248 The Rijle and Hound in Ceylon. 



served meats and vegetables, currant jelly for venison, 

 maccaroni, vermicelli, flour and a variety of other things 

 that add to the comfort of the jungle, including last, but 

 not least, a double supply 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* 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 chronicled : 



Wortley 1 single barrel rifle 3-ounce. 



" 1 double do. rifle No. 12. 



" 2 double do. guns No. 12. 



Palliser r single do. rifle No. 8 (my old 2-ounce). 



" 1 double do. rifle No. 12. 



" 2 double do. guns No. 12. 



V. Baker 3 double do. do No. 14. 



" 1 double do. do No. 12. 



" 1 single do. rifle No. 14. 



S. W. Baker. . . . 1 single do. rifle 4-ounce. 



" . . . .3 double do. rifles No. 10. 



" .... 1 double do. gun No. j6. 



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 

 counted immense herds of wild buffaloes, no* one was 

 * Large leaves from the talipot tree. 



