Fifty Years in Ceylon. An autobiography ... Edited by ... Annie Skinner. With a preface by Sir Monier Monier-Williams

Preface

SIR MONIER MONIER-WILLIAMS, K.C.I.E. LONDON : W. H. ALLEN & CO., LIMITED, AND AT CALCUTTA. 1891. LONDON: -PRINTED BY W. H. ALLEN AND CO., LIM., 13 WATERLOO PLACE, PALL MALL. S.W. PBEFACE. The following autobiography tells its own tale. In my opinion it may be left to rest on its own merits, and needs no introduction to help it to attract readers and admirers. Major Skinner, the writer of it, draws his own portrait vigorously and unostentatiously. The living individual, exhaling British pluck and energy from every pore, seems to stand out before us in sharply defined outline — a typical example of self-help and self-reliance to be noted and observed of all men at a time when the force of our national individuality seems likely to undergo a process of dilution, if it be not already too often " watered down " by the growing desire for combined and corporate action in every sphere of life. Why then, it may be asked, do you run the risk of spoiling this self-drawn picture by any adventitious or b

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. VI superadded touches ? My reply is that the Editor of this autobiography sent it to me just before its pub lication, with a request that I would write a short preface. I acceded to the request not because the work stands in any need of my imprimatur, but because — as a relative of the family, and as one who has studied the languages, literature, and condition of our Eastern Empire for half a century— I feel it a duty to put on record my appreciation of the value of Major Skinner's services, and of the part he has taken in the task of convincing semi-civilised populations of the advantage of our rule as an instrument of progress and en lightenment. When I was travelling in the Island of Ceylon in 1877 — shortly before Major Skinner's death, and ten years after his retirement — I found the reputation of its great engineer and road-maker still fragrant there.

Sir William Gregory was at that time Governor, and through his courteous aid I enjoyed special facilities in gaining a knowledge of the island and in personal association with its inhabitants. I learned that Major Skinner was a man whose memory the Government still delighted to honour, and in travelling from place to place I met many eminent natives who delighted to speak of him as one of their greatest benefactors, and as an officer of unusual administrative ability,

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. VII indomitable energy, and unblemished integrity of character. One of these eminent natives was Mr. Alwis, with whom I had more than one conversation. This gentle man was himself, I believe, an able member of the Legislative Government at the time of my visit, though he has since died. The address signed by him and by 1,595 Singhalese chiefs and others, at the termination of Major Skinner's career, is well worthy of attention, and may be taken as a key to the great engineer's popularity and the high reputation which he achieved. I see that it is printed in small type at pp. 276-278, and in directing attention to this document I here give prominence to two sentences extracted from it : — We cannot forget that when you began public life in this Colony, nearly half a century ago, the interior of the country was almost inaccessible, and that roads and other means of communication were then almost unknown.

The Colony now possesses a network of roads [nearly 3,000 miles of made roads in an area of 25,000 miles*] , such as few colonies can boast of, and this state of things is in no small degree attributable to your indefatigable zeal and energy. I may here state that Sir Hercules Eobinson, who was Governor of Ceylon about twenty-five years ago, * See p. 265.

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. VIII has recently written to Major Skinner's daughter as follows : — 44, Ennismore Gardens, S.W., 27th September, 1890. Dear Miss Skinner, I am afraid that after a quarter of a century's work in other lands my recollection of Ceylon details is now so faint, that I cannot furnish you with the " particulars" as to your father's Use and official work there which you desire. You must remember that your father's work dated from Sir Edward Barnes's time, in or about 1827, and lasted till 1867, when he retired— a period of nearly forty years — and that it was only during the last two years of his official life that I had the pleasure of being associated with him. All I can now state is, in general terms, that when I assumed the Government of Ceylon, in 1865, I was fortunate in finding your father at the head of the Public Works Department, and that he continued in that capacity till 1867, when he retired.

During that period I received from him the most loyal co-operation and efficient aid in carrying out the vigorous public works policy which the circumstances of the country called for, and its financial position rendered feasible. New roads, bridges, railways and irrigation works were accord ingly taken in hand, and energetically pressed forward. I was thus brought into constant intercourse with your father, and formed a high opinion of his ability, industry, sound judgment, and untiring devotion to duty. I saw also enough of the result of the various works which he had carried out before my time, to realise the benefits which his life-long services had conferred on the Colony. We took many a long journey of inspection together, and riding side by side he used to give me the benefit of his intimate acquaint ance with the resources and requirements of the country, as well as with the characteristics of its inhabitants. I consider that any success which attended my administration was due in a large

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. IX measure to the information and sound advice which he thus imparted to me in the early days of my rule. I wish I could have supplied you with more particulars of your father's official services, but the recollection of these details have waxed dim, whilst I retain only a very grateful and vivid general remembrance of his usefulness and his worth. Believe me, Yours sincerely, (Signed) Hercules Robinson. Colonel Osbaldeston Mitford, who was under Major Skinner for a time, writes : — What I admired in Major Skinner was that he was self-made. He went to Ceylon at a very early age to join the Rifle Regiment, and succeeded by his own merit — by perseverance and strict attention to the several duties he undertook — in raising himself till he became Surveyor- General and Commissioner of Public Works.

