CEYLON. 253 



Species of Clarissa, like jessamine, were also very common. I 

 gathered Gm-tnera and a few others, but" my roadside pickings 

 are not of much value. Sunset brought us to Candelay, being 

 twenty-five and a half miles the first day. As I had just light 

 on arrival at the rest-house, I ran over the hill to get a view 

 of the lake, which was shining in golden light. It is pretty, 

 being surrounded by softly-wooded hills. A troop of cranes 

 (real ones, not herons) were standing in the water, and flew up 

 as I approached. 



We started next morning by the light of the moon and a 

 torch (" chule "), the latter carried, not so much for the light 

 it gave, as for a fancied protection from elephants and bears, 

 which abound in these forests, and which my coolies expected 

 to see start from every bush, We went in single file, the torch- 

 bearer preceding us, and dashing fire on the ground every now 

 and again. We saw no elephants, but heard them roaring in 

 the tanks, and passed their traces repeatedly. Of these there 

 could be no mistake, the great foot-prints marking the road 

 distinctly in regular file. ■ A little later there was a great rustle 

 and crash among the bushes, and the coolies said it was 

 " Elepan." The largest beast I saw, however, was a great 

 monkey or ape with white whiskers, several of which were leap- 

 ing from tree to tree, and making a great noise. Plenty of 

 jungle fowl, pigeons of many kinds, green and blue-plumaged 

 birds unknown to me, and now and then a hawk or a kite were 

 seen. At any other than this sultry season, no doubt much 

 more of both animal and vegetable life would have been 

 abroad, but in some places there had not been rain for four or 

 five months. 



On the evening of the 20th we got to Galeaga, forty- six 

 miles of our route. About three miles short of this place we 

 were overtaken by a thunder-storm, with heavy rain, much noise 

 and vivid lightning ; and as I thought it better to walk with 

 my umbrella than lie in bed to be rained on, I started off from 

 the bearers, and had a quick, invigorating, delightful walk 

 through the rain for the rest of the stage, which I enjoyed as 

 a young duck would have clone, the previous heat had been so 

 overpowering. 



Next day I pursued my journey ; and after having proceeded 

 about ten miles, I had a walk to enjoy a bath, not in a clear 



