XXV 
THE S A MB UR 
313 
in the high road to Badulla, we look down upon the 
splendid panorama stretched like a waving sea 
beneath our feet. The road upon which we stand 
is scraped out of the mountain side. The forest has 
ceased, dying off gradually into isolated patches, and 
long ribbon-like strips on the side of the mountain, 
upon which rich grass is growing, in vivid contrast 
to the rank and coarse herbage of Newera Ellia, 
distant only 5 miles from this point.” 
This exact description of the country will enable 
any person to imagine the style of hunting the 
sambur with hounds, as he will at once perceive 
that the greater portion of the work must be done 
on foot. Although I generally started on horseback, 
the animal was seldom seen throughout the 
day. 
The forest throughout the entire district was 
more or less the same in character. Fine timber 
shaded an undergrowth of a plant called nilho. This 
grew in straight sticks a little thicker than the fore¬ 
finger of a man, to the height of 10 or 12 feet. 
The density of the mass may be conceived, as it 
grew almost as thickly as a field of corn. There 
were no lateral branches, but merely leaves; 
fortunately it had no thorns, and was easily broken, 
otherwise it would have been impervious. 
This plant blossomed only once in seven years ; 
at such a time the jungles were a blaze of flowers 
humming with bees, which appeared as though by 
magic, to collect their crop of honey. When the 
blossom seeded, great numbers of jungle - fowl 
