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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



Pnotograph by Kmil P. Albrecht 



A STREET SCENE IN PONTA DELGADA, CHIEF PORT OF THE AZORES 



There are no thrilling attractions to hold one long in Ponta Delgada, yet there is more to 

 be seen than one can get in a hasty drive. Picturesque old buildings line the clean, well-kept 

 streets. 



come. However, the taxicab is trying to 

 replace the old familiar jinriksha, and 

 European and American business firms 

 are increasing in number, due to the de- 

 mand for the conveniences and luxuries 

 of the Western Hemisphere. 



Our glimpse of the interior of Ceylon 

 at Kandy, with its wonderful Temple of 

 the Tooth, its beautiful and famous Pera- 

 deniya Gardens, and its historical places 

 of mystic origin, was all too brief. 



The Hindu boy, using his elephants to 

 haul brush and logs in clearing off a bit 

 of land, spied our automobile coming 

 along the country road. His elephants 

 immediately dropped their burdens at a 

 word from their master and hurried down 

 to the roadside to pick up a few rupees 

 by performing for the foreign visitors. 



At Kandy we saw something of the 

 eastern art industries, where exquisite 

 articles of pottery and of beaten brass- 

 ware are made by hand. 



Much to our regret, our time in this 

 fascinating country was too short to in- 



clude a visit to the ancient capital of 

 Anuradhapura, of mystic origin, sur- 

 rounded with ruins of images and of an- 

 cient temples, of cities, and of gigantic 

 irrigation works. 



At Galle, ancient emporium of trade 

 with the East, on the southwest point of 

 Ceylon, we saw the natives cutting, grind- 

 ing, and polishing rubies, emeralds, 

 sapphires, and other precious stones. 

 They used century-old methods, and 

 manufactured with patient skill beautiful 

 articles of lace and of tortoise shell. 



At Kalutara we paused to witness a 

 curious religious procession similar to 

 the Kandy Perahera, a night procession 

 of priests and of sacred elephants, which 

 has been held annually for more than 

 2,000 years. There were grotesque floats, 

 with huge images of birds and beasts, and 

 sacred elephants caparisoned in trappings 

 of silk and gold. Borne in the midst was 

 the image of Buddha sitting upon the 

 coiled body of a bronze cobra and shel- 

 tered under its uplifted, hooded head. 



