150 TKAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPOKT. 



moreover, an empty rest-house or two, merely suffi- 

 cient to shelter the weary traveller from the rays of 

 the sun. 



" ' I was proceeding,' said our friend, ' in the way 

 of my duty, from Point de Galle to the post of Ham- 

 ban totte, on the south-east coast of the island, and 

 had sent forward my servants and baggage by land, 

 while I myself embarked in a native boat, called a 

 dhoney, at the small bay of Belligham, half-way 

 between Point de Galle and Matura. I went on 

 board between eleven and twelve o'clock of the day ; 

 and as it was the month of July, with the monsoon 

 blowing in my favour with all its vigour, I had no 

 doubt of reaching the place of my destination, though 

 sixty miles off, before daylight of the following 

 morning. With this idea, I had provided no sea- 

 stock beyond a bottle of brandy, accidentally put 

 into my hands, and a change of linen, with dressing 

 utensils. You may judge of my disappointment, 

 when day dawned between five and six o'clock, as 

 it does in that country, to find that we had overshot 

 our port. It was impossible to land amidst the tre- 

 mendous surf on that coast in the south-west mon- 

 soon ; and the Tandil, or master of the boat, who, by 

 the way, was bound to Trincomalee, said that all he 

 could do was to land me in a small bight or bay called 

 Pootanie, which was still some hours' sail ahead, and 

 between fifty and sixty miles beyond the breakfast 

 awaiting me at Hambantotte. This was rather 