In private he was a delightful companion, and an accomplished gentleman. Mr. E. L. Mitford, who was for many years in the Ceylon Civil Service, also writes : — Officially and personally I knew Major Skinner well. He was the pioneer and most efficient cause of the prosperity of one of our most flourishing colonies. When his work began there were but two bad roads in the island, and, when he retired, the island was a network of roads and bridges intersecting every province, all surveyed and made by his industry and perseverance, often under great difficulties. Perhaps the best tribute which I have myself to offer to his memory is the assertion of my belief that, were he alive, he would deprecate my eulogising him in this

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. X Preface. The performance of his duty was his daily meat and drink. He did it zealously, earnestly, effec tively, because it was his duty, and because he took a pride in doing it thoroughly. He desired no other reward than the " witness in himself," and it seems an impertinence on my part to add any words of my own to those of men better qualified than myself to speak of his life-long devotion to the welfare of perhaps the most beautiful — if not the most important — of our Colonial possessions. All who know Ceylon well in the present day, agree in describing its condition as eminently prosperous and satisfactory. It has now, I believe, more than 180 miles of railway opened and in good working order, and its whole moral and material well-being is rapidly developing. It would be difficult, therefore, for any one to speak in exaggerated terms of the debt of obli gation which the island owes to the man who is acknow ledged by all to have been the first opener of its means of communication, and the earnest promoter of numerous important works, such as the improvement of irrigation and inland navigation, the encouragement of native talent, and the progress of education.

MONIER MONIER-WILL1AMS. Enfield House, Ventnor. October 15th, 1890. CONTENTS. PAGE CHAPTEE I. 1 CHAPTEE II. 26 CHAPTEE III. 50 CHAPTEE IV. 81 CHAPTEE V. - 96 CHAPTEE VI. 119 CHAPTEE VII. - - • - 157 CHAPTEE VIII. 185 CHAPTEE IX. - - 198

CHAPTER X.

- - - - 207 CHAPTEE XI. - - - - 24_ CHAPTEE XII. - - - 287 CONCLUDING CHAPTEE - - 292

Appendix

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Chapter I

Before entering upon the details of my own life, it may be interesting to some of my readers to know a few incidents of historical interest connected with my family in remote times. Those who have the curiosity to hear who my ancestors were, and what they did, will find a short account of them in the Appendix, Note 1. I was born at St. John's, Newfoundland, on the 22nd May 1804, when my father — an officer in the Royal Artillery — was quartered at that station. I lost my mother in infancy, and was taken charge of, from the age of between two and three, by my maternal grandmother. About the year 1811, my father was ordered home, and obtained a passage by H.M.S. Pomone. How well I remember my excitement whenever the ship " beat to quarters," which occurred always if a strange sail hove in sight, until particulars of her nationality and inten tions were ascertained.

I invariably rushed to the first lieutenant, Furneux, for a supply of ammunition for my pop-gun, on which I firmly believed the success of any engagement we might enter upon as much de pended as on the broadsides of the ship. Five-and forty years afterwards I met my old friend, Admiral Furneux, at Plymouth, when we had a hearty laugh over my juvenile zeal for the defence of H.M.S. Pornone. This voyage excited in me a strong and enduring pas sion for the Navy, which I have retained to this day, having ever been impressed with the conviction that I should have made a better sailor than a soldier. During the voyage, we had to take on board a strong detachment of French military prisoners of war, to be conveyed to Lisbon. My recollections of that port, and of the Tagus, are perfectly vivid, and have been con firmed as accurate, by persons who have recently visited that place.

Indeed, my memory of localities has always been very strong, so much so that, on my return to St. John's, in 1823, I landed and walked through the town — which I left when I was seven years old — to my father's quarters at Fort Townsend. On his arrival in England, my father found he had to embark for Ceylon. My sister and I were placed at schools at and near Shaftesbury, in Dorsetshire. I was sent to a most kind, worthy old gentleman, the Reverend John Christie. I had no friends or relations in England willing to be troubled with so unprofitable a charge as I should have been during the holidays ; so that for six years I remained a permanent boarder at Mr. Christie's, and became so great a favourite with the whole establishment, including my indulgent master and his good lady, that I did just as I liked ; and consequently learnt little beyond the most rudimentary branches of know ledge.

