^12, BENTOTTE. 
moving on. We were winding among rocks, and I was instantly 
struck with the splendour of the Barringtonia in full bloom. The 
road occasionally quitted the sea-shore, and passed through some 
swampy jungle, where the vegetation was still more luxuriant, but 
the cocoa-nut trees in less abundance. Mr. Salt made several 
sketches. 
We passed a river, covered with fishing boats, over a flat wooden 
bridge, not yet completed, and about twelve arrived at Bentotte, 
situated on the Aloot Gunga. Here we found a breakfast of bread, 
butter, eggs, and fruit, prepared in the portico of a house built by 
the Dutch for the reception of travellers. The Moodeliar and Post- 
master were waiting to receive me : the latter spoke a little English. 
At this place we were to have parted with our Galle boys, but as only 
thirty met us from Golumbo, we were obliged to make twenty go 
on to Caltura, much against their inclinations, as they complained 
heavily of the weight of my palanquin. After passing this river 
in a similar manner to the last, we again set off, and for some time 
the road continued the same; at length we turned rather more into 
the country to avoid a head-land, and found the hills more frequent 
and steep : towards night we entered an avenue of most magnifi- 
cent jack trees, which extended the whole way to Galtura. As 
soon as it was dark our usual torches were lighted, and the boys 
quickened their pace, making a most singular noise. One man gave 
me every title he could conceive, some few of which I could under- 
stand : I was the Lord Saib, Burrah Saib, Rajah Saib, Acha Lord Saib, 
and an infinity of other names that I had never before heard. After 
every proclamation of a title, the whole party gave a cry of appro- 
bation. We passed a temple of Buddha, erected for a festival given 
