he water bubbles up
through square and round holes, and was so hot (115 deg.) that it was
almost impossible to bear one's hand in it; but we caught two little
turtles swimming gaily about. The curious 'sea-horses,' which carry
their young in their mouths, are said to live in the streams running
from the springs.

While waiting for the rest of the party to arrive I took several
photographs. We sent a native up a tree for fresh cocoa-nuts, and,
having climbed in the orthodox manner, with feet tied together, he
threw us down nuts, green and smooth, full of deliciously cool clear
milk, with a thick creamy coating inside, most grateful to the palate.

After taking more photographs, some of the party set out for the
alligator tank, where the probability of seeing any alligators seemed
so doubtful, that, as a long and fatiguing walk was much more certain,
I thought it better to undertake, instead of accompanying them, to
drive a pair of jibbing ponies back to Trincomalee.

On the way back we saw an opening made in the dense jungle by the
passage of an elephant, which had evidently crushed through into the
road since we had passed. Wild elephants are very numerous
hereabouts, and a hundred were killed not long since by one sportsman
in a comparatively short time. Another hunter made great preparations
for sport, and spent a considerable time in the neighbourhood waiting
his opportunity, but, after failing to get a single shot, determined
to return by bullock-cart and coach to Kandy. At one of the
rest-houses he was cleaning and putting away his rifle, when some
excited coolies rushed in and begged him to kill a rogue-elephant
which they had caught sight of quietly walking down the road. The
sportsman accordingly took up his position behind a tree, and killed
the huge beast quite easily. The carcase remained in the road for
several weeks, poisoning the atmosphere and rendering the rest-house
almost uninhabitable, until at last an official of rank, passing that
way, gave orders for it to be burnt, which was promptly done by the
inhabitants of the neighbourhood, who had nearly arrived at the
conclusion that the possible attacks of a live elephant were a less
serious matter than the certain ill-effects of the proximity of a dead
animal. To me, independently of the sanitary aspect of the case, it
appears a sad pity and an altogether wasteful proceeding to massacre
so powerful a beast, with such capabilities of usefulness, as an