making a satisfactory meal. In a
country abounding in game like Ceylon, a person with a rifle in his
hand, and a supply of powder and shot or bullets, need never be in want
of an ample supply of food. While my supper was cooking I cut the
sticks of the welang tree into convenient lengths, and, taking a large
stone, beat them away, turning them round and round till all the fibres
were thoroughly separated, and they became fit to serve as torches. I
had plenty to do, for I was at the same time turning my spits to prevent
the birds from being burned. In a short time I had the pea-fowl and
partridge ready to eat, though, I daresay, that they might not quite
have satisfied the fastidious taste of an aldermanic epicure. I was so
hungry that I believe I could have eaten a couple more of birds if I had
had them. I kept a portion, however, to serve me for breakfast the next
morning in case I was unable to kill any more. I might, to be sure,
have added as many bats as I wished to my repast, but I saw none of the
flying squirrel species, the flesh of which is said to be very delicate
and nice.

When I had finished my supper I felt very drowsy, but was afraid of
going to sleep till I had ascertained what other beings might have
occupied the cavern. Lighting one of my torches, I was delighted to
find that it burned brightly and steadily. Holding it in one hand,
while I felt my way with my stick with the other, I advanced cautiously
further into the recess. As I could not carry my rifle also, I had left
that leaning against the arch near the fire. The ground was tolerably
smooth, and covered over with sand, and earth, and dirt. To my
surprise, after going a little distance I discovered that the cavern not
only extended straight forward into the rock, but that long galleries
had been excavated right and left within its face, like those in the
rock of Gibraltar, while others branched off again into the interior.
Altogether I was in a very different sort of place to what I wished for,
or to what I expected to find. Still, it was now too late to look out
for an abode of smaller dimensions, and I determined to make the best of
this one. I did not like to be long absent from my fire lest it should
go out, when I might not be able to find the place and my store of
fire-wood. I therefore turned to go back to it. I thought that I
should have no difficulty in finding my way, but I had not gone many
paces before I had to stop an