160 GUN, RIFLE, AND HOUND. 



which was a hole in the stump on which he had 

 been sitting. 



I also shot an egret heron, but finding, as I 

 expected, that we were too late in the year for the 

 splendid plumes, for which they are alone valued, 

 we spared the others. We now tried leaving our 

 birds where they fell, and watching over them with 

 ball cartridge. Needless to say not a crocodile would 

 show up. 



At length the sun got low, and having got our 

 hands and faces well burnt, we voted it enough, and 

 made for our carriage. Here our bag was laid out, 

 and was found to consist of fifteen couple. We had 

 only knocked off just in time, for no sooner had we 

 started than down came the rain, and we had a wet 

 drive to Tangalle. This is a pretty little place, the 

 residence of a solitary member of the Civil Service. 

 However, as the then occupant of the berth had only 

 been married about forty-eight hours, we were not 

 welcomed with the delight with which white faces 

 are generally hailed in such out-of-the-way stations, 

 and returned to a fairly comfortable rest-house to 

 dinner. 



Unfortunately the next day was the last of my 

 leave, so we left Tangalle at seven, passing the scene 

 of our previous day's sport on our way. We stopped 

 some time at Dondra Head, which is, with the 

 exception of the Malay Peninsula, the most southerly 

 point of Asia. It is a curious feeling to stand on 

 this rocky headland and realise that straight before 

 one is no land of any kind, or indeed anything solid, 



