TOPOGRAPHICAL NOTES ON THE JAFFNA ISLANDS. ^ 



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is long, narrow, and top heav3% and quite unsuited to the sort of sea 

 we experienced to-day. I decided that we had better make for 

 Delft and get under the lee of the southern coast of the island, which 

 we accordingly did, arriving there about 2.15 p.m. If we had had a 

 beam sea to deal with, I do not know what the consequences might 

 not have been. Yet when we left Jaffna it was quite calm ; bul; at 

 this time of the year these sudden changes are to be expected. 



We had our tent put up at Vellai, close to the horse enclosure, and 

 found the cadjanshed there most useful, as for the rest of the day 

 there were incessant squalls of heavy rain, which went on all night 

 also. In fact it seemed to me a regular cyclone such as we had in 

 Jaffna in 1884. We congratulated ourselves, however, that we had 

 got away from Kachchaitivu just in time, otherwise we should have 

 been marooned on that desert island for two or three days probably. 



Delft. 



December 4, — The captain of the " Serendib " sent a note ashore 

 about 8 A.M. requesting us to come on board at once, leaving all our 

 impedimenta behind, as the wind had shifted from north-east to 

 east during the night, and he was unwilling to risk another night on 

 the coast, as he had carried away one of his anchors (it turned out 

 that it was only the cross-piece), and was afraid it might go roui;d to 

 the south and perhaps blow him ashore. We had to decide the 

 question on the spur of the moment, and decided that it was not good 

 enough going to Jaffna in a cyclone of mnd and rain without even 

 a change of clothes. 



The " Serendib " accordingly started, and we at the same time 

 started to cross the island to the Government bungalow (3i miles). 

 The last gUmpse we had of the steamer she seemed to be at a stand- 

 still and making no progress whatever in her eastward course. 



I had told the captain to return for us as soon as the weather 

 moderated, and by evening it had improved a little, though still 

 squally. However, we had now a dry roof over our heads, and for 

 once I felt grateful to the Mangalore tiles, which are so unpleasant 

 in the hot weather and so effective in wet. 



We were, however, pestered by sand flies called " vellundu," 

 which abound in the bungalow, and are far worse than any mosqui- 

 toes, their bites causing more intense irritation, while at the same 

 time they give no other indication of their presence, so that it is 

 impossible to get at them until the mischief is done. We had very 

 little sleep this night, and I had none the night before in the cadjan 

 shed at Vellai from a constant apprehension that the roof would 

 blow off and leave me entirely exposed to the rain. 



December 5. — The wind had completely gone down by the evening, 

 but there was no sign of the " Serendib " returning for us. Mr. 

 Ingles made a survey of the Portuguese fort in the morning, and he 

 and Mr. Hornell went to see the wells at Sarappiddi in the afternoon. 



