human life with the beautiful order of view. In the south-west the rocky ramGod's works, which weary hearts out of parts of Scarba and the twin Paps of monasteries consider the ideal blessed- Jura alternately appear and disappear ness, could here be enjoyed in fullest measure. The life of the lichen on the rock could not be more impassive. The great world comes only to the verge of the mainland; and the larger islands loom so faintly in the distance, that they bring no suggestions of human tears and strife to disturb the solitude. The toiling generations that in long succession sow, and reap, and struggle are forgotten. Only with God's sea and sky, on which man can make no impression and leave no trace, is the wide horizon filled. The sunrise opens up every day its mystic visions of the apocalyptic city; the sunset flecks its path of gold over the placid waters leading to the gates of the west, where human vision ends in the blinding glory; and the far mountains flushed with the dying daylight awaken thoughts of the everlasting hills "beyond which God's divinest secrets lie."

St.

through their wreaths of clouds. Due
west the dark-blue line of Colonsay breaks
the monotony of the Atlantic billows at
their utmost verge. And northwards the
shores of Mull, with their near basaltic
cliffs and distant, far-extending headlands,
slope up to the lofty cone of Ben More
in the interior. That wide horizon to the
monks of old must have been a transfig-
uration scene in which the most varied
effects of light and shade, peace and
storm, would be constantly displayed.
Every sound would be in harmony with
the transcendent vision; and after the
still, small voices of the wind on the
height and the wave on the shore would
come at intervals through the solemn
silence thus accentuated the thunder roar
of the vexed whirlpool of Corryvreckan;
and the spectator would be irresistibly
urged-like Elijah at Horeb -
his face with his mantle before the great.
ness of God.

to cover

From Macmillan's Magazine. THE MYSTERY OF THE PEZAZI.

A SKETCH FROM CEYLON.

I AM no believer in the supernatural, and in the face of the apparently inex plicable circumstances which I am about to relate, am persuaded that they could be accounted for in some way, though whether scientifically or by what other means I must confess myself at a loss to determine.

It may be that the Celtic monks had no power of admiring natural scenery. They lived long before that faculty, which is a product of modern times, was developed. The solemn purpose of their lives might have put into the background all thoughts of beauty either in the works of nature or of man. But still they could not be altogether unconscious of the romantic surroundings of their retreat. Columba selected Iona for its convenient position, and the special advantages which it offered for carrying on his mission; but we have reason to believe that he who was in other things so far before his time, was not insensible to the picturesqueness of the spot itself, and the incomparable views of the archipelago of I had certainly never expected to meet islands of which it formed the centre. with anything approaching a ghost or a And something of the same mind must mystery" in Ceylon. in Ceylon. One generally have possessed the disciples of this gifted associates the supernatural with ancient seer who lived in the monastery of Elach-habitations-ancestral mansions, desertnave. Dreary and monotonous as was ed chambers in baronial halls- peculiar their narrow home, it had a grand outlook. to the "old country or the Continent. Following the broad rift occasioned by The cold, dark nights of the Christmas the erosion of the trap-dyke, in which the season, or the waning twilight of a midruins are situated, to the summit, a great summer's eve, are more suggestive of window opens up there between stupen- ghostly appearances and weird sounds dous walls of rock that plunge sheer than the blazing sun of the tropics, and down into the sea. This window frames, the warmth and verdure which lend a for one-half the horizon, one of the grand- cheerful brightness to life in the East. est views in Scotland. But from the But I suppose all countries and climes height above it the eye can see all around are alike liable to be surrounded with the horizon and nothing can exceed the that indefinable air of mystery which magnificent sweep of sea and shore which seems to have had its existence from time it embraces. Eastwards Ben Cruachan immemorial, and its ascendency to a and the shoulder of Ben Nevis appear in | greater or less extent over all natures.

66

In

Few places but have their legends and | Ouvah side of the hill district the weather
stories attached to them, and Ceylon is is much more to be depended on than in
no exception to the rule; indeed, the the parts adjoining Kandy. On the latter
natives are imbued to a more than ordi- side both the south-west and north-east
nary degree with superstitious feelings, monsoons are felt, and nine months of
but if I were to go into a dissertation the year are more or less rainy.
upon their strange customs and fancies I Ouvah, the south-west or little monsoon
might fill pages, for which, with the pres- is not so perceptible; a thunderstorm or
ent matter in hand, I have neither time two, or a few heavy showers just about
nor space.
that time of year, may serve to remind
one of the season; otherwise the weather
is fine and dry, almost without intermis-
sion, from January to September.

In the following account I wish to state that every circumstance related is strictly true, and I invite the attention of those who may be able to render a possible explanation of facts for the personal experience of which I can vouch, and for a solution of which I have repeatedly sought, but to the present time without avail. The occurrences to which I allude took place on the night of the 28th of August, 1876. It may be as well to state briefly, first of all, a few preliminaries which bear upon the matter.

