Page:An English Garner Ingatherings from Our History and Literature (Volume 1 1877).pdf/417

 any time to deliberate concerning us. That night, he, being disposed to be merry, sent for people whose trade it is to dance and show tricks, to come to his house, to entertain him with their sports. The beholding of them spent most part of the night: which we merely called our old host's civility to us at our last parting; as it proved indeed, though he, honest man, then little dreamed of any such thing.

The morning being come, we first took care to fill our bellies; then we packed up those things which were necessary for our journey to carry with us; and the rest of our goods—cotton yarn, cloth, and other things—that we would not incumber ourselves withal, we bound up in a bundle, intending to leave them behind us. This being done, I went to the Governor, and carried to him four or five charges of gunpowder, a thing somewhat scarce with them; intreating him rather than that we should be disappointed of flesh; to make use of that and shoot some deer—which he was very willing to accept of; and to us it could be no ways profitable, not having a gun—while we, we told him, "would make a step to Anuradhapoora to see what flesh we could procure there." In the meantime, according as we had before laid the business, came STEPHEN RUTLAND with the bundle of goods, desiring to leave them in his house, till we came back: which he was very ready to grant us leave to do. And seeing us leave such a parcel of goods—though, GOD knows, but of little account in themselves, yet of considerable value in that land—he could not suppose otherwise but that we were intending to return again. Thus we took our leave and immediately departed, not giving him time again to consider with himself, or to consult with others about us: and he, like a good-natured man, bade us heartily farewell.

Although we knew not the way to this town—having never been there in all our lives; and durst not ask, lest it might breed suspicion—yet we went on confidently through a desolate wood; and happened to go very right, and came out directly at the place.

But in our way, before we arrived thither, we came up with a small river, which ran through the woods, called by the Cingalese, Malwatta Oya: the which we viewed well and judged it might be a probable guide to carry us down to the sea; if a better did not present itself. However we thought