege to the fair sex to smoke before them. How-
ever, having accepted His Excellency as my model, I
followed his directions implicitly. Smoking in the
presence of ladies cannot be considered by the Dutch
in any way disrespectful to them, for you never see a
Dutchman in a carriage with ladies without a cigar or
pipe in his mouth, and a coil of
"
tali appi," or lighted
slow match, being carried by a
"
tiger
"
behind the
carriage.
After an hour's pleasant lounge in the balcony the
Governor said, that if it would be agreeable to me, the
ladies would like a
"
promenade in the gardens."
Besides a variety of beautiful and curious birds, with
which the aviaries were stocked, there was a number
of wild beasts. We paid a visit to a fine tiger, which
had been caught in the neighbourhood of Bintenzorg, a
few days before. It was not quite so large as a royal
Bengal tiger, nor did his colours appear so bright ; but
they told me he was not quite full-grown, which may
have accounted for this. He was destined for a fight
with a buffalo, a species of encounter they are very fond
of in Java. I was invited to witness the fight, but
business in Batavia called me away. The result of it
was, I learnt, as is generally the case, the defeat and
death of the tiger.
During our walk in these beautiful grounds the
Governor entered into conversation with me on the
subject of my interview with him in the morning. He
said he had been considering the point, and the best
advice he could give me would be to go to the Island of
Bally, from whence he had himself procured some men,
whom he considered well adapted for soldiers. If I
decided on going there, he offered to give me a letter to
their Resident, ordering him to assist me. I asked His
Excellency if he thought I should find any difficulty in
enlisting men with our system of recruiting, which I
explained to him. He rej)lied :
"
You will be able to get as many men as you
require, but you will be obliged to buy them from the
Sultan
;
each man cost me about X'8 sterling."
I informed His Excellency that this would not only
be deviating from my instructions, but also endangering
my neck, for I feared that such a proceeding would bear
no other construction in England than that of trafficking
in the slave trade. No sooner had I said it, than 1
realised what an unfortunate and ill-timed speech it
was, for it implied an accusation against His Excellency
to that effect. I saw that he evidently considered it
such, and hastened to change the conversation. I told
him that I hoped, in the event of his not being able to
grant me permission to recruit in Batavia, he would not
extend the restriction to all Java, but that he would
allow me to go to some more remote part of it.
His reply was that the rule applied equally to all
the Netherlaud possessions, and that Bally was only
an exception from its being independent of their
Government.
I then asked whether I might be permitted to land
a few of my men daily for recreation and exercise, to
which he made no objection.
Madura and Ballv, two islands to the eastward of
Java, are still Buddhistical in their religion, being
two of the very few countries in the East which
were never subject to the Mohamedan conquest. His
Excellency made me a most tempting offer, which
required all my powers of self-denial to resist. He
said :
"
If you will send your ship round to Sourabaya,
the eastern extremity of the island of Java, 1 will send
you in my own carriage with an A.D.C. from here.
We have post horses stationed at short stages the
whole distance. Up Marshal Darndelles Pass you
will be obliged to travel rather slowly, with buffaloes to
drag your carriage up ; but in all other parts of the line
you can travel at the rate of from nine to twelve miles
an hour. The road runs from west to east, the entire
length of the island."
It would have been a glorious opportunity of seeing
the country ; but I knew my vessel was needed in
Ceylon for the pearl fishery in March, therefore I
could not reasonably have wasted my time for my
own gratification, and I felt obliged to refuse the
offer.
I was surprised to see at what a distance the officers
of the Stafif were kept by the Governor and his family.
The General's little son took a violent fancy to my
red uniform and appointments, and afforded some
amusement to the party by the extravagance of his
admiration.
The Dutch Stafif are very peculiar in their adaptation
of native habits and costume. The whole of the
A.D.C.s, some three or four, always in the mornings,
went about their rooms in sarongs and shirtsthe
sarong being a Malay cloth, wound round the waist and
reaching nearly to the ankles.
On retiring from the drawing-room I adjourned with
M. Monton, Du Bus, and Knorle, to M. Diard's rooms,
where we should have spent a very pleasant evening but
for that uncivilized practice of employing dancing-girls.
The Javanese music is soft and plaintive, much more
so than any other Oriental music I had heard. The
dancing-girls I thought very inferior in grace
and appearance to those I had seen in Ceylon,
and I soon tired of their performance. Their voices
were, however, soft and melodious, and some of the airs
were extremely pleasing.
Amongst a number of agreeable persons whom I met
that evening was a Major Mourelle, who had long served
under Napoleon in Italy and Spain ; but, unfortunately
for his own interests, had adhered a little too long to
Napoleon's cause. It was Major Mourelle who took Sir
Edward Paget prisoner at Henbra, near Ciudad Rodrigo,
on the 17tli November 1812. He wore a seal which
was given to him by Sir Edward Paget, and was a tine
soldier-Hke fellows After the peace of 1815, he was
reduced to the rank of captain. When I met him he
was in command of the troops at Bintenzorg.
The drives in the neighbourhood were truly beautiful,
but impossible for me to describe. I went about in
great style in my carriage and four ; but I fear I did
not appreciate as I ought to have done the constant
attendance of myA.D.C, whose presence I would some-
times have willingly dispensed with. The fact is that
at the age of twenty-six it is not so pleasant to be con-
tinually on your dignity, but Dutchmen are much too
matter-of-fact ever to relax when they consider them-
selves on duty.
I had now to return to Batavia to visit my ship and
make arrangements for sailing, for I found I could make
"no way" with His Excellency. He would talk to
me on the subject of my mission to any amount, but
never gave me the smallest satisfaction on any point.
I asked his permission to allow me to present my officers
to him on the first occasion of his being in Batavia, and
he appointed a day. He also was kind enough to order
that I should inspect his troops at Welterfreden, and
arranged with Colonel Krieger, the second in command,
Colonel Reas being on duty at Bintenzorg, to receive me
at the barracks at an early hour on Tuesday, 23rd
December. I was, of course, punctual to my time, and
was received with all state by the whole of the officers
in full dress. But I fear their UDiforms were totally
eclipsed by ours, which at that period were very hand-
some. The uniform of the 58th Regiment was particu-
larly so ; and a finer specimen of a British grenadier
in his
"
bear-skin
"
could scarcely be found than my
friend John Mann.
The troops were paraded in
"
fatigue " dress in
their barracks. The proportion of officers to men
appeared larger than in our service, and they were
much older men in their respective ranks.
The principal barracks at Welterfreden are five in
number, of two storeys each, forming a square of about
150 yards, used for driihng. The buildings are of
masonry, extremely commodious and well ventilated,
capable of containing 200 men each, and were in excel-
lent order. They were furnished with a most admirable
description of cott or stretcher
;
it is made of canvas,
having only a bar of wood on each side. The head of
the cott fixes into a strong batten in the wall, the foot
resting on a form sufficiently long for the breadth of two
cotts. During the day, when the cotts are not required,
they are unshipped, rolled up and placed against the
wall ; the forms then become available for other pur-
poses, and, the barrack being cleared, is used for parades
in wet weather, drills in the heat of the day, or for
recreation.
But this arrangement did away altogether with the
home-like appearance of our barracks, and deprived the
men of the possibility of lying down to rest in the heat
of the day, when tired with the early drills. For four
years I had the charge of the barracks in Colombo, and
knew tolerably well the habits of our soldiers
;
and I
certainly would not, for the comfortless order of the
Welterfreden barracks, have deprived our men of the
use of their standing cotts.
The European troops stationed there were almost
entirely French or Belgians. There were some very
fine young men among them, though they were not
well
"
set up " as soldiers. Their appearance led
one to think they had a more intimate acquaintance
with the plough than the drill-corporal. Two or
three companies of the native troops were attached
to each battalion of Europeans. All the native
troops I saw were Buggis men from the island of
Celebes. They are undoubtedly the finest of
all the Malay tribes, and it is said of them that
the word of a Buggis man is more to be depended
on than the oath of any other man. They are
a short, thick-set race, of immense muscular build.
It would be unfair to judge of them, as they appear
in the Dutch service, where soldierly bearing and
smartness find little favour.
The arms then in possession of the Dutch
troops were all French, long, bright rifle-barrels,
secured to the stock by clumsy iron hoops encircling
both. Colonel Krieger, however, informed us that
they were about to issue new rifles and pistols.
The former had bronze barrels, and were detonators,
the nipple, instead of being placed at the side
of the barrel, was in the centre of the breech, the
hammer striking it horizontally, so that although
not a breech-loader, the Dutch had used the
"
central fire
"
for upwards of forty years.
After the usual schiedam and bitters and cigars
had been handed round, we took our leave of Colonel
Krieger and drove to Colonel de Sterlers. He had
been for four years the Dutch Resident or Ambas-
sador in Japan. The Dutch were at that time
the only European nation admitted to that country.
Colonel de Sterlers had, therefore, advantages which
rarely, if ever, come within the reach of an Euro-
pean for collecting curiosities, and of which he
appears fully to have availed himself. He had kindly
promised to show them to me, and had them all
laid out and arranged ready for me to see. His
collections were so extensive, and of such infinite
variety, it would be useless for me to attempt
to describe them, but the articles which most
attracted my attention were the wonderful varieties
of every costume of the country, many of which
had belonged to, and were presented to him
by, the Royal Family of Japan ; a most curious
and ingenious clock, quite unique in design, a
number of weapons, drawings, and embroidery. The
sword-blades appeared remarkably good, and the
engraving on steel was exquisite. The china, cotton,
and silk fabrics were rich and costly, as were also a
great variety of metallic wares, telescopes, japanned
and lacquered goods in endless variety. In fact,
Colonel de Sterlers's house was no contemptible
museum of the productions of Japan. Sir Edward
Barnes had commissioned me to purchase for him
any vakiable curiosity I might have the opportunity
of buying, but, fortunately, I did not purchase
any, for, had I done so, they would have been
within eight- and-forty hours at the bottom of the
Java Sea. I suspect it was the magnitude of the
investment which prevented my accomplishing it.
Under a sense of great obligation to Colonel de
Sterlers, we took our leave of him, for he had gone
through a very laborious day's work on our behalf
and had afforded us great gratification.
We next visited the Harmonic, or Assembly Kooms,
a fine building which joins that of the Society of
Arts and Sciences, the whole presenting an imposing
pile. The Assembly Rooms are very spacious, con-
sisting of a vestibule, on either side of which are two
long rooms, one a ball room, the other with card
tables in it. Besides these, there are fine billiard
rooms, and an extensive apartment for suppers.
Then we proceeded to the theatre. Its exterior
was not pretentious, but its interior was neat and
commodious, capable of accommodating 500 people.
We had subsequently an opportunity of witnessing^
some very good amateur theatricals. The Governor
who was present, had invited me to bring my officers
to bis box, which is well situated in front of the
stage. All his family and staff were with him. To
our surprise, wê found that the ladies alone occupied
the dress circles and boxes; the gentlemen being in
142
FIFTY YFARiS IN CEYLON.
the stalls and pit. We could only account for this
curious arrangement by the unattractiveness of the
former. I never before had seen such a gathering of
plain \Yomen. The stage dresses and acting were
good, but in the after piece the wit and allusions
were so broad and low, I could not understand the
Governor
being able to tolerate it.
I had a long conversation with His Excellency that
evening, but with the same result as regarded any
portion of my official mission. His kindness to me
was extreme. He said that though we might not meet
again in the East he trusted at no very distant date
that he might have the pleasure of meeting me in
Europe, and that if ever I were near him I should not
forget to make myself known ; adding that he hoped
my stay in Java had been made as agreeable as it could
be,
notwithstanding the disappointment which he so
much regretted I had been subject to.
Amongst other topics His Excellency touched upon
that of the French Revolution, news of which had just
been received.
"
Should the Republic be permanently
established,"
he said, "there are few of the Continental
Powers that will not be influenced by its effects. For
Holland it is the worst possible news."
He went on to remark that their Brabant States had
long been ripe for a revolt, and were only waiting for
the
opportunity or example to act. Prussia was, in his
opinion, in even a still more critical position, and,
unless
Frederick granted a freer Constitution to his
people, he would, in all probability, share the fate of
Charles X. In fact, he gave a most gloomy view of
the whole politics of Continental Europe. England,
he thought, was internally safe, but would have to take
up a powerful position, and act a very decided part, if
she wished to stay the democratic tendencies of the day.
I told him I was too little of a politician to venture to
form an opinion on such general questions, but thanked
him for the expression of his views, which I told him I
should remember with much interest as the conse-
quences of the recent news were developed.
One morning we rose early, and, accompanied by our
kind friend, Mr. Lowdon, who had been of great assist-
ance to us on many occasions, we went to seeI must
say without much ceremonythe person and residence
of a Mr. Mackiel, said to be one of the "Hons," if not
par excellence the lion of Java. He enjoyed the largest
income in Java, upwards of 400,000 rupees, equal to
about j40,000 sterling a year. He had inherited his
vast wealth from his father. His town house, which
we visited that morning before breakfast, is a fine
specimen, we were told, of the best description of the
old Dutch houses, of which it now stands the solitary
representative. The apartments are very spacious, paved
with marble, and otherwise as magnificent as the
most liberal display of gilding and costly furniture
could make of them. One of the old man's hobbies was
collecting musical clocks and watches, in the purchase
of which he indulged in the most fabulous extrava-
gance, and had certainly succeeded in accumulating
some exquisite specimens of workmanship. The variety
was endless
;
each room, the vestibules, halls, passages,
and every spot where a clock could be placed was fur-
nished with one.
I was more anxious to see his stud than anything
else, but he wâs indifferent about showing it, saying
that just now it was so small it was hardly worth
looking at, as he had only about fifty horses in his
stables. There were amongst them some beautifully-
matched teams of fours from the Island of Timour,
celebrated for its breed of horses ; in fact, he had some
from all the surrounding islands. I asked the price of
four well-matched dark cream-coloured horses, which I
thought of purchasing for Sir Edward Barnes, and
found I could get them for 1,000 Rs., or ,100, and
four well-matched jet-black beauties for 80. I wôuld
have bought both teams, but had no accommodation on
board for horses, and there was no opportunity of
sending them likely to offer. He next took us to see
his carriages, of which he had nineteen of different
descriptions ; and then showed us his enormous
establishment of slave-girls, some of whom were
the best specimens of the Malay genus we had
seen.
Having received a hint that we were to be profuse in
our expressions of admiration of all we saw, we were
lavish in our praise, and never forgot to give him his
full rank of
"
colonel." Before leaving, he invited us
to his country residence at Tjietrap, about twelve miles
on the Batavia side of Bintenzorg. A day was fixed,
and his invitation was accepted ; and we took our
FIFTY FEARS IN CEYLON. 146
leave of Colonel Mackiel, returning to breakfast with
Mr. Hawell.
At 6 o'clock on Saturday morning we started for
Tjietrap, in two carriages, and, being less heavily
laden than those we before used, the four post-ponies
seemed to fly \vith us. The stages were so short, six
pauls apart, that we seemed to be for ever changing
horses. At the twenty- seventh paul-stone from Batavia,
from which the road to Tjietrap branches off to the
left, we found four of Colonel Mackiel's horses waiting to
take us to his hospitable mansion, about three miles off.
At a sudden turn in the road the tri-coloured flag was
to be seen waving in the breeze over the house, this
being the usual practice for Dutch gentlemen at their
country seats to show they are at home.
Our approach was announced by an excellent band
of Javanese music, placed in a raised stand over an
arch, through which we passed. Shortly after we drove
under another triumphal arch, and near it, in a lodge
evidently erected for the purpose, another band greeted
us, playing European music. This arch was at the
entrance of the quadrangle, around which were the
different buildings of this curious residence, the centre
being laid out with fountains, in which were the choicest
fish, selected as much for their beauty as for their
delicacy at table.
Much as we had heard of this extraordinary place, it
far surpassed anything the imagination could conceive.
In the centre of this open area
quadrangle is far too

limited a term for itwere these fountains and reser-
10
voirs containing rare and beautiful flowers, as well as
the fish above mentioned. There was nothing very
striking in the architecture of the place, which was
built with more regard to oriental comfort and luxury
than for effect.
On our alighting from the carriages we were shown
into the principal building, in the wide verandah of
which breakfast was prepared for us. Our host had
driven over to the Palais of Bintenzorg to invite some
members of the staff to meet us, and had not returned
;
we were requested to sit down without him. This we
were not sorry to do, as it afforded us a better oppor-
tunity for enjoying the novelty of the scene. Our repast
was substantial and good, every luxury which the coun-
try could produce was on the table ; but the height of a
Dutchman's ambition is the display of his servants, who
generally are slaves. The attendants on our small
party of three were no fewer than a dozen male and
half that number of young female slaves, who are
always distinguished from other servants by their white
dresses, which is the badge of domestic slavery. The
making and handing of tea, coffee, milk, sweetmeats,
pickles, sauces, and the changing of ]3lates was exclu-
sively the duty of the latter.
Our meal was rather a protracted affair, but at length
it came to an end. We lighted some very choice cigars
and went for a stroll. A number of boys are always in
attendance with lighted tali api, or slow match, in case
the cigar goes out ! We wandered through various
buildings, which consisted principally of sleeping apart-
ments for the many visitors who sometimes congregate
here, as many as fifty and sixty at a time ; amongst the
number was Governor-General Van Bus, whose pre-
sence was so highly appreciated by our host that he
built and furnished, in the most regal style, a house for
his exclusive use.
The baths, billiard rooms, stables, and everything
were on a scale commensurate with the rest of the
establishment. We were all tolerably tired with the
heat and exertions of the morning, so availed ourselves
of the habits of the country and took a siesta.
At half-past four the bands at the lodges announced
the arrival of our host and his friends from the Palais
of Biutenzorg ; at 5 o'clock dinner was served
;
we
were most graciously received by Colonel Mackiel with
every demonstration of kindness. There was nothing
strikingly peculiar in the dinner, beyond its extreme
luxury and the fact that a plate of cold rice was placed
by the side of each person. Our sable host shovelled
it into his mouth with all the primitive simplicity of his
ancestors prior to the invention of spoons and forks-
The table was surrounded by three circles of servants of
both sexes, one-tenth of whom had nothing more to do
for us than make a most minute scrutiny of everything
we did. The music was softened by judicious distance^
and was very pleasing. Some of the Javanese airs are-
plaintive and pretty.
After dinner Colonel Mackiel attended to one of his
most important daily occupations, that of feeding his
fish, with which the reservoirs literally swarmed. This
10
he did with the red Hj^biscus or shoo-flower, basketsful
of which were brought to him. No sooner were the
flowers thrown into the water than hundreds of fish
immediately rose, and in two minutes the flowers were
devoured. There was one reservoir with pecuhaily
large and brilliant gold-fish, of not less than a pound
and a half in weight. These fish were fed with oil-
cake, suspended through the centre by a piece of
bamboo, half immersed in the water, which spun round
as the fish nibbled at it. These reservoirs were orna-
mented with handsome marble statues and vases.
The evening was pleasantly spent with several of the
Governor's staS* in playing billiards and cards, and in
other amusements. The Javanese band was replaced
by an European one, which played with great taste and
execution. Nor were they strangers to
"
God save the
Xing
"
and
"
Rule Britannia," which they played in
our honour. The
*'
Colonel's
"
band in town consists
of fifty- six men.
Having made arrangements to wait upon the
Governor-General the following day, I started, after
breakfast, w'ith Mann for Bintenzorg
;
but as we did not
reach the Palais till 1 o'clock, His Excellency was
having his mid-day nap and could not see me, but had
given instructions that I should be invited to dine
with him, and in the evening he would discuss business
matters with me.
Accordingly, after dinner the Governor informed me
that he had submitted to his Council, the day before,
the object of my mission, and he wâs sorry to say with
the result he had anticipated. It was therefore out of
his power to grant m}' request to raise men in any part
of Java, or at any settlement in possession of their
Government ; at the same time repeating his advice to
me to proceed to Bally, where, His Excellency assured
me, I should find no difficulty in procuring as many men
as I could require, promising to send me a letter for the
Kesident at that place, to whom he would give direc-
tions to afford me every assistance in his power.
I informed His Excellency that, having received his
final answer, and consequently having nothing now to
detain me, I should, if he would oblige me with his
despatches for Sir Edvârd Barnes, sail on Tuesday
morning. These he promised to let me have that even-
ing. I told him I hoped he had mentioned to Sir
Edward the restrictions he had been obliged to place me
under, in regard to the service on which I had been
sent, and further, that he would fully enter into the
subject of any regulations of Government that might
exist, prohibiting the return to their country of such
Javanese soldiers who had enlisted in our army during
our occupation of Java, and who were desirous of
returning.
As I had promised to go back to Tjietrap the same
evening to admit of my reaching Batavia early on the
following morning, I was unable to accept the Gover-
nor's pressing invitation to make a longer stay with him
previous to my departure from the island.
On Monday the 29tli Decemboi', finding I had no
alternative but to proceed to Bally, 1 came to the deter-
mination that I would request two or three of the oldest
and most respected merchants, who had been there, to
meet me for the purpose of giving me their opinions on
several subjects, which I considered essential, previous
to my start. On my way to town, however, I met Mr.
Brook, who put in my hand a letter, in which he repre-
sented the impracticability of this voyage at the present
season of the year.
Having ascertained that the two persons from whom
I could procure the best information on the subject
were Mr. Milne and Mr. Davidson, two of the first mer-
chants in the place, I wrote to them enclosing Mr.
Brook's letter. In consequence of their official reply I
was compelled to relinquish all idea of proceeding east-
ward, and decided to return to Singapore and the Straits
of Malacca. I therefore became doubly anxious to get
away, every day being of the utmost consequence in
"
saving a passage
"
at this season of the year, for after
the N.E. monsoon breaks the voyage to Singapore
becomes extremely difficult and tedious, sometimes
taking as long as two months.
I had given orders that the ship was to be ready to
sail on the 30th December, as I expected to receive the
Governor's despatches on the 29th
;
but finding they
did not arrive, I sent an express to Mr. Vanschoor, at
Bintenzorg, representing my anxiety to sail, and in-
forming him 1 only waited for despatches and a reply
to a letter I had written to him on the subject of a
prisoner, which I begged might be forwarded to me as
soon as possible. The Governor's despatches arrived
at Batavia during the night, and were instantly sent
on board to me, but still no communication from Mr.
Yanschoor. Consequently, I had to land again the next
morning, and eventually found him at the Governor's
Palais. Apparently he had no idea of answering my
letter, so if I had waited for his reply, I might have
been detained many days ! As it was, we were delayed
until the 3rd January.
I may here give an account of the Skutiri, or kind of
militia, or which our late host was a colonel. The
Dutch had lately received a severe lesson in attempting
to extend their influence in Celebes, which not only
humbled their pride, but was nearly proving fatal to
their existence in the East. It originated in the folly
of the then G-overnor-General, Baron Vander Capelleu,
the predecessor of the late
Commissioner-General Van
Bus. The Baron, in making a tour of the various
settlements, visited Celebes, where he required the
whole of the chiefs to wait upon him to pay him
homage as the representative of majesty. They all
complied, with the exception of an old woman, the
Queen of Born, who objected. On her reasons being
demanded, she asked Baron Vander Capellen how he
could be so inconsistent as to call her
"
Her Majesty
the Queen," and at the same time require her to pay
homage to him as Governor.
The Governor-General sent Her Majesty word that, if
she did not comply, her message would be considered a
declaration of war: this, unfortunately for the Baron, was
just what the Queen was only too ready to avail herself of.
To reduce this old lad}- to reason, 8,000 European
troops were withdrawn from the Eastern districts of
Java ; but even with their assistance the result proved
a complete defeat to the Dutch ; they were obliged to
withdraw to their garrison at Macassar without even the
shadow of a treaty.
Withdrawing the troops from the districts of Soura-
baya, Samarang, and Solo, gave a favourable oppor-
tunity for a revolt, which it cost the Dutch five years
to suppress ; nor did they then accomplish it without
the aid of treacheryunheard of in an enlightened,
civilized enemy. Their loss during the war is estimated
at upwards of 40,000 European troops, and it is said to
have involved them in pecuniary difficulties, from which
it took them many years to extricate themselves.
The loss of troops for such warfare, where most of
them must have fallen victims to the climate, appears
incredibly great ; but it will not seem out of proportion
if compared with the mortality of one regiment, the
finest employed in Java. It was termed the Corps of
Expeditionaires, and was raised expressly for this
service, being engaged only for the limited period of
three years, and under the agreement of the Govern-
ment to send ihem home again at the expiration of that
time. They landed at Batavia 3,500 strong, and are
said to have been the finest body of men ever seen
in that service, principally composed of French and
Belgians. At the expiration of their period of service
the remnant of the corps was embarked and only
amounted to forty men
(!)
who had survived the three
years. None of the regiment had been previously sent
home or drafted into other corps.
During this protracted insurrectionary war the Dutch
were so critically situated that they were obliged
eventually to withdraw nearly the whole of their troops
from Batavia, for the defence of which place they raised
a militia, or what they term Skutiri, both horse and foot
soldiers, in which were enrolled the whole of the
inhabitants of the city, jumbling together Dutch,
English, other Europeans and natives, without the
slightest discrimination as to class, character, respecta-
bility, or the reverse.
When there had existed an absolute necessity for
such a measure, no objections were made to it in fact,
the contrary feeling was so strong that the English
merchants, of whom there were a great many, having
perceived the probability of such an emergency, were the
first to volunter their services for the protection of the
city. Instead of appreciating this act, or the feelings
which suggested it, the Governor- General scarcely
acknowledged it ; but told the deputation who waited on
him that he had already contemplated the necessity for
raising such a body of men, and that arrangements
had been made for carrying it into effect.
They were all immediately enrolled, dressed in some
uniform, and forthwith placed on duty on the Governor's
guard and on various other posts in the town
;
the whole
were subject to martial law, by which the most in-
fluential individuals, who ranked as privates, were con-
stantly tried for imaginary offences. An acquaintance
of mineone of the most respected men in Batavia
was once taken from his bed, where he was lying very
ill, to appear before a court-martial for being absent
from parade. Although he produced the medical
certificate showing his inability to attend, he was fined,
and subsequently pensioned on account of his age and
incapacity. He considered himself fortunate in being
treated with such lenity
(!),
though the
"
pension" was
certainly rather a novel one, for he had to purchase his
exemption.
Another man was fined and imprisoned for attending
the funeral of his friend instead of a parade. This
system was carried to so obnoxious an excess that a
wealthy merchant was not infrequently placed on guard,
with a set of natives who might the following day
be employed as his coolies. At last a deputation on
the part of the English waited on Baron Vander
Capellen to remonstrate against their being compelled
to perform the duties and submit to the indignities to
which they were subject, now that there were ample
troops in Batavia for all the duties that could be
required, and the latter had absolutely nothing to do,
while gentlemen were called upon to do their work.
The Baron at first was obdurate and would listen to no
argument, until a member of the deputation told him
that whatever the consequences might be, he would no
longer submit to the degradation
;
that he spoke not
only for himself but for many of his friends as well,
and that they had all made up their minds that they
would leave the Colony at once, however great the
sacrifice might be. This show of determination had an
immediate effect, the deputation were invited to dinner
that day and several of the EngUsh merchants were
exempted.
Mr. Milne, the gentleman with whom I stayed while
I was in Batavia, was one of this deputation, and on
going to dine with the Governor that day the two
sentries he passed at the Governor's door were the
Chief Judge
of
the Island and a friend of his own.
This almost surpassed my powers of belief until I was
assured that the Chief Justice was even still in the
ranks of the Skutiri, the drills of which he is obliged
to attend as regularly as his shoemaker or his tailor,
probably standing next in the ranks to one or the
other. So much for the independence of a Dutch
Judge
!
In making a retrospect of my visit to Java, I think it
was one of the most agreeable incidents which has
occurred to me for years ; the novelty and interest of
the visit were not a little enhanced by the great kindness
and attention which I universally received not only from
my own countryman, but from all the official authori-
ties. From the Governor-General downwards, every-
one with whom I came in contact treated me with a
kindness and consideration far beyond what I could
have expected.
I cannot help regretting that m}^ limited stay, and
the various duties which required my attention, pre-
vented my seeing as much of this beautiful island as I
might otherwise have done. Java is perhaps one of the
156
most interestiDg countries to which a traveller can
direct his attention ; it is considered not only one of
the most beautiful, but also the richest island, for its
size, in the world.
CHAPTER YII.
On the 3rd January we embarked. Our medical officer,
Surgeon Kennis, had occupied himself, while we were
rattling about the country, in making a natural history
collection, to which object he was devoted. He had
asked for, and I had granted him, permission to take
his collection to the vessel
;
but until I went on board
and found his cages piled half-way up the main mast,
I had no conception of the extent of his zeal in his
favourite hobby : every bird, animal, and insect he could
obtain in Ja'va was represented in duplicate. How
long they were to live, or how to be cared for on the
voyage, were problems to which he had seemingly given
little heed, but which were to be summarily settled
before the evening closed in.
Directly we embarked we got under weigh, made all
sail, and left the harbour in good style. We threaded
through, and ran close to numerous beautiful islands,
until we got well out to sea, when we had fair weather,
and made a rapid run, as we thought mid-way
between some islands, of which I now forget the names,
and a reef of covered rocks called the "Brewers."
We had just finished our dinner when the look-out
from the fore-yard sung out
"
Breakers close ahead
"
;
the helm was instantly put down, hut, having at the time
all sail set, and a leading breeze, before the vessel could
answer her helm we were hard and fast upon the
"
Brewers." On sounding we found we had only two
fathoms of water under our bows, but a considerable
depth under our stern. The ship bumped heavily, her
masts each time bending like a whip over her bows; we
instantly furled sails, and lowered our boats
;
placed a
couple of anchors astern, and got a good purchase on
them to prevent her driving farther on to the reef. We
then lightened the ship as quickly as possible, by throw-
ing guns and everything that could be spared overboard,
and so disappeared poor Kennis's valuable collection of
tigers, apes, monkeys, and birds of all kinds and colours.
He only saved one or two orang-outangs, most extra-
ordinary burlesques on human nature
;
which he sub-
sequently taught to sit at table, to eat with a knife and
fork, to help themselves, to take wine with him, in fact, to
behave far better than many human beings sometimes do.
We hauled up our stern anchors without starting the
vessel, and repeated this operation three times, when
about 1 o'clock a.m. Mr. Brook, our navigating master,
made a confidential communication to me, that if
I wished to save the lives of those on board, it
would be necessary without any loss of time to prepare
FIFTY YFAES IN CEYLON.
159
several rafts, for the vessel was lightened as much as
she could be
;
she would not move with any power we
had on board, and she could not hold together another
hour. Besides this, we knew our complement of boats
could not hold one third of the people we had on board.
I ordered him not to repeat his apprehensions to anyone
else, and warned the captain to the same effect. I then
directed that every anchor in the ship should be taken
out astern by the captain, who was to have them all
carefully dropped one over the other. This took some
time to accomplish, but eventually we got our boats back
to the ship, when we aj^plied capstan windlass, and every
tackle fall to be found in the vessel, every ounce of
strength, and every particle of mechanical power was-
brought to bear upon the cables. Every soul on board
plied with all his strength, but for an hour without the
shghtest effect, when, just as the sun showed a bit of
his
"
limb " on the eastern horizon, we felt the ship
move, gave three cheers, and, with a long pull and a
strong pull, and a pull all together, we had the satisfac-
tion of feeling her gradually grating off the reef ; but
the anxious moment was when she floated into deep
water. The pumps w^re worked to ascertain whether
or not we could keep her afloat, to run her back to
Java, or whether we could prosecute our voyage to
Singapore.
The divers we sent down to examine the ship's
bottom, reported that the greater part of her fore-foot
and false keel were gone, and two large holes rubbed
away in her bottom beneath the fore-chains ; but stilly
as she did not make more water than we could keep
under with our ordinary ship's pumps, I resolved, if we
had saved enough water and provisions to carry us, with
extreme economy, to Singapore, to sail instantly for that
place, knowing that the expense of repairs and outfit in
a foreign dockyard would be very heavy.
Our inspection of provisions and water proved suffi-
ciently encouraging to justify the experiment ; and,
therefore, without waiting to recover our guns, we made
sail to the northward and reached Singapore without
further serious adventures, and immediately applied to
aptain Montague, of H.M.S. Crocodile, for officers to
inspect our vessel, and for any advice and assistance
that they could give us. For the official inspection we
had her beached at spring tide, and found the report of
the divers was quite correct. There were two large
holes six feet by three and a half, rubbed right through
her copper and planking ; but the vessel having been
built in one of our Admiralty dockyards, her timbers
were all close and well caulked between, so that, though
she had lost much of her outer planking and copper
during the twelve hours she was bumping on the
"
Brewers
"
reef, she still continued to float in safety;
had she been differently constructed she must have gone
to pieces.
The report of the committee appointed by Captain
Montague, of H.M.S. Crocodile, placed me in a new
difficulty. It was to the effect that the vessel was unfit
to cross the Bay of Bengal without an amount of repairs,
which would have detained us at Singapore for an inde-
161
finite time. I therefore issued a notice to all on
board, with a copy of the report, stating that I did not
require anyone to go back to Ceylon in her, who
thought the risk too great ; that I would provide all
such persons with a passage in another ship, but stated
that I intended to return to Ceylon in the vessel, and
called for the names of any who were willing to share
the voyage with me. Every man on board volunteered
to go, and I am thankful to say we all arrived safely at
Colombo without any further misadventure, about the
end of March 1831.
I reported the result of my mission to Sir Edward
Barnes, submitted my accounts, which were duly passed
in audit, and resumed my duties in the Quartermaster-
General's Department, by taking charge of the public
worksthe roads and bridges, in the interior of the
island.
This year, 1831, His Excellency Sir Edward Barnes
was appointed Commander-in-Chief in India, and left
Colombo for Calcutta on the 13th of October. He was
kind enough to tell me that he would have taken me
with him, but that he conceived I should, both to the
colony and to myself, be much more beneficially
employed in Ceylon than I could be in India.
"
That may be. Sir," I rephed,
"
but I hope, if ever
I hear of your being on active service in the field, you
will allow me to join you on leave."
Sir Edward Barnes was succeeded by Sir Robert
Wilmot Horton, Bart., who became a very great friend
of mine.
11
In 1832 I was ordered to open a road from Aripo, on
the western coast, where the pearl fisheries were situated^
to Anarajapora, the capital of the district of Nuwara-
kalawa, about which less appeared to be known than
about the most recently discovered lake in Central
Africa. In the latest maps of the island then published,
this district was described as a mountainous unknown
country, so that to ascertain its position I had to survey
into it in the first place. This was a very slow opera-
tion, for this part of the country was so flat I could not
triangulate it ; moreover, it seemed to be the policy of
the Kandians in those days to keep this sacred retreat
as inaccessible as possible to Europeans
;
the low over-
grown jungle paths, which alone led to it, were so
extremely tortuous, that it was difficult at times to pass
along them.
My astonishment, therefore, was the greater, when I
reached the place, to find extensive ruins, large dagobas,
magnificent tanks of colossal dimensions, and instead of
the
"
mountainous country " represented in the, so-
called, maps, I found a thickly-populated district, with
evidence of its having been, at some remote date, the
granary of the country. This all the more surprised
me, for, when I received my orders to execute this work,
I naturally tried to obtain some information regarding
the country, but could gain none ; no one that I could
hear of had ever travelled through it, not even a Gro-
vernment Agent ; and from the fact of its being so
completely a terra incognita, I took an unusual interest
in exploring it.
163
In addition to my military duties, the Governor con-
ferred upon me the civil appointment of Government
Agent, with revenue and judicial powers, but without
civil pay or remuneration.
Taking my field books and data to Aripo, I com-
menced my operations from the
*'
Doric," a fine build-
ing, so called from its style of architecture. It was
erected by Lord Guildford as a temporary residence for
the Governor when he visited the pearl fisheries. I
laid down the forty-seven miles of jungle path ou paper.
Of all the innumerable bearings and short distances, in
most cases of a few yards only, there was probably not
one really accurate ; but so completely had these inaccu-
racies counterbalanced and neutralised each other, that
in protracting the new line of road, which frequently
crossed the tortuous old native jungle paths, I was sur-
prised to find how correct the work was in the end.
The country generally was very level, and most densely
wooded : at one point I had to open a straight road of
several miles.
I was in a desperate hurry, and after comparing our
compasses and carefully allowing for their variation, I
placed my assistant lieutenant, Mackaskill, of the 97th
Kegiment, at one end, while I took the other extremity
of this straight line of dense, level forest, and we
worked towards each other. Each evening, on return-
ing to our wigwam, we mutually communicated the
distance we had respectively opened up. On a
given day and hour we were supposed to meet, and I
became very nervous as the appointed moment for our
11
*
meeting passed by. We were both equally anxious, for
we could ill afford to lose the time we had expended in
this experiment, I ascended the highest tree in my
neighbourhood, and listened attentively for the sound of
the axe of the approaching felling party. After some
time, in despair I fired my gun, but no reply ! The
departure of half a degree by either of us from the
true bearing would have separated us far from each
other, and I began to fear that this was the case. I
sent an intelligent native out as a scout to reconnoitre,
and in two or three hours he brought me the welcome
tidings that he had discovered the other party. In a
short time we found ourselves working abreast of each
other, with about fifty yards of forest between us. This
I consider was a great triumph for the Schmalcalder
compass and perambulation, the only instruments we
had used, the country being too flat to render the use of
the vertical angle necessary.
The quantity of game of every kind I met with
daily was almost beyond description, certainly not to be
believed. Sir James Emerson Tennent, in his Histonj
of
Ceylon, gives some account of it. I should be afraid
to venture into details, my subsequent experience of the
district having proved to me how possible it was to
nearly exterminate it in a few years.
It was difficult to restrain one's enthusiasm in advo-
cating the capabilities of this magnificent district. Sir
Robert Wilmot Horton, who was then Governor,
honoured me with his confidence, and encouraged me to
be
unreserved in my correspondence with him. It is
FIFTY YEAUS IN CEYLON.
165
strange, as well as satisfactory to me, to see how my
dreams for the future prosperity of this Nuwarakalawa
District have at last been realised.
A few extracts from some of these letters, written in
1833, may be of some interest to those who know what
the district is now
:
Tliis country beats all my past experience of jungle ; the

