At the foot of each ascent we found extra horses in waiting for us; these were yoked to the ordinary team, and whirled us rapidly over all obstacles.

Although there is a rise of about 2,000 feet on the road to Candy, we performed the distance, seventy-two miles, in eleven hours.
The nearer we approached our destination, the more varied and changing became the scenery.

At one time we might be closely hemmed in by the mountains, and then the next moment they would stretch away, one above the other, while their summits seemed to contend which should outrival the rest in altitude and beauty of outline.
They were covered, to the height of several thousand feet, with luxuriant vegetation, which, for the most part, then generally ceased, and gave way to the bare rock.

I was not less interested, however, with the curious teams we sometimes met, than I was with the scenery.

It is well known that Ceylon abounds in elephants, many of which are captured and employed for various purposes.