The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-04-27
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the Gentieman's Magazine.
THE IVORY HUNTER OF CEYLoN.
AN INCIDENT FROM AN UNPUBLISHED VOLUME

.
AN INCIDENT FROM AN UNPUBLISHED VOLUME OF
TRAVELS IN THE EAST"
Representing an Alligator defending The Carcass of a
dead Elephant from he attacks Of The Failures
The Cingalese with whom | lodged at
Columbo was named Chirria he had been a
mighty hunter in his youth, and told me
many wondrous stories Of imminent dangers
and hair-breadth 'scapes, which he had en-
conntered in his perious wanderings in the
woods Of Ceylon. He had crossed the Hama
leel range Of mountains, and had gazed with
Asiatic reverence upon the colossal footsteps
Of Adam, which the Buddhist priests affirm
to be visible on the top of the highest peak of
the island, where, according to the Hindoo
tradition, our first father was created, and
dwell in paradisaical delight. Chirria had
resided, for nearly three years, amongst the
Vedahs, rude race of ioresters, who spurn
the social arts, and derive scanty existence
from the uncertain practice of the chase.
y Devoid of every comfort of domesticity, de-
barred by habit from the enjoyment of neigh
bory society, for every Vedahs hunter lives
in the solitary control of his own forest range,
and destitute of corn and cattle, man must
possess an intolerable Partially for the wild
SDOIl vi tHC WOOuS WIN Sdu NOiuitdlIy IcSiSH
the enjoyments Of civilization, for the hard
ships and deprivations attendant on Vedahs'
life
The chief river of Ceylon, the Mahavilla-
gonga, rises in the heights of Adams peak,
and is the Gauges, or sacred river of the
island. The followers of the religion Of
Buddha, or Adam, make annual pilgrimages
to its holy waters the betel-leafis exchanged
between the devotees, as sign Of mutua.
love and the priest delivers blessing from
his holy place among the Buddhist rocks.
NV landlord, Chirria, had frequently mixed
amidst the reverential groupes, and had pass
ed many rainy seasons in searching along the
banks Of the sacred stream for the precious
stones washed down from their beds on the
mountain side. He had also been concerned
in the pearl fisheries in the bay of Condatchy
on the western coast Of Ceylon; and had
speculated in the cinnamon bark trade with
more than usual success.
In person, Chrria looked more like re-
suscitated mummy than a living being. His
small black eyes were deeply sunk in his
head his Asiatic nose was scarcely discerni-
BILE in the dusky color Of his face, and his
lips, split and colorless from the effects Of the
cinnamon juice imbibed during his career as
faster, exhibited the black stumps of teeth
peculiar to the chewers Of the areca nut and
betel-leaf His sinews stood out from his
limbs like huge cordage, and told Of exercise
and toll while his feshless arms and long
attennated frame completed the outreappear-
ance of this restless oriental.
While engaged in the ivory trade, Chirria
experienced rather singular adventure with
a couple of alligators or caymans, which
shall beg leave to give in the first person,
although the reciter's style must necessarily
lose its Asia,ic coloring in the transcription
"At the time resided in Candy, fire.
quenily used TO rove about the bases of the
neighboring mountains, with my English mus
ket slung over my shoulder, and loose my
self in the mighty forests and painless wastes
which skirt that ancient kingdom. have
slept soundly in the heart of clump of ebony
shrubs, wrapped in leaf Of the TALBOT tree,
which encirced my body with as much ampli-
tude as the largest blanket. have cooled
my tired body in the salt lagoons in the quiet
of the eternal hills, and quenched my thirst,
with the rare fruits which grow in luxurant
wildness on the sunny spots upon the noun
tain side. hate the confinement of cities
the free air of heaven seems shut out from
their close and crowded streets.
." was bordering, one brigh, and glorious
morning, in the shade Of some venerable and
gigantic rhododendra trees, when my atten-