HORSEKEEPER IN FRONT. 
off in hot pursuit ; away they run right through the 
village, the pursuer shouting out “ Wo, wo ! ” ‘‘ Ba, 
ha!’’ Hitapan ! until he gets close up and 
catches hold of the animal’s tail ! They now both 
tug in differanti ways, and the driver twists round 
very forcibly the bullock’s tail, which somehow or 
other seems to answer the effect of a rudder, for a 
sudden side bolt is made into an adjoining shed, and 
the captive is led back to the river to have his wash- 
ing completed. Dozens and scores of carts were all 
ranged up in rows, on the beach ; on the shady sides 
of them the cartmen lay streched out at full length, 
asleep, or, perhaps, cooking their rice and curry, and 
mixing ^up food for their cattle in a large tub, which 
was which always carried along with the cart, and, 
to save space, was slung under it attached to the cross 
axle, when travelling along. These long strings or 
batches of carts used to take a long time to cross 
the ferry, as the raft would only take one or two 
across at a time, and as Europeans and horses had 
always the preference, if the traffic with them was 
plentiful, many a weary time the cartmen had to 
wait. However, they never grumbled, but just took 
it all as a matter of course. They would be pushing 
a cart into the boat, perhaps it was already in, when 
up galloi3ed a planter, and dismounted at the water’s 
edge ; the cart would be pushed back, and the planter 
and his horse taken over instead ; all sorts of foot 
passengers would be awaiting the starting of the boat, 
but they might wait a while. However, when a 
gentleman on horseback makes his appearance, they 
can get across now ; there is no further delay, and 
they all push in, until the raft is quite full, over- 
laden, i nd the rush is only stopped by the boatmen 
pushing off with their long poles. When we were 
short of rice on the estates, and the carts contain- 
ing it were long past due, and we were off in search 
of them, if we did not find them, some accounts were 
generally to be heard of them at this ferry. In 
order not to be detained in the crossing, the know- 
ing traveller, going down country from Pussellawa, 
when he reached the fiat road within a mile or so 
of the ferry, would despatch his horsekeeper on, in 
advance, the detain the ferry boat until his arri- 
val. The boatmen were always civil and obliging, and, 
if told a gentleman on horseback would be up in a 
few minutes, they would always wait. If you were in 
the habit of travelling the road frequently, it would 
be a good plan to tell them the name of your estate, 
and give them a tip at times. A few coppers would 
be thankfully received, and it would be well-spent 
