Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-08-31


 for the noise and presently the stranger clam bered up on deck and announced himself as MT. Eversieigh to whom Mr. Sanderson had recommended me. had no notion until this moment-and state it in proof of MT. San dersons kindness-that any arrangement had been made for entertaining me at Colombo. It is true that MT. S;lndcrson had told me, on the night when our acquaintance began, to send this gentlemans address to Margery that her letter might safely reach me; but beyond this I knew nothing Mir. Eversleigh shook mo by the hand, and, to my unspeakable joy, handed me my dear wife's letter.
 II have forgotten to speak of Collver. He has been as delightful and indifferent as ever throughout the voyage. Certainly, can find no reason for crediting Mir. Sanderson's sus- picions. In the hurry of landing I missed him, not even having an opportunity to ask about his plans. Doubtless shall see him in day or two.
 "Dec. l0th.-Wnat an entrancing country is this Ceylon! The monsoon is upon us, and flinders my journey; indeed, MT. EvcrslciSh advises me not to start for some weeks. He promises to accompany me to the Peak if can wait, but the suspense is hard to bear
 Jan. 18th, lS40.-I have been m no mood lately to make any fr"sh entry in my Journal. But tomorrow start for Adams Peak. At the last moment my host finds himself unable to go with me, much us he protests he desires 1t; but two of his servants will act AS my guides. It is about sixty miles from Colombo to tho foot of the Peak so that in four days from this time hope to lay my hand upon tho secret. The two natives UhGr real names 1 do not know, but Mv. EVcrslciyh has chris tened them Peter and Iuul which I shall doubtless find more easy of mastery than their true outl;tnd,sh titlrs) are, as l am is b, before. We take Nt:'r baggage beyond the necessary food and one pf nly hosts guns. 1 cannot tell how impatient l am feeling.
 Feb. 1st.-My journey tU the Peak is over. We set out from Colombo ill the early morn ing of Jan. 26th. For about two-thirds of our journey the road lies along the coast, stretch ing through swanpy rice-1ields and intermin- able cocoanut avenues until Ratnnpoora is reached. Our road rose almost continuously by narrow tracks, which in some places. ow- ing to the late heavy rains, were almost i'm passuble; but Peter and Paul worked hard, and so reduced the delay. We had not left Ratnupoora far behind when we plunged into a tangled forest, so dense as almost to blot out the light of day. On either hand deep ravines plunged precipitatcly down. giant trees enclosed us in black shadow.
 The hridle track now skirtrd a torrent, now wound dizzily round tn" edge of stu pent!ous clin and again plunged into ubscu- rty. Here and there the ruins of some an- cient and nbandumrd shrine confronted us, its graceful columns rntMinrd and matted with vegetation; or. again, where the forest brOkc off and allowed our eyes to sweep over the far prospect the guides would point to the place where stood hardly tu be deserted, tn, relies of some dead city, drs0atc and shrined ill dcsoation. Even I, who knew nothing of the past Slorios of Ccylon, could not help being possessed with mechanically thoughts as 1 passed now Il mass Oi deserted masonry now Il broken column, the sole witnesses of A,rucr- ntions gone for ever.
 Between the stretches of wilderness OUT road often fed across rushing streams difl- cult to ford ut this season, or up rocky rlvincs that shut in with th'ir towering walls all but patch of blue overhead. Emerging from these we would find ourselves on naked lrd.-,,S where thH suns rays beat until the air seemed th,.: of an oven. At such spots the .,lain be- low spread itself out crumnleu chart whilst always above us, domrd in tho bluo of a Snpl'hirr-StOne lowered the goal of our hnl".a, serene and relentless.
 W" hai passed train of white-clothed p;l- griulS ill the morHing soon after leaving Rat napuorn. Since then we had seen no man OK ccpt one l""T old priest at the ruined restiuS- house, where We ate our mid-,iay meal The shadow uf the forest allowed us to travel throu;yh the heat of tl!" day, and the thirst of discovery would have hurried me on even had the guides protested. But they were both sturdy, wcll-built men, and suffered from the h";: far less thanl did. So We hardly paused until, in the first swift gloom of sunset, we emerged on the grassy lawn of Duhetne, be- meath the very face of the conc.
 eve had to rest for the night in the ruined ADnhl,lou) ,S if is and bnra tired but s!copltss, l .ny for some hours and watched the innunl"vabIo stars creep out and crown that sublime head which rose at first in- to a tathONlNSS blue that was almost hn.!> and then as the moon swept Up, flashed i!j unuttcrahlc radiance. Nothing. l am tu. c2n compare with the moonlight uf Cry! and cali we'll belic,r it. That night l r., clearly once again Ey the light ot its rays ,. . fathers manuscript, that no point in it should escape my memory; then sank down upon my rugs and slcpt an uneasy sleep.
 Tn an hour or two, Hs it seemed 1 WAS awakened by Peter, who-shook me and pro claimed it time to be stirring if we meant to see the sunrise from the summit. The moon was still rcsplendcnt as we started acrco4 tho three miles or league of heaven that still lay between Us and the actual cone. This lr;i.uo traversed, We plunged down a gully and crossed stream whose waters danced in tie silver moonlight until the eyes were duz2lcd then sweptin pcarly shower down number less lodges ofrock. After this the climb began in good earnest. After stretch of black for est, we issued on narrow track that grew sleeper at every step. The moon presently ceased to help us here, so that my guides lit torches, which fared and cast long shadows on the rocky wall,
 Here a strong breeze was blowing. that made our heated bodies shiver until we were fain to go on Casting one look into the gulf below, deepened without limit in the moon- light, we lic fresh torches and again took to the path. Before we scrambled, now We climbed. We had left vegetation behind us, and were face to face with the naked rock that forms the actual Peak. At the foot of this Peter called halt, and pointed out the first set of chains. Without these, in my weak state could never have attempted the ascent Even as it was, my eye was dazed and my head swam and reeled as hung like fly upon the dizzy side But clutching with desperation the chains rivited ire the living rock, hauled myself up after Peter, and sank down thoroughly worn out upon the brink.
 "It wanted but little before daybreaK would be upon us. As I gathered myself up for a N.- ~ T