Chai'. v.] lake of KOKELAI. 499 



possible before sunrise, by far tlie most interesting 

 hour in these dimates for observing the habits of the 

 animals and early birds. Sometimes our horses were 

 frightened by the sudden plunge of a crocodile, as we 

 disturbed him on the sands ; but, more frequently, we 

 ourselves were startled in the morning twilight by 

 a deer bounding across our path into cover, or an 

 elephant shuffling out of our way, and tramphng down 

 the jungle as he leisurely retired. On one occasion, 

 an hour before sunrise, we rode suddenly into the 

 centre of a herd of wild hogs, at least a hundred 

 in number, that were feeding amongst some clumps 

 of acacias, and gave battle immediately in defence of 

 their young, wliich the coohes laid hold of without 

 hesitation or pity. Our guns brought down two or 

 three full grown ones, that proved an acceptable feast 

 for our people. 



The Lake of Kokelai is a very remarkable spot ; hke 

 that of Tamblegam, it is about twenty miles in circum- 

 ference ; and, like it, it is behoved to have been at one 

 time a rich and fertile plain, in which the cultivation 

 of rice was carried on by means of the enormous reser- 

 voir of Padivil, some twenty miles inland ; but, by a 

 calamity similar to that which I have before recorded, 

 the sluices became decayed, the embankments of the 

 tank gave way, and the overcharged channels suddenly 

 inundated the plains below, whence the collected waters 

 burst theu^ way into the sea, which, once admitted to 

 enter, has never since been excluded, and now ebbs and 

 flows with every variation of the tide. The bottom of 

 the lake is never wholly diy, but its deepest spots do 

 not much exceed six or seven feet. It is so shallow at 

 all times, that in the south-west monsoon, when the 

 rains are light and the waters low, the surf forms a bar 

 of sand across the entrance, and it ceases for a time to 

 communicate with the sea. Were advantage taken of 

 this pecuharity, the sea might be permanently and 

 effectually kept out ; but, in its present condition, the 



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