built on the shore of a charming little lake, its banks shaded by
the Tamarind and royal palms. The vine-clad bungalows add to its
attractiveness. Within sight of the hotel is the Malagawa Buddhist
temple, the most sacred of the shrines of Buddhism. We are again shown
an actual tooth of the Deity, two and one-half inches long and one inch
wide.

On the evening of our arrival a great festival was held at the temple.
The procession was headed by eight standard bearers, dressed in full
white skirts, followed by eight more in red costumes. Their waists were
uncovered. They bore aloft flaming torches, followed by the most
fantastically dressed musicians beating drums and dancing in a frantic
manner. Close behind these were the "Devil dancers," four in number,
whose skirts of gay-colored silks were elaborately studded with jewels
and turbans to match. These skirts were so full that when making their
convolutions they looked like inflated balloons. The contortions of
their bodies were painful to witness, and as the reflection from the
torches lit up their faces one could but feel they were aptly named.
Three elephants walked abreast, most gorgeously apparelled, and moved
with a dignity most surprising. They wore jewelled masks, their bodies
enveloped with jewelled mantles, while on the back of the center animal
rested a gilded cage, in which, in a pagoda-shaped vessel, was the
sacred tooth. Following the elephants were more drummers, more Devil
dancers and other elephants, whose huge tusks were incased in gold. Each
animal was closely guarded by his keeper, while riders sat astride in
the most gorgeous-colored skirts and turbans. The chief man of the
temple, representative of the old Kandy kings, rivaled Falstaff in his
appearance. He wore a full white skirt, a large white hat, with a white
mantle or cape thrown over his shoulders. His dignified tread was akin
to that of Jumbo, and was greeted by all along the procession. We were
told he was the banker of the village. During the August festival the
procession is much more impressive, as three hundred elephants are in
line. The festivities ended by a feast at the temple. Along each side of
the entrance the poor of the village sat with their empty vessels, which
were to be filled by those in authority. Buddha was most conspicuous on
the altar of the temple, carved woods and ivories surrounding the image,
where later a dance was performed; but we were too unholy to be
permitted