chap. xti. A JUNGLE TRIP. 297 



In the neighbourhood of Doolana I had killed 

 many elephants some years ago, and I have no doubt 

 we could have had good sport at this time ; but V. 

 Baker's leave was so fast expiring, and the natives' 

 accounts of the distance through the Veddah country 

 were so vague, that we had no choice except to push 

 straight through as fast as we could travel, until we 

 should arrive on the Batticaloa path. 



We took leave of our friend the Rhatamahatmeya ; 

 he had provided us with good trackers, who were to 

 accompany us through the Veddah country to the 

 ' Park ' ; but I now began to have my doubts as to their 

 knowledge of the ground. However, we started, and 

 after skirting the Doolana tank for some distance, we 

 rode five miles through fine forest, and then arrived 

 on the banks of the Mahawelle river. The stream 

 was at this time very rapid, and was a quarter of a 

 mile in width, rolling along between its steep banks 

 through a forest of magnificent trees. Some hours 

 were consumed in transporting the coolies and bag- 

 gage across the river, as the canoe belonging to the 

 village of Monampitya, on the opposite bank, would 

 only hold four coolies and their loads at one voyage. 



We swam the horses across, and attending carefully 

 to the safety of the cook before any other individual, 

 we breakfasted on the opposite bank, while the coolies 

 were crossing the river. 



After breakfast, a grave question arose, viz., which 



