quires habit and nerve to sit unmoved behind two such wild, ill-tempered brutes." "How beautifully the sea-spray dashes on the rocks!-this constantlyvarying panorama of nature is most enchanting! The boundless ocean is on one side, with its ever-changing colours, and the beautiful groves of noble trees on the other. What a sub ject for painter's pencil and poet's pen! Look at the cocoa-nut trees on either side of the road, bending towards each other, thus forming an avenue through which we are now passing. Do gaze on that young plantation of palms, the leaves spreading out thickly, in an irregular, fanlike form, presenting a beautiful contrast to the older trees, with their slender, naked, tall trunks, surmounted by a crownlike diadem of drooping leaves." "Take breath, my boy, while I ask what those ropes are for, which go from top to top of those ugly, long, gantling, unenglish-looking trees. Mr. Chris-I never shall pronounce your name-what are those ropes for, and what are those fellows doing up there with those red jars? Why, they are at the top of the tree, passing along those ropes. Mind you cling tight with your monkeylike paws, my black tulip, or down you will be, and, hard as your skull is, I suppose a tumble on a stone would crack it." "They are drawing toddy, sir, which, when fermented, is called arrack; and they get it from the flower, cutting the end off of it, and tying it round above the cut; then they hang a chatty to it, to catch the juice as it drips in; and those ropes, as you see, sir, are for men to get from one tree to another-it saves them the trouble of climbing up each tree separately." "Stop-what's a chatty?" "How much toddy can you obtain from a tree?" (this fellow was going to settle in Ceylon as a merchant.) "It depends, sir-from one hundred to two hundred pints." "A slight difference that, however." "But don't those fellows ever fall from these ropes ?" "Oh! yes, sir; but they would rather chance that than take the trouble of going up and down the trees." "The lazy niggers-but look at that VOL. XXXII.-NO. CXCII. chap, he is coming down. Is that toddy?" "Yes, sir." "How classically antique is the form of that jar or chatty: the frothy, foaming, white liquid overflowing the brim, and hanging in creaming drops around the jar. Now he raises it upon his turbaned head, supporting it by one hand; how well he poises his burden, and how gracefully firm is his step.' "Boddle, if it's good to drink, I wish he would hand me some of it, as I am plaguy thirsty. I say, Mr. Proprietor, when shall we breakfast?" "Next stage but one, sir-at Bentotte; but we shall change horses directly, and then p'raps you would like to drink the milk of a young cocoa-nut?" "If it's good, I should, for the sun's rays have drawn forth all my moisture, and it requires replenishing." "Here, sir, will you have one?" Mr. Christf- -(the name is too long to write) spoke to a Cingalese in his own lingo, who forthwith passed a piece of rope round his ankles, confining them together (and the resistance offered by this ligature enables them to press the soles of the feet against the naked trunk of the tree, and precludes the possibility of slipping down whilst in the act of climbing), and up the tree he climbed quickly, until he reached the top, when he threw down singly some young green nuts, and reached terra firma, sliding down the tree, when he unwound the coir from his ankles, drew a knife from his comboy, hacked out a triangular piece from one end of the nut, and handed each successively to the passengers. "I say, my boy, why do you not address some poetry to this chap? Not willing, eh? Well, then, here goes, I will "Dids't thou see, That up the tree And there's both rhyme and reason." "Ha-ha-ha-ha!" laughed our party, and we will leave them indulging in cachinations, and proceeding on their road to Bentotte, whilst we tell our perusers the names of our four passengers, and seekers of Fortune's smiles in the "far East." We will 3 D commence with the poetically-speaking gentleman. Augustus Whalmer was twenty-three years old, possessing highly-cultivated mental powers, and was the youngest of eleven belonging to Lady Mary and Sir Theodore Whalmer, who, finding no small difficulty in providing for their sons in Europe, had sent Augustus to Ceylon, with an order from the Secretary of State for the Colonies to the Governor of the Island, recommending that the bearer, Augustus Whalmer, should enter the civil service of that colony. The irate gentleman, who was near thrashing the burgher attendant at the hotel, and who always spoke and viewed everything in a most matter-of-fact light, is Tom Atkins, aged twenty-two years (we believe him to have been christened Thomas, but no one ever dreamt of giving him the dignity of his full Christian name-even young, very young ladies, invariably spoke of, and to him, as Mr. Tom Atkins), and cousin to Augustus Whalmer, is going to invest the whole of his capital in a sugar or coffee estate in Ceylon. The gentleman who wished for information as to the quantity of toddy to be obtained from a cocoa-nut tree, is James Dighton, twenty-four years