The value of a smile

A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.
- Phyllis Diller

Friendship begins with a smile
- Mother Theresa

Photo by 'Bremen'

Kids answers

Kids' minds work in mysterious ways — and when it comes to tests and quizzes, their imaginations know no bounds, as evidenced by these amazing examples. You're welcome. Advertisement - Continue Reading …


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Facts about Hinduism

Email from Kamalini Kanapathippillai

http://www.southreport.com/amazing-facts-about-hinduism/

The Cholesterol myth?

 email from JKS Weerasekerra

  Chaps,

Use your brains; use food whether fat or sweet or alcoholic in moderation, the guide line being the foods used for centuries occasionally becoming regular daily foods, that are sure to be unhealthy in the long run.

Ask the Eskomos with excellent lipid profiles who went on to change their dietary ways and lost the protection .

Ask the Asians with explosions in obesity, diabetes and also heart problems due to new diets.

Bu remember, we have no statistical age, diet,  records of the ancients.

It is ‘estimated’ that in most past civilisations most were dead in their 30-40 s or less.

We live beyond double that age allowing creeping in of  unheard of diseases of old age. Ask geriatricians.

jksw

It is this bit of news in red that has triggered the long article below it. Forwarded by some without even going through it. Nuts and coconut oil and avocado and anything vegetable have no cholesterol- except in teeny weeny, negligible amounts.

I have marked in red type, arguable areas, some stated  correct, others quite wrong.

jksw

“The U.S. Department of Agriculture panel assigned the task of revamping the guidelines every five years has indicated that

The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee plans to no longer warn people to avoid eggs, shellfish and other cholesterol-laden foods,” the newspaper reported.

From: Professor

To: 

I recently heard about the US pharmaceutical scam.

The figures for fasting blood sugar has been changed twice in 15 years to suit the drug makers. Box on without taking serious note.

From Dr. Quintus de Zylva – Heart Specialist
 Cholesterol is finally officially removed from Naughty  The US government has finally accepted that cholesterol is not a 'nutrient of concern', doing a U-turn on their warnings

In the meantime of 40 years US Drug Industry in connivance with Health Department made over 1.5 trillion US Dollars by selling cholesterol lowering drugs. This fear probably caused death of a million gullible citizen who believe the US drug industry.
By Nikki Barr

Cholesterol has been on the "naughty" list of nutrients for nearly 40 years, with health officials warning us to stay away from high-cholesterol foods since the 1970s to avoid heart disease and clogged arteries.

"Full-fat dairy products and avocados are high in good fats."

But US officials have finally given the green light for a U-turn on previous warnings, which means eggs, butter, full-fat dairy products, nuts, coconut oil and meat have now been classified as "safe" and have been officially removed from the "nutrients of concern" list.

The US Department of Agriculture, which is responsible for updating the guidelines every five years, stated in its findings for 2015: "Previously, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended that cholesterol intake be limited to no more than 300 mg/day.

"The 2015 DGAC will not bring forward this recommendation because available evidence shows no appreciable relationship between consumption of dietary cholesterol and serum (blood) cholesterol, consistent with the AHA/ACC (American Heart Association / American College of Cardiology) report.
"Cholesterol is not a nutrient of concern for overconsumption."

"Eggs are no longer on the 'naughty list'.
The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee will, in response, no longer warn people against eating high-cholesterol foods and will instead focus on sugar as the main substance of dietary concern.

The 70s, 80s and 90s were the 'nonfat' years, with the government warning people to limit the amount of high-cholesterol foods in their diets to avoid heartdisease and strokes.

But nutritionists and scientists have long been campaigning for the U-turn, which started with introducing "good cholesterols" back into the 'safe zone'.
US cardiologist Dr Steven Nissen said: "It's the right decision. We got the dietary guidelines wrong. They've been wrong for decades" He estimated that about 20 per cent of cholesterol levels in your blood come from your diet, which means the rest is produced by your liver and is actually needed by the body.
Dr Chris Masterjohn added:“Since we cannot possibly eat enough cholesterol to use for our bodies’ daily functions, our bodies make their own.

"When we eat more foods rich in this compound, our bodies make less. If we deprive ourselves of foods high in cholesterol - such as eggs, butter, and liver -our body revs up its cholesterol synthesis."

"Nuts were previously thought to contain too much cholesterol."

Sugar has now been identified as the "worst" food culprit for health problems, with GPs now focusing on weaning patients off the sweet stuff.> >>>>>>>>
Cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra, who works with group Action On Sugar, says a clamp-down on the food industry is next.

He said: "It's very clear that added sugar has absolutely no nutritional value whatsoever and, contrary to what the food industry want you to believe, the body doesn't require any carbohydrate for energy from added sugar.

"And we know the food industry have been spiking our food with added sugars. We also know that carbohydratesand particularly refined carbohydrates - so carbohydrates that lack fibre, sugar being one of them - have the biggest impact on insulin in terms of surges of insulin in our body. And insulin is a fat storing hormone."

