EXCURSION TO 
horses, (which, by the way, we found we 
could have brought here at this dry season 
of the year, without difficulty,) he has 
travelled in a Kandyan moonshull, some- 
thing resembling a hammock, swung on a 
pole, in which way, the native great men 
used always to travel. They are now, 
however, adopting English customs, and 
to seen on horseback ; and, where the 
roads admit, in gigs and palankeen car- 
riages. The moonshull, however, has the 
advantage in very bad roads, as the coolies 
can carry it over any thing. The position 
being recumbent, Col. W. found he could 
not so well look about him, and, therefore, 
preferred the chair, which, being elevated 
on the shoulders of the bearers, gave him 
a commanding view; though, I thought, 
neither a very secure nor comfortable 
position. My little palankeen, which I be- 
fore described, was very snug; but it had 
its defects, and inconveniences also: it 
was, however, very light and easily car- 
ried; being merely a strong frame of wood 
rattaned, as they do their bottoms. 
31s¢t.—In consequence of some delay in 
collecting our coolies, it was near one P.M. 
before we set off; the day excessively hot. 
Indeed, I think both Ruanwelle and Ratna- 
poora hotter than Columbo in the middle 
of the day; the heat there being tempered 
to our feelings by a cool breeze from the 
sea, although the range of the thermome- 
ter may be as high. As we were desirous 
of getting to Palabatula before dark, we 
particularly clear; and the outline of the 
mountains, which appeared quite close to 
us, almost harsh against the sky. Soon 
after leaving Ratnapoora we crossed the 
Cala-gunga, then so low that our people 
were hardly ankle deep in fording it. The 
road passes through a fertile and open 
country for about a mile and a half, when 
it becomes interspersed with jungle, so 
Peak presented itself directly before us, 
so majestic and so apparently inaccessible 
ADAM’S PEAK. 7 
that he seemed to be setting us at defiance. 
I found afterwards that this formidable 
looking mountain is the Bema Peak, 
which from Ratnapoora appears as high 
as Sree pada, (the Cingalese name for 
Adam’s Peak,) and on this part of the 
road interrupts the view of it. In shape 
the two mountains are much alike, from 
this position. Leaving the river to our left 
we again passed through open country 
with some cultivation. Three miles from 
Ratnapoora came to the village of Mata- 
welle, at the junction of a small stream, or 
oyah, with the Cala-gunga. The former we 
crossed, and halted for a few minutes to 
rest our coolies; and, while these are taking 
their rest, I may as well explain that, they 
are human beings, employed as porters 
and chairmen are at home, in carrying 
baggage or their fellow creatures. When 
employed in the last-mentioned manner, 
they are, on the continent of India, termed 
bearers, and consider themselves much 
superior to common coolies : here that dis- 
tinction does not exist; so few people keep 
palankeens that there is no occupation for 
bearers as distinct from coolies. I have 
been induced to give this explanation in 
consequence of reading a note by the 
learned editor of one of the penny maga- 
zines, on an extract from some publica- 
tion on India, I believe Capt. Mundy’s 
Sketches, in which he tells his readers, 
“that coolies are small horses.” He would 
have been nearer the mark if he had 
called them “ black cattle:”—but mine 
have rested long enough, and I must pro- 
ceedon my journey. Our route continued 
partly through jungle, with here and there 
patches of cultivation; sometimes ap- 
proaching the river; at others leaving it 
a good deal to the left; the Bema Peak 
almost constantly in view. At half-past 
three P.M. we Gelle-malle, and 
after resting our people for a quarter of 
neighbourhood appears populous. The 
rest-house is a mud edifice, consisting of 
two small rooms surrounded by a narrow 
