36 



As one goes higher the cooler dimate prevents the growth of 

 rubber and it is replaced by acacia, Australian oak, and eucalyp- 

 tus. In still higher altitudes shade trees are not necessary. 



We left the mountain line of the railway at Nanu-oya and 

 completed our trip to Nuwara Eliya by a seven-mile ride over 

 a narrow-gauge railway. In this distance it climbs an even 

 thousand feet and is even more crooked than the main line. 

 At this altitude, well above the governmental limit, much of the 

 original forest is left and from the train window one gets an 

 excellent view across the valleys of its superficial appearance. 



From this bird's-eye view, the mossy or subalpine forest 

 presents a most picturesque and characteristic appearance. 

 Across the valley one sees only the tops of the trees and notes 

 nothing of their height or the shape of their trunks. It is the 

 color which is strange. Of course, the color is green, speaking 

 generally, but there is every shade from the palest yellow green 

 to the darkest olive. Mingled with these are all sorts of russets, 

 browns, crimsons, yellows, and neutral tints, but all soft in tone 

 and harmonious. These colors are partly natural to the full 

 grown leaves, but they generally indicate trees on which the 

 young leaves are just unfolding or the old leaves are dying. I 

 did not believe before reaching Ceylon that tropical trees may 

 turn as bright in color as those of temperate zones when the 

 leaves get ready to fall, but several species of these mossy forests 

 are as brilliant as our American oaks and maples. The general 

 effect of this color combination makes the forest a very pleasant 

 mosaic, not at all monotonous like the summer green of an 

 American forest. When seen at a greater distance on the sides 

 of distant mountains the separate colors tend to lose their identity 

 and blend to form an exceedingly rich soft velvety green. 



The little town of Nuwara Eliya contains a large number of 

 good hotels and its sole function seems to be to provide a cool 

 climate for the English during the hot season in the lowlands. 

 At night the thermometer drops into the forties and on one 

 occasion during our stay there was a heavy white frost. During 

 the day the sun is exceedingly bright but the temperature does 

 not exceed 75. With a bracing climate, comfortable hotels, 



