But there were also 'three images of Bhudda,' a
coloured plaster-of-Paris image of the Queen and Prince Albert upon the
altar, and a very questionable penny print in vivid colours hanging over
the altar, entitled the 'Stolen Kiss.' So much for the conversion of the
heathen in Ceylon. The attempt should only be made in the schools, where
the children may be brought up as Christians, but the idea of converting
the grown-up heathen is a fallacy.
CHAPTER V.
The Four-ounce again--Tidings of a Rogue--Approaching a Tank Rogue --An
Exciting Moment--Ruins of Pollanarua--Ancient Ruins--Rogues at
Doolana--B. Charged by a Rogue--Planning an Attack--A Check--Narrow
Escape--Rogue-stalking--A Bad Rogue--Dangers of Elephant-shooting--The
Rhatamahatmeya's Tale.
A broken nipple in my long two-ounce rifle took me to Trincomalee, about
seventy miles out of my proposed route. Here I had it punched out and
replaced with a new one, which I fortunately had with me. No one who has
not experienced the loss can imagine the disgust occasioned by an
accident to a favourite rifle in a wild country. A spare nipple and
mainspring for each barrel and lock should always be taken on a shooting
trip.
In passing by Kandelly, on my return from Trincomalee, I paid a second
visit to the lake. This is very similar to that of Minneria; but the
shooting at that time was destroyed from the same cause which has since
ruined Minneria--'too many guns.' The buffaloes were not worthy of the
name; I could not make one show fight, nor could I even get within three
hundred yards of them. I returned from the plain with disgust; but just
as I was quitting the shores of the lake I noticed three buffaloes in
the shallows about knee-deep in the water, nearly half a mile from me.
They did not look bigger than dogs, the distance was so great.
There is nothing like a sheet of water for trying a rifle; the splash of
the ball shows with such distinctness the accuracy or the defect in the
shooting. It was necessary that I should fire my guns off in order to
clean them that evening: I therefore tried their power at this immense
distance.
The long two-ounce fell short, but in a good line. I took a rest upon a
man's shoulder with the four-ounce rifle, and, putting up the last
sight, I aimed at the leading buffalo, who was walking through the water
parallel with us. I aimed at the outline of the throat, to allow for his
pace at this great distance. The recoil of the rifle cut the man's ear
open, as there were sixteen drachms of powder in this charge.
