148 JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. X. 



said jugglers danced and tumbled before the hut, and after 

 we had eaten, amidst the blowing of the trumpet and 

 hautboys, we spent the time in playing lanterloo 10 until about 

 3 o'clock, when the Governor, together with all his suite, 

 went into a prauw, 11 which had come expressly for that 

 purpose fromColombo. This prauw is like a small yacht, 

 which has been divided into three : the middle part has 

 benches round and a flat deck above, as on a yacht. This 

 was covered with scarlet above, and hung round with red 

 silk curtains, and below laid with a carpet or alkatief. 12 

 Pennons and flags waved in front from the mast and from 

 behind, and as the wind was against it, the prauw was rowed 

 down the river with twelve oars ; the trumpeter sat in front 

 on the poop, and blew up lustily. In front, on a raft of 

 two hollowed trees, on which lay two planks, went the 

 Cingalese, who played on the tamboeleinties and hautboys, 

 and many of them somewhat more easily than when all ran 

 forth to play, as they had had to do in the morning. 



The river is about half as broad as the Scheldt at 

 Antwerp ; the current was pretty strong, but it varies after 

 the influx of much water from the land on account of rain. It 

 runs for the most part through jungle, so that one sees 

 nothing but trees and greenery, and here and there a valley ^ 

 not unpleasant to journey along once in good company. 



Meanwhile, we came to the Pas, 13 which is a noble house 

 close to the river, where the Ambassadors of the King of 

 Candien are met and received. There stood two carriages : 

 in one of these we went with the Governor, and in the other 

 the ladies, and thus we all rode to Colombo, about a mile 

 away. The soldiers and all the other people had gone over- 

 land, and waited for us at the Pas, so that we got in again 

 about 6 o'clock as we had left. 



The Lascarijns, or Cingalese soldiers, who are in the service 

 of the Company, and were stationed here and there at certain 

 outposts, brought some presents to the Governor. In front 

 came several tamboelijnties and dancers, as has been before 

 described ; after them several with banners, and then all that 



