22 EVERYDAY LIFE ON A 



a little round flat piece of wood is attached, on 

 which the driver sits, at the other end is a yoke 

 which lies between the hump and the head of 

 the bulls, and to which they are fastened by a 

 somewhat complicated arrangement of rope, 

 the reins also being thin rope. The dress of 

 the driver baffles description, a red loin cloth, 

 and red turban are the principal items, but in 

 this case a short white jacket was added, out 

 of respect for me. The white " running bulls " 

 are handsome animals, with large, pathetic dark 

 eyes, enormous dewlaps, and magnificent horns, 

 they only took two hours to go ten miles part 

 of it over a very bad road. 



Our means of conveyance being settled, the 

 next important question was at what time we 

 should start ; this, however, did not take long 

 to arrange, for I absolutely declined to go in 

 the heat of the day, for, two hours travelling 

 under a Ceylon sun reduces one to a state of 

 limpness, quite incompatible with the enjoyment 

 of society. Wednesday, the 12th, dawned. 

 Heavy rain during the night warned us that 

 the N.E. monsoon was not yet over, but at 

 7*30 a.m. we made a start in spite of showery 

 weather, but, first a box coolie had to be 

 despatched carrying on his head a light tin box 

 containing all my "chiffons." This is the 

 custom of the country, and even young men 

 riding to pay a few hours visit, are preceded 



