4o8 Voyage of the Novara. 



through the trousers immediately above the boot. They are 

 found up to an elevation of 4000 feet above the sea on the 

 mountains, chiefly in damp or wet localities, and are most 

 active during the evening and night in the selection of a 

 victim. 



At Gilli-Mali, we fell in with Mr. Braybrooke, an English 

 engineer, who most hospitably invited us to his bungalow, 

 and with whom we conversed upon topics relating to Ceylon, 

 till far into the night. 



Next day we had to ascend the Peak itself; which is in 

 so far a difficult undertaking on the side from Vv^hich we 

 approached it, that one has gained no vantage-ground at 

 Gilli-Malli, our last night's resting-place, towards reaching 

 the summit, so that one sees it in its entire colossal height 

 of above 7000 feet directly in front ; whereas, in ascending 

 from Kandy, one has already, at Neuwera Ellia, attained 

 an elevation of 4000 feet, which can be performed in a 

 carriage. We set out at 7 a.m., and after an hour-and-a- 

 half's march, gained the last village, Balahab-a-Dullu, in the 

 Buddhist temple of which is kept a flat metal dish, adorned 

 with silver rosettes, with which the imprint of the holy foot- 

 step is covered over at the season of the annual pilgrimage, 

 On the table, before a colossal figure of Buddha, were 

 strewn, as usual, a quantity of flowers presented by the 

 faithful ; these were the flower-shrubs of Ihe Areca palm, 

 Hibiscus, Alamanda, Tagetes ; also, close to the wooden 

 statue, are placed several small figures of silver or wood, 



