great tresses of vermilion flowers spotted with
yellow, hanging in gorgeous profusion among its bright glossy leaves.
In Burmah these flowers are laid upon the altars in front of the
images of Buddha as a sacred offering. Dr. Trimen appears to feel the
greatest pride in the management of the garden, and he took much
trouble to show us all there was time to see. The principal trees,
shrubs, and plants have been labelled, so that he who runs may read. A
good deal of vegetation has also been cut down and cleared away, and
the more valuable specimens of trees stand boldly out on the grassy
lawns. The present curator has erected a charming little summer-house,
in the form of a Kandyan temple, in memory of Dr. Thwaites and his
thirty successful years of office. It stands on a small knoll,
surrounded by the fragrant bushes of the jessamine-like _Plumieria_,
which is also known as the temple-flower, and is regarded as sacred.

We scarcely got back in time to dress for dinner at the Pavilion, as
they call the Governor's residence here. The children were tired, and
went to bed. Tom, Mabelle, Mr. des Graz, and I therefore started
without them, and arrived punctually at eight o'clock. Lord and Lady
Aberdeen were of the party, which included a good many interesting
people. The table was decorated with lovely ferns, and no less than
seventy-two vases of sunflowers! The effect of the servants' liveries
was quaint and decidedly picturesque, and I believe the fashion in
which they are made is very old. The smartly cut, long swallow-tail
black coat, profusely braided with red and yellow, is worn over a
snowy white cloth wrapped round the waist and reaching to the feet,
and the smooth hair is kept in its place by a large circular comb at
the top of the head. Out of doors, a gracefully carried umbrella is
the sole protection from the sun.

[Illustration: Seychelles Palm]

_March 7th._--The morning broke misty, foggy, and decidedly cold for
our early start back to Colombo. We found this change rather trying
after the heat through which we have been voyaging. We left at eight,
relying upon breakfast in the train; but in this hope we were
disappointed, and had to content ourselves with biscuits and some
rather unripe fruit; for the breakfast-car is only attached to upward
trains, to suit travellers from Colombo who want to make the trip to
Nuwarra-Ellia or to Kandy and back in one day. The scenery was so
lovely, however, that there was ple