So, in summary, ditch your skinny latte for a full-fat latte and get some avocados down you.

MUST READ!!!<~WRD000.jpg><~WRD000.jpg><~WRD000.jpg>
The Real Truth about Cholesterol
The majority of the cholesterol in you is produced by your liver. Your brain is primarily made up from cholesterol.  It is essential for nerve cells to function. Cholesterol is the basis for the creation of all the steroid hormones, including estrogen, testosterone, and corticosteroids.  High cholesterol in the body is a clear indication which shows the liver of the individual is in good health.
Dr. George V. Mann M.D. associate director of the Framingham study for the  incidence and prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its risk factors states: "Saturated fats and cholesterol in the diet are not the cause of coronary heart disease. That myth is the greatest deception of the century, perhaps of any century" 
Cholesterol is the biggest medical scam of all time.
There is no such thing as bad Cholesterol!  Men of science have abandoned truth for money. Attempting to control cholesterol is a very, very dangerous practice that occurs in every hospital and medical clinic daily.
           By Ron Rosedale, MD

"Statin Drugs Actually Increase Heart Disease"
So you can stop trying to change your Cholesterol level. Studies prove beyond a doubt, cholesterol doesn't cause heart disease and it won't stop a heart attack.  The majority of people that have heart attacks have normal cholesterol levels.   
THE GREAT CHOLESTEROL SCAM
By K.L. Carlson, MBA
Cholesterol guidelines have been created to increase pharmaceutical profits, not to improve peoples’ health.  I know from my experience as a pharmaceutical sales representative for a statin drug.  We were trained to emphasize to physicians the new lower LDL guidelines that were ostensibly created by health experts. The truth is the majority of the experts who created the lower guidelines have multiple financial ties to pharmaceutical companies.  One expert was found to have ties to ten drug firms
OUR BODY NEEDS 950 mg OF CHOLESTEROL FOR DAILY METABOLISM AND  THE LIVER IS THE MAIN PRODUCER.
ONLY 15% OF CHOLESTEROL IS BEING  DONATED BY THE FOOD WE EAT.  If the fat content is less in our food we eat, our liver
Got to work more to maintain the level at 950 mg.  If the cholesterol level is high in our body, it shows the liver is working perfect.  Experts say that there is nothing like LDL or HDL.
………….. …..  Cholesterol is not found to create block any where in human body.  Why does it create block only in heart, where as calcium sediments create Block all over the body .. for example kidney, pancreas. Urinary bladder, gall bladder etc etc..!

