I.

"The Cingalese declare that the Queen of the Dhahs is a Sahibmem," said

Hassan--meaning by this expression an Englishwoman.

"I don't think that can be true," responded Denviers; "it is hardly

possible that any civilized human being would care to reign over such a

queer race as those just described appear to be----"

"The Englishman is wrong in what he says," interrupted an

indolent-looking native, "for I once saw her myself!"

"You!" I exclaimed, "then tell us what you know about this queen." The

native was, however, by no means disposed to conversation, or indeed to

do anything that disturbed his serenity.

From Southern India we had crossed over to Ceylon, and after a somewhat

prolonged stay at Colombo, struck into the interior of the island. We

visited Kandi, and having travelled for some days in the hilly district

which surrounds it, arrived at the palm-covered hut of a Cingalese

labourer, where, in spite of his protests, we stayed for a day to rest

ourselves. Round the stems of the palms about us we saw, high up, that

dead brushwood had been placed, by the rustling of which at night our

unwilling host could tell if his few neighbours contemplated robbing him

of the fruits of his toil. The only work, however, which he seemed to do

was to stand at the door of his hut and gaze vacantly at the plantation

of palm trees which he owned, and to shake his head--usually in the

negative--whenever we attempted to entice him into a conversation.

"Well," said Denviers, looking with annoyance at our host, "if this

Cingalese is too idle to tell us the full facts, I suppose we had better

find them out for ourselves." Then turning to the man he asked:--

"How far is the district over which these strange Dhahs are said to

wander?" The native pointed slowly to the north and then answered:--

[Illustration: "THE NATIVE POINTED TO THE NORTH."]

"The Dhahs were wandering afar in the forest when last I saw them, which

was fully a day's journey from here, but the sun was hot and I grew

tired." His remark certainly did not convey much information to us, but

before an hour had elapsed we set out, guided only by the forest, which

could be seen far away in the distance. Hour after hour passed until at

last evening came, and even then we were only entering upon the fringe

of the great forest which rose before us, and seemed to shut out the sky

as we wandered into the thickness of the undergrowth and gazed up at the

lofty tops of the trees which bent each other's branches as they

interlaced one with another.

We stopped at last to rest and to refresh ourselves, after which we

reclined upon the ground, facing a wide clearing in the forest, where we

laid talking idly for some time, until the voice of Hassan warned us

that someone was approaching. We listened attentively for a minute, but

no sound could be heard by us save that of the fluttering of the wings

of some bird among the branches above.

"You heard nothing, Hassan," said Denviers, "or else you mistook the

rustling above for someone wandering in the forest glade." The Arab

turned to my companion and then responded:--

"Hassan has long been accustomed to distinguish different sounds from a

distance, the one which was heard a minute ago was caused by a human

foot." He pointed to a tangled clump a little to the right of us, as he

continued:--

"Listen, sahibs, for the sound of footsteps is surely drawing near. From

yonder thicket the wanderer will doubtless emerge." Presently a sound

fell upon our ears, and a moment afterwards we heard the crackling of

dead twigs as if someone was passing over them.

"The feet of the one who is approaching us are uncovered," volunteered

our guide, whose keen sense of hearing was vastly superior to our own,

and its accuracy was again proved fully, for, pushing aside the

undergrowth which hindered his path, there stepped out upon the level

track before us a singularly well-formed being, whose whole appearance

was that of a man in his primitive, savage state. He was fully six feet

in height, and wonderfully erect, his nut-brown skin forming a warm

setting for the rich, dark eyes which so distinguish Eastern races. His

black hair clustered thickly above his forehead, on which we observed a

circular spot, crimson in colour, and much resembling the _pottu_ which

Shiva women daily paint above their brows as a religious emblem. As

Hassan had already said, the man's feet were bare of covering, while the

single garment which he wore was a brightly spotted panther skin, which

passed over the left shoulder to the right side, and then hung down

carelessly to the knees. In one hand he carried a stout bow, and the

band which crossed his body over the right shoulder supported a quiver

which hung gracefully behind. A savage, and in such a rude garb, the man

seemed almost grand in his very simplicity.

[Illustration: "A DHAH!"]

