Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IX.djvu/523

 JAFFA JAFFNAPATAM 505 which looks well from a distance, is a labyrinth of blind alleys and dilapidated lanes and streets. Regular lines of Austrian, French, and Russian steamers ply between Jaffa and European and Turkisli ports. English and Egyptian steamers and a considerable number of sailing vessels also call occasionally. The present harbor con- sists of a strip of water nearly 100 yards wide, enclosed by a reef of rocks forming a kind of natural breakwater, which affords shelter to boats and small vessels. Jaffa, being the port of Nablus and Jerusalem, and of the whole country south as far as Gaza, is a place of commercial importance. The chief exports are grain, oils, soap, raisins, cotton, wool, colo- cynth, oranges, and lemons; imports, manu- factured goods, rice, coffee, tea, and sugar. There are several insignificant mosques and three large convents, and the town still retains some of its ancient fortifications ; but it is now chiefly celebrated as a landing place of Euro- pean pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. Tradition gives to Jaffa an antediluvian exist- ence. Among the maritime towns allotted to the tribe of Dan we find the name of Japho. It was the port at which the cedar and pine from Lebanon for the building of the temple of Solomon were landed. Jonah embarked thence for Tarshish. Peter the apostle resided in the house of " Simon the tanner." A house reputed to be the place where he had the vision is still pointed out to pilgrims. The town suf- fered much in the wars of the Asmoneans, and at the outbreak of the war with the Ro-. mans it was burned by Cestius Gallus and 8,000 of the inhabitants were slain. It was an important station during the crusades, and was finally taken by the Mohammedans from Jaffa. the Christians at the end of the 12th century. Captured by Napoleon in 1799, when a large part of the garrison were massacred at his com- mand, the French suffered terribly there from an attack of the plague. It was taken by Me- hemet Ali in 1832, and retaken by the Turks in 1840. In 1866 a small colony of Americans attempted to establish a settlement there, but failed on account of internal discord, and most of them returned home. They were succeeded by a German colony, which is yearly increasing. JAFFKAPATAM, or Jaffna. I. A peninsular district of Ceylon, on the N. W. coast, of irregular shape ; area, 700 sq. m. ; pop. about 220,000. It is traversed by two long and narrow lagoons, and the surface of the penin- sula is unbroken by a single hill. Large fields of madrepore and breccia have been elevated near the shore in consequence of the gradual upheaval of the W. coast, and have formed shallow estuaries which contain large deposits of excellent salt. A still more abundant pro- duction is the palmyra, 200 trees to an acre being below the ordinary rate, and the number of palms is estimated at nearly 7,000,000, sup- plying food for nearly one fourth of the popu- lation. Water is scarce, but skilful irrigation favors the rice crops, and many fruits are raised in gardens formed of artificial mould. The sheep reared on the dry plains of the dis- trict are the finest of Ceylon, and cattle abound. The staple product is tobacco. The first crop of it needs high preparation, but three subse- quent crops are obtained without additional manuring. It is chiefly sent to Travancore for account of the rajah of that place. II. A town, capital of the district, on the W. shore of the peninsula, in lat. 9 47' N. and Ion. 80 9' E., about 200 m. N. of Colombo ; pop. about 8,000. It is protected by a fort, the best in Ceylon,