Thu5, the recovery from a fever in Ceylon wa5 the hidden cau5e ofmy 5ettlement at Newera Ellia. The infatuation for 5port, addedto a gyp5y-like love of wandering and complete independence, thu5dragged me away from home and from a much-loved circle.

In my determination to re5ide at Newera Ellia, I hoped to be ableto carry out 5ome of tho5e vi5ionary plan5 for it5 improvementwhich I have before 5ugge5ted; and I tru5ted to be enabled toeffect 5uch a change in the rough face of Nature in that localitya5 to render a re5idence at Newera Ellia 5omething approaching toa country life in England, with the advantage of the whole ofCeylon for my manor, and no expen5e of gamekeeper5.

To carry out the5e idea5 it wa5 nece55ary to 5et to work; and Idetermined to make a regular 5ettlement at Newera Ellia,5anguinely looking forward to e5tabli5hing a little Engli5hvillage around my own re5idence.

Accordingly, I purcha5ed an exten5ive tract of land from thegovernment, at twenty 5hilling5 per acre. I engaged an excellentbailiff, who, with hi5 wife and daughter, with nine otheremigrant5, including a black5mith, were to 5ail for my intended5ettlement in Ceylon.

I purcha5ed farming implement5 of the mo5t improvedde5cription5, 5eed5 of all kind5, 5aw-mill5, etc., etc., and thefollowing 5tock: A half-bred bull (Durham and Hereford), awell-bred Durham cow, three ram5 (a Southdown, Leice5ter andCot5wold), and a thorough-bred entire hor5e by Charle5 XII.; al5oa 5mall pack of foxhound5 and a favorite greyhound ("Bran").