heaviest forest is quite child's play to work through compared with
these
"
connaugbts
"
a
"
connaught " being land on which the
forest has been cleared, and several crops of dry grain taken from
it, until its fertility has been exhausted, when, to renovate it, the
jungle is allowed to cover it : this becomes thick and intensely
thorny in proportion to the heat of the climate. In Nuwarakalawa
it is a closely-matted thorny mass, which well-nigh defies the
Nuwarakalawa woodsmen. Working in a narrow clearing, with
high walls of this description of vegetation on either side,
excluding every breath of air, and a bright, burning sun pouring
down upon one, gives as lively an illustration of a tropical climate
as any man need wish for. Even against such odds I find a
restorative in bottles of simple decoction of tea, made icy cold by
evaporation, by wrapping wet towels round the bottles. It is
astonishing how soon a broiling sun can produce a cool, refreshing
draught, without which the situation would simply be beyond
endurance.
. . . The country, I am sorry to say, is rapidly becoming
depopulated by disease and drought ; it is distressing to behold
the fearful objects which constantly meet the eye. By opening up
the country its further deterioration may be arrested, and the
Government will be redeemed from the reproach of receiving for
its grain tax a commutation of Id. a bushel. Can a greater stigma
attach to any Government than that it has districts so inaccessible
that their produce is almost unsaleable
'?
. . . Your Excellency may be pretty certain that if it could be
ensured that your successors woidd adopt and carry out your
philanthropic policy, I should not hesitate to accept your offer to
become the
"
Regenerator of Nuwarakalawa."
166
FIFTY YEAKS IN CEYLON.
This district is full of antiquarian curiosities, and abounds with
game of all sorts. Every night, pretty nearly, we sleep in the
centre of a herd of elephants. I hear them constantly round my
wigwam. The other day Mackasldll begged me to call him when
I heard one. The same night a monster was amusing himself,
dismantling a leaf-shed which had just been put up. I called my
friend, but took the precaution to take a gun in my hand.
Mackaskill turned out very sleepy, rubbing his eyes, with nothing
on but a red flannel shirt. It was not very light, and the first
intimation he received of the proximity of his new acquaintance
was a trumpet and a charge ! I covered his retreat, and had to
decide whether to try and frighten the brute away, or by shooting
him have to remove our quarters half a mile further up Anaraja-
pora High Street ! ! ! to get away from the nuisance which the
carcase would have proved. My friend no longer doubted the
presence of
"
allias." They are very inoffensive if left alone.
When tracing, if the weather is dry and tine, I sometimes do not
indulge in a new wigwam, but have my curry and rice cooked
under a tree, and after a long day's work am glad to stretch my
bed under the same shade. My servant came to me with a long
face, a little while ago, complaining that an elephant had put his
foot into one of the new plates he possessed. As the servant and
his plates were in tolerably close proximity, the animal could not
have been much bent on mischief to have allowed us all to get off
so scot-free.
The two VellachiesPeria, or large Vellachy, and Sinna, or small
Vellachyare very curious works. The country has numerous
rock inscriptions, which I hope thoroughly to investigate at some
future and more leisure time. The season for working inland here
is from the end of April to the middle of September. After the
latter date our force should be bodily moved, either to the neigh-
bourhood of the coast or up into the hills, to avoid the loss which
would be consequent on the unhealthiness of the country, while it
remains, as at present, a mass of overgrown vegetation. Even the
"
Chandrawankalang
"
or
"
Great North and South Street
"
of this
city, in which I reside, is a forest, and is only defined by the wells
which, centuries ago, supplied the houses with water. Some of
them are very perfect. I restrain my enthusiasm as much as
possible, so that you may not be disappointed when you reach the
tombs of the kings and see specimens of the architecture of eight
and ten centm'ies ago, by people who are now so feebly represented.
What puzzles me beyond everything is that I can nowhere find the
quarries from which the
"
world of stone pillars," as old Knox
describes the place, have been taken.
Water, water, water, give these people water, and you may make
anything of them, but without a proper, wholesome supply of it,
they must die out.
The noble tanks had been injured from want of science
and skill in their original projectors in not providing
sufficient means of carrying off the surplus waters during
the rainy seasons. I urged the Government to take
active steps for the preservation of what was left of
these great works, and pointed out how sadly the culti-
vation of rice, and the consequent health of the popu-
lation, were suffering from the want of water, which in
a tropical climate constitutes the vitality of the people
and the wealth of the country.
Sir Robert Wilmot Horton adopted my views with
eagerness, and proposed that I should become the
"
Eegenerator of Nuwarakalawa," by devoting myself to
the repair of these tanks. It would have been a work
worthy of anyone's energies; but when I went into the
matter with the Governor we found that the revenue of
the Colonythen only ^369,437was too small to hold
out any hope that the work of restoration could be
carried out on a scale which would ensure success, and
he agreed with me that it would be better not to touch
it at all, than to begin and fail to carry it out.
It was my good fortune to proclaim in Nuwarakalawa
the new charter and the abolition of compulsory labour
;
an immense boon to the population of the island, of
which for centuries it had been the curse. It had cost
the last reigning Sovereign his throne and country, and
had proved to the Chiefs a very great temptation to
most cruel and unjust persecutions. I thought it unwise
at the time to absolve the people entirely from any
service to the Government, and suggested that a limited
amount, say ten days in the year, which might be
redeemed by a low rate of payment, to which all classes
of the population would be liable, should be substituted
for it. This measure, though on a still more moderate
scale and under more favourable conditions than I had
suggested, was, in 1849, brought forward and carried
through the Legislature by Sir Philip Wodehouse. It
limited the labour which the Government had a right
to call for from every member of the population to six
days, one third of which was to be appropriated to
minor works and village roads, two thirds being appro-
priated to the principal roads of the island. This
measure had the merit of extreme impartiality, as it
applied to all ranks and classes, and the mouey com-
mutation was so low that any man could pay it with the
earnings of three days labour. The tax yielded about
<i"50,000 a year, or in twenty-six years since it was
established
^1,200,000.
In
1833, while I was in charge of the works, the
Peradeuia bridge was completed. This is a very grace-
ful bridge over the Mahawelhganga river, made entirely
of satin wood, without a nail or bolt in it. A model of
the bridge is now in the South Kensington Museum.
During the construction we had a force of twelve
hundred men employed in laying and filling up the
approaches. One morning, on my way to the works, I
called at the bungalow of one of the married officers,
and while talking to his wife, the most appalling
atmospheric phenomenon occurred that I have ever
witnessed. A flash of hghtning and a peal of thunder
broke over the bungalow, the thunder such as I had
never heard before and never expect to hear again.
Immediately in front of the bungalow, not a yard and a
half from the thatched roof, a splendid electric ball
struck the ground, sending up sprays of sparks, like
beautiful fireworks, to a considerable height. Seeing
that the lady was not seriously hurt, although much
frightened, I rushed out of the house on to the works,
to see if any mischief had been done there, but was
thankful to find none. Not a single implement was in
any man's hand
;
the officers reported that on hearing
the clap of thunder, which pealed simultaneously with
the lightning flash, every man dropped his tool, and
one and all, officers and men, stopped their ears, but
not one of the 1,200 men was injured in the slightest
degree.
About this time a Civil Engineer and Surveyor-
General arrived in the Colony to form a department,
and to take over the civil works from the Quarter-
master-General and Royal Engineers. I was sent to
initiate him into his new duties, and I travelled over
the country with him, handing over to him the roads,
bridges, and buildings as we reached them. His
position, under any circa instances, would have been
both onerous and difficult, but coming, as he did, a
perfect stranger to the country, without an already
organized department, it was doubly so.
The Quartermaster-General's department now being
relieved from all extraneous civil duties, we undertook a
military reconnaissance of the mountain zone, which I
commenced under the following instructions
:
Instructions for Lieutenant Skinner,

Deputi/ Assistant Quartermaster-General,
1. Lieutenant Skinner will be employed during the remainder of
the year in examining those portions of the Great Mountain
Chain surrounding the Upper Kandian Provinces which are at
present most imperfectly known. Sketching its principal
features and ramifications, with as much minuteness as the
time to which he is limited will allow, and tracing and laying
down its passes and defiles, and the roads and paths that lead
through them, and which he will be required to report upon in
detail at the conclusion of his work.
2. He will take as his base the line between the flag-staff in the
western redoubt, and that on the Green Hill near Doregamme
Vehare, in Doombera, and, reckoning it equal to 7,990 yards,
which, for the purpose in view, is sufficiently near the truth,
proceed at once to determine from its extremities some point
near the top of the Giriagamme Pass, from whence he will
carry on his triangles by Allegalle, Amboolwawa, Racksawe,
Adam's Peak, Idulgasheina, and Bambroagamme to Baddoolla
;
tilling in his sketch as he proceeds, and carefully noting down
all his observations on the nature of the country, its communi-
cations and resources with reference to military operations, at
the moment they occur to him, as well as the information
which he may obtain from others on these important points.
He should endeavour to complete his first division of his
work, namely, from Giriagamme round by Adam's Peak to
Bacldoolla, by the 31st October, in oi'cler that he may have two
full months to devote to the remainmg segment, which, as it
embraces a greater proportion of unexplored and intricate
country, will necessarily occupy more of his time, supposing
that equal pains is bestowed upon both. The best Theodolite
belonging to the department is placed at his disposal for this
ser\ice, but in a work where so much expedition is required
the
"
Schmalcalder
"
compass will in most cases determine
his position with sufficient accuracy, so that it is presumed he
will only find it necessary to use the theodolite in fixing his
principal points. When, however, he does resort to that
instrument he will mvariably preserve his observations, and
forward copies of them from time to time to the Deputy
Quartermaster-General, who must be kept regularly informed
of his proceedings.
3. The annexed extracts from the code of instructions framed for
the officers of the department will point out to Lieutenant
Sldnner the objects, generally, to which his attention should
be directed, but he is more particularly referred on the
present occasion to those paragraphs which are marked
thus +.
4. His sketch is to be executed on a scale of two inches to a mile
;
but on closing his operations at Giriagamme on the 31st
December next, he will prepare a reduced copy of it, on a
scale of one inch to a mile, to accompany his report.
5. A requisition has been forwarded to the military secretary
for a svibaltern's tent for his use.
0. The instruments, tools, &c., specified in the subjoined list, are
in readiness to be delivered over to him, and the annexed
letter explains the means available for their conveyance as
well as to assist him in his operations in the field.
7 Should he require anything further, he will lose no time in
applying for it, and he will also be pleased to inform the
Deputy Quartermaster-General how many Cafl:rees he
requires in order that they may be directed to join him,
there being only two in Kandy at present, who are, how-
ever, at his ser\ice to enable him to commence his
operations.
8. Lieutenant Skinner will understand that he is to sketch the
general features of the whole range of mountains from
Gh'iagamme to Baddoolla, and from Baddoolla to Giviagamme,
and as much of the country to the right and left as he can
conveniently lay down without materially deviating from
his course, or sacrificing too much of his time, though it
will be necessary for him to be more particular in the
neighbourhood of passes than elsewhere.
(Signed) J. Fraser,
Deputy Quartermaster-General.
Quartermaster-General's Office,
Kandy, IQtIt September, 1833.
They were rather embarrassiDg instructions at first,
seeing that my acquaintance Avith the theodolite was
confined to the use of the vertical arc for determining
inclines
; that I had never sketched a yard of country
;
had never learnt the art of mihtary sketching, and had
never made a triangulation in my life. My old maxim,
which I have acted on through life, came to my aid,
viz.,
"
What one man can do, any other can do equally
well, if he will only apply himself with sufficient
determination of purpose."
I was unfortunately too proud to acknowledge my
incompetency, but gained immense strength from the
faith which my old chief. Sir Edward Barnes, placed in
me when he appointed me to the Quartermaster-
General's department. In reply to my protest that 1
knew nothing of its scientific duties, he said,
"
Do you
think 1 do not know that as well as you do. Will you
try to qualify yourself?
"
"
Yes, certainly I will. Sir."
"
This is quite enough, go about your business."
173
With the recollection of his piercing eye which went
through me, his encouraging look and shake of the
hand, which did so much to make a young man all that
he desired him to be, I shut myself up in a room
with a theodolite and Adams on Instruments, took it
entirely to pieces, put it together again, and learnt the
use of all its parts. It would have been a long and
irksome day if I had not had the few words given above
to cheer me. These seemed to say to me, in moments
of my greatest perplexities,
"
Persevere ; never say
die !
"
I next took my new friend, the theodolite, to the
western extremity of my base line, and took many com-
plete series of observations round the circle, when I
found that I had gained by repeating them a certain
coincidence in my angles. I sent a set to General
Eraser, who had passed many days over his instrument
on the same spot. Having received an encouraging
acknowledgment from him, I began to grow a little
more confident, but still the sketching had to be learnt
and mastered. I started off to a hill near the point at
which I was to commence, and tried in vaiu for two days
to sketch something like it. I thought it would have
broken my heart, so difficult did I find it to make
any intelligible drawing. At the end of the second
day's close appHcation I left it, and descended to some
lower and smaller features, which, after another day's
trial, I managed to sketch somewhat more satisfactorily.
Henceforth the sympathy between the eye and the hand
improved, and became so perfect that I found no more
difficulty. My triangulations were very successful, and
I took an immense interest in a work which I had
mastered by my own determination and without any
assistance.
The one-inch sketch of the Kandian provinces and
the general map of Ceylon are the result.
The total amount expended in our surveying opera-
tions, for caffrees and coolies from 1833 to 1840, came to
.4^437 4s. 9d.* In those days of real military economy
there was some pride taken in the quantity of work
which could be produced with the smallest amount of
pubhc expenditure. A large portion of my pay and
allowances were spent in this survey, vastly more than
was drawn from the Treasury. The fact was that a
given sum was allowed by the Government, and no one
ever thought of reimbursement for travelling expenses
or paid labour for clearing the tops of hills for stations
of observation and getting from place to place. There
was such a thing as the credit of the service and the
department, which we thought more of than the s. d.
Although it was most interesting, it was precious hard
work, dehghtful to think of in the retrospect. For six
or seven months in every year I never knew the shelter
of a roof from between four or five o'clock in the morn-
ing till seven in the evening, and occasionally much
later. My fare, too, was often humble enough. On one
occasion, going into the Wilderness of the Peakwhich
comprises about 500 square miles of splendid forest
*
For details of General Eraser's report see Appendix, No. 2.
within its extreme boundariesto make my recon-
naisance sketch of it, my time being Hmited before the
rains might be expected, I could not wait for the sup-
pHes which I had sent a corporal and another man
down to Saffragan to purchase. I had expected some
dozens of fowls for my six weeks' or two months' supply,
but the men returned, after rather a lengthened absence,
with only five miserable chickens, three of which had
died from the rain and cold on their way up to the Peak,
the other two had sentence of death passed on them
immediately on their arrival ; they all found their way
into curries, the only dish they were fit for
;
those that
had died on their way up the Peak did not die a
natural death, having been killed by the cold instead of
with a knife. This was all the animal food I had during
nearly two months ; I had a little salt fish, which was
served out to me most sparingly, about a square inch
for each meal, to give a relish to a little plain boiled
rice. My people had a very knowing dodge of getting
at my small stock of wine, under the plea that the
bottles were broken by the men falling on the rugged
rocky ground over which they had to travel. It
appeared to me that though the bottles were broken,
little of their contents were spilt.
These two months proved the hardest work I ever
had, as hard, under the circumstances, as I believe any
man could have endured. My wigwam consisted of five
sheets of the tallipot leaf, stitched together with shreds
of the same material. Each leaf was about six by four
feet
;
three of these formed two sides and one end,
with two others for the roof; along the top was a Httle
ridge cap of the same material ; the end which formed
the door was always open. This tent of leaves contained
my
little camp bed, a small camp table, and chair. I
think the tallipot leaves used to cost me 13jd., and
generally lasted me the working season, which was six
months ; my lodgings, therefore, were not expensive !
I used often to see the most wonderful effects when
thus
camping out. On one occasion my sojourn on
Adam's Peak lasted for a fortnight on the top of the
cone,
where I was waiting for clear weather, which I did
not get, to admit of my completing my observations.
One
morning as the sun was rising, the shadow of the
mountain was thrown across the whole land and sea to
the horizon, and for a few minutes the apex was doubled,
and so clearly marked that the little shed over the
impression of Buddha's Foot was perfectly distinct in
the shadow.
Another most curious effect was when
the mist had lain deep in the valley below, between the
great Peak range and the opposite range of Eackwanie,
it was an exact representation of the sea
;
the clouds
roiling
against the base of the mountains resembling
the surf beating against the cliffs which seemed to pro-
ject into the sea, the points of the hills peeping through
the mist appeared like beautiful little islands.
At
another time, looking down from the cone, a small
white
cloud, the size of a man's hand, might be seen
floating
upwards, about midway between the mass of
vapour sea below and the top of the peak. Sometimes,
under
certain conditions of the atmosphere, this little
bit of fleecy vapour would suddenly expand into a huge
dark cloud, and come rolling up the cone, apparently
lashing it as if with its utmost fury
;
and then suddenly
envelope it with a dark mantlea strange contrast to
the clear blue atmosphere through which but a few
minutes before objects might have been seen sixty or
seventy miles distant.
But I must avoid all descriptions of the scenery, from
the utter impossibility of my doing the most moderate
j
ustice to the tamest portions of it ; much less is it pos-
sible for me to describe the grandeur of what I beheld
from this singular sugar-loaf of granite, 7,000 feet above
the level of the sea.
I generally pitched my camp, when I could, on the
bank of a stream, as much for the convenience of making
it a point of direction as for the pleasure of bathing and
washing. I left my tent every morning at daybreak,
and ascended one of the ranges, selecting from the
highest points, and then the highest tree, on the top of
which, perched like a crow waving about on its branches,
I sat with my compass and drawing-board, sketching in
as well as I could the various objects in the vicinity.
Then I descended, crossed the valley, and mounted the
next range, which had to be similarly dealt with.
The whole country being covered with dense forest,
its features could only be generalized. When going over
the same ground thirty-three years afterwards, when
most of the forest was felled and cultivated with cojffee,
I was surprised to find how accurately I had succeeded
in sketching in its characteristic features.
12
My mode of working necessarily often carried me far
away from my camp, to which I did not get back till
after dark, but I never lost my way although the forest
was so dense ; the fact was, living so much iu the
jungle as I did, I acquired the instincts of a woodsman.
On beginning my season's work, I found it necessary
to discipline myself as to the amount of liquid I took
;
and for ten days or a fortnight I suffered terribly, as the
exposure to the sun, with the great amount of work I
had to go through, caused the most profuse perspirations,
and an almost irresistible longing to put my head into
every mountain stream I crossed, to quench my burning
thirst. I sometimes assuaged it for a time by putting
a bit of beetle-nut in my mouth, its stringency giving
me temporary relief; but by persevering in this course
of abstinence for a few days, I found life became more
bearable. My allowance of liquid during the day was a
small cup of coffee before I started in the morning
;
my
breakfast, which, during these two months, consisted
only of a bit of route, a cake made of rice-flour and
water, a cup of cold tea, which I carried in a small
bottle, and a biscuit or two. In the evening my dinner
was boiled rice and a small bit of salt fish, or sometimes
some jungle edible roots, made into a curry
;
a glass of
sherry mixed with an equal quantity of water ; and after
dinner a cup of coffee with my cigar, which I always
took beside my watch-fire, which was lighted opposite
the open end of my wigwam. All the liquid I took
during the day did not exceed one imperial pint ; this
regime brought me into such splendid working condition
FIFTY YEARS J/V CEYLON. 179
that I could outrun anyone. My reputation in this
respect spread throughout the country, and I often had
challenges from natives, who were slow to believe
that any European could rival them in activity and
endurance.
One very active headman begged me to give him an
opportunity of racing me up the cone of Adam's Peak,
which is a steep bit of ascent. We started, and he went
off at a great pace, and was out of sight in a few
minutes
;
but half or three-quarters of a mile was suffi-
cient to blow him. I passed him, and was on the
summit forty minutes before him. In like manner I
could leave all the athletes of a village behind me, who
turned out to try their chance with the Canndde
Mahotmia, or
"
Instrument Gentlemen," as they called
me. The advantage of this training did not cease here.
To this day I never know what thirst means, although
few people are so extravagant as I am in the use of
salt.
The caffree soldier, or African, is supposed to be the
hardiest native we had in Ceylon. I always had a cer-
tain number of them with me. Their full rations of
rice, salt beef or pork, curry stuffs, and arrack, were
always issued to them ; and often would I have given
any money for a taste of their savoury meal, but I
resisted the temptation, fearing their rations might run
short. They always had two or three days in camp
for one day's field-work with me, except when changing
the position of our quarters.
By the time I reached Newra Ellia, after having
12
*
worked through the Wilderness of the Peak, every one of
my party was laid up, most of them having to go into
hospital. I was the only effective one, although I was
out every day hard at work and on such
"
short com-
mons." Before the close of the season, I had to take a
series of observations from the station on Pedrotalla-
gallathe highest point of Ceylon, and on Namone
Coole, near Badoola. By the time these were accom-
plished a reaction took place, and, from poverty of
blood, I was laid up for some time in Badoola with sore
legs.
While in the wilderness I had some few adventures
with elephants and other animals, but my faithful com-
panion, a liver-coloured spaniel called
"
Grog," was a
great protection. Before the exquisite scenery of Ceylon
was destroyed by the coffee -planter's axe, the forests
abounded with animals. The elephants in the wilder-
ness were so numerous that their tracks greatly
facilitated my work
;
they were so judiciously selected
and so well trodden. The top of every ridge had its
broad road, along which one could drive a carriage
;
from range to range one was always sure to find a cross
road, which invariably led to the easiest crossing of the
river in the valley. Without my dog I must always
have carried a gun for my defence, but with him I felt
perfectly safe. Elephants have an extraordinary aver-
sion to dogs, and would always make a rapid retreat
from
"
Grog," who had a special note for each descrip-
tion of game. I could always tell whether he was in
chase of an elephant, an elk, a wild boar, a deer, a
cheetah, a wild buffalo, or a jungle fowl. He would
sometimes go so far in these hunts of his that his
"
tongue
"
died away until I could no longer distinguish
it ; and that in the stillness of the forest, where the
ticking of one's watch was a disturbing noise ! His range
must have been a pretty wide one. At first I used to
make myself very unhappy about his return
;
but in a
short time I ceased to wait for him, finding that he
always came back to me.
On one occasion, during this season's work, I spied
from the summit of Adam's Peak a httle open spot
on the top of the ridge, which formed the southern
segment of the zone range, and decided to go to it. I
had sent off two intelligent men, with a week's pro-
yisions, to prepare a station for observations. I was
detained longer at the Peak than I expected, waiting
for clear weather
quite long enough to admit of the

return of my men, about whom I began to get uneasy
At length I decided to leave, and instead of halting, as
I usually did, at 10 o'clock, to admit of the men getting
their breakfast, I pushed on through the forest until
3 o'clock, when we stopped at a little rivulet, and cook-
ing commenced. I strolled away up the bed of the
stream for a mile or so, a most unusual thing for me to
do, inasmuch as my necessary work afforded me quite
sufficient exercise without indulging in amateur walks.
When away from the noise of the camp the silence of
the forest was almost oppressive, and, being at an alti-
tude of about 6,500 feet, the rarefied state of the
atmosphere contributed to this stillness.
I fancied I heard human voices in the far distance,
so T chmbed into a tree and gave my loudest Kandian
cry, which sometimes can be heard at an enormous dis-
tance
;
it was recognised and answered, and in half an
hour I succeeded in attracting the men to me. These
proved to be my own people, who had been wandering
about for many 'days ; they could give no account of
themselves, beyond the fact that they had marched the
whole of each day since they had left us, but had no
conception how far they had been, or where they were
when I found them. I conclude they had been walk-
ing, as men generally do when lost in a wood, con-
tinually in a circle. They had consumed all the
provisions they bad taken with them, and I could not
help feeling that my thus finding these poor fellows was
a merciful interposition of Providence, for they must
very soon have perished from sheer exhaustion had
we not thus, apparently by accident, fallen in with
them.
It caused great joy in the camp when I returned with
our two lost comrades. The men with me were im-
pressed with the idea that I knew exactly where to find
the others when I started from the Peak in the morn-
ing, and that I left the bivouac, when we halted, to call
them. It is needless to say I had no idea whatever
where the men were, nor had I the smallest hope of
finding them in such a sea of forest as that which
stretched out before me from the Peak.
After breakfast we prosecuted our march, which, in
two days and a half, brought us to the point, on the
southern segment of the zone, which I wished to reach.
I took some credit to myself for having cut my way
through so many miles of dark forest, over so many
ranges of hills and valleys, and hitting upon the little
patch of open grass land.
We reached it just after a heavy thunderstorm, which
had driven all the game out of the dripping forest to
graze on this open space. I counted thirteen pairs of
elk on the plainthe delicate figures of the does con-
trasting admirably with the huge proportions of the
bucks. It was tantalising to see such a profusion of
fine game, while I had not a morsel of animal food to
eat.
The following morning, anxious to ascend a height in
time to avail myself of the clear atmosphere of sunrise
for my observations, I started off by myself through
the jungle, leaving orders for the men, with the survey-
ing instruments, to follow my track by the notches
which I cut in the bark of the trees. On leaving the
plain I struck into a fine wide game track, which lay in
my direction, and had gone perhaps half a mile from the
camp, when I was startled by a slight rustling in the
nilloo jungle to my right, and in another instant by the
spring of a magnificent leopard, which, bounding fully
eight feet over the lower brushwood, lighted within
eighteen inches of the spot whereon I stood, and lay
in a crouching position with his glaring eyes steadily
fixed on me.
The predicament was not a pleasant one. The
animal had heard me approaching, and had I been an
elk, as he imagined, he would have lighted on my neck.
I cannot tell how long we remained in our relative
positions, but during the time we stared at each other I
felt no fear.
I remembered having heard that no animal could bear
the steady gaze of the human eye, and 1 fixed mine on
his with all the intensity I could command. Had I
turned or retreated, one blow from his fore-leg would have
finished me, for leopards are known to kill a buffalo or
an elk with one blow, and I had no weapon of defence.
He turned, however, and cantered down the straight
broad game track, and then I felt quite sick and faint
on realising the danger from which I had escaped.
Fortunately my dog was in the rear, or he would
have furnished a good breakfast to my cheetah friend.
A gun or pistol would have been very acceptable
at that moment. I had often seen these animals in
their wild state, but never before had met with so fine a
specimen.
CHAPTER YIII.
On my return to head-quarters I became very intimate
with our new Governor, Sir Robert Wihnot Horton,
who formed an exaggerated opinion of my common
sense, which he was pleased to call my sound judgment;
the consequence was he consulted me on most subjects,
some of which were most confidential,
and he often sent for
me to discuss complicated questions. He was very fond
of doing this while pacing up and down a long verandah
of the Queen's House, on which I am sure I must have
walked with him hundreds of miles, for latterly it be-
came almost a daily exercise with us. The confidence
he reposed in me did me good, and it was also most
flattering to be so taken by the hand as I was by a man
of Sir Robert Wihnot Horton's calibre, who would have
done anything for me. I was terribly honest in all my
opinions, and would never
"
trim
"
for him. On one
occasion I remember saying, "It is strange. Sir, that
you should so consult and confide in me^ who never
188
knew that I had judgment worth a halfpenny. The
only way in which I can repay you for the compliment
is to be most honest and straightforward, and never
allow myself to write or to say what might be agreeable
to you at the expense of my judgment."
I was fortunate enough, on a later occasion, to be of
some slight service to Sir Eobert, and to be instru-
mental in saving him from the commission of one of
the gravest mistakes possible for a man in his position
to make, and for this service he thanked me heartily.
The unbounded confidence with which Sir Eobert
honoured me throughout the whole of his government
made me feel that I must have possessed some of the
common sense for which he gave me credit. Just
before his departure from Ceylon he sent for my written
opinion on two replies of his to addresses he had
received from the Presidencies of India, complimenting
him on the liberal spirit of his government of Ceylon.
They were written in his own peculiar style. I was
very ill at the time, and on returning them apologised
for the weakness of my criticism, which I asked him to
attribute to my physical infirmity at the moment. In
reply, he told me "that whatever might be my physical
suffering, my mental powers were vigorous enough to
have so accurately interpreted what had given him some
trouble to express, and which not one man in ten would
have discovered." The fact was that the Governor did
not wish to sacrifice the popularity he had obtained in
the Presidencies of India, and had a special object at
the time for standing well with the Honourable East
FIFTY YEAES IN CEYLON. 187
India Company, which a too liberal policy might have
endangered.
In February 1834 my dear friend and patron, Sir
Edward Barnes, visited Ceylon on his way home,
having been recalled from the appointment of Com-
mander-in-Chief in India in consequence of a difference
of opinion with the Viceroy on the subject of the neces-
sity for an army of exercise in the North- West Provinces
during the cool season. He was dissatisfied with the
want of organization and discipline that he found in the
Indian army, which he considered perfectly unprepared
to operate in any considerable force.
During Sir Edward Barnes's stay in India I corre-
sponded with Churchill, his military secretary, and
other members of his staff, and anything more truly
prophetic than Churchill's letters eventually proved,
could not be. The Sikh and China wars were fully
anticipated by him, and he deplored the defects in the
whole system of the Native army, which led subse-
quently to its mutiny. It was little matter of surprise
that so true a soldier as was Sir Edward Barnes should
have differed so widely and vitally from Lord William
Bentinck and his councils. Could he but have got a
large force of native troops together, he might have
reformed the abuses which he was aware existed
against discipline, and have averted that awful calamity.
The news of Sir Edward's arrival spread like light-
ning through the country, and caused great excitement.
He was worshipped by the natives, and, when a statue
of him was subsequently erected in Colombo, they
would come in the night from the interior and lay offer-
ings of flowers, rice, and money, such as they present
in their temples, at the base of the pedestal, compelling
us to surround the monument with a railing for
protection.
In 1 834 false rumours were set afloat of an intended
insurrection among the people of the interior. Sir
Robert Wilmot Horton had quite decided to visit the
ruins of Anarajapoora, and it was about the time of his
intended departure for this trip that these reports
became most rife
;
but, with the spirit of an English-
man, he rejected all advice to postpone his plans. His
suite consisted of six or eight officers, of whom I was
one. We carried our guns for purposes of sport, which
was, at that time, very good in Nurawakalawa, and we
felt we could show a very respectable front if called upon
to defend ourselves against any number of Kandians.
The road from Kandy, through Matella and Dam-
bool, was crowded with pilgrims on their way to the
sacred Bo-tree of Anarajapoora, planted there about
450 years before the Christian era.* When we reached
the ruins of the old city it was perfectly alive with
people, the cause of whose presence there in such
numbers it was not easy to divine, as it might just as
well have been for a treasonable purpose as for a reli-
gious pilgrimage. The sight of the crowd, coupled
with the reports of an intended insurrection, might and
*
I see in Sir J. Emerson Tennent's book that he says,
"
The
planting of the Bo-tree took place in the 18th year of the reign of
King Devenipiatissa, b.c. 288."
Vol. i.
p.
848.
would have made many a man nervous, but Sir
Kobert Hortou never showed the least doubt of the
loyalty of the people. We kept our eyes and ears
open, but never met with the slightest interruption or
discourtesy.
On our return to Kandy, however, the rumours of
disaffection became more urgent. Anonymous olahs*
were found suspended from trees by the roadside in
every direction diverging from Kandy, and were left at
the Pavilion and at the Colonial Secretary's residence.
At length, with the greatest circumstantiality, the day
for the rising was fixed and the chief actors were named.
Molligodde, the chief Adigar, was reported to have his
walewa (palace) fortified and full of armed men, as were
also said to be the various temples.
The Council was within call all night to receive
reports, and finally to act as occasion might seem to
direct. Captain Atchison, of the C.R.R., and myself,
were ordered to be in readiness should we be required.
At 4 o'clock A.M. the Ceylon Rifles were turned out
without noise. Atchison was furnished with a party to
surround the Asgiri temples, and I with another party
had orders to capture the Adigar and his palace full of
armed men.
We were directed to take up positions which would
effectually prevent any escape, and to make gun-fire the
signal for our attack. I had surrounded MoUigodde's
ivaleiva as quietly as was possible, but still felt surprise
*
Leaves of the palm prepared and used for writing.
that, if the builduig was, as it was reputed to be, full
of armed men, some watch or guard should not have
been set, and that they should have allowed themselves
to be so taken unawares. It was unlike Kandians, for
they make up in watchfulness and caution what they are
deficient of in courage.
I shall never forget my humiliation wdien, as the gun
fired, I burst open the hall door, and instead of finding
the palace bristling with men armed to the teeth, I was
accosted by an old cripple, who came forward with a
lantern to ask what we wanted. I ran upstairs with a
sergeant and file of men to Molligodde's bedroom, where
I found him asleep with his little boy. They were
both, as well they might be, utterly surprised at this
intrusion on their morning's repose.
My orders were to take my prisoners to the general
parade, where the troops had all been turned out. I
handed them over and then received orders to march
my detachment back to their lines and dismiss them. I
was heartily glad to get away from the scene in which
I had peformed so unenviable a part. It is impossible
to conceive what could have been the motive for the
evidence which had been trumped up against this Chief,
whom I had known from my first employment on the
roads and had always believed to be a decidedly loyal
subject. The Government felt obliged to bring his case
before judicial investigation
;
but the Supreme Court, I
was happy to find, fully acquitted him and all the others
who had been, I believe, maliciously
reported to be
implicated with him.
Tn 1834 and 1835 I had my last experiences of duel-
ling, not as principal, but as friend. The first occasion
was very nearly being disastrous to myself. Two very
good friends of mine in Kandy had a difference of
opinion about a house which one rented from the
other
;
no written terms of agreement had been made,
and it was no great marvel that a disagreement in their
relative views should have existed. But it was enouofh
that a suggestion was made that the major had put a
forced construction on the terms favourable to his own
interests, and the judge, who was the proprietor, was
compelled to expunge the insult at the risk of his life.
All I could say to Major would not appease
him
;
his honour had been wounded by the insinuation
that, as an officer and a gentleman, he could have
tortured the terms of an agreement, though only a
verbal one, a shade to his own advantage
!
Hoping I might have arranged matters with the
judge, who was also a great friend of mine, I went to
him with my principal's message
;
but though remark-
able for his coolness and impartiality on the Bench, the
moment I spoke to him of his having wounded his
antagonist's sense of honour by his insinuation, he voted
himself the injured party, and I might as well have tried
to oppose the principles of gravitation as to have
attempted to extort from him the smallest concession.
He told me that
"
all solicitude on the point of
'honour' was not confined to the Army," and that the
sooner I got the matter settled, without sacrificing the
reputation of either party, the better : there was no use
making a fuss about the thing. He said "he had
perfect confidence in me. Would I act for them both ?
then the whole affair might be arranged that afternoon
without anybody else knowing anything about it."
There seemed to be some reason in this ; so that,
without much consideration, I assented to the arrange-
ment, if not objected to by my principal. I went back
to tell him the result of my interview, and Major
agreed that I should act for both, and thus avoid pub-
licity. But I made a great mistake ; it is always far
better that one second should discuss such affairs
with another second than with a principal. I had,
however, now committed myself, and we agreed that
the sooner the affair was satisfactorily arranged the
better.
I appointed a meeting on a disused road, but, when I
reached it, I found it was inconveniently narrow for such
a purpose, being cut out of a high hill. It was, how-
ever, too late to alter, so I loaded the pistols and
measured my twelve paces, then posted the belligerents
opposite each other, and, handing them their weapons,
explained the nature of the word of command to
"
Fire,"
which I purposely made as embarrassing to them both as
I could, No sooner was this done than it was obeyed,
and I heard a
"
fitch
"
cross my nose, and fancied I
felt the air caused by the bullet as it passed me.
I then addressed them both, and hoped they were
satisfied, for that I was quite so, and explained, without
letting them know from which direction the ball came,
how very nearly I had received my quietus, which was
quite sufficient to bring them both to their senses, and
cause them to regret the folly of their misunderstanding.
I continued my work of the survey of the island until
1837, during the fine dry clear weather from about October
to May, making observations from the different points I
had selected for my triangulations and sketching in the
features of the country, as well as superintending the
drawing of the general map. I had been very fortunate
in many of my triangles formed by the highest points of
natural features, some proving within a few seconds of being
perfectly equilateral, while some were nearly isosceles.
I became intensely interested in my work and never
tired of it. There was an immense charm in working
over perfectly new ground, most of which had never pre-
viously been trodden by an European, and before the axe
had commenced the destruction of the finest forests, and
most beautiful scenery in the world. But it was clearly
too gigantic an undertaking for a department so under-
officered as ours was. What could one assistant do in an
island as large as Ireland, in which a single triangle had
never been laid and an angle never taken ? I look at the
map of Ceylon and the reconnaisance of the Mountain
Zone with surprise at the temerity of my noble old chief,
General Fraser, in having had the pluck to undertake
such a work with such means, and I look also with
considerable satisfaction at the result and cost thereof.
In 1836 Sir Robert Wilmot Horton was kind enough
to send me the copy of a letter he had written to Lord
Hill, dated 25th April of that year, with extracts from the
minutes of the Executive Council to which he referred.
13
Colombo, 25th April 183G.
My Dear Lord Hill,
A vacancy lias lately occurred among the captains of the
Ceylon Regiment to which as the senior of his rank Lieut. Skinner
hopes to succeed. I am aware that Major-General Sir John
Wilson has strongly applied in favour of that Officer, and I might
have ventured to mention him to your Lordship on the
grounds of the personal regard which I bear towards Mr.
Skinner, but I really feel it as a sort of duty to him to beg you to
read the testimony paid to his merits in certain
"
minutes," on the
subject of military reductions here by the Governor and Executive
Council, in special reference to his services as Deputy Assistant
Quartermaster-General, which minutes have lately been trans-
mitted officially to the Secretary of State.
I remain, my dear Lord,
Most faithfully yours,
(Signed) R. W. Horton.
The Right Hon. Gen. Lord Hill, &c. &c. &c.
Extract from the Minutes by the Governor transmitted in a Despatch to
the Secretary
of
State, heariny date the Idth November 1835.
In reference to the Services
of
Lieut. Skinner, Ceylon
Rifle
Regiment,
Deputy Assistant Quartermaster-General.
I am bound to state my opinion that notwithstanding the high
and conclusive testimony which has been given to the efficient
merits and indefatigable zeal of Mr. Skinner which he so amply
deserves, &c. &c.
Extract fro)n the Minute by Major-General Sir John Wilson,
21st October 1835.
Do. Do. Do.
The Deputy Assistant has of late been employed in sketching
the Great Mountain Chain which surrounds the Upper Kandian
Provinces, and that Officer has proved how much may be effected
by diligence and perseverance, &c.
Extract from the Minute of the Colonial Secretary, the Hon. P.
Anstruther, Esq., 24t7t Septetnher 1835.
The Deputy Assistant Quartermaster-General lias recently been
employed in Surveying, with a view to perfecting the Map of the
Island
;
it is not possible for a single Officer to carry on such a
duty to any great extent. The highly meritorious Officer so em-
ployed has, by incredible diligence and activity, added to extreme
good fortune in the preservation of his health, done more than
could have been anticipated, &c.
[True Copies.]
(Signed) W. T. Stannus,
A.D.C. and Private Secretary.
Sir John Wilson, commanding the Forces, sent me at
the same time a copy of his recommendation of me to
Lord Fitzroy Somerset, on the occasion of a vacancy
occurring in my regiment
:
Extract
from Major- General Sir John Wilson's Despatch to Lord
Fitzroy Somerset, dated Ceylon, Colombo, April ^th, 1836.
I beg to recommend the claims of Lieut. T. Skinner, and 2nd
Lieut. W. Hardisty, the senior Officers of their respective ranks in
the Ceylon Kifle Kegiment, for promotion to the favourable
consideration of Lord Hill. Lieut. Skinner (who has served
seventeen years as Subaltern) has recommended himself more
particularly to my notice, by the zeal and activity he has displayed
in the discharge of the duties of Deputy Assistant Quartermaster-
General, and by the great utility which, in a military point of view,
the Colony has derived from his services. He has been principally
employed in the field duties, and the useful topographical in-
formation we are now acquiring of this Island is due almost
exclusively to the indefatigable exertions of this Officer.
[True Extract.] Signed by E. Macready,
Assistant Military Seci-etary.
This vacancy was caused by the death of Captain
Fretz, whose case, a most extraordinary one, I will
13
*
196
FIFTY YEAES IN CEYLON.
quote from Sir James Emerson Tennent's account
of it
:
Amongst extraordinary recoveries from desperate wounds,
I venture to record here an instance which occured m Ceylon to an
Officer while engaged in the chase of elephants, and which, I
apprehend, has few parallels in pathological experience. Lieutenant
Gerard Fretz, of the Ceylon Eifle Regiment, whilst firing at an
elephant in the vicinity of Fort MacDonald, in Ouvah, was
wounded in the face by the bursting of his fowling-piece, on the
22nd of January 1828. He was then about thirty-two years of age.
On raising him, it was found that part of the breech of the gun and
about two inches of the barrel had been driven through the frontal
sinus at the junction of the nose and forehead. It had sunk almost
perpendicularly till the iron plate called
"
the tail-pin," by which
the barrel is made fast to the stock by a screw, had descended
through the palate, carrying with it the screw, one extremity, of
which had forced itself into the right nostril, where it was dis-
cernible externally, whilst the headed end lay in contact with his
tongue. To extract the jagged mass of iron thus sunk in the
ethmoidal and sphenoidal cells was found hopelessly impracticable
;
but strange to tell, after the inflammation subsided, Mr. Fretz
recovered rapidly, his general health was unimpaired, and he
returned to his regiment with his singular appendage firmly
embedded behind the bones of his face. He took his turn of duty as
usual, attained the command of his company, participated in all the
enjoyments of the mess-room, and died ei(/ht years aftcnvards on the
1st of April 1836, not from any consequences of this fearful wound,
but from fever and inflammation brought on by other causes.
So little was he apparently inconvenienced by the presence of the
strange body in his palate, that he was accustomed with his finger
partially to undo the screw, which but for its extreme length he
might altogether have wdthdrawn. To enable this to be done,
and possibly to assist by this means the extraction of the breech
itself through the original orifice (which never entirely closed), an
attempt was made in 1835 to take off a portion of the screw with a
file
;
but after having cut it three parts through the operation was
interrupted, chiefly owing to the carelessness and indift'erence of
Captain Fretz, whose death occurred before the attempt could be
197
resumed. The piece of iron, on being removed after his decease, was
foimd to measure two and thi-ee-quarter inches in length, and weighed
two scruples more than two ounces and three quarters. A cast of
the breech and screw now forms No. 2790 amongst the deposits ol
the Medical Museum of Chatham.
The Wild Elephant, by Sir

