Cause of Sea and Land Breezes.

ten miles a day, sometimes not so much. But 1805. on the other hand, where the coast was low and June. sandy, the monsoon seemed to disappear, and in its stead we had regular land and sea breezes. They account for the want of the latter winds on the mountainous coast, by supposing that the high land obstructs their course. But this seems to be a very bad reason, for there is nothing to obstruct the sea breeze setting in at all events, whatever influence the mountains may have on the land wind. I think it may be better accounted for in another way; but first I must just mention the cause of land and sea breezes in general.

It is well known that from the time the sun begins to emerge above the eastern horizon, until he gains his meridian altitude, the earth is gradually acquiring a temperature above that of the sea. This causing a rarefaction or expansion of the air over the surface of the land, it ascends into the higher regions, and a column of dense and cool air rushes in from the sea about mid-day to preserve the equilibrium: thus producing the sea breeze. The above cause conti nuing to operate while the sun is above the borizon, we of course have the sea breeze during the remainder of the day; but at night, when the earth loses its acquired heat, and even sinks in temperature below that of the sea, the air which had ascended in a rarefied state during the day, begins to condense in the upper regions, and pressing upon that below, a column of air is sent off towards the sea: and thus the land breeze is produced. The sole cause then of these semi-diurnal breezes, being the capacity which

Remarks on the S. W. Monsoon.

1805. the earth has for acquiring a higher temperature June. than that of the sea, the cause becomes evident

why they do not take place on a mountainous coast, where, as on this part of the Coromandel, the hills are covered with trees and verdure, which retaining the dews that fall in the night, the earth is as cool during the day as the sea. The mountains therefore do not obstruct the course of these periodical breezes, but prevent their existence. Notwithstanding this, there are frequently sea and land breezes where the coast is high; as at Queda, Sumatra, &c. but then they are generally faint and irregular, and most probably produced by tracts of cultivated or barren* lands lying behind the mountains which we see near the shore,

* Land, both in a state of cultivation and barrenness, is more liable to be heated by the sun, and consequently produce sea and land breezes, than when it is covered with fo. rests and underwood.

Ceylon.

CHAP. XIII.

Sketch of Ceylon-Trincomallee-Its Harbour-Strength and unhealthy Situation-Point de Galle→ColumboThe Capital of Ceylon-Its Fort-Town of Columbo -Black Town or Pettah-Trade and Climate-Surrounding Country-Pearl Fisheries.

In order to fulfil my original intention of giv- 1805, ing a descriptive sketch of the principal places in August, India, &c. frequented by our East India fleet, I shall now proceed round to the Malabar Coast, first giving a topographical sketch of Trincomallee, Point de Galle, and Columbo, the three ports which are usually visited by the abovementioned vessels, in the island of Ceylon. As I did not visit any of these except Trincomallee, I am necessarily obliged to select from the writ ings of others; the following sketches are principally extracted from Percival's interesting and very amusing History of Ceylon.

The island of Ceylon lying between the 5th and 9th parallels of north latitude, and 79th and 81st of east longitude, at the entrance of the bay of Bengal, is separated from the Coromandel coast by the Gulf of Manaar, a narrow shoaly strait. Its circumference is computed to be about 900 miles; length, 300; and breadth, from 50 to 100 miles.

The approach to the island presents a fresher green to the eye, and a much more fertile appearance than most parts of the Malabar and

1805.

Trincomallee.

Coromandel coast: the flat tracts on the seaAugust, shore being bounded by beautiful topes or groves of cocoa-nut trees, while the intermediate plains are covered with rich fields of rice; the prospect terminating in lofty romantic mountains, clothed with woods that display the most verdant foliage. This prospect has a most agreeable effect on the eye, fatigued with the shores of barren white sand that every where skirt the adjacent continent. The appearance of the eastern coast is bold and rocky; the north-west is flat, and every where indented with inlets of the sea,

Trincomallee, on account of its vast and excellent harbour, is of the greatest importance to our shipping in India. It was taken from the Duch, in 1795, by General Stewart, after a three weeks' siege. The town lies in latitude 8° 30′, N. and runs in a north-east direction along one branch of the bay. The country around it is mountainous and woody, the soil uncultivated, and the whole assuming a wild romantic appear

ance.

The woods, which are very thick, contain abundance of wild beasts of various descriptions, particularly wild hogs, buffaloes, and elephants: the latter often coming down to the lakes in the vicinity of the fort, to drink and bathe. Trincomallee, from its situation and construction, is naturally strong; occupies more ground than Columbo, but contains a much smaller number of houses, and those inferior in size and appear ance to what we meet in several towns on the south-west coast. The circumference of Trinco mallee within the walls, is about three miles, Within this space is also included a hill or rising

Trincomallee.

1805.

point, immediately over the sea, covered with a thick jungle, that gives shelter to wild deer and August. other species of game. On this rising ground there are very few inhabitants, most of the houses being situated close to the landing place, which lies in the lowest part. Many places in the fort itself were encumbered with jungles till within these few years.

The fort is strong, and commands the principal bays, and particularly the entrance into the grand harbour, or inner bay, which affords at all seasons, and in every variety of weather, a secure shelter to ships of every description; being completely land-locked, and capacious enough to receive any number of them. This harbour is also overlooked by Fort Ostenburg, a strong fort standing on a cliff that projects into the sea, and which was originally built by the Portuguese, out of the ruins of some celebrated pagodas that once stood here. Fort Ostenburg cannot be attacked by sea, unless Trincomallee be first taken, and the entrance into the harbour forced. In the bay the shores are so bold, and the water so deep, that it is almost possible to step from the rocks into the vessels that moor alongside of them. At the extremity of the rock, on which the fort stands, a strong battery is erected called, Flag-staff Point.

This harbour from its nature and situation, stamps Ceylon as one of our most valuable acquisitions in the East Indies. As soon as the violent monsoons commence, every vessel on the Coromandel and Malabar coast is obliged to put to sea, to escape inevitable destruction. At these seasons Trincomallee and Bombay are the