Ceylon; an Account of the Island Physical, Historical, and / Topographical with Notices of Its Natural History, Antiquities and / Productions, Volume 1
The Project Gutenberg eBook, Ceylon; an Account of the Island Physical, Historical, and Topographical with Notices of Its Natural History, Antiquities and Productions, Volume 1 (of 2), by James Emerson Tennent
Frontispiece for Vol I NOOSING WILD ELEPHANTS--Vol 2 p 359 368 &c
MAPS.
PLANS AND CHARTS.
WOOD ENGRAVINGS.
The gratifying reception with which the following pages have been honoured by the public and the press, has in no degree lessened my consciousness, that in a work so extended in its scope, and comprehending such a multiplicity of facts, errors are nearly unavoidable both as to conclusions and detail. These, so far as I became aware of them, I have endeavoured to correct in the present, as well as in previous impressions.
But my principal reliance for the suggestion and supply both of amendments and omissions has been on the press and the public of Ceylon; whose familiarity with the topics discussed naturally renders them the most competent judges as to the mode in which they have been treated. My hope when the book was published in October last was, that before going again to press I should be in possession of such friendly communications and criticisms from the island, as would have enabled me to render the second edition much more valuable than the previous one. In this expectation I have been agreeably disappointed, the sale having been so rapid, as to require a fourth impression before it was possible to obtain from Ceylon judicious criticisms on the first. These in due time will doubtless arrive; and meanwhile, I have endeavoured, by careful revision, to render the whole as far as possible correct.
J. EMERSON TENNENT.
The call for a third edition on the same day that the second was announced for publication, and within less than two months from the appearance of the first, has furnished a gratifying assurance of the interest which the public are disposed to take in the subject of the present work.
2: MAX MÜLLER; History of Sanskrit Literature , p. 202.
Sir James Emerson Tennent
---
CEYLON
NOTICES OF ITS NATURAL HISTORY, ANTIQUITIES AND PRODUCTIONS
FOURTH EDITION, THOROUGHLY REVISED
VOLUME I.
CONTENTS
OF
THE FIRST VOLUME.
PART I.
CHAPTER I.
CHAP. II.
CLIMATE.—HEALTH AND DISEASE.
CHAP. III
VEGETATION.—TREES AND PLANTS.
PART II.
ZOOLOGY.
CHAPTER I.
MAMMALIA.
CHAP. II.
BIRDS.
CHAP. III.
REPTILES.
CHAP. IV.
FISHES.
CHAP. V.
CHAP. VI.
INSECTS.
CHAP. VII.
PART III.
THE SINGHALESE CHRONICLES.
CHAPTER I.
CHAP. II.
CHAP. III.
CHAP. IV.
CHAP. V.
SINGHALESE CHIVALRY.—ELALA AND DUTUGAIMUNU.
CHAP. VI.
CHAP. VII.
FATE OF THE ABORIGINES.
CHAP. VIII.
CHAP. IX
CHAP. X.
CHAP. XI.
THE REIGN OF PRAKRAMA BAHU.
CHAP. XII.
PART IV.
CHAPTER I.
CHAP. II.
CHAP. III.
EARLY COMMERCE, SHIPPING, AND PRODUCTIONS.
CHAP. IV.
MANUFACTURES.
CHAP. V.
WORKING IN METALS.
CHAP. VI.
ENGINEERING.
CHAP. VII.
THE FINE ARTS.
CHAP. VIII.
CHAP. IX.
CHAP. X.
SINGHALESE LITERATURE.
CHAP. XI.
PART V.
MEDIÆVAL HISTORY.
CHAPTER I.
CEYLON AS KNOWN TO THE GREEKS AND ROMANS.
CHAP. II.
INDIAN, ARABIAN, AND PERSIAN AUTHORITIES.
CHAP. III.
CEYLON AS KNOWN TO THE CHINESE.
CHAP. IV.
CEYLON AS KNOWN TO THE MOORS, GENOESE, AND VENETIANS.
ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE FIRST VOLUME
NOTICE TO THE FOURTH EDITION.
NOTICE TO THE THIRD EDITION.
NOTICE TO THE SECOND EDITION.
INTRODUCTION.
PART I.
CHAPTER I
CHAP. II.
CLIMATE.—HEALTH AND DISEASE.
CHAP. III.
VEGETATION.—TREES AND PLANTS.
PART II.
ZOOLOGY.
CHAPTER I.
MAMMALIA.
NOTE (A.)
CHAP. II.
BIRDS.
NOTE.
CHAP. III.
REPTILES.
CHAP. IV.
FISHES.
NOTE (A.)
NOTE (B.)
NOTE (C.)
CHAP. V.
2 RADIATA.
CHAP. VI
INSECTS.
CHAP. VII
ARACHNIDA—MYRIOPODA—CRUSTACEA, ETC.
PART III.
THE SINGHALESE CHRONICLES.
CHAPTER I.
NOTE (A.)
NOTE (B.)
CHAP. II.
THE ABORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF CEYLON.
NOTE.
CHAP. III
CHAP. IV.
THE EARLY BUDDHIST MONUMENTS.
CHAP V.
SINGHALESE CHIVALRY.—ELALA AND DUTUGAIMUNU.
CHAP. VI.
THE INFLUENCE OF BUDDHISM ON CIVILISATION.
CHAP. VII
FATE OF THE ABORIGINES.
CHAP. VIII
EXTINCTION OF THE "GREAT DYNASTY."
CHAP. IX.
KINGS OF THE "LOWER DYNASTY."
CHAP. X.
THE DOMINATION OF THE MALABARS.
CHAP XI.
THE REIGN OF PRAKRAMA BAHU.
CHAP. XII.
PART IV.
SCIENCES AND SOCIAL ARTS
OF
THE ANCIENT SINGHALESE.
CHAPTER I
POPULATION.—CASTE.—SLAVERY AND RAJA-KARIYA.
CHAP. II.
AGRICULTURE.—IRRIGATION.—CATTLE AND CROPS.
CHAP. III
EARLY COMMERCE, SHIPPING, AND PRODUCTIONS.
CHAP. IV.
MANUFACTURES.
CHAP. V.
WORKING IN METALS.
CHAP. VI.
ENGINEERING.
CHAP. VII.
THE FINE ARTS.
CHAP. VIII.
DOMESTIC LIFE.
CHAP. IX.
ASTRONOMY, ETC.
CHAP. X.
SINGHALESE LITERATURE.
CHAP. XI.
BUDDHISM AND DEMON-WORSHIP.[1]
PART V.
MEDIÆVAL HISTORY.
CHAPTER I.
CEYLON AS KNOWN TO THE GREEKS AND ROMANS.
NOTE (A).
CHAP. II
INDIAN, ARABIAN, AND PERSIAN AUTHORITIES.
CHAP. III.
CEYLON AS KNOWN TO THE CHINESE.
NOTE.
CHAP. IV.
CEYLON AS KNOWN TO THE MOORS, GENOESE, AND VENETIANS.