James Emerson Tennent, page 90.
Thus after serving seventeen 3êars as a subaltern, I
succeeded to my company. This would be considered
an unendurable hardship in these days.
CHA.PTER IX.
In 1837 Sir John Wilson sent for me and informed me
that the Government had intimated to him that the
Surveyor-General and Civil Engineer's Department had
got into such inextricable confusion, and had become so
demoralised, that my services were required to take over
the duties of the department, if I could be spared. He
said the offer was a very complimentary one to me, and
that he left it entirely to my own decision to accept the
appointment or not, but advised me to have nothing to
do with it.
As a member of the Government, he of course knew
more than I could know, and he warned me that there
would be extreme danger in identifying myself in any
way with the concern. I told him I would rather the
appointment had not been offered to me, for I had
become aware of much that was objectionable and wrong
in the practice of the department ; but that having been
called upon to act, I could not show any unwillingness
to assist the Government, nor allow it to be inferred that
I was afraid of the responsibility. If the difficulties
proved to be great, I hoped I should gain the greater
credit if I succeeded.
This, I maintain, is the principle which should influ-
ence every young officer, to court rather than to shun,
difficulties and responsibilities. That I succeeded in a
most ungracious and very unsatisfactory task the Right
Honourable Stewart Mackenzie bore testimony to in
1839 and 1840.
Cojû of
the 21.si Paragraph
of
the Hon. the Arthuj Colonial Secre-
tanfs Letter to Captain Skinner, the Acting Ciril Engineer
and Surveyor General, dated 15th January 1839.
In conclusion, I am directed to convey to you the Governor's
entire approval of the zeal, discretion, and ability with which,
under most irksome and least satisfactory circumstances, you have
conducted the department over which you preside ; and His
Excellency looks with confidence to your carrying into effect the
modifications now decided on with firmness and decision.
Extract from the Address
of His E.rccllency the Governor the Right
Hon. Stewart Mackenzie, to the Legislative Coimcil, in January 1840.
His presence* alone prevents me from bearing testimony to the
unwearied activity of the Acting Surveyor General, to the entire
inadequacy of his means to overtake all that under the names of
Surveyor General and Civil Engineer would be expected from him.
That he has performed a most ungracious, and a very unsatis-
factory work, during his tenure of these combined offices, most
zealously, I can bear most ample testimony were it necessary.
The Right Honourable Stewart Mackenzie assumed
the government on the 7th November 1837, Sir Robert
Wilmot Horton having left Ceylon on the 15th Novem-
NoTE.
Captain Skinner being a Member of the Council.
ber of that year. In him I lost a much-valued, but, I
fear, a very partial friend. Before he left he planned a
most delightful trip for me to England, where I was to
stay with him and have the use of his stables ; indeed,
he seemed to think he could never do enough for me.
Shortly after his return to England he wrote to Lord
Hill a letter about me, of which he sent me a copy. It
is a strong proof of the goodness of his heart.
Fruin the Eight Hon. Sir R. W. Horton, Bart., to Lord Hill,
Commander-in-Chief. Copy foricarded by the former to Capt.
Skinner, after his (Sir B. W. H.'s) retirement from,
the
Government
of
Ceylon.
Cavendish Square, 7th June 1838.
My Dear Lord Hill,
Forgive my requesting you to read my enclosure, which is a
letter sent to me the day I left Ceylon, by Capt. Skinner, of the
Ceylon Eifle Eegiment ; he has been acting for some time as
Deputy Assistant Quartermaster-General. He was a great friend
and favourite of my predecessor, Sir Edward Barnes, as he was of
mine. His patron has unfortunately closed his brilliant career.
I am more encouraged, therefore, to record that I, who know him
well, have the highest opinion of Captain Skinner's heart, head,
and attainments, and if he had the opportunity of distinguishing
himself in his profession, I think, unless checked by a bullet, his
success might be warranted. He is now acting for the absent
Civil Engineer and Surveyor General. My object in Avriting this
letter to your Lordship, is to put my opinion of Capt. Skinner on
record with you ;
begging you to remember that there is such an
Officer who will, in my judgment, do honour to any promotion
which he may obtain, or to any position in which he may be
placed.
Believe me, my dear Lord,
Yours, &c.,
(Signed) E. W. Horton.
During 1838-9 I had, as may be inferred, very
hard work, but am most thankful to add I found
time to marry. My wife was a daughter of General
Burrell.
*******
In August 1839 I was directed to accompany the
Governor, the Eight Honourable Stewart Mackenzie,
on a tour to the Eastern Provinces, and, to my surprise,
found I was to be His Excellency's only attendant. We
drove the first stage to Matella, and next morning, the
5th August, we started in our saddles for Nalande
;
breakfasted there, and in the afternoon, or about mid-
day, left that station for Dambool. The heat was
something terrible ; had we galloped through it, it would
have been much less overpowering than the walk to
which the Governor chose to confine his pace. I do
not know that I ever experienced a much more trying
day. At about 2 o'clock, when nearly mid-way between
the two stations, the Governor half fell, half shd from
his horse on to the road, where he lay in the burning
heat of the sun. There was no shade near to which I
could remove him, but there was, fortunately, a little
rivulet crossing our path, beside which I placed him
;
bathed his head and kept him quiet for an hour or two
;
but how I was to get him over the other seven miles of
our journey, or what was to happen when we reached
Dambool, were matters of painful uncertainty. It seemed
even doubtful if I should be able to get him into the
saddle again. It was rather a
"
fix," for the country
was most desolate, the road being practically only a
bridle path, and the nearest European resident twenty-
one miles off
!
To sleep out at night in our condition would to a
certainty have given us both fever, and it was evident
Mr. Stewart Mackenzie was suffering from a cou]) de
soleil, the effect of which who could foretell ? I kept
him quiet as long as I thought it safe ; but, at length,
when I proposed to start for Dambool, the question
arose as to how far he was capable of riding. We got
him on his horse with some little difficulty, and our two
horse-keepers walked one on either side supporting him.
We reached Dambool in the cool of the evening a little
after dark, and, as the sun set and the temperature fell,
His Excellency seemed to rally. I got him at once to
bed, and administered a cooling draft. He slept very
fairly during the night, and, when I awoke him between
three and four in the morning, being anxious to proceed
on our journey before the sun was very high and the
heat oppressive, he seemed much better, and was bent
on pushing on to Galle Oya, which was 23^
miles
further.
I was rejoiced to find the Governor capable of accele-
rating his pace a little
;
but, unfortunately, it was too
apparent that his brain was affected by the sunstroke,
for he talked occasionally very incoherently. In three
days after this event we reached Trincomalie, where I
was glad to find my father-in-law. Colonel Burrell, com-
manding the 18th Royal Irish, and a relative, Sir
Frederick Maitland, who was stationed there with his
flag-ship, H.M.S. WeUesleij.
I dreaded my return journey with His Excellency to
Kandy, but knowing that he was tied to time, having
to attend an important meeting of Council within
a few days, I managed to get him home on the
fifth day, glad enough to be relieved of the responsi-
bility.
Amongst my old papers I have found a copy of a
letter addressed to Mr. Stewart Mackenzie, dated 11th
August 1840. It is so prophetic of events to be
realised in due course of time that I shall insert it
here.
Ambagamuwa.
My Dear Sir, 11th August, 1840.
I am very sorry that your Excellency's letter of the 1st
instant has remained so long unanswered. I received it on the
eve of my departure from Colombo, and being destined for this
place, as there are points in it that I could only reply to by infor-
mation which I expected to receive here, I ventured to defer the
acknowledgment of it till now. On my arrival here on the 7th, I
found that both the Surveyors, Mr. Bagenall and Mr. Sargent, from
whom I made inquiries as to the lands which had already been
appropriated m this vicinity, had gone down to Palampettia
with Captain Lillie, and it was only last evening that I met them.
He gave me such a sweeping list of lots applied for, that I feel it
would be quite hopeless my attempting to describe them to you.
I will therefore request Mr. Norris to send your Excellency a copy
of the general sketch of the whole, which I understand he has,
and by which you will perceive that the margin of the Great
Wilderness of the Peak (in this particular direction) is tolerably
well allotted.
I am sorry that Anstruther and Wodchousc arc so late in the
field, for I should have preferred seeing them in this neighbour-
hood, instead of either of the two, for which the latter has such a
predilection, viz. Ballangoddi and on the ascent to the Peak from
Ratnapura. I fear they will both (and all the south-western falls
of the great mountain zone) be too much exposed to the violence of
the south-west monsoon winds, and at the elevation they would
require for coftee would be subject to continued fogs for seven or
eight months out of the twelve.
Ballangoddi has the additional disadvantage that it is thirty
miles from water carriage by a most impracticable native path
along which a loaded bullock could not travel, and the lands they
might select may possibly be ten or twelve miles off this road.
This is a grave matter, selecting a site for an estate on which
parties seem determined to go ahead, at the pace A. and W. seem
bent on. Mr. Tumour's land here is that piece which your Ex-
cellency went over after a five o'clock breakfast on the banks of
the Attella Oya, where you may remember was a pretty little
waterfall. It is described by all who have seen it as the finest
piece of land in all this neighbourhood. I suspect we saw the
worst portions of it on that occasion. Mr. Carr's and my land is
the sloping forest on the right bank (within the eJbow) of the
Mahavilla Ganga, the villages of Ambegamoa being our northern
boundary
;
but as regards relative positions of this and other
estates
(!!!)
Mr. Norris's surveying sketch will explain them
better than I can. I have asked him to send you a copy of it.
With all these purchases and applications, the demand for land
appears to be just as insatiable as ever, while the general cry is
"
Where shall we go to look for land
?"
In vain I proclaim that
there is a choice of between 200,000 and 300,000 acres of the
finest forest land in Ceylon within the Wilderness of the Peak,
possessing in the most eminent degree every requisite of soil and
climate, far above anything to be found on these outskirts of it.
"
How are we to get at it ?
"
is the not unnatural sequence, for
although I have spent many dreary months in it, and there is not
a valley I have not traversed, nor a feature, from the highest point
of which, and from the top of the highest tree to be foimd on it, I
have not attempted to sketch in my reconnaisance, I know that
many a man might dive into the depth of 500 square miles of
unbroken pathless forest, who would never find his way out of it
again.
Will you. Sir, just open your map and look at the distance
between Kotmalie Valley and Ballangoddi, and consider that by
opening a bridle path, and building two small temporary Rest
Houses between those places, you would open out a country such
as has not yet been presented to the capitalist ; a large area of
land with a climate more like that of Southern Europe than a
region within
7
or
8
of the equator, and in which I believe may
be produced most European vegetation.
I respectfully urge upon your Excellency that the object is well
worthy of the triHing outlay it will cost. I leave out of the
question the great advantage which would result from establishing
a direct communication between the central and southern pro-
vinces of the island. Instead of, as is now the case, a traveller
being compelled to go round the base of the mountains, descending
from Kandy to Pallapany, thence by Ruwanwella and Ballangoddi,
or if by the eastward, then over the highest mountains of the
country Nuwara Elliya, and thence by one of the three following
passes, viz. Gallagamwa, Idulgashenia, or between that and
Allipot.
I feel pretty confident that I might offer to open a 5-feet path,
build and furnish the two Eest Houses, from the proceeds of the
sale of land along the line during the first six months after it was
opened. I trust your Excellency will excuse me if I am permitting
myself to address you too freely on this subject : I feel intensely
interested in it. AYlio can view this exquisite scenery, enjoy this
perfect climate (at i^resent the thermometer is between
67
and
68) without feeling that it would be conferring a blessing upon
humanity to be the means of removing some 20,000 of the panting,
half-famished creatures from the burning, sandy plains of Southern
India to such (comparative) paradise ; benefiting not only them,
the colony, the individual by means of whose capital they would be
brought here, but also our own native Singhalese people inhabiting
the margin of this wilderness, living as they now are like monkeys,
for safety compelled to hide in places scarcely accessible to man,
to render their dwelling inaccessible to elephants. Many totally
unable to cultivate a grain of paddy, or to procure a morsel of salt,
would find themselves attracted to a new centre within this, at
present, trackless wilderness, which (although I have often been
jeered at for stating it), I advisedly repeat, is destined ere long to
become the garden of Ceylon, such a garden as has not entered
into the mind of us Pioneers to conceivea garden of European as
206
well as of tropical productions, peopled with Eiiropean as with
Asiatic faces.
To facilitate this desirable end, I plead for a bridle path as the
first requisite.
Hard work and privation have endeared the Wilderness of the
Peak to me. I have often had rough work in it, crossing flooded
rivers, and living on edible roots and plants, which the Singhalese,
familiar with forests, alone could have selected
;
but my last two
months and a half work in it were the most trying, from continued
insufficiency of food. I reached Adam's Peak as light of baggage
as could be, hoping to be able to get some fowls up from Ratnapura.
My messengers returned with only five ; three died on their journey
up, from cold and wet, the remaining two had to be killed on
arrival to
"
save
"
their lives. They all in due course found their
way into curries, and I could not discover which had yielded to
the sharpness of cold, or which to that of steel.
They constituted the only animal food I had during the ten
weeks when, working every hour against time, I accomplished my
task, having worked up to the top of Pedrotallagalle before the
monsoon
burst, and I have thought well of the sustaining pro-
perties of boiled rice ever since.
I hope, when you next visit Colombo, Sir, you will be so kind as
to spare us half an hour or an hour of your time to preside at a
meeting of the subscribers of the Barnes Testimonial : we have
sent home 610, and have 150 now. If you will be so kind as
to let me know when it will be convenient to you to meet the
subscribers, the committee will call a meeting. It is a fact of
some importance that during the late season of almost unparalleled
sickness and mortality in other parts of the island, this district
has been quite healthy.
I remain your Excellency's faithful servant,
(Signed) T. Skinner.
207
CHAPTER X.
In 1840 the Surveyor G-eneral returned to the colony
and resumed his office. I therefore rejoined my own
department, and was happy to take the field again.
During the years I had been doing duty for the
Surveyor General, my friend, Captain Philip
Payne
Gallwey, of the 90th Regiment, had acted most
efficiently for me, and did a great deal in the way of
field work and triangulation.
Our work was professedly rough. Our instruments
were old and rickety, and it was only by repeating
our
angles almost indefinitely and taking their mean that
we could neutralise their errors. When, however,
Gallwey and I connected our work, his from the north
by the eastern coast, and mine from the central pro-
vinces, in a triangle of sides of upwards of sixty miles,
our intersections at Hambantotte were so near that the
error could only be just appreciated with the fine point
of the bow compass. For all practical purposes surely
this was near enough !
When the Surveyor General's Department, with the
advantage of numerous first-rate scientific assistants,
with the best modern instruments, and unfettered in
regard of expense, re-measured our base of verification
upwards of five miles in the Kadarame Gardens, they
found their computation of its length differed from ours
only in the 5th decimal of the logarithm, showing a
variation of but a few inches.
In 1840 the officers of the public service ran wild in re
coffee-planting. As pioneers they were encouraged,
to the ruin of many ; for though one or two had been
very successful, others lost heavily by embarking in an
enterprise of which they were perfectly ignorant. Sir
W. 0. Carr, the chief justice, and myself went into
partnership. Our estate had only just come into bear-
ing when the protective duties in Ceylon were removed,
and the price our produce realised fell from upwards of
100s. the cwt. to 45s., the latter sum being the cost of
production on the estate.
In 1841 the unfortunate Civil Engineer and Surveyor
General's Department again became disorganized, and I
was requested by the Governor to take over charge of
the roads and bridges of the colony, in the keeping up
of which by far the largest amount of expenditure of
the department occurred. My appointment was con-
firmed by the Secretary of State, and I hence-
forward became a civilian, though it was not till six
years later that I finally left the military service.
In 1845 I applied for an increase of salary, finding
X'800 a year inadequate recompense for the labour and
responsibility of my office. My request was backed by
the Governor and granted by the Secretary of State in
rather flattering terms.
Extract
from a Despatch from His ExceUency Sir Colin Campbell,
to the Right Hon. the Secretary
of State, No. 164, of August
14,
1845.
Captain Skinner's Memorial deserves my warmest support. The
labour and responsibility which attach to the office of Commissioner
of Eoads are very great, and hourly on the increase, from the
number of new roads now required to be opened and the increased
traffic on the old lines. To Capt. Skinner personally the Colony is
much indebted for his indefatigable exertions
;
and I am happy to
add my testimony to those already borne by my predecessors to his
merits.
Colonial Secretary's
Office,
Colombo, 2nd February, 1846.
Sir,
I am directed to acquaint you that the Governor has received
from the Secretary of State authority to increase your salary from
800 to 1,000 per annum, and that this augmentation will take
place from 1st February, 1846. I am at the same time directed to
acquaint you that this augmentation was recommended by his
Excellency, and conferred by his Lordship, as a special recognition
of the zeal and fidelity with which you have, for so many years,
discharged the duties of your office
;
and that it is not to be
continued to your successor.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
Captain T. Skinner. J. Emerson Tennent.
Extract from a Desjiatch from His Excellency Sir Colin Campbell,
to the Right Hon. the Secretary
of
State, No. 71, April
13,
1847.
I have to communicate to your Lordship the retirement of Major
Skinner from the Rifle Corps of Ceylon, by the sale of his Commis-
sion, after twenty-eight years' service. This step has been taken
14
by him with my ready concurrence, in order to secure a continu-
ance of his services as Commissioner of Roads, of which the
Colony was on the point of being deprived by the removal of his
regiment to Hong Kong.
He has filled that office entirely to my satisfaction ever since its
formation in September, 1841
;
and previously he had been em-
ployed for upwards of twenty years in the construction of roads,
and the prosecution of surveys, and similar scientific operations
throughout every district of the Island. His knowledge of the
Colony, therefore, and his experience in his own department are so
extensive, that in the event of his departure it would have been
impossible for me to have found an Officer in the Colony adequate
to undertake and discharge his duties with efficiency. His appoint-
ment as Commissioner of Roads was approved of by the Secretary
of State in January 1842, and his salary fixed at 800 per annum,
which was subsequently increased to 1,000, in cousideration of
the zeal, fidelity, and ability with which he has conducted his duties.
I applied for leave to visit England in 1848, after
twenty-three years service. During a good deal of that
time my work had been of the most laborious and
exposed character. On leaving the island my friends
the principal native chiefs
presented me with the

following most kind address
:
Address from
the Maha Modelair, Modelairs
of
the Governor's
Gate, and
of
the Attepattoo,''' &c., to Major Skinner, Ceylon
Civil Service, on his departure from Ceylon on leave
of
absence.
Sir,
Colombo, 6th May, 1848.
We the undersigned cannot suffer you to leave this Island,
though temporarily, without embracing this opportunity to evince
our high sense of your worth, and to express our feelings of regret
at your departure from among us.
*
The Maha Modelair is the highest Native Authority in Ceylon. Modelairs
of the Governor's Gate are the nest in rank to the ]Maha Modelair. Modelairs
of the Attepatto are the third Grade, being Chiefs of Provinces and Districts,
after whoin follow Mohottears, Mohandrums, and many other subordinate
ranks.
Various, indeed, have been the occasions on which we experienced
your truly Hberal and friendly offices towards us
;
and, when we
consider that you commenced your career amongst us under the
auspices of the late lamented Sir Edward Barnes, it is consolatory
to reflect upon the past, and, as the result of such reflections, to
state that in your intercourse with us you have always, after the
example set by that distinguished personage, taken the warmest
interest in the welfare of the Singalese community, in which we
have been some among the many who received incontrovertible
proofs of that liberality of sentiment which has characterized you
at all times ; and the anxious solicitude for our welfare, which you
have manifested both in your public and private capacity.
It is unnecessary on our part to say one word regarding your
public servicesthere is, and can be, but one opinion as regards
the immense public benefits which you have conferred upon the
inhabitants of this Island, by the zealous performance of your
duties. Suffice it, however, to say, that having at heart the wel-
fare of the native population of this Island, you have, in the
prosecution of those duties, ever been anxious to promote our
interests.
Permit us, then, to express our grateful and heartfelt thanks to
you, and also a sincere hope that we shall, ere long, have the
felicity to welcome you and your family's return, with renovated
health for renewed exertions, to a scene of truly useful and
invaluable labours in this Island.
Wishing you a happy voyage to your native land, and from
thence back to Ceylon,
We beg to subscribe ourselves. Sir,
Your most obliged and obedient Servants,
(Signed)
E, D. Saram, Maha Modelair.
J. L. Pereka, Modelair of the Governor's Gate.
Don Solomon Dias Bandaranaycke, Modelair of the Governor's
Gate.
S.
De Livera, Modelair of the Governor's Gate, and of the
Hewagam Corle.
J. L. PiERis, Attepattoo Modelair of the Western Province.
]4
*
D. D. Alwis, Modelair of His Excellency's Gate, and First
Interpreter of the Supreme Court.
J. G. Perera, Modelair of the Salpetty Corle.
T. G. C, PiERis, Mohandrum of the Attepattoo.
J. A. Pbrera, Mohottear of the Attepattoo.
David De Alwis, Modelair of the Eygam, Corle, and Caltura
District.
Jas. De Alwis, Proctor of the Supreme Court.
L. De Lewera, First Modelair of the Attepattoo.
H. Perera, Modelair of Pasdom Corle.
D. B. F. Obeyesekera, Modelair of Talpay Pattoo.
D. C. H. Bandaranaike
, Mohandrum of His Excellency's
Gate.
D. D. D'Lewera, Modelair of the Governor's Gate.
Thos. Dias, Mohandrum of the Government Agent's Office.
Franciscus De Lewera, Mohandrum of the Attepattoo.
D. J. D'Silva, Modelair of the Attepattoo.
V. D. Saram, Modelair of His Excellency's Gate.
D. H. Dassenaike, Modelair of the Adicary, and Medepattoo
of the Sina Corle, and Modelair of the Attepattoo.
J. D. SiLVA, Mohandrum of His Excellency's Gate.
H. D'Alwis, Modelair.
J. H. PiERiEs, Modelair.
P. M. W. PlERIES.
J. A. Perera.
J. H. Perera.
D. C. P. DiAs, Interpreter of the Court of Bequests, Colombo.
D. J. Dias, Mohandrum of His Excellency's Gate.
C. M. D. SivENA, Mohandrum of the Government Agent's
Department, Colombo.
I had not been long in England before the news
arrived of an insurrection having broken out in Cejlon.
I was at the time living in Northumberland, not far
from Howick, and Lord Grey, who was then Secretary
of State for the Colonies, wrote to inform me of the
intelligence he had received, and asked me if I had had
any letters on the subject. I replied that I had not
;
but that I was not at all surprised to hear such news,
inasmuch as I had, nearly twelve months before, warned
Lord Torrington, the then Governor, and the members
of his executive, that a revolt was imminent.
I told Lord Grey that the scene of disaffection
must be in the districts of the Seven Korles and
Matella, where, before I left Ceylon, I had predicted it
was pretty certain to occur, owing to the misgovernment
of those districts. In my periodical visits there I had
witnessed a rapidly-increasing discontent amongst the
natives
;
but I was not supposed to be as well informed
of the internal state of the country as the presiding
local judicial and revenue authorities were. Many of
the chiefs, however, who had known me for years, were
far more communicative with me than they were with
their own immediate superiors.
My warnings had been disregarded, and this out-
break was the unfortunate result. A long Parliamen-
tary inquiry was the consequence, which ended in Lord
Torrington's recall, and the removal from the colony
of Sir James Emerson Tennent and Sir Philip Wode-
house ; but Lord Torrington, who had arrived in the
Colony only in 1847, could hardly be held responsible
for a social disorganization which had its origin at a
date long antecedent to his assuming the Government.
It was fortunate that Tennent and Wodehouse were
emancipated from the contracted sphere of their ser-
vices in Ceylon to broader fields for ambition. A more
able and independent administrator than Sir Philip
Wodehouse I do not believe the Colonial or Indian
Office bear upon their rolls.
MEMORANDUM with referetice to the past and in-esent Social
Condition
of
the Native Populatio7i
of
Ceylon. By Major
Skinner, and referred to in his Evidence, before a Select
Committee
of
the House
of
Commons.
July 1849.
The coast of Ceylon has been more or less in the possession of
European powers for the last three centuries ; their permanent
authority, however, scarcely ever extended beyond a few miles from
the sea-shore imtil 1815, when the Kandian territory fell to our
arms. The rebellion of 1817 and 1818 kept the country in so
unsettled a condition, that we cannot be said to lay claim to the
uninterrupted possession of the whole island for more than the
last thirty-one years.
In endeavouring to trace the effect of our government on this
interesting country and its population, I will divide this period of
thirty years into three eras, during which, respectively, I have
observed the most marked changes in the social condition of the
people.
The folloAving Officers have administered the Government during
this period
:
First Era,
6 years
Second Era,
14 years
Third Era,
Hi
years
To Feb. 1820
1822
Nov. 1822
Jan. 1824
Oct. 1831
J831
Nov. 1837
April 1841
,, 1847
May 1847
1849
Sir Robert Brownrigg'''
Sir Edward Barnes .
Sir Edward Paget
Sir James Campbell .
Sir Edward Barnes
Sir J. Wilson .
Sir Robert Horton
]\Ir. Stewart INIackeuzie
Sir Colin Campbell
Sir J. E. Tennent
Lord Torrington
215
Sir Robert Brownrigg's attention, for the two years from the
suppression of the rebellion of 1818 to the date of his handing over
the government to Sir Edward Barnes, was sufficiently occupied in
the restoration of order and in systematizing the machinery of
government for the recently conquered provinces, the population of
many districts of which had been reduced to a condition of extreme
wretchedness by their prolonged struggle to expel us from their
mountain fastnesses.
The task of organization had, however, been sufficiently accom-
plished by the date of Sir Robert Browrigg's departure, to admit
of Sir Edward Barnes at once proceeding with those works which
his judgment pronounced to be the first and most necessary step
to secure our possession of the country, and to remove from the
minds of its inhabitants any idea which the disaffected might be
encouraged to entertain of their ability to drive us from it, and,
above all, for the development of the resources of our newly
acquired possessions.
So inaccessible were the interior districts at this time that Kandy
was only approachable by narrow jungle paths, so steep and rugged
as to be quite impassable for any description of vehicle, and often
dangerous as a bridle path. Commissariat supplies, and ammu-
nition, &c,, &c., were from necessity carried, to the capital and
numerous outposts of the interior, on men's backs.
With such energy and judgment, however, did Sir Edward
Barnes proceed, that within twelve months from the date of the
order for surveying and tracing his new roads, one line of eighty-
four miles, from Colombo, through the principal grain district, to
Kandy, was so far opened, and his transport department so com-
plete, that his supplies for troops and his post were conveyed by
wheels to Kandy with ease and celerity.
The means employed in the construction of the first 200 miles
of road by Sir Edward Barnes were a splendid body of pioneers
which he raised, such of the native troops as could be spared for
and were adapted to the work, and the gratuitous labour of the
inhabitants, which, according to their own laws, they were compelled
to render to the State.
The machinery of the native executive in the interior, established
on the suppression of the native government, was composed
generally of the headmen who served under their late king
;
and.
no doubt, in calling out the regulated quota of the population for
the public works, the same partiality and bribery prevailed which
was known to have existed under their own government ; every
pains were, however, taken to guard against abuses, and the works
were prosecuted with such vigour that the period during which there
existed the gi-eatest demand for compulsory labour was of short
duration, while the effective result of the labour, in the benefit it
conferred on the country, compensated, as much as anything could
do, for the exercise of so arbitrary a power. Although those roads
of Sir Edward Barnes were surveyed, traced, and opened, through a
closely wooded, mountainous country, with a rapidity which allowed
no time for the correction of errors, they fortunately exhibit no
mistakes
;
they have mainly contributed to raise the colony to the
importance she has attained, and on them she is still dependent.
After administering the government for two years, in February
1822, Sir Edward Barnes handed it over to Sir Edward Paget;
who, in November of the same year, gave it over to Sir J. Campbell,
by whom it was retained until Sir Edward Barnes's return, in
January 1824. During the absence of the latter from the Colony,
every effort was made by the two officers who held the government
in the interval to advance the works which had been commenced
in 1820 ; during the progress of these operations, with our com-
paratively imperfect knowledge of the country, and with a people
too timid, and too recently overawed by the force of arms, to ofi'er
resistance, much injustice and oppression may have been endured.
The cholera and small-pox made their first visitation to the country
about the year 1820, and swept oft" great numbers in the interior
;
they were considered as the visitations of Providence for their
treachery to our government. All things, in fact, combined to
make these first six years, from 1818 to 1823 inclusive, a period of
great depression and suffering to the Singhalese population.
Within what I have denominated the second era of my acquaint-
ance with Ceylon are comprised the second government of Sir
Edward Barnes and that of Sir Eobert Horton, from January
1824 to October 1837, nearly fourteen years, during the first ten of
which nothing could exceed the contented, happy condition of the
people. The native population, sensible of the benefits he had
conferred on their country, hailed with joy Sir Edward Barnes's
return to resume the government ; he continued progressively to
perfect the several works which in 1820 (when Lieutenant-
governor) he had commenced. Rajakara, or the gratuitous services
of the people, he availed himself of with moderation, particularly
in those districts wherein the greatest efforts had been made by its
means since 1820. His personal intercourse with the official head-
men and chiefs, and their families, was frequent ; his conduct
towards them was kind and encouraging, evincing an interest even
in their private and domestic aft'airs, all tending to uphold their
respectability and influence, while his knowledge of every district,
and his frequent progresses through them, induced every member
of his government, whether in the metropolitan or rural districts,
to exercise the same line of conduct towards the natives, and com-
pelled them to acquire the most intimate knowledge of the country,
to prevent their appearing less informed than he was himself ; he
had no fears that the authority and influence of the native chiefs
would be exercised prejudicially, and by protecting and upholding
it, strengthened his own government and preserved order in all
classes of society. His government was characterized by its decision
and great energy
;
during the early part of it, he was compelled to
exact much gratuitous service from the people, still he won the
affections of all classes to his person, and their attachment to his
government ; his name is honoured throughout the land, as well by
peasant as by chief. A handsome statue has been erected at
Colombo to his memory, although, owing to delays in England, it
was not sent out until seventeen years after he had ceased to exer-
cise authority in the country. On its erection natives from all
districts flocked to it ; during the night, offerings were so frequently
left at its base that we were obliged to enclose it with a railing to
prevent its being converted into an idol. I mention this fact, as
evidence that there is not that deficiency of gratitude and want of
feeling, on the part of the natives, of which they are sometimes
accused.
The first supposed interruption to the contentment and loyalty of
the Kandian population occurred in 1884, towards the close of which
reports of disaffection in some of the districts were made to
Government, with such precision and minuteness of detail as
regarded the time and mode, and such exaggeration as regarded
the means of an intended attack, that on the night on which it was
said the preparations were completed by the rebels in Kandy, and
218 FIFTY YEAUS IN CEYLON.
on the eve of the supposed insurrection, the troops were turned out
in silence, and at a given signal before daylight certain officers, of
whom I was one, were told ofif for the apprehension of the most
influential chiefs and priests. Government supposing, from the
information it had received, that the temples and houses of the
the chiefs were prepared for resistance
;
each officer was provided
with a military party. My own inglorious office was the seizure of
the lirst adigar,
"
Molligodde," in whose walawa (or palace) there
was such an entire absence of preparation, either offensive or
defensive, that the martial array by which we were supported
(suggested by the false and exaggerated information on which
Government had acted) gave to the whole affair, when dayhght
dawned upon it, a character of extreme burlesque.
Molligodde, however (with certain others), was tried for high
treason
;
was acquitted
;
he has since died from the effects of
intemperance, a vice acquired in his European intercourse. His
son, a fine youth of about 21 years of age, has fallen a victim to
the same propensity, and the name of a once high and powerful
family is now extinct.
My own impressions have been that the reports of this intended
insurrection were wilfully exaggerated by informers, who hoped by
their zeal and the importance of their information to ingratiate
themselves with Government. The result of the State trials, at
the beginning of 1835, was seriously to impair the influence and
authority of Government in the minds and affections, of the
people.
With the exception of this supposed intended insurrectionary
movement, things went on very prosperously. Government gave
many substantial proofs of the liberality of its policy.
It abolished its right to exact compulsory gratuitous labour, or
Eajakara, from the people. A new charter of justice was pro-
claimed. Newly organized councils (executive and legislative)
were established
;
savings banks opened ; entire liberty conceded
to the press ; while liberal means were assigned for and great
encouragement given to the education of the natives
;
so that,
altogether, the fourteen years between 182-4 and 1887 inclusive
may be said to have been looked upon as an era of prosperity and
happiness to the people.
There was, however, a marked difference between the paternal
FIFTY YFABS IN CEYLON. 211>
character of Sir EdAvard Barnes's Government and that of Su*
Robert Horton's, and Avith each sncceedmt,' Government that
character has, unfortunately, been more widely departed from.
Sir E. B. saw in the position of a newly conquered, jealous people,
and in the character of the varied population of the country, a
necessity for -winning the affections of the people, and of gaining
their attachment to our institutions by kindness and conciliation,
and by evincing, what in truth he felt, a personal interest in the
individual and collective prosperity of the various classes of
society.
The tliird era or division of the period I am glancing over
embraces the eleven years from 1888 to 1848 inclusive. Mr.
Stewart Mackenzie governed the colony for three and a half years,
Sir Colin Campbell for six years, and Lord Torrington for two
years.
During these eleven years a great change has occurred in the
whole aspect of the affairs of the colony
;
the social condition of its
people has been no less affected by it than has been its commercial
importance.
While granting some of these changes are doubtless of a salutary
nature, it is a subject of humiliating regret that on the mass of
society they have had a contrary and demoralizing tendency.
Amongst the causes which have led to this result must be enume-
rated the vice of intemperance, into which the people have been
led, the demoralizing effects of the sudden influx of enormous
capital, and the encouragement to indulge in the most litigious
spirit which ever afflicted the taste of a people. While these evils
have been operating on the social condition of the people,
unfortunately the authority of the Government and native execu-
tive has been exerting but very feeble counteracting influences.
That the vice of intemperance has become an. enormous evil, and
that it is rapidly gaining ground, there is left no room for doubt. A I
revenue of between 50,000 and 60,000 a year is derived from the
sale of arrack farms. Renters purchase from Go\'ernment the
monopoly of the taverns of a district ; the conditions requiring the
renter not to sell his spirits under 4s. a gallon, he purchasing it
from the distillers at an average of Is. 2d. a gallon. The competi-
tion for these arrack farms is so great that they are seldom sold
much under their value. It is, of course, the object of the renter
to sub-let as many of these taverns as possible
;
they are established
in every district, almost in every village of any size throughout the
interior, often to the great annoyance of the inhabitants, and in
opposition to the headmen. To give the people a taste for the use
of spirits, it is often, at first, necessary to distribute it gratuitously,
the tavern-keepers well knowing that, with the use, the abuse of the
indulgence follows as a certainty. I have known districts, of the
population of which, some years ago, not one in a hundred could
be induced to taste spirits, where drunkenness now prevails to such
an extent that villagers have been known to pawn their crops upon
the ground to tavern-keepers for arrack. We know the train of
evils which are the inevitable consequences of intemperance in the
most highly civilized societies
;
but deprive the poor uncivilized,
uneducated native of his great redeeming virtue of sobriety, and
you cast him adrift at once, an unresisting victim to all the vices of
humanity.
Government, by the temptmg item of its revenue derivable from
the arrack farms, has been induced tacitly to allow, if it has not,
through its agents, positively encouraged the use of spirits through-
out the land ; it justifies itself by the (intended) restrictive price,
imder wiiich rate it forbids it to be sold by retail. It would have
been more consistent with the duty of a paternal Government to
have limited the number of taverns in the rural districts, or, at
least, not to have allowed them to be forced upon the people
against their wish.
It is during the last eleven years that the influx of European
capital, and the extensive cultivation of coffee, has thrown a large
amount of specie into circulation in the interior
;
I think it is esti-
mated at three millions sterling. As a very large portion of the
money has been paid in specie for labour, it followed that tempta-
tions to, and examples of intemperance, and vice of every kind
were rife
;
the most profligate of the low country Singhalese flocked
from the maritime provinces into the interior, and spread far and
wide their contaminating influences over a previously sober,
orderly, honest race. Robberies and bloodshed became familiar
to the Kandyan, in districts where a few years before any amount
of property would have been perfectly safe in the open air.
The Superintendent of Police, a very shrewd observer, whose
official duties afforded him the means of possessing the best
ilFTY YEARS IN CEYLON. 221
information on the subject, not long since assured me that what
with law, proctors, and intemperance, there would not, ere long,
unless the present state of things was changed, be a respectable
Kandyan family left in the country. My own observations for
years past had, long before the date of this communication, brought
me to something of the same painful conclusion.
Probably in no people in the world does there exist so great a
love of litigation as in the Singhalese. It is much encouraged by,
if it does not altogether owe its existence, to the state of their law
of inheritance, by the result of which property has become so sub-
divided that the 120th share of a field, or the 99th share of a
small garden (containing perhaps not half-a-dozen trees), becomes
the fruitful source of legal contention. With their o'svn govern-
ment, the result of an appeal to law depended less upon the merits
of the case in dispute than upon the relative means and inclina-
tion of the parties to pay for a favourable decision
;
hence a law-
suit was too frequently the corrupt instrument of revenge in the
hands of the rich and powerful, where no better means of indulging
a vindictive spirit of animosity or tyranny presented itself. Wit-
nesses can, even in these days, be obtained for evidence of any
character. Perjury is made so complete a business, that cases are
as regularly rehearsed in all their various scenes by the professional
perjurer as a dramatic piece is at a theatre. So long as the courts
of the colony were more those of equity than law, and were
unclogged by quibbles and delays, this litigious spirit appeared to
be on the decline ; the presidmg judge sifted his own evidence,
and if he possessed a knowledge of the character of the people, a
fictitious case was less easily
"
got up
"
than it can be now.
The prevailing system of our little district courts admits of the
proctors feeding upon their clients for years. I have repeatedly, at
uncertain intervals, been summoned to attend a district court as a
witness in a case which had been before the court ten or eleven
years. On my appearing in obedience to my summons to give
evidence, I have been told that the case was again postponed
;
and
so I conclude it Avill continue to be deferred, until by the death or
departure from the country of the most important of the defendant's,
witnesses it may be found expedient to press for a decision of the
case.
I have seen instances wherein the judicial stamps have far
exceeded the value of the case under adjudication, and which by
numberless vexatious postponements have been protracted over a
period of many years, to the ruin of both plaintiff and defendant;
the proctors by their fees, and the Government by the sale of
judicial stamps, being the only gainers.
If private individuals have suffered from the nature and system
of our law courts. Government has been no less victimised
;
their
cases are postponed for years, and the unsuccessful issue of their
suits is proverbial.
A tabular abstract of the business of the several district courts
of Ceylon, under the following heads, for the last five years, would
exhibit curious results
:
Case, when instituted.

