t
with any abrupt impediment on the shore. One does not readily forget
such an impressive moment. It remains a joy forever.

It is curious how sensitive the judgment is to external influences.
Nothing is more likely to produce a fixed and unfavorable impression
of a new place than to approach it beneath a cheerless, cloud-darkened
sky, while bored by some personal annoyance. On the contrary, if one
is introduced to a fresh locality under cheerful auspices, while
Nature herself is in a happy mood, he unconsciously reflects a similar
spirit, and is heartily prepossessed in its favor. It was only
necessary to observe one's companions to see this fully illustrated.
There were a few disaffected ones to whom the world seemed all awry,
but the majority felt the inspiration and joyousness of the scene.

It was now clear enough that Adam's Peak ("Mount of the Holy Foot"),
which had seemed a short time since to rise abruptly from the very
bottom of the sea, was really situated far inland, dominating a whole
family of lesser elevations, and having many miles of low,
thick-wooded country lying between it and the ocean. As we rounded the
lighthouse, half a dozen European steamships came into view, riding at
their moorings, making a brief call here on their way east or west,
together with a considerable fleet of small coasting crafts, and a
long line of idle catamarans, drawn up upon the shelving beach.
Besides these, there were a couple of full-rigged European sailing
ships, presenting a strong contrast to the mammoth steamers with their
invisible motive power. One of the ships was getting under weigh,
bound for Australia. A number of her busy crew were aloft, engaged in
setting sail after sail, and covering the ample yards with canvas
wings, while the capstan bars were manned by others getting up the
anchor, their hearty and melodious nautical refrain coming clearly to
our ears across the intervening waters.

No sooner had our ship come to anchor than it was surrounded by a
score and more of curious native boats, which are called on this coast
catamarans (_katter maran_, "tied tree"). The true catamaran is to be
seen all along the east coast of India, consisting of three or four
trunks of trees bound together with thongs. These contrivances form
the rude floats which are used by the Coromandel fishermen, and hence
the name. A few of the boatmen who were permitted to come on board
vociferously importuned the new-comers for a job,