FATAL LOVE

email from Lesley Sirimane  The Ratnapura district has some of  the largest tea and rubber plantations in the island. When the plantations were owned and managed by the Sterling Companies whose  head  offices were in Mincing Lane London, one of the largest Sterling companies was Carson Cumberbatch and Company Limited who owned very large estates in the district. Doloswella, Hapugastenna,  Hunuwella, and Palmgarden Group were  some of the estates which had an acreage of  over > 2500  acres. It was on one such plantation that the god of love Cupid, had a field day (pardon the pun!) with his bow and arrow, targeting a very handsome young English assistant superintendent and a winsome Tamil lass.       The thought of romance in the sylvan surroundings of a plantation sets ones emotions aflame but sadly this love tryst had a tragic ending for one of the protagonists in this romantic drama. As I recall, the first name of the young planter was Mark.I cannot remember his surname.The  sultry Tamil beauty was named Visalaachi. (I may have  got  the spelling wrong). She lived in the neibhouring estate, but her quarters as fate would have it were on the border of the plantation where Mark was employed, and very close to his bungalow. One can surmise that this is how they met. In the course of time she used to go to his bungalow everyFriday, spend the weekend and return to her quarters early on Monday morning. Two full days in the week was all the  time they spent in each others company. At the time,amorous liaisons between a planter and a native worker were not uncommon, and if an English planter was having a  liaison with the daughter of a Kangany or a labourer, the family of the latter considered it an honour ! In the solitude of this  faraway plantation, in a lonely estate bungalow amidst  carpets of green,,and stately rubber trees,Cupid ran riot with his bow and arrow as love blossomed between the handsome young planter and vivacious Visalaachi.         Meanwhile, in England's green and pleasant land, in the  garden state of Kent to be precise, a mother and father, were worried about their son working in a far away island as a tea planter. It was not his job that was their concern. The fact that he was a bachelor is what worried them. He never gave them an indication of wanting to marry and settle down. Whenever they raised the issue with him in their letters,he skirted surround the edges and avoided any discussion on matrimony. So Mark's parents decided that direct action was necessary. Family friends of  theirs in England had a daughter about the same age as Mark, still unmarried. In fact this girl and  Mark had  practically grown up together as children, gone to the same school, and visited each others homes. But as adults they went their separate ways down life's road, as often happens. The girl got a job in a town close by, while Mark set sail for Ceylon to begin his  planting career. Without consulting Mark, his Mum and Dad visited the parents of  this  girl and broached  the subject of marriage between  their son and their daughter.  To their delight, they and the girl herself heartily consented to this proposal. After all the families were no strangers, and their children had  known each other since childhood. The girl was getting on in years, and thought that Mark would be the ideal husband. She was always fond of him, but upto this  time love had never entered the equation. Now there was a big hurdle to clear.To inform Mark of this  proposal and get his approval. In a letter to Mark, his Dad laid it on the line in an  honest and forthright manner advising him that he may never get another chance to marry a girl like his childhood friend who in some ways had become like their own daughter. To their unbridled joy, Mark consented and told  them to go ahead with  plans for the wedding while he would arrange to have his leave approved by the Manager of the Group. Apart from Mark, there were two other assistant superintendents  on the estate, and obtaining leave from his Manager would not be a problem.     After his leave was granted he made plans to set sail for England for his wedding after which he would return to Ceylon with his bride, to begin life anew.However, he reckoned  without the Everest he had to climb, and that was to inform beautiful Visalaachi that he was leaving her to  get married. If he thought that  this was going to be a matter of course, then he had not heard the phrase  about  "hell having no fury like a woman scorned !" Their relationship was one sided. She had fallen deeply in love with him. He liked her and enjoyed  her company. But a long term romantic love affair on a permanent basis was the last thing on his mind. Came the fateful day when Mark decided to tell his lover about his decision to marry a girl back in England, and the forthcoming wedding.  That Friday she came over around 6.30 pm anticipating a tryst of passionate love. But after the usual preliminaries, he decided to get it over with. In  fluent Tamil, he told her about the plans his parents had mad e for him to marry a girl who was a childhood friend, and he had consented. If he thought that she would break down, crying her heart out at being cast aside for another, he was in for a rude shock. He then dangled a monetary carrot when he  assured her that he had deposited a large sum of  money in her name for her future welfare, and that she  would have nothing to worry about, he thought that this would  satisfy her beyond any doubt. Her reaction was vitriolic. Looking him straight in the eye she in very controlled tones replied "Did you think I was interested in your wealth ? All I wanted was your child !"  He recoiled as if he had  been stung by a cobra a reptile ubiquitous in the plantations. There were no tears or pleading, and when she added "If after all this time you decided that you preferred somebody else, then so be it. Maybe she deserves you....!!"  Her words were pregnant with meaning and there was ice in her voice, the implication  being that if he could cast her aside so easily, he could do the same to the girl he decided to marry because he was of dubious character. And with these words, she stormed out of the room and out of his life in a rage, without a fond farewell or second  glance. He sunk into his chair, emotionally exhausted, stunned by her strength of  will. Although it was over he had an uneasy feeling that although she had gone out of his life in a physical sense, somewhere in a future time she would make her presence felt........little did he know then how  right he was. The burning embers of their love had now turned to ashes from a fire which had lost its flame.........       