86 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
its powers of extension are so great, that, when drawn 
out to its extreme length, it resembles a light fine cord. 
The point which it inserts into the pores of the skin 
is so sharp that it readily penetrates the minutest 
orifices, and when once securely fixed, it is both diffi- 
cult and painful to get the creature off. Where they 
abound, it is impossible to escape them, except by 
covering the body from head to foot with linen closely 
woven, and without any openings, or, if there be any, 
by having them so carefully closed as to prevent the 
possibility of the leeches finding ingress. Their bite 
is very troublesome, being apt to fester, and to ter- 
minate in an ulcerous sore. Not unfrecpiently, where 
the habit of body happens to be bad, they produce 
large ulcers, which, in many cases, have caused the 
loss of the limb, and in some the loss of life. The 
wound inflicted by these leeches produces at first a 
sharp pain, which is succeeded by the most intolerable 
itching; and, if any part of the body is exposed, the 
moment you destroy one of your tormentors another 
is sure to succeed. They draw an amazing quantity 
of blood in a very short time, which of course in so 
warm a climate soon produces considerable prostration 
of strength. This torment of the traveller in Ceylon 
is highly disgusting to look at, not so much, however, 
from its positive ugliness, as from the painful associa- 
tions which the sight of it immediately challenges. 
An idea has prevailed, probably from Mr. Lewis’s 
popular tale on the subject, that the boa constrictor is 
a native of Ceylon. This is quite a mistake, as it is 
nowhere found on the island; there is however a 
large snake called the pimberah, which is not uncom- 