Hence, when in 1818 I was removed from school, to be sent out, as intended, to join the Navy on the East India Station, I was as ignorant as a boy of my age could well be. On my arrival in Ceylon, my father was so disappointed at my deficiencies that he resolved to send me back to school by the first vessel that presented itself. But communication between Ceylon and England was at that time of rare occurrence. My father was stationed at Trincomalee, the head quarters of the Naval Commander-in-Chief, Sir Richard King, whose flag-ship, H.M.S. Minden, I had fondly hoped to join. A fine fleet was at anchor in the harbour, of which there was a splendid view from the Flag-staff Hill, where I went daily to feast my longing eyes on the ships, one of which I still hoped to be permitted to join. However, my father was relentless, and back to England and school seemed to be my doom.

I was one evening taken by my family to a ball given by the Commandant of the garrison, Sir Maurice O'Connell, commanding the 73rd Regiment. This in dulgence did not seem to promise much pleasure to me, for I was naturally a very bashful boy, and this 1 * weakness was a good deal intensified by the knowledge of my extreme deficiencies ; however, I had to go, and soon found myself in an unenviable position, for, being a candidate for the honour of wearing the crown and anchor, I was too dignified to associate with any children there may have been of the party, and too young and uncouth a cub to be noticed by anyone else. Mooning about, and wishing myself anywhere but where I was, I was accosted by Sir Francis — then Captain Collier, commanding H.M.S. Liverpool — thus: "Who are you, youngster ?

" In reply, I told him my name, and gave him my parentage. " What are they going to do with you ? " "I have been sent out, sir, under an impression that I was to be allowed to join H.M.S. Minden ; but, on my arrival, my father found me so badly educated, that he is going to send me back to England to school." He walked about with me during the remainder of the evening, with the kindness and consideration of a sailor. I little dreamt of the importance that evening's conversation with Sir Francis Collier was to prove to my future destiny. I went home with my parents, tired and sleepy, and thought little more about the matter. The next day Sir Richard King and Sir Francis Collier called at my father's quarters, paid him a long visit, and were very energetic in their conversation. My father had always been on the most intimate and familiar terms with the naval officers stationed at Trincomalee.

I afterwards learnt that the purport of their conversation, which I had heard at a distance, was their urging my father to apply to the Governor for a commission in the Army for me, as being far better than joining the Navy, and hanging on for years before I could hope for, or expect to obtain, a lieutenancy. The promotion in that service was then so slow that a cousin of mine, Charles Bentham, was then only a mate on board the Liverpool after fifteen years' service. The old objection was raised, that my father would not submit to have his family disgraced by putting any member of it into the public service until his education was properly completed ; and he maintained his position obstinately, flattering himself that he had beaten off the attack ; but on leaving, Sir Richard King said, " We will return and spend the evening with you," to which a ready assent was given.

When they returned in the evening, the Admiral, I was told, intimated to my father that they did not intend leaving the house until their request had been acceded to. I was informed that the besieged held out till about 4 o'clock a.m., when Sir Richard King pro mised my father that he would not only supplement his application to the Governor with a letter from himself, but that he would send Captain Collier to Colombo with the Liverpool to present the papers and to plead himself for his young protege. A vacancy had just occurred in the Ceylon Regiment when the Liverpool reached Colombo, and my father received by the earliest post the Gazette with my appointment. Governors of colonies had then the privilege of filling up death vacancies, subject to the approval and confirmation of the Commander-in-Chief at the Horse Guards.

I was ordered to proceed at once to head-quarters at Colombo, and, being a second lieutenant, had to take command of detachments of the 73rd, 83rd, and Ceylon Rifles to march from Trincomalee across the island, through Kandy to Colombo. I had neither time nor opportunity to procure any uniform ; so being very small for my age — which was between 1 4 and 15 — I had to start in my school-boy jacket on my first military duty. The rebellion of 1818 had so recently been sup pressed that the country through which our route lay was still unsettled, but we met with no adventure. Arriving at Kandy, I reported myself and the detachments to the commandant, who was not a little amused at so juvenile an authority. I pleaded hard for exemp tion from attendance at a general parade of troops the following morning ; but he would not give me leave, so I had to submit to be the amusement of the whole garrison, when marching from the right, at the head of my detachment, along the whole line to gain my position on its left.

