* * * * *

Madame Pfeiffer, with unresting energy, visited Colombo and Kandy, the
chief towns of the island. At the latter she obtained admission to the
Temple of Dagoba, which contains a precious relic of the god
Buddha--namely, one of his teeth. The sanctuary containing this sacred
treasure is a small chamber or cell, less than twenty feet in breadth. It
is enveloped in darkness, as there are no windows; and the door is
curtained inside, for the more effectual exclusion of the light. Rich
tapestry covers the walls and ceiling. But the chief object is the
altar, which glitters with plates of silver, and is incrusted about the
edges with precious stones. Upon it stands a bell-shaped case about
three feet in height, and three feet in diameter at the base. It is made
of silver, elaborately gilt, and decorated with a number of costly
jewels. A peacock in the middle blazes with jewels. Six smaller cases,
reputed to be of gold, are enclosed within the large one, and under the
last is the tooth of Buddha. As it is as large as that of a great bull,
one trembles to think how monstrous must have been the jaw of the Indian
creed-founder!

[Native boat, Madras: page89.jpg]

* * * * *

Madame Ida Pfeiffer arrived at Madras on the 30th of October. She
describes the process of disembarkation; but as her details are few, and
refer to a comparatively distant date, we propose to rely on the
narrative of a recent traveller.

From time immemorial, he says, the system of landing and embarking