"Why is it called the Peak of Adam?" was the inquiry that naturally followed this announcement.
"Because," was the reply, "it is supposed to bear the mark of Adam's foot when he stepped from the island to the Kingdom of Siam. This is the Mohammedan tradition, but the natives claim that the footprint was made by Buddha, and for this reason they hold it in high veneration, and have a temple on the summit. For sailors it is a landmark, as it is the highest mountain in the island, with a single exception."
"Perhaps we may have an opportunity to ascend it," said the Doctor; "and if we do, we shall see many things about it and from its summit to remind us of our ascent of Fusiyama, in Japan."
The steamer rounded the southern extremity of the great island, and headed for the port of Point de Galle. The scenery of the coast was not materially changed as the miles were left behind, and our friends began to weary a little on account of its monotony. It seemed as though the cocoa-nut-trees were unending, and one of the boys declared that he had seen enough of them to last him for some time. By-and-by a flag-staff was visible on a little promontory, and the captain announced that they were close to their destination. Several boats were cruising about in front of the entrance to the harbor, and, as the steamer came into sight, two or three of these boats headed for her. They were outriggers, of the same pattern as we have already encountered, and from one of them a pilot was taken to guide the steamer to her anchorage.
A ship arriving in front of Galle at night must anchor outside, or cruise up and down till daylight, as the pilots never come off during the hours of darkness, no matter what signals are made. The harbor is not an easy one to enter, and requires great care on the part of the pilot to bring a ship safely to anchor. There are several sunken rocks inside, and a stranger would be almost certain to run on them, even with the assistance of a good chart; a steamer was once lost here owing to the delay of only a few seconds in the transmission of an order for the stoppage of the engines, and others have received serious damage from similar causes. Many plans have been devised for improving the harbor by the removal of the rocks, and it is said that contracts have been made recently with some Americans for that very desirable work.
RUINS OF A PORTUGUESE CHURCH.
The steamer was brought to the place assigned her, and securely moored, and as soon as this had been done, our friends entered one of the curious little outrigger boats and were carried to the shore. The boys were so pleased with the picturesque beauty of the place that they wished to make a sketch of it, but there was no time to do so, and the proposal was dropped. The port is a delightful nook in the coast of Ceylon, surrounded with cocoa-nut-trees that grow down to the very edge of the water, and have their roots washed by its spray. At one side is the old town or fort, which dates back to the Portuguese occupation of the place, and gives a hint of its age by its venerable appearance. Some of the old buildings are in ruins, as the government does not care to reconstruct them.
Point de Galle has very little local commerce, and its chief importance comes from its geographical position. Nearly all the steamers between Europe, on the one hand, and China and the Far East, on the other, touch at Galle for coal, and many thousand tons of this fuel are handled there every month. Some days there are eight or ten arrivals and departures, and rarely is there a day without a steamer entering or leaving. A glance at the position of the place, with reference to other ports of the Indian Ocean and the Eastern seas in general, will show its great importance as a coaling-station. Its name is supposed to be derived from the great number of coral rocks—Galla—on this part of the coast, and particularly in the vicinity of the harbor.