Mark set sail from England not long after the bitter parting. It was a long sea voyage from Colombo, and on many an evening he stood on the deck at night thinking of the reunion with his parents and of the girl with whom he would share his life. While on a plantation in far away Ceylon, a beautiful girl spent many a night pining for her handsome "Dorai" and the love they once knew. The reunion with his parents and the girl he was  too marry was sheer enchantment. He had not seen his parents for three years, and then meeting up with her family and all their friends was happiness beyond expectations.Their wedding was held in a little  country church in the county of Kent and a long honeymoon followed. Four months after their wedding it was time for Mark and his young bride Jennifer to return to Ceylon. When they returned to the estate they were accorded a  very warm welcome with the usual beating of tom - toms and placing of garlands under the weight of which they almost sank ! Mark was a strict "Dorai" but had been very fair when dealing with his labourers, apart from treating them with the  dignity they deserved. He was always approachable  and they loved him for it. And in organising  this welcome, they were showing him their appreciation. Mark soon got back to work with his dedication to duty and strong work ethic which had endeared him to his Manager, and rumour had it that he was due for a promotion as Superintendent of  an estate in the salubrious climbs of the Uva district   - to be precise in the Welimada region. Meanwhile, love blossomed in the honeymoon hideaway which was their bungalow. Life on the plantation went on in its usual way........ To Jennifer the bungalow was something from a fairy tale. Having lived all her life in a cramped  house  with hardly any garden space back in England, this magnificent bungalow so English in  character, with a long corridor and spacious dining rooms, plus the domestic help to run the house made her feel like a queen in her own little kingdom. The palatial gardens reminded her of the colourful pictures she had seen in the "Home and Garden" magazines back in England.  She was now going to live the dream, and life with her husband was full of promise.      When Mark returned home for lunch one afternoon, he found his wife in a pensive mood. Assuming she was not feeling well, he asked her what was wrong. Her answer as totally  unexpected. She told him she had the feeling she was being followed and observed, each time she went to the garden or took a walk, along the estate paths in the vicinity of the bungalow. He countered by saying that estate folk were  curious at the best of  times and had a habit of staring at strangers, meaning no disrespect. Besides, she was the new wife of  the "Dorai" and their curiosity was thus heightened.Whoever was observing her would have been a labourer working in a field nearby, or passing by on the road which skirted the bungalow. His answer seemed to  satisfy her, but not for long.  A week later she told him she had distinctly spotted a young female observing her from  behind  a large bush at the boundary of their garden, and  this person soon vanished when she knew she had been spotted.      One evening they had an early dinner and retired for the night because Mark had a  busy day on the morrow. The Visiting Agent was due to make his customary visit and he wanted to ensure that nothing was left to chance. The next morning  the Appu knocked on their bedroom door signalling that the early morning 'Bed Tea' was ready. After he had deposited the tray on the tea table, she proceeded to make her husband a cup of tea. Mark was awake, but then found  that although he could move his hands, his legs were caught in some form of rigor mortis. Try as he would, he could not  shift his legs off the bed. The more he tried, the more he  failed and realising that some form of constriction had set in, waves of panic soon engulfed him. He seemed to have some sort of paralysis from the waist down which affected his mobility. The horror of this situation soon manifested itself and Jennifer in sheer panic telephoned his Manager who arrived at their bungalow in record time. He in turn summoned the estate dispenser who stated that Mark should be taken to the Ratnapura hospital as a matter of utmost urgency. The Doctors at the hospital were unable to diagnose this condition, and Mark was taken to the Fraser Memorial Nursing Home, still flat on his back accompanied by his wife.  A day later the authorities (that is, the Agency House  managing the estate) informed Mark's boss that  arrangements had been made to send him to one of the finest hospitals in London for treatment, the insinuation being that his chances of resuming work on the estate were a forlorn hope. Accordingly, Mark's boss requested a replacement. It was reported in the press at the  time that from the day Mark awoke on that fateful morning, and until the time he was taken on board ship for the voyage to England, there was no movement below the waist, and he lay on his back. The handsome planter and his bride were never heard of again.They did not ride into the sunset to live happily ever after re-enacting some scene from a  memorable Hollywood screen epic. Instead they vanished into the mists of time leaving many broken hearts among their friends, and the labourers who loved them.  Shortly after, a successor to Mark resumed duty occupying the same bungalow. He was married and as inevitably  happens when one moves into a new home, his wife suggested that the layout of the main bedroom which Mark and his wife occupied should be altered. She expressed her wishes to the bungalow domestic staff and  the next day they set about moving some items and proceeded to rearrange the room. It was when the mattress of the bed was being carried that one servant noticed something rock solid embedded in one corner of the mattress. Unable to prise it out, he informed the Appu who cut out the object extracting it with a kitchen knife. It turned out to be a  brass talisman with a clasp, and the Appu opened it without difficulty. To the surprise of those watching there were some dried leaves in the talisman with a small piece of  paper.The appu read the writing and recoiled in horror as the meaning of the words dawned on him. On this paper, the  following words were written in Tamil : TO HIM  WHO LIES  ON THIS BED, MAY HIS BONES BECOME BRITTLE AND WITHER AS THESE LEAVES. The appu cried out that this was a charm and requested one of the servants to rush to the village nearby and summon a charmer (The word in the vernacular is "Kattadiya") When the "Kattadiya" came to the bungalow he told those  present that the only way to break the power of this charm was to throw the talisman in flowing water. There was a large river not far from the estate and the servants took the talisman to its banks and with the charmer chanting  some incantations, flung the talisman into the river and watched it swallowed up by the swirling waters.      Of course all suspicion fell on the love lorn Visalaachi,  but there was no  proof without concrete evidence. Folks specially on an estate in the context of the times, starved for news from the world outside will talk and what became known as Visalaachi's revenge or Visalaachi's  vengeance, became the topic of conversation on the plantations and  beyond.  The Sunday Observer carried this story in the early seventies in a series titled "Strange but  true stories", and I penned it from memory. The name of the estate was not mentioned, neither was the name of the estate Superintendent. The only names mentioned in the story were that of  Mark, his wife Jennifer, and the "other woman", Visalaachi.      All the protagonists in this drama have long departed this earth. But who knows if somewhere in time, this tragic tale is played out in another dimension, and the beautiful Visalaachi still roams the dark night searching for her lost love ?              Bernard  VanCuylenburg

