HUNTING & SHOOTING IN CEYLON 



by the " tavalam " track from Kaikawela, on the Matale- 

 Rattota road, via Ambane, Elahera, and Angamedilla, my 

 baggage being carried by eight pack-bullocks and eight men, 

 including the cattle men. This was in my young days, 

 when I scorned any attempt at comfort or luxury, and so I 

 had no bed, no chair, no tent, and very little in the way of 

 food. I carried a mat, blanket, pillow, and mosquito cur- 

 tain, however, so, as it seldom rains at that time, I was all 

 right still I travel a bit differently nowadays. 



Arrived at Topawewa, I put up with my friend 

 M'Donnell of the Irrigation Department, and next day 

 we set off together for Minneriya, he being on his way to 

 Haburane on business. Stayed the night at Minneriya, and 

 next morning I left M'Donnell and tramped to Kaudu- 

 luwewa via the Yodi Ela (overflow channel from Minneriya) 

 and Rotawewe village, where I picked up some men as 

 guides and shikaries. This is a Veddah village, long settled, 

 and had been visited in his day by Sir Emerson Tennent. 



At Kauduluwewa we camped by a beautiful gorge, 

 through which the Gal Oya forces its way over masses of 

 quartz, and which, even when the river is dried up, always 

 contains water in deep pools, alive with fish and crocodiles. 

 It moreover is one of the breaches in the bund of the great 

 Kaudulu tank, as here the river was dammed up to form the 

 reservoir, as was also the Alut Oya, 2 miles farther north. 



Having pitched camp not a lengthy operation I set 

 off about 3 P.M. with two men and walked along the foot 

 of the bund to the Alut Oya which forms the second great 

 breach in the bund, passing on the way the remaining open 

 part of the tank which still forms an open space of about 

 1000 acres in extent, now dried up, but a swamp of reeds 

 and rushes in the wet weather, alive with water-fowl, 

 buffaloes, and pigs. 



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