Telling travel stories with a human touch

Book Review

Ceylon of the Early Travellers 4th edition-by H.A.J . Hulugalle. Reviewed by Karen Benedict

Being at the crossroads of sea travel between Europe and Asia, Sri Lanka has attracted visitors from several parts of the world. This is best reflected by its colonial history as well as the rich composition of its population. H.A.J. Hulugalle's book "Ceylon of the Early Travellers" first published in 1965, gives the stories of 18 travellers.

March 10, 1999 was the hundredth birth anniversary of the author. "Ceylon of the Early Travellers" was released to coincide with this date. Mr. Hulugalle was a born traveller and his writings of wanderings in Palestine and the Holy Land written in the 1930s were masterpieces. Subsequently, he travelled extensively in Europe and United States and continued to inform his readership with his writings.

Relevant was his curiosity for the people he met - "who they were and what they did".

The 18 early travellers, about whom Mr. Hulugalle wrote were not selected for their prowess in arms, government or scholarship. They were, however, extraordinary characters. Since he was not a historian but a journalist his writings dealt with human interest aspects. These stories are essentially from the sight of a raconteur. At that, the author was a skilled craftsman. Tarzie Vittachi once writing on him stated ".... nothing human was alien to him."

The first chapter of this small book relates the visit of Ceylon envoys to Rome in 45 AD. The Ceylon chronicles have no reference to this but Pliny, one of the greatest Roman historians has devoted a chapter in his Encyclopaedic book 'Natural History' which was made up of 26 volumes.

Mr. Hulugalle who was Ceylon's Ambassador to Rome in the 1950s would have delved into this subject when discussing Pliny with Italian and Vatican scholars and unearthed relevant and fascinating material connected with the Ceylon envoys as well as about the life of Pliny. Both these subjects have been dealt with in his essay.

Fa-hien, the next subject in the book is described as one of the earliest and most famous Buddhist pilgrims to visit the country. His travels in Sri Lanka were between 399 AD and 415 AD. Fa-hien who was an extraordinary individual survived the travails of the journey crossing the Gobi desert and the Himalayas to reach India. Fa-hien was in search of the sacred writings of Hinayana Buddhism.

One anecdote in this chapter shows the sensitivity of this pilgrim who had left his country. He had had a deep seated homesickness. Hulugalle writes as follows:

"Twelve years had elapsed since Fa-hien left China. While recounting his experiences in Ceylon he makes no mention of his Chinese companions. They had died on the strenuous journey or returned to China. Fa-Hien was therefore thrilled when he met a countryman of his at Anuradhapura.

"Suddenly, one day when he was standing by the side of the image of a jade, he saw a Chinese merchant presenting as his offering a Chinese fan of white silk, and tears of sorrow involuntarily filled his eyes and fell."

In a chapter on the Greek Cosmas Indicopleustes, Mr. Hulugalle describes various incidents at the Court of the Sinhala king, who may have been Chandra Muka-siva.

The reader is also given an analysis of the impact of Greeks in Asia. This makes inspiring reading even for the twentieth century.

"We may now ask ourselves, what were the gifts the Greeks brought to Asia? They improved the arts of navigation immeasurably. They brought a systematised knowledge of geography. It is quite possible that India learned something about local administration from the Greek city states. To the Athenian at least, self-rule by discussion, self-discipline, personal responsibility, direct participation in the life of the polis at all points - these things were the breath of life."

Then of course there was the impact of Greek sculpture on Buddhist art. The excavations of Sir John Marshall, Alfred Foucher and others have proven beyond all doubt that Partho-Hellenistic art played an all-important part in the subsequent evolution of the Gandhara school, after the momentum of the first impact of Hellenistic art had run down.

In the sciences, especially in medicine and mathematics, the Greeks and Hindus would have exchanged knowledge. There is little evidence to show that the work of the great writers of Greece was known in the East, but, with the spread of Western culture, their influence has since then penetrated the thought of the Orient."

Of all the travellers whose stories are told in this book Marco Polo is one of the best known. What is particularly interesting in his description of the Sri Lankan scene is his special attraction to the country's precious stones.

"The island produces more beautiful and valuable rubies than are found in any other part of the world, and likewise sapphires, topazes, amethysts, garnets, and many other precious and costly stones. The king is supposed to possess the grandest ruby that ever was seen, being a span in length, and the thickness of a man's arm, brilliant beyond description, and without a single flaw. It has the appearance of a glowing fire, and upon the whole is so valuable that no estimation can be made of its worth in money."

The Italian friars Marignolli and Odoric who visited the island in 1329 and 1349 were mesmerised by Sri Pada.

The experiences of Ibn Batuta, the Moor from Tangier, Ching Ho the Chinese Admiral who kidnapped Vijayabahu, the antics of Varthema, the Italian adventurer and Joris van Spilbergen, the Dutch Admiral and his successor Sebald de Weert who was beheaded and their dealings with Vimala Dharma Suriya and his widow Dona Catherina keep the reader gripped. Then follow an array of others such as the Dutchman Marcelis Boschwer who was called Migomu Rala (Prince of Negombo), Robert Knox, Pybus, Boyd and Doyle.

I have only elaborated on a few travellers mentioned in this book. The author's enormous depth of understanding and exceptional knowledge of human behaviour is reflected in the selection of the anecdotes and he annotates these stories with his own observations and conclusions of the life and times of 18 men.

The question could be asked as to what relevance this book will have to the range of books and materials developed by the publishers (Arjuna Hulugalle Publishers) whose main programme includes subjects connected with language and language aids. The relevance can be established when looking at the style of writing of the author of "Ceylon of the Early Travellers" which has been a model to many English scholars. The book is valuable reading for young people, both because of its interesting content on history and society as well as its contribution to improving the command of English language. It has a definite place in school libraries worldwide.

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