PS

In the late 1960s The Superintendant of Health Services, Kandy had his office in the old palace of the last Kandyan King (1817). This was situated behind the Dalada Maligawa. Subsequently the Archeological Department took over this building and converted it to the present Kandy museum. The Archeological Department while renovating this building, found four cavities in the floor, where the ends of the four bed posts of the Queen had been. In each of these cavities they found a charm made of brass, with encrypted magic charms. This is how the Queen of Kandy safeguarded her position. I saw these charms exhibited in the Kandy museum a few years back.

Philip G Veerasingam

Use of carrier pigeons in Ceylon in 1850

In 1850 there was commenced in Ceylon the most

successful service with carrier-pigeons ever known in connection with the press. The Ceylon Observer carrier pigeons traveled regularly between Galle (the mail port)and Colombo with budgets of news, including Crimean and Indian Mutiny war news, for over seven years, till

1857, when they were superseded by the telegraph (Ceylon in 1893 by John Ferguson)

PS

Carrier pigeons. We had them.

Our Sandeshaya poems are of birds carrying messages, Salalihini, gira, Mayura, kokila, hansa.

Guess our ancients used birds, drums, runners, tops of hills and mountains, down water ways, along  the  sea even reflectors of sunlight to carry messages fast. Pigeons not mentioned, but known well, enough to have been used. Maybe even smoke signals. Esp. emergencies, wars.

Worth many Ph.D.s delving this subject. But paucity of artifacts.

jksw 

Build a solar oven

http://www.greenbuildermedia.com/diygreen/build-a-working-solar-oven-with-cardboard-and-tin-foil-and-tape-240-degrees-in-minutes?ua-66594667-1

Hack Your Shower to Reuse Heat and Water | Make

Imagine taking a deliciously long hot shower… Sounds great, except for all that fresh water and heat energy pouring down the drain! Well now you can enjoy long showers without the waste. Recover and recycle the water and heat, cutting your shower’s environmental footprint by about 90% with Shower...


http://flip.it/z6u6P

Doctors fees

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3421059/Top-doctor-performed-world-s-liver-transplant-faces-struck-charging-Queen-Brunei-s-sister-12million-breast-cancer-treatment.html

Perfect weight

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3421663/How-perfect-weight-Experts-slam-use-BMI-reveal-work-fat-thin.html

Urgent Re Phone Calls

email from Asoka Tinto

 Tue, 26 Jan 2016 

Urgent Very Urgent ...

Please pass around to your family and friends...!!!

People have been receiving calls from

+375602605281,

+37127913091

+37178565072

+56322553736

+37052529259

+255901130460

or

any number starting from

+375,

+371 number

+381

One ring & hang up.

and

If you call back it's one of those Numbers that are charged 15-30$

&

they can copy your contact list in 3sec

&

If U have bank

or

Credit card details on your phone,

they can copy that too...

+375 is from Belarus From Afghanista..

+371 is code for Lativa...

+381 is serbia

+563- is code of Valparaiso

+370- is code of Vilnius

+255- is code of Tanzania

And these calls may under ISIS

Don't answer

or

Call back.

Please FORWARD

AND SHARE this to your friends and family VERY IMP't MSG...

Also,

PLEASE READ... this...

Don't Press

#90

or

#09

on your Mobile No...

Please take care,

IF SOME ONE ASKs YOU TO DIAL

#09

or

#90.

Please Do Not Dial this When Asked.

Please circulate URGENTLY.

New Trick of popular Terrorists to Frame Innocent People...!!!

Friend,

There is a fraud company using a device that once you press

#90

or

#09.

they can access your SIM card

and

Make calls at your expense.

Forward this message to as many friends as U can, to stop it.

MUST SHARE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

Sinhala music.

Priya Suriyasena  leads with his originals a mix of east/west, keeping you tapping. Pleasing music. Has created a new genre like CT Fernando, Clarence Wijewardena, Susil Premaratne did.

Over 3 decades.

Love songs jazzed up, reminds you of Jim Reeves of yore in modern set up.

I listened to the first 5 songs; all good.

The first was sung by the winner of the super star contest ? Sirasa TV.

jksw

p.s. feed back appreciated favourable or not.

  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5TIEtoWVBY

Migrain triggers

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3419125/What-triggers-migraines-Common-culprits-like-coffee-chocolate-cheese-NOT-blame-actually-prevent-attacks.html

Additional side effect of Paracetamol

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3418863/Taking-paracetamol-pregnant-harm-daughter-s-fertility-Study-links-popular-painkiller-smaller-ovaries-fewer-eggs.html

New insights on HIV

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3420046/We-path-cure-Researchers-HIV-hides-grows-inside-body-undetectable-blood.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3419772/How-AIDS-attacks-Breakthrough-researchers-HIV-virus-manipulates-400-genes.html

The threat of 'Tablets'.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3420064/Why-iPad-far-bigger-threat-children-realises-Ten-years-ago-psychologist-SUE-PALMER-predicted-toxic-effects-social-media-sees-worrying-new-danger.html

The Squirrel & The Hawk

Inbox

x

email from

Lesley Sirimane

Not sure how they filmed this but, if you can, just enjoy it!

https://www.youtube.com/v/XBEyCr5AoIs

 

Antics of a 10 year old baby elephant, Miriswaththe, Gampaha, Sri Lanka.

