58 EVERYDAY LIFE ON A 



than was at first expected, as owing to the depth of 

 water it was necessary to have divers to go down 

 and examine the injury to the sluice and to try 

 to open it. In spite of the noxious odour and 

 the dirty water three men took it in turns to dive, 

 and after some hours, the obstruction was very 

 gradually removed by their efforts, and at last 

 the sluice worked again, and the water rushed 

 out. Great was the excitement and delight of 

 these child-like creatures, who love anything 

 new and unusual. With shouts of joy, the boys, 

 and even one girl, rushed into the mud, to be 

 followed as soon as work was over by the bulk 

 of the men. How they all paddled about! 

 dashing the mud and water over each others 

 heads, catching the fish (which to everyone's 

 surprise were found there) in their baskets and 

 even in their hands. No London mudlarks 

 could have been more at home. Not only were 

 there fish, but also land turtle of various sizes. 

 None of them however very large. I seized 

 upon a few for the sake of their shells, but they 

 were useless for food, not being of an edible 

 kind. I believe, however, there are four different 

 kinds of marine turtle to be obtained on the 

 coast of Ceylon. I tried to preserve the bright- 

 ness of the shell of those taken out of the dam, 

 but I found they all became dull and ugly, and 

 so my visions of using them for ornamental 

 purposes melted away into thin air. 



