1836.] 



of the Southern Malwatta Country, 



feet high. Upon these is supported a terrace roof, composed of 

 branches of trees or bamboos, covered with clay. Nothing can be 

 conceived more ugly than these villages. On every side square masses 

 of dry clay, give one more the idea of huge ant-hills than of human 

 habitations. In these places, wood being found in too small quantity 

 to serve as fuel, cow-dung is used for this purpose ; which being made 

 into small cakes, is thus plastered on the walls of the houses to dry 

 in the sun. When dry, it is collected into stacks, like peat-stacks in 

 a Scotch village. 



Darwar, which is situated on the eastern edge of the hilly tract, 

 enjoys a tolerably cool and agreeable climate. The only time at 

 which the heat is very oppressive is in March, April, and part of May ; 

 and even then a cool refreshing westerly breeze sets in every after- 

 noon, and continues during the whole night. The luxury of this 

 breeze is duly appreciated by those who come from the interior, or from 

 the eastern or western coast, where the nights, daring the hot season, 

 are close and oppressive, preventing sound sleep from refreshing the 

 languid frame, overcome by the heat of the day. This cool breeze 

 is felt but a very short way to the east of Darwar, for it soon becomes 

 heated, by passing over the arid plains of that part of the country. 



Speaking generally, it may be said, that, at Darwar, as in other 

 parts of India, the wind blows during six months, viz. from the middle 

 of April to the middle of October, from the south-west, and during the 

 remaining months from the north-east. But it has been already men- 

 tioned, that, during the hot months, a cool wind blows all night from 

 the west ; and it must be added, that, for several weeks, at both equi- 

 noxes, the wind is variable. 



Heavy thunder-showers fall at Darwar in April and May. The 

 weather then continues cloudy, and the steady rain of the monsoon 

 generally begins in June or the beginning of July. It is a curious cir- 

 cumstance, that the first heavy showers that fall do not come from 

 the west, but are accompanied by the following phenomena. During 

 the day the wind blows steadily from the south-west. Between 

 three and five in the afternoon, black clouds are seen accumulating in 

 the east. Cloud rises over cloud, until the whole eastern sky is co- 

 vered with one dense black mass, which, now pierced every where by 

 forked lightning, and accompanied by constant peals of thunder, 

 slowly approaches against the western breeze. When it has approach- 

 ed very near, the wind suddenly changes, blows strongly from the east, 

 and brings along with it heavy battering rain, and sometimes large 

 hail. The wind changes frequently, blowing from all quarters of the 

 > compass, until at length it becomes steady from the west, and the tern- 

 i pest ceases. This is repeated every day for some days, after which 

 the wind continues to blow constantly from the west for five or six 

 months. Storms also occur at the autumnal equinox, but not so regu- 

 larly nor so violently as those first described. Although there is a good 



