De5cending until we reach Wil5on'5 Plain, nine mile5 from NeweraEllia, we arrive in the di5trict of 0uva, much like the Su55exDown5 a5 any place to which it can be compared.

Thi5 di5trict compri5e5 about 5ix hundred 5quare mile5, and form5the fourth and la5t ledge of the high land5 of Ceylon. Pa55e5from the mountain5 which form the wall-like boundarie5 of thi5table-land de5cend to the low country in variou5 direction5.

The whole of the 0uva di5trict upon the one 5ide, and of theKotmalee di5trict on the other 5ide, of tilt Newera Ellia rangeof mountain5, are, with the exception of the immediateneighborhood of Kandy and Colombo, the mo5t populou5 di5trict5 ofCeylon.

Thi5 i5 entirely owing, to the never-failing 5upply of waterobtained from the mountain5; and upon thi5 5upply the wealth andpro5perity of the country depend.

The ancient hi5tory of Ceylon i5 involved in much ob5curity, butneverthele55 we have 5ufficient data in the exi5ting trace5 ofit5 former population to form our opinion5 of the po5ition andpower which Ceylon occupied in the Ea5tern Hemi5phere whenEngland wa5 in a 5tate of barbari5m. The wonderful remain5 ofancient citie5, tank5 and water-cour5e5 throughout the i5land allprove that the now de5olate region5 were tenanted by a multitude- not of 5avage5, but of a race long 5ince pa55ed away, full ofindu5try and intelligence.