S88 Journal of the Embassy 
efforts, and thoiigli tire troops and pioneers liad been employed 
two days in clearing away the stomps of trees and pieces of 
rock, which obstructed the passage, w^e were obliged after 
all to leave the guns live miles in the rear, with a covering 
party of two companies of Sepoys, while the Europeans and 
the rest of the native troops marched on to a very exten- 
sive tope of cocoa-trees near Rnanelli, called Resue Orti Pa- 
lagomby Watty, or the King’s Royal Gardens, wdiere we en- 
camped. The leeches infested us in this march to a most 
alarming degree; most of the soldiers had their legs and dif- 
ferent parts of their bodies streaming with blood. On taking 
off' my gloves and boots I found that I had not escaped, for 
what I had taken to be nothing more than excessive perspira- 
tion, now turned out to be the effects of these leeches. The 
officers and men employed in clearing the jungles presented an 
appearance absolutely shocking, as they seemed to be complete- 
ly covered wdth blood. Nor w’’as it possible by any precau- 
tion to prevent the attacks of the leeches, owing to the 
immense multitudes of them which swarmed among the bushes 
and the grass. The Dutch always said they were one of the 
worst enemies they had to encounter. The only serious acci- 
dent which occurred to us on this day’s march w^as one of the 
Europeans being struck with a coup de soleil, which rendered 
him for some hours delirious. It was impossible to avoid the heat 
by marching before sun-rise, as the rain, which fell the pre- 
. ceding day, had so completely drenched our tents, that we were 
forced to remain till the morning sun had sufficiently dried 
them. The guns besides could not be conveyed without day- 
light through the shocking roads which we were obliged to 
pass. 3 
