WILD LIFE ACROSS THE WORLD 



Yes, Colombo is quite a good place. It is said — 

 and perhaps rightly so — that Kandy, the capital of 

 the island, is the most beautiful town in the world ; 

 but Colombo is good enough for most men. The great 

 drive on the Galle Face just before dinner, when all 

 the rank and fashion of Ceylon is out, is one of the 

 sights of the world. In few places will you see such 

 fine turn-outs ; in no place will you see finer. 



I left Colombo regretfully — most travellers, as 

 distinct from tourists, do the same — but I had to go on 

 to India's coral strand. I hoped the hymn-writer was 

 not going to let me down again ; but, candidly, I 

 was beginning to feel a little doubtful. 



To reach India from Colombo you take a British 

 India steamer, which, given ordinary luck, enables you 

 to get within seven miles of the shore, and finally to 

 board a train belonging to the Southern Railway 

 Company at Tuticorin. 



The Southern Railway is narrow gauge, but no 

 one seems to know why. But, none the less, the 

 carriages are comfortable, and, despite the small 

 number of sahibs who travel on the line, the refresh- 

 ment rooms are quite good. In many ways the journey 

 up from Tuticorin was a fascinating one. True, the 

 heat and dust were abominable after we had left the 

 coast — as bad as they could possibly be ; and yet there 

 were compensations. In a few hours you can get — 

 if you have eyes to see — an insight into what India 



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