Temple of the Holy Tooth, Kandy, Ceylon
Kandy. Monday 5:30 p.m., March 14th. Your time 12:10 p.m.
Coat & vest off & shirt sleeves rolled up to begin this: well, when I looked at the Sunday service board on going down into the verandah, I noted the Scots Kirk began service at 5:15, too late for that but the Wesleyans at 6. This had attraction so I wended my way there & very pleased I was. A real “Wesley” service & a capital sermon. Young man, Revd. E. A. Prince. Turn up Wesley Hymn book, we sung No. 1, “Oh for a Thousand Tongues to Sing”, 859 “Ye Servants of God” – to one of your favourite tunes. I transported my mind to sitting upstairs & listening to Wesley singing it: 201, “And can it be that I should gain”; 189 “Now I have found the ground wherein”; Text out of the chapter read for lesson St. John the 9th then 25 verse, “The Blind son sight given to him”; Then an invitation to all to join in their love feast,[1] to which I stayed. Sung hy. 12 “Come ye that love the Lord”. Biscuits & water dispensed, then several got up to give their experience & 8 soldiers boldly spoke, all young fellows: I really was pleased I went. After dinner, soon retired & slept well. It was a lovely morning & I got up & had a walk around the lake before breakfast. Caine said it is 3 miles but it is not over 2: very charming all about, & were such a spot in the UK, thousands would flock to it. You have no idea of its beauty & as I am writing, the colour all around of the sun set is indescribable, and all Europeans [2:90] are exercising, walking, driving, & nurses with the little one in rickshaws, & they go around the lake. I finished my round this morning by rickshaw. I began to feel hot about 5 minutes off the hotel, tape & umbrella up but the heat, father doesn’t know what sun heat is.
I rested during the forenoon & after tiffin, 2 p.m., another gent (a British India captain, a very nice man who has been invalided & came up here from Colombo hospital), & I drove to the famed Peradenia Gardens[2] (turn up Chambers,[3] see Kandy), & it was not only a lovely drive but the Gardens 150 acres, chiefly trees, were grand. Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg trees in abundance. I’ve got fruit of each & the bamboo, palms & others are a gorgeous sight. I took one snap, & hope it will be fine. It was too shady beside the enormous I. rubber trees[4], else I intended taking them. Caine‘s illustration is perfect, so also of the cluster of bamboos. We were away 2 hours & drove about the roads viewing in the gardens, a guide with us. What a contrast here to India: every foot of land teeming with tropical plants of enormous growths, leaves that would very nearly cover our couch & by the way, in the book on entering being presented to us, I glanced back a few lines, this at the entrance to the Peradenia Gardens, [2:91] & on March 2nd read, “T.W. Backhouse Sunderland; W.A. Backhouse, Wolsingham, & a Mr. Sharp Sunderland”. Strange, isn’t it? Willie can tell Mr. Nicol or Mr. Steel. Several from London, Edinbro’ &c. &c. I like the Cingalese. They are fine race, far away exalted above the Hindoo. Well dressed, pleasant features, & some very handsome people amongst them. Very European in their ways & English perfectly spoken by apparently by [sic] them all. They are taught it at school & they use it commonly. Very black glossy hair, teeth as white as ivory & cleanly & many, many are Christians. Lots in the congregation last night were Cingalese & I met several with their prayer books going to church. Several of the waiters in this hotel are Christians. The streets here are good, so are the roads, & everything well ordered, & I note the policemen are very strict. What a lot of young men natives seem to be about, all well dressed: white European clothes & all carry the umbrella, rich & poor alike. I am very much made up with Ceylon. Mr. Charters, who once was Baptist minister at W. H’pool, was a missionary here for years & his first charge at home was W. H’pool. I remember him well. I passed his church last night coming home & in the school adjoining the children was [sic] singing, “There is a Happy Land”, & just before I entered the Wesleyan Church, a lady playing a harmonica had a big group of natives around her & all singing [2:92] a hymn in Cingalese, so very prettily too, put me in mind of Dunoon (Mary knows). I hope to buy a few photos as I see some which I can’t snap. Cycling is quite a rage here & roads are favourable tho’ dusty, but nothing like so bad as India. Miss Metcalf leaves Wesley missionary records at shop. I subscribe 5/-. Willie will pay it & he can tell her I worshipped in Kandy Church & was much pleased both with minister & numbers.
Now it is 6:15. The sun has gone down. It is darkening in, so I will go out & have a breath of cool air. Tuesday night 7 p.m.: I visited the Bhuddist temple during my short walk last night, & during their hour of worship, the tom toms were beating & the music (?) going on but a very little goes a long way I assure you.
This morning I arose at 6, & after a cup of tea went out to view. Saw the market, after which I went & asked to see through the prison. The superintendent was sent for & on presenting my card, he said, “West H’pool. I have a brother & sister in law there, Mr. & Mrs. Birney.[5] York House, York Road”. I said I knew him by sight & of course he entertained me at once & personally conducted me through the whole premises, then took me into his bungalow & introduced me to his wife (Mrs. B’s sister) & their two fine Children, so you see how one meets both others whose bare acquaintanceships begets introduction & I’m to be sure & tell them when I get home what I saw of their position. I will leave description of prison & the work till another time.
I spent a while after breakfast selecting a few photos of Kandy & neighbourhood, & posted [2:93] them on today, as also a spool to be developed, only 2 views of which are of Kandy: one a cluster of palms in Peradenia Gardens yesterday, & the last a view out of my bedroom window overlooking the lake, & lo, on looking for a fresh spool, I found the box contained a little bottle of am[m]onia I have for mosquito bites. This I had put in at Colombo instead of a spool of films. Had I looked inside I should have discovered it but it did not occur to me, tho’ I knew that one of the boxes had this bottle in. However the photos I bought are a rare substitute & certain pictures.
This afternoon, the Captain & I had a two hours’ drive & saw the elephants bathing from 3 to 5 every afternoon. There were 5 & their antics in the river was [sic] amusing. Then they were brought to the bank side close to us to make salams,[6] which they did very humbly. The roads & scenery are very attractive every where & the flowers on the trees & shrubs all along the road sides are delightful. I had a wire from Geo. Berry’s friend, Mr. Brown, to whom I wrote yesterday & he is coming here tonight. Also D. Allan’s son wrote me & I am going to see him tomorrow. It’s about 6 hours up country but very fine all the way & a great height. Snow & ice there till late on in the spring. I’ll tell you more by & bye [sic] about my visit. Now it is 7:20 & dinner is at 7:30, so I must finish, but first let me say we have just had a thunder storm with lightening & rain. Fire was flying last night & Sunday night too, but that is common here & pretty is the sight after darkness sets in.
[2:94]
[1] Inserted on facing page: “Love Feast”.
[2] Inserted on facing page: “Peradinia Gardens.
Rubber trees”.
[3] Chambers Encyclopedia, a Dictionary of Universal Knowledge for the People, W & R. Chambers, Edinburgh.
[4] India Rubber
[5] Inserted on facing page: “Prison: Birney on the staff of Lloyds register at W. H’pool”.
[6] Salaam Alekum: Arabic, “Peace unto you”