supply were unquestionable; the climate could not be surpassed for
salubrity. There was a carriage road from Colombo, one hundred and
fifteen miles, and from Kandy, forty-seven miles; the last thirteen
being the Rambodde Pass, arriving at an elevation of six thousand six
hundred feet, from which point a descent of two miles terminated the
road to Newera Ellia.

The station then consisted of about twenty private residences, the
barracks and officers' quarters, the resthouse and the bazaar; the
latter containing about two hundred native inhabitants.

Bounded upon all sides but the east by high mountains, the plain of
Newera Ellia lay like a level valley of about two miles in length by
half a mile in width, bordered by undulating grassy knolls at the foot
of the mountains. Upon these spots of elevated ground most of the
dwellings were situated, commanding a view of the plain, with the river
winding through its centre. The mountains were clothed from the base to
the summit with dense forests, containing excellent timber for building
purposes. Good building-stone was procurable everywhere; limestone at
a distance of five miles.

The whole of the adjacent country was a repetition Of the Newera Ellia
plain with slight variations, comprising a vast extent of alternate
swampy plains and dense forests.

Why should this place lie idle? Why should this great tract of country
in such a lovely climate be untenanted and uncultivated? How often I
have stood upon the hills and asked myself this question when gazing
over the wide extent of undulating forest and plain! How often I have
thought of the thousands of starving wretches at home, who here might
earn a comfortable livelihood! and I have scanned the vast tract of
country, and in my imagination I have cleared the dark forests and
substituted waving crops of corn, and peopled a hundred ideal cottages
with a thriving peasantry.

Why should not the highlands Of Ceylon, with an Italian climate, be
rescued from their state of barrenness? Why should not the plains be
drained, the forests felled, and cultivation take the place of the rank
pasturage, and supplies be produced to make Ceylon independent of other
countries? Why should not schools be established, a comfortable hotel
be erected, a church be built? In fact, why should Newera Ellia, with
its wonderful climate, so easily attainable, be neglected in a country
like Ceylon, proverbial for its unhealthiness?

These were m