In 1853 these amounted to no more than one ton.
Cingalese are curious people, and do not trouble themselves about exports; they waste or consume all the beeswax.

While we are contented with the honey and carefully reject the comb, the native (in some districts) crams his mouth with a large section, and giving it one or two bites, he bolts the luscious morsel and begins another.

In this manner immense quantities of this valuable article are annually wasted.
Some few of the natives in the poorest villages save a small quantity, to exchange with the travelling Moormen for cotton cloths, etc., and in this manner the trifling amount exported is collected.
During the honey year at Newera Ellia I gave a native permission to hunt bees in my forests, on condition that he should bring me the wax.
Of course he stole the greater portion, but nevertheless, in a few weeks he brought me seventy-two pounds' weight of well-cleaned and perfectly white wax, which he had made up into balls about the size of an eighteen-pound shot.

Thus, in a few weeks, one man had collected about the thirtieth part of the annual export from Ceylon; or, allowing that he stole at least one-half, this would amount to the fifteenth.
It would be a vain attempt to restrain these people from their fixed habit; they would as soon think of refraining from betel-chewing as giving up a favorite food.

Neither will they be easily persuaded to indulge in a food of a new description.