Ceylon
: An Account of the Island: Physical, Historical and Topographical with Notices
of Its Natural History, Antiquities and Production/Sir James Emerson Tennent. Reprint.
New Delhi, AES, 1999, 2 volumes, xxxvi, 1280 p., ills., maps, $77. ISBN
81-206-1241-8.
Contents: Vol. I. Introduction. I. Physical geography: 1. Geology.—Mineralogy.—Gems. 2. Climate.—Health and disease. 3. Vegetation.—Trees and plants. II. Zoology: 1. Mammalia. 2. Birds. 3. Reptiles. 4. Fishes. 5. Mollusca, radiata and acalephae. 6. Insects. 7. Arachnidae, Myriopoda, Crustacea, etc. III. The Singhalese chronicles: 1. Sources of Singhalese history.—The Mahawanso. 2. The aborigines. 3. Conquest of Wijayo, B.C. 543.—Establishment of Buddhism, B.C. 307. 4. The Buddhist monuments. 5. Singhalese chivalry.—Elala and Dutugaimunu. 6. The influences of Buddhism on civilisation. 7. Fate of the aborigines. 8. Extinction of the great dynasty. 9. Kings of the lower dynasty. 10. Domination of the Malabars. 11. The reign of Prakrama Bahu. 12. Fate of the Singhalese monarchy. IV. Sciences and social arts: 1. Population, caste, slavery and Raja-Kariya. 2. Agriculture, irrigation, cattle and crops. 3. Early commerce, shipping and productions. 4. Manufactures. 5. Working in metals. 6. Engineering. 7. The fine arts. 8. Social life. 9. Sciences. 10. Singhalese literature. V. Mediaeval history: 1. Ceylon as known to the Greeks and Romans. 2. Indian, Arabian and Persian authorities. 3. Ceylon as known to the Chinese. 4. Ceylon as known to the moors, Genoese, and Venetians.
Vol. II. VI. Modern history: 1. The Portuguese in Ceylon. 2. The Dutch in Ceylon. 3. English period. VII. Southern and central provinces: 1. Point De Galle. 2. Galle to Colombo. 3. Colombo. 4. The Ceylon Government, revenue, and establishments. The country from Colombo to Kandy. 5. Kandy—Paredenia. 6. Gampola and the coffee districts. 8. Pusilawa and Neuera-Ellia. VIII. The elephant: 1. Structure. 2. Habits. 3. Elephant shooting. 4. An elephant corral. 5. The captives. 6. Conduct in captivity. IX. The northern forests: 1. Forest travelling in Ceylon. 2. Bintenne—the Mahawelli-Ganga—the ancient tanks. 3. The Veddahs. 4. Batticaloa.—"The musical fish."—the salt country. 5. Trincomalie—The ebony forests—the salt-formations—the great tank of Padivil. 6. The peninsula of Jaffna.—The Palmyra palm.—The Tamils. 7. Adam’s bridge and the islands.—The pearl fishery. X. The ruined cities: 1. Sigiri and Pollanarua. 2. The tank of minery.—Anarajapoora, and the west coast.