"A Dhah!" exclaimed Hassan, quietly. "We have, indeed, met with good

fortune." Again we heard the brushwood crackle, and a second man,

resembling the first in appearance and dress, came forward, and together

they held a conversation, interspersed largely with the gestures which

play so prominent a part in the language of barbaric tribes.

"What can they be searching for?" Denviers asked Hassan, as the men

seemed to be closely examining the trunks of several of the palm trees.

"I cannot tell, sahib," responded the Arab. Then he continued with a

warning movement:--

"Hist! there are others coming, and they are bearing loads with them."

Through the brushwood we next saw several Dhahs advance, each carrying

upon his head a huge bundle of some twining plant belonging to a species

which we had not observed hitherto during our wanderings in Ceylon. From

its appearance we likened it to a giant convolvulus, for, while the

pliant stem was as thick as a man's arm, there hung from it huge leaves

and petals resembling that flower in shape. We moved cautiously into the

undergrowth behind, thus getting a little farther away from the Dhahs,

and, lying with our bodies stretched upon the ground at full length, we

supported our heads upon our hands and narrowly watched the scene before

us.

Following the commands of the Dhah whom we had first seen, one of the

others deftly threw upwards a long coil of the climbing plant, which, on

reaching a part of the trunk of one of the palm trees some distance

above his head, twined round the stem. The rope-like plant was then

fastened to another palm tree some little distance in front of the

first, and lower down. Continuing this process in all directions we saw

them construct before our astonished eyes a wonderful tent, the leafy

green roof and sides of which glowed with a massy setting of white and

crimson flowers. The front almost faced us, so that the interior of the

tent was disclosed to our view, and then this strange tribe next placed

within the tent a number of rich skins of various animals killed in the

chase, the whole effect being viewed with satisfaction by the Dhahs when

at last their labour was finished.

"What a curious tent!" Denviers exclaimed. "These Dhahs are indeed a

strange people."

Just as he spoke a messenger came to them through the brushwood,

whereupon the men who had constructed the tent threw themselves down on

either side of it. Within a few minutes we heard the sound of a number

of footsteps approaching, and then a band of Dhahs stepped out from the

brushwood through which the first had come, and joined those resting by

the tent. Following these, we next saw a number of others, who ranged

themselves before the men in a standing posture, and as they did so we

judged from their attire that they were women.

Their raven hair was loosely twisted and threaded with pearls, while

pendants of the latter hung from their ears. The garb which covered

their forms was made of similar skins to those which the men wore, but

more elaborately wrought, in addition to being gathered at the waist by

a glittering belt made of the plumage of beautiful birds. Here and there

a dark-eyed and lightly-clad child could be seen standing among the

women. From time to time the glances of the Dhahs were turned in the

direction whence they had entered the forest clearing, and the sound of

their voices then ceased. They were evidently expecting someone, and we,

remembering the strange rumour as to the nationality of their queen,

began to watch the brushwood with considerable interest, being anxious

to see her as soon as she emerged. That some event of unusual moment was

about to take place upon her arrival we felt sure, from the disappointed

looks which overspread the Dhahs' faces each time that their expectation

of her coming was not realized.

"What do you think is about to happen?" I whispered to Denviers, as we

kept quite still, fearing lest our presence should be discovered.

"Something strange, no doubt," he responded, "for I notice that the

crimson mark which we saw upon the men's foreheads also adorns those of

the women, and seems to have been recently placed there." Here Hassan

interposed, in his usually clear, grave tone:--

"It is very rarely, indeed, sahibs, that the Dhahs have been seen

wandering on the borders of the forest, for they usually keep within the

wild and pathless interior; so, at least, your slave heard in Kandi."

"Well," I added, "we certainly have much to be thankful for, since there

is every chance of our remaining here unobserved, and witnessing

whatever ceremony is about to take place. The sun has not long set, and

yet the moon is up already. The network of branches above us keeps out

its light to some extent; still we shall be able to see clearly what

transpires."

"It will be unlucky for us if these Dhahs happen to discover our

whereabouts," said Denviers, "for a shower of arrows shot from their

stout bows towards us would make our present position anything but a

pleasant one."

"They will not see us, sahib," continued Hassan, "unless we incautiously

make some noise if anything unusual happens