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INDIA

and stretches of rice fields, cinnamon and sugar-cane,
amid which at night the fireflies dart about in glittering
clusters. The lowest hut is embosomed in palm fronds
and the bright crimson blossoms of the hybiscus, while
wherever intelligent cultivation aids the prolific force of
nature, there is enough in the profusion of nutmegs and
allspice, of the india-rubber and cinchonas, of cannas,
draczenas, crotons, and other wonders of the Singhalese
flora, to give an endless and delighted study to the lover
of Nature.” But this by no means exhausts the beauties
of Ceylon. One need only travel by the train from
Colombo to the station of Kandy, embosomed in mountains
 and overlooking the broad surface of a lake which
reflects the varied beauty of the forest-covered hillsides,
and thence pass on through the terraced spurs to higher
levels, where acres upon acres of tea cultivation now
spreads over the same soil which was not long ago
devoted to cinchona and coffee, to realise that there is
hardly any sort of scenery from that of the temperate
zone to the tropics which is not to be found almost at its
est in Ceylon.
On the north-west Ceylon is nearly joined to India by
the island of Manaar, Adam’s Bridge, and the island of
Rameseram. There are two passages through the strait—
the Manaar between Ceylon and the island of the same
name, which was formerly not more than 4 feet deep at
high water ; and the Pambam passage which separates
Rameseram from India. This used to be only 6 feet deep
at high water. Both passages have been widened and
Jeepened.
The eastern shores of Ceylon are rocky, and the water
deep ; the north-western and western shores north of
Colombo are uniformly low and indented with bays and
inlets. The general flatness of the coast districts has led
to the formation of salt-water lakes or lagunes which have
heen connected by canals (said to have been constructed
300 years B.C.), which much facilitate traffic and communication
 between these maritime provinces.
The harbour of Trincomali on the north-east coast is