Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-03-05
CHAPTER XII.
A ROUGH JOURNEY.

CHAPTER XII.
 ROUGH JOURNEY.
 it was near the end of Jannary-of all months the most agreeable in Cey- lon; the evening was so Soft and fra grant; the air seemed to have been poured down from some purer sphere, waiting with it songs of rich melody and scents of tropical flowers.
 long, covered sampan or canoe, prepared with cushions and mats and propelled by the broad paddles of three lusty Malays; is making headway against the sluggish stream of the Quala river. In the stern of the boat sit two Europeans, dressed in the light costume of Colombo merchants and wearing white pith helmets with screen of muslin hanging quarter of 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 a curious sight these adventur- CTS see as they wend their way. Now the banks are covered with thick jungle of thorny brambles, tall cacti, hamboos and the gigantic creeping plant, which the sailors appropriately Ioau iungle-rope, growing in intricate recesses which are teeming with wild animals and noxious reptiles, and again the tall palms wave their teatheqy tops in solemn grandeur
 Every now and then they meet some other sampan, downward bound, pad dled by a bare-backed Malay, with per haps some Cingalese potentate, clad in long white robe and with a huge comb in his hair, who is returning to the city after visit to 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 chuIe, or torch, and fixes it in the bow of the boat, while presently the moon will come forth in all it's tropical glory.
 Thus the night was passed, and morning saw those tireless paddlers bending their tawny backs to their task. But when the sun rose in un- clouded splendor they moored their sampan under the spreading boughs of bread-fruit tree, and, after a nasty 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 was!
 Not a breath of air was stirring amidst the dense mass of vegetation; not a twig nor leaf duttered; the long white paddy stalks, or wild rice, glittered and sparkled in their watery resting pieces as though they were fashioned in burnished silver. The buffalos had betaken themselves to their watering places. The birds were Evidently worn out, for they were no- where to be seen; the beetles crawled feebly over the cooler shrubs, but they could not summon energy to get up a 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 slumber, and before the first hour of repose was passed, they rose from their reclining position, yawned wearily, and looked with envious eyes at their humber companions, happy in the sweet oblivion of dreamless rest.~
 By love, Campignon," said the younger of the two. What an accursed 2limatel After the delicious coolncss of last evening, this reelzing heat Is doubly stifling. Itis like stepping from Paradise into Hades.''
 'And what do you think it will be when we get further away from the sea shore and the nights will be moro sultry than the days, Mir. Dunbar?" the elder replied, lighting cigarette with provoking nonchalance.
 ''I must bear it, suppose.'
 'lf you can; but you have seen noth- ing of the roughness of the trip yet. In twenty miles more we shall be in the wilderness, and then look out for squalls"
 "You are Jobs comforter, certain ly," Dunbar replied; ''but sufficient for the day is the evil thereof. By the bye, we cannot be far away from the vil- 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 the river, not two miles away" was the re ply. "Were you thinking of going to see the headman while these poor beg gars take their siestaP' za
 "I confess was," Dunbar said; s'if you thought you had sufficient know ledge of the language to conduct the business; for guess there are shade trees all the way, and sitting broiling in this stifiing atmosphere is simply maddening."
 ..Oh, guess the old fellow knows . little English, and my small acquaint- ance with the Cingalese will carry us through. Sling your gun over your arm, Mir. Dunbar. and lat,us start, '
 It was not difficult for them 70 Aud tho hut of the kurale, ox headman Tn.