( 123 ) 
Lincoln's Inn, Barrister at-law, who was in 
the later " forties " late Deputy Queen's 
Advocate for the Southern Circuit in the 
island of Ceylcn. The author commenting 
on this curious and unique prophesy ob- 
served in 1850 :— " The bridj^e at Peradeniya, 
over the Mahaweliganga, having been built 
entirely of satinwood, has shewn symptoms 
of decay ; but we trust, for the love we bear 
our fellowmen— blacks, browns or whites- 
Christians or heathens — and the horrors we 
have, in common with philanthropic men, of 
bloodshed and war, that the prophetical tra- 
dition may be false. For ever may the Cin- 
namon Isle flourish, and be the brightest 
gem, in Great Britain's diadem, is our heart- 
felt desire !" 
Although over half -a- century has passed 
since the first signs of decay were discovered, 
yet this historical bridge has proudly and 
picturesquely stood its ground, believing the 
false prophesy, and as a monument to the 
loyalty and steadfastness of the Kandian 
people to the British Crown. Nevertheless, 
it is not a day too early that steps have 
been taken to supplant a dangerous, though 
antiquarian fossil — by a more useful and sub- 
stantial structure. 
CORUNDUM IN CEYLON. 
Sept. 29. 
Sib, —With reference to my paper on corun- 
dum (describing its occurrence in a rock com- 
posed essentially of felspar) which you were 
good enough to reprint a few days ago (21st 
inst.), I might add that any further dis- 
coveries of corundum (which includes ruby, 
sapphire, star-scone, &c.) in the matrix, would 
be of the greatest interest. In Southern 
India it has been quarried in the solid rock 
and sold for use as emery, which is really a 
variety of corundum valueless for ornamen- 
tal purposes; the same might be done in 
Ceylon, could the localities be discovered. 
Other Ceylonese gem minerals not yet 
known in situ in Ceylon include chrysoberyl 
(with cats-eye and alexandrite) tourmaline 
(except the dark varieties), cinnamon stone 
(a variety of garnet), aquamarine, topaz 
(including a quite colourless variety errone- 
ously known as water-sapphire), and Matara 
diamond (a colourless variety of zircon). 
Any information as to the occurrence of any 
of these minerals in situ would be welcomed. 
Yours faithfully, 
A. K. COOMAUASWAMY^ 
^ 
HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINEERING. 
KECOKD ASCENTS. 
During the month of August Dr and Mrs Bullock 
Workman and their guides made some notable 
ascents in the Mustagh range, says the Pioneer, 
(Sept. 28tli.) After the exploration of the Hoh 
Lnmba and Sosbon glaciers in July, they returned 
to the Chogo Loongma glacier which was first 
ascended by them last summer. At the junction 
of the upper Chogo Loongama with the Haramosh 
branch which descends from the north slopes of 
Mount Haramost, a large base camp was made 
at somewhat over 14,000 feet. They were im- 
prisoned here nearly the whole of .July by con- 
(ii (1 w-storms, and report that never in their 
four, s mers of Himalayan travel have they met 
with su h abnormal weather conditions. 
Dining a siiort break in the prolonged storms 
the ascent ot a new glacier beginning at over 
16,000 feet was made under great difficulty owing 
to the two feet of new snow. The chief members 
of the party wore snow shoes which were of the 
greatest assistance in getting tlirough the deep 
wet snow, but the coolies sank in to above the 
knees by 9 a.m., when the slightly frozen outer 
crust gave way under a powerful sun and camp 
had to be pitched by 10 a.m.. further progress 
becoming impossible. 
In August the weather conditions improved 
greatly. The traverse of a difficult rock peak of 
between 15,000, and 16,000 feet was accomplished 
by Mrs Bullock Workman and guides, the ascent 
being made over aretes and through rock chimneys 
on the west side and the descent down the southern 
rock face. 
On the 9th August, taking advantage ot clear 
settled weather. Dr. and Mrs Bullock Workman 
and guides, with only high climbing on it and 18 
coolies left the main camp, and ascending Basin 
glacier, an upper branch of the Chogo Loongma, 
camped at the base of a high snow peak in the 
range separating this glacier frjm the Chogo 
Loongma. The next day the ascent of its snow 
slopes was begun and camp brought to 18, 400 feet 
on a small plateau. The third day in spite of much 
opposition from the coolies, a last camp was pushed 
to another snow slope at the base of the final 
high cone of the peak, at the great altitude of 
19,355 feet. More than half the coolies were pros- 
trated by mountain sickness. Late in the after- 
noon steps were cut for upwards of a thousand feet 
on the ice slopes by the guides, and on the fourth 
day at 3 p.m., leaving camp by moonlight, the 
ascent was begun. The whole of this part of the 
climb was made in zig zags over slants rising at 
angles of between 60 and 70, and the summit 
21,770 feet high, was reached at 7 a.m. This ascent 
broke Mrs Bullock Workman's mountain record 
on Koser Gunge in 1899 by 770 feet. 
A narrow ridge connects this peak below its 
summit to the north, with an elevated pleateau 
from which ascend two higher snow mountains. 
After a half hour's rest the climbers descended a 
few hundred feet, crossed the ridge and began the 
ascent of the second peak, the summit of which was 
attained in three hours. The weather was cloud- 
less and the view of the North-West Himalayas 
unsupassed. The temperature was 15 deg. Fah., 
and there bt'o-; littie wind it was possible to take 
careful hypsometric readings, which compared 
since with a mercurial standard at a lower station, 
fixes the height of this peak at 22,56S feet. Mrs. 
Bullock Workman has thus broken her former 
world record on Koser Gunge twice on the same 
day, the second time by 1,568 feet. 
While two of the party remained on this summit 
Dr Workman and the two head guides crossed 
the plateau and ascended to 23,394 feet, on fixed 
peak 24,486 feet, which gives him the world 
mountaineering record for men, the greatest height 
hitherto attained being the summit of Aconcagua 
23,083 feet, the highest of the Andes. The last 
camp was reached again between 6 and 7 p.m. 
after an absence of over 15 hours. 
After the I6th of August the whole camp was 
carried up the Bolucho glacier running east from 
the Chogo Loongma, where after two high camps 
