A few weeks ago I was leafing through Leonard Woolf – Diaries in Ceylon 1908-1911 [Tisara Prakasakayo-1962] on account of its interesting relevance, to me, as I had done the same sort of job many decades later. Most entries, naturally, deal; with rather routine official duties such as salt production-

"Rode in early morning and paid a surprise visit to Bundala Lewaya where salt collection is going on. Everything is in order and 400 men at work. I will hope to beat the record collection."

Rinderpest control –

"Rode Wiraketiya. On the way found a rinderpest stricken buffalo holding up all traffic. He began to charge the ponies. Mr. Hodson and I had only shotguns with us but attempted to destroy him with snipe shot. The only result was that he caught Mr. Hodson who only escaped leaving his hat and gun behind…"

Judicial duties –

"Tried a civil case. Also convicted two men of killing game in the open season and sentenced them to pay a fine of Rs.50. They did not pay and so went to jail."

Census duties –

"I arranged a system of bicycles with the Mudaliyar West Girawa Pattu so as to get his census returns promptly. It worked so well and his messenger was so eager that I was woken up at 4.30 a.m. to receive his returns." and perennial irrigation problems –

"A large crowd of proprietors and cultivators came to me to complain that the sluices have been closed and no water issued after August 1st. The result is that the crop…..is dying for want of water. I asked the IE [Irrigation Engineer] to issue water. He replied that he had the DI’s [Director Irrigation] instructions not to issue water after August 1st and until those instructions were cancelled no water could be issued."

However, the future novelist also records many fascinating observations and stories which I have extracted from his Diaries for the delectation of today’s readers.

Loyal Subjects

1909 Jan.11 – I had been informed that Count Axel Blixen, cousin of H.M. the Queen, would arrive today for a shooting expedition and that I was to afford them every facility." May 24 Empire Day 10a.m.A feast to all inhabitants of Hambantota, consisting of curry and rice. Most successful, over 1,500 people coming to it, and as there is a great deal of want here now it was greatly appreciated I think. 2 p.m. Volunteer parade and salute of flag. 2.30 p.m March past of schoolchildren and address. 3-6 p.m. Sports. 1910 May 20 The day of His Majesty’s [Edward VII] funeral was observed as a day of mourning. At 5 o’clock rice and money was distributed to the poor. About 1,000 people assembled in the Barrack Square and an address was read to them in English, Sinhalese and Tamil. The C.L.I. detachment were present. Afterwards memorial services were held.

Battling elephants, choking crocodile

1909 Jan. 30 Rode back to Yala in the morning. In evening went north through the jungle and came across two elephants fighting. They charged one another and the shock appeared to be tremendous when their heads met. Then they stood with heads close together playing a sort of jujitsu with their trunks until at last one hit the other a tremendous blow on the ribs with his trunk. Then they backed away from one another and charged again. At one moment we had to fly as one of them broke away and came through the jungle apparently at us. We left them still fighting. 1909 Feb. 1. [Talgasmankada] At one place heard extraordinary noises which the Forest Ranger took to be a bear. We crept up to the place and saw a large crocodile in a pool. I shot him and when he was dragged out he had no teeth (owing to old age) and that he had a large tortoise stuck in his throat. He must have caught it and, having no teeth to slash the shell, the tortoise slipped into his throat and the noises we heard were his efforts to eject it. 1911 April 2. I rode [my pony] on fast, to Palatupana, and en route into the backside of an elephant who was strolling down the track near Velapelaweva. Before I knew what had happened the pony’s head was facing the way we had come by. The elephant strolled on apparently oblivious and we followed him for a considerable distance. I at last sent on a bitch who was with me and she drove him out of the path like a big sheep, ‘Topless’ women 1909 September 7th At this village [Middeniya] some drummer caste women stopped me with a curious request. By immemorial custom (I suppose) they are not allowed to wear jackets but only to wind a narrow strip of cloth over their breasts and under the armpits.

They asked my permission to wear jackets giving as their reason that they could not pound rice decently owing to this strip of cloth. The old Vidane Arachchi, a crusted conservative, was present; so I asked his opinion. He said that this caste had never been allowed jackets but (after some cogitation) that if they did not put their arms into the sleeves they may be allowed to wear them just hanging round their necks. I told the women that they had better do this and they were quite satisfied.

Rough Justice.