The physical characteristics of this locality are somewhat peculiar. Although the estates adjoined, and the bungalows were not more than a mile or so from each other, the distance to be traversed by the bridle-path which led round the base of the hills, a range of some extent, was at least four miles. On foot, by a stiff climb, the ascent from Mausa-Kellie and the descent into Allagalla could be We were residing on one of my hus- accomplished, the estates being situated band's estates in the outlying district of on opposite sides of the hill. As this Ouvah, some thirty miles distant from route was scarcely practicable for a lady, the little up-country town of Badulla, des- and I had no desire to expose myself untined, however, at some future day to necessarily to the fatigue of a ride in the become no unimportant centre in connec- hot sun, I had not previously visited the tion with railway extension. On an ad-site of our new building, and certainly felt joining property we had long contem- somewhat staggered at the appearance plated erecting a bungalow more suited things presented on my arrival there. to our requirements than was the little abode we then occupied, which was very small and homely. In the beginning of 1876 we designed the plan, and made arrangements for the commencement of the building. But a drawback existed to the speedy completion of the work, in the fact that the indolence of the native is so great that, without constant supervision he is not to be depended upon, and my husband soon found that his masons and carpenters were no exception to the general rule, and that his occasional visits did little to expedite the progress of the bungalow.

I had sent over a sufficiency of furniture and household necessaries for our requirements, and E had spent the day in making the best arrangements he could for our comfort, but the scene of bustle and confusion which met my eyes when, turning a sharp angle of the road, I came suddenly in full view of the bungalow, exceeded all my anticipations. The estate was one of the steepest in the district; indeed no suitable site for a bungalow could be found without considerable excavation, and this gave it the appear. ance of being built upon a ledge of rock, the sides descending almost perpendicuAfter some persuasion I was induced larly to some depth. From its peculiar to leave "Mausa-Kellie," and remove into situation we might not inappropriately the new bungalow on Allagalla" estate, have designated it the "Eagle's Nest." in order that we might be on the spót, That part of the estate on which the and so hasten its completion. Had I not bungalow was built being a new clearing, felt tolerably secure in the prospect of and some of it only just burned off, the an uninterrupted continuance of fine immediate surroundings were not very weather, I should have quitted my quar-attractive; but the adjacent ground — ters at Mausa-Kellie more reluctantly young and old coffee on the lower parts, than I did, for they were at least comfort- patina on the summits of the hills, dense able; and in going to our new residence jungle crowning some of the ranges, tufts we had to be fully prepared for "rough- of scrub and forest dotted here and there ing" things in a way I, at least, had never done before. But the season was advancing, hotter and drier each day, and on the

on others, and the gradual slope of the valleys between each range towards the wide expanse of low country a few miles

further below combined to form a pros- | myself during so long a period to the pect as magnificent as any I had ever many drawbacks to comfort I then expebeheld. rienced I find it difficult in the retrospect to conceive. But whenever I felt a disposition to grumble I had only to look from the front verandah to dispel every feeling of impatience and discontent. The magnificent panorama before my eyes almost surpassed description.

Just below the bungalow I came to a standstill; the road suddenly terminated, and an almost perpendicular bank stood up before me. "Cock Robin," however, was better acquainted with the spot than I was, and doubtless divining my hesitation took his own way, went straight at it, and, floundering up, landed me safely on the levelled compound above, amidst a confused litter of bricks, sawn timber, heaps of lime, pools of mortar, stones, tools, masons, carpenters, and coolies, a conglomeration of various implements and races, Malays, Tamils, and Singhalese of every stamp and caste being congregated together in almost equal numbers.

From behind this motley assemblage a heavily bearded visage was soon distinguishable, and a familiar figure emerged, its burliness scarcely diminished by a suit of white jungle clothes, and the light of amusement inclined to beam out of the dark, kindly eyes, as they rested on mine, and descried the consternation and dis gust which must have been very vividly pictured in them. When, at length, after dismounting, I managed with my husband's assistance to surmount the various obstacles in our way and reach the bungalow, I was even more dismayed, for although he had prepared me for finding things in an incomplete and disordered condition, my imagination had scarcely realized the veritable chaos which the scene before me presented.

Allagalla being situated at the very extremity of the district, the termination of the various ranges of hills around afforded us the view of a wide expanse of low country, extending to the right and left as well as before us.

