52 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WA YS 
CHAP. 
I have myself witnessed the distressing change 
in many localities, which, when I was young, were 
teeming with wild buffaloes and other animals. 
People will now hardly credit the fact of their 
existence. My earliest introduction to the buffalo 
was at Minneria in Ceylon, 1845 > such a creature 
is now unknown, as the few that remain have left 
the open plain, and betaken themselves to distant 
jungles. 
There was no road to Minneria from 1845 to 
1849 except an overgrown footpath for 22 miles 
from Narlande, which had to be specially cleared 
at the traveller’s cost when he ventured upon the 
journey. I can never forget the impressions of 
my first visit ; we had been cutting our way 
through jungle in a long day’s march, assisted by 
a number of Singhalese with their sharp bill-hooks 
(catties), and, oppressed with the sultry heat of the 
dense bush, we were at length overjoyed when 
we suddenly emerged upon the beautiful green 
plain. The grass was about 6 inches high, and 
the plain, which was irregular in shape, extended 
for a great distance. I cannot improve upon the 
description which I gave of this spot in the Rifle 
and Hound in Ceylon , published many years ago :— 
“ At 4 p.m., and 80 miles from Kandy, we emerged 
from the jungle, and the view of Minneria lake 
burst upon us, fully repaying us for our day’s 
march. It was a lovely afternoon. The waters 
of the lake, which is 20 miles in circumference, 
were burnished by the setting sun. The sur- 
