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house, Henry Allen. Go away, I say; and take with you as black a heart as ever you gave me in our young days."

"Our young days!" he reiterated, still gazing with a look of dreamy astonishment. "The woman is deranged," and he gazed for a second hard on her face, and then again looked up to heaven, in deep and mental prayer.

A few more words of bitterness passed between them, and the wretched father left the house, oppressed with a weight of hopeless sorrow; for no doubt remained on his mind but that the husband of his daughter had most basely deserted her, in obedience to the commands of his mother.

When I last saw Agnes, she was still residing with her brothers and her father. She had borne her fate with the resignation which a deep feeling of religion, and the strength of a naturally wise and reflective mind, could alone bestow. The round fresh outlines of happiness and health had long disappeared from her face and figure, and her eyes and the expression of her pale face, told that there had been a severe inward conflict with sorrow; but there was a holy composure on her brow, which showed that the peace of God had settled on her soul. Her tastes for all beautiful things were encouraged, and more than ever indulged by her father and brothers, out of compassion to her sorrowful destiny. Her little parlour bloomed with a profusion of flowers, and three or four handsome cages, containing birds of bright plumage, gave an air of animation to the place. A number of books were scattered about; and there was fancy-work-delineations of her flowers and leaves-in bright wools and silk, wrought most tastefully by the hands of Agnes. It was beautiful and touching to see the doating fondness with which the father of Agnesnow an old man-and her brothers attended to her slightest wishes, and unweariedly, year after year, endeavoured, by their affection, to make up to her for the base cruelty with which she had been treated by her husband. The poor schoolmaster had lost much of the gay cheerfulness of manner which formerly distinguished him. Grief for the fate of his daughter had caused him to become rapidly thin, feeble, and gray-haired; but he always strove to have some word of love and consolation for her, and to devise some

little plans for her comfort and amusement. Her brothers vied with their father in demonstrations of affection to her. The youngest became grave and thoughtful, like his brother; both were studious, and it was their delight to lead Agnes along with them in the courses of science and moral philosophy which they were studying, as far as their means would permit. In the exercise of their mental powers, the grief of all was soothed; and there were moments-very many moments, in long, quiet summer evenings, and studious, pleasant winter nights, when they might well be called a happy family.

Robert Murphy's father died within a year after the departure of his son. Mrs. Murphy left the country immediately after the death of her husband, and went to rejoin her son in England. It was reported soon afterwards that she had become insane, and after lingering some time in an incurable state, had died in raving madness.

About four years after Robert Murphy had deserted Agnes, she received a letter from him, in which he requested her to join him in America, where he had gone after squandering, in London, all the money he had received from his mother. The father and brothers of Agnes perused this letter with indignation, and expressed themselves strongly opposed to the project of Agnes ever rejoining the man who, calling himself her husband, had treated her with such base cruelty. Their remonstrances were not needed, however; for Agnes shrunk from the thought of leaving the relatives whose deep affection had soothed her misery, and trusting her destiny to a man who had already showed himself capable of conduct so utterly unprincipled towards her. She answered his letter very briefly, stating that she would not leave her father and brothers, and praying that God would forgive him the part he had acted towards her, as he had her entire forgiveness, but she never wished to see him again in this world.

Agnes is still residing with her brothers, who, for her sake, have both remained unmarried. Their family affection remains bright and strong as ever; and in their perfect union of domestic love, and their sympathy and cultivation of tastes, they create for themselves a deep, pure, and enduring happiness.

CEYLON AND THE CINGALESE.

BY ONESIPHORUS,

AUTHOR OF "CHINA AND THE CHINESE," &c.

CHAPTER III.

GOING TO CALL THE COACH, INSTEAD OF THE COACH CALLING

FOR

THEM--DIVERS OPINIONS OF GALLE AND ORIENTAL SCENERY-GUINDARAH FERRY--RESTIVE HORSES, OR DR. PRINS AND PETER LAYARD-ALLIGATORS OR IGUANOS-BENTOTTE AND LOCAL MAGISTRATE-CALTURA AND BANKS OF KALLOOGANGA-BLIND BOY-OPINIONS CONCERNING POSITION OF WOMAN IN ASIA-COLPETTY-BANYAN TREE-DESTINATION OF PASSENGERS-SENSATION CREATED BY NEW ARRIVALS IN A COLONY.

"Quot homines, tot sententiæ."

BANG goes the morning gun; startling the passengers into the belief that the mail-coach, which is to take them on to Colombo, is waiting at the door.

