round one of the hills leads to a spot whence
we looked down over a wild valley, with the river Mahawelliganga in the
centre of it, rushing over a bed of rocks, the whole scene being one of
the most majestic grandeur. Altogether, no city within the tropics is
more picturesquely situated, or has a finer climate. Still, it is not
equal to that of Neura-Ellia, very properly called the sanatorium of the
island, to which we were bound.

Mr Fordyce, before lionising the place with Nowell, assisted me in
making all possible inquiries for Mr Coventry and Alfred. Several
people knew my grandfather. When they last had seen him he was on his
way to his coffee estate, which was situated in the extreme east of the
district suitable for the growth of the plant, and beyond Neura-Ellia.
He had had a young man with him, but who he was and where he was going
they could not tell. I was in great hopes, from the account I had
heard, that Alfred might have joined him. I was now more than ever
impatient to set off, and so was Nowell, for he was anxious to begin his
attacks on the elephants, the buffaloes, and elks he was in search of.

"Come along, Marsden, we will set off at once to look for my
Will-of-the-wisp old friend, though I suspect we shall have to travel
fast to catch him," said Mr Fordyce to me. "His activity would put to
shame many young men, I suspect, and your brother must not let the grass
grow under his feet if he wishes to please him."

Mr Fordyce kindly engaged a vehicle of a somewhat antique structure to
convey us as far as Neura-Ellia, a distance of fifty miles. After that
we should at length have to engage horses and bullocks to carry our
tents and baggage. Although I found the journey exceedingly
interesting, as we met with no exciting adventure I will pass over it
rapidly. The road for some miles led along the banks of the rapid and
turbulent Mahawelliganga. We crossed it by a bridge of a single arch,
90 feet high, with a span of 200 feet. We were told that during the
rains of the monsoons the water has been known to rise 60 feet in its
bed, carrying carcasses of elephants and huge trees in its current. By
the side of the road were numerous shops or bazaars, kept by low country
Singhalese, for the sale of all sorts of commodities to the country
people. The Kandyans have a strong prejudice against engaging in trade,
and indeed dislike to mix at all with strangers. They therefore, when
able, perch their r