The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1892-05-26
CHAPTER XII
A ROUGH JOURNEY.


u was near the end of Jnnuary-of
all months the most agreeable In Cey.
Ion; the evening was 30 soft and fra
grant; the air seemed to have bcen
poured down from some purcr sphere.
whiting with IL songs Of rich melody
nnd scents of tropical flowers
A long, covered snmpan or canoe,
prepared with cushions and mats and
propelled by the broad paddles OF three
lusty Malays; is making Roadway
against the sluggish stream Of the
Ouala river. In the stern Of the boat
sit two Europeans, dressed In the light
costume Of Colombo merchants and
wearing white pith helmets with a
screen Of muslin hanging quarter Of a
yard down their backs.
Their light and well-manned boat
goes boldly up the stream, skillfully
avoiding the huge trunks Of trees which
in this time Of the year abound in all
the rivers Of Ceylon.
Many curious sight these adventur.
ers see as they wend their way. Now
the banks are covered with thick
jungle Of thorny brambles, tall cacti,
bamboos and the gigantic creeping
plant, which the sailors appropriately
call jungle-rope, growing in intricate
recesses which are teeming with wild
animals and noxious reptiles, and again
the tall palms wave their feathery tops
in solemn grandeur.
Every now and then they meet some
other sampan, downward bound, pad
died by bare-backcd Malay, with per
haps some Cingalese potentate, clad in
q long white robe and with n huge
comb in his hair, who Is returning TO
the city utter visit 10 his plantation.
Darkness comes on, but it does not
impede them, for they have not started
till the heat Of the day was spent, so
one of the natives lights chule, or torch,
and fixes it in the bow Of the boat,
while presently the moon will come
forth in all its tropical glory.
Thus the night was passed, and
morning saw those tircless paddlers
bending their tawny backs to their
task. But when the sun rose in pn-
cloudcd splcndor they moorcd their
sampan under the spreading boughs Of
| o broad-fruit tree, and, nftcr hasty
meal, filled their mouths with the
blood-red betel nut and flung them
selves down to sleep the torpid slumber
Of the weary.
How hot it wasi
Not breath Of nir was stirring
amidst the dense mass Of vegetation; not
twig nor leaf f,uttered; the long
white paddy stalks, or wild rice,
| glittercd and sparlzlcd In their watery
resting pieces as though they were
fashioned In FURNISHED silver. The
buffalos Ind betalxen themselves to
their watering places. The birds were
evidently worn out, for they were no.
where to be seen; the bcctles crnwlcd
fccbly over the cooler shrubs, but they
could not summon energy to get up q
single hum or buzz; and even the ants
dropped their lilliputian loads.
The Europeans could not sleep. A
short, stertorous, feverish unconscious
ness was their apology for slumbcr,
and before the first hour OF repose was
passed, they rose from their reclining
position, yawncd weariiy, and looked
with envious eyes ut their humber
companions, happy In the sweet
oblivion Of dreamless rest
by Jove, Campignon," sold the
younger OF the two. what on accursed
climntel After the delicious GOODNESS
OF last evening, this reeking heat Is
doubly sitting. tits like stepping from
Paradise into Hides"
"And what do you think II will be
when we get further away from the
sea shore and the nights will be more
sultry than tho days, Mr.. Dunbar
the elder replied, lighting cigarette
with provoking nonchalance.
II must bear 1t. suppose"
IF you can; but you have seen moth
ing Of the roughness Of the trip yet
In twenty miles more we shall be IL
the Wilderness, and then look out To-
squalls"
"You are Jobs comforter. certain
ly," Dunbar replied; "but sufficient fol
the day Is the evil thereof. BY the bye
we cannot be far away from the vii
lage where we were TO lay In our sup
plies. and get our last chance Of infor
nation from the headman."
"It lies just beyond the bend OF tn
river. not two miles away" WINS the re
ply. "Wcre you thinking OF going t
see the headman while these poor beg
gars take their siesta?"
II confessl was" Dunbar said; "i
you thought you had sufficient know
ledge OF the language 10 conduct tn
business; for guess there arc shnd
treos all the way, and sitting broilin'
in this sitting atmosphere Is simpl.
maddening."
"Oh, guess the old fellow knows
little English, and my small acquaint
ance with the Cingalese will carry u
through. Sling your gun over you
arm, Mr.. Dunbar. and let US start"
It was not difficult for them TO I'm
the hut OF the korale, or headman. i
the midst OF the thick foliage It locke
like huge wart on the rich vegetation
Coffee, banana, cotton and pawpa'
shrubs grew in wild profusion aroun
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