MRS COL. WALKER'S TOUR IN CEYLON. 247 
most airy description, originally built as a temporary accom- 
modation for the governor’s party, who last year paid the 
Adigar a visit from Neuwera Ellia; it is now in a ruinous 
state, but luckily, we found the roof still good, and contrived. 
to make ourselves very comfortable. On this day’s journey 
we again found the Hebradendron, so that there can be no 
doubt of its being indigenous. 
* Next morning we got up early, and walked back on our 
yesterday's road, as far as the rocky river which we had 
crossed on a temporary bridge made of branches of trees 
covered with sods; it was now impassable, the river had risen 
so much in the night, that our bridge had. been almost com- 
pletely washed away. The scenery about this river, (the 
Billool-oga,) is very fine ; [found our walk back very fatiguing, 
at least two miles was up hill all the way, and the sun very 
powerful. I was here again requested to exhibit myself to 
the ladies of the village, as a specimen of my countrywomen. 
I told them they ought to have seen a young friend of mine, 
who passed this way lately, and who would really have been 
a good sample; but they assured me they preferred seeing 
an old lady—rather an uncommon fancy. It was some time 
before I could get rid of my visitors, who seemed much 
amused with my proceedings, when I commenced drawing a 
flower which 1 had picked up in my morning’s walk. Our | 
. trial, and belonging to the tribe Ophrydee, their flowers ` 
small and inconspicuous. I made drawings of most of them, 
Which you will find among those now sent; I had seldom 
time, however, to make more than an outline while on our 
journey, and indeed, it was very difficult to accomplish even p 
. that, being obliged to sit in an open place where my paper- = 
was first blown away, and in an attempt to secure it, my -— 
dissected flowers irrecoverably lost, after I had been half | 
an hour employed in picking them carefully to pieces. d 
This was no small trial of patience I can assure you. Here, — 
ten of our Coolies decamped in the night, and for some time - 
it seemed very doubtful whether we could replace them 
| Ds people found one or two Orchidee in blossom, but all terres- — 