1910 February 17th [Walasmulla] A large crowd present; in the middle of the proceedings the crowd parted and an old man with one side of his face shaved and the other side unshaved rushed into the ring and fell at my feet. He complained that the barber in the bazaaar (and he is apparently the only one in Walasmulla) after shaving one half of his face had refused to shave the other unless he paid 50 cents. The price of a shave in Walasmulla is 5 cents. The barber was sent for and appeared accompanied by some hundreds of spectators. The decision was that he was to complete the shave and to be paid nothing and that if he cut the old man he was to pay 50 cents. The operation was completed under a coconut tree in the compound before a vast crowd of spectators. The old man was in deadly earnest, the barber who had the face of a rogue and a humourist said nothing but appeared vastly amused.

Diving Women.

1910 January 25th Rode with Mudaliyar to Unahuruwa and saw a most interesting spectacle. The women of this village swim out about 300 yards from the shore and then dive down and fish up big coral stones. They swim back wit these stones and stack them in heaps called fathoms 6’by 6’by 6’. They are sold for building purposes and for lime at Rs. 4 to Rs.6 per fathom. The output is about 300 fathoms a year and about 2,400 women work off and on. The stones lie in about 6 to 12 feet of water. The divers told me they never get fever, which confirms my belief that sea bathing helps to keep off malaria. 1910 September 12th Drove to Tangalla in afternoon. On the way met a large "deputation" of the women divers of Unahuruwa. The coral stones for which they dive for as much as 200 or 300 yards from shore have been seized by the Forest Department as forest produce. Even the law, I think, can hardly include the sea in its definition of forest.

Opium ‘Wars’.

1910 April 5th Many of the statements made regarding opium in Ceylon notably one which seems to have been widely accepted that its use was comparatively recently adopted. The Asst. Govt. Agent J.W.Bennett who was in Hambantota, I think, in 1821 notes the rapid increase of the habit of opium taking in Ceylon at that time and so different was the attitude of Government in that time that he introduced the cultivation of the poppy. He records with pride in his book that it was cultivated near the Walawe Ganga and that the inhabitants of Hambantota made their own opium.

[Note: Opium was a govt. monopoly and sold via Renters to ‘registered addicts’] 1910 July 1st 23 persons who are bona fide consumers came to the Kachcheri yesterday praying for opium. I wired last night to GA proposing to sell opium from the Kachcheri …… and also to send further supply……..I was just going to do so when a telegram from the Colonial Secretary ordered me not to do so and not to take over the renter’s stock. I had taken over the renter’s stock last night on instructions from Galle. Meanwhile the renter who was enjoying himself to see the fix in which we had put ourselves, concealed himself in the mosque (where no gentile can get at him). 1910 July 5th A man has been seized at Ambalantota with 1½ cwts of ganja. I tried him in the afternoon and he pleaded guilty. I gave him an exemplary sentence as he is one of a few people who have been carrying on an illicit trade in Indian hemp. They grow it at Migahajandura and trade it away at Dickwella…….thanks to the prompt action of the police sergeant we have caught one of the men redhanded.

Old habits….

1910 August 17th. [Ranna] circuit work began with 10 women who live near the police station coming forward to complain of the behaviour of the police. Their statements were borne out by some respectable inhabitants. Then another woman came forward and made a complaint of molestation by the SHO. Possibly the best evidence produced by her was her good looks which are rare in this part of the district ……… There are never wholesale complaints of this kind from Beliyatta and Walasmulla because the police there have plenty to do and that keeps them out of the mischief of harassing and molesting. 1911 December 15th I was not expected in the town until 13th. About 100 persons had come from Galle, Matara, Tangalla and Tissa [maharama] for the purpose of gambling here. I was told that the Sergeant was conniving……..At 1.30 a.m. Mr.Doole [Mudaliyar] came to my bungalow and told me that gambling was going on……After sending some men round to the back door I went on to the verandah. Eight persons were gambling and one was asleep on a couch. Among them was the Police Sergeant himself, the Vidana Arachchi of Tissa and the Mudaliyar’s Clerk. It was an extremely diverting sight to see their faces when I put my head in at the door….

Humble Piety.

1908. September 15 In the evening inspected the village and the old Rankiri vihara and dagoba. Some old statues have been found here: one of Buddha without the hands and in pieces has been restored. They have done what I have never seen before in any vihare: put the hands on holding an old black chatty to represent a begging bowl. The sculpturing of the drapery very fine and delicate.