Directly opposite, stretching away for miles towards the beautiful port of Trincomalee, it lay wrapped in an unbroken stillness. Some idea of the remarkable purity of the atmosphere may be formed from the circumstance that on a clear day the sea-line can be distinctly traced on the horizon at a distance of more than seventy miles, looking like a silver thread - the white foam of the advancing and receding waves even perceptible at times to the naked eye. To the left lay the watery plains of Aloot Newara the Bintenne fields, where the snipe flock in numbers as the season approaches, afford. ing good shooting for all lovers of sport. Beyond, dimly fading in the distance, the broken peaks and summits of the Kandyan ranges reared their lofty heights — Mchadahamahanewara, the Knuckles and Hewahette, and even portions of the Nitre Cave and Kalibooka districts being visible sometimes. Immediately below The building was, or rather promised we could trace at intervals portions of the to be, a fine large bungalow, containing white line of high-road passing to the several lofty rooms, a spacious smoking-right through the paddy-fields of Beebola, hall, and broad verandahs. But the plan and onward through the park country, by was only just marked out by stone pillars many deviations from the straight line to and partially-built walls even the roof Batticaloa, one of the hottest ports in the was not shingled all over, and through the island. open rafters here and there the sun blazed fiercely in. The only room which was really in a habitable state was the office, and that could just boast of four walls which were already dry and whitewashed; but even here the doors were not put up, and pieces of coir-matting, hung before the apertures, were improvised as curtains in their place. The room was, however, sufficiently large to admit of our using it as a sleeping apartment; we migrated into the various rooms by turns with our dressing paraphernalia, and the few articles of dining-room furniture indispensable to our needs were placed day by day wherever we found it most convenient to sit down to our meals. How I resigned

I found Allagalla a most lonely abode; it was so far from any other estate, or rather bungalow (for estates adjoined it in more than one point), that we rarely saw visitors, especially as we were in such confusion with the building operations that we could not entertain. E being secretary to the Medical Aid Committee at that time, and a member of the Planters' Association, had many public meetings to attend in the district; and the visiting of his own properties, both in the immediate neighborhood and in other dis tricts, made his absences very frequent. But I was thoroughly accustomed to jungle life, and, except on his trips to any great distance, rarely cared to accompany him,

the long rides in the hot sun being so for some days refused to work, and hung trying to me. I had plenty of resources about the compound in a state of abject for occupation and amusement in my terror, which increased on the approach work and writing, drawing and books, of night. Soon he betook himself to one though I often longed for my piano, which of the go-downs belonging to the bungaof course had been left with our other low, where he lay in a state of partial goods at Mausa-Kellie; my poultry-yard coma, trembling and quaking in every and flower-garden too were still in pro- limb, and refusing all offers of food or spective at Allagalla, and I missed them medicine. Unfortunately, at that time, considerably. But, on the whole, night the appointment of a medical officer to was the only time when I really did feel the district had not been concluded, so the loneliness and solitude almost more that no professional help was at hand. than oppressive. Even when my husband Persuasion failing, threats and even force was at home the weird aspect of the sur- were resorted to, but without effect; roundings had always an unpleasant effect nothing would rouse him, and all that on my nerves, and it was sometimes with could be gathered from his miserable an unaccountable sort of shiver that I articulations was a kind of incoherent rose from my comfortable rattan reclining- entreaty to be left to his fate; it was usechair in the verandah to retire for the less to make any effort to rescue him night, when he had fallen asleep in the from the grasp of the fiend who held him opposite long armchair. as his victim. On the morning of the third day the unfortunate creature was dead, and laid in his grave before the sun went down.

To stand on the levelled space in front of the bungalow on a bright moonlight night, and gaze around, gave me a shuddering sensation of something "uncanny" about the place. The black, overhanging rocks above the "devil's rocks "as they were called - looked blacker in the shades of night; the charred trunks of felled trees in the clearing stood out in huge, shapeless bodies here and there, the few remaining branches on them projecting like phantom hands and glinting in the fitful moonlight; the chasms-and there were many had the appearance of unfathomable depths; and the sharp outline of the rugged hills against the sky made them resemble impending masses in close proximity, ready to close upon and overwhelm everything within their range beneath their stupendous weight.

Before we took up our residence on Allagalla there had been floating rumors amongst the natives that a pezazi, a yakkho- -or in plain English, a devilhaunted its vicinity, rumors which of course E― regarded with supreme contempt, ridiculing all the stories which came to his ears.

Still the apprehension exhibited by the natives was genuine enough, and we had more than one instance in which fear so completely overcame them that they succumbed to its effects. One case, which fell immediately under my notice, was that of a Singhalese lad about seventeen years of age, employed as a servant by the conductor, who became, as the Tamils graphically describe it, pezazi poodichidi, or "devil-taken," as we should express it, "possessed of the devil,". and gave himself up for lost. He had

1648

This circumstance impressed me very unpleasantly, and although I scouted the idea of there being anything to justify such apprehensions as led to the death of the wretched boy, I could not but wish that these notions were less prevalent amongst the natives, as it became quite disagreeable having the servants and coolies in a state of continual trepidation, and circulating the most improbable stories amongst themselves and their neighbors.

