time been a good path, but was then overgrown. It is now
an acknowledged bridle road.

At 4 P.M., and eighty miles from Kandy, we emerged from the jungle, and
the view of Minneria Lake burst upon us, fully repaying us for our
day's march. It was a lovely afternoon. The waters of the lake; which
is twenty miles in circumference, were burnished by the setting sun.
The surrounding plains were as green as an English meadow, and beautiful
forest trees bordered the extreme boundaries of the plains like giant
warders of the adjoining jungle. Long promontories densely wooded
stretched far into the waters of the lake, forming sheltered nooks
and bays teeming with wild fowl. The deer browsed in herds on the wide
extent of plain, or lay beneath the shade of the spreading branches.
Every feature of lovely scenery was here presented. In some spots groves
of trees grew to the very water's edge; in others the wide plains, free
from a single stem or bush, stretched for miles along the edge of the
lake; thickly wooded hills bordered the extreme end of its waters, and
distant blue mountains mingled their dim summits with the clouds.

It was a lovely scene which we enjoyed in silence, while our ponies
feasted upon the rich grass.

The village of Minneria was three miles farther on, and our coolies,
servants, and baggage were all far behind us. We had, therefore, no
rifles or guns at hand, except a couple of shot-guns, which were carried
by our horsekeepers: for these we had a few balls.

For about half an hour we waited in the impatient expectation of the
arrival of our servants with the rifles. The afternoon was wearing away,
and they did not appear. We could wait no longer, but determined to
take a stroll and examine the country. We therefore left our horses and
proceeded.

The grass was most verdant, about the height of a field fit for the
scythe in England, but not so thick. From this the snipe arose at every
twenty or thirty paces, although, the ground was perfectly dry. Crossing
a large meadow, and skirting the banks of the lake, from which the ducks
and teal rose in large flocks, we entered a long neck of jungle which
stretched far into the lake. This was not above two hundred paces in
width, and we soon emerged upon an extensive plain bordered by fine
forest, the waters of the lake stretching far away upon our left, like a
sheet of gold. A few large rocks rose above the surface near the shore;
these were covered with various