196 EVERYDAY LIFE ON A 



should have fallen a victim to its enchantment, 

 like the rest of the Ceylon world. 



From Newera Eliya to B., I had to be 

 taken in a rickshaw ten miles. To make sure 

 the coolies knew exactly where I was going, I 

 got the manager of the hotel from which I 

 started, to cross-question them. He was quite 

 satisfied, and to make things doubly sure, told 

 me the turn off was at the tenth mile-stone. 

 This landmark duly appeared, the coolies 

 stopped, I got out, they loaded themselves with 

 all my impedimenta, and I proceeded to follow 

 them up a winding road evidently leading to a 

 bungalow. On and on we went for about a 

 mile, until at last we arrived in front of a very 

 pretty gabled house, surrounded by a lawn and 

 flower garden. I thought it curious that 

 nothing was to be seen or heard of the large 

 family whose guest I was to be ; at last a 

 smart looking " boy " appeared with his eyes 

 round with surprise at the sight of a lady 

 evidently come to stay ; then his master 

 came on the scene, I am sure equally 

 horrified, at the unexpected apparition. He 

 quickly explained the matter, which was that 

 the stupid coolies had taken the road to the 

 left, which had landed me at a bachelor's 

 bungalow, instead of to the right, which would 

 have taken me to B. He was most kind 

 and hospitable and invited me to tea, but I 



