and panorama of magnificent hills on the banks of the river already
named, which is here crossed by a suspension bridge. The road from
this point to Neura-Ellia begins to ascend the hilly region along the
face of steep acclivities and precipitous banks. One can nearly reach
Neura-Ellia by rail, but the route we have described is by far the
most interesting in point of scenic effects.

This is a Singhalese watering-place, the Saratoga of the island, the
one popular health resort of the wealthy natives, as well as of
strangers and English officials whose headquarters are on the sea
coast. It is situated a little over one hundred miles eastward from
Colombo, at an elevation of nearly seven thousand feet, while the
surrounding mountains are between one and two thousand feet higher.
The English government has established a sanitarium here for invalid
soldiers, and a small detachment of infantry is always stationed on
the spot, more for form than because of any real necessity. It is a
region where cool, gray skies and frequent rains prevail, and where a
fire is needed most of the year, and indeed it is almost a necessity
after sunset at all seasons. The thermometer never rises above 70 deg.
Fahr., and the average temperature is 60 deg.. The change from oven-like
Colombo in midsummer to the air of this invigorating region is truly
delightful. When the author was at Neura-Ellia, early in January
(being at our antipodes, it was then summer in Ceylon), the weather
was lovely, his companions were cultured, appreciative, and
sympathizing, and everything joined in producing a store of delicious
and lasting memories. The strong, invigorating mountain breezes were
most enjoyable after a period of oppressive heat endured on the coast.
The locality recalled a somewhat similar experience in passing from
Calcutta to Darjeeling, an English sanitarium near the foot of the
Himalayan range of mountains, overlooking the plains of Hindustan on
the one hand, while on the other affording a view of that series of
mountains whose loftiest point, Mount Everest, forms the apex of our
globe, its cloud-capped, sky-reaching summit being nearly thirty
thousand feet above the level of the sea.

There are several fairly good hotels at Neura-Ellia, two
banking-houses, a church, a club-house, and a large number of private
cottages scattered about the hills and valley, overlooking a lake of
some two miles in length and a mile in width. This has been stocked