304 
THE ISLAND OF CEYLON. 
of the hall in the front, with a chamber at each side, and 
another room in the back part, equal in length to the other 
three, and called the bach viranda. This apartment, owing to 
the sloping form of the roofs, is much lower than those in the 
front. Behind the back viranda are one or two ranges of 
* 
smaller buildings, proportioned to the size of the house to 
which they are attached, and intended for the accommoda- 
tion of the servants, for cellars, and sometimes for sleeping 
rooms. 
The houses are covered with indented tiles ; very indiffer- 
ently indeed, as I have had occasion to remember from ex- 
perience. During the rainy season most of them admit water 
in such a manner, that it is difficult to find a dry spot to 
place one’s head under. I have frequently been obliged to 
exert my ingenuity on such occasions ; and, after all, could 
barely make a shift to sleep a whole night in one place with- 
out getting drenched. The chief cause of these disasters to 
the tiles arises from the crows, who are in the habit of pick- 
ing up bones and other things from the streets and yards, and 
carrying them to the tops of the houses, where a stout battle 
usually ensues for the plunder, to the great annoyance of the 
people below, and the continual destruction of the tiles. The 
monkies also, a number of whom run wild about the fort, are 
often very troublesome, and lend their assistance in demolish- 
ing the tiles. Both the crows and monkies know how to avail 
themselves of any entrance, which they find or make into the 
houses; and it requires no small attention to prevent them 
