, dying off gradually into isolated patches and long ribbon-like
strips on the sides of the mountain, upon which rich grass is growing,
in vivid contrast to the rank and coarse herbage of Newera Ellia,
distant only five miles from the point upon which we stand.

Descending until we reach Wilson's Plain, nine miles from Newera Ellia,
we arrive in the district of Ouva, much like the Sussex Downs as any
place to which it can be compared.

This district comprises about six hundred square miles, and forms the
fourth and last ledge of the high lands of Ceylon. Passes from the
mountains which form the wall-like boundaries of this table-land
descend to the low country in various directions.

The whole of the Ouva district upon the one side, and of the Kotmalee
district on the other side, of tilt Newera Ellia range of mountains,
are, with the exception of the immediate neighborhood of Kandy and
Colombo, the most populous districts of Ceylon.

This is entirely owing, to the never-failing supply of water obtained
from the mountains; and upon this supply the wealth and prosperity of
the country depend.

The ancient history of Ceylon is involved in much obscurity, but
nevertheless we have sufficient data in the existing traces of its
former population to form our opinions of the position and power which
Ceylon occupied in the Eastern Hemisphere when England was in a state
of barbarism. The wonderful remains of ancient cities, tanks and
water-courses throughout the island all prove that the now desolate
regions were tenanted by a multitude--not of savages, but of a race
long since passed away, full of industry and intelligence.

Among the existing traces of former population few are more interesting
than those in the vicinity of Newera Ellia.

Judging from the present supply of water required for the cultivation
of a district containing a certain population, we can arrive at a
tolerably correct idea of the former population by comparing the
present supply of water with that formerly required.

Although the district of Ouva is at present well populated, and every
hollow is taken advantage of for the cultivation of paddy, still the
demand for water in proportion to the supply is comparatively small.

The system of irrigation has necessarily involved immense labor. For
many miles the water is conducted from the mountains through dense
forests, across ravines, round the steep sides of opposing hills, now
leaping into a lower