EXCURSION TO 
years ago; but as the whole route, until 
you reach the perpendicular rise of the 
cone, is through the beds of mountain- 
torrents, it stands to reason that thirteen 
years wear and tear must have washed 
away much of the soil, leaving the rocks 
more prominent, and increasing the dif- 
ficulty of the journey. Parts of the cone 
are covered with vegetation, long grass, 
an uncommon species of low Bamboo, with 
broad leaves, Sium lobatum, Valeriana 
villosa, Cynoglossum decurrens, and the 
beautiful crimson-flowered Rhododendron 
arboreum,' we found on the very summit. 
In the low wood, between Dia Un- 
diamalalerme, and the rise of the cone, 
the variety of plants is endless, and their 
beauty most striking : those we particularly 
remarked were four different species of 
Sonarila, Melastoma buxifolia, Chironia, 
Hedyotis, $c. &c. Lower down, between 
Diabetma and Undiamalalerme, we found 
several most beautiful species of /mpatiens, 
and other plants two numerous to mention. 
Finding ourselves completely in the clouds, 
and unable to distinguish any thing in the 
world below, I employed myself in ful- 
filling a promise I had made to write to 
the governor from hence, and continuing 
my journal. The circumference of the top 
of the Peak is about one hundred and 
eighty feet, surrounded by a wall of 
masonry, about four feet high, in which 
there are, I believe, three openings. We 
entered that towards the South; on this 
latform, as it may be called, rises a mass 
of rock, about eighteen or twenty feet in 
height, on the summit of which the tem- 
ple over the impression of Boodhoo's foot 
is erected. The temple is of wood, and is 
firmly fixed to the rock by numbers of 
strong iron chains. The holy foot-mark im- 
pressed in the rock, is about five feet in 
length and three in breadth, or there- 
abouts; Boodh, when one foot rested on 
the Sree Pada, and left its impression 
there, stepped across to Makoona, situated, 
the priest gravely and seriously assured 
me, in 1 There is a smaller temple, 
or shrine, — lower down on the rock, 
disais: nobile, Wall. 
ADAM'S PEAK. ll 
where offerings are also made by the pil- 
grims, dedicated, I believe, to Samen; and 
also a kind of open belfry, in which two 
bells are suspended, and which our coolies, 
in turn, rung. Each stroke of the bell; we 
were told, commemorated a former visit; 
if so, some of them must have been from 
twenty to thirty times on the top of the 
Peak. I remarked, during our journey, 
that Sree Pada was always saluted by sa- 
laams, and sometimes prostrations, when- 
ever it came in sight. We were accommo- 
dated for the night, in a hut, seven feet by 
five inside, in which we found two wooden 
benches; on them we placed our mat- 
tresses. One narrow leaf of our camp-table 
was placed against the wall, and between it 
and the bench we contrived to insert two 
chairs: these things our coolies brought 
up without any difficulty, and we had a 
most comfortable dinner of cold meat and 
Aot curry and rice prepared in the priest's 
hut before mentioned: never was such 
luxury known on the top of the Peak be- 
fore. About nine o’clock we again visited 
the summit of the rock, and found the 
mist clearing off in some directions, which, 
we hoped was the promise of favourable 
weather next day. 
3rd.—At one A.M. we again ascended to 
the highest point—the mist was gone— 
the full moon shone bright—the scene was 
stupendous—the deep shadows 
of the scene were illuminated by the mild 
and silvery lustre of a tropical moon, the 
most beautiful of all lights—of which none 
who have not seen it can form a concep- 
tion: it was not nearly so cold as I had 
expected. After enjoying this magnificent 
moon-light view for a considerable time, 
we again betook ourselves to repose until 
the approach of day-break, when we re- 
ingsun. The morning was a little gloomy, 
and it was twenty minutes past six 'ere 
Phebus surmounted the clouds on the 
eastern horizon, when Mi acoge 
his glory, i , as it were, life and 
animation to the scene © which T shal not 
