I intended to go up to the mines, fifty miles off, where they obtain the ruby and sapphire, but was prevented from doing so. I also wished to see the divers go after pearl-oysters, but a couple of weeks ago one of them went down in the water and never came up, a shark having caught him. Since this accident none of his companions can be induced to do any diving, and for the present the industry, which is a very large and important one, is paralyzed.
There are no fat people in this country, and no drunkards. In a Buddhist temple, which I saw yesterday, was a painting of a drunkard. The culprit was represented in hell, enduring great agony, being pierced with daggers, and the ugliest-looking devil, with tusks like fish-hooks, standing over him, about to pull his teeth with big pincers. Any follower of Buddha looking at that picture would surely join a temperance society.
One morning, accompanied by two friends, I took a carriage and drove seven miles out into the country, through the native city, and along perfect country roads, passing through wonderful tropical plantations and beautiful flowers everywhere. Men and women stared at us as we passed, and crowds of bright, laughing children ran after the carriage, begging for pennies. One man had a basket of beautiful pink lotus flowers, one of which we bought.
At length we came to the oldest temple on the island, 2,300 years old, and where Buddha himself preached,—a splendid temple, the walls of which were covered with highly colored paintings, representing Temperance, Prudence, Fortitude, and Justice. There was the usual big statue of Buddha and the usual worshippers.
The ride was a delightful one, the children numerous and very funny, and beggars without number.
Another day we went by rail twenty-eight miles along the coast to the end of the road, the entire distance through groves of cocoa-nut trees extending as far back from the water as we could see. Once we passed under a banyan tree, the limbs of which had been trained over the road twenty feet high, in shape of an arch, then taking root and forming other trees on the opposite side. We spent the day at Lavini, a delightful sea-coast hotel, and enjoyed ourselves very much. It was quite a contrast to the hot city whither we returned for an eight-o'clock dinner.
[CHAPTER XIV.]
NEWAVA ELIYA.
Newava Eliya, Ceylon,
Dec. 20, 1889.