TRANSPORT.

19

on a few salient points, and the wires in these cases span
deep valleys and gorges, several of the spans being not less
than 800 yards in length. The lines traverse the Island from
the extreme south to the extreme north, Dondra Head to
Point Pedro, a distance of 400 miles. One follows the south
and west coast to Colombo and vid Puttalam and Mannar
to Jaffna and Point Pedro, while the other deviates from
Colombo eastwards and runs alongside the railway to Kandy,
which is at an elevation of 1,700 feet, and from Kandy to
Matale. 700 feet lower. and here civilization practically ends.

HACKERY AND JINRICKSHA.

Beyond Matale the lines follow the great northern trunk
road for 200 miles, passing through dense forests and a wild
and sparsely populated country.
In Colombo there is a Telephone System with 38 miles of
posts, 215 miles of wire, and 200 telephone instruments in use,
In strange contrast with the time when it was the policy
of the Kandyan kings to render their territories as inaccessible
as possible, and when ladies of rank rode through the dim
3olemnity of the forests d lu fourchette on the necks of slaves,
are the roar of the railway train, the bell of the bicycle, and
the not infrequent clang of the motor car. all in their wav