a Tartar. Of course we said that we could and would
take very good care of ourselves. Away we rode. Dango with another man
led on foot, with Solon under their charge, Nowell and I following on
horseback. Little did I think when I was a poor, knocked-about
midshipman on board the _Orion_, that I should be able to travel about
in Ceylon or anywhere else in such luxury.

I think that I have scarcely done justice to the beauty of the scenery
of the island and the infinite variety it presents. The forests are not
without their peculiar attractions; the changes and number of tints are
very remarkable. The old leaves are constantly turning red, and yellow,
and brown. Falling to the ground, they are immediately replaced,
without being missed, by the young buds, some of the brightest yellow,
others of deep crimson, and others of green of every shade.

We suffered at first, this day, much from the heat, while travelling
along a narrow path cut through the dense jungle; and doubly delighted
were we when we once more emerged into a partially open country,
interspersed with clumps of trees and jungle, with hills, and a
water-course, and a tank or small lake in the distance. We rode on till
we came to a part of the water-course, at which our horses and Solon
eagerly slaked their thirst. We did not disdain to drink also. While
seated near the water, under the shade of a lofty wide-spreading
kumbuk-tree, called by the Tamils maratha-maram, which extended its long
branches far over the water, we saw from a jungle a hundred yards
directly in front of us a noble buck step out, and, after throwing up
his head and gazing with surprise at us, begin leisurely to graze where
he stood. Nowell was for trying the range of his rifle on him, but I
entreated him not to fire.

"No, no," I exclaimed; "let him have a chance for his life. We might as
well hit a poor fellow who was down in a boxing-match. Wait till we
invade his territory. We shall find plenty of others to shoot."

Directly afterwards, three or four peacocks, one of whom had a train of
remarkable splendour, marched out on the green sward, and strutted up
and down, certainly offering tempting marks. They were followed by a
number of jungle fowl, whose plumage gleamed with metallic lustre, and
who were so little fearful of man that they came within pistol-shot of
where we sat, on the opposite bank of the stream. I had often seen
pictures of our first parents in Paradise