A Description of Ceylon, Volume 2 |
Common terms and phrases
Abraham Robinson afterwards Ambassador ammonams appearance Aripo army arrived artillery banks batteries Batticaloe Bengal artillery boats British bungaloe Candian territories Ceylon chief Adigar choultry Cingalese Colonel Barbut Columbo command considerable coolies court of Candy crossed cultivated Dessauve detachment divers Dutch elephants enemy English Europeans feet fever fire fishery four garrison Governor ground guns half past halted Hambangtotte Hangwell houses hundred inhabitants island Jaffnapatam jungle King of Candy King's lascars leway Lieutenant Macdowall Majesty's 19th regiment Majesty's 51st regiment Major Davie Malay regiment Manaar Matura ment miles Mootto Sawmy morning natives Negombo night o'clock A. M. officers oysters paddee pagoda palace palanquin Panoa party passed pearls rain Ramisseram received rest-house river road salt sand second Adigar sent sepoys seven corles side soldiers stone Talawve tank Tengalle thick Thomas Christie tion trees Trincomallee troops village wood
Popular passages
Page 330 - Spyes, that there is but little done, which he knows not of. And often he gives Command to expel all the women out of the City, not one to remain. But by little and little when they think his wrath is appeas'd, they do creep in again.
Page 51 - ... it up as speedily as possible. The diver at the same time, free of every incumbrance, warps up by the rope, and always gets above water a considerable time before the basket.
Page 162 - In order to elude the arts of the Adigar," says the Reverend Mr Cordiner, " the governor promised that Major- General Macdowall should be sent as an ambassador, if the consent of the king were previously obtained to his carrying with him a sufficient military force to maintain his independence. It was at the same time proposed that, if the king should approve of it, he should transport his person and his court, for greater safety, to the British territories, there to enjoy all his royal rights, and...
Page 339 - Thorn-bush or Thorn-tree ; each stick or branch whereof thrusts out on all sides round about, sharp prickles, like Iron Nails, of three or four inches long : one of these very Thorns I have lately seen in the Repository at Gresham College : These sticks or branches being as big as a good Cane, are platted one very close to another, and so being fastned and tyed to three or four upright spars, are made in the fashion of a Door.
Page 59 - The labourers and overseers, however, from habit become insensible of the smell, and prosecute their business, without expressing any disagreeable sensations. Those shells which have pearls adhering to them are thrown to one side, and afterwards handed to clippers, whose business it is to disengage the pearls from the shells by a forceps and hammer.
Page 339 - Road, exceeding thick, 1681. that 'tis not possible for any to pass unobserved. These Thorn-gates which I here mention and have done before, are made of a sort of Thorn-bush or Thorn-tree ; each stick or branch whereof thrusts out on all sides round about, sharp prickles, like Iron Nails, of three or four inches long : one of these very Thorns I have lately seen in the Repository at Gresham College : These sticks or branches being as big as a good Cane, are platted one very close to another, and...
Page 50 - He remains in this perpendicular position for a little time, supporting himself by the motion of one arm. Then a basket, formed of a wooden hoop and network, suspended by a rope, is thrown into the water to him, and into it he places his other foot. Both the ropes of the stone and basket he holds for a little while in one hand. When he feels himself properly prepared and ready to go down, he grasps his nostrils with one hand, to prevent the water from rushing in; with the other, gives a sudden pull...
Page 193 - Hutchins and two privates were the only persons of the party who remained alive. This officer recovered by going immediately to sea, a total change of air being one of the most successful remedies for this dreadful malady.
Page 192 - ... upon the guards and sentries during the night; and whenever any unfortunate stragglers fell into their hands, they put them to death. They knew their own weakness too well to emerge from their hiding-places during the day, or near to any considerable body of troops. A reward of ten rupees was given for the head of every European, and five for that of every other class of soldiers in the English service.
Page 345 - ... and that his Relations and Accounts of the Island of Ceylon (which some of us have lately Perused in Manuscripts) are worthy of Credit, and therefore encouraged him to make the same Publick. Robert Blackbourne, Secretary. By Order of the said Court.