106 
Pufallom Sait~ivo?'ks. 
Futallom Salt-works — Nigumho— -Fishery there-— Mai'ch of tha 
British Troops from Nigumbo — Surretider of Columho. 
V'yA 
JL HE coast, as you pass along from Manaar to Columbo, 
presents in general nothing but the most desert and barren 
appearance, except where it is covered by almost impenetra- 
ble jungles. A great variety of curious shells are indeed 
found along the shores, some of them valuable. The oyster 
shells themselves are a species mother-of-pearl in the inside, 
the surface of which is so indented with uneven lines, that 
when paint or ink is rubbed over it and then gently wiped 
off, it leaves behind figures of birds, trees, men s heads, and 
such like appearances, owing to its sinking into the cavities. 
The distance from Manaar to Columbo is upwards of one 
hundred and fifty miles. A few small places occur in the way, 
where detachments are posted for the protection of travellers. 
Most of the road is extremely bad, and the country very 
much infested with buffaloes and elephants ; in the track 
which lies between Manaar and Chilou in particular, where 
the jungle comes down to the very shore, and no other way 
is to be found for a considerable distance but narrow paths 
which pass through it, these animals often present themselves 
in the road to the great annoyance of travellers. Other 
obstacles also occur in this journey. At Pomparipo a broad 
lake is to be passed, which becomes impossible during the 
rainy season. There are besides in the way two or three broad 
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