"Come, you fellow, strap my portmanteau; don't you know how to put in a buckle? the coach will be here and my baggage not ready-here, you can carry this hat-box, I will take my carpet-bag; that fellow seems tottering under the weight of my light portmanteau-an Englishman would carry six of them in one hand-well, up with the box, quick."

"I no take-not my business; I call coolee-he carry hat-box," said the Burgher attendant.

"If you don't take my hat-box down stairs, I will break your head, you lazy brute; I can carry a heavy carpet-bag, I, a gentleman, whilst you, you lazy half-breed, won't carry a hat-boxnow up with it, or I will," shaking his fist at him.

"Suppose massa break head, I take he court; make he pay plenty rupee ; no come Ceylon break head-fight mans."

The altercation terminated by the coolee returning, who had carried the portmanteau down stairs, and who now took up the hat-box, leaving the gentleman to carry his own carpet-bag, or wait until he could return for it, as carrying two articles, however light, at the same time, does not appear practicable, in the opinion of these copper-denizens of Ceylon.

"My boy, you have escaped your promised drubbing, as the coolee has come back."

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"If you give me any more of your jaw I will break every bone in your body, you insolent hound you.”

And down the stairs marched our irate gentleman, followed by the Burgher, mumbling.

"Why, where's the coach? I was in a regular funk thinking that I should keep it waiting; for I could not get that chap to carry my hat-box down stairs, and I was nearly administering a little wholesome castigation, as a remedy for his laziness and impudence."

Oh, never mind him-but what shall we do about the coach? Do you think it can have gone without us; it is a quarter of an hour since the gun fired?"

"What shall we do?"

"Go to the office and see, for I'm tired of waiting."

And off the quartet sallied to the mail-coach office, the door of which was closed, the light of a cocoa-nut oil-lamp glimmering through the crevices; the mail-coach in the verandah, and two natives, with dirty white cloths thrown over their bodies and heads, lying asleep on mats, under the coach.

"Well, at all events the coach has not gone, for here is the one, in statu quo, that we saw yesterday."

"Yes; here is one, but how do you know that is our coach, though?"

"Well, we will soon learn that; but how am I to make these chaps hear, for not the sign of a waking creature do I see; holloa, there inside, the gun has fired--it's past five a long time, and where's the mail?" Kick, thump, hammer, batter, knock

* The Burghers, or Ceylonese, are the half-castes of the island.

against the door for two or three minutes, which at last is opened by a drowsy Cingalese, yawning, and with hair streaming over his shoulders, a brother domestic, just rising from the brick floor, on which he had been sleeping, both coming forward to see what row had disturbed their matinal slumber.

"What master want?" said the native, twisting his long hair into a knot, whilst speaking.

"Want, eh? that's good; the coach, to be sure, which was to have been round at the hotel at gun-fire."

"Dear me," said the proprietor, coming out of an inner room, in his shirt and trowsers, "has the gun fired? we have overslept ourselves, but the coach shall be got ready directly; here, where are the horsekeepers ?"

Then going to the specimens of dusky humanity that were sleeping under the coach, he administered sundry and divers punches and pokes to their ribs, and by repeated doses of the same, succeeded in awaking their dormant faculties; then speaking to them in some jargon, unintelligible to our passengers, they started off.

"They have gone for the horses, gentlemen; here you boy, go and call the driver; now you two others push the coach out of the verandah; and it would save time, gentlemen, if you would let your baggage be brought here."

"Oh, yes; we will go after it ourselves to the hotel."

"I am very much afraid," said the manager of the hotel, when our passengers had returned for their luggage, "that the mail will not take one twentieth part of your luggage, as they do not allow more than twenty pounds to each passenger."

"But what are we to do, then?" "If you will leave it to me, and favour me with your address in Colombo, I will engage a bullock-baudy, and forward it to-day, and it will reach you safely in a couple of days."

"Thank you, thank you; we shall be very much obliged by your doing so. Let me see, I have letters to Ackland Boyd and Co., James and George Smith and Co., Crabbe Crowe and Co., Saunders and Co., and

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your letters of introduction; order the baggage to be sent to Ackland Boyd's; all say they are hospitable, as to the others, I have never heard any account of their hospitality."

"If you will be so good as to send our remaining baggage to Ackland Boyd's' as soon as possible, I shall be much obliged; and will you order the luggage that the mail-coach will carry to be taken to the office."