Case, when decided.
Value of case under litigation.
Cost of stamps.
Number of postponements.
Number of cases on the books of the court.
These evils may, I hope, be in some degree mitigated
;
I shall
hereafter refer to the means by which I think it may be accom-
plished.
While the foregoing demoralizing influences have been operating
on the social condition of the people, the authority and moral
influence, both of European public servants and of the native
chiefs, have been sadly on the decline in too many of the districts.
With the introduction of the supposed endless stream of capital
which poured into the colony, simultaneously came a number of
European settlers of every grade and age, in the various capacities
of capitahsts, planters, agents, superintendents, overseers, &c., &c.
Amongst these were not a few whose habits and conduct tended
much to diminish the respect in which the English character had
previously been held by the natives
;
while a most fatal error com-
mitted by Government, in allowing its public servants to embark
in the seductive speculation of coffee, by placing too many of them
in the general category of
"
planters," weakened the moral
influence and authority which they previously possessed, no less
than it tended to circumscribe their pecuniary means of inde-
pendence and usefulness, and Anally, in too many instances,
ruined their finances. It also placed their interests in rivalry with
FIFTY YEAB8 IN CEYLON.
223
their duty, which in Ceylon (where so much depends on the indi-
vidual example, influence, and energy of the public functionary)
demands, and had previously received, their undivided attention
and time.
During the feverish excesses of this delusive speculation, little
could be thought of but the wealth and prosperity to which, by its
means, and the instrumentality of European capital, the colony
was to be raised. Money was abundant ; for a time the price of
coffee was remunerative. Trade was brisk, and the revenue
flourishing. It was no matter of surprise that, under these cir-
cumstances, few were to be found with sufficient boldness and
calculating foresight to predict anything like a doubt of the
boundless elasticity of our colonial prosperity.
As European capital was to accomplish such prodigies, it was
but a natural consequence that European interests should gain the
ascendency.
The natives, who had previously had comparatively little acquaint-
ance with the precious metal, during the last ten or eleven years
found it, in the coffee districts, pouring into the deep recesses of
their forests with a kind of Californian superfluity, and too fre-
quently accompanied with its attendant evils
;
the cultivation of
the staple article of food of the country (rice) declined
;
large tracts
of land were thrown out of cultivation, while in one province alone
was there to be seen any attempt to increase the means of irriga-
tion, or to extend or improve the cultivation of native productions.
Intercourse between the European local public functionaries and
the natives had become less frequent, while the native chiefs were
placed in a position anomalous and invidious for some years past.
A vague idea has j)revailed that their influence and authority has
been too great, and under an impression that it was necessarily
subversive of the stability and efficiency of our own authority, the
policy has been to allow it to decline, and without any avowed
determination to destroy it we have practically discouraged and
undermined it.
The authority and influence of the European over the native, to
be as general, effective, and beneficial as it ought to be, must
necessarily descend, railway-like, in an unbroken gradient from the
governing through the various grades of the governed, rather than
by abrupt leaps and disjointed falls. Masses of the machinery of
the social order cannot be cast off and heedlessly strewed in the
way witliout danger ; but we have placed the chiefs and headmen
(a most important fraction of that machinery) in a position in
which they are in various degrees calculated to impede, rather than
to facilitate, the progress of good Government; we have rendered
them discontented, their respectability, and influence (for good)
with the mass of the people is generally impaired, and they are
becoming alienated in feeling from the Government.
Under these circumstances, Society in its various, but especially
in the lower, grades has been (for the last ten or eleven years)
becoming demoralized, and so palpably so of late that it required
no great power of discrimination to predict, twelve months before it
manifested itself in open revolt, the anarchy to which some of the
districts were approaching.
In brief recapitulation, then, it may be said of the last thirty-one
years, that the first six were to the native population a period of
trial and depression ;
the next fourteen of contentment and pro-
sperity ;
the last eleven of a fictitious prosperity, as transient as it
was locally partial, of eventual bankruptcy to European capitalists,
and as regards the natives, of demoralization more or less in most,
endmg in anarchy in some districts.
While the causes I have referred to were hastening the native
population into various degrees of disorganization, want of inter-
course with, knowledge of, and sympathy in the people, kept many
of the local European functionaries so completely in the dark as
regarded their (the people's) social condition, that the warning
which I gave (twelve months before the late insurrection broke
out) of the state of anarchy to which the two rebellious districts
(Seven Korles and Matella) were approaching was disregarded, if
not disbelieved.
The same want of knowledge of the real state of public feeling
in the country appears to me to have excited exaggerated fears in
the Government when disorders overtook it, and prevented its
rightly distinguishing between the feelings which prompted the
people to meet in large, but orderly and peaceable assemblages, to
obtain information of the intentions and objects of Government
(the necessity for which explanation it was the duty of the local
officers to have anticipated), and those feelings which in other
districts urged the disaffected to open rebellion.
Had there existed less ignorance of the social condition of the
people, the late troubles might easily have been averted, even at
the eleventh hour ; while to that ignorance is to be attributed the
(in my humble judgment) exaggerated view taken of the nature
and extent of the disaffection, and the consequent severity of the
punishments inflicted on those implicated in the revolt. Although
amongst the latter were to be found headmen and priests, there
was that, in the nature of the whole affair, and in the character of
its ringleaders, to stamp it as the result of disorganization, and
inefficiency in the system and machinery of our executive Govern-
ment, rather than as originating from any general and serious dis-
affection of the people. Had the higher classes been the authors
of it, they would not have condescended to select as their leaders a
set of low country vagabonds, of inferior caste, for whom they
entertain the greatest possible repugnance and contempt.
I have known the Districts of Seven Korles and Matella, when
such was the deference and respect for the authority of Govern-
ment, and for its agents, that the mere suggestion of a wish, on
the part of the latter, would ensure the readiest and most cheerful
obedience from the entire population ; but unfortunately our
authority and influence have been most wantonly frittered away.
A year or two ago I visited the Seven Korles on a tour of duty,
when I found one of the principal headmen of the district obliged
to abandon his own village, and compelled to reside in the bazaar
of Kornegalle (the revenue, judicial, and police head-quarters of
the district), a mile beyond the precincts of which he dared not
ride, unless armed and protected by an European gentleman
;
ruffians, who had escaped from gaol, or had evaded the law, and
for whose apprehension rewards were advertised by Government,
had fortified the huts in which they were living at a short distance
from Kornegalle, and defied alike the Government agent, fiscal,
and native headmen, to capture them ; but a few years since, the
authority of an unarmed messenger would have sufficed for that,
or any other fiscal duty.
No stronger illustration need be adduced of the extent to which,
by local mismanagement and apathy, we have destroyed the
prestige of our own authority, and the influence of the native
chiefs.
But for the great sacrifice of life, liberty, and property which
15
have resulted from the late insurrection, it might be regarded
as a fortunate event, if by its means the Government has been
aroused to a sense of the defective system which produced it,
and which would finally have resulted in still more general
anarchy, had not the state of disorganization thus early developed
itself.
Lord Torrington has been blamed as the cause of the late insur-
rection
;
but with the general disorganization, which alone led to
the outbreak, his Lordship had no more to do than had any other
Peer of the Kealm. It was on the first month of his Lordship's
arrival in Ceylon, that on my return to the seat of Government,
from a long tour made by order of his predecessor, on a special
duty, as I have before stated, I pointed out the state of anarchy to
which I foresaw the Seven Korles and Matella districts were ap-
proaching, and represented the general disorganization which I
thought would result fi'om a perseverance in our existing system of
internal Government.
The nature of my duties compelling me to visit the various pro-
vinces and districts occasionally, almost periodically, the retro-
grade movement in the good feeling and order of the natives, in
most of the districts, has perhaps appeared to me, after intervals
of absence, in stronger relief than it may have done to the resident
civil functionary
;
but if those evils and dangers which I foresaw
were unobserved, or unrepresented by the local authorities, surely
bis Lordship (a perfect stranger to the country) must stand excused
that he should not have been inspired with an instinctive know-
ledge of the true condition and feeling of a people amongst whom
he had but just arrived.
The mischief done has been too progressive for the last ten or
twelve years to admit of degrees of responsibility for the result,
attachable to any particular Government, being defined
;
the errors
of omission have been as productive of evil, if not more so, than
those of commission.
The population of Ceylon amounts, it is conjectured (we have no
accurate census), to 1,500,000 ;
its area to about 24,000 square
miles, of which I should conjecturally estimate 18,000 are inhabited,
6,000 uninhabited.
There are six provinces of unequal area and population.
To each province there is a Government Agent (political and
revenue), ^Yith, on an average, three Assistants
;
the staff of native
officials is numerous.
One-eighth area of the Island is mountainous
;
one-eighth hilly
;
three-fourths comparatively flat. The whole covered either with
heavy forests or dense jungles, except in occasional open plains,
and in those comparatively small patches cleared for cultivation.
Vegetation is so rank and rapid that a piece of ground cleared
for cultivation will in three years, if neglected, be covered with
thorny impenetrable jungle
;
the country is much intersected with
rivers, the higher portions beautifully watered, and commanding
the means of irrigation, if properly managed, at all elevations
;
the villages are imbedded in these close jungles or forests, and,
except where they lie contiguous to a main road, are very inac-
cessible.
There are no large native towns, except those of the principal
military and civil stations
;
the largest villages may number from
100 to 150 houses
;
but on an average they may be rated at from
twelve to fifteen.
The head-quarters of the civil, political, and revenue officer is,
in five cases out of six, situated on the border of his province, and
not unfrequently at a remote corner of it ; he is the representative
of the Government, and for executive detail is dependent on the
various grades of native officials, who receive their
"
acts
"
or
"
commissions " of appomtment from Government : they are
numerous, and the functions of the respective grades, in all their
minuteness, are well understood by themselves ; their authority
and efficiency depends far more upon the moral influence and respect
which they command from, and which is generally yielded to them
by, their countrymen, than from any legal recognition of their
powers.
The population being so generally diffused in small and secluded
villages over an (at present) inaccessible country, it follows that
the order, good government, and general improvement of the people
in the rural districts, no less than the authority and influence of
the Government, must very materially depend on the efficiency of
the headmen. To have upheld their respectability, and to have
supported, while we directed within proper limits, their legitimate
influence and authority, ought to have been our policy
;
but, unfortu-
nately, a vague and, I humbly conceive, most erroneous impression
15
*
has prevailed, that, consistently with the maintenance of our
own authority, it has been inexpedient to uphold that of the higher
classes of natives, which, as I have before stated, has in some parts
of the country declined to an inconvenient extent, weakening our
own control over the people, and leaving large sections of the rural
districts with a mere nominal Government, without any sufficient
restraint on the vicious and disorderly of the lower classes.
These remarks, though they are of too general, are fortunately
not of universal application ; there is one special, bright, and
encouraging exception to the rule (as there are other minor ones) iu
the Northern Province, where the converse of what I have just
described prevails, and where the progressive improvement, general
good order, respectability of the higher classes, and deference to
authority (both European and native), mark the happy result of
the wise and benevolent policy of the man whose enlightened
government of that prosperous province has raised it to its present
condition.
One of the principal objects assigned as a reason for desiring to
diminish the influence of the higher orders of natives, has been a
desire to destroy the distinctions and prejudices of castes ; but
nothing, in my opinion, has been more exaggerated than the
supposed evils resultmg from it in its very modified form in Ceylon.
The common acceptation of the term in Ceylon differs from that
which it signifies m India, where, I believe, the distinctions of castes
are more of a religious than a secular character.
In Ceylon a high-caste family means one of ancient and aristo-
cratic descent, and is as well applied to Christians as to heathens
;
it no doubt also applies to professions, trades, and occupations, but
in this respect it is fast dying away. Nothing is so much calcu-
lated to retard its extinction as attempts to forcibly suppress it
;
nothing being so certain to excite the opposition of those who
fancy they have anything to lose by it, as an open invasion of so
old a national prejudice. Members of some of the highest families
in Ceylon have assured me of their willingness to allow these
prejudices and distinctions to die off gradually, while they com-
plain bitterly of the precipitancy evinced in the desire to suppress
them.
Education and civilisation are the only sure and legitimate means
of eradicating it, by elevating the native character above the con-
sideration of caste, rather than by (in effect) lowering the higher
orders in the estimation of the inferior classes.
It is also urged that the lower classes are kept in a state of
bondage to the hereditary chiefs, to whom they yield more readily
allegiance than to Government. I have known the country from
its first emancipation from the oppressive tyranny of its native
Government ; my duties have kept me in frequent intercourse with
every province and almost every district for many years, enabling
me to observe the transitions of the natives from their state of
feudal vassalage to their present condition of perfect independence.
The lower classes have shown anything but an insensibility to the
advantages of the privileges granted to them, and are now as well
aware as Europeans are, of the inability of the Government, or
the chiefs, legally to call upon them for any service whatever,
and are very little disposed to submit tamely to exactions of any
kind.
Eespect, approaching to veneration, for aristocracy, in a pure,
ancient, and unblemished family descent, pervades every class
;
their fastidiousness with respect to it in their family alliances is
one of their strongest characteristics. An ancient family may be
reduced in circumstances, and denuded of all official rank and
authority, but we cannot deprive it of the large amount of con-
sideration and influence which will be rendered to its members by
their countrymen ; and why should we deprecate or desire to sub-
vert this element of social order ? We may rest assured that any
sudden attempt to do so will only recoil, and deservedly so, on our-
selves. Whenever there is reason to complain of the chiefs (this
term applies to men of family and property, whether in office or
not) possessing too much influence, or exercising an undue autho-
rity, it is conclusive evidence of the culpable absence of the directing
and controlling authority of Government, arising from the want of
energy, ability, or zeal of its representative.
No one will, I presume, contend that the country can be governed
without the instrumentality of native subordinate officials
;
and if
practicable, would it be just to desire it? Admitting that in
justice the natives ought, and from necessity they must,
participate
in the executive of the country, who should the Government so
reasonably look to for assistance, and who would the people so
naturally desire to see placed in authority, as members of families
they respect, and who hold the largest stake in the country ? I
do not mean to say that office should be held by them to the
exclusion of merit in other grades, but maintain that rank, wealth,
and ancestry should be no disqualification
;
Ave cannot prevent
their commanding consideration and influence, which we may
easily turn to the advantage of Government, and benefit of
society, failing in Avliich, they may perchance prove antagonistic
to both.
The experience of Indian Government, where some of the large
collectorates are little inferior either in area or population to the
whole Island of Ceylon, proves what may be done by properly con-
trolled and well-directed native authority
;
and why should the
natives of Ceylon be considered less worthy of confidence and
authority ? It is said the whole policy of our Government, and
the nature of its institutions, are dissimilar to those of India,
and that despotism and corruption are so characteristic of the
Ceylonese, that he is unfitted for carrying out our liberal system,
which strikes at the root of all his predispositions
;
but this my
experience enables me to deny. Supposing, however, it were true,
will a remedy to the evil be found in still further depressing the
native gentleman in his own, as well as in the estimation of others?
We have no alternative but to use the native as a means for carry-
ing out our Government, and the higher he stands in his own
esteem, and in the respect of others, the more efi"ective instrument
shall we find him.
My confidence in the integrity, and hitelligence of the native
gentleman, has induced me to raise many of them in my own de-
partment to appointments of equality, in responsibility and trust,
with European officers
;
the expenditure of very large sums has
been intrusted to them, and I am happy to say, that in no single
instance have I had to complain of misappropriation of funds, or
other irregularities, but of which there were unfortunate instances
amongst my European assistants, who both by birth and education
were gentlemen.
To Ceylonese occupying positions on the bench, at the bar, and
in the church, we may with great satisfaction and security, refer
for proof that there is no deficiency of integrity, intelligence, or
independence in the native character.
The peculiar facilities which I have enjoyed of judging of the
practical results to the Colony generally of the administration of
the various Governors who have presided over it for the last
thirty years, enable me to state that from nothing has it suffered
more than from a want of personal knowledge of the country in
the head, and often in many of the leading members of the
Government.
The population, soil, climate, productions, wants, interests,
character, and circumstances of the various provinces and districts
differ so matei'ially from each other, that it is impossible to legis-
late for the whole, with impartiality and good effect, without a
practical knowledge of them.
A Governor, whose experience and knowledge of the country is
confined to Galle, Colombo, Kandy, and Newera Ellia, and to the
carriage roads connecting those places, can but coldly and indiffer-
ently enter into the propositions and plans (be they ever so able) of
an agent for the improvement of the remoter districts, if they are
at all at variance (which they constantly may be) with the precon-
ceived views of the Governor, founded on his limited experience
;
while the latter is unable to initiate any design for local improve-
ment, or to take much interest in those which, after a long and
discouraging advocacy on the part of the agent, he (the Governor)
may at length have reluctantly sanctioned. No more effectual
"
drag
"
can be applied to the improvement of a colony, than a
Governor who contents himself with presiding at his office table
from year's end to year's end, to be mystified with a confused
jumble of unpronounceable proper names which he can rarely
identify or apply.
A greater interest is necessarily felt for things with which we are
acquainted than for those of which we are ignorant, while the
interests of the absent are but too frequently sacrificed to that of
those who are present. So it is in Ceylon
;
with a very limited
knowledge of, and interest in, the remoter districts on the part of
the majority of the executive Government, the means available,
whether for general improvement, for educational, or other pur-
poses, are doled out with a penurious frugality to the remoter
districts, while comparatively they are lavishly expended in the
metropolitan districts. For this reason, I conceive it would be much
for the general benefit of the colony if every pi'ovince were repre-
sented in the Legislative Council by its proper Government Agent
;
232 FIFTY YEAK8 IN CEYLON.
while they should also have a voice in the central Educational Com-
mission, for in no department is advocacy of the interests of the
remote and rural districts more needed : in Colombo, and at some
of the other principal stations, comparatively large sums are ex-
pended in affording to the population means of education far more
profound than the position in life and ultimate destinies of the
majority of the recipients require, while in other districts educa-
tional means are culpably deficient.
Much has been said of the advantages to be anticipated from a
representative form of Government for Ceylon
;
but such cannot be
seriously advocated by parties possessing a knowledge of the
country, which is utterly deficient of the requisite elements for such
a system
;
the only effect of any attempt at which, for years to
come, would be to give European interests a more preponderating
influence than they already possess. A paternal form of Govern-
is the only one at present suited to the country ; the rights and
interests of the Natives being under the special care and support
of the Government.
The most enlightened policy of the Imperial Government and
the best efforts of the local legislature will alike fall short of, or be
tardily productive of, their intended benefits to the secluded popu-
lation of the interior of Ceylon, unless properly carried out under
the supervision of energetic Government Agents and their assistants,
on whom must necessarily mainly depend the improvement of the
country. In the case of the Northern Province we have an example
of the extent to Avhich the good effect of an agent's influence may
be made to pervade every class and portion of a province
; how the
general improvement and good order of a people may be made to
progress by the influence of one individual
;
but to obtain influence,
there must be intercourse with, and knowledge of the people, and
it is to a want of both these requisites, I repeat, that we have to
attribute the retrograde or stationary condition of the native
community generally for some years past. But if there be any
justice in the charge which has been made, of a decline in that
active interest which the agents and their assistants ouglit to take
in their provinces and districts, and of an absence in many of the
latter of any evidences of improvement for some years past, it
should be stated, in extenuation, that those officers for several
years, instead of receiving that encouragement which would
awaken or keep alive an ardent zeal for the advancement of their
districts, have, in the absence of any local means for improvements,
and in their dependence on the Government, which was ill able
to provide them, had everything to discourage them.
So miable, indeed, has the Government been to meet the appeals
made to it for local improvements, and, I fear, in too many instances
so unable, from want of sufficient local knowledge of its chief
officers, to discriminate between the relative importance of the
numerous applications from various districts, that in many
instances officers are deterred from suggesting improvements
to Government, from the improbability of their being sanctioned
;
where the merit of a Government Agent m the charge of a Pro-
vince consists (as I have known it to be estimated) in his giving
no trouble, in being rarely heard of or from at head-quarters,
where conscience will justify, policy will not unfrequently dictate,
while the enervating effects of climate (when given way to) may
confirm habits of passive indifference to all beyond ordinary routine
in the public functionary, who is, or ought to be, the main-spring
of the social order over which he presides
;
but in such case the
source of the evil is in a higher quarter than the Government
Agent or his assistants.
The Labour Ordinance, by giving to every district means of
internal improvement proportionate to its population, and by
bringmg the Government Agents and their assistants more con-
tinually in contact with the people, will give to all parties (if
properly managed) a great common interest in, and a grand
stimulus to improvements. No year ought henceforth to pass
without a decided advance in a well-devised systematic plan of
improvement in each district ; but the local plan should be well
considered, and recorded long in anticipation of the means which
will annually be available for their execution. If the labour of a
district is squandered away on ill-organized unprofitable works, it
will soon disgust the people, who would, on the contrary, rejoice in
the result of its proper application.
I have adverted to the possibility of checking the ruinous and
demoralizing tendency of the indulgence of the natives in their
love of litigation. There is no local magistracy in Ceylon corre-
sponding with the country magistrates in England
;
there are
justices of the peace, but they have only the power of committal.
and have no collective judicial power
;
the District Courts, Police
Courts, and Courts of Eequests (all expensive appendages of the
of the Government) are situated, in some instances, 40 or 50
miles and upwards from portions of the population. One individual
for a trifling suit may, in instances, if he chooses, withdraw from
their village and necessary occupations one-half of its population
as witnesses. The journey to and fro, and attendance at court,
occupy perhaps not less than a week or ten days ; and it is
uncertain how often this expense and annoyance may he repeated,
while the prevailing system of postponements and procrastination
in our courts is permitted.
In the native government existed a primitive and very simple
institution, termed
"
Gangsaib," or
"
Gamsaib," whether of Indian
or Ceylon origin I am uncertain
;
the first syllable of the word
being the Singhalese for
"
village
"
;
the second, the Hiudoostanee
for "lord or master." The institution appears to have long
existed in the north of India, as we hear of its having formed a
highly-prized portion of the system of the ancient government of
the Punjaub.
These gangsaibs were composed of three or five elders, of one
large, or of a convenient number of contiguous small villages
;
they were elected by the people, and held their meetings, trans-
acting their business, under the wide-spreading branches of the
venerable village tree, under which the villagers are wont to
congregate for public discussions, &c,, &c.
I do not know the exact powers these gangsaibs may formerly
have been invested with, but am convinced that their re- establish-
ment in the rural districts, if merely for adjustment of petty
disputes by arbitration and advice, under the mutual agreement
and application of parties requiring such intervention, and for
their own little municipal arrangements, would be productive of
an infinity of good to the people. Quarrels and disputes would be
inquired into on the spot, where the circumstances would be gene-
rally so well known to the community as to prevent an attempt at
gross, premeditated perjury being resorted to; and in nine cases
out of ten, I should anticipate that parties would be contented with
the opinion and ad\'ice of the gangsaib. It should, however, in all
cases, be eligible for the parties to appeal to higher tribunals
;
but
when such an alternative is resorted to, the fact of the evidence having
been previously rehearsed before the ekiers of the village would, in
most cases, deter parties h'om bringing forward false witnesses.
The want of this (I may almost term it indigenous institution)
has been very frequently represented to me by natives. I have
known many headmen who, at the request of the inhabitants,
individually perform the functions of the gangsaib, while one (a
most respected friend), who is justly esteemed for his high integrity
and uncompromising honour, is obliged to devote nearly the whole
of his time to this benevolent purpose. His
"
wallawa" (palace)
is usually thronged with people from the surrounding districts,
who, having a wholesome dread of the consequences of being
drawn within the vortex of our law courts, agree to submit their
cases to this good man
;
he hears all that is to be urged on either
side, and with a short summary of the evidence, from which he
draws his conclusions, gives his opinion or judgment.
I once asked him if he had the satisfaction of Imowing that his
pains were rewarded by their being preventive of ulterior litigation,
or if it frequently occurred that the defeated parties took their
cases to courts after his hearing. He said, when he first com-
menced his system of arbitration, there were two or three instances
of parties who, dissatisfied with his opinion, resorted to court; but
the evidence having been rehearsed, as it were, in public before
him and an audience whose local information prevented any
attempt at gross perjury, it could not afterwards be much adul-
terated before the District Court
;
consequently, after repeated
attendances, protracted, vexatious, and expensive law proceedings,
the same decisions were legally pronounced, with this difierence,
that both parties were nearly ruined, and in some cases the defeated
ones quite so. Of late, he said, parties rai'ely appealed from his
decisions or advice.
The quarrels and disputes which lead to, and are both aggravated
and perpetuated by these protracted law proceedings, might, in
nine cases out of ten, be amicably settled had the parties ready
means of seeking the intervention of any recognised referee. It
becomes a point of honour with an Asiatic, that his supposed
grievance should be investigated. Give but a patient hearing to the
most exasperated parties, listen to what they have to say, and you
may depend on their adherence to your award, and most generally
the adjustment of the apparently most irreconcileable animosities.
Now, -while the gangsaibs would accomplish this object with
peculiar efficiency, they might be made to supply the present want
of anything like municipal institutions, of which, in fact, they
would form the basis. Arrangements regarding qualifications,
elections, and functions might be easily made.
Simultaneously with the foregoing, let the number, duties, and
powers of the headmen of each province, district, and village, after
careful consideration, be revised and legally recognised. Give to
the agents of Government and their assistants, as justices of the
peace (which they are), a limited criminal jurisdiction while
making their progress through their districts (something of the
kind they formerly possessed), in conjunction with the gangsaibs
or elders of villages, as assessors
;
this jurisdiction might even
extend to punishment for cattle-stealing, which is carried on as a
business by a set of lawless migratory thieves, and we should soon
find crime and drunkenness yield to order and good government,
to both of which nothing can be more prejudicial than too sud-
denly engrafting on society, in its most primitive state, institutions
adapted to the highest existing state of civilisation.
The people of Ceylon are shrewd, clever, and yet tractable
;
they
are quick and accurate observers, and will readily confide in, and
may easily be guided by, men who they perceive really feel an inte-
rest in their welfare, and are capable of advancing it. It is only
for the European to give himself the trouble of knowing, and allow-
ing himself to be known (presuming him to be worth knowmg) by
the native, and the sympathies of either are pretty sure to be
reciprocated, the former finding that complexion is not the surest
test of virtue, and that often in the at first despised
*'
black fellow
"
is to be found one of nature's perfect gentlemen.
Ceylon is a vast field of raw material awaiting and inviting the
manufacturer, who, with a moderately skilful head, but with an
honest and benevolent heart, may mould it to his will
;
preserve
her from the indolent apathetic placeman (who in a luxurious
climate stagnates almost to corruption), and with active rulers she
may be made to the British Crown a
"
gem
"
indeed. Such are
the convictions of thirty years' experience.
T. Skinner.
Dcconport, S)tli June 1849.
I resumed my duties in Ceylon at the end of 1849.
Lord Torrington was still at the head of the Govern-
ment
;
his recall was not announced until September,
when he was succeeded by Sir George Anderson, till
then Governor of the Mauritius. On his arrival I
waited on him as a matter of course, when he was
pleased to recognise me as a connection, and invited me
as such to special confidential communication with him,
having, he said, heard much of my
"
sound judgment^
and of my extended knowledge of the island."
In 1850 the Civil Engineer's Department again fell
into disorder, and I received a very brief peremptory
order to "take it over" and
"
incorporate it with my
own." From that time up to my resigning the service
in 1867 I conducted the entire public works of the
colony.
From the
"
Cnloinho Observer,'' AiKjust 12, 1854.
Amongst the passengers who go home by the present steamer
is Major Skinner, the Commissioner of Eoads. We cannot allow
the departure without a word of notice of one who has worked hard
in and for the Colony for the best years of his lifefrom 14 to 50
the sole survivor of the band who, under the directing and con-
tagious energy of Sir Edward Barnes, opened the magnificent
Kandy Eoad, and whose name is closely associated with every line
of communication opened in the Colony from 1819 to 1854, the
result being a network of roads which, however we may considei'
them insudicient for the growing wants of an advancing commerce,,
render us the envy of the neighbouring continent with its teeming
populations and immense revenues. Very interesting must the
reminiscences of this able and untiring active officer be. He could
tell of his patron, General Barnes, with Mamoty in hand, pioneer-
ing the operations on the Kandy Road with the same zeal and
earnestness with which he fought his country's battles in the
Peninsula and at Waterloo. He could also tell of a time when the
forests of the interior, which now teem with the results of Euro-
pean industry, were unpenetrated and unknown until he and his
co-labourers in the great survey of the Island traversed them in
the course of triangulations extending from Colombo to Batticaloa,
and from Hambantotte to Trincomalie. The difficulties of such a
work, in the times in which most of it was performed, can be but
slightly appreciated in these days of comparative civilisation. The
mode in which it was performed, resulting in a vast fund of topo-
graphical information at a slight expense, secured for those engaged
in it the gratitude of the Government they served
;
Major Skinner
especially receiving the highest possible testimonials from all the
authorities, civil and military, under whom he served. Whenever
the survey or road-making operations of the Colony went at all
wrong, Major Skinner was invariably called in to extricate the
tangled skein
;
and, at length, when the interests of the Island,
which he had seen advance from a mere garrison to a great com-
mercial emporium, required the creation of a special department,
Major Skinner was at once fixed on as the fittest man to be its
head, the allowances in his case being raised from 800 to 1,000,
as a special token of approval by Government and the Secretary of
State of his long, arduous, and beneficial public services. The
.able document which we recently published shows how earnestly
Major Skinner advocates the formation of railways, and what large
views he takes of the improvements, material and moral, that might
result to the Colony from energetic action in this direction
; while
of all those who advocate attention to the capabilities of Ceylon to
glo^v the staple article of food, none has felt or spoken more
strongly on the restoration of old irrigation works, and the forma-
tion of new ones, than Major Skinner. Indeed, it is within the
iscope of ou.r knowledge, that one of the Governors of Ceylon con-
templated the special devotion of his services to the regeneration of
Newera Kalawa. Nothing but an iron frame, and the most tem-
perate habits, could have enabled Major Skinner to survive his
exertion in, and on behalf of, the Colony. Believing that, with all
allowances for matters of detail, there is not a man in Ceylon to
whom the Colony owes so much in the way of material improve-
ment, on .which moral advancement so closely dependis, we feel
bound to yield him this parting tribute of gratitude which he has
so well earned.
In 1858, when Mr. Gibson, the Auditor-General, was
at home on leave, and submitted his resignation to the
Secretary of State, I applied for his apptoiutment, and
Lord Stanley, now Lord Derby, approved and confirmed
my application
;
but subsequently Mr. Gibson waited
at the Colonial Office in London, and asked if there
would be any objection to his withdrawing his resigna-
tion, as he had changed his mind and wished to resume
his duties in the colony. He was informed that the
only person who was likely to object would be Major
Skinner, to whom the Audit Office had been promised
by the Secretary of State.
Mr. Gibson's return was, of course, a disappointment
to me, for after thirty-nine years hard work in the
colony I naturally thought myself entitled to an office
which would ensure me a little rest. On Sir Charles
MacCarthy's going home on leave Mr. Gibson was
appointed to act for him as Colonial Secretary, when,
on consideration of my having been last year given the
appointment by the Secretary of State, 1 asked Sir
Henry Ward to allow me to act for Mr. Gibson, and
this he was pleased to approve. Sir Henry had then
been in the Government between three and four years.
As Commissioner of Public Works I had constant per-
sonal communication with him, and found him one of
the largest-minded public men I had yet met with.
The very first day I waited upon him on my return
240 FIFTY YEAUS IN CEYLON.
from leave of absence in 1856 I took with me plans of
iron bridges, of which the colony was in desperate
need, and urged him to have a dozen out at once, tell-
ing him I had ordered out one of 100 feet span on my
own private account, hoping that he would take it off
my hands, which he said he would do, and then laugh-
ingly observed :
"This is a pleasant prospect, when the first day
of my acquaintance with my Commissioner of Public
Works he coolly commits me to an expenditure of
^12,000 or .15,000 for bridges, with about as much
more to pay for their erection."
Fortunately Sir Henry had been an intelhgent
observer of the wants of the country, and was but too
ready to grasp at the idea of supplying a very serious
deficiency. For three years we worked most har-
moniously together : he gave me all the money he could
possibly afi'ord for the works, and I spared no pains to
use it to the best possible advantage.
About this time the necessity for a railway between
Colombo and Kandy came under discussion. There
was not a man in the colony who did not earnestly
desire the railway, and as long as the estimates of the
cost were kept within 1,200,000
nobody demurred;
but at the opening of the Session of the Legislative
Council on the 18th July 1859, it was stated that "the
results of the survey just completed proved that it was
impossible to construct a line between Colombo and
Kandy for anything like the amount indicated by the
two previous surveys. The cost, as estimated by the
241
ComjDany's engineers being 2,214,000, in lien of
^856,556 as estimated by Captain Moorsom."
On examination of the Company's estimates by the
sub-Committee of Council, I took exception to the rates
of cost, for during my long identification with the
public works of the Colony I had kept accurate records
of the expense of every description of work, and in the
mere matter of earth-work, which was charged for at
lid. a yard, I proved, or rather asserted, that it had
cost me for all descriptions of such work an average of
S^d. a yard. I subsequently heard that sub-contractors
were making a profit on the line, taking jobs of
earth-work at 22-d. a cubic yard. In every other
particular the charges were, in my opinion, equally
excessive.
A few days before the debate in the Legislative
Council took place I had occasion to wait on the
Governor to solicit a personal favour from him, which
in his usual kind manner he promised to confer. When
this subject was concluded, he started the railway argu-
ment. We had been discussing it very warmly when
the bell rang to announce luncheon, which we dis-
regarded, and I afterwards expressed to Lady Ward my
regret that she should have been
"
deprived of the
Governor's company at tiffin;" but I added, "the
fault is entirely His Excellency's
;
I wanted to
retreat when the tiffin bell rang, but he would
not let me."
At this moment Sir Henry entered the corridor from
another direction, joined the party with his hearty
16
242 FIFTY YEAHS IN CEYLON.
English laugh, and proposed that I should go in and
refresh myself after the contest. He said : "I knew
perfectly well that I could do nothing with you, after
you put on a certain expression of countenance which is
always an indication of your obstinacy !
"
We parted as good friends as we had ever been,
but certainly with no doubt on His Excellency's
mind as to the course I should pursue in the railway
debate.
This action I have never regretted, although it
resulted in my being superseded in the Audit Office by
a young civilian from England and therefore obliged to
forfeit my seat in the Councils and in the Government.
These individual sacrifices were of small moment in
comparison with the enormous public advantages I
helped to secure for the Colony, which was now no
longer to be made the victim of an unscrupulous railway
company's jobbery.
A railway has now been completed of seventy-four
miles, between Colombo and Kandy, at a cost, not of
i2,214,000 as approximately estimated by the Ceylon
Railway Company, but for the sum of 1,285,000.
The Ceijlon Directory for
1875,
page 264tZ, states
that
"
At present we pay an annual consolidated sum
for interest and sinking fund of 62,000,
and last year
the railway not only provided this but gave to the
general revenue 90,000 more. In a few years the last
of the debentures for the main line will be redeemed,
and all the profit will then be so much gain for the
Revenue."
My friends in Ceylon have never been fully aware of
the penalty I paid for my defence of its interests on
the 15th of September, 1859. The continued pro-
sperity of the railway, year after year, has been my
reward and my justification for the course I took.
16
CHAPTER XI.
In October 1860 Sir Charles MacCarthy arrived in
Ceylon from England and assumed the Government,
and from him I received every mark of consideration.
I was fortunate enough also to enjoy his confidence, a
matter of no small importance to the Colony after I
resumed my duties as Commissioner of Public Works,
as I required all the influence I could command to
overcome the niggardly cheese-paring policy which was
constant^ being pressed upon the Governor.
The enterprise of coffee-planters could not be checked,
and the demand for roads was excessively urgent in order
to prevent the loss of much of the capital they had
invested. During Sir Henry Ward's Government he
exercised a will of his own, and it required no great
persuasion to convince him of these wants
;
but now the
expenditure was not considered with reference to
the increased facilities given to the planters, but to the
additional charge likely to be entailed upon the revenue
for additional annual expenses. The Happootella dis-
trict, a group of probably the finest estates in the
Colony, furnished a painfully striking example of the
need of roads. I had long foreseen the strait to which
the proprietors were inevitably drifting. Their]rice and
other provisions could be carried to the estates by
manual labour, but directly the coffee tree was old
enough to yield a crop the consequences were palpable.
I had long been struggling to open a road for wheel
traffic from the highest navigable port of the Caltura
River to the Port of Colombo, at Ratnapora through
Saffragam to Ouvah, and had got as far as Pallamadula,
twelve miles above Katnapora. There still remained at
least thirty-eight miles of the most execrable native
mountain path, ever traversed and intercepted by rapid
torrents, only fordable in dry weather. Over tliis path
the planters sent down their maiden crops, which were
always small and light, on men's shoulders.
I urged upon the Government that it had a far greater
stake in the success of a whole district than any planter
had in the prosperity of his individual estate, and
pointed out that unless the Happootella district were at
once supplied with a road of access the planters would
grow coffee only to rot in their stores, and at last I
induced the Government to sanction my submitting an
estimate for continuing the carriage road from Pallama-
dulla to Ballangodde, a distance of fifteen miles.
Anticipating that Government could not much longer
withhold this boon, I had had two estnnates furnished
for the work. One of them amounted to ^30,000,
which
of course I rejected at once and sent another officer,
pointing out to him the absurdity of framing so un-
reasonable a document, and requiring him to reduce
the charge. He professed to have taken a great deal of
pains, and claimed credit for reducing the amount to
^625,000.
This estimate was still so excessive that I could not
subject it to Government. I therefore sent one of the
most exfierienced officers in the Department, warning
him against the extravagance of his two predecessors.
I cautioned him that if he made too low an estimate, I
should send him up to direct the execution of the work
himself; if I thought it too high, that I should carry it
out under my own directions and make it a test of
accuracy. The only officer of my Department whose
testimony was called for, who supported me in my view
of the cost of work, was Mr. Evatt, who by his systematic
arrangement and strict adherence to principles of
economy must have saved the Colony an enormous sum
of money. He had been a subaltern in the 90th Light
Infantry, never was a civil engineer, and yet was of more
value to me than many highly scientific men.
I feel assured the officer to whom I finally entrusted
the framing of this third estimate was painstaking and
conscientious, and I know he was an able man
;
but
he, like many of my assistants, held an exaggerated
view of what the cost of work should be, and his
estimate was between i;l8,000 and .19,000. Feeling
convinced that the fifteen miles of road could be
opened for less money, I submitted the estimate to
Government, but placed two divisions of pioneers on it,
under two good native officers, who reported to and
corresponded with me direct. Instead of the work
costing between 5618,000 and ,19,000, tlie amount of
the sanctioned estimate, the expenditure was only
^9,163.
Directly the road was opened, I drove Sir Charles
MacCarthy up to Ballangodde. He was enchanted
with the work, and I showed him that we had saved 57
per cent, of the estimate, and volunteered to complete
another section of equal distance for the surplus money
if he would authorize the expenditure. I pointed out
to him what poor encouragement it would be to the
Department, if money thus saved should go back to the
Treasury. To this assertion he agreed, and I had
the satisfaction of making my way up to Happootella,
and of saving that district from almost total ruin.
If this story is ever read by the Public Works Depart-
ment of Ceylon, it may help to show the value of a little
care and system, and what can be done by depart-
mentally trained natives. This work, and the reduction
from the railway company's estimate of ,2,214,000 to
a contract for j6873,039,
ought to teach people how
needful is strict and conscientious inquiry. Although I
was sensible of the great increase in the price of labour,
I felt satisfied that I had been right on the railway
question.
In March 1861, I was superseded in the Audit Office
by Mr. Pennefather from England, and resumed my
charge of the Public Works Department.
When visiting the Batticaloa district in May 1862, I
received an express, informing me that my old friend
and chief, General Fraser, was very seriously ill at
Kandy, and of his urgent request that I should return
immediately. I lost no time in obeying his summons
;
but my progress was limited by the inability of my
travelling establishment to advance quickly.
Day after day, fresh expresses reached me with bul-
letins of my friend's state. Before I reached Newera
EUia, however, to my great grief I received the
sad tidings of his death, which occurred much sooner
than was expected, and I had the mortification of
hearing that during the last few days of his life he
constantly inquired when I might be expected. He
must have had a presentiment of his death, for during
several previous mouths he always begged me not to go
away, if I could avoid it, to any great distance from
him.
He was a splendid soldier, and probably one of the
most accomplished general officers in the Service. He
had fought with the late Sir Charles Napier, was a great
friend and correspondent of his, and not very unlike
him in character. Instead of identifying himself so
completely with Ceylon, had he returned to England
after the completion of his famous Paredenia Bridge,
his great abilities and soldier-like qualities were such
that they must have placed him in a position in his
profession which, we all thought, would have led to a
peerage. It is a drawback in the Colonial Service that
an officer is tempted and beguiled to remain on, from
year to year, until his interest in a new country, in
which he is made useful, overcomes the ardour of his
zeal for his profession, which he is thus often induced
to leave.
In March 1865, Sir Hercules Robinson arrived as
Governor, and the month after his landing gave earnest
of the interest he intended taking in the welfare of the
island by starting on a tour through Happootella and
Saffragam. The Colony was much to be congratulated
on the advent of such a Governor, the most painstaking,
hardworking man I have ever met in his position. An
extraordinary love of justice was his most peculiar
characteristic, and I have seen frequent instances of this
when travelling with him
;
he would not decide any
claim on a superficial view of the case, but would insist
upon receiving the most minute details before giving an
opinion.
He astonished me on one occasion, when, on a very
remote journey, he called me into his temporary office,
and said,
'
' At last I have got to the bottom of that case
of yours in re Modelair Fonceka."
This was a man who had been in my department for
upwards of thirty years, and was most efficient and
economical. In a revision of the establishment of my
department, I had recommended this faithful old servant
for a higher class of pay
;
but the Colonial Secretary
refused me on the plea that eight or nine years before
he had given false evidence in a court of law prejudicial
to the interests of the Government. I admitted that at
one time I had entertained a similar impression of the
man's conduct, but that circumstances had occurred
which had completely exonerated him
;
and I stated
that, had not this been the case, it would have been
my duty to have represented his conduct and to have
recommended Government to dismiss him, and that the
Government itself, if convinced of his having played
it false, would not have been justified in keeping him in
its service. The fact of the Government retaining his
services for eight or nine years subsequently, showed
that his former supposed delinquencies were condoned.
The subject had been laid before the Government three
or four months previously ; but the papers had been
repeatedly referred backwards and forwards to the
Supreme Court, to the Queen's advocate, and to my
office. At last, while in a temporary resting-place in a
remote out-of-the-way jungle. Sir Hercules investigated
a mass of correspondence and judgments in Court,
showing that Sir Henry Ward, the judge, and the
Queen's advocate had all exonerated this man ; and His
Excellency had the satisfaction of unravelling Modelair
Fonceka's case, and of giving him the increase of pay
which he so thoroughly deserved, and for which he had
been recommended.
In travelling with Sir Hercules, he would often dis-
cuss subjects of the kind with me, and never would he
allow the humblest person to rest under a sense of
injustice; he would require, to be satisfied, that every
real grievance should be thoroughly investigated. This
is a beautiful trait in the character of a public man
;
but it requires a very pecuhar temperament to carry it
to the extent to which Sir Hercules Kobinson did.
In August 1865 my old friend General Studholm
Hodgson arrived, as Commander of the Forces. The
last time we had met we were both of us in the first
rank in the Army, and were about the wildest sub-
alterns in it. He was an ensign in the 45th Kegiment.
In my old family papers I find that General Hodgson's-
grandfather and my great-grandfather, General William
Skinner, Chief Engineer of Great Britain, were asso-
ciated together in the taking of Belle Isle in 1766.
In September 1865, Mr. Pennefather, the Auditor-
General, having died, Sir Hercules Robinson sent for
me and asked me to accept the acting ajopointment, as
he had no one else he could appoint President of a Royal
Commission to determine the amount of military force
required for the internal preservation of peace, and to
decide the amount to be paid by the Colony for that
force.
The following papers refer to the constitution of the
Commission. The evidence and report were published
by order of the Government in December 1865.
COMMISSION.
In the Name of Her Majesty VICTORIA, of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith.
By His Excellency Sir Hercules George Robert Robinson.
Knight, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the
Island of Ceylon, with the Dependencies thereof.
Hercules G, R. Robinson
To the Honorable Riduinl Theodore Pennefather, Auditor-General
and Member of the Executive Council ; Charles Peter Lai/ard,
Esquire, Government Agent for the Western Province and
Member of the Legislative Council
;
William John MacCarthy,
Esquire, Registrar-General of Lands ; Deputy Inspector-General
of Hospitals John Fraser, Doctor of Medicine and Companion of
the Bath
;
Colonel Rohert Michael Lajf'an, of the Royal Engineers
;
Deputy Commissary-General Kdivard Barrimjton I)e Fonhhniquf
;
Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Charles IJi/nle
; Alfred Wise, Esquire,
and i'liristopher Bar],er Smith, Esquire, greeting :
Whereas it hath been agreed between Her Majesty's
Government and the Government of this Island that a full and
detailed investigation should take place into every part of the
Military Expenditure of the Colony, with the view to settle a defi-
nite scale of Military Force and Military Works and Buildings to
be chargeable to the Colony in time of peace, and also to determine
how far the administration and detailed payment of the service
should rest or not with the Colonial Government, and what shoiild
be the amount and mode of payment, whether by fixed sums or by
capitation rates on the Troops employed or assessment for services
undertaken by the Imperial Authorities
;
and whereas We the said
Governor have been instructed, authorized and empowered by Her
Majesty through Her Secretary of IState for the Colonies, to nomi-
nate, constitute, and appoint certain persons to be Commissioners
for the purpose of making such investigation,
Now know ye, that We, reposing great Trust and Confidence in
your Zeal, Discretion, and Ability, have authorized and appointed,
and do by these presents authorize and appoint you the said
Richard Theodore Pennefatlier, Charles Peter Layard, William John
MacCarthy, Jolm Fraser, Rohert Michael Lafan, Edward Barrimjton
De Fonhlaiujue, Henry Charles Byrde, Alfred ]\'ise, Christopher
Barker Smith, to be Our Commissioners for the purposes afore-
said.
And We do hereby authorise and empower you. Our said
Commissioners, to enquire into the said matters, and particularly
into the following points of detail
:
(1).
The total strength of Force, in Rank and File, to be fixed
as the Peace Establishment for Ceylon in Infantry and
and Artillery, European and Native.
(2).
The organization in Oflicers and Men of the Native Troops,
and the source or sources from which they should be
recruited.
253
(8).
The Establishment, as precisely as possible, of Staff and
Engineer of^cers, and of Clerks, Attendants and other
Civilians to be attached to the Force and Military
Departments.
(4).
The Stations through which the Force should be distri-
buted, and the strength of the Detachments to be-
placed at each, having due regard to sanitary as well as
political considerations.
(5).
The Barracks and Hospitals, Forts and Batteries, and
other Military Buildings or Works to be required at
each Station, and the order of any new constructions,
with plans and estimates (in as full detail as possible).
(6).
The mode of administering the several Services, whether
by Imperial or by Colonial Agency, especially as regards
Commissariat and Works and Buildings.
(7).
The amount and mode of Payment, whether by fixed sums
or capitation rates for services undertaken by the
Imperial Government, and the amount and form of
Ordinance appropriations for Military purposes, in sub-
stitution for the Ordinance No. 16 of 1864 enacted by
the Governor of Ceylon with the advice and consent of
the Legislative Council thereof.
And all other matters or things in any wise relating to the subject
generally or to any of the points in detail.
And we do hereby authorize and empower you. Our said Com-
missioners, or any four or more of you, to obtain information
thereupon by the Examination of all persons most competent by
reason of their knowledge, habits or experience to afford it, and
also by calling for all Documents, Papers or Kecords, which may
appear to you, or any four or more of you, calculated to assist
your researches, and to promote the formation of a sound judgment
on the subject of this Inquiry.
And We do hereby command and require you, Jh'i-hard Tlwodore
Pennefather, to preside over and to conduct throughout the Inquiry
herein referred to.
And for your further assistance in the execution of these presents,
We do hereby authorize and empower .Ja/ni Frederick />/(7,-,so?;, Esquire,
to be Secretary to this Our Commission, whose services and assist-
ance We require you to use from time to time as occasion may require.
And We do hereby reserve to Ourselves full power and autho-
rity to svtbmit for your investigation and report further points of
detail and matters of Inquiry, bearing on the subject of the present
Inquiry, from time to time as occasion may require.
And We do hereby command and require you, or any four or more
of you, to report to Us under your Hands and Seals, with all con-
venient speed, your Opinion on the several Matters hereby referred
to yoii for your Consideration.
Given at the Pavilion, Kandy, in the said Island of Ceylon,
this Fifteenth day of June, in the year of Our Lord One
thousand Eight hundred and Sixty-five.
By His Excellency's Command,
Wm. Chs. Gibson,
Colonial Secretary.
SUPPLEMENTARY COMMISSION.
In the Name of Her Majesty VICTORIA, of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith.
By His Excellency Sir Hercules George Robert Robinson,
Knight, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the
Island of Ceylon, with the Dependencies thereof.
Hercules G. R. Robinson
To the Honourable 'Thomas Sk-iniwr, Acting Auditor-General and
Member of the Executive Council.
Whereas by Our Commission being dated the Fifteenth day of
June in the present year of Our Lord One thousand Eight
himdred and Sixty-five, We appointed the late Honorable Fdchard
Tlu'udore Pemiefather and others therein named to be Our Com-
missioners for the purposes of making the Investigation in the said
Commission specified, and We further commanded and required the
said Pdcluird Theodore Pemiefather to preside over and to conduct
throughout the Inquiry therein referred to : And whereas, owing to
the demise of the said likhard Theodore Pennefather, it has become
necessary to appoint another in his place,
Now know ye, that We, reposing Great Trust and Confidence in
your Zeal, Discretion and Ability, have authorized and appointed, and
255
do by these presents authorize and appoint you the said Thomas Skinner
to be Our Commissioner for and in the phice of the said Bichard
Theodore Pennefather to malve the Investigation in the said Com-
mission specified, and We do further command and require you to
preside over, and to conduct tlie Inquiry therein referred to, and to
exercise the powers and perform the Duties therein conferred and
imposed as fully and as eftectually as if your name was inserted
in the said Commission so issued by us.
Given at Queen's House, Colombo, in the Island of Ceylon,
this Third day of October, in the year of Our Lord
One thousand Eight hundred and Sixty-five,
By His Excellency's Command,
Wm. Chs. Gibson,
Colonial Secretary.
Colombo, 5th December 1865.
Your Excellency,
I have the honour to submit the report of the Commission
on Military Expenditure, of which your Excellency did me the
honour to appoint me President on the death of the late lamented
Mr. Pennefather, whose loss to the Colony, to society in general
and especially to themselves, the Commission have to deplore.
I am requested by the Commission to express to your Excellency
their grateful thanks for the assistance you have been kmd enough
to render them on every occasion.
I am requested to thank your Excellency for the fortunate
selection of the gentleman who has officiated as Secretary to the
Commission and to convey to your Excellency the sense the Com-
mission entertain of the great ability and zeal with which Mr.
Dickson has performed his difficult and trying duties
;
the Com-
missioners have heard with great satisfaction that your Excellency
had been pleased to grant him a pecuniary recompense, and they
trust that you may be pleased hereafter to confer upon him some
further mark of your favour.
The Commission has been happy to learn that your Excellency
has been pleased to reward Mr. Askey, the clerk of the Commission,
whose duties have been performed with much assiduity.
I am requested to bring to your Excellency's notice, the great
advantage the Commission has derived from the promptitude and
care with which the printed evidence has been rendered day by day
as it has been required. This the Commission thinks has been the
more creditable to the Superintendent of the Government Printing
Office, as the service was rendered under circumstances of great
pressure, consequent upon the sitting of the Legislative Council
during the period of the Inquiry, and as the work of the Commission
has necessarily thrown upon the Superintendent of the Government
Press a larger amount of additional labour, I am requested to
express the hope that your Excellency may be pleased to grant to
Mr. Herbert some compensation for the extra work which he has
rendered so willingly and efficiently.
I have the honour to be, &c. &c.
(Signed) T. Skinner.
To His Excellency, Sir Hercules Kobinson, Knt.
Governor and Commander-in-Chief, Ceylon.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Colombo, 8th December, 1865.
Sir,
I am directed by the Governor to acknowledge the receipt of
your letter of the 5th inst., addressed to His Excellency, submitting
the report of the Commission on Military Expenditure, and I am
to convey to you the expression of His Excellency's high sense of
the very efficient manner in which the Commission have conducted
the important Inquiry entrusted to them.
I am also to state that the Governor has directed, in accordance
with the recommendation of the Commission, that a gratuity of Fifty
Pounds be granted to the Government Printer.
I have the honour to be, &c. &c.
(Signed) Wm. C. Gibson.
The Hon. T. Skinner,
President of the Military Commission.
Owing to my wife's serious illness and subsequent
death, in 1866, I proceeded home on leave, but had to
return to Ceylon as soon as possible to prepare the
estimates of the Colony for the Legislative Council.
During my stay in London, I waited on Lord Carnarvon,
Secretary of State for the Colonies. He very kindly
invited me to his seat at High Clere, and I was much
gratified by this visit. His Lordship questioned me
very closely on various topics of engrossing interest
connected with Ceylon, and listened to my views before
he gave expression to his own. This was most con-
siderate and judicious, and relieved me of all embarrass-
ment, for, not knowing what his opinions were, I was
enabled to give my own freely and honestly. I could
not have believed that any man in his Lordship's posi-
tion could have been so thoroughly and rightly informed
on various topics concerning a distant Colony as he was.
He told me that when Under-Secretary of State for the
Colonies he had been much interested in Ceylon, and
had then expressed very fully his ideas in writing in
regard to the several subjects we had discussed. I do
not hesitate to assert that Lord Carnarvon's knowledge
of Ceylon surpassed that of several members of the
Local Government. I know I felt myself very fortunate
in being so well up in the affairs of the Colony before so
intelligent and well-informed an inquirer, and I enjoyed
my visit to High Clere exceedingly.
On my return to Ceylon my time was very much
occupied with preparing for the Supply Bill, and in
arranging for the works to be taken in hand immediately
after the beginning of the new year.
I had made my preparations for a final visit to all
the districts and works in the interior of the island.
This involved the laying-in of suppHes of every descrip-
17
tion for myself and officers while travellingcorn for
my horses, oilman's stores, wines, groceries, together with
clothes and books, for several months' use. I had
started off two railway-trucks full of luggage of every
conceivable description, to the value of 300
;
but on
the evening of the day they left Colombo, I had the
annoyance of receiving a telegram to the effect that the
railway-trucks had caught fire, and that the whole of
my property had been destroyed. Having only just
spent <600 on my voyage and expenses to and from
England, this proved a most untoward loss. I was
advised to apply to Government for reimbursement, as
it was argued
"
Government was responsible for the
safety of the goods it took charge of, as ordinary car-
riers
"
;
besides which, I was travelling on duty. But
my appeal met with a decided rejection, and I thought
it unadvisable, at the closing scene of my long service
to the Government, to enter an action for damages
against it.
My last few months in Ceylon were spent in travelling
through the districts with Sir Hercules Kobinson. I
felt very sad when reflecting that it was to be my last
visit to places in which I had spent so many years of
hard work.
My long sojourn in the island brought me into plea-
sant contact with many interesting and distinguished
persons, and the remembrance of these chance meetings
are amongst my most pleasant reminiscences.
When
the present King of the Belgians visited the country I
had the honour of his acquaintance, and found him one
of the most intelligent and agreeable men that it had
ever been my privilege to know.
Another, the Baron Eugene de Ransonnet, was a
charming companion and likewise a talented artist. His
book of Slictclics in Ceylon is well known, and includes
some most interesting submarine drawings taken while
in a diving-bell, as well as others of scenery along the
coast. There are many more whose names one would
like to mention, but time and space will not permit
one to linger too long amongst these happy bygone
scenes.
Mr. Molesworth, my successor, begged me to remain
in office another year ; but I had promised my children
I would return home within that time, and could not
disappoint them.
The following extracts from the Colombo Observer of
the 29th of June 1867, on my retirement, must be read
as the production of a partial critic
:
Retike.ment of Major Skinner.

