~242 MRS COL. WALKER'S TOUR IN CEYLON. 
panied us to this place and acted asinterpreter. Our sitting 
room being open on all sides, we were surrounded by gazers 
all day. In the evening we took a walk, which we wished 
to prolong, finding the scenery very pretty, and the veget 
tion highly various; but we were told it was not safe to ven- 
ture far from the village at that hour, on account of elephants: 
which are very numerous in the neighbourhood, and attracted 
-to the immediate vicinity of the village by a large sheet: 
water—not exactly a lake, but what on the continent of India 
- is termed a jeel. The proof of elephants being numerous was 
evident from the great number of stages fixed in the trees 
from whence the people guard their fields at night. Qn 
hearing the approach of the enemy, by the crashing of the 
jungle as they draw near, they descend from the trees, and. 
proceed with lighted torches in the direction from whence 
_ thesound proceeds; the elephants no sooner see the lights 
than they take fright and retreat to the jungle, otherwise the 
paddy-fields would be totally destroyed. In. this neighbour- 
hood, lieutenant G., 90 Light infantry, had shot seven ‘ 
eight elephants a few days before we were here: he had ew 
plored his way up from Tangulle I believe, and expected 
have met us here. " 
** 28th. Set off at 6 in the morning, first half-hour through 
pretty lanes, with many plants forming hedges on each side; 
the country appears to have been much more cultivated form- 
erly than it is at present, there seem to have been good roads 
also, now mostly overgrown by different plants particularly 
Calanchae, introduced with care a few years ago, and now, 9 
most troublesome weed not to be got rid of. After passing. 
through some fine paddy-fields, the country became more 
rugged, and having crossed a small stream, we com . 
` our first steep ascent, which was certainly rather laborious 
though my Coolies surmounted it easily. The baggage people 
_ have much harder work; as I have always eight men for my 
~ Palankeen when the stage is mountainous, and six when leve 
__ the palankeen is very small and light, so that it is no load 
them at all. We had been prepared to meet with gr 
