Chap. IV.] TRINCOMALIE. — COTTIAE. 477 



cross the great rivers before they branch off into arms 

 and deltas ; rendering one bridge sufficient instead of 

 many ; whilst the streams thus avoided, and the innu- 

 merable inlets and bays, into which they diverge in all 

 directions, will afford facihties for canal navigation at a 

 trifling expense, such as will add to the value of local pro- 

 duce, by facihtating the traffic between the interior and 

 the coast. 



The night before reaching Trincomahe, we passed in 

 tents under a tope of tamarind trees, close by the tank of 

 Topoor. The night-scene in such a position is solemnly 

 impressive. The sky is so " cloudless, clear, and 

 beautiful," that the very starlight casts a shadow, and 

 the constellation of the " Southern Cross " awakens the 

 solemn consciousness of a new home in another 

 hemisphere.^ The camp-followers gather in groups 

 round the watch-fires, the horses picketed beside them, 

 and the elephants stand a23art under the trees, lazily 

 fanning themselves with branches to drive off the torment- 

 ing mosquitoes. Throughout these sohtudes, absolute 

 silence never reigns ; the hoarse voice of the tank-frogs 

 resounds from a distance, and close at hand is heard the 

 incessant metallic chirp of the hyla, the shrill call and 

 answer of the tree-cricket, and the hum of the myriad 

 insects, which keep up their murmurs from sunset to 

 dawn. Within, the stillness of the tent is distm-bed by 

 the flutter of the night moths, or its gloom is startled 

 by the entrance of tlie fire-fly, that dashes around in 

 circles, alternately kindhng and concealing its brilhancy ; 

 and then suddenly departing, leaves all in darkness as 

 before. At length, 



" Niglit wanes, 

 The mists around the mmmtains curled 

 Melt into morn ; and light awakes the world." 



At Cottiar, on the following morning, we halted by 



' Ja descoberto tinliamos di.inte I Nao vista de outra gente, etc. 



La no novo lieinisplierio nova estitlla | Camoens, Lusiiuin, cli. v. s. xiv. 