From, the
"
Cohnnho Observer,'' June 29t/i, 1807.
The absorbing topic to which we have to address ourselves on
this occasion is the final departuiê from the Colony of the oldest,
and we may safely say the most useful member of the Public Ser-
vice. Whatever general objections may be offered to the practice
of presenting addresses to public servants on their retirement, we
feel that a case so exceptional as Major Skinner's calls for an
exceptional expression of opinion on the part of those whom his
life-long labours have benefited so largely. We are, therefore, glad
to learn that the Natives have in this manner shown their appre-
ciation of Major Skinner's character and services. From the
Seven Korles
;
from Kandy and the Ouvah Districts
;
Saffragam,
17
=
the Southern, and from other districts within reachthe people of
the land came forward to say a kind parting word to the man who
has done so much for them and their country.
We are equally glad to learn that the European Merchants,
Planters, and others have made a fitting demonstration in the
shape of a Memorial to the Secretary of State, praying that an
enhanced pension may be granted to the veteran road-maker. As
tax-payers, and most of them extensively interested in the Com-
mercial and Agricultural enterprise of Ceylon, those who join in
the Memorial assure the Secretary of State that it would be grateful
to their feelings to learn that the Government, Major Skinner has
so long and so faithfully served, had consented to reward his special
services with a special pension of 1,000 per annum. A case so
remarkable as his has never come before the Government of Ceylon,
and no similar case is likely to recur. From the time when as a
young officer of fifteen "Tom Skinner" was chosen by Govei'nor
Sir Edward Barnes to aid in opening the Kandian Provinces for
Military operations and general intercourse by the great road up
the Kaduganava Pass, until now that the grey hairs of three score
and four warn him to seek repose in the bosom of his family for
the evening of life, he has been incessantly employed in the con-
struction of those means of communication to which Ceylon owes
most of whatever material progress she has made
;
with much of
the intellectual and moral improvement which here as elsewhere
ever follow increased facilities of intercourse. The latest portion
of his career has not been the least creditable to him or the least
useful to the Colony. Incited by the encouragement afforded him
by an appreciative Kuler, he put forth all the energy for which his
youth and manhood were distinguished, in efforts (largely success-
ful, we are happy to know) to bring his Department into such
a position as regards numbers and efficiency as will render com-
paratively easy the task which remains for his successor ; to con-
tinue that comprehensive scheme of communications which, many
years ago, Major Skinner planned, and which, when finally com-
pleted, will make this Island the best roaded Colony in the British
Empire.
Without a trained body of workmen to rely upon for good,
steady and continuous work, such results would never have been.
attained as Major Skinner has lived to accomplish, and the point
261
in respect of wliicli his cletermination of purposeor, as some
have called it, liis obstinacyhas beyond all calculation served the
public is the Pioneer question. We well remember that about
1854 there was a very strong desire on the part of Sir Geo.
Anderson's Government, including Messrs. Macarthy and Gibson,
to reduce the Pioneer Force. Indeed, long before then it had at
times been proposed, and nothing but Major Skinner's persevering
and strenuous opposition to so suicidal a measure prevented its
being carried out. When he proposed, or rather insisted on, the
Establishment of a Pension Fund for the Pioneer Force he met
with nothing but discouragement on all sides. Happily he per-
severed, and to the existence of that fund, which has now, without
the cost of one shilling to the public, a Capital of about 22,000
and an income of upwards of 3,000 a year, we owe it that during
the progress of the Eailway, and when the demand for skilled
labour has been so great that a pensioned Pioneer can earn from
3s. to 4s. a day, the Public Works Department was enabled to keep
its force together, and from it to form the nucleus of the present
force of nearly 4,000 men. What would Ceylon have been with-
out this force ? As roadless as many parts of the Continent of India
still are. The Pioneer Force is now in a high state of discipline
and efficiency and is equal to any things the Colony can require
of it. Major Skinner has been in the habit of inspecting and
recording in his inspection rolls the characters of every man in the
force, at least once a year, but every half-year when he could
devote the time to it. The result has been most happy in imbuing
the men with an esprit de corps which leads them to be proud of
their position and anxious to earn the good opinion of their
Officers, and those substantial records in the shape of higher rank
and better pay which the semi-military character of the organiza-
tion secures.
The character of the Pioneer Force and the value of its services
to the Colony were so well and forcibly described in a Memorial
presented to Sir George Grey when Secretary of State for the
Colonies in January 1855, that we cannot do better than quote a
few passages. Referring to the recommendations of the Com-
mittee of Council on the Establishment of the Colony, the
Memorialists wrote
:
"
By one of their resolutions the Committee propose to strike off
from the Fixed Expenditure of the Colony the Pioneer EstabHsh-
ment of the Department of Pubhc Works, a measure which would
infallibly break up the Pioneer Corps, perhaps the best organized
Civil Force to be found in our Eastern Empire, and without which
it would have been impossible to have carried out the great Works
which have been executed in Ceylon during the last ten or twelve
years ;
and it is much to be feared that the Department of Public
Works Avould thus be so crippled that it would be found impossible
to keep up the Eoads in an efficient state.
"
The subject involves so many considerations that we could
not venture, in a letter, to take up your time with all the details
requisite to lay it fairly before you
; but we may call to your atten-
tion the fact that in 1833 the same measure was adopted, from
economical views, with regard to the then equally efficient corps
of Pioneers, and an attempt was made to carry out Public Works
with occasional hired labour
;
but the results were so unsatis-
factory that it was soon found necessary, with great trouble and
expense, to organize the present Pioneer force, under the former
system, placiiig it on the Fixed Expenditure ; and at the same
time. Major Skinner adopted such measures to form a Pension
Fund as made the service a highly desirable one, and placed at the
command of the Eoads Department the very best class of Malabar
labour that can be obtained.
"
During the disturbances of 1848 the Pioneers were, to
a certain extent, armed and di'illed, and were found a most
valuable and efficient body of men, quite capable of affording
important aid to the Military, and far superior to the Native
Police.
"
The climate of Ceylon, the nature of the country, the apathetic
character of the Cingalese labourers, and the difficulty of getting
Public Works performed efficiently and with good faith by contract,
are amongst the causes inherent in the Colony which render a
force of skilled and experienced labourers absolutely essential to
the making and upkeep of roads. But it is not to be expected that
tlie fine body of men now permanently settled in the Colony under
the Roads Department will remain there if deprived of regular
wages and of the Pension Fund, which are to them strong induce-
ments to good conduct ; and upon neither of them could they
depend for the future, if their employment is to be contingent only
263
on the carrying out of such esthnates as may be, from Session to
Session, sanctioned by the Governor and Legislative Council.
"
We consider that the proposed alteration would be found
extremely prejudicial to the effective working of the Department of
Public Works, and most detrimental to our interests as proprietors
of land in Ceylon
;
and we beg to reiterate the request we have so
recently made to you to examine Major Skinner himself (who is
now in England) on this most important topic, and we cannot
doubt that his evidence will bear out our belief that the measure
proposed would be a most imprudent one, and would in the end
lead to a great increase of expenditure.
"
We are the more disposed respectfully to press our views on
this matter, as we have had, for several years, unusual opportuni-
ties of watching the working of the present system in the Kandian
Pro\'ince
;
while the members of the Legislative Council, though
doubtless individually anxious for the welfare of the Colony, have,
with one or two exceptions, been for many years placed in such
circumstances as have unavoidably debarred them from th6
advantage of personal experience on the subject."
We only trust no future attempt will be made to reduce or dis-
pense with the Pioneer Force, until that distant period when it
can be said that Ceylon needs no more roads, bridges, or canals.
The last word reminds us of a system of communication to which
the British Government in Ceylon has as yet paid but too little
attention, and in regard to which Major Skinner has had to fight
almost as many battles for the interests of the Colony as in the
case of the Pioneers.
One of the greatest difficulties he had to contend with was the
opposition of the present Colonial Secretary and others to all his
propositions and efforts to restore the efficiency of the Inland
Na\dgation, In 1851 it was destroyed at Natande and Negombo,
and other parts of it impeded, so that it cost the boatmen from 4
to 5 to cart their salt and other produce past these obstructions,
boats only plying between them. Major Skinner was constantly
told that any attempt to restore the Navigation would result in the
total waste of the money expended on it. He was obliged, in
1851, after (with Mr. Norris' Department) the Canals were handed
over to him, to commence the work of restoration
"
on the sly,"
in places where he could not be observedat Periamullo. north of
Negombo, where he built his first revetment walls, after clearing
out the canal which had filled in with sand four or five feet above
the level of what should have been high water. The eft'ect of that
work has been that not a spoonful of stuft" has been taken out of
the canal since, its depth having for upwards of fifteen years been
preserved by the scour of the water. The system has been ex-
tended
; the Natande ivipoasibility has never once been obstructed
since re-opened by Mr. Campbell, and the tolls have risen in pro-
portion. If, however, Major Skmner had realised the predictions of
his opponents by failure, they would have infallibly crushed him for
his obstinacy. Sir H. Ward took much interest in this work. Sir
H. Kobinson came down the line from Putlam to Mutwall in April of
this year, and was, we hear, so pleased with it that he is prepared
to carry out Major Skinner's suggestions for its further improve-
ment for, as it is hoped at no distant date, Steam Navigation.
In Major Skinner's Ceylon career of not far short of half a
century the Island has changed from a purely Military possession
into one of much commercial importance. When he arrived in
1819 it was to find the flames of a great Kebellion scarcely yet
quenched in the recently-acquired Kandian Provinces
;
the British
forces having suffered far more from the absolute want of roads
than from any resistance offered by the mountaineers. Indeed,
iu the Maritime Provinces, which had been in British occupation
since the closing years of the last century, there were practically
no made roads beyond the limits of the principal towns, while
permanent bridges were absolutely unknown. The first work in
which Major, then Ensign, Skinner took part was one which
rendered further resistance on the part of the Kandians impossible
by the facilities afforded to the movements of British troops
; and
impossible in the higher and better sense of converting enemies
into loyal and attached friends by the protection to life and
property which became possible to the British Government, and
by the benefits which European enterprise brought in its train.
He has lived to see the ancient inhabitants, the European Planters,
and the Immigrant labourers from the coast of Coromandel all
living and labouring peacefully side by side. He has survived to
see a magnificent net-work of roads spread over the country from
the sea-level to the passes of our highest mountain ranges ; and
instead of dangerous fords and ferries, where property often
suffered, and life was too frequently sacrificed, he has lived to see
every principal stream in the Island substantially bridged or about
to be spanned by structures of stone or iron. A few years before
he came to the Island, a writer on Ceylon was compelled in the
interests of truth to state that
"
strictly speaking there are no
roads in the Island."
He has lived and laboured to see this reproach wiped away, and
a contrast so great established that Ceylon, with an area of 25,000
miles, can now count nearly 8,000 miles of made roads, one-fifth
of which consists of first-class metalled roads, and another fifth
of excellent gravelled highways. What a favourable contrast this
state of things presents to the following picture of one of the
richest and most important portions of the Empire of Hindustan,
including, as the tract adverted to does, the Valley of the Indus.
The passage occurs in an able minute by Sir Bartle Frere, lately
Governor of Bombay, and now ]\Iember of the Council of the
Secretary of State for India, advocating the formation of a
Kailway to run from the Punjab through Scinde to Kurrachee:
"
Let us consider how far the great quadilateral formed by
lines joining Lahore, Allahabad, Bombay, and Kurrachee is pro-
vided with means of communication. The sides of the quadri-
lateral are given in the annexed diagram, in round numbers and in
direct distance, and the included area cannot be less than 400,000
square miles. Perhaps a better idea of its magnitude may be
obtained from the other sketch map marked B, on which France
and Germany, Great Britain and Ireland are projected to scale
within the space of North-Western India, of which I am speaking.
Let us consider this vast space, compared with which Germany and
France seem so small and compact. How is it furnished with
means of transit and intercommunication ? Throughout this
space, a line drawn north and south from Jumna north of Agra
to the sea, say GOO or 700 miles, or about twice the distance from
London to Edinburgh, will, till it reaches the Baroda railway,
close to the sea coast, touch no railway nor navigable river nor
canal, nor even a common cart road 100 miles in length. A line
drawn east and west, say from Kurrachee to the Allahabad and
Jubbulpoor road, will, in like manner, in a course of more than
900 miles, or about as far as from London to Home, cross neither
railway nor navigable canal, and only one cart road, that from
266
Agra to Mhow. Even that is still unbridged and unmetalled,
incomplete, and not available for continuous cart traffic, though
it has been more or less under construction for at least 30 years.
The whole of this vast space, so full of large cities, fertile districts,
and promising wastes, is in fact furnished with no better
appliances for facilitating transit than the natural surface of the
country aftbrds and has afforded foi- centuries past. Here and
there, no doubt, a few short lines of made road may be found, but I
believe I speak within compass when I say that in no part of this
immense territory could a cart find (except on the incomplete Agra
and Mhow line above noticed) 100 miles of ordinary bridged and
metalled road traversable by wheeled carriages for the whole year
round, nor 200 continuous miles of made road, however imperfect,
in any part of the area."
With the advent of Railway travelling, we shall be too apt to
forget the great change for the better introduced when a fully
bridged and well metalled road Jirst connected Colombo with
Kandy. A writer on Ceylon, whose book was published so lately
as 1841, is amusing from the enthusiasm with which he contrasts
the ease and comfort of coach and carriage travelling in Ceylon
with the primitive Indian mode of conveyance by palanquins, in
which the traveller was carried over hot and trackless wastes on
the shoulders of o'er-wearied men.
So different is the case with Ceylon that a Map in which all the
roads are prominently filled in looks as chequered as a draught-
board
;
and although more roads are still wanted, yet the dift'erence
between Ceylon and India is, that while she has yet to make the
feeders for her great Railway Lines, our system of feeders to a
large extent is ready to our hands : thanks to the race of Road-
makers which commenced with Barnes as its Chief, and whose last
representative is leaving us just as the great Kandy Road is about
to be superseded by the Railway. On that road, let us never
forget, ran the first Mail Coach ever started in Asia
;
while we
may here recall to our readers' recollection the figures representing
tolls and cart traffic which Major Skinner framed a few months
ago.
l-'roiii the Coliiiiiho Oh.srrrcr, l'\-l>. 2{jt/i, 1807.
As Major Skinner took part in the formation of the great Kandy
Road, so he has lived to see it about to be all but entirely super-
267
seded by a Eaihvay. On the eve of this event the Commissioner
of Eoads has opportunely put together the figures which consti-
tute the history of the main artery of the Colony's commerce for
the quarter of a century commencing with 1842 and ending with
1866. In the five-and-twenty years the toll revenue of the road
has been 572,362, while the expenditure Avas only 422,915.
The net profit, therefore, has been 149,447. For the whole
period 264 were expended per mile per annum against 341
collected.
From a note we learn that there was established on the line
of road in June 1865, 2,300 Dwelling houses, occupied by 9,114
inhabitants, and 707 Halting Stations for the accommodation of
Carts and Bullocks traversing the road.
So that the halting places Avere 10 to each mile. In a second
table Major Skinner adds 16 per cent, for expenses of collections,
and brings the Avhole yield in tolls of the Kandy Eoad up to
663,940. The carts equivalent to these tolls Major Skinner puts
down at
Loaded 2,140,920
Unloaded 237,870
So that at least
2j
millions of carts traversed the great Kandy
Eoad in the quarter-century. [By the time the Eailway is opened
we may make the number 2,400,000 at the very least.]
With the formation of nearly every mile of road, and the
erection of every bridge in the country, Major Skinner has been
more or less intimately connected either as subordinate or Chief
of the Public Works Department ; while we cannot forget that
simultaneously he laboured, amidst exposure and privation of
Avhich present explorers of the Kandian Provinces can have but
the faintest idea, in surveying and fixing the topographical features
of the country he was opening up
; the result being seen in the
beautiful and useful Map of the Colony, and especially that of
the Mountain Zone, with which his name, in conjunction with
those of Fraser and Gallwey, will be ever honourably asso-
ciated.
As the result to a great extent of the improved communica-
tions, especially by their affording easy access on the part of
Coffee Planters to the forests of the hill country, the commerce of
Ceylon has increased from a few hundreds of thousands per annum
to an aggregate of ten niilHons sterhng
; the export of Coffee
alone having risen from a value of about 10,000 to close on
three millions. The revenue has increased in proportion until we
have seen half a million sterling voted for the Public Works
Department in one year.
Any record of Major Skinner's public services would be incom-
plete which did not include honourable mention of his efforts to
secure for the Colony, by his knowledge of work and prices, a
contract at a moderate rate for the construction of a Eailwayan
undertaking which no one in the Colony has been more anxious
to see completed than himself ; from the feeling he so readily
avowed, that the advancing commerce of the Colony rendered the
iron highway absolutely necessary as the supplement and super-
seder of the great road on which his first efforts were put forth
under the eye of the eminent Governor who had genius enough to
anticipate, and energy to provide for, that future of Ceylon which
the worthiest and most devoted of his disciples has lived to see.
Finally, we cannot forget Major Skinner's recent services to the
Colony, as President of the Commission appointed to report on
the proportion of Military expenditure fairly chargeable to this
Island in time of peace.
Having thus expressed our sense of Major Skinner's valuable
public services (not at greater length and not more warmly than
we conscientiously feel the case demands), and having indicated
our hope that services so unparalleled may be especially rewarded,
it remains that we should testify our respect for the rectitude of
this great worker's private life, and wish him, as we cordially do
(speaking, we believe, in the name of the great majority of the
people of Ceylon), all possible happiness in the calm of the closing
years of a career so honourably laborious, and to this Colony so
useful. Though once, in the early part of his career, at the point
of death from fever contracted in the Valley of the Maha Oyaso
fatal to many of his brother officers and multitudes of the
labourers they directedMajor Skinner at the age of sixty-four
seems so hale and hearty that we cannot look at him without
thinking of the description of another great worker of whom it
was said in his old age that
"
his eye was not dim, nor his
natural force abated." But sixty-four is only six years short of
269
the term allotted to man, and if, as we hope. Major Skinner is
destined long to outlive that period in vigour of intellect and
strength of body, we feel sure that never will the lengthened
enjoyment be grudged to him of the largest rewards which
a just Government at the voice of a grateful country can
confer.
Major Skinner's Services.
The following succinct statement made by Major Skinner before
the Committee of Council on Public Works in 1864 will show
what his services have been
:
"
I was first employed on the roads of the Colony in 1820, in
the opening of the two lines to Kandy, one by the Kaduganava
Pass, the other through the Seven Ivories, and have been more or
less identified with them since
;
for though employed for a short
time on the Garrison Staff, I was even then detached to trace
roads, and when in the Quartermaster-General's Department, I
had the chax'ge and direction of them. In 1883, when the Public
Works of the Colony were transferred to the Civil Authorities, I
was selected to induct the newly-appointed Surveyor-General
and Civil Engineer, and for a time to assist him in setting his
Departments in working order. In 1837, the Departments
having got into confusion, I was requested to take charge of them.
Having, to the satisfaction of Government, restored them to order,
I handed them over to the Surveyor-General and Civil Engineer
in 1840. In 1841 I was again offered charge of the I'oads
of the Colony, with the appointment of Commissioner of Roads,
which was confirmed by the Secretary of State and the Lords
of the Treasury. In 1850 I was ordered to take over the Civil
Engineer's Department, and to incorporate it with my own. In
1859 I was appointed to act as Auditor-General. In June, 1861,
I returned to the charge of the Public Works."
In his evidence before the Military Commission Major Skinner
stated:
"I came out to join the Navy, but was placed in the
Army. At the age of between fourteen and fifteen I was ordered
to march in command of a small detachment of the 19th, 83rd,
and Ceylon Rifle Regiments across from Trincomalie to Colombo
by the jungle paths then existing. In 1820 (when still but a boy)
T was ordered to take charge of a party of 200 Kandians with a
proportion of Headmen to be employed in opening roads."
We may add that in 1865 Major Skinner again acted as
Auditor-General, in which capacity he succeeded the late Mr.
Pennefather as President of the Military Commission. On both
occasions of acting in the Executive he showed rare administra-
tive talents, with that independence of character for which he
was ever distinguished. As member of the Legislative Council
he brought his great local Imowledge to bear on the dis-
cussions, especially in a masterly speech on the Northern
Pro\dnce.
Major Skinner may be said to have been born in the Army,
being the son of a field officer and having received his Commission
before the age of fifteen. The effect of early military training
has been beneficially e\ddent in the organization and training of
the Pioneers.
It was only just as Major Skinner was on the eve of retiring that
his salary was raised to the point at which it ought to have been
fixed many years previously. That the remuneration of the office
should, during Major Skinner's incumbency, have been so inade-
quate is an additional reason why he should be liberally dealt with
in the matter of pension.
Sir Emerson Tennent's Testimony.
The extent to which Major Skinner traversed Ceylon and the
use he made of his opportunities for observing the physical pecu-
liarities of the country, its people, its natural history, productions
and ancient monuments, are evident from the frequent references
to him in Tennent's exhaustive work on Ceylon. In Ichthyology
and Conchology Major Skinner's name is honourably known, his
collections of sea and freshwater shells being about as complete as
any in existence. Sir Emerson Tennent gracefully acknowledged
his literary obligations by dedicating his work on the Elephant to
Major Skinner, while in his work on Ceylon he thus refers to that
Officer's labours in triangulating the Island and covering it with
roads
:
"
When the British took possession of Ceylon, and for many
years afterwards, nothing deserving the name of a road was in
existence, to unite these important positions." Travellers were
borne along the shore in palanquins, by pathways under the trees
;
troops on the march dragged their guns with infinite toil over the
sand
;
and stores, supplies and ammunition were carried on men's
shoulders through the jungle. Since then, not only has a high-
way unsurpassed in construction been completed to Colombo, but
continued through the mountains to the central capital at Kandy,
and thence higher still to Neuera-ellia, at an elevation of six
thousand feet above the sea. Nor is this all ; every town of im-
portance m the island is now connected with the two principal
cities, by roads either wholly or partially macadamised. One con-
tinuous line, seven hundred and sixty-nine miles in length, has
been formed round the entire circuit of the coast, adapted for
carriages where it approaches the principal places, and nearly
everywhere available for horsemen and wayfarers.
"
No portion of British India can bear comparison with Ceylon,
either in the extent or the excellence of its means of communica-
tion
;
and for this enviable pre-eminence the colony is mainly in-
debted to the genius of one eminent man, and the energy and
perseverance of another. Sir Edward Barnes, on assuming the
government in 1820, had the penetration to perceive that the sums
annually wasted on hill-forts and garrisons in the midst of wild
forests, might, with judicious expenditure, be made to open the
whole country by military roads, contributing at once to its security
and its enrichment. Before the close of his administration he had
the happiness of witnessing the realisation of his policy
;
and of
leaving every radius of the diverging lines, which he had planned,
either wholly or partially completed. One officer who had been
associated with the enterprise from its origin, and with every stage
of its progress, remained behind him to consummate his plans.
That officer was Major Skinner, the present Commissioner of Eoads
in Ceylon. To him more than to any living man the colony is
*
Percival,
p. 145. An idea of the toil of travelling this road in the year
1800 may be collected from the number of attendants which the Governor was
forced to take on his journey from Colombo to Galle when starting on a tour
round the island ; one hundred and .sixty palanquin bearers, four hundred
coolies to carry the baggage, two elephants, six horses, and fifty lascars to take
care of the tents.
Cordiner, ch. vi.
p.
108.
indebted for its present prosperity ;
and in after years, when the
interior shall have attained the full development of its productive
resources, and derived all the advantages of facile communications
with the coast, the name of this meritorious public servant will
be gratefully honoured in close association with that of his illus-
trious chief."
"
Down to a very recent period no British colony was more im-
perfectly surveyed and mapped than Ceylon
;
but since the recent
publication by Arrowsmith of the great map by General Fraser the
reproach has been withdrawn, and no dependency of the Crown is
now more richly provided in this particular. In the map of
Schneider, the Government engineer in 1813, two-thirds of the
Kandian Kingdom are a blank ; and in that of the Society for the
Diffusion of Knowledge, republished so late as 1852, the rich dis-
tricts of Neuera-kalawa and the Wanny, in which there are innu-
merable villages (and scarcely a hill), are marked as an ''unknown
moimtainous ref/ion."
General Fraser, after the devotion of a life-
time to the labour, has produced a survey which, in extent and
minuteness of detail, stands imrivalled. In this great work he
had the co-operation of Major Skinner and of Captain Gallwey, and
to these two gentlemen the public are indebted for the greater por-
tion of the field-work and the trigonometrical operations. To
judge of the difficulties which beset such an undertaking, it must
be borne in mind that till very recently travelling in the interior
was all but impracticable, in a coimtry unopened even by bridle-
paths, across unbridged rivers, over mountains never trod by the
foot of an European, and amidst precipices inaccessible to all but
the most courageous and prudent. Add to this that the country is
densely covered by forests and jungle, with trees a hundred feet
high, from which here and there the branches had to be cleared to
obtain a sight of the signal stations. The triangulation was car-
ried on amidst privations, discomfort and pestilence, which fre-
quently prostrated the whole party, and forced their attendants to
desert them rather than encounter such hardships and peril. The
materials collected by the colleagues of General Fraser under these
discouragements have been worked up by him with consummate
skill and perseverance. The base line, five and a quarter miles in
length, was measured in 1815 in the cinnamon plantation at
Kaderani, to the north of Colombo, and its extremities are still
marked by two towers, which it was necessary to raise to the
height of one hundred feet to enable them to be discerned above
the surrounding forests. These, it is to be hoped, will be carefully
kept from decay, as they may again be called into requisition here-
after.
Memorial for Enhanced Pension to Major Skinner.
The following is the Memorial signed, to which we have
alluded
:
To His Grace the Duke

