CEYLON. 259 



admit these leeches are annoying ; you cannot stand a moment 

 on the grass without seeing a troop of them coming towards you 

 from every side. Fast they come, and are soon up your legs if 

 you are without gaiters, and they are always hungry. The naked 

 legs and feet of our coolies were streaming with blood. They 

 abound everywhere in the grass and dead leaves, nor can you, 

 when walking in the garden, leave the gravel without being 

 attacked. We slept at Mr. P.'s house ; and Mr. Thwaites's 

 carriage met us next day within eight miles of home, where we 

 arrived safe and well. I never was in better health, and shall 

 soon grow fat. Here and in all the upland the climate \& 

 delicious ; balmy is the word. 



To Mrs. T. 



Colombo, Ceylon, November 1, 1853. 

 Between Peradenia and Colombo we passed several of 

 the great talipot palms in full flower, the first I had seen. 

 This is the largest of the fan palms. It takes they say nearly 

 a century to gather strength for flowering, then it throws up a 

 huge flower stem, like a tree, from its summit, covered with 

 myriads of white flowers, bears seed, and dies. Of the leaves 

 they make tents, mats, hats, baskets, umbrellas, and many 

 other things. The umbrella is very primitive, made by holding 

 the thin part of the leaf, the broader part shading the wearer 

 from the sun. When women are working in the paddy fields, 

 stooping on all fours, twenty in a row, with these leaves tied on 

 their backs and coming over their heads, they look like large 

 beetles, and very grotesque. It seems to be always women who 

 weed the rice fields. Before leaving the hills, we passed many 

 noble specimens of Cycas (sago palm), which would make the 

 heart of M. leap within him. Stems twenty to thirty feet high 

 branching like candelabra, and each branch crowned with leaves. 

 Four miles from Colombo we crossed a broad river by a bridge 

 of boats, and soon afterwards the native town or pettah begins, 

 and continues up to the gate of the fort. It is a long street of 

 shops, and reminded me of the " lang toon o' Kirkaldy." 



November 2nd. After breakfast I called on the Governor, who 

 received me civilly, and I dine with him to-day, and to-morrow 

 with the Chief Secretary. I afterwards took a carriage and 



s 2 



