249 



CHiVP. yn. 



PUSILAWA AND NEUERA-ELLIA. 



From tlie right bank of the MahaweUi-ganga at Gampola, 

 the road which up to that point keeps the level of the 

 river, begins at once to ascend ; and thence to Pusilawa, 

 it winds among the mountains in the most picturesque 

 contortions ; sometimes hidden in recesses, into which 

 it retires in search of a passage across a rocky stream, 

 and again emerging to clamber over the opposing hills. 

 For the greater part of the way it is carried along the 

 face of steep acclivities with the scarped cliff on one 

 hand, and on the other a precipitous bank ; and in the 

 depths below the Gallatta river is seen, ghding beneath 

 over-arched woods, or foaming amongst reefs and fallen 

 rocks. 



The vegetation is as varied as the scenery; — strange 

 trees attract the eye in the forests : the goraka ^, with 

 stem and branches yellow from the exudation of gam- 

 boge, the imhul blazinsf \\\\h crimson blossoms, and the 

 datura covered with its snowy flower bells. Tlie banks 

 of the streams glow with the rosy oleander, and the 

 damp ground adjoining them is feathered Avith tree- 

 ferns^, which here attain a height of fifteen to twenty 

 feet. 



The sides of the mountains here exliibit that strange 

 pecuharity to which I liave before alluded ^ of smooth 

 verdant slopes known as patenas, occurring ca})ri- 

 ciously in the midst of forest land ; covered with rank 

 lemon-grass, and avoided by all trees except the stunted 



^ Garcinia cumlmiia. I ^ See ante, Vol. I. cli. i. p. 24. 



* Alsojihila yujuntca. \ 