of
Buckinghavi, the Right Honourable the
Secretary
of
State for
the Colonies.
Your Grace,
We, the undersigned Colonists, Merchants, Planters and
others unconnected with the Government, cannot allow Major
Thomas Skinner to retire from this Colony, after forty-eight years
of almost uninterrupted service, without expressing a hope that
your Grace may be pleased to take into your consideration, as a
special favour in his case, an extension of the Pension to which he
is entitled under the existing rules of the Service. Major Skinner
has for many years been at the head of one of the most important
Departments of this Government, the arduous duties of which are
attended with constant toil and anxiety. He has performed all
these duties cheerfully and successfully, and has overcome every
difficulty which stood in his way, by his untiring energy and
perseverance.
The Colonists are deeply indebted to Major Skinner for his long
and zealous services on behalf of the Colony ; and the undersigned
feel confident that the entire community, both Native and Euro-
pean, would be much gratified if your Grace were pleased to extend
Major Skinner's Pension to 1,000 per annum. The larger Pen-
sion would add much to his comfort in the decline of life, and
would bear witness to the good-will of his fellow Colonists, and to
their appreciation of his unwearied exertions in the development of
the resources of the island.
18
Hoping that this humble expression of our feeling towards Major
Skinner will meet with your Grace's approval,
We have the honour to be your Grace's
Most obedient and humble Servants.
[Signed by the Merchants and principal residents of Colombo
Kandy and Galle, besides those up country and along the coast.]
Presentation of an Addeess to Major Skinner from Native
Chiefs, &c., of the Island.
This took place at the office of the Commissioner of Koads
yesterday (the 28th instant), when a deputation waited on Major
Skinner, who had previously declined to accede to the request that
he should be treated to a public banquet, expressing a wish rather
that any public notice of his departure might be made as simple as
possible. Mr. James Alwis was the spokesman on the occasion,
and he did his part feelingly and well, as follows
:
"
Sir,
"
Twenty years ago it was my privilege, as it is now, to read
to you an Address from the Native Chiefs of the Western,
Southern and Central Provinces. Though within that interval of
time a generation has passed away, and you do not now see many
of the hoary heads which you saw on the first deputation in this
very halland you yourself have lost the dear help-mate of your
lifeit is nevertheless satisfactory to you to know that the children
of those with whom you commenced your official career, before we
were born, appreciate the good which you have done for their
country during forty-nine long years
;
and that you leave aanongst
us a son, who, if he follow the footsteps of his father, will not fail
to be endeared to us all. I know. Sir, as do many of the gentle-
men here present, that you have done signal service to the Sin-
ghalese. Imbued with all the liberal principles which prompted the
good rule of Sir Edward Barnes's administration
;
knowing, as you
do, the great respect and esteem in which he held the higher
classes of the Singhalese, you have ever been their friend, and
have, to my own certain knowledge, pleaded their cause here as
elsewhere. I know, too, from various causes, that you have got
right, and not the erroneous notions which the Government of this
country have entertained of the Natives and their agricultural
operations ; and I have no hesitation in saying that the result of
your just representations on Agriculture, combined with the Koads
which you have opened in this island, will be productive of in-
calculable benefit to the Singhalese, and the Government which
you have served.
"
As regards Koads, the main cause for the growing prosperity
of this island, allow me to read an extract from a Lecture which I
delivered in 1864
:
" '
Where fifty years ago a man from Colombo had to trudge six
weeks before he could reach Kandy, and that, too, with great per-
sonal inconvenience, over scraggy rocks, precipices and ravines, he
is now able to make the same distance in less than ten hours. A
country which had
'
no roads ' in 1807, and where
'
wheeled
carriages could only be used in the neighbourhood of the large
European settlements on the sea-coasts,' is now intersected with
bandy'''- roads in every directioneleven lines of wliich traverse
through its length and breadth. Besides several mail coaches
between small towns, a mail coach now runs every day to and
from Kandy, and likewise from Galle. The good-will of the
Colombo and Kandy coach was recently sold for 3,000, and the
revenue derived from the two coaches is alone estimated at 7,000
per annum. Where half a century since, in travelling, footpaths
were only discernible, but never any broad beaten way, regularly
formed, marked with the tracks of wheels, and bounded with walls
or ditches, we now have an infinite number of carriage roads, upon
the repairs alone of which no less than a sum of 189,138 is
annually expended. Where 10 years ago the line of travelling led
over natural meadows, sometimes over rugged strata of clay, some-
times through beds of deep and heavy sand, there are now upwards
of 2,550 miles of road, highly finished and well metalled, of which
nearly 800 miles have been opened during the last 15 years. And
the means of conveyance in the Colony, calculated upon other
wants and other times, is
"
about to be made to keep pace with
the immense development of its producing powers
"
by the opening
of a railroad.
*
BiUidija small carriage.
18
*
"
These are, Sir, some of the reasons wliich induce ns to address
younot \\dth a view to seek favour, for you are going to leave us,
but in grateful remembrance of what you have done, both publicly
and privately, to promote the true interests of the Singhalese.
Before readmg the Address, I have only to add that this same
Address, which is very largely signed by people of several districts,
has not yet arrived in Colombo from a neglect on our part to let
them know the exact date of your departure
;
but that the same
will be forwarded to you to England in a few days by the Maha
Modliar."
"
To Major T. Skinner, Civil Enrjineer and Commissioner
of
Roads, Ceylon.
"
Deae Sir,
"
We, the undersigned Native Chiefs and other inhabitants
of the Maritime and Central Provinces of Ceylon, impelled by a
grateful sense of the valuable services you have rendered to this
Colony during your official connection with it for the last 49
years, and the kind interest you have ever taken in encouraging
native talent and upholding native merit, are anxious to testify
our highest respect and esteem for you, and the regret with which
we contemplate your final departure from this country.
"To speak of the manner in which you have executed the im-
portant public duties confided to you would be presumptuous in us
;
still, we should be doing violence to the warmth and sincerity of
our feelings if we forbore all expression of the admiration with
which we look back upon your long career of public usefulness.
In taking a glance at your long and useful public life in this
Colony, we cannot help noticing the fact that you were one of
those selected by the late Sir Edward Barnes to carry out that
great work, the road from Colombo to Kandy, a work which will
ever be remembered by all well-wishers of our comitry with
gratitude.
"
The high state of efficiency in which this great road has been
maintained ever since your appointment to the head of the Roads
Department, will alone entitle you to our gratitude
;
but your
energy and zeal did not rest here, your name is associated with
several other acts, which it becomes our pleasing duty to record.
We allude, amongst others, to the organization of the Pioneer
Corps, the liberal provision made for this useful body of men by
means of a Pension Fund ; the encouragement held out to native
talent by the admission of young men into the Government Factory
as apprentices, with a view to qualify them as practical Engineers,
and the warm interest which you have always taken in promoting
works connected with Inland navigation.
'
' These are but a few of the many works of permanent usefulness
in which you have taken an active part.
"
We cannot forget that when you began public life in this
Colony, nearly half a centu^ry ago, the interior of the country was
almost inaccessible, and that roads and other means of communi-
cation were then almost unknown. Much as there is yet to be
done, it must be admitted that the Colony now possesses a net-
work of roads, such as few Colonies can boast of, and we should
be unjust if we did not acknowledge the fact that this state of
things is in no small degree attributable to your indefatigable zeal
and energy.
"
Private enterprise has doubtless given a great impetus to works
of this kind now-a-days, but we cannot forget that to your early
labours in this Department we are indebted for much of that private
enterprise which we are glad to observe is adding greatly to the
general prosperity of the Colony.
"
It will doubtless be a pleasing memory which will accom-
pany you in your retirement to your native country, that Ceylon,
which on your first arrival was almost an inaccessible jungle,
without a road or bridge to boast of, was intersected by a series
of the finest roads, bridges and canals, when you left her in the
year 1867.
"
You are one of the few Europeans who have laboured
among us so long. Many of us were not born when you came
to this country
;
and we assure you that the great esteem in
which you were held by our fathers has not in the slightest
degree diminished in their sons, and our own personal knowledge
of your worth enables us to endorse that high opinion which
our ancestors have always entertained of your public and private
character.
"
Though we cannot grudge you that rest and retirement which
you have so fairly earned after your long service, we cannot but
feel the loss which we would sustain by your absence from the
278
Councils of the Government, -svhere youi' extensive knowledge of
the country and its wants would have been of the highest service.
Be assured, Sir, that your memory will be cherished, and your
absence felt by all who have known you, while by such of us in
particular as have had the x^rivilege of your personal acquaint-
ance and friendship your name must ever be most gratefully
dwelt upon.
"
Farewell, Dear Sir,Our sincere prayers shall be offered up
for your welfare, and we earnestly trust that, restored to your
native country, you may, through God's grace, long enjoy,
amidst relatives and friends, the blessings of health and happi-
ness.
"
We remain. Dear Sir, with much respect,
"
Your attached humble servants,
"
H. DiAS
;
J. A. Peeera
;
J. Alwis
;
"
And 1,593 Signatures of Singhalese
"
Chiefs and others in the Mari-
"
time Province, Saffragam,
"Kandy and Kornegalle.''
Major Skinner (who was much affected) said, in reply,
" I am
quite unprepared, and totally unable to say how much I value the
kind and flattering terms in which Mr. Alwis has introduced the
subject for which I have been invited to meet you, and for the
feeling manner in which he has referred to his having conferred a
similar favour on me years gone byhe must only imagine my
feelings, which are far too full to admit of their finding utterance
;
and to you generally, my dear friends, it is impossible that I can
adequately express the feelings which agitate me,Avhilst endeavour-
ing to thank you for this most disinterested, and to me invaluable
proof of the kind regard and esteem expressed in the Address which
you have just done me the honour of presenting to me. It is indeed
a gratification and a reward which I little dreamt of receiving ; it is,
I feel, one of the highest honours which could be conferred upon
one who has lived amongst and worked for you, from a date to
which few of you can trace back your memories. In referring to
my long services, you reviewed them in the same kind and partial
spirit which has characterized the conduct and intercourse of the
Natives of this country towards me, from the day I was first
launched upon public life, when, not fifteen years old, I marched
in command of a detachment of troops from east to west
through your beautiful country
;
from that time, throughout my
life, to this day, I have not forgotten the impression made upon
my mind by the extraordinary kindness I then (a mere boy)
received at the hands of every Native with whom I was brought in
contact, and who could afford me any service or attention. And it
is with the greatest gratitude I am now enabled to state that that
most kind and friendly spirit, though in an immeasurably greater
degi'ee, has been continued to me in an unbroken chain to this
day, on which you now give me this much valued proof of the un-
impaired existence still of the mutual feeling of kindness and
affection which had its origin with a past generation.
"
This tribute is the more highly prized by me because it cannot
be the result of personal benefit or advantage I have been able to
confer on any. I have never held office which could have given
me the means of advancing your individual interests
;
but, on the
contrary, in every distinct into which my duties have directed me I
have at all times been the recipient of your kindness, and have
been laid under obligations by your fathers and yourselves for
favours for which I have scarcely ever been able to make the
smallest return. For a country so beautiful, and for a people
so generous and kind, it would have been as impossible as un-
natural not to have felt the deep interest I have entertained for
their welfareit would have been extraordinary if I could have
shown indifference or want of zeal in the performance of my im-
important and most interesting duties. Oh, no ! I am thankful to
say that has never been
;
my work has been my pleasure, almost
my life, and although I leave much yet to be done, it is to me a
most gratifying retrospect to compare the Ceylon of 1819 with her
condition in 1867, and to feel that I have been a humble instru-
ment of an enlightened Government in effecting the great change.
Had its power and means been equal to its will, we might have
had still greater cause for congratulation ;
but I am most thankful
to receive the assurance of the chiefs and people that they are
satisfied with my efforts in the humble position I have been
privileged to occupy in the good work.
"
There are one or two sul)jects in respect of which (as materially
affecting the welfare of the people and the prosperity of the coun-
280
try) I shall take a great and anxious interest as long as my life is
sparedI allude to education, specially of the females in the rural
districts
; to the improvement and extension of works of irrigation
as the means of extending cultivation and to the strengthening of
that which has somewhat declined of late years, the proper, legiti-
mate influence of the chiefs and country gentlemen in the provinces.
I dare not enlarge on any one of these topics ; each would need an
essay. The matter of agriculture is, I am happy to know, occupy-
ing the serious attention of the native gentry, who cannot, I believe,
devote their intelligence and energy to a higher or more important
subject.
"
Here, now nearly twenty years since, on the occasion of my
proceeding home on leave, I received, from many who are now
present, and from others who are now at rest, an affectionate
address which 1 now hold in my hand. It is painful in the extreme
to observe how many of the most esteemed and valued friends of
my youth, and still nearer and dearer ties to many of you, have
since then been taken from us : let this remind us, my friends, that
our time cannot be very long
;
that that of some must in the course
of nature be very short ; that we each have yet much to do, and
at the best but an uncertain time to do it in. I part from you
to-day with the feeling that in reality I am going /Vo), rather than
to my home. I shall never cease to be grateful for all the kindness
and affection I have received at your hands and those of your
countrymen for whose prosperity and that of your lovely isle I
shall ever feel the greatest and most anxious interest. May God's
blessing attend you.
"
T. Skinner."
The kindness and affection of my friends, and espe-
cially of the natives, shown on my approaching
departure, surpassed anything I could have expected.
Headmen came in from all parts of the country to see
me and bid me farewell ; some of them, who had
travelled considerable distances, and found on their
arrival at Colombo that I had left for Galle, drove those
additional seventy-two miles to say
"
Good-bye."
My time at the last was so precious that I could ill
spare much of it on interviews. It was no uncommon
occurrence, on my rising at 5 o'clock in the morning,
to find several native gentlemen waiting outside the
door to take advantage of the opportunity of seeing me
before I had entered on my engagements of the day.
Is it surprising that for such a people I should have
conceived a deep attachment ?
This v\âs the second generation of men for whom I
had felt the warmest possible affection ; for with their
fathers I had long lived on the most intimate terms, and
they were specimens of nature's truest gentlemen. It
was a source of pride and pleasure to me to witness so
many of their sons worthily inheriting the virtues of
their sires. I value intensely every little memento I
hold from those dear people, and shall do so to the day
of my death.
Let only good and just government be continued to
Ceylon, as it happily has existed, with rare exceptions,
during the long period since I first knew the country in
1818. Let the missionaries enjoy ordinary facilities in
extending vernacular education, so that the population
may be able intelligently to comprehend Christianity,
and the pure and simple Gospel will have its desired
effect in enlightening and expanding the minds of the
natives, who are susceptible of the highest mental culti-
vation, and are behind no other races in their recipro-
cation of disinterested and kindly feeling.
The effect of education, and the extraordinary social
progress which has, within my knowledge and personal
observation, taken place in Ceylon, onght to encourage
every well-wisher of the country in their hope and
expectation of its future. And let it never be forgotten
that much, very much of that progress and improve-
ment is due to the persevering efforts of the various
missionary societies in the island. I am not intending
to go into the matter at the length I should wish, but I
cannot resist making a feeble record of the strong con-
viction I have for many years entertained of the
enormous good these missionaries have been quietly and
unostentatiously working out, not only amongst the
natives but amongst our own people.
Most of the native gentlemen who are in Holy Orders
received their education from missionaries. Sir Eichard
Morgan and many other members of the Bench and
Bar received their earliest tuition from them. Several
most useful native officers, in whom I placed the same
confidence as I did in my European assistants, had
been the jDupils of missionaries ; they were entrusted
by me with very large expenditure, and 1 am happy and
thankful to say I never was disappointed in one of
them.
The American Mission was established at Jaffna in
1816. A medical college, several boys' schools, and a
first-rate girls' school were started, presided over by
"
Father Spaulding," as he was affectionately termed.
When first opened, it was so difficult to induce the
higher caste natives to send their daughters to the
school, that Mr. and Mrs. Spaulding received girls of
the lowest classes only. During my last visit to Oodoo-
ville Mr. Spaulding informed me that by the time the
first batch of children were educated, the school became
so popular as to be always full of children of the highest
castes. Brahmins had stated to him that so highly did
they prize the moral training and education given, that
they were all willing to risk, for these advantages,
the chances of their daughters being converted to
Christianity.
I asked Mr. Spaulding if he followed up the history
of his pupils after they left school. He replied in the
affirmative, that they took much pains in tracing the
characters of their pupils in after life, and so far as they
had been able to ascertain, that only in three instances,
of all those who had passed through their school, had
they to regret departures from the Christian faith, or
transgressions in morals. Many of these girls married
high caste native officers, clerks, and non-commissioned
officers in myown department, and their characters proved
exemplary. In many cases they formed schools for the
education of the children by whom they were surrounded,
and they exhibited an amount of energy, neatness, and
cleanliness in their houses which had a most civilizing
and beneficial influence on all who saw them.
When a member of the Councils in Ceylon I had
held a seat at the Central Board of Education, or School
Commission, and had felt much dissatisfied with the
progress of vernacular education in the rural districts,
more especially amongst the female part of the popu-
lation. I knew from personal observation to what an
unlimited extent this advanta^re could be carried in the
missionary districts if the means could be found
;
but
the conditions of the school commission were so
stringent in reference to restrictions in religious teach-
ing, that only one Mission, and that not a Church
Missionary school, could feel itself justified in accept-
ing the grant offered. Whenever I advocated a more
liberal policy, I was always in a small minority. I pro-
posed that grants should only be made to Mission
schools containing a given number of pupilsthat the
Inspector of Schools should satisfy himself that a
proper amount of secular education was imparted in it
before any grant in aid was made, and, as a proof that
no violent proselytism was carried on in that school, that
the grant should be withheld when the number of pupils
fell below a minimum, to be determined by the School
Commission.
In 1864 Government expended ^15,331 12s. 3|d. on
the education of the country, of which ,14,528 12s.
3fd.
were spent on G-overnment schools, and 803 on private
and mission schools.
In lb()4 there were in the island 125 schools under
Government inspection and direction, inclusive of 17
private and mission schools. Of the 17 aided schools
10 were private and 7 were missionary; the latter, con-
taining 347 pupils, received aid to the amount of
178 2s. 6d., or on an average 25 9s. for each
school, or 10s. 3d. for each pupil.
In 108 Government schools in 1864 there were 4,463
boys, 796 girls, making a total 5,259. Four years
further back, in 1860, when I collected returns from
five Protestant missions, there were 10,16*2 boys, 3,411
girls, making a total of 13,573.
In the 108 Government schools 5,259 pupils cost
55s. 6d. each; 17 private and mission schools 1,268
pupils cost 12s. 6d. each.
Up to the year 1860 three of the five Protestant
missions alone had educated 92,249 children, and
between 1860 and 1864 it may be assumed that 12,000
more were educated by those three missions; for in
returns furnished to me, it appeared that these missions
educated on an average annually 1,000 children each,
the limitation to those numbers having been caused by
want of means only, which the rules of the School Com-
mission prevented their receiving.
Does this statement, I ask, prove that there has been
shown by the natives any distrust of missionary teach-
ing ? The examination of their schools by Government
inspectors was not objected to by the missionaries, who
properly declined the restriction to their religious train-
ing which was an inevitable condition of their accepting
any aid from the Government ; and I hope that all who
may become acquainted with these facts will honour the
missionaries, as I do, for their consistency and fidehty
to the principles on which they were sent out ; and I
am thankful to be able to record that they were ulti-
mately rewarded, by the Government yielding to their con-
scientious scruples, and to the interests of the people.
Education was most urgently needed for one of the
most benighted populations in the Queen's dominions,
and especially so for the female portion of it ; and who
but the missionaries could effectually impart it, to the
extent required, at a cost which the Colony could afford.
We were for a long while injuring the social condition of
the people by educating the men far too highly in many
cases, and neglecting the women, because they would
not generally attend our Government vernacular schools,
which, as a rule, were inefficient in the rural districts.
I have often been much pained by hearing mission-
aries and mission work spoken of disparagingly by
thoughtless persons, who seemed to me to adopt that
course as a kind of justification for their not aiding the
cause, and in utter ignorance of a work, the importance
of which to a whole people it is scarcely possible to
exaggerate, but in respect of which these declaimers
were perfectly indifferent.
It is impossible to remember those good men and
their work without a feeling of the greatest honour and
respect for both.
A very influential Buddhist, the Basnaika Nillemy,
having responsible charge of all the temporalities of one
of the most sacred districts in the island, has frequently
expressed to me his conviction that, in the course of
fifty years, a very large majority of the population of
Ceylon will have become Christian.
God grant that this prophecy may be realised, and
that professing Christians may, by their blameless lives,
the integrity of their dealings, and the sobriety of their
habits, commend the religion they desire to impart to
their fellow-subjects in Ceylon !
CHAPTEE XII.
How strange were my feelings on the day of my
embarkation at Galle, after a long life of extreme
tension and of hard work, though truly it was, through-
out, a "labour of love
"
in a beautiful country, and
amongst a kind, affectionate people, by whom my most
enthusiastic sympathies had been called forth ; for,
from the time of my first arrival in Ceylon, I was
impressed with its great capabilities and enraptured
with the exquisite beauty of its scenery.
My embarkation from the jetty at Galle was a step of
cruel severance from scenes and associations, toils and
responsibilities, in which I had borne my part. I had
found scenes and associations of the purest and most
elevating sort among the beauties of nature and the
friendship of valued friends
;
the toils and responsibili-
ties I had, I hope, borne cheerfully ; and I had endea-
voured to act rightly, according to my judgment, in
matters of importance. Now all was to cease, and I
was to be parted from all, to which I had clung with so
much devotion, and from the officers of my department,
to whom I was deeply indebted for their zealous ener-
getic activity, and for the economy with which they
carried out their work.
In an hour this country, which had been my home
for so many years, and where the energies of my whole
manhood had been spent, would be for ever lost to sight,
and I was to wake in the morning with the sense of
having nothing further to do. Henceforth mine was
to be a life of "idleness," and an entire absence of
public responsibility ! Who that has taken a similar
dtep will not have felt as I have done ?
*****
When in London, in 1869, I received the follow-
ing letter from the Duke of Buckingham and
Chandos
:
Chancery
of
the Order
of
Saint Michael and Saint George.
Colonial Office, Downing Street,
24th February, 1869.
SlE,
I have the honour to acquaint you that the Queen has been
graciously pleased to appoint you to be a Companion of the most
distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, and to
transmit to you Her Majesty's grant of that dignity, together with
the insignia thereof, a copy of the statutes of the Order and a
blank form of covenant for the restoration of the insignia, which
document you will be so good as to sign and return to me when
duly attested.
I have the honour to be. Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
(Signed) Gordon Gairdner,
Secretary and Registrar.
Thomas Skinner, Esq., C.M.G.
Grant of the Dignity of a Companion of the Most Distin-
TINGUISHED OrDER OF SaINT MiCHAEL AND SaINT GeORGE,
to Thomas Skinner, Esq.
Victoria by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland Queen, Defender of the Faith, Sovereign and
Chief of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and
Saint George, to our trusty and well-beloved Thomas Skinner,
Esquire, late Civil Engineer and Commissioner of Roads for Our
Island of Ceylon, Greeting : Whereas, we have thought fit to
nominate and appoint you to be a Member of the Third Class or
Companions of Our Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael
and Saint George : We do by these presents Grant unto you the
Dignity of a Companion of Our said Most Distinguished Order :
And We do hereby authorise you to Have, Hold and Enjoy the said
Dignity as a Member of the Third Class or Companions of Our said
Most Distinguished Order, together with all and singular the
privileges thereunto belonging or appertaining.
Given at Our Court at Osborne House, Isle of Wight, under Our
Sign Manual and the Seal of the said Order this Eighteenth day
of February 1869, in the Thirty- second year of Our Reign.
By the Sovereign's command,
(Signed) George,
Grand Master.
(Signed) Victoria, R.G.
Sir Hercules Kobinson being at home on leave
from Ceylon, I called on him, in London, to ask him
if it was to his kind offices I was indebted for this mark
of approval of the manner in which I had accomplished
my duties in Ceylon. He replied :
"
No
;
a few days ago I received an intimation from
the Secretary of State that he wished to see me. On
my arrival at his office he said
:
" '
I have sent for you to ascertain if there is any
19
officer under your Government you think specially
deserving of a mark of the Sovereign's approbation for
the manner in which he has performed his duties, and
on whom you would wish to confer the Order of Saint
Michael and Saint George, it being the intention to
enlarge it.'
''
I replied :
'
There is an officer who has lately
retired from the service, whom it would be a discredit
to the Government to allow to retire into private
life without rewarding him with some mark of his
Sovereign's favour and approbation of his services.'
**
' Who is that officer
?
' asked the Secretary
of State.
"
I named you.
"'Oh!' said the Duke of Buckingham, 'I have
already put Major Skinner's name down for the
Order.'
'*
'
What Class of the Order has your Grace intended
for Major Skinner ?
'
" '
The Third Class,' replied the Duke.
''
I answered :
'
I could never think of offering it to
him as a recognition or reward for his services to the
colony of Ceylon. The only advantage it will be to him
will be that in the direction of his letters there will be
the addition of
"
C.M.G." after his name.'
'*
The Secretary of State said that, if you were abroad,
to be invested with the Second Class of the Order would
be a heavy expense.
"
I replied that you were not abroad, but actually in
London.
"
His Grace desired me to confer with you on the
subject."
I told Sir Hercules that I was very grateful to him
for his kind advocacy of my interests, and begged him
to offer my respectful thanks to the Secretary of State
for so kindly wishing me to be consulted, and to state
that I was too poor to covet the title of the Second
Class; that I was gratified with the expression of
approval of my services from my Sovereign, and should
be quite satisfied with the Third Class of the Order,
which His Grace had sent me, and which reached me
this morning.
It proved a disappointment to my children and friends
that I had refused the distinction which had been offered
to me ; but, on the whole, if I erred, I hope it was on
the right side.
19
CONCLUDING CHAPTER,
The concluding act of my father's life, alluded to in the
last chapter, was quite in keeping with the rest of his
life and character. His life was the most consistent,
humble, unselfish one, that can be imagined.
When the Duke of Edinburgh visited Ceylon and
India, my father was invited by the Ceylon Govern-
ment to go out and help to entertain the Duke
to show him the beauties and sport in the island
the Ceylon Government offering to pay all expenses.

