452 THE NORTIIEKN FORESTS. [Part IX. 



frequent as we approached tlie low country ; and game 

 and wild animals became abundant in these favourite 

 and undistiu'bed retreats. 



The only road in the dkection of the sea was a wide 

 path carried east and west from the shore of the lake at 

 Batticaloa to Teldenia, at the foot of the Badulla Moun- 

 tains ; and on this we occasionally met the tavalams or 

 little caravans of bullock drivers, bringing up commo- 

 dities of all kinds to the hiUs of the interior, and car- 

 rying down coffee and other produce for sale on the 

 coast. This track is speedily becoming one of great 

 importance, as it connects the coffee districts of the 

 central province with the extensive coco-nut planta- 

 tions near Batticaloa ; and not only is it used for 

 conveying the cotton cloths, rice, salt, and fish from 

 the coast ; but in time the coffee crops of BaduUa 

 are hkely to find their way by it to the sea for ship- 

 ment, in preference to traversing the circuitous and much 

 more costly route through Kandy to Colombo. 



On the lower slopes of the hills where they gradually 

 sink into the plain, the pasture in the open parks or 

 talawas is of the most luxuriant description. From 

 the vast herds of deer and wild buffaloes which fre- 

 quent them, there can be little doubt that they would 

 be Avell suited for rearing horses and cattle ; but, un- 

 fortunately, this is a pursuit for which the Kandyans 

 have no inchnation, and of which they possess no ex- 

 perience, horses being seldom employed by them for 

 any purpose ; and black cattle only kept to supply 

 bidlocks for tillage and transport. Milk they never 

 use, the calves enjoying it unstinted ; and the pre- 

 judice is universal, that the cows woidd die were it 

 otherwise disposed of 



Approaching Batticaloa we exchanged these luxu- 

 riant pastures and wooded park-like landscapes for 

 swampy marshes, overgrown with brushwood and liter- 

 ally swarming with leeches ; and finally, on coming 