I must have looked very absurd by the side of a grenadier ensign of the 83rd Regiment, my stature reaching not far above his elbow. However, I managed to get through this my first ordeal, and next day we proceeded on our march towards Colombo. The country was truly beautiful, and I was not too young to appreciate it. The second day's march was down the old Ballany Pass, over which, four years before, my father had brought up his battery of heavy guns, one of them a 42-pounder, for the taking of Kandy. It was a marvel to me how he could have accomplished it; I subsequently learnt that he had parbuckled the guns up from tree to tree. I can scarcely imagine anything better calculated to expunge from a son's vocabulary the word "impossible" than this feat : the mountain path was so narrow, broken, steep, and rocky, that it was quite impassable for any horse and rider.

My father was an officer full of resources and expedients, and it would have been a strange country through which he would fail to take a battery. I remember once seeing in the Quartermaster- General's office a report of his march from Colombo to the Pearl Fishery, at Aripo, with his battery. He had to cross a famous swamp called "Blue boots," so called because any man fording it sank half-way up his thighs in blue clay. My father reported that it proved an impediment which caused him a little delay, but with fascines, and by breaking up his provision casks and lashing portions of the staves on to the tires of the wheels of his gun-carriages, he passed the obstruc tion without the necessity of deviating from his route. In due course of time I arrived at Colombo, and presented myself to my astonished commanding officer, who could scarcely believe his senses, when I informed him that I had marched the detachment from Trincomalee to Colombo.

I obtained a few days leave to get my uniform, a no small difficulty in those days ; and, having succeeded, I was taken to the fort to be presented to the Governor, Sir Robert Brown rigg, who was most considerate and kind to me. He said : "If you are not sixteen yet, you will be some day soon, if you live long enough." From His Excellency I proceeded to report myself to the Commandant of Colombo, Colonel , commanding the Regiment, who, on seeing my extreme youth, said to me : " Young gentleman, you are beginning the service at a very early age ; it reminds me that this day, forty years ago, my son, now Colonel of Regi ment, was born on a barrack cot, when I was a sergeant. We have both got on pretty well, you see, and I hope you may do so, too." He added, " Tom (a well known major in his regiment) was my first batman, and I have never had my boots so well cleaned since."

The fact was that his regiment, much to its credit, had more officers in it who had been raised from the ranks than any other I have ever come across. They were not a little proud of this, and often talked of it. I can remember seven or eight of them at this distance of time. Having now equipped myself, as well as circum stances would admit of, I was put to my drill. The adjutant of the regiment was one of the strictest disciplinarians I have ever met with ; and under him I was not likely to be dismissed while I had anything to learn. He worked me too hard for my age. I was out at daylight, for three hours before breakfast ; at midday, for two hours in barracks ; and again in the evening for an hour and a half. We were commanded at that time by a German officer, a nephew of Colonel Munster ; he possessed a good deal of interest, but was an arbitrary and most cruel man.

He tried and flogged men for every offence ; at the constant punishment parades — sometimes two or three a week — it was a common occurrence to see men faint and drop in the ranks. My Colonel, who was also on Sir Robert Brownrigg's General Staff, when he presented me to His Excellency, was desired to take me with him to King's House when ever he went there to dinner ; consequently, in about a week I received notice from Colonel that I was to dine with the Governor that evening, and was duly called for at the proper hour. My sword, an ordinary regulation one, was a serious inconvenience, being out of all proportion, in point of size and weight, to its wearer. I had had a heavy day's drill and felt knocked up. Lady Brownrigg had most kindly reserved a seat for me next to her at dinner ; but, directly it was over, my head drooped, and I fell asleep at the table !

When the ladies retired, she most kindly took me to her room, disencumbered me of my military paraphernalia, and laid me on her bed, where I slept until my commanding officer was ready to take me home again. This is a sad story to the prejudice of my fitness for the service, but an instance of the motherly kindheartedness of Lady Brownrigg which I can never forget. I never went to sleep again at the Governor's table, although frequently invited to it ! My drill went on vigorously, and the interest I took in it extracted a compliment from my adjutant, which, he told me, he had never paid any young officer before. He said : " If you were in the ranks, I might make a lance corporal of you ! " But my zeal cost me dear; I contracted the disease of the country (dysentery), which caused me to be con tinually on the sick list.

