270 The RijJc and Hound in Ceylon. 



This is a very pretty, civilized village, in the midst 

 of a wild country. It is the residence of a Rhatama- 

 hatmeya, and he and his family were well known to 

 me. They were perfectly astonished when they heard 

 by which route we had arrived, and upon hearing of 

 our forty-eight hours of fasting, they lost no time in pre- 

 paring dinner. We were now in a land of plenty, and 

 we shortly fell to at a glorious dinner of fowls in various 

 shapes, curries, good coffee, rice cakes, plantains and 

 sweet potatoes. After our recent abstinence and poor 

 fare, it seemed a perfect banquet. 



Nov. 29. — The coolies did not arrive till early this 

 morning ; they were soon hard at work at curry and 

 rice, and, after a few hours of rest, we packed up and 

 started for a spot in the park (upon which I had often 

 encamped) about ten miles from Bibille. 



The horses had enjoyed their paddy as much as we 

 had relished our change of diet, and the coolies were 

 perfectly refreshed. I sent orders to Kotoboya (about 

 twenty miles from Bibille) for several bullock-loads of 

 paddy and rice to meet us at an appointed spot, and 

 with a good supply of fowls and rice, etc., for the pres- 

 ent, we arrived at our place of encampment at three 

 P.M., after a delightful ride. 



The grass was beautifully green-; a few large trees 

 shaded the tents, which were pitched near a stream, and 

 the undulations of the ground, interspersed with clumps 

 of trees and ornamented by rocky mountains, formed a 

 most lovely scene. We sent a messenger to Nielgalla 

 \><\- Banda, and another to Dimbooldcne for old Medima 

 and the trackers, with orders to meet us at our present 

 encampment. We then took our rifles and strolled out 

 1 deer. We shortly found a herd, and \Vortley 



