Martyn's Notes on Jaffna

Book excerpt: This very intresting compilation, written by the son of he first photographer and journalist of Ceylon, is of the various important dates in the history starting with the advent of the Portuguese in 1505. Its goes on to cover the Dutch period in a short cap to reach the copious section of the British period that commenced in 1795 and continues till the authors time of compiling in the 1920 s. Although the eras of the Portuguese and Dutch are over in a few pages. The record of the events of the British stretch over 125 pages. Another wonderful part of this book is 442 short notes on the places, people, history, scandals, poetry, celebrations, arrival of ships that make the book interesting to those who know Jaffna only by name.