Please click on the web-link below with speakers on :-

https://youtu.be/1J1kdc8tsWU

Ancient prosthetic leg

http://www.livescience.com/53321-ancient-prosthetic-leg-with-hoofed-foot-discovered.html

Alzheimer's could be spotted 20 years before the first symptoms appear

Spotting the earliest signs of Alzheimer's could lead to new treatments for preventing the onset of dementia, scientists believe Alzheimer's could be spotted in people 20 years before the first symptoms appear, scientists have found. Researchers at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute and the Uppsala Un...

http://flip.it/dQaWS

Face value: How fertile women spot rivals.

Women with high levels of oestradiol are best able to recognise others in the most fertile phase of their menstrual cycle, according to new study It is not only animals that rely on physical cues to gauge the fertility of potential rivals for a mate, according to an unusual study published on Wed...

http://flip.it/gP9gd

5,000-Year-Old Hieroglyphs Discovered in Sinai Desert

http://www.livescience.com/53405-wadi-ameyra-photos.html

Migrating storks and garbage dumps.

http://www.livescience.com/53458-migrating-storks-stop-at-garbage-dumps.html

Grand-mother elephants teach the young.

http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/19447/20160121/mother-grandmother-elephants-pass-down-survival-benefits-next-generation.htm

Jaffna in 1893

Ceylon in 1893.

DESCRIBING

THE PROGRESS OF THE ISLAND SINCE 1803,

ITS PRESENT

AGRICULTURAL AND" COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES,.

AND ITS

Unequalled attractions to Visitors.

WITH

USEFUL STATISTICAL INFORMATION, SPECIALLY PREPARED MAP,.

AND UPWARDS OF ONE HUNDRED ILLUSTRATIONS.

BY

JOHN FERGUSON,

Co-Editor of " Ceylon Observer," " Tropical Agriculturist," " Ceylon Handbook," etc. Life Member of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society ;

Honorary Corresponding Secretary of the Royal Colonial and Imperial Institutes,

" Embassies from regions far remote ;

From India and the Golden Chersonese,

* * * *

And utmost Indian Isle TAPEOBANE."—MILTON

Excerpts

THE 'NORTH'.

The Lady Gordon approached Kangesanturai, the port of Jaffna,

during the south-west monsoon, at early daylight. It would be of

greater interest perhaps to make the passage to Jaffna in the other

(north-east) monsoon,'when the steamer has to thread her way among

the eight or nine little islands west of Jaffna, passing Delft—Pliny's

"island, of the sun"—noted in modern days as a breeding place for

horses, some R.2,000 worth of which are still annually sold by Government—

Punkudutivu, Kayts, Mandativu, etc.

W c soon made experience of the far-famed Jaffna roads, which in the

forty-five miles of the day's driving altogether proved as smooth and

pleasant as the best of our Colombo cinnamon-gardens roads.

Our first stage was to Tellippalai, the seat of the very interesting

branch of the American Mission under the care of the Rev. T. S. and

Mrs. Smith. Unfortunately they were away in Southern India, and it

being vacation time, the scholastic and. industrial institutions could not

be seen to advantage. But some of the native teachers and scholars

located in the place did their best to give us some idea of the arrangements,

and the work done in " Sanders Hall" and other educational

sections, while the intelligence manifested in reference to the carpentry,

ironwork, taxidermy, printing and book-binding industrial departments,

showed a deep interest on the part of the lads and their leaders in their

industrial occupations.

Our next visit, after turning a little off the mainland to Jaffna through

carefully fenced fields, some of which still bore crops of different kinds

of grain, gardens of vegetables, or, farther on, of tobacco—all manifesting

the utmost care in culture—was to Uduvil, one of the oldest and bestknown

stations of the American Mission. Here we saw the venerable

Dr. Howland, senior, and his estimable daughter, who, with a large

staff of competent Tamil teachers of both sexes, manage one of the

largest educational and boarding establishments for girls in the island—

perhaps the very largest and most complete. Dr. Howland, though now

over seventy-three * years of age, is wonderfully active and interested

* He died in August 1892,

Appendix V. 313

in his church and "parish," as well as schools. The sight of over 100 Tamil

girls, from five or six to, I suppose, twelve or thirteen years of age, assembled

in their commodious and comfortable though plainly-built hall, and

their singing of English, as well as vernacular, hymns and lyrics, was a

novel and pleasing experience, and one never likely to be forgotten. The

dormitories, kitchen, and other arrangements by which the girls are

taught to make themselves generally useful were pointed out, and wc

were persuaded, with kind help, to go further afield (in place of going

direct to Jaffna) to see the similar boys' establishment, or rather the

"Jaffna College " at Batticotta. This enabled us to call at Manippay, the

station for village and school work of Mrs. and Miss Hastings, who had

recently been bereaved by the widely-lamented death of Dr. Hastings,

so universally esteemed in the north for his good works and devoted

loving character.

