xiv Preface. 



" My dear Sir Emerson, — I have just had a letter from 

 Mr, Samuel Jayetileke, the Cutchery Modliar of Korne- 

 galle, in reply to my queries about the height of the 

 fence over which the elephant sprang. The result is the 

 usual one whenever exact measurements are substituted 

 for guess-work: I stated 15 feet as the height of the 

 fence, and this was the information given to me at the 

 time. But the report of Kumbowattewene, the Rate- 

 mahat-meya who has since gone to measure the place, is, 

 that where the elephant leaped over, the height was 1 2 

 feet. The exact height of the leap was however only 

 9 feet ; for besides that in his rush he knocked away the 

 top bar, it is found that in the corner at which he escaped, 

 there is a mound formed by a white ant's nest, two and 

 a half feet high, on which he must have climbed to 

 help him over. I trust this information may be in time 

 to prevent my original statement from going forth ^vithout 

 modification in your new book. The leap is still a pretty 

 good one. — Yours faithfully. A.. M. Ferguson, Observer 

 Office^ Colombo, December 14, 1866." 



J. Emerson Tennent. 



Tempo Manor, Enniskillen : 

 October 1, 1866. 



