RETURN TO DINNOMALEE. 7 



of these animals, that followed in their peculiarly 

 quiet manner, the path their sorrowing conductress 

 pursued. 



Myself and others of the party who were 

 mounted soon went a-head, and had it not been 

 for repeated stoppages on the road to relate to 

 those still coming, all we had learned of the deed 

 of blood, we should have returned to Dinnomalee 

 by ten o'clock ; as it was, the sun had passed the 

 meridian when we arrived, and we found there an 

 equally busy scene, but of a very different character, 

 to the one we had been partial witnesses of at 

 Dophan. 



During our absence the Wallasmah Mahomed, 

 attended by his brother, two sons, his scribe, and 

 a whole host of armed followers, had come into 

 Farree, and just at the moment we passed the first 

 trees on our side that inclosed the open space 

 where stood the stores, salt, and merchandise of 

 our Kafilah, that officer and his party emerged 

 from the jungly wood opposite ; the Wallasmah 

 riding upon a mule, the rest walking, and among 

 these the bearers of the silver mounted shield, and 

 the silver sword of office were most conspicuous. 



The Wallasmah Mahomed, the hereditary Prince 

 or Governor of Efat, imbodied my idea of a dull, 

 sensual, yet cunning man. There was nothing in 

 his countenance to recommend him ; bloated, with 

 a heavy stupid expression, a little relieved certainly 

 by small restless eyes that glanced at me whenever 



