170 SUNSET IN TIIK HILLS. 



heavy silver-fringed clouds floating- about ; presently 

 these seemed to unite and foi-ni one sheet of biilliant 

 silver, gradually assuming rose and yellow tints, and 

 spreading over the entire sky, growing deeper and 

 richer in tone until the tiery orb has disappeared^ 

 leaving the heavens enveloped in bright crimson and 

 gold, w^hilst to the east a rainbovv^ in all its beauty 

 still lingers for a shoi't space, when gradually all 

 disappears, and one seems to awake as from a dream. 

 Such sights are rare indeed. 



We have now reached the elevated plateau upon 

 which Kandy is situated, 1,678 feet above the level 

 of the sea. The scenery becomes tamer, the trees 

 less lofty, even the palms look stinted compared 

 with those we have left behind, and here and there 

 huge black boulders heave in sight. We soon pass 

 a tall monument erected to the memory of Captain 

 Dawson, who was the surveyor of this magnificent 

 mountain-road, eventually utilized for the railway^ 

 and who died at Colombo in 1829. There is a pretty 

 garden at the station close by, gay with poinsettise 

 and rose bushes, an extraordinary contrast to the wild 

 scenery hitherto passed through. 



At last we approached the old capital of Ceylon, 

 four hours after having quitted Colombo, and a very 

 pretty town it appeared to be as far as it was possible 



