G.

ACCOUNT OF THE ASCENT OF ADAM'S PEAK, BY LIEUT. MALCOLM, OF THE 1ST Ceylon Rifle Regiment.

"ON the morning of 26th April, 1815, I left Batugedera with a small escort of a sergeant and four Malays, (of the First Ceylon Regiment,) for the purpose of ascending Adam's Peak; for I had been so repeatedly disappointed in expectation of guides, which the Headman of Batugedera, Dolip Nillamé, had promised, that I determined to take my chance of obtaining them at Gillemallé on my way. I merely took with me a few blankets, a quadrant, and measuring chain, and three days' provisions for my party. The route winded with the Kalu Ganga, or Kaltura river, which, about two miles from Batugedera, receives the Mugellé-Oya, about two chains in breadth at the confluence. On the left bank, there are ruins of a Kandyan fort, erected during the late war to command the ford.

"From the Mugellé river to the rest-house of Gillemalle, the distance is about three miles and a half. At this place I procured two guides, after some delay, and leaving the Gillemallé rest-house, we immediately crossed the Malmelloe river, and about half a mile further on, the Maskellé river.

"From the banks of the latter, we entered a forest of magnificent trees, straight as pines, and from fifty to seventy feet in height; and about four P. M. we arrived at Palabadoolla, ten miles and

eighteen chains from Batugedera. Here there is a considerable temple of Buddha, and a large rest-house for pilgrims on their way to the Peak.

"About two hundred pilgrims, of both sexes and of all castes and conditions, were here assembled, some on their way to, and others on their return from, the Peak. The dance was continued without intermission, to the sound of Tam-a-tams and other instruments of Singhalese music, until the pilgrims, who were about to ascend the mountain, began to prepare their lights; and at about eight P. M. they proceeded onwards in distinct parties.

"The Head Priest, from whom I received every possible attention, tried all the persuasive rhetoric he could muster, to prevent me from proceeding further towards the Peak; assuring me, that 'no white man ever did and never could ascend the mountain.' I soon convinced the benevolent Oonansé that I was not a white man to be dissuaded from the attempt through any dread of ulterior danger; and therefore, having been well refreshed, and our chules ready, we took leave of the priest, and left Palabadoolla about eleven at night.

"After passing three small forts that had been thrown up during the war, we began to ascend the first mountain, and reached the summit in four hours. From the next, the Kalu-Ganga descends rapidly; and, about five A. M., we breakfasted upon the rocks bordering its stream, and then continued our route up the mountain, Adam's Peak still towering far above our heads;

"Nil mortalium arduum est-Cœlum ipsum petimus,"

and, after surmounting two other distinct ascents, equally steep, but of less height, we came to the foot of the Peak itself. The face of the hill here appeared quite perpendicular, and the pilgrims,

in advance of my party, were seen climbing up the precipice by the assistance of the iron chains which are fixed in the rock for that purpose. We halted a few minutes to take breath, and after great exertions, we reached the top between eight and nine a. M. of the 27th April.

"The view from this great elevation far surpassed my most sanguine expectation, it was so magnificently extensive. On one side displaying a vast extent of mountain, champaign, and forest scenery, the latter so variegated in foliage and so irregular in form, that I could only compare it to an ocean of woods, whose waves had suddenly become fixed in an unalterable position; on the others, the tops of the hills rising above dense fogs, and resembling innumerable islands covered with wood and scattered over the sea that apparently filled the space below. Batugedera was seen on one side, as if almost under our feet, and on the other, in the distance, the Kandyan mountains, interspersed with clouds.-But, alas! whilst in the full enjoyment of this splendid scene, a thick fog arose from the bottom of the mountain, and drew a curtain over its sublimity.

"The area of the summit of the peak is 72 feet long and 54 broad, and is enclosed by a parapet wall five feet high; this has partly fallen down on the east side, which is covered with scarlet Rhododendrons (Rhododendron arboreum), and the remainder is sadly out of repair. In the middle of this area is a large rock of Kabooc or iron-stone, upon which is a mark of Adam's left foot, called Sri Pada by the Singhalese; but it requires a great deal of help from imagination to trace it out. This sacred footstep is covered over with a small building formed of the most durable wood, 12 feet long, 9 broad, and 4 to the tiles, with which it is surmounted. Upon the inside it is enclosed by a frame of copper fitted to its

shape, and ornamented with numerous jewels set in four rows, but not of the best or most precious gems the island has been known to produce, for to me they looked very like glass.

"We were not, I regret to say, provided with an 'Union Jack,' but we fired three vollies, to the great astonishment of the Buddhists, as a memorial to them that a British armed party had reached the summit, spite of the prediction of the priest of Palabadoolla. The priest having warned us of approaching rain, we had some faith in that warning, as the result of his experience, and made the best of our way down the mountain, which we found far more laborious to descend than it had been to climb.

"The rain, which fell in torrents, increased the difficulties of the abominable roads, over rocks and fragments of iron-stone, to Palabadoolla, which we reached about 4 P. M., and returned to my quarters at Batugedera the next morning.

"Sound lungs and hard feet are indispensable to the performance of such a trip, for in many places we had to climb barefoot over the iron-stone. As to palankins, they are quite out of the question. There may be some risk in ascending Adam's Peak in heavy rains, but surely not in fine weather.

"The summit of the mountain was only clear about a quarter of an hour, which did not even allow me time to satisfy my curiosity, or to take any bearings, which latter circumstance I particularly regret."-BENNET'S Ceylon and its Capabilities, pp. 380-383.

The following is from the pen of an Officer who ascended Adam's Peak shortly after Lieut. Malcolm.

"While we were in Saffregam, we resolved to put in execution a project which we had talked of at Colombo, and before our return to visit Adam's Peak. This plan we have accomplished. Leaving Baddegeddera on the morning of the 6th, we gained the summit on the next day at half past two in the afternoon. Our first march from Baddegeddera was 5 miles of tolerable road through a fine and interesting country, along the left banks of the Caltura river, to the royal village and extensive lawns of Gillemalley. From this place, the King received his store of jaggery. There are about 250 inhabitants, who are well looking and of a creditable appearance. Their houses are numerous and comfortable. From Gillemailey, at three o'clock, we set out for Palabatula, situated on the top of the Allehentenne mountain, at the distance of 4 miles in a northeast direction. The ascent is about 2 miles in length. Here is a small religious establishment, where the priests live who have the care of the Holy Impression of the Foot on the Peak, and there is good shelter for travellers. We slept at this place, and soon after daylight next morning, renewed our journey, accompanied by one of the priests as a guide. The road leads for a mile and a half over a very rugged and abrupt ascent to the northeast, up the Neela Hella, at the bottom of which, about a quarter of a mile from Palabatula, we crossed the Caltura river, and all the way up to the top of the hill we heard it on our right hand running below. The next ascent is the Hourtilla Hilla, of three quarters of a mile, still more rugged and difficult than the former, the road at some places having an angle of full 50 degrees. We then ascended the Gonatilla Iilla, about half a mile, still more steep, and