Chap. IV.] CARAVANS AND BANDIES. 181 



Although bullocks may be said to be the only animals 

 of cbaught and burden in Ceylon (horses being rarely 

 used except in spring carriages), no attempt has been 

 made to improve the breed, or even to Ijetter the con- 

 dition and treatment of those in use. Their food is in- 

 different, pasture in all parts of the island being rare, 

 and cattle are seldom housed under any \dcissitudes of 

 weather. 



The labom* to which they are best adapted, and in 

 which, before the opening of roads, these cattle were 

 formerly employed, is in traversing the jungle paths of 

 the interior, carrying light loads as pack-oxen in what 

 is called a " tavalam" — a term which, substituting bul- 

 locks for camels, is equivalent to a " caravan." ^ The 

 class of persons engaged in this traffic in Ceylon resem- 

 ble in their occupations the " Banjarees " of Hindustan, 

 who bring down to the coast corn, cotton, and oil, and 

 take back cloths and iron and copper utensils to the 

 interior. In the unopened parts of the island, and 

 especially in the eastern pro\dnces, this primitive prac- 

 tice still continues ; and when traveUing in these districts 

 we have often encountered long files of pack-bullocks 

 toihng along the mountain paths, their bells tinkhng 

 musically as they moved ; or halting during the noonday 

 heat beside some stream in the forests, their burdens 

 piled in heaps near the chivers, who had lighted their 

 cooking fires, whilst the bullocks were permitted to batlie 

 and browse. 



The persons engaged in this wandering trade are 

 chiefly Moors, and the busmess carried on by them 

 consists in bringing up salt from the government depots 



lie saw in Ceylon two white oxen, 

 each of which measured upwards of 

 ein^ht feet high. They were sent as 

 a present from the King of Atchin. — 

 Life and Advcnttircs, p. 172. 



* Attempts have been made to do- 

 mesticate the camel in Ceylon ; but, 

 I am told, they died of ulcers in tlio 

 feet, attril}ut('(l to tlie too <ircid moh- 



ture of the roads at certain seasons. 

 Tliis explanation seems insufficient if 

 taken in connection with the fact of 

 the camel living in perfect healtli in 

 climates equally, if not more, exposed 

 to rain. I apprehend that sufficient 

 justice was not done to the experi- 

 ment. 



N 3 



