250 TWO YEARS IN THE JUNGLE. 



ras Museum. What else can be expected of a taxidermist •who 

 •works for a rupee per day ? 



I take pleasure in ackno'wledging my obligation to Dr. Haly, 

 for assistance in determining the species of my Ceylon reptiles 

 and crustaceans, and for his valuable service ia identifying and 

 naming all the fishes I collected in the island, seventy species in 

 all, except such as •were undescribed. I spent many hours in his 

 pleasant company at the museum, assisted by his advice and his 

 books. 



After four ■weeks of busy collecting in Colombo and •vicinity, my 

 myrmidons and I had gathered specimens of all the common ani- 

 mals, and it -was time to move on. I had calculated my expenses 

 altogether too closely ; the remittances I expected from Professor 

 Ward •were delayed, and I found myseK "with insuflScient funds for 

 any vigorous -work outside of Colombo. I had planned a trip to 

 the Northern Province, but without a loan from some one I -n'ould 

 be detained in Colombo, and lose valuable time in •waiting for my 

 drafts from headquarters. I "was anxious to push on, for I had 

 allo"v\'ed myself only three months for Ceylon. I brought no letters 

 of introduction to moneyed men, and "v\-as a total stranger. But in 

 my pei-jilexity I plucked up courage and stated the circumstances 

 to the firm of Lee, Hedges & Co. 



]Mr. Bennett, the manager of the house in Colombo, immediately 

 exclaimed, in the most pleasant manner, " ^Tiy, now, I'm glad you 

 have mentioned it, and given us a chance to help you out. We 

 shall be very much pleased to open an accoimt with you. How 

 much money do you need ? " 



" Well I need about three hundred rupees, but it's too much to 

 take, seeing that I am unable to give you any security." 



" That's all right. That's all I want to know." And he gave 

 me a check for the amount, saying, " Now just go ahead up 

 there at Jafi'na to suit yourself, and if you need anything more by- 

 and-by, or before you get back, just let us know." Had I been 

 doing the firm a favor worth a thousand dollars, its members 

 could not have been more pleasant and cheerful than when thus 

 advancing money to a stranger "without the sHghtest security be- 

 yond his good intentions. 



I mention this circumstance to show one of the many bright 

 sides of English character, which is not uniformly so reserved and 

 unapproachable as it is sometimes represented. 



