Return to Point de Gcille. 397 



attentions. The last-mentioned gentleman very kindly pro- 

 vided us with a pair of level-tubes which we urgently 

 needed for one of our levelling instruments, and which, in 

 this quarter of the globe, were more, rare and difficult to be 

 met with than pearls or precious stones. 



Our return from Colombo to Galle, was not less marked 

 by misadventures than our journey thither. As far as 

 Caltura, where our amiable Father Miliani was in waiting 

 for us with his neat single-horse equipage, to convey us to 

 the beautiful parsonage of St. Sebastian Makun, all went 

 tolerably smoothly with us. We arrived, as had been con- 

 certed, to breakfast with this hospitable shepherd of souls. 

 On our way to the parsonage, we noticed that great respect 

 was paid to the worthy Father, by such of the Cingalese as 

 met us. Their usual salutation was to bend themselves to 

 the earth, veiling their eyes at the same time, and bending 

 forward the outstretched head as though to implore a bless- 

 ing. Father Miliani, who held the reins in his left hand, 

 while his right hand flourished a long heavy whip, slightly 

 inclined his body upon the cabriolet, and so dismissed in 

 peace the poor folk that besought his benediction. When we 

 had now got pretty near the parsonage, we were suddenly 

 brought to a halt by a couple of natives, of whom one 

 implored the spiritual ministration of the Father for his wife, 

 then lying almost in articulo mortis, while the other had 

 brought with him, from the sacristy of Makun, the Commu- 

 nion-plate required for the purpose. The priest, to whom this 