314 Ceylon in 1893.

The drive along this cross-country road for some seven miles to Batticotta,

and afterward for seven more miles by a different road, into Jaffna

town, I may at once say, was most enjoyable. Batticotta is surrounded

by far-extending arable farms alternated with groves of palmyra and

coconuts, and vegetable gardens cultivated to perfection. The Batticotta

educational establishment for boys and young men must certainly be

the most extensive in the island. Dr. W . W . Howland (son of the veteran

at Uduvi) and Mrs. Howland actively supervise, assisted by Mr. Wallace

and a large staff. About 400 collegians and scholars of all degrees are

•connected, with this division of the Mission, and the arrangements for

the different branches are most complete, not the least interesting to us

strangers being the spacious (though simply built) " hall" or circus for

gymnastics.

At Batticotta there is, in a comparatively good state of preservation,

a fine specimen of the churches, dating from the middle of last century,

with which the Dutch endowed each " parish" into which they divided

their much-loved Jaffna possession. In the " God's acre " at Tellippalai

and at Uduvil, and in the church of the latter and at Batticotta, many

such names came before m e in gravestone or wall, including Father and

Mrs. Spaulding and Miss Agnew, who gave over half-a-century each to

the Mission and never returned to the Far West; Dr. Poor, who was

attended in his last illness by Dr. Green (M.D.), would have his little

joke even when dying, as he said : " A poor patient and a green doctor!"

Dr. Green himself, after leaving as notable a mark on the island, or

rather on its sons, as any man who ever came to Ceylon—by so many

Tamils trained in his medical class—returned to America, only to find

that, practically, .his lifework had been given to Jaffna, I hacl the

privilege of visiting his home at Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1884, but

I found the good doctor on his deathbed. Then there were the names

of Hoisington, Sanders and Apthorp, who used to tease his Virginian

wife about her slave-owning relatives, and some more, alhclassical and

revered in the history of Tamil Missions in the north. An interesting

feature of the same is the extent to which son and daughter have followed

father and mother in this Mission.

In one respect, I could not help feeling during this visit to the north

—as afterwards in the Eastern Province—the great advantage held by

the missionaries to the Tamils over most of their brethren in the

Sinhalese districts, at any rate in Colombo, Galle and Kandy. It lies

in the far closer relation existing between them and their native work

—the absence of calls on behalf of English-speaking congregations and

operations which necessarily absorb so much attention in the south.

The town of Jaffna appeared to advantage as we approached it from

Batticotta in the early afternoon. In contrast to the expanse of lowlying

fields and bare tidal shore tothe west, the fort looked quite commanding

in position. Looking at the flat and apparently stoneless country comprised

in the peninsula, surprise may be felt as to where the materials,

especially for the walls, were obtained to construct the Jaffna fort.

The native town in its many admirable streets looked the perfection

of cleanliness, though the continuity of close fencing, preventing the

free circulation of air, could not but be objected to in the case of the

dwellings of Hindus and Moormen. There is no want of open spaces,

however, on the fort and esplanade side of the town. The latter looks

well with the " Longden clocktower," though the timepiece like its

founder is inclined to "wait-a-bit" or "bide-a-wee" occasionally.

Inside the fort the most conspicuous object is the old Dutch Presbyterian

church, after the pattern and very much of the size of Wolvendal.

Appendix V. 315

Facing the esplanade are the Anglican and Wesleyan churches, and

close to the latter the headquarters of the Mission, in an ancient Dutch

residence. This has been added to from time to time in order to

accommodate the very extensive educational establishments both for boys

and girls, with a training institution for teachers just over the w a y—

•all carried on under the immediate superintendence of the resident

missionary and his wife, for the time Mr. and Mrs. Rcstarick, with Miss

Stephenson in charge of the girls' boarding school. The work done here

by a succession of able and. devoted missionaries of both sexes, the

Percivals, Kilners, and Biggs, has had a notable effect on the youth and

manhood and womanhood of Jaffna. The Rev. J. and Mrs. Pickford had

recently taken charge of the Church Mission in the north, with headquarters

at Nellore. Before, however, reaching that suburb of the

capital we had a message that enthusiastic Father Lytton of railway

fame was on the look-out for ns, and our coachman seemed to know all

about it and what to do ; for without a word he drove into the quadrangle

of St. Patrick's College, where a juvenile brass band, in neat uniforms,

were performing. This is the only band in Jaffna, and entirely composed

of young Tamil lads, some of whom at least belonged to families or

" caste," who considered it greatly beneath them to touch wind (" blowing

") instruments, but the " Fathers" remaining firm as to the foolishness

of such prejudices and determined to make no caste distinctions—even

though some mothers besought them with tears—the result is now a

very competent, contented, indeed proud band of players. Most of the

pupils were absent, but those who were hastily called together and made

to stand in line by the Principal, Father Dunn (like Father Lytton,

from the Emerald Isle), were sufficient to show the great importance of

the institution.