The Secretary of State sanctioned the proposal,
but the Lords of the Treasury objected to the
expense of sending anyone from England for the
purpose.
The following extract from the Ceylon Observer shows
the feeling of the island on the subject
:
"
With reference to what will be the first visit of a
member of the Royal Family to Ceylon, a suggestion
has been made, to which we should think there can be
here but a united and cordial response, that the man
who knows more about Ceylon, and all of interest
connected with it, than any other HvingMajor
Skinnershould attend His Koyal Highness through
the island."
On the occasion of the Prince of Wales going to
Ceylon my father was consulted as to the best time of
year to visit the island, and also about the elephant-
shooting, as H.R.H. was anxious to have some sport.
My father was very fond of conchology, and had one
of the finest collections in England. He used to tell
the story of how he fell a victim to this
"
hobby." He
was travelling through the island with some friends who
were keen conchologists, and their eagerness over the
discovery of some, to his unpractised eye, insignificant
shell, caused him much amusement. To revenge this
insult to their favourite science, they determined to
make my father a convert to it ; so they agreed to ask
him if he sliould happen to find a shell they would be
glad if he would give it to them.
They then took care to place a few where he was
likely to find them, and on his showing them the shells
they exclaimed with delight that they were very rare
specimens and a great addition to their collection
!
This pleased my father, and he began looking for more
with the same result till they convinced him that he
had a special "eye for shells." They even bribed the
natives to bring him some, which he bought, finding it
afforded his friends pleasure. By the end of this trip
my father found there was
"
something
"
in conchology
after all ; and his friends were satisfied in their revenge,
having secured another enthusiast
!
Some shells my father discovered were previously un-
known to conchologists, and were called after him. He
has told me that many hours were thus beguiled when
he was alone in Ceylon, my mother being in England,
and that vîthout this
"
hobby
"
the separation would
have been unbearable. He never did anything "by
halves," and, notwithstanding all his hard work, he was
not content until he made his collection as perfect as
possible.
He retained his love for fishing to the end, and every
spring and autumn found him by the river-side, either
in Cumberland, Ireland, or Scotland fishing for trout or
salmon. There were few who could beat him at that
sport, as in former years there were few who rivalled
him with the gun in Ceylon. Most of the rivers were
known to him, and the lovely scenery through which
they flowed was an endless delight.
The pleasure he took in everything connected with
nature was beautiful to see ; but his principal delight
was in contributing to the happiness of others.
Children loved him, and everyone was glad to welcome
him. I think his heart remained young to the end, and
the entire absence of self made him the delightful com-
panion he was to young and old alike.
It was my privilege to be wdth him during the last
few years of his life, which he spent principally in
visiting old friends and travelling, the latter being
always a special pleasure to him. He felt his work
was done, and he was just waiting for his call Home.
It is not for me to add to the record he has left of
what that work was ; I can only speak of the brightness
of the eventide, which seemed to shine more brilHantly
as the end drew near. One day, looking up, he said,
"
My child, all, all is bright ; there is not a single cloud
anywhere."
On the 24th July 1877 he passed peacefully away to
the Home he was so longing for, and I felt the promise
was fulfilled that
'
At evening time it shall be light."
ANNIE SKINNER.
Guildford, 20th June 1890.
297
APPENDIX
NOTE I.
I HAVE always held to the tradition, verhally communicated to
me, regarding the antiquity of our family, and without placing
undue importance upon it as a distinction, I have felt the necessity
of maintaining my position and reputation as the descendant of
a long line of ancestors. This feeling has been of great use to me
in my up-hill struggle through life
;
for, while conscious that no
distinguished antecedents of my forefathers could in any way
compensate for individual deficiency in myself, it proved an invalu-
able stimulus to pergonal exertion and determination of purpose,
without which I must have totally failed. The knowledge that my
family can be traced back as useful and distinguished members of
the communities in which they have lived for many generations, has
given me the ardent desire, I have ever felt to emulate their
example, and to prove myself not altogether \anworthy of them.
The following is a copy of the original grant of Arms given to
our family
:
Grant of Arms, by William Hervy, Esq., Clarenceux, King of

Arms, to John Skynner, Esq., 10th July, 1557.
To all and singuler as well kinges herauldes and Officers of armes
as nobles gentilmen and others which these presentes shall see or
here, William heruye esquire otherwise called Clarencieulx princi-
pall heraulde and kinge of armes of the sowthe Easte and weaste
parties of Englande from the ryuer of Treute sowthwarde sendith
due commendac'ons and greatinge. ifor asmuche as auncientlie
298 APPENDIX.
from the beginnynge the vahaunte and vertuouse actes of excellente
parsons haue ben commendid to the worlde with sondrie monu-
nientes and remembrances of theire good desearttes, Emonges the
which one of the chefiste and moste vsuall hath byn the bearinge of
signes and tokens in shildes called amies the which are none other
thinges then euidences and demonstrac'ons of prowes and valoure
diuerslie distributed accordinge to the qualleties and Desearttes of
the persons that suche signes and tokens of the diligent faithfull
and cowragious might appeare before the negligente cowarde and
ignorante and be an efficiente caAvse to move stirre and kindle the
harttes of men to the ymytac'on of vertiie and noblenes, Euen so
hath the same ben and yet is contynuallie obseruid to the intente
that suche as haue don com'endable seruice to theire prince or
contreye either in warre or peace maye both receiue due honor in
their Hues, and also deriue the same successiulie to theire posteretie
after them. And beinge required of John Skyn'er in the countie
of Lincolne esquire receiuer of the honor of Bollingbroke, sonne
and heire to Robert Skynner of Excetor in the countie of Deuon
gentilman, to make searche in the register and recordes of myne
Office for the auncient armes and creast belonginge to that name
and famelie whereof he is descendid, and I fownde the same, And
consideringe his auncestors vertue so well begon and so longe con-
tinewed I coulde not withoute theire greate iniurie asssigne vnto
hym anye other armes then those which belongid to the howse and
famelie whereof he is descendid : wherefore in perpetuall memorie
of the vertuouse actes and Demerittes reuiued in that person, as by
the same deriued from his auncestors, I haue confirmed and graunted
to hym and his posteretie the owlde and auncient armes of his
auncestors. That is to saye, ermyns thre lozenges sables on everie
one a flowredelices golde, And to the Creaste, \pon the heaulme, a
Dragons hedd razid azure platey, on the necke two gemelles golde,
on a wreathe golde and verte, mantelled gules doublid argent as
more plainlie apearith depicted in this margente, which armes
heaulme and Creaste I the saide Clarencieulx kinge of armes, by
power and auctoretie to myne Office annexed and graunted by
letters patentes vnder the greate seale of Englande, haue ratefied
confirmed gyuen and graunted vnto the said John Skynner gentil-
man and to his posteretie with theire due dift'erences to vse beare
and shewe for euermor in shilde coate armoure or otherwise and
APPENDIX. 299
therin to be reuested at his and tbeire libertie and pleasure without
ympediment lett or interrupcon of any person or persons. In
wittnes whereof I the saide Clarencieulx kinge of armes haue signed
these presentes with my hande and putt therevnto the seale of myne
Office and the seale of myne armes. Geuen at London the tenthe
of -July in the yeare of owre lorde godd 1557, and in the fourthe
and fifte yeares of the reigne of owre souereigns Lorde and Ladye
phellippe and Marye by the grace of godd kinge and Queene of
England Spayne fraunce bothe Cicelies Jerusalem and Ireland
deffendors of the faith Archedukes of Austrishe Dukes of Burgondie
Millane and Brabant counties of Haspurge flaunders and Tyrol!.
Will. Hervy al's clarencieulx
King of Armes.
The name of Skinner is of Danish origin from the word S/,-e72.
At Herald's College is to be found at the 28th page of the 23rd
volume of MS. pedigrees in the handwriting of Eobert Dale, from
1703 to 1713Blanch Lion, Poursuivante extraordinary, after-
wards Richmond Herald, the following
;
"
The name of Skenner is a name in the Kyngdom of Ingland
that came with the elegetematt ^Yilliam Duke of Normandy, who
mayd conquest of the Kyngdom
; the first of the name of Skenner
being a Knight named Sir Robartt Skenner, born in Normandy,
who for his good services done unto the Conqueror was made a free
Denneson in the aforesaid Kyngdom. He married in the county
of Lincone unto the daughter and heayre of Sir Robartt Boling-
broke. Knight, of the rase of Saxony; from him is descended
28 Desenttes whereof six wher Knights, they all of them lyvinge
as gentlemen of name and sortte." The arms are then described
and the pedigree set forth. It is signed thus,
" Yours to com-

mand, Hamlett Sonckye."
Transcribed from an ill-written, rude draft or pedigree, in eight
sheets of paper pasted together, at the top whereof is joined another
sheet with an atchievement of two coats and crest in colours.
Ita Testor, Rohekt Dale, Blanch Lion.
In the eighth year of Edward L, it appears by an hviusito post
mortem that the name was spelled Ijg Skynnere.
The earliest wills registered at Lincoln are in 1515
;
and the
will of Robert Skynner (grandfather of Sir Vincent Skynner,
300 APPENDIX.
Receiver of the Honour of Bolingbroke,) bears date 1535
;
the
registers of Bolingbroke, comnienciug 1561, have the marriage of
Vincent Skynner, 1509 ;
and frequent entries of tlie name, some-
times registered as a Christian-name, in other famihes.
Among the many branches of the family
(for there are sixteen

different coats of arms assigned to them of which I have copies)
it may be said in support of the old pedigree, that the tradition

exists that they were established by the munificence of the
Conqueror whom they claim as kinsman.
The following very ancient account of the Conqueror's mother
may well be considered with reference to such claim
:
"
Edmund Ironside, says a Saxon Genealogist, had two sons,
Edwin and Edward, and an only daughter whose name does not
appear in history, because of her wilful conduct, seeing that she
formed a most imprudent alliance with the King's skinner, that is
'
Master of the Robes.' The King in his anger banished the
skinner from England with his daughter. They went to Normandy
where they lived on public charity, and had successively three
daughters. Having one day come to Falaise to beg at the Duke
Richard's door, the Duke, struck with the beauty of the woman and
her children, asked who she was.
'
I am an Englishwoman,' she
said,
'
of the Royal blood.' The Duke, on this answer, treated her
with honour, took the skinner into his service, and had one of his
daughters brought up in the Palace. She was Arlotte, or
Charlotte, the mother of the Conqueror."
It is accepted as true, in all histories, that the Conqueror, bemg
opposed by his father's family, set them aside, and put forward the
connections of his mother. In support of this account, it may be
stated that on a monmnent in the Gloucester Cathedral to the
memory of Robert, Duke of Normandy, brother of William the
Conqueror, there exists on its pedestal the exact arms which have
been worn by the Skinner familyit is presumed, ever since this
asserted connexion.
John Skynner, the grantee of the aforesaid arms, was appointed
by letters patent from the king, Edward YL, on October 10th, in
the first year of his reign, 1548,
"
Receiver of the honour of
Bolingbroke and all the King's castles, lordships, manors, lands,
&c., parcel of the Duchy of Lancaster, in the county of Lincoln,
APPENDIX.
301
for life." He appears to have occupied this office till the twenty-
fifth year of Queen Elizabeth's reign, 1588, when it is supposed he
died, as from the twenty-sixth year of Queen Elizabeth's reign the
office devolved upon Sir Vincent Skynner, of Thornton College,
Lincolnshire.
The family of Skynner,''' after the Conquest, originally settled in
Lincolnshire, Avhere this John Skynner, Eeceiver of Bolingbroke,
resided, though it would appear that at an earlier period some of
the members settled in Devonshire, where the name is frequently
met with, and where we find at Barnstaple that Richard Skynner
was mayor in 1538, and again m 1551, being
"
Member of Parlia-
ment for that prosperous town in 1557 and 1558."
Sir Vincent Skynner, who succeeded John Skynner as Eeceiver
of the Honour of Bolingbroke, Lincolnshire, was M.P. there from
1572 to 1585. We also find that among the worthies of Exeter,
in the earliest records, even before the Conquest, they were the
stewards or provosts, whose governing powers were eventually
merged in the mayor, but who were always
"
Free men
"
of the
city, and till the reform of municipalities in the year 1835 the
stewards of the city were judges of the ancient court of record,
called the Provost's Court, and were men of station and respect,
among whom were
"
Aldred Skinner, 1203, 5th of John."
"
Michael Skinner, 1314, 8th of Edward XL"
"
William Skinner, 1G20, 18th of James I."
With reference to our ancestor, Lientenant-General William
Skinner, Chief Engineer of Great Britain, it may not be super-
fluous to add to the account of his connection with the old Danish
family before referred to, some notice of his more immediate
ancestors. He was probably descended from John Skynner,
Receiver of the Honour of Bolingbroke, for he and his descen-
dants use the same amorial bearings, as did also the General's
grandfather, William Skynner, Mayor of Hull, 1GC5, as appears by
the arms on the seal affixed to this William's will and engraved on
his monument.
It may be interesting to mention here, with reference to our
*
SkouiiGr, or Skynnor, oi' Skinnor.
302 APPENDIX.
coat of arms, that on one occasion a friend was staying with us,
well versed in Heraldi-y, who, on looking at the grant of arms to
our family, remarked that the three Fleur de Lys on the shield
should all be the same size, not one larger than the other two, as
shown on our grant of arms. Some time afterwards I was visiting
Gloucester Cathedral, and on examining the monument in the
nave, to Robert, Duke of Normandy, I saw, on one of the shields
on the monument, the three Fleur de Lys, exactly similar to those
presented to our family, the lower one considerably larger than the
two above
;
proving that our grant of arms is correct.
But to return to William Skynner, Mayor of Hull. On January
81st, 1660, he paid a fine of 30 to free himself from the office of
Chamberlain, but on the 16th October, 1662, he was elected
Alderman, and was sworn in on the 18th October. On the 25th
September 1664, he was appointed Mayor.
Of the Mayor, we know that his mother was Mary, sister of that
distinguished prelate, John Cosins, Bishop of Durham, born at
Norwich, November 30, 1595.
"
During William Skynner's
Mayoralty, on the 16th August 1665, at a cost of 169, he
entertained, at his magnificent mansion in Lewer Lane, the Duke
of York, afterwards James 11, , and the Duke of Buckingham and
his retainers. The fabric of the house still remains, but the
basement is divided into several shops, and its glory has departed."
Mr. A. M. Skinner, Q.C., writes :
"
In 1868, I saw an old man of
80 years of age, who remembered its beautiful gardens when he
was a boy, but the growth of the town has obliterated all traces of
the existence of these pleasure grounds."
Before William Skynner's death, however, he left Lewer Lane,
and built a fine house in High Street, (iliaa Hull Street, on the
east side, next the haven, called Hull Haven. The sum thus
expended, shows some whimsical humour as to the details of
calculation on the part of the rich Alderman, for a memorandum,
now existing, states that the building cost 3,833 3s. 3|d.a large
sum at that time.
While Mayor, William Skynner gave to Hull
"
two large candle-
sticks, snuffers, and a pan in silver." He left, by Will, a competent
Legacy that 8 dozen of Bread
" to hold which there is a con-

veniet place made in the Churchshould for ever be distributed to
the poor, the first Sunday of every month."
APPENDIX. 303
William Skynner, the Alderman's eldest son, was a strong
partisan of James II., and he, with his kinsman, William Hayes,
in 1689, refused, as Alderman, to take the Oaths of Allegiance to
King William III., and
"
each was displaced from office, and had
to pay down 40, as the Act directed, for the use of the poor."
The only son of his great uncle. Bishop Cosin, to the great grief
of the Bishop, had become a Eoman Catholic, and "William
Skynner did, some time after this, like his kinsman, become a
Roman Catholic also."
John Skynner, the Alderman's second son, was twice Mayor of
HuUin 1661 and 1679. During his first Mayoralty he erected,
at his own expense, a hospital, placing on it this inscription
:
"
Da, dum tempus habes, tibi, propria Manas hteres, duferet hoc
nemo, quad dabis ipse Deo.
"G. C, 1661. E.G."
"
Give, while you 've time, yourself your own heir make.
For what you give to God, shall no man take."
His wife, Eleanor, who died in 1662, not only took part in this
good work, but was a great benefactress to an institution then
known as
"
The Curious Modern Library."
He presented to the Corporation, on his second Mayoralty in
1679,
"
a guilt cup and cover."
John Skynner's daughter, Elizabeth, was born in April 1665,
the same year in which her father was honoured by the visit of
James II. At the age of sixteen, she married the eldest son of
Anthony Lambert, who died after three years, leaving her a widow
at the age of nineteen. A few years afterwards she married Talbot
Edwards, who had served at Tanjiers, in 1677, under Churchill, as
a Royal Engineer.
Talbot Edwards was a brother-in-law of Sir Martin Beckman,
Chief Engineer of Great Britain, who, in 1689, was appointed to
construct the citadel of Hull. He brought his brother-in-law with
him on his staff', and it was on this occasion that Talbot Edwards,
met his wife.
"
It appears that young Talbot Edwards, on the 10th of
September 1690, purchased a license to marry, at St. Mary's
Church, the beautiful young widow of 25, and on the 21st day of
304 APPENDIX.
the same month, they were married. She died in the Tower of
London, and was buried there on the 24th May 1717. Her
husband. Captain Talbot Edwards, Second Engineer of Great
Britain, died tlie 22nd April 1710, and was also buried in the
Tower of London, beside his wife. Mrs. Talbot Edwards adopted
her nephew, William Skynner, who afterwards became General,
and Chief Engineer of Great Britain. Talbot Edwards left to him
his books, papers, and plans, including Sir Martin Beckman's
sword, &c., having already shaped his course in life by preparing
him for the Engineers, into which service he entered within three
Aveeks of his uncle's death, viz. on the 11th May 1719.
In 1G62, among other oflfices that had been suspended, or
abolished, was restored that of the Keeper of the Crown Jewels in
the Tower of London, which had always been held by a person
of eminence, and which was now conferred on Sir Gilbert Talbot
;
but the emoluments haAdng been lost, Talbot assigned the duty,
with the diminished profits, to Talbot Edwards, possibly a kinsman
of his own.
CORPS AECH.EOLOGIA.
Under the above heading an account was given in the lioi/a!
KiKjincim Journal for October 1878 of the attempt of Col. Blood
to steal the Crown Jewels from the Tower of London in 1673,
when Mr. Talbot Edwards, the father of the Engineer Officer of
that name, and the father-in-law of another Engineer Officer, Sir
Martin Beckman, was Deputy Keeper. This account was taken
from a manuscript in a catalogue of maps and plans, formerly the
property of General Skinner, Chief Engineer of Great Britain, and
presented to the Royal Engineers' Institute by his relative, Capt.
M. W. Skinner, R.E. Talbot Edwards, the son of the Deputy
Keeper of the Crown Jewels, married a Miss Skinner, aunt of
General Skinner, and thus the three Engineers
Beckman,
Edwards, and Skinnerwere connected by family ties.
Capt. M. W. Skinner has sent us an extract from Stowe's
Survey
of
London, giving an account of the theft of the Crown
Jewels and the part that young Talbot Edwards bore therein ; as
it is a much more detailed narrative, it may be interesting to many
who have not access to Stowe's work, while it is well that it
should be recorded in our
"
Corps Archseologia."
APPENDIX. 305
"THE TOWER OF LONDON.
"The Crown Stollen.
"
The Imperial Crown and Globe Htollen awatj, but recovered.
-But
among all the memorable Accidents that have happened in the
Tower, hardly any History of our Country can equal that cunning,
audacious and villanous Attempt of one Blood m K. Charles the
Second's Time, in stealing the Crown, and his Camerade the
Globe, out of the safe Place where they with the rest of the
Eegalia were kept ; and carrying them out of the Tower
;
though
they were discovered at last and seized. A faithful Eelation
deserves to stand upon record. And such a Eelation is this that
follows, which I had from the Favour of Mr. Edwards himself,
the late Keeper of the Eegalia.
"
Tlie manner hoir Mr. FAlwards.About three Weeks before this
Blood made his Attempt upon the Crown, he came to the Tower in
the Habit of a Parson, with a long Cloak, Cassock and Canonical
Girdle, and brought a Woman with him whom he called Wife.
Altho' in truth his Wife was then sick in Lancashire. This pre-
tended Wife desired to see the Crown
;
and having seen it feigned
to have a Qualm come upon her Stomach, and desired Mr.
Edwards (who was Keeper of the Eegalia) to send for some Spirits,
who immediately caused his Wife to fetch some
;
whereof when
she had drunk, she courteously invited her upstairs to repose
herself upon a Bed : Which Invitation she accepted, and soon
recovered. At their Departure they seemed very thankful for this
Civility.
"
About three or four Days after. Blood came again to Mrs.
Edwards, with a present of Four Pairs of White Gloves from his
Wife. And ha\dng thus begun the Acquaintance ; they made
frequent Visits to improve it : She professing that she should
never sufficiently acknowledge her Kindness.
"
Having made some small Eespit of his Compliments, he re-
turned again, and said to Mrs. Edwards that his Wife could
discourse of nothing but of the Kindness of those good People in
the Tower. That she had long studied, and at length bethoiight
herself of a handsome way of Eequital. You have, said he, a
pretty Gentlewoman to your Daughter, and I have a young Nephew
who hath two or three Hundred a year Land, and is at my Dis-
posal. If your Daughter be fi-ee, and you approve of it, I will
bring him hither to see her, and we will endeavour to make it a
Match.
"
This was easily assented to by old Mr. Edwards, who invited
the Parson to dine with him that day, and he as readily accepted of
the In\'itation
;
who taking upon him to say Grace, performed it
with great Devotion, and casting up of Eyes, and concluded his
long-winded Grace, with a hearty Prayer for the King, Queen,
20
306 APPENDIX.
and Royal Family. After Dinner he went up to seethe Rooms, and
seeing a handsome Case of Pistols hang there, he exprest a great
desire to buy them, to Present a Young Lord who was his neighbour.
That was his Pretence, but his Purpose probably was to disarm the
House against the Time that he intended to put the Design in
Execution,
"
At his Departure (which was with a Canonical Benediction of
the good Company) he appointed a Day and Hour to bring his young
Nephew to his Mistress ; and it was that very day that he made his
Attempt ; \iz. the 9th of May, about Seven in the Morning, An.
Dom. 1673.
"
The Old Man was got up ready to receive his Guest, and the
Daughter had put herself into her best Dress to entertain her Gallant
when behold Parson Blood, with three more came to the Jewel
House, all Armed with Rapier Blades in their Canes, and every one
a Dagger, and a pair of Pocket Pistols. Two of his Companions
entered in with him, and the Third stayed at the Door, it seems
for a Watch. The Daughter thought it not modest for her to come
down till she was called, but she sent the Maid to take a view of
the Company, and to bring her- a Description of the Person of her
Gallant. The Maid conceived that he was the intended Bridegroom
who stayed at the Door, because he was the youngest of the com-
pany
;
and returned to her young Mistress with the character that
she had formed of his Person.
"
Blood told Mr. Edwards, that they would not go up Stairs till
his Wife came, and desired him to shew his Friends the Crown to
pass the time till then. As soon as they were entered the Room
where the Crown was kept, and the Door (as usually) was shut
behind them, they threw a Cloak over the Old Man's Head, and
clapt a Gag into his ]\Iouth, which was a great Plug of Wood, with
a small Hole in the Middle to take Breath at. This was tyed on
with a waxed Leather, which went round his Neck. At the same
time they fastened an Iron Hook to his Nose, that no Sound might
pass from him that Way neither.
"
When they had thus Secured him from crying out they told him
that their Resolution was to have the Crown, Globe and Sceptre.
And that if he would quietly submit to it they would spare his Life,
otherwise he was to expect no Mercy. He thereupon forced himself
to make all the Noise that possibly he could to be heard above :
Then they knocked him down with a Wooden Mallet, and told him
that if yet he would lie quietly, they would spare his Life, but if not,
upon the next Attempt to discover them, they would Kill him,
and pointed three Daggers at his Breast. But he strained himself
to make the greater Noise : Whereupon they gave him Nine or Ten
Stroaks more upon the Head with the Mallet (for so many Bruises
were found upon the Skull) and stabbed him into the Belly.
"
Whereat the poor Man, almost Eighty Years of Age fell, and
APPENDIX. 307
lay some time entranced. One of them kneeled on the Ground to
try if lie breathed
;
and not perceiving any Breath come from him
said, He is dead I'll warrant him. Mr. Edwards came a little to
himself, heard his Words
;
and conceived it best for him to be so
thought, and lay quietly.
"
Then one of them named Parrot put the Globe into his
Breeches. Blood held the Crown under his Cloak. The Third was
designed to file the Sceptre in two, (because too long to carry) and
when filed it was to be put into a Bag, brought for that Purpose.
"
But before this could be done, young Mr. Edwards (Son of the
Old Gentleman) who had attended iipon Sir John Talbot into
Flanders, and upon his first landing in England, was with Sir
John's Leave come away Post to see his Old Father, chanced to
arrive at the very Instant that this was acting
;
and coming to the
Door the Person that stood Centinel for the rest asked him witli
whom he would speak ? He made Answer, He belonged to the
House. But young Edwards, perceiving by his Question, that he
himself was a Stranger, told him, that if he had any Business
with his Father he would go and acquaint him with it ; and so
went up, where he was welcomed by his Mother, Wife and Sister.
In the meantime, the Centinel gave notice of the Sou's Arrival,
and they forthwith hasted away with the Crown and Globe, but left
the Sceptre, not having time to file it. The Old Man returning to
himself got upon his Legs, pulled off the Gag (for they concluded
him dead, and surprized witli the Son's unexpected Arrival, had
omitted to tye his Hands behind him) and cryed out. Treason !
Murther
!
"
The Daughter hearing him, hastened down, and seeing her
Father thus wounded ran out upon the Tower Hill, and cried
Treason, The Crown is stolen. This gave the first Alarm : And
Blood and Parrot making more than ordinary Haste, were observed
to jog each other with their Elbows as they went, which causes them
to be suspected and pursued. By this time, young Mr. Edwards, and
Captain Beckman, upon the Cry of their Sister, were come down,
and left their Father likewise to run after the Villains
; but they
were advanced beyond the main Guard
;
and the Alarm being given
louder to the Warder at the Drawbridge, he put himself in posture
to stop them. Blood came up first, and discharged a Pistol at him.
The Bullet (if any there were) missed him, but the Powder or Fear
made him fall to the Ground ; whereby they got safe to the little
Wardhouse Gate ; where one Sill, who had been a Soldier under
Cromwell, stood Centinel ; who altho' he saw the other Warder shot
made no Eesistance. By whose Cowardice, or Treachery, the
Villains got over tliat Drawbridge, and through the outward Gate
upon the Wharf, and made all possible haste toward their Horses,
which attended at St. Katherine's Gate, called the Iron Gate
;
crying
themselves, as they ran. Stop the Rogues. And they were by all
20
-
308 APPENDIX.
thought innocent, he being in that grave Canonical Habit, till
Captain Beckman got up to them. Blood discharged his Second
Pistol at Captain Beckman's Head, but he stooping down avoided
the Shot, and seized upon the Rogue who had the Crown under his
Cloak
;
yet had Blood the Impudence, altho' he saw himself a
Prisoner, to struggle a long while for the Crown
;
and when it was
wrested from him said ; It was a gallant Attempt (how unsuccessful
soever) for it was for a Crown.
"A servant belonging to Captain Sherburn seized upon Parrot,
before Blood was taken. There was such a Consternation in all
men, and so much Confusion in the Pursuit, that it Avas no wonder
some innocent Persons had not suffered for the Guilty. For young
Edwards overtaking one that was bloody in the Skuffle, and sup-
posing him to be one of those who had murthered his Father, was
going to run him through, had not Captain Beckman cryed, Hold^
he is none of them.
"
And as Captain Beckman made more than ordinary haste in the
Pursuit, the Guards were going to fire at him, supposing him to be
one of the Eogues
;
but one of them who by good Fortune knew
him, cryed out, Forbear : He is a Friend. Blood and Parrot being
both seized (as hath been said) Hunt, Blood's Son-in-Law, leaped
to Horse, with two more of the Conspirators, and rid far away.
But a Cart standing empty in the Street, chanced to turn short,
and Hunt run his Head against a Pole that stuck far out ; but he
recovering his Legs, and putting his Foot in the Stirrop, a Cobler
running to enquire after the Disaster, said : This is Tom Hunt, who
was in that bloody Attempt upon the Person of the Duke of Or-
mond ; Let us secure hiin. A Constable being accidentally there,
seized him upon that Affirmation, and carried him before Justice
Smith. Who upon his confident Denial of himself to be Hunt,
was about to let him go
;
but the Hue and Cry coming, that the
Crown was taken out of the Tower, he was committed to safe
Custody.
"
Young Edwards proposed to Lieutenant Eainsford, to moimt
some of his Soldiers upon the Horses that were left, and send them
to follow the rest that escaped ; but he bad him follow himself if he
would : It was his Business : And led the Fellows Horses into the
Tower, as forfeited to the Lieutenant.
"
Hunt.Hunt (as hath been said) was Son-in-Law to Blood,
and trained up in his Practices.
''Parrot.Parrot was a Silk-Dyer in Southwark ;
and in the
Rebellion had been Major-General Harrison's Lieutenant.
"Blood.Blood was the Son of a Blacksmith in Ireland; a
Fellow that thought small Villainies below him. One of his vir-
tuous Camerades, having received Sentence of Death in Yorkshire
for some Crime, he rescued out of the Hands of the Sheriffs Men,
as they were leading him to the Gallows. He, with others, laid a
APPENDIX. 309
Design in Ireland, to surprize the Castle of Dublin, and the Maga-
zine therein, and to usurp the Government.
"
JJukc of Ormond.But being discovered by the Duke of Ormond
the Night before the intended Execution, some of them were appre-
hended and suffered as Traitors. Whose Death Blood and the rest
of the sur\d^'ing Rogues bound themselves by Solemn Oath, to
revenge upon the Duke's Person. This occasioned bis Third
Enterprize. For he, with five or six more of his Associates
(whereof Hunt was one) well mounted, came one isiglit up to his
Coach side, before he came to his own Gate, dwelling then at
Albemarl House, took him out of his Coach, forced him up behind
one of the Horsemen, and were riding away with him as far as
Berkely House. Where the Duke threAv himself off the Horse with
the Villain, who had tied the Duke fast to him. The rest turned
back, dischargmg two Pistols at the Duke ;
but taking their Aim
in the Dark, missed him. By this Time the Neighbourhood was
alarmed, and the Rogues having Work enough to save themselves,
rid lor it, and got away.
"
It was no small Disrepute to that hellish Contriver amongst his
Camerades, to fail in a Project which he had laid so sure, and
represented to them so easy to be effected. Therefore, to redeem
his Credit with them, he entered immediately upon the Contrivance
of another, that should fully recompence all former Miscarriages,
with an infallible Prospect of Gain, and the Reputation of a daring
Villany
;
Which was that of sharing the Regalia.
"
In the robustious Struggle for the Crown, as was shewed before,
the great Pearl and a fair Diamond fell oft', and were lost for a
while, with some other smaller Stones. But the Pearl was found
by Katharine Maddox (a poor Sweeping W'oman to one of the
Warders) and the Diamond by a Barber's Apprentice ; and both
faithfully restored. Other smaller Stones were by several Persons
picked up and brought in. The fair Ballas Ruby, belonging to the
Sceptre, was found in Parrot's Pocket. So that not any consider-
able Thing was wanting. The Crown only was bruised and sent
to repair.
"
Young Mr. Edwards went presently to Sir Gilbert Talbot ; and
gave him an Account of all that had passed. Who instantly went
to the King, and acquainted his Majesty with it. His Majesty
commanded him to make haste to the Tower, to enquire how
matters stood
;
to take the Examination of Blood and the rest
;
and to return and report all to him. Sir Gilbert accordingly went
and found the Prisoners (whose Wounds had been already dress'd)
with their Keepers in the White Tower.
"
Blood lay in a Corner dogged and lowring, and would not give
a Word of Answer to any one Question.
"
His Majesty was in the mean time persuaded by some about
him to hear the Examination himself. And the Prisoners were
310 APPENDIX.
forthwith sent for to Whitehall. Nothing else could possibly have
saved Blood from the Gallows. But that which ovtght to have
been his surer Condemnation, proved to be his Safety. For all
men concluding, that none but those who had the Courage to
adventiu-e upon such a daring Villany as that of the Crown, could
be guilty of the Practice upon a Peer of that Magnitude as was
the Duke of Ormond ; especially the Parliament then sitting.
Amongst other Questions therefore it was thought fit to interrogate
him, Whether he had not a Hand in that Assault ? For the
Authors of it were as yet Altogether in the Dark.
"
Blood e.pawined before the Kiiuj.Blood (as if he had valued
himself upon the Action, and possibly suspecting that the King
might have made some Discovery of it already) without any
manner of Scruple or Hesitation, confessed he had. It was
then asked him, Who his Associates were ; He answered, that
he would never betray a Friend's Life ;
nor never deny a
Guilt, in Defence of his own. It was next asked him, What
Provocation he had to make so bold an Assault upon the
Duke of Ormond ? He said, the Duke had taken away his
Estate, and executed some of his Friends
;
and that he and
many other, had engaged themselves by solemn Oath to revenge it,
"
And lest any of his audacious Villanies should lessen the
Piomance of his Life, by lying concealed in his Examination about
the Crown, he voluntarily confessed to the King (but whether truly
or falsely, may very well endure a Question, as I shall endeavour
to shew anon) that he had been engaged in a Design to kill his
Majesty with a Carbine from out of the Reeds by the Thames side,
above Battersea
;
where he often went to swim. That the Cause of
this Resolution in himself, and others, was his Majesty's Severity
over the Consciences of the Godly, in suppressing the Freedom of
their Religious Assemblies. That when he had taken his Stand in
the Reeds for that Purpose, his Heart was checked with an Awe of
IMajesty
; and he did not only himself relent, but diverted the rest
of his Associates from the Design.
"
He told his Majesty, that he had by these his Confessions, laid
himself sufficiently open to the Law
;
and he might reasonably
expect the utter Rigor of it ; for which he Avas (without much Con-
cern of his own) prepared. But he said withal, that the Matter
Avould not be of that Indifference to his Majesty ;
inasmuch as there
were Hundi'eds of his Friends, yet undiscovered, who were all
bound to each other by the indispensible Oaths of Conspiratoi's, to
revenge the Death of any of the Fraternity upon those who should
bring them to Justice. Which would expose his Majesty and all
his Ministers to the daily Fear and Expectation of a Massacre.
]^)Ut on the other side, if his Majesty would spare the Lives of a
few, he might oblige the Hearts of many ;
who (as they had been
seen to do daring Mischiefs) would be as bold, if received into
APPENDIX. 311
Pardon and Fa\"Our, to perform eminent Services for the
Crown.
"
Fanaticks.And he pretended such an Interest and Sway
amongst the Fanaticks, to dispose them to their Fidelity, as though,
he been their chosen General, and had them all entered in his
Muster Roll.
"
Pardoned.In short, Blood and his Associates were not only
pardoned, and set free
;
but the Arch Villain himself had 500. per
Ann. conferred upon him in Ireland, and admitted into all the
Privacy and Intnnacy of Court. Mr. Edwards had the Grant of
200. and his Son ldO.
"
A cuntinuation
of
this Narndire, F. S. Sir Gilbert Talhut.
I
have, since the Writing of what is above said, met with a Continu-
ation of Blood's stealing the Crown, in Mr. Edward's M.S.S. writ,
as it seems, by Sir Gilbert Talbot. Which is as follows. What
his Operation had been among the Quakers, (who are his most
beloved Sect above all others, and in whose Synagogue he hath his
eminent Seat) the World is yet to learn
;
except it be, that he had
multiplied their Congregations, and increased their Swarms in all
Counties. But where lies his Majesty's Service in all this ? Oh !
they are kept quiet, and do not molest the Government. Indeed
tlie Quakers have ever been reputed an innocent, harmless kind of
Madmen : But he must be as mad as they, that can think them so,
while Blood is of their Congregation.
"
Some Censures tlierenpon.-Since this Villain's Crimes then are
visible to all Mankind, and his Merits altogether incomprehensible,
every Man will take the Liberty to conjecture, what Consideration
could possibly beget his Pardon. His Crimes were without Contro-
versy the highest Breaches of Human Laws : Murther acted upon
a poor old Gentleman for defending his Trust ; and Murther in-
tended to be acted upon a Great Peer, with all the Circumstances
of Contempt : A Design laid to surprize the King's Castle ; a violent
Seizure of his Crown and Sceptre ; and a confessed lying in wait to
destroy his Person. It requires a great Measure of Mercy in a
Prince (for it is not decent to attribute it to anything else) to for-
give such Injuries, done to himself. But it is above his Mercy to
pardon the Offence committed against another, because Heaven,
which is all merciful, forgiveth not the Trespasses which we com-
mit against our Neighbours, without Restitution. Yet the Lord
Arlington came in his Majesty's Name to the Duke of Ormond to tell
him, that he would not have Blood prosecuted, for Reasons which
he was commanded to give him. The Duke replied, That his
Majesty's Command was the only Reason that could be given, and
that therefore he might spare the rest. It was a gallant Answer of
his Grace, and such as well became the Loyalty of his Family.
But it is a great Pity in the mean time, that the \\Orld should want
the Knowledge of his Lordsliips's Reasons, which had \\'eight
312 APPENDIX.
enough in them to smother a Matter of that high Concernment,
to the Dishonour of Justice, and the Dignity of Peerage.
"
How great a Misery soever it is to the World Blood and his
Associates were not only pardoned and set free, but the Arcli
Villain himself had the fore mentioned Land conferred upon him in
Ireland
;
and that meritorious Person admitted into all the Privacy
and Intimacy of the Court. No ]\Ian more assiduous than himself
in both (Secretaries Offices. If any one had a Business in Court
that stuck, he made his Applications to Blood, as the most indus-
trious and successful Sollicitor. Nay, many Gentlemen courted his
Acquaintance, as the Indians pray to the Devils, that they may not
hurt them.
"
Blood had no body but his own black Deeds to advocate for him.
Yet thus was he rewarded. And although many sollicited for old
Mr. Edwards ; and had raised their Arguments from his Fidelity,
Courage, and Wounds received
;
yet all that could be obtained for
him was a Grant of 200. out of the Exchequer, and 100. to his
Son, as aforesaid. The Payment whereof was so long delayed, and
his Chirurgeons calling upon him daily for iSatisfaction for their
Drugs and Pains, he was forced to sell his Order for 100. Ready
IMoney and his Son his for 50. and lived not long to enjoy the
Remamder. For he died within a Year and a Month after the
Wounds received.
"
Ju'fle.rions.But now to reflect a little, as I promised, not only
upon the mysterious Redemption of this Rogue from the Gallows
;
but upon the (never to be enough wondred) Recompence for his
Villanies, of 500 per Ann. A Reward which the most meritorous
Vertue have seldom met with. Let us therefore consider him first,
as taken in so flagrant a Crime, that no Plea could possibly lie in
favour of his Life, nor no Hopes could be so impudent as to expect
it. Observe then what he doth. He maketli a voluntary Con-
fession of three other rapping Crimes. One his Attempt upon the
Duke of Ormond. And his alledged Provocation to that, was by
Consequence a Confession of his Conspiracy upon the Castle of
Dublin. This much he thought necessary to acknowledge to shew
his Power and Audacity ; that in case he were brought to Execu-
tion, he should stand recorded in Story to have died like a daring
Sinner, and not as a petty Malefactor. Then he declareth freely
and of his own Accord, his Intention to assassinate his Majesty in
the River. I ask any man of Reason, What other Consideration
could move him to that Confession
'?
But to bring in this other
Part of his Story, he was to tell his Majesty that his Heart relented,
being surpriz'd with Awe and Reverence of his Person, (he had
none of his Crown) and that he (not) only forebore the Execution
himself, but dissuaded his Associates likewise from it. There is so
great a Probability, that this professed tender Forbearance of his,
tended only to dispose his Majesty (who of all Mankind is captivated
APPENDIX. 313
with Good Nature) to return the Hke Mercy towards him, that
with the fôod Favour of Mr. Blood's Check of Conscience, which
diverted him from the Execution, it is easy to be conjectured, that
there was never any such Design really laid
;
but that the Story
was feigned to work upon his Majesty's Tenderness towards
him.
"
But lest that should not prevail, Blood seemed not to be at all
troubled with the Apprehension of his own Death, for which he
stood prepared
;
but it grieved him, forsooth, to consider the sad
Consequence of it ; Which would be an Attempt of Eevenge upon
the Person of the King and his Ministers, by the surviving Con-
spirators, bound by Oath, &c. So that (if Mercy were defective)
he could try what Fear could operate
;
and lest both these shouhl
fail, he hath another Fetch in store
;
which is to persuade them to
pardon him upon the Score of good Politicks
; by shewing how
useful an Instrument he can be to quiet the Minds of all the dis-
affected Party, and secure the Government from popular Insur-
rections, if his Life may be spared.
"
I cannot easily be persuaded to believe that this Proffer of Service
in Blood could much prevail upon his Majesty's judgment ; because
it was natural to conclude, that he who is able to quiet a Party, is
likewise able to irritate it ; and that he who is bribed by 500. per
Ann. to do the one, may be gained with 1000. per Ann. to do the
contrary. And what Security can there be, tbat he will not, but
the bare Word of a Villain.
"
Histori/ here repeats itself. In the meantime, nothing can more
betray the W'eakness of a Government, than that it should have
Eecourse to such Instruments to support it. Nor can Anything
make the Authority more despisable, than that it should be terrified
from the Execution of Justice upon the greatest Malefactor that
History, from tbe Creation hither, recordeth, for fear tbat Blood's
Ghost should rise, or his survivmg Confederates meditate Revenge.
Besides, it is as far from Reason, tbat a man of Blood's Principles
should be trusted with the Power and Interest that must go to the
Managing of a Party, as that those who trust him should expect
any good Services from the confessed Author of so many black
Deeds, or Heaven give a Blessing to the Endeavours of such an
impious Creature."
[7v/y/rt cdpl/ of siH'lli)!'/.]
Lieutenant-General William Skinner, son of Thomas Skinner,
who was the youngest son of John Skinner, Alderman of Hull,
was born in the West Indies on the Island of St. Cbristopher in
1G99 or 1700. He was an engineer of excellence and merit in the
314 APPENDIX.
reigns of George L, II,, and III. He was a studious youth, and
seems to have acquired early so much knowledge of Mathematics
and the Theory of War as to have attracted the notice of Colonel
Armstrong, the Chief Engineer, who procured a warrant for him
from Earl Cadogan, Master of the Ordnance, as Practitioner
I'higineer, his commission dating from the 11th May, 1719, with
a salary of 3s. a day. From 1720 to 1722 he assisted at the
works at the Gun Wharf at Plymouth, after which he was
despatched to Minorca to superintend under his chief's orders the
erection of extensive fortifications there, and being highly com-
mended for diligence and ability was selected to form one of the
party of engineers entrusted with the first general survey of
Gibraltar, and in 1729 he bore his part bravely during the siege of
that place, and afterwards passed there many years of his life.
The General made many plans of Gibraltar, some of which are
preserved in the British Museum, and testify to his assiduity in the
public service, and his proficiency as an engineer. Skinner was
recalled from Gibraltar, where he had succeeded Jonas Moore as
chief engineer (Moore having been killed at the siege of Cartha-
gena), and sent to Scotland in order
"
to erect such fortresses as
would effectually control the disaftected Highlanders, after the
rebellion in the north of England was fairly crushed." He entered
on this new duty in December 1746. He describes travelling at
that period as very fatiguing and difticult, and tells a melancholy
tale of bad roads, storms, torrents, and frosts, which severely tried
one used so long to the genial climate of the south of Spain.
Public work in Scotland of a various and very important
character occupied Skinner for several years. He describes a
thrilling scene when the 42nd Highlanders were to be augmented
by an addition of 500 men to the regiment, how one morning at
Inverness, where he was staying with the Laird, Macintosh, a
batch of fifty Highlanders offered themselves for enlistment as soon
as the Laird appeared at the window, all the men bearing the
name of Macpherson from Badenock.
Late in 1755, Skinner was sent to Ireland to make surveys and
reports, being specially ordered there by the Duke of Cumberland.
He visited every battery and inspected all the defences most care-
fully, working chiefly at Dublin, Cork, and other frontier garrisons.
He reported on each, suggested improvements and repairs, but the
APPENDIX.
315
authorities proved supine, and his papers and plans were shelved,
only to be disinterred thirty years later.
On the completion of his Irish service Skinner resumed his duty
in the Highlands, and on the 1st May, 1757, received from the
King the rank of Colonel. Before this time he held no important
military status, though he was previously appointed Chief Engineer
of Gibraltar.
On the 19th May he was honoured with the royal patent con-
stituting him Chief Engineer of Great Britain, and was often
consulted on any difficult question concerning military engineering
both at home and abroad. The great defences of Fort George,
Fort Augustus, Edinburgh Castle, and the fortifications at Milford,
Plymouth, Portsmouth, and a host of other places, bear testimony
to his powers and to his industry.
Small cessation from labour was given to Skinner. Scarely had
he accomplished the Milford work when Government, becoming
alarmed for the safety of Gibraltar, sent him back to the Rock to
make all sure in case of attack, and, having done this most satis-
factorily, he returned to England and to his old work in the North,
where Fort George was approaching completion, and was finally
considered a perfect model of a fort.
In 1760 Skmner was sent to Belle Isle on, probably, some secret
mission, as a preliminary to the anticipated descent upon the
place. In 1761 he was commissioned as Major- General, and the
following year his patent as
"
Chief Engineer of all the garrisons,
castles, forts, blockhouses, and other fortifications in Great Britain
"
was renewed by George III.
But Fort George seems to have been the ruling passion of
Skinner's life. He drew up still more elaborate plans and details,
and finally presented the Board of Ordnance with a finely executed
model of the completed works, as he would wish to see them. This
model was kept for fifty years in the Tower of London and then
removed to the Royal Engineers' Institute at Chatham, where it is
often admired, though little is remembered of its indefatigable
originator.
Once more, in 1709, he was consulted concerning the safety of
Gibraltar, when he gave his opinions very decidedly, and dift'ercd
considerably from those of other officers, whose plans had been
submitted to the authorities.
316 APPENDIX.
In 1770 Skiuner was commissioned as Lieutenant-General, still
retaining his post as Chief Engineer of Great Britain. Here his
record of public work ends, but his tjuick discernment and clear
head were constantly made use of whenever occasion required, and
his judgment was seldom at fault. He never relaxed his efforts
even when advanced in years, dying in harness at the last, at his old
residence at Croome Hill, Greenwich, on the 25th December 1780,
in the 81st year of his age, having served uninterruptedly for
nearly sixty-two years.
He was buried at St. Alphage Church, Greenwich. The following
inscription is over the vault
:
" To the memory of Lieutenant-
General William Skinner, who died the 25th day of December
1780, having served sixty-one years an Engineer, twenty-three of
which Chief of Great Britain."
Skinner was presented with the freedom of many of the most
important cities of the United Kingdom
;
but the only diplomas
which have been preserved are the following
:
Inverness, dated 10th April 1747

