. moment bringing some new and beautiful object into views 
ened by the shade; the glowing tints of the splendid foliage 
"The effect of the rising or setting of a brilliant sun i$. 
think, at this place, still more beautiful. . I never saw any 
254 MRS COL. WALKER'S TOUR IN CEYLON. 
upon the whole, were disappointed in our botanical expecta- 
tions, as very few plants were in flower, in consequence 
several days of continued cold weather, with frosty mornings, : 
which had blighted every thing ; even the young shoots of 
the Rhododendron were shrivelled up, as if they had been 
scorched, and not one of the most common vegetable pro- 
ductions, which generally blossom all the year round, had 
single flower on them. : 
“On the 20th of March, left Newera Ellia; breakfasted with 
Mr Thomas, half way down the Ramboddé pass, where he 
is employed in superintending the roads, which they design, 
if practicable, to make passable for carriages. As it is the 
present system to expose the road to the influence of the san 
all day, they unsparingly cut down every thing for a consi- 
derable distance on each side, so that not a plant is Bun 
be found, without dismounting and actually scrambling” 
through the jungle, where formerly we used to discover 
something new or pretty at every step. The want of shade, 
too, though it may be good for the road, is disagreeable to 
the traveller. We got to Ramboddé about. half-past $ 
I rode, and Col. W. walked all the way. Three very plea- 
sant days we spent at this beautiful spot, occupying ourselves. 
in the same way as we did at Newera Ellia. Zmpatiens and 
Orchidee were still the subjects of my pencil. Rambodde 
is famous for its waterfalls, and therefore, generally, most 
admired in a wet season. I have seen it when the torrents 
were rushing furiously over the rocks, the white spray rising: 
again in columns towards the mountain-top, certainly a mag- 
nificent spectacle; but at such times the sky is genera" 
lowering and cloudy, giving a sombre character to the scene 
thing to equal the effects of light and shadow here, every 
waters now glancing in the sun-beam, now 50 
