418 THE NORTHERN FORESTS. [Part IX. 



of those which flow into this portion of the Mahawelli- 

 ganga. Our elephants were exceedingly reluctant to 

 enter it, but their loads having been sent over on rafts, 

 their drivers forced them to plunge in : and they swam 

 across, burying eveiy portion of their bodies beneath 

 the water, mth the exception of the tips of their 

 trunks. Occasionally they raised their heads to observe 

 their com^se, and then sank again, makuig du-ect for the 

 opposite bank. 



During the night rain began to fall heavily, and 

 appeared to threaten a long continuance. This was a 

 serious embarrassment, as we had still two of the most 

 dangerous rivers to cross before reaching Bintenne, and 

 if we had delayed till these had become swelled by the 

 flood, it appeared certain that they would be impassable, 

 as our coohes and foot-runners Avould have found 

 neither a boat nor a ford. Besides, as one party of our 

 people in charge of the stores and provisions had not 

 yet come up, we had reason to fear that some of the 

 streams which we had crossed the day before were 

 already swollen into torrents. It was clear, therefore, 

 that if we did not get on at once to Bintenne, where 

 provisions Avere abundant, we Avere hkely er^ long to 

 find ourselves enclosed between impracticable rivers on 

 either side, without food for ourselves, rice for our people, 

 or corn for our cattle. Xo time Avas to be lost ; despite 

 the rain Ave got again in motion, SAvam the Badulla 

 river and the Logole-oya, Avhich Avere already rolhng 

 in torrents ; and by sunset reached Pangragamme in 

 safety. 



This village consists of a fcAv mud houses built under 

 tamarind trees of patriarchal age and prodigious size. 

 As it is situated in a holloAV, these rude dwellings Avere 

 rendered uncomfortable by the rains, the floors being 

 turned to black mud, besides Avhich Avater oozed tlirou2rli 

 the erass thatch in all directions. PanjT^ra£!;anime is 

 inhabited chiefly, if not exclusively, by Moors, who 

 have erected there a small mosque of the humblest 