I observed, however, that those natives who professed Christianity, both Romanists and Protestants, exhibited no symptoms of fear, neither were they so credulous as the Buddhists. The Tamil coolies appeared more superstitious than any, impressing upon one the generally received opinion, which has almost become an axiom, that the greater the ignorance the greater is the superstition.

The memorable night on which the circumstances I am about to describe took place, E- and I had retired early,. as was our usual custom. The servants slept in go-downs outside, built in the compound at the back of the bungalow, and it so happened at the time that the conductor and his family also occupied a go-down, the small bungalow in which he had formerly lived having been recently destroyed by fire.

E- was never a sound sleeper, and the least noise soon roused him. I, on the contrary, enjoyed my repose, and even when dawn of day urged the necessity of rising if we would have a refresh

ing half hour before the sun burst forth in its tropical heat and dried up all the dews of night, would fain have lingered in the transition state between slumber and wakefulness, when, knowing that we are in dreamland, we still wish to prolong the duration of that blissful feeling of semi-unconsciousness, and avert for a while the awakening to the stern realities and commonplaces of everyday life.

Thus, wrapped in dreams, I lay on the night in question, tranquilly sleeping, but gradually roused to a perception that discordant sounds disturbed the serenity of my slumber. Loth to stir, I still dozed on, the sounds, however, becoming, as it seemed, more determined to make themselves heard; and I awoke to the consciousness that they proceeded from a belt of adjacent jungle, and resembled the noise that would be produced by some person felling timber.

to speak. In imperious tones he demanded what the conductor meant by allowing such a disturbance at that hour — why did he not put an immediate stop to it? The conductor's reply was given without hesi tation, deferentially enough, but with no attempt at evading the question. His English was not elegant, but at least explicit. "I should be very glad to stop it, sir, if I could, but I can't. It's no one at work, sir-it's the devil."

I confess that my nerves were not proof against this startling announcement. I sought companionship. Throwing on my dressing-gown I quickly proceeded to the verandah, looking at the clock on the sideboard en passant. The hands pointed to 2.55 A.M. Sufficiently convinced that there was something very extraordinary going on, I joined E- in the verandah. The conductor, head appoo, and several of the other servants were standing outside in the compound. All this time there had been no cessation of the sounds. The regular blow of the axe and the crash of the falling tree went on without intermission. For the moment, as the conductor ceased speaking, E's utter astonishment almost took away his breath. This was succeeded, as he has since admitted, by a cold chill, which crept imperceptibly over him as he stood there, and seemed to paralyze his powers of articulation. Hastily rallying himself, with rising anger, he found utterance.

66

Conductor, do you take me for a fool, or am I to consider you one, to believe in such humbug as this? I looked upon you as a man of some sense, but you appear to be as foolish as the coolies. You know as well as I do that the devil doesn't play practical jokes like these, and that no such person as the devil is allowed to go about as these ignorant people describe - that it is simply a tissue of humbug. ging superstition.'

Shutting my ears to the disturbance, I made no sign, until with an expression of impatience E- suddenly started up, when I laid a detaining grasp upon his arm, murmuring that there was no need to think of rising at present-it must be quite early, and the kitchen cooly was doubtless cutting firewood in good time. E responded in a tone of slight contempt that no one could be cutting firewood at that hour, and the sounds were more suggestive of felling jungle; and he then inquired how long I had been listening to them. Now thoroughly aroused, I replied that I had heard the sounds for some time, at first confusing them with my dreams, but soon sufficiently awaken ing to the fact that they were no mere phantoms of my imagination, but a reality. During our conversation the noises became more distinct and loud; blow after blow resounded, as of the axe descending upon the tree, followed by the crash of the falling timber. Renewed blows announced the repetition of the operations on another tree, and continued till several were devastated. Exclaiming wrathfully that he would "stand this sort of thing no longer," E-pushed aside the matting overhanging the doorway, and passing through a couple of rooms and a passage, stood in the back verandah and shouted for the appoo and the conductor. I remained within, listening in mute as- Logic certainly, but not convincing tonishment to what was passing. It ap- enough for E- Exasperated beyond peared that both conductor and servants control, he called for his gun, and shoutwere all awake, and I could hear the wailing in Tamil that he was going to fire, ing of a child, followed by the sound of a discharged both barrels in the direction woman's frightened weeping from one of whence the sounds proceeded - the strip the go-downs outside. E- was the first of jungle almost adjoining the compound,

The conductor shook his head. "He was very sorry to lose master's good opinion, he had no wish to believe in the devil, he did not believe in the devil, at the same time he could not account for the sounds. No person would dare to be in the jungle at this hour, in such darkness, therefore no human being could make them," ergo the devil must!