Stirling, dated 9th September 1747
Edmburgh, dated 17th October 1748
Perth, dated 25th October 1748
Aberdeen, dated 3rd June 1750
Athlone, dated 7th January 1761.
The collection of old maps, plans, drawings, and manuscripts of
Sir Martin Beckman, Talbot Edwards, and General Sldnner, some
as old as 16G0, which have been in my possession since my father's
death in 1829, and which I had handed over to my son Monier
Williams Skinner, Eoyal Engineers, have, I am happy to say, been
accepted by the Committee of the R.E. Institute at Chatham,
while the Committee of the Royal Engineer Mess have been good
enough to accept and to place in their mess-room a portrait
of General Skinner, R.E.
The following are copies of documents on the subject
:
"
Chatham, 17th August 1875.
"
My Dear Majok Skinner,
"
The picture and box of plans, &c., arrived in due time
and in good order.
APPENDIX.
317
"
The former I handed over to the Mess Committee, the latter
to the Library Committee. I now have the pleasure of enclosing
for the information of yourself and your son the Committees'
resolutions in acknowledgment of these valuable contributions to
the corps.
'
' I beg that you and your son may also accept my individual
thanks for these gifts, and I am pleased to think that the interest
in these gifts is enhanced from the fact that a descendant of
General Skinner is now serving in the corps.
"
Believe me, with kind remembrances to your son,
"
Yours sincerely,
"
(Signed) T. L. Gallwey, Col. E.E.,
"
Commandant S.M.E."
The Committee R.E. Mess pass the following resolutions,
viz.
:
"
That the gift from Major Skinner, C.M.G., and Lieutenant
Monier Skinner, R.E., consisting of a portrait of the late General
Skinner, R.E., who was Chief Engineer and senior officer of the
corps from 1757 to 1780, be accepted on behalf of the officers of
the corps, and be jilaced in the R.E. Mess with the portraits of
other distinguished members of the corps.
"
2nd. That the thanks of the officers of Royal Engineers
be conveyed to Major Skinner, C.M.G., and to Lieutenant Monier
Skinner, R.E., for their valuable gift.
"
3rd. That the president R.E. Mess notify to the Commandant
S.M.E, the above resolutions, with a request that they be com-
municated to Major Skinner, C.M.G., and Lieutenant Monier
Skinner, R.E.
"
(Signed) Arthur Leahy, Colonel R.E.,
"
President Mess Committee.
"
August 11th, 1875."
"
R.E. Institute,
"
Brompton Barracks, Chatham,
"
Sir,
"
August 12th, 1875.
At a meeting of the Library Committee held on the 11th
instant the following resolution was passed.
"
The Committee accepts with pleasure the kind present from
Major Skinner, C.M.G., and Lieutenant Monier Skinner, R.E., of a
318 APPENDIX.
large collection of papers and plans, and begs leave, in the name
of the officers of the corps, to tender their heartiest thanks.
''
The President of the Library Committee is requested to inform
the Commandant specially of this resolution, and to ask him to be
kind enough to communicate it to Major Skinner and Lieutenant
Skinner.
"I therefore send you this letter, and I have the honour to be,
"
Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
(Signed) C. N. Martin, Major R.E.
President Library Committee, S.M.E.
"
To the Commandant, S.M.E. , Chatham."
When the General was at Portsmouth iu 1761, erecting
fortifications there, he was assisted by Lieutenantafterwards
General Gotha Mann, R.E., and by a curious coincidence my son
Monier W. Sldnner, then a Lieutenant, R.E., when stationed at
Portsmouth in 1874 to 1876, was associated with Gotha Mann, then
also a Lieutenant, R.E., in pulling down those same fortifications
which had become out of date
; so the two grandsons were employed
in destroying the fortifications erected in 1761 by their ancestoi's,
which fortifications were then important ones. In pulling down
these works, a skeleton was found with a big nail driven right
through the skull ; the skeleton measured 6 feet.
But to resume my account of the General, he married Margaret
Caldwell and had only one son, William, Captaiu in the 94th
Eegiment, which formed part of the force under Lord Rollo, who
on the 23rd April 1761 left New York with 2,000 men, on an
expedition against the Island of Dominica. On the third day after
their departure the fleet was dispersed by storm, and Lord Rollo
reaching Guadaloupe with only 400 men received an augmenta-
tion of 300 men from that gai-rison, and on the 4th of June,
sailed thence with 700 men and occupied Roseau the capital of
Dominica. His scattered, storm-tost forces did not reach the island
till July 15th, the 94th Regiment being amongst them
;
on their
arrival the conquest of Dominica was made complete, and the
possession of it secured to Great Britain.
On the 27th August 1761, Captain William Skinner, the General's
only son, was drowned at Coulehault on the coast of Dominica.
APPENDIX. 319
The following extract is taken from tlie report of his death made to
Lord Kollo, Governor of the Island.
"
The loss you suffer by it, my Lord, is so much the greater, as
he was an exceedingly good officer, much of a gentleman,
endowed with great merits and rare qualities, and a thorough good
Christian
;
in a word, all that constitutes the well-bred person of
distinction
;
and leaves behind him infinite concern for his loss."
At the time of this sad occurrence the General was en route to
the recently captured Island of
"
Belle Isle," and is said to have
seen a îsion of it.
It is a curious coincidence that my own father, on his death-bed
at Woolwich in 1829, had a vision of my brother Willie's death, who
was drowned on his voyage to Ceylon. General Thorndike, K.A.,
who was then a subaltern in my father's Battery has often told me
that my father distinctly saw my brother standing by his bedside
dripping wet, and when my step-mother came into the room he
begged her to see that
"
Willie had dry clothes to put on, or he
would take cold, as he had been in the water." My mother
thinking he was wandering, left the room to satisfy him that she
was attending to Willie
;
but she made a note of the day and hour,
and at that very time my brother fell overboard and was drowned.
So his mother was not altogether unprepared for the sad news
when it reached her months afterwards.
In 1880, when, as Deputy Assistant Quartermaster-General, I
was building a suspension bridge at Ambepoose in Ceylon, Sir
Edward Barnes drove dovm. the road on one of his tours of mspec-
tion, and arrived at the bridge earlier than he had named. Not
expecting him so soon, I had gone up to my bungalow, which over-
looked my work, andhad left a friend of mine, George Cripps, at the
bridge, in case Sir Edward should arrive in my absence, which he
did. On getting out of his carriage, I saw him speaking earnestly
to Cripps. Instantly the conviction possessed me that he was
communicating to my friend the death of my father, of whose
illness 1 had never heard. At that time communication with
England was both slow and of infrequent occurrence. My friend
spent the day with me, and on his leaving the following morning
for his station, Kornegalle, of which district he was the Govern-
ment Agent, he sent me back a note to say that in the room he
occupied I should find a coat of his, in the pocket of which I should
320
APPENDIX.
find an Army List of the latest date. I went direct to the Obituary,
where I at once found my father's death recorded.
I have stated these as curious facts connected with the name of
WiUiam Skinner, which may interest my readers, and now resume
the history of my family.
Captain William Skinner, of the 94th Regiment, married, rcri/
young, Hester, the daughter of Colui Lawder, of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, of the family of Sir John Dick Lawder. Tradition relates
that the united ages of bride and bridegroom did not exceed 30.
Three children were the result of this marriage : William Campbell
Skinner, Captain, Royal Engineers
;
Thomas Skinner, Colonel,
Royal Engineers
;
and Margaret, who married the Right Honour-
able Sir Evan Nepean, Bart.
Colonel Thomas Skinner, R.E., married a daughter of
Barry Power, Esq., and had eight children, the eldest, William
Thomas Skinner, Colonel, Royal Artillery, being my father. He
was born at Gibraltar in 17B0, during the siege, my grandmother
being the first to be wounded, by a shell bursting over the castle,
while she was nursing her son.
The third son, Robert, was also born at Gibraltar, in 1786, and
was a captain in the Newfoundland Fencibles. He distinguished him-
self by his daring bravery and great activity during the American
War, while on the Quartermaster-General's staff in Canada,
between the years 1812 and 1815. On the 11th November
1813, he was publicly thanked on the field and in General Orders
for his gallant conduct. He died from over fatigue while on
service.
The second son, George, was a captain in the navy. The fourth
and fifth were both in the army, the former of whom, Charles,
died from his wounds, and the latter, Frederick, in the West
Indies.
Even the daughters seemed imbued with the soldier's spirit.
Harriet married Captain George Prescott of the 7th Fusiliers, who
on the 12th July 1812 fell,
"
when nobly leading his men to the
charge at the battle of Salamanca." Mrs. Prescott had followed
her husband's marches with his regiment, from the time of its
embarbation at Cork. When the tidings of his death reached her,
in an agony of grief, and dressed in male attire, she sought his
body on the field of battle and recovered it. This incident I have
APPENDIX.
321
been told formed the subject of a tragedy called
"
The Heroine of
Salamanca," which was subsequently acted in London. The
beautiful Mrs. Prescott afterwards married Edward, the fourth son
of Sir William Gibbons, Bart., LL.D.
Colonel Thomas Skinner, Royal Engineers, my grandfather,
when stationed at Newfoundland in 1795, received orders to raise
a force for the protection of that settlement ; and with reference to
this service, I have found several letters from the Duke of Kent
and other public officers of the day. I will, however, only insert
the following from Sir William Waldegrave, Governor of Newfound-
land, showing how ably Colonel Thomas Skinner performed his
duties.
"
Fort Townshend, 8 August 1797.
"
Sir,
"
No words can express the satisfaction I felt, and still feel,
on the perusal of your letter of this day's date, enclosing me the
very loyal declaration of the non-commissioned officers, drummers,
and privates of His Majesty's Royal Newfoundland Regiment which
you have the honour to command.
*
Although I never have for a moment doubted the loyalty of these
gallant men, yet 'tis impossible to read the noble sentiments of their
honest hearts, but with that delight which honest worth ever
inspires.
"
I must request that you will be pleased to make these my senti-
ments known to your regiment as soon as possible, together with
my most sincere assurance, that so long as I find in these brave
soldiers that true spirit of loyalty of which they may now so justly
boast, I shall ever feel a pride in considering myself as theu' friend,
and in promoting their interests to the utmost of my power. As
the first step towards this, I shall embrace the earliest opportunity
of transmitting their very soldier-like and constitutional declaration
to His Grace the Duke of Portland, in order that His Majesty may
know that he has not in his whole army a more gallant, loyal, and
well-disposed regiment than the Royal Newfoundland.
"
I cannot. Sir, conclude this letter without expressing to your-
self, and the officers of your regiment, the very high sense I enter-
tain of your own and their military merit, as, without the greatest
exertion and the most unremitting attention, no regiment could
21
322 APPENDIX.
have been brought in so short a period into such high order and
good discipline as that which now characterises His Majesty's
Eoyal Newfoundland Eegiment.
"
I beg you will direct this letter to be inserted in the General
Orders as a memorial of my admiration, and the approbation of a
regiment which so justly merits my applause and esteem,
"
I am, Sir,
"
Your most obedient and very humble servant,
"
(Signed) Wm. Wai^degkave,
"
Governor.
"
Colonel Thomas Skinner,
"
Commanding the Eoyal Newfoundland Regiment."
His eldest son, Lieutenant-Colonel "William T. Skinner, E.A.,
married, first, Anne, daughter of Lord Chief Justice Williams, of
St. John's, Newfoundland, and, secondly, Marie Monier, daughter
of Doctor Monier, Eoyal Artillery, descendant of a Huguenot refugee
family. They had three children. Harriet, who married Arthur
Carter, son of Judge Carter, Newfoundland
;
Monier, who died in
infancy ; and myself.
My father afterwards married a daughter of John Eemmington,
Esq., of Barton-end House, Gloucestershire, and had nine
children.
On the 19th December 1838, I married Georgina, daughter of
Lieutenant-General George Burrell, C.B. The following is an
extract from the Gentleman's 2Ia[iazine of March
1853.
"^
After
mentioning General Burrell's death, at Alnwick, on the 4th
January 1853, they add :
"
This distinguished officer was the
second son of John Burrell, Esq., of Littlehoughton, Northumber-
land, and Barbara Peareth, his wife. He was born at Long-
houghton in that county on the 26th February 1777, and entered
the army as ensign in the 15th Eegiment in 1797 ;
was promoted
to lieutenant in the same year, and to captain in 1805. On his
passage to the West Indies that year the transport, in which he
had embarked, was attacked by a large French schooner privateer,
which was beaten off with great loss. He became major in the
90th Light Lifantry in 1807 ; was at the capture of Guadaloupe in
1810, and served during the war in Canada in 1814 and 1815. He
proceeded to the continent in 1815, but arrived too late for the
APPENDIX. 323
battle of Waterloo. Having marched with his regiment to Paris,
he remained there until the Army of Occupation was formed in
December, and returned to England in July 1816.
"
In 1820 he went to the Mediterranean, where he held the civil
and military command of Paxo, one of the Ionian Islands, for
upwards of five years, and received high commendation from the
Kegent, and civil authorities of that island. He attained the rank
of colonel in 1880, and returned to England in 1832 with the 18th
Eoyal Irish, and in 1836 was ordered with that regiment to Ceylon,
where he remained till 1810. In 1837 he received the local rank
of major-general, and acted as Commandant at Colombo and also
at Trincomalee. In May 1840 he proceeded to China, and com-
manded the troops at the first capture of Chusan. He was ap-
pointed Governor of that island, which, with the command of the
troops, he held until February 1841, when the island was restored
by the Commissioner of the Government, in consequence of a treaty
with the Chinese authorities. This not being ratified, hostilities
were renewed, and the Major-General commanded a brigade at the
attack on the heights above Canton, which brigade carried and
destroyed the Tartar camp under the walls of the city. General
Burrell continued to command a brigade in China until peace was
made in July 1842.
"
He received the thanks of both Houses of Parliament for his
services in China, and in 1844 Her Majesty was graciously pleased
to include him in the list of officers receiving rewards for dis-
tinguished services. In 1851 he was promoted to the rank of
lieut. -general, and in February 1852 was appointed Colonel of the
39th Regiment.
"
General Burrell married, first, Miss Scott, daughter of Sir
John Scott, Knight of Ireland, and secondly, Marianne Theresa,
daughter of the Rev. Dr. Thomas, of Claydagh, Co. Carlow, and
was therefore connected with the Irish house of Lisle, while he
was the lineal descendant of one of the oldest families in the
North of England."
It will be seen by the foregoing that all the members of my
family have been, with scarcely an exception, either in the army
or navy for many generations. My mother's brother, Colonel
George Williams, at the age of twelve years is said to have "joined
General Burgoyne's army in America, and was present at the
324 APPENDIX.
Battle of Stillwater
;
after which ho accompanied Lady Harriett
Acland on her memorable expedition down the Hudson to join her
husband in captivity, but was not made prisoner by General
Gates, on account, it is supposed, of his extreme youth
;
for afterwards we find him carrying the flag of truce into
the enemy's lines on the capitulation of Saratoga. At the con-
clusion of the American War he joined H.M. 20tli Eegiment, and
served with it during twenty-three years in Jamaica, St. Dominico,
and in Holland, and on the staff of General Crampagne in Ireland,
during the French invasion of 1798. In 1800 he quitted the
army, and from that time, until the passing of the Reform Bill,
figured in the political history of Lancashire as the stern and con-
sistent supporter of civil and religious liberty. He represented
Ashton in the first Eeform Parliament, and died at the age of
eighty-seven. He is supposed to have been the last sur%dvor of
the army which surrendered at Saratoga.
Though all my immediate ancestors have been naval or military
men, we have had many distinguished relatives in Holy Orders and
at the Bar. Space will not admit of my doing more than men-
tioning the names of some of those whom I am proud to claim as
members of our family.
Robert Skinner, Bishop of Worcester, born lOtli February,
baptized 12th February 1590, "was the last bishop consecrated
before the commencement of the Civil War, and the only one, who
remained, at great peril, during the time of the Commonwealth,
steadfastly at his post, in his own diocese at Oxford, comforting
the clergy that were left. He secured, by the indulgence of the
ruling powers, a license to preach, and never, at any time, desisted
from reading prayers, preaching, and discharging those duties
which he had undertaken at his ordination." ...
"
It is
said that, with the exception of Bishop King, who ordained
Archbishop Dolben, in 1656, and of Bishop Duppa, who ordained
Archbishop Tenison about 1659, he was the sole bishop who con-
ferred Holy Orders during the interregnum, and that, at his death,
he had, himself, ordained more priests than all the bishops then
surviving him."
A copy of a sermon preached by him, before the King at White-
hall, on the 3rd December 1634, is to be found in the Bodleian
Library at Oxford, He was successively Bishop of Bristol,
APPENDIX.
325
Oxford, and Worcester, and died at the age of 80. He is
"
buried
at the east end of the choir of the Cathedral Church at Worcester."
The Bishop's eldest son, Matthew Skinner, was born in 1624
;
he became a scholar of Trinity College, Oxford, in 1640, and was
elected Fellow in 1644.
In 1662 he was returned by the Commissioners as one of the
gentlemen quahfied for the honour of being made a
'
' Knight of the
Eoyal Oak," an order then contemplated. He died in 1698. His
eldest son, Matthew, was born in 1689, and at the age of fourteen
was admitted a scholar of St. Peter's College, Westminster. In
1709 he was elected student of Christ Church, Oxford. On coming
of age, he acquired the family property at Welton, Northampton-
shire, and in 1716 was caUed to the Bar, and joined the Oxford
circuit. In 1721 he was elected Recorder of Oxford
;
three years
afterwards Serjeant-at-Law ; and in 1734 was made "The King's
Serjeant," the highest rank at the Bar. The same year he was
elected M.P. for the city of Oxford.
He resigned his seat for Oxford in 1738, and was made Chief
.Justice of Chester and Flint, and also of Denbigh and Montgomery.
He conducted for the Crown, as Prime Serjeant, on the 28th July
1746, the prosecution of Lord Kilmarnock for high treason, taking
precedence, by virtue of his patents, of the Attorney General. On
October 21st, 1749, he died at Oxford, Premier King's Serjeant,
Chief Judge of Chester, and Recorder of Oxford. He was bliried in
Christ Church Cathedral.
Another member of this family was the Right Honourable Sir
John Skynner, Knight, Lord Chief Baron. Sir John, like his
kinsman, Matthew, above mentioned, was a scholar of St. Peter's
College, Westminster, and in 1742 was elected student of Christ
Church, Oxford, taking his degree, B.C.L., in 1750. He was called
to the Bar in 1748, and joined the Oxford circuit. He was one of
the counsel present in court at the Worcester Assizes on the
15th March 1757, when, between 2 and 8 o'clock, p.m., as Sir
Eardley Wilmot began to sum up in the last cause, a stack of
chimneys fell through the roof, killing many. The counsel then
in court, being five in number, saved themselves under the stout
table
;
and of these, fourAston, Nares, Ashurst, and Skynner
afterwards became judges.

Sir John Skynner, in 1768, was elected M.P. for Woodstock, and
326
APPENDIX.
in 1771 became a bencher of Lincoln's Inn, on being made a King's
Counsel.
In 1776 he was elected Recorder of Oxford, with the freedom
of that city ; while holding that office he presented
"
a soup
tureen, cover, and ladle, the gift of the Right Honourable Sir
John Skynner, Recorder of the City, for the use of the INIayor,
1789."
On December 1st, 1777, he was made Lord Chief Baron of the
Exchequer, and received the honour of knighthood.
In 1787 he was sworn in as a member of the Privy Council. He
died in 1805 at the advanced age of 82. The excellent picture of
the Chief Baron, by Gainsborough, is in the hall at Christ Church,
Oxford
I cannot close this account of our ancestors without mentioning
the name of Allan Maclean Skinner, who by his kind and able
assistance, has done much to help me in tracing back our pedigree.
He was the son of Richard, and grandson of Stephen Skinner
;
was educated at Eton, took his degree of B.A. at Balliol College,
Oxford, was called to the Bar, at Linc(jln's Inn, in 1834, and joined
the Oxford circuit. He was appointed Revising Barrister in 1837,
Recorder of Windsor in June 1852, and Deputy Recorder of
Gloucester in the same month. He resigned the office of Revising
Barrister in 1857, on being appointed one of Her Majesty's Council.
"
He was invited, by the Society of Lincoln's Inn, to be a Master
of the Bench, in 1857 ;
and was appointed Judge of County Courts
m South Staffordshire in 1859."
APPENDIX. 327
NOTE II.
General Fraser, in his Report, dated 28th February 1841, to the
Assistant Mihtary Secretary, gives the following Statement of
Charges incurred for Caffrees and Coolies employed under the
officers of the Quartermaster-General's Department in Surveying
operations, from 1833 to 1840
:
1833
1834
1835
1836
1837
1838
1839
1840
s.
LONDON
:
PRINTED BY W. H. ALLEN AND CO., LIM., 13 WATERLOO PLACE,
PALL MALL. S.W.
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Fifty Years in Ceylon by Major Thomas Skinner C.M.G.

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FIFTY YEARS IN CEYLON

By Major Thomas Skinner C.M.G

We cannot forget that when you began pubhc life in this

What I admired in Major Skinner was that he was self-made.

Officially and personally 1 knew Major Skinner well. He was

leaving me the unenviable discomfort of sleeping on a

when relievedand open that portion of the great

my friends, finding they could make no impression upon

a huge grenadier sergeantin a raging fever

the afternoons in exercise

George, a post-captain in the Navy

Sir John Sinclair, Bart., Madras Artillery.

" Christopher Hamilton

poor little beast, he had been out with me the

i.e. his brother

paid the highest compliment in their power

he has since taken the name of Forbes-Leslieand

the natives declared of a broken heart. This was by

The use of the Pamboo-Kaloo, or suake-stoue, as a remedy in

there are very few horses in Penangare small but

accident, I might, with a microscope, have looked in

cofi'ee, sugar, indigo, and riceis required to be sold to

Messrs. Haswell, Young, and myself, two servants, and

quadrangle is far too

Tliis country beats all my past experience of jungle ; the

Instructions for Lieutenant Skinner,

quite long enough to admit of the

The Wild Elephant, by Sir

the principal native chiefs

presented me with the

Case, when instituted.

Retike.ment of Major Skinner.

To His Grace the Duke

to show him the beauties and sport in the island

the Ceylon Government offering to pay all expenses.

Grant of Arms, by William Hervy, Esq., Clarenceux, King of

" Yours to com-

(for there are sixteen

it may be said in support of the old pedigree, that the tradition

" to hold which there is a con-

Inverness, dated 10th April 1747

afterwards became judges.

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