THE CEYLON MUHAMMADANS. 
menced they were renewed by fresh ones, before the 
old ones had become useless, or worse than useless, 
In course of time, permanent stones were set up, and 
now the old-fashioned wooden mile-post is rarely, if 
ever, seen. So, when Hassan Tambi came to the 31st 
mile-post, on the road from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, 
which stood just a little off the lower side of the road, 
amongst some short grass, he stopped to rest, and leaned 
against it. Far away off, in front, was the Hamboda 
pass, where the road zigzags up, shewing the red earth 
cutting, passing under the Kondegala rock, which pro- 
jects, frowning, out of the jungle ; it turned a corner, 
and was lost to sight, amongst a dense dark mass of 
thick mist, “ Mashallah !” he exclaims, ‘‘if I follow 
that road, where will it take me to, for it seems to 
run through and beyond the clouds ! ” Just then a 
loud crash of falling treesreached his ears. He looked 
up, and saw a long straight perpendicular line of rock, 
underneath wFich was a large extent of forest, and in 
that forest there appeared a small opening. Another 
crash took place, and the opening became larger, and 
Hassan Tambi became at once aware, that a coffee 
estate was in process of formation, underneath that 
huge ledge of rock. “ I will go no further,” was his 
immediate determination, “ for, wherever the axe of 
the infidel resounds, there is sure to be plenty of 
rupees.” Ashe gazed up upon that dark line of rock, 
his eye caught a dark rent in it, which ran right up 
from the bottom to the top ; it was surmounted by 
a dense dark line of jungle growing on the top of the 
rock, requiring little stretch of the imagination iu 
giving the idea of a huge cross, and as he gazed 
the last quarter of the moon was dimly seen against 
the blue sky above all. Hassan Tambi clasped his 
hands, and said, “ Oh favoured man that I am, a 
miracle, a sign in the heavens, intended to guide me, 
in my course of action, for is not this, the Crescent 
above the Gross ? The will of Allah is revealed ! 
I will remain here, and despoil that infidel of 
his silver, for all things are lawful to the true 
believer. Truly I will have goodly portion of spoil 1” 
He now unfastened a cloth which was bound round 
his waist, loosened a knot in it, from which he took 
his money, and commenced to count it. The result 
wa>s soon arrived at, far sooner than was pleasant, for 
a lengthened process of counting cash betokens a 
lengthened amount of cash to count. One, two, three, 
four, five. Five small copper challies was the whole 
sum : one half-penny and one eighth of a penny, for 
eight challies go to the penny. “ The will of Allah is 
cmifirmed, ” he again remarks, as he again knotted up 
the small coins, tighter than ever. “lean go no 
