L56

ATTRACTIONS FOR VISITORS.

As regards Sport, the attraction of Ceylon to visitors
consists in the opportunity presented for elephant shooting,
after procuring a license, in the Hambantota Distriet, or in
the eastern or north-central portions of the Island. Anuradhapura
 and Trincomalee are good centres, where algo
wild buffalo, bear, boar or wild hog, and cheetah hunting
afford good sport. The hunting of elk or sambur with
dogs and knife is a favourite pursuit around Nuwara Eliya
and in several of the planting districts, while fair trout and
carp fishing can also be enjoyed on payment of a license at
and near to Nuwara Eliya. In March, April, or generally
early May, there may be an opportunity off the north-west
coast for witnessing a pearl-oyster fishery with the operations
 of the native divers on the banks and of the selling
and clearing of the oysters ashore, making a unique experience
 to the visitor. Steamers run during the fishery
between Colombo and the scene of operations.

Shooting Trips in Ceylon: Good Centres for Sport,
and how to reach them from Colombo.
The best available book on sport is still Sir Samuel Baker's
“Rifle and Hound in Ceylon,” though published nearly
forty years ago. A new edition was published a few years
ago. The following itineraries, necessarily brought up to
date owing to additional railway facilities, are taken from
this book ;—
“No.1, The Park Country and Batticalon Tanks.—Game :
elephants, deer, cheetahs, bears, pigs, teal, snipe, peafowl,
&amp;e., &amp;e. To Bandarawela by rail to Badulla, hired carriage,
18 miles; to Bibile, hired carriage, 37 miles; to Nilgala,
good bridle road, 15 miles. This is a good centre for the
Park Country. To Ambari tank, 31 miles.
[Excellent country for all the above game: Erikamam,
Devilane, and other large tanks in the vicinity.]
“ No. 2, The Horton Plains.—Game : elk, deer, elephants,
spurfowl, &amp;e., &amp;e. (now fishing also). To Pattipola by rail ;
to the Horton Plains, 6 miles, by good bridle road,
“ No. 3, Trincomalee District.—Game : elephants, bears,
cheetahs, deer, teal, snipe, &amp;ec., &amp;e. To Trincomalee, by
steamer, or by road from Matale ; from Trincomalee to
Kottiyar by boat ; Kottiyar to Toppur (Allai tank), 7 miles,
good centre for sport of all sorts. Kanthalai tank, 24
miles from Trincomalee on Matale-Kandy road, good centre
for sport,
“No, 4, Puttalam District.—Game : elephants, cheetahs,
deer, partridge, &amp;ec., &amp;. From Colombo to Puttalam by