old, the son of a merchant, and he will be junior partner in a mercantile house, as soon as he reaches Colombo. Our young, fresh-coloured friend, who wanted to look into the bullock-baudy, near Galle, to get a peep at the pretty girls if there were any-is Arthur Otwyn, who has numbered twentyone summers (the son of an earl's daughter and the Hon. FitzGerald Otwyn), and having just obtained a commission in the Ceylon Rifles, is on his way to Colombo, to join his regiment at head-quarters. These last two had been school-fellows; the whole of the quartette had met in society in London, and as the destination of all was Ceylon, they resolved to travel together to the Cinnamon Isle. "So this is Bentotte; I hope breakfast is ready. Why, it's past eleven o'clock, and I'm as hungry as a hunter.' And the party quitted the coach, and entered the rest-house. "Well, Gus, this is a queer-looking place, with the unpainted rafters, and the roof harbouring all sorts of dirt: but, never mind-how long will the coach stop? Here is a table, with a tablecloth on it, but no other manifestation of breakfast do I see." "The coach generally stops here about half an hour, sir; but we are not particular—if you want to stop a little longer you can. I will tell the appoo to get breakfast ready for you. Here, ap-poo," shouted the proprie tor of the coach. "Now, appoo get breakfast ready directly for these gen tlemen. He understands English, sir, and you can give him your orders, if you please." And away walked Mr. Proprietor to administer refreshment to his own internal organization. "Master like cully; can get oyster; have good fish; like more better gilled chicken.” "Get them all ready as soon as you can, and let us have some good tea." "No got tea; have got plenty good coffee." "Well, then, coffee will do, only look sharp, for we are all ravenous." Away ran the appoo (or head-servant), calling out to the people in the cook-house to get breakfast. "I say, Tom, if this is Bentotte, I have a letter to the local magistrate. Here it is T. L. Gibson, Esq., Local Magistrate, Bentotte.' I wonder if I could find him out while they are getting breakfast ready?" "Let's try. You, happer, or whatever you are called. Won't do that. Let's try boy,' for they tell me all over China, India, and Ceylon, all servants are boys. Boy, boy, boy." "What master want?-breakfast no leady (the Cingalese and Chinese never can pronounce the letter r); too soon comin'." "The sooner it comes the better; but can you tell me where Mr. Gibson lives? He is the local magistrate." "Mastel Gibson live here; but he in court now, over there," pointing across the road to a building that looked like an antediluvian stable or barn. "Well, if that is the court-house, it's a queer-looking place; but come along, it will pass the time, at all events." And across the road walked Whalmer and Tom Atkins, and entered a building, whose interior was in perfect keeping with the unprepossessing exterior, crowded with natives. Seated at the upper end, on a raised, unpaint ed wooden platform, was an Englishman, attired in white trousers and waistcoat, and a checked shooting coatee, behind a table, en suite with the platform, writing, taking down the deposition of a witness, which was interpreted from Cingalese into English by a native interpreter. "I say, Tom, we can't speak to him now; we shall stop the proceedings." "Bother their black proceedings. Here, give me the letter-I will speak to him quietly." And up walked Tom Atkins to the bench, par complaisance. "Mr. T. L. Gibson, I believehere is a letter addressed to you." "Thank you; I will come to you at the rest-house. This case will soon be over, and I shall be with you before breakfast is finished." "I like the look of that chap; don't you, Gus ?" "Yes. Let us toddle back quick, for I'm sure breakfast ought to be ready by this time." "Come along," said Arthur Otwyn; "Dighton and I were vowing we would begin without you. Now, boy, off with the covers. This fish looks and smells very appetising-shall I give you some?" 66 Why, these are queer-looking oysters in the curry; they are quite purple, yet they seem to be fresh enough.' "Don't you remember, Dighton, the oysters at Aden; they were just the same unchristian-looking concerns as these?" "Never mind their looks, they eat very well. Some coffee, boy, and more bread." "No got more blead-all finish." "No can; no make plenty blead Bentotte; no plenty English gentlemans; Burgher, Cingaleseman, no wantin' blead." "Then what do you eat?" "Hush, Tom, he means rice and curry. Don't you see these fellows never pronounce r-it is always l. I wish you could get us some bread though, my boy; go and see." "No can gettin'. Mr. Gibson buyin' two bleads; bakeman no got mole." "Well, then, I wish Mr. Gibson would give us one bread." "You shall have it directly," said "No apologies, I beg. I only regret that Mr. Whalmer did not send the letter by post, for then I would have had a good breakfast ready for you. No tea that will never do. Appoo, bring tea, beer, pickles-bring all that you can get. Tell the cook to grill some ham, and look sharp; though the