( 31 ) 



engagement with my pony, which showed a disinclination to 

 cross. He was a stubborn little brute, and remarkably observ- 

 ant, so much so, that there were few objects he passed 

 Tsithout stopping stock-still to examine, no matter at what pace 

 he was going. This peculiarity resulted in my landing on his 

 neck at the start-off, for his huge proportions and sluggish habits 

 deceived me ; and although 1 had broken a stirrup leather on mount- 

 ing, I was careless in my seat, and paid little attention to anything 

 but the surrounding country. My luggage took the road that was 

 being repaired for the convenience of the French Embassy, who were 

 shortly expected, for which privilege a charge of Es. 1-8 per cart 

 was made. This toll may have been levied to defray the cost of 

 construction, but it is more probable that the neighbouring villages 

 had to contribute then- labour gratis, and that the proceeds of the 

 tax were pocketed by the officials in charge, who, it would ap- 

 pear, have been taught to regard such pickings as a prerogative in 

 compensation for then small and irregularly-paid appointments. 

 The noble My-lee-doung range of mountains, which forms the 

 eastern back-ground to the capital, chiefly absorbed my attention ; 

 indeed, beyond this scenery there is nothing sufficiently engaging 

 to excite the curiosity even of a new-comer : neither vegetable nor 

 animal life offers an exception. The different villages we rode 

 through were comfortably embowered in clumps of trees, generally 

 mango, jack, tamarind, pomegranate, papya, and so on, and princi- 

 pally populated by an agricultural class. Here and there were 

 patches of land under garden culture, the vegetables being those 

 most highly prized by Natives, among which were some magnifi- 

 cent specimens of tomatoes ; Oralis comiculata. Mctipigkia occigera, 

 Corchorus capsularis, Triumfetta rhomboid ia, and Mdoehia corehorifoUa, 

 were common in the fields, but the arborescent growth was repre- 

 sented by stray trees scattered over the place, consisting of Petro- 

 spermum acrifolium, Bomba.v malaharicum, Columbia jioribunda, Buet- 

 tneria pUosa, Corchorus capsularis, and so on. 



54. On the right are some extensive sheds within a bamboo 

 Royal granary and summer- mat enclosure, constituting the royal 

 Louse - granary, and a little further on is 



His Majesty's summer residence, surrounded by a similar descrip- 

 tion of walling. Of the interior nothing could be seen but the tops 

 of some carved-wooden buildings. This country seat, I believe, 

 has never been occupied by His Majesty, who since the rebellion, 

 when his two sons attempted his life, has never quitted the palace- 

 grounds ; indeed, so intensely has this act of treachery and disloy- 

 alty shaken his faith, and aroused his suspicions, that, like Sarda- 

 napalus, he now dreads his own shadow. 



