galézc, that Gaüdma or, Boodli,.placed one -fobt on th e Continent, and the
other oil the island , ofj;Ggylon: Thehdghbburirig Rhahaans had no objection
to;-my.paintet’s taking a copy oftt-,! a task that he performed with
great exactness,^
g On our feturn, we -met a : caravan .efrfcaggons-; travelling, from the
southerd .country: towards th e capital, .eighteeh ins piimber: these
vehicles* &ere well eojastracled, and mom.commodious and neat thah the
clumsy gawries. or carts of Indian Each waggon was : drawta.by six bullocks,
and, geveral spare ;onès' followed, l a supply the placé of any th a t
might, fell sick o r lame. A igood tilted roof of bambooj..covered with
painted cloth, threw off the rain- They contained n o t: only; nferchandize,
but also entire, families, th e wives, children, tnonkies, cafs,;parr0quets, and
all the worldly substance :of the waggoner. Each' bullock ihad. a bell under
his throat; The. wheels .not being greased, a horrid noise announced the
approach o f the caravanilorig before itcpiddbe se en. Theytidvel slowly,
from ten to fifteen miles a day, A t night th e waggons .are. , disposed in a
circle, and form a barrier, within which, the carriers feed.their icattle,
light fires, :and dress their victuals, secure from the attacks of tigers, which
much infest1 the less populous parts of the empire.
W e remained at Meeaday until the 22d of June. During: our stay I
made short, excursions to different parts o f the country, jand fbünd little
variation m its.appearance; it was very beautifid, though but ihalf eultjT
vated, and I was everywhere treated; with respect. The news 'ofithe mission
had reached the place.befopsbwe arrived, and excited a. general curiosity
to see the JJopmien of the Cplars, or the general o^f the strangers, as
* Annexed is a plate of the impression, to enable the learned antiijuary to compare this
curious symbolic representation with the sacred hieroglyphics of the ancient Egyptians.