The day I was pronounced convalescent, I was put in orders for regimental or garrison duty to bring up the arrears I had missed when non-effective — a barbarous practice, which I have never known carried out in any other regiment. The consequence was, that over-work and exposure, with my immature strength, too surely sent me back to the doctor's charge after I had enjoyed my freedom for a week ; each relapse took me longer to recover from, until at length the illness became chronic. In this con dition my regiment was ordered to march to Kandy, and not a cooly, for the transport of baggage, could be obtained for any consideration. In this dilemma, the day before my division was to march, I bethought me of what appeared to me and others a happy idea, which was to invest in a donkey accustomed to carry packs ; he might at least, I thought, carry my bedding and a change of clothes.

Accordingly my servant went to the bazaar and purchased what appeared to be a promising animal. I was so determined to be in good time for our start in the morning that I had my beast of burden tied up to a. verandah post, and, at a very early hour, rose, had my baggage packed in approved form, and sent my servant with it to the barracks, with orders to load the ass before the "assembly" sounded at 3 a.m. His part of the play the man performed extremely well, but unfortunately I had not given sufficient thought as to whether the animal had been properly trained to martial music. No sooner had the bugles sounded the first bars of the " assembly," than off galloped my Buce phalus, dragging my servant with him, and carrying all the necessaries 1 possessed into an abyss of darkness, never stopping until he had reached the home — three miles off — from which I had torn him the day before.

My brother officers who had so admired the sagacious forethought of my arrangement, joined heartily in the laugh at its summary failure, as the donkey scampered over the parade-ground to his own euphonious music — leaving me the unenviable discomfort of sleeping on a bare rest-house table, without a change of clothes for several days and nights. This did not improve the malady from which I was suffering, and, by the time we marched into Kandy, I was completely laid up. The weather had been very wet and unfavourable ; of roads there were none, and the mountain paths were execrable. It is a marvel to me that I survived the effect of that march, considering the condition of health I was in at the time. I remained in Kandy for some weeks, when, to get rid of the scandal of so young an officer, I was sent with a small detachment to Maturatta, an out-station on the Hills under Newera Ellia, to be under the command of an experienced officer of the 73rd Regi ment, Lieutenant George Dawson.

The quiet and climate of this mountain station were most favourable for my studies. I never forgot the disadvantage under which I was placed by the over-indulgence of my kind, affectionate old schoolmaster, and availed myself of every opportunity I could to improve myself. I was fortunate in being with a kind, fatherly old officer, who, by dint of constant doses of port wine and laudanum, eventually cured me of my illness, of which I have never since had the slightest return. He told me before he administered the first dose, that it might kill me, but that he thought it worth the trial. Directly I got well, and gained a little strength, an ambition seized me to render myself as self-sustained and independent as my men were. The first step in this direction appeared to be to learn to march without shoes.

I commenced my training by walking out every morning barefooted to my bath, a short distance off. I had to walk over a portion of the fort covered with sharp quartz gravel, which touched up my sensitive feet con siderably ; however, I persevered until I made a march of sixty miles over some of the highest, most rugged, rocky mountains in the island, perfectly bare-footed ; and such was my appreciation of the comfort of the absence of boot or shoe, that I never would have put on another could I have followed my own inclinations ; and yet, some twenty or twenty-five years later, the authorities had the folly to dress our native troops in ammunition boots. The habits and equipment of the European soldier were introduced one after another till, as I predicted, they utterly destroyed the finest native regiment that any country ever possessed.

Instead of limiting as much as possible their artificial wants, and keeping them self-sustained and ready for the field at any moment, they have burdened the Malay with all the equipment and barrack furniture of an European soldier, contrary to his tastes, and have made him nearly as costly an appendage.* I had been some time at Maturatta when my com mandant obtained leave of absence for two or three months, and left me in command of the post. A brother officer of his — Lieutenant Blennerhasset — who had been staying with us, accompanied him the morning he started. They left very early, before daylight. About a quarter of an hour after they had gone I heard two shots fired, so I jumped up and prepared to follow my friends, expecting to see them return ; but finding they did not, as daylight broke, I went up the road they had taken, to see the cause of the shots.

The senior sergeant, who had received instructions from my old mentor to see that I got into no mischief, followed me. The reason of the fracas was soon apparent. A huge elephant had taken up his billet on the road, as his foot-marks plainly showed ; The Ceylon Rifles were disbanded in 1874. and a broken lantern, a plate of sandwiches, and a broken bottle were the evidences of my friends' flight. I had never seen even a tame elephant at this time, and became so excited at the idea of encountering a wild one that I proposed we should follow him, for the pleasure of only seeing him ; but my friend Sergeant Alliff took advantage of my ignorance, and persuaded me that the two shots fired at the elephant would not have checked his flight, and that he must then be miles distant from us. "But," said lie, "we will get some plantain trees cut, and place them here ; he will be sure to return, and we shall find him at this spot in the morning."