"Certainly; and I hope, gentlemen, that your sojourn in the Cinnamon Isle will be a pleasant one," said the manager of the hotel (but thinking, if anything can be pleasant in this broiling climate, which I wish I were well out of); "now, boy, call the coolees to take this baggage. Good morning, gentlemen; a pleasant journey and cool breezes."

"Good morning, good morning," echoed on all sides, accompanied by thanks for the good fare and attention that had been bestowed on them by the manager of "The Royal Hotel."

Our four passengers set off with a regiment of dingy coolees at their heels, each one carrying a single article, excepting where two would insist upon bearing a single portmanteau, each maintaining that the burden was too heavy for one; and at last they reached the coach-office, where the coach stood before the door, ready to start. Then ensued the turmoil, caused in placing the baggage, as the only receptacle for it was a foot-board, three feet and a-half in length, and half that in width, placed at the back of the coach. On this the luggage rested, and was attached to it by pieces of coir passed over and under, crossed and recrossed, until it was secured and tolerably well fastened on.

"At all events, this does not look very ship-shape, or secure; and I only can hope it will not fall off."

"Don't be afraid, sir,” said the proprietor; "the horse-keeper will sit on the top of it, and I will tell him to see that nothing falls off. Will you get in, gentlemen-all is quite ready."

And whilst the gentlemen are performing that operation, we will describe the royal mail; which machine is placed upon four wheels, and looks like, what?-nothing to be seen in Europe; but it has a faint resemblance to the lower half of an old-fashioned English stage coach, cutting off the

upper half and doors; the seat for the driver being attached to the coach, so that his back and those of the passengers on the front seat touch. The roof is made of leather, painted white and varnished, lined with cotton, and supported by four slender iron rods, which shake with every jolt of the coach. To this roof are attached leathern curtains, which can be drawn to protect the passengers from the sun or rain, or rolled up to admit a free passage to the air. The roof of this primitive machine projects over the driver and seven passengers, or people, that is to say, four in the body, the driver, and person seated by his side, and the horse-keeper, perched on the top of the luggage, standing on the fixed projecting iron step, or clinging to any part of the vehicle most ready to be seized hold of. Picture this machine badly painted, lined with leather, filthily dirty, and worn into holes; the stuffing, made from the fibre of the cocoa-nut, protruding in various places. Put this on a carriage, with four wheels of various colours, with two horses badly groomed and worse fed, with worn harness, repaired with pieces of coir, and you will have some idea of the royal mails in the island of Ceylon.

We

"Why, we seem to be making a circuit of the town of Galle. cannot be going to take up more passengers, as we are chock-full already. Why do we do this, Mr. Proprietor?"

"We do it to avoid the hill, sir, as one of the horses kicks in going down hill."

"Yes," said the burgher driver in rejoinder, and pointing to the iron splash-board (if a splash-board can be made of iron), where a large hole was to be seen; "him do that other morn. in'; he plenty kick, he do."

"Very pleasant, indeed; and I don't wonder at your driving out of your way to avoid a recurrence of the same view of his heels."

"How cool the morning breeze is. This grey light is very pleasant; but I had no idea that it would continue dusk until sunrise, out here."

"It is the peculiarity of the tropics, the non-existence of twilight. Almost immediately the sun sets, it is dark; and, in the absence of the moon, continues so until he reappears."

56

Look, look, Phoebus is rising from

the sea; how gloriously the effulgence of his beams rests upon the waters. Now the rays are thrown upon that grove of cocoa-nut trees and palms; now they rest upon the roof of that hut, like a coquettish beauty, bestowing bright glances around on all. It is a magnificent sight, almost worth quitting England for."

"Every one to their taste; but the sun in Old England is good enough for me. Don't I long for the chance of looking at Sol again there; for here, if you were to attempt such an impertinent act, your eyes would be dazzled out of your head. But you are a poet, so it's part of your shop to talk fine."

"But what are these strange-looking affairs drawn by oxen, with thatched hoods, and grubby white cloth hung up at either end, as if to prevent inquisitive eyes from prying to find out what is inside? The machine looks like a breed between an English waggon and a clumsy two-wheeled tilted cart."

"That is a bullock-baudy, sir, and the hood is covered with the dried cocoa-nut leaf plaited. The white cloth is hung up at both ends to keep people from seeing inside, as it is the family of a Moorman going to bathe; and all the baudies that have cloths hung up have Moorwomen inside."

"Are the women handsome?" inquired eagerly our young fresh-coloured friend.

