t events which may at first have appeared prejudicial
to him, have been directed for his benefit, and that many which he at
the time thought misfortunes have ultimately proved, without doubt, to
have been the greatest of blessings. Such is the result of my own
experience, and I feel that I am bound to bear faithful testimony to
what I know to be the truth. Would that all who read these pages could
make up their minds once and for ever to do the same.

CHAPTER TEN.

A STRANGE SAIL--WE CONCEAL OURSELVES--MORE VISITORS--OLD FRIENDS--EMBARK
ON BOARD A MAN-OF-WAR--KINDNESS OF HER OFFICERS--LAND AT POINT DE
GALLE--A NEW FRIEND--SCENES IN CEYLON--SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF THE
ISLAND--COLOMBO.

Had I not kept a careful diary, we should very soon have lost all note
of time, the events of one day were so very similar to those of another.
Every day, however, we took a long walk, so that we thoroughly explored
the island from end to end. There was scarcely a tree, or a shrub, or a
plant on it which we had not noted. We were constantly reminded of the
benefit the kind doctor had been to us by pointing out the noxious and
the wholesome plants; and as in most instances there is a marked
difference between the tribes, when we found a new plant we were able at
once to tell to which it belonged. Strange as to some it may seem, the
time was a very happy one. I never felt weary; the day never appeared
too long. I ought to have said that one of my many sources of amusement
was instructing Tommy. I very much improved his reading and his
writing; and he was so anxious to learn, and intelligent, and attentive,
that it was a real pleasure to teach him.

Thus not only weeks but months passed by. In that latitude we enjoyed
an almost perpetual summer, so that there was no change of seasons to
mark the lapse of time. We kept our health for all that period, and
neither of us ever had a moment's illness. How different would have
been the case, however, had we not benefited by Dr Cuff's instructions,
and had the example of Sills and Brown not been set before out eyes to
warn us from eating the fish which so nearly killed them!

At last one day, as I was running down from the top of the peak, I put
my foot in a hole, and fell to the ground. When I tried to stand, I
found that I could not, and I had every reason to fear that I had broken
my ankle. I had only Solon with me. Tom was at the huts far out of
hearing. I was suffering a