coach will wait, as Christoffoletz is the civillest fellow in the world." "Allow me, Mr. Gibson, to introduce my cousin, Augustus Whalmer, who was afraid to present his own letter whilst you were seated, cum dignitate, on the bench. I am Tom Atkins, a bashful youth; that is Mr. James Dighton; that, Lieutenant Otwyn, Ceylon Rifles. Now, we know each other's names. But here is something like a breakfast coming, thanks to your bounty, Mr. Gibson." And whilst the five gentlemen are discussing their creature-comforts, we will speak as we feel of Gibby-for none of his friends ever gave him the title and dignity of his paternal cognomen, preferring the diminutive Gibbywho is one of the most liberal, hospitable, kind-hearted creatures on earth; and often have we partaken of his good fare in his room at the Rest House of Bentotte; and when his duty has called him into the interior of his district, he has left orders with his servant to prepare a good meal for us; but as his honest, kind, hearty welcome was wanting, it lost its chief charm. There he lived, surrounded by his dogs-and beautiful spaniels some were isolated from his countrymen, dependent for society on those who travelled from Colombo to Galle, and when he got leave to go to either of the above towns for a day or two. And, Gibby, you were happy-happy in your own kindliness of heart. You will never guess who writes this; for you are hospitable to so many, that our acknowledgment will not betray our incognito. Would you were in old Ireland, and we held your fist-wouldn't the shake be hearty, old boy? But while we are seated, snug and cozy, in a well-carpeted room, near a bright, brisk fire, writing, you are broiling under a tropical sun, possibly seated in your court-house, with its tiled floor, and crowded with odoriferous natives, chewing betel, and spitting about. Prosper you, Gibby, wherever you are, and may you live long. "And have you only these two rooms, Gibson, in this horrid hole? Why, my father's stable-boys would turn up their noses at them. The government do not seem to treat their servants too liberally, at all events, and from this specimen, I am not particularly enamoured of the civil service of Ceylon." "But I am to have a house built, however, and a court-house, too; the governor promised me both, more than four years ago: so do not augurate from what you see here, as some of the district-judges and magistrates haye good residences provided for them." "But," said Tom Atkins, "is the foundation of the house dug yet, or first brick or stone laid?" "I am sorry to say the site is not yet fixed upon, consequently the first block of Cabook cannot be yet laid: we do not use stone or brick out here." "Nor expedition either, it would seem." "Gentlemen, are you ready-the coach is waiting for you." "Good bye, Gibson-let me see you in Colombo as soon as you come there." "Good bye, Whalmer; I hope that you will get a post that will suit you." "I shall be sure to find you out when I run up to Colombo. Good bye, Mr. Atkins." "Mr. Gibson, have I injured you?" "Not in the least." "Then why call me Mr. Atkins: everybody calls me Tom Atkins; but you ought to owe me a grudge, for the manner in which I walked into your ham. Give me your daddle; now, good bye. Mind you are booked to pass some time with me, as soon as I have built a house on my coffee estate; and as I am not a government servant, I stand a chance of getting a decent domicile, in something less than a quarter of four years." Parting salutations again echoed round, and they separated: the magistrate returned to his pleasant occupation of listening to complaints of the natives, embellished with lies, each party trying to outdo the other in their multiplicity-the travellers to resume their route to Colombo; and immedi ately they entered the coach, were ferried over the river. "What a good fellow our new acquaintance seems, Whalmer-don't he?" "Yes, he does; but I pity him liv. ing there without a countryman near him. I hope they won't offer me such a post, for I should not like it at all." "Nil desperandum, is my motto, Gus, so don't look so down in the mouth. If the worst comes to the worst, you can come and join me, turning coffee-planter, though I am afraid we shall not find much society in the jungle, of the human sort; but then, to compensate for that, we shall have good sport in shooting wild elephants and pigs, and trying to exterminate tic polongas and cobra capellas." "I shall take your advice, Tom, and banish disagreeable thoughts from my mind, and feast my eyes on this splen did scenery, so truly Oriental in its character. But what is that extraor dinary-looking creature?—is it of the lizard species?