No. 35. — 1887.] notes on ceylon. 147 



valleys with, the food for their live stock, and the live stock 

 with eggs and butter, without their needing to take much, 

 trouble about it. At sunset a number of Cingalese came to 

 meet us, four of whom held a canopy of white linen over the 

 pallaquin of the Governor, and brought him to a spot 

 where they had placed a straw roof upon some sticks, under 

 which stood a table and some benches. At a stone's throw 

 from this hut they had made an ornamental gateway, and on 

 each side of the road they had planted greenery like an 

 avenue, and had covered the road or street with white linen, 

 in the part where we trod with our feet. The whole 

 of this hut was entirely covered and overhung inside with 

 white linen, as well as the table and benches, which were 

 decorated all round with various flowers. They brought us 

 hot massak* that is caudle or tipple of surie* seasoned with 

 nutmeg, mace, cloves, cinnamon, and sugar, with some eggs. 

 This we drank out of a kind of sheath, in which the flowers 

 of the Mappers 9 or cocoanuts grow, and it was very pleasant 

 to the taste. Meanwhile there were some who danced and 

 tumbled very gracefully before the hut in the manner of 

 rope dancers in Europe, to the playing of two oblong drums, 

 which they struck on both sides with the fingers and with 

 the hand. This being ended, we departed with all these 

 people for Malluanen, which we reached at about 8 o'clock. 

 We had to pass the river before we could come to the fort 

 of Malluanen, so that we had to be taken over in boats, 

 where having arrived, a salvo was fired three times. And 

 after we had examined the fort, the Governor was conducted 

 under the aforesaid canopy to about a musket shot's distance 

 thence, where another hut had been erected, entirely 

 covered and overhung inside with white linen, as well as 

 adorned with flowers, after the manner of the other. The 

 road from the fort to the hut was also beset on both sides 

 with greenery, and in the middle, or half way, a large gateway 

 or triumphal arch ; they had also spread white linen on the 

 road for us to go over, which we did. 

 Whilst we waited for the food to be made ready, the afore- 