Though so late for our-engagement at Point Pedro we did not miss

Nellore, I am glad to say : the fine old church is situated in what may

be considered "the most pleasant suburb oE Jaffna—distinguished by

nmbrageous trees and an abundance of vegetation. W e were glad to

find Mr. and Mrs. Pickford so fully entered on their extensive and

responsible work—a work which it is feared caused the premature death

of the Rev. E. M. Griffith through its pressure of manifold duties. Mr.

Pickford was enjoying better health than in Colombo, the overseeing and

directing of Chundlkuli and Kopay, as well as Nellore, stations entailing

a good deal of travelling. W e visited the very interesting girls' boarding

school so intimately connected with the earnest labours of Mrs. and

Miss Griffith, and now under Mrs. Pickford's care; and then Mr. Pickford

accompanied and helped us along our road as far as Kopay church, the

steeple of which, in the great "cyclone" of December 1884, was blown

down, falling into and exactly filling an adjacent well! The station is a

flourishing one, and a training institution for teachers and catechists is

located there.

Continuing our journey, we had now a wdde stretch of agricultural

•country before us, and plenty of leisure to observe various forms of

agricultural labour among the most industrious people of the north.

Working at their wells, raising water for irrigating their fields, was that

which more particularly claimed attention. Well sweeps, such as may

be seen in the gardens of some Tamils in Colombo, were universal; and.

the walking up and down the long lever as the bucket rose and fell must

be wearisome labour when continued for hours. Occasionally two men,

or father and son, stood on the sweep, while a third attended to the

hucket. The care taken of the water and the " neatness " of the fields

and little vegetable gardens were very striking. Here were half a dozen

316 Ceylon in 1893.

labourers busy digging—trenching in manure under the farmer's direction,

probably for a crop of tobacco. Here again a large herd of cattle, or of

goats, or rather Jaffna sheep, returning home from such pickings of

pasture as could be found on roadsides or damp hollows, while the goats

and sheep showed their agility, in this the dry season, in standing up

to the lower branches of trees and making a meal of the leaves. Here

again were boys watching for the ripe fruit of the palmyra to fall. Of

course, it is well known that, what the coconut is to the Sinhalese between

Colombo and Galle, that and much more is the palmyra to the Tamils of

the Jaffna peninsula.

But we arc now hastening on towards Point Pedro ; we crossed a

great estuary of the sea (Sirukalli ?)' by a grand viaduct, and the view

over the expanse of low fields with the estuary running out to meet

what seemed the ocean in the distance led our military companion

to exclaim, " The Medway ! " and certainly the resemblance to that

lowlying pari of Kent was very strikingly seen as the shades of evening

were falling. In the immediate neighbourhood of Point Pedro, the

village cultivation—horticulture and market gardening—has always been

described as carried almost to perfection; every house or hut has its

carefully tended garden, with fruit trees or beds of vegetables or both,

each with its well or wells, and enclosed in a perfect fence. These

fences, by the way, among the Jaffna Hindus, in the country as well as

the towns, have one useful (?) purpose in keeping off the effects of the

" evil eye," in which they arc firm believers I

It is curious to read of H. M. 52nd Regiment invading and occupying

Point Pedro "Fort " from Negapatam, and thence marching to Jaffna.

How strange to read even as tradition that the " King of Jaffna" some

500 years ago organised a fleet in which an army was carried to fight

against the troublesome Moormen and their forts at Chilaw, Negombo,

and Colombo ! Of the great coasting trade to and from Jaffna in the

past much could be said : also of local industries, in boat and ship

building, spinning and weaving cotton, working in metals, especially as

jewellers, etc. The "King of Cotta" in 1410 is said to have loaded a ship

at Colombo with goods to despatch to his son, the " King " or " Prince "

of Jaffnapatam. The prosperity of the little peninsula was, however,

we may be sure, never greater than at present. The growth and export

of tobacco, a really important industry, of sheep, cattle, etc., and of

palmyra timber, enables the people to buy grain and all other necessaries

to supplement their local production; there is a considerable trade in

chank shells—we found the shore in front of the Custom House at Jaffna

strewed with bags or piles of them ready for shipment to Southern

India. An average of some 50 to 60 elephants are shipped yearly from the

Northern Province (paying R.1,000 a head each as royalty to Government)

; but wc found afterwards when at Batticaloa that perhaps half

of this number are from other than the Northern Province ! At any

rate the Government Agent of the Eastern Province gave passes for 21

elephants caught in his territory which were to be travelled overland to

the north for shipment.