-it looks five feet long from snout to tail." “That, sir, is an alligator—at least we call them so; but I believe iguano is the right name for them; and we have them bigger than that. I have seen them quite six feet long. They are very strong, and can break a man's leg with a blow from their tail." "Are they amphibious?" "Beg pardon, sir, I don't understand you." "Do these reptiles live on land or water?" "Both, sir." "Are they carnivorous?" "Do speak plainly, Whalmer." "Well, what do they live on?" 66 Anything they can get, sir; they will come after your fowls, and catch them very quick, unless you look sharp; and they go into the rivers and catch fish; then they will eat plantains and young cocoa-nuts. Though I have heard there are two sorts of these alligators, or iguanos, but I never could see any difference between them, for they all look the same to me." "Well, they are hideous-looking brutes or reptiles. There's another of them deliberately crossing the road; he don't mind the coach-not be-but turns his ugly mug to look at us, and pursues his route with the most perfect nonchalance. How ungainly the motion of his clumsy legs, as he moves them slowly one after the other; you would suppose weight of lead attached to each of them." "Well, Gus, even you could not find anything to admire in that hideous specimen of the animal creation." that he had a hundred "The creature is not handsome, certainly; but I am quite convinced that his form is exactly adapted to his mode of procuring sustenance. Look at him now, how nimbly he is climbing up that tree; his short thick legs, that a minute ago moved so slowly and heavily, are lightsome and agile enough now. He is after that squirrel; what a beautiful little grey creature it is, with its bushy tail, not half the size of our squirrel. Pretty creature, I am glad that you have got away from your pursuer." Ah! "Do we change horses here? the heat it is intense; the rays of the sun are absolutely scorching. Now we are off again. I wish our journey was over-I am weary of it. Look-what is that bird?—it looks like a peacock." "It is a wild peacock, sir-there are plenty of them in the interior; but they seldom come so close to the high road." "How beautifully his magnificent plumage glitters in the sun, as he wings his flight upwards; now he poises on his wing, and floats on air; now he alights on that noble ebony-tree; how proudly erect he holds his crested head, the feathers of his drooping tail intermingling with the luxuriant foliage of the splendid tree." "Well, Whalmer," said Arthur Otwyn, "he is a beautiful bird, I must allow; I only wish that I had the chance of a shot at him. I wonder if I could bring him down; he is up a good height; he looks well on the wing." "Ah! the heat and glare of this sun -it is most oppressive. What! another river. What is the name of this place?" "Caltura, sir." "What a noble river!-the width of it is great - the waters pellucid, with luxuriant aquatic flowers floating on its bosom. Look at those white water-lilies, intermixed with the pink lotus, and those small blue spiralshaped flowers, almost the colour and shape of our own forget-me-not,' twining around both. Turn your eyes to the banks, wooded down to the water's edge with stately palms, noble bread-fruit, jack, and tamarind-trees. Look at the contrast between the bright scarlet flower of the pomegrante. tree, and the small delicate white blossom of the cinnamon-laurel. How luxuriant is that tuberose shrub, the air is loaded with the fragrant aroma of its flowers. How splendidly the sunbeams play upon the ripples of the stream, and are reflected in prismatic colours. This is a most glorious spectacle, and raises our thoughts "From nature up to nature's God." "Well, Gus, do stop; we know you think it very fine, and all that sort of thing. The water, which you call pellucid, can't be very pure. Look at those fellows ejecting their filthy saliva into it, red with the beastly betel they have been chewing. Just look among the luxuriant aquatic flowers at the nozzle of that black brute of an alligator popped up among them. And as for the sun's rays, I wish they were less scorching; I am almost grilled." "That must be a fine estate up there," said James Dighton, pointing up the river, "and a very productive one. Who does it belong to?" "Old Layard, sir." "That's not a very respectful way to speak of a gentleman.' "I don't mean any disrespect, sir; but there are such a lot of Layards out here, that we always calls Charles Peter Layard, Old Layard.'' "Now, Gus, as we are over the ferry which you raved about, just look at that fellow there; he is regularly piebald a patch of cadaverously-white flesh, and then a patch of brown flesh; it is some cutaneous disease. What is it, Mr. Proprietor?" "A sort of leprosy, sir; the natives are very subject to skin-complaints." "But, Tom, turn your eyes from that unsightly object to the classic attitude of that blind boy, who, with his hands clasped and raised above his head, in an attitude of supplication, is asking for alms; look at his dishevelled raven locks down his back. I must give him something, if only for the gratification he has afforded me, in recalling to memory the antique statues of ancient Greece." "Keep your money, Gus, and don't be a fool. As for classic beauty, I see nothing but a half-naked youth clamoring for money; and as for his raven locks, 'twould be better if they were cut off, as I have no doubt there is a thriving colony of live insects in them." "Look, Atkins," said Dighton, "at that woman with a man's head in her |