304 
THE ISLAND OF CEYLON. 
soldiers having gone, after the fatigues of their march, to 
refresh themselves by bathing in the river which runs through 
this beautiful and romantick spot, they were alarmed to 
find the place pre-occupied by a number of alligators. Being 
present at the time, and happening to have a fowling-piece 
in my hand, I fired at two and killed them. They were 
young ones about eight feet in length. 
The guana in appearance very much resembles the alliga- 
tor. It is a very disgusting animal to look at, but is per- 
fectly harmless, and lives in holes in the ground. It is 
esteemed good food by the natives, and makes excellent 
curry, or rich soup. The flesh tastes very like that of a 
rabbit. 
An immense number of toads, lizards, blood-suckers, ca- 
melions, and a variety of others of the same class abound 
every where throughout the island ; but a particular descrip- 
tion of them could afford no entertainment to my readers. 
One species, however, has left too deep an impression on 
my mind to be passed over unnoticed. Besides the leeches 
employed by apothecaries, to reduce tumours and carry off 
corrupted blood, there is another species which infests in 
immense numbers the woods and swampy grounds of Ceylon, 
particularly in the rainy season, to the great annoyance of 
every one who passes through them. The leeches of this 
species are very small, not much larger than a pin ; and are 
of a dark red speckled colour. In their motions they do 
not crawl like a worm, or like the leeches we are accustomed 
o 