"I don't think, sir, that an English gentleman would call them handsome, for they are very fat, very dark, and always chewing betel."

"Well, certainly your description. is not very inviting, or I should have voted for an attempt to withdraw the dingy cotton veil, and had a look at these bronze-coloured Venuses. Do look at those fellows rolled up in dirty white scarfs lying in the verandah ; for I suppose they are men, as, surely, women would not sleep exposed in that manner."

"All the family, sir, will sleep in the verandah, as it is cooler than sleeping inside; and what you call a scarf, is their comboy pulled over them. See, sir, they are getting up to look at the coach.'

"Sure enough, there's a man, woman, girl, boy, and two children, in puris naturalibus. What pot-bellies the little urchins have. Are they

allowed to run about naked? But I suppose they are, as we have seen several, since we arrived, in the same state.

"Nobody minds it, sir, here; they never put comboys on before they are six or seven years of age, except the rich and high-caste people. But now, gentlemen, will you please to alight, as we are going to cross the ferry."

"This is a scene of surpassing beauty. Look at the tranquil stream, with the pink lotus floating on its bosom; the tulip-shaped flower enshrined amongst the broad green leaves; the cocoa-nut trees, waving over, and drooping into the river; and here and there a flowering shrub, of gorgeous hue, intermixed amongst the stately trees, clothed in their brilliant vesture of green."

"My dear fellow, do stop spouting. If you do not make haste, and get into the machine, which, I suppose, they mean for a ferry-boat; by George! you will be left behind, to apostrophize the stately trees.' Well, that was a lee-lurch the coach gave in getting into the boat. The roof was well shaken, at all events. Did you see how it went wiggety-waggety? Mind, my dear fellow, I will be even with you; if you will make poetry, I will coin words."

"So the name of this ferry is Guindarah; and beauteous art thou, oh Guindarah."

"Now, gentlemen, will you get into the coach, before we put in the other

horses ?"

"What for? Why do you not put to both horses before you put us in ?"

"Because, sir, Dr. Prins will start the moment he is put in the coach; two horse-keepers could not hold him ; and Peter Layard kicks if his head is held long."

"Dr. Prins and Peter Layard! What do you mean; we don't know any gentlemen of the name?"

"Beg pardon, sir, for laughing," said the good-humoured proprietor, Christoffoletz; "but we always calls the horses after the gentlemen we buys them off. I gave fifteen pounds for Dr. Prins, and eighteen pounds for Peter Layard; but he is a good un to go, though rather queer tempered, and fights shy of his work; as for Dr. Prins, he is not worth half the money, for he is a hearty feeder, and very

often kicks over the traces. Are you all ready, gentlemen?"

Ready they all were, and looking round saw an ugly beast of a brute of a horse brought to the coach, held securely by two horse-keepers, whilst two others began attaching his traces to the coach, the brute rearing and plunging as much as he could, with two horse-keepers holding his head. The burgher driver sat firmly on his seat, reins and whip in hand, waiting for the restive horse to be harnessed to the coach, our party watching the proceeding in a state of delighted excitement. At last the operation of putting the horse in was achieved; the horse-keepers let go his head, rushing out of his road, and the horse plunged violently forwards, whilst the other stuck out the whole of his four legs, evincing a resolute determination not to budge one inch. Now commenced a curious scene between the horses and the driver, who thus addressed each alternately―

Dr.

"Peter Layard, you brute," whack, whack, whop, with the butt end of the stick, the driver standing up to give greater force to the blows, "cim up, you ill-tempered, lazy brute. Prins, you willin, do yer want to brek the coch to bits; IS EELS will be in my mout in minit. Peter Layard, you hugly beast, cim up, won't yer?"another blow, which had the desired effect, for off both horses started at a gallop, rushing close to a hut, the wheels of the coach grazing and catching the screen made of cocoa-nut leaves, and dragging it clear away. "Well, this is a pretty go, Mr. Proprietor. Will not the owners of the hut make you pay for the damage?"

"Oh, no, sir; they can soon put that all proper. We shall go along beautiful now; it's only at first starting that we have a bit of a bother."

"It is an ugly piece of business to sit behind two such horses, one plunging and pulling to get forwards, and the other doing all in his power not to move; or if he did, to go backwards. It's very fortunate there are no ladies with us; they would have been very much alarmed."

"We do have ladies sometimes, sir; and last mail there was a lady who was so afraid-how she did squall when Dr. Prins began his tricks.'

"And no wonder either, for it re

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