liarly pleasant. We were gratified with the sight of many remarkable rocks and romantic prospects; and after travelling eight miles and a quarter, arrived at the halting ground of Teria (or Peria), about eight o'clock A. M.

On this side of the island cocoa-nut trees are rarely to be seen. No ornamental curtains line the roads, on our right and left, as they did all the way from Columbo to Tengalle. Triumphal arches, however, are erected in many places, covered with the green boughs of common shrubs. The rest-house of Teria is situate in the vicinity of some curious rocks, and a beautiful valley of corn fields, surrounded with woods and verdant hills. The accommodations for travellers are small bungaloes, formed of light stakes driven into the ground, and covered with the smaller branches and leaves of trees. As the sun's rays penetrate easily through so slight a skreen, the quarters are rather hot in the middle of the day, but at night no closer shelter is necessary. Indeed, such is the mild temperature of the evening, that when it does not rain, many individuals of the party find it more agreeable to place their palanquins in the open air, or under the boughs of a spreading tree. The palanquins contain their beds, and form their sleeping chambers, and when stationed on the limits of the sea shore, they afford the means of enjoying a most luxurious repose.

At this place a man was shewn to us who had been torn down and wounded by an animal, said to be a wild bear,

but was then in a fair way of doing well.

The animal flew upon him some weeks before, about five o'clock in the evening, as he was returning with the bag of post letters from Couchavelly, and having lacerated his head, in many places, left him in a state of stupefaction. He, however, soon revived, and walked upwards of an English mile to his own hut, which, in his mangled state, was considered as a very extraordinary exertion. The animal encountered him on turning the corner of a thick wood, and is supposed to have been taken by surprise, as few of the wild inhabitants of those forests are wont to make unprovoked attacks upon the human species.

In the afternoon we renewed our march, and after advancing twelve miles, halted for a short time on the banks of the large river of Cockley. Soon after leaving Teria, many fine rocks and beautiful prospects gratify the eye of taste, and present an ample field for exercising the pencil of an able artist. Shallow inlets of the sea so frequently intersected the road, that the party had to wade through sheets of water six times in one hour.

Our passage over the river Cockley was effected without any material accident, although somewhat retarded by the violence of a gale of wind, and a deficiency of convenient boats. No more than three canoes could be procured at the ferry, and only one of a size sufficient to 'ansport palanquins, two of which were placed on it at each trip.

The boats were pulled across the river with ropes, by men wading up to the neck in the water.

The river is salt and brackish for the distance of three miles from the sea: higher up it is fresh, and fit for drinking. In one place it is four miles in breadth. It is frequented by many species of birds, of different sizes, the greater part of which are of a pure white colour. One species, with a neck and legs of great length, resembles the heron. The body of it is all as white as snow, excepting a touch of delicate green upon the down close to the eye. Some of its longest feathers are of as fine a texture as those in the tail of the bird of paradise; and its tender down is softer than that of the swan. One of the white birds is equal to the common swan in dimensions, but belongs to the species distinguished by a bill in the form of a spoon. Some of the smaller birds resemble the cocatoo, common sea gull, and sand lark. The river abounds with a variety of fishes, many of which are of an excellent quality for eating. Sharks here prey upon a beautiful little fish, which springs out of the water, and moves along the surface by a repeated impulse to elude the jaws of its enemy. But the pursuer keeps pace with the fugitive, and often catches it in his mouth when it is ready to drop into its native element. The little fish here mentioned is not furnished with wings like the flying fish, and cannot remain so long out of the water at one stretch. One of the boat-men informed us that, three years ago, when he was paddling upon the river, his companion

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