176 COACHING IN CEYLON 



there. '' Now good shoot," was the laconic 

 reply. 



The rest of our journey was marked by no 

 greater excitement than a pair of horses 

 which reared and then dashed so violently 

 into their collars as to smash the traces. 

 Although this happened twice during the 

 stage, we still had plenty of coir rope left, 

 but at the end of our journey we had used 

 the entire supply. 



At last we rolled round the green 

 esplanade and through the old Dutch gate, 

 and pulled up at the Oriental Hotel, then in 

 the zenith of its prosperity. 



I am afraid the vice displayed by Ceylon 

 coach horses is not at all due to '* original 

 sin." Natives are horribly cruel to animals. 

 I do not say it is the case in the mail 

 coaches, but in some of the others it is simply 



