Ceylon is much celebrated on account of its minera logy, and particularly for the number and variety of the precious stones which are found upon it. To the class of minerals we may refer the diamond, the ruby, the hya cinth, the agate, the amethyst, the sardonyx, the emerald, the jasper ; the tourmaline, red, green, blue, and yellow; the topaz ; the sapphire, green and blue ; the suphrytus, white, yellow, brown, and black ; crystals ; cat's eye ; and cornelians. All these precious stones occur, parti cularly in the region round Matura, in the vallies, and at the foot of the mountains, in a compound of earth and fat clay. Several different kinds are found in the same soil, and in the same place. Sometimes they are found like wise on the surface of the earth, where they have been brought down from the mountains by the violence of the currents or rains. The ruby, the topaz, and the diamond of this island, are not, however, so valuable as those of Golconda or the Brazils. The sapphire, aquamarina, and tourmaline, are, on the contrary, equal to those of any other country. Formerly the precious stones were an article of revenue, and were collected by farmers, who contracted for a particular range with government. This plan, however, was for some years given up, as the stones found in the king of Candy's dominions were superior to those of the coast ; and the Dutch found it the easiest method of procuring them, to demand from him a cer tain quantity in the way of tribute. For some time that prince was obliged to comply with the mandates of his imperious neighbours, and sent them a certain proportion of stones every year. Of late, however, he has shaken off this servitude ; and, in order to tempt the avarice of Europeans as little as possible, he has prohibited any more from being collected in his dominions. He does not now allow his subjects, on any account, to barter precious stones with Europeans, or to carry any above a certain value out of his territories, under pain of death. It is even dangerous for a Candian to retain any, above a certain value, in his possession, as, by a royal decree, they all belong to the king. Lead and tin are found in the interior ; but they are not applied to any useful pur pose. There is also abundance of iron stone, the pre paration of which constitutes one of the principal manu factures of the natives. They melt it in crucibles over a fire, which is blown with two pair of bellows. They separate the scoriae with tongs made for the purpose : The melted mass is then poured into a mould of clay ; after which it is purified further, and forged for a variety ,-,f.nurposes. There were also several mines of quick silver the Dutch; and they have again been opened since the island fell into the kinds of the British. Sec Thunberg, vol. iv. rtrcival. Knox.
Among the quadrupeds of this island, the elephant justly holds the highest place. This animal is produced in great numbers in Ceylon, and is superior to those of every other part of the world, with regard to shape, ap pearance, and docility. In 1797, no fewer than 176 were sent over from this country by Adam's Bridge to the continent of India. Of animals employed for domes tic purposes, Ceylon produces but few. The horse and sheep are not natives of this island, and can scarcely be made to thrive even when imported. The former are never employed in servile work, but are chiefly used for drawing gigs, and other light pleasure vehicles of the Europeans. The Indian horses are extremely spirited, and often defend their riders from the attacks of other animals. Captain Percival mentions, that, on one occa sion, he was indebted to their prowess for his preservation from the fury of a buffalo. It is only when so vicious as to be perfectly unmanageable, that these animals are ever castrated in this quarter of the world; and in this mutilated state they decrease greatly in value, as they are then by no means so capable of enduring the heat of the climate, and the violent fatigue occasioned by exer tion in a warm country. The oxen of Ceylon have a
hump on their back, and in size scarcely exceed our calves of a year old. The beef, however, is sometimes tolerably good, and forms the principal food of our Eu ropean soldiers ; and, though these animals are so re markably small, they are very useful as beasts of bur den. The buffalo is also found in great numbers on this island ; and, being much larger and stronger than the ox, it is more frequently employed for the latter pur pope. Few parts of India produce a greater variety of wild animals than Ceylon ; indeed, the forests are ex tremely dangerous, in consequence of the number of beasts of prey and noxious reptiles which infest them. Many wild animals are also offered to the use of man ; and afford subsistence to the tribes who, like them, range the forests. Among these we may mention tygers, leo pards, jackals, monkies, porcupines, racoons, armadil loes, the ichneumon, the flying fox, the cobra de eapillo, the alligator, deer, hares, wild hogs, and a variety of others. The birds of Ceylon are also a numerous class. The different species of our domestic poultry are natives of this island ; and there are few birds found in our woods which do not abound here. The more remarkable birds of Ceylon, are peacocks, parrots, pheasants, the honey bird, the Indian roller, the tailor bird, some of which are found both wild and tame. Many excellent kinds of fish are caught all around the coasts of Ceylon, and form a principal article both of the traffic and of the food of the natives. See Percival. For a more particular ac count of the zoology of Ceylon, see Pennant, vol. i.; Percival, p. Cordiner, vol. i. p. 213-248, ; Knox, p. ; and Thunberg, vol. iv.
In this place we shall introduce some account of the pearl fishery in the bay of Condatchy, which is one of the most important and valuable acquisitions which the British have made on the island. The banks where it is carried on extend several miles along the coast, from Mannar southward of Arippo, Condatehy, and Pompa rippo. There are fourteen beds, but they are not all productive ; and only two or three of them arc fished in one season. The principal bank is opposite Condatchy, and lies out at sea about twenty miles ; it is about ten miles in length, and two in breadth : the others are much smaller. The depth of water over the different banks varies from three to fifteen fathoms ; but the best is in about six or eight fathoms.
The pearl oysters on these banks are all of one spe cies, and of the same regular form ; but they are of different qualities and denominations, according to the nature of the ground to which they are attached, and the appearance of the zoophytes which adhere to the outside of the shells. The shape of the oyster is an imperfect oval, pretty nearly the same as that of a cockle, and is about Dine inches and a half in circumference. The out side of the shell is smooth, unless when covered with corals, sponges, and other marine productions ; the in side is brighter and more beautiful than the pearl itself; the body of the animal is white, fleshy, and glutinous. The pearls are commonly contained in the thickest and most fleshy part of the oyster ; they are composed of suc cessive layers, of a substance similar to the shell, and are supposed to be the effect of a disease to which the animal is subject. In general, they are of a bright shin inz white ; but some arc occasionally found of a beauti Ful pink, others of the colour of gold, and a few of a jet black. An oyster commonly contains several pearls ; and one has been known to produce 150, including the seed or dust pearls : but, on the contrary, an hundred oysters have been opened without yielding a single pearl which was discernible. The oysters arc supposed to at tain a complete state of maturity in seven years ; after which, it is said, the pearl becomes so large and incon venient to the fish, that it throws it out of the shell.