284 THE RIFLE AND HOUND IN CEYLON chap. xu. 



of soap and candles. No one knows the misery should 

 either of these fail dirt and darkness is the necessary- 

 consequence. 



There was a large stock of talipots l to form tents 

 for the people and coverings for the horses in case of 

 rain ; in fact, there never was a trip more happily 

 planned or more comfortably arranged, and there 

 was certainly never such a battery assembled in 

 Ceylon as we now mustered. Such guns deserve to be 



18 guns. 



These guns were all by the first makers, and we took 

 possession of our hunting country with the confidence 

 of a good bag, provided that game was abundant 



But how changed was this country since I had 

 visited it in former years, not only in appearance but 

 in the quantity of game ! 



On these plains, where in times past I had so often 



1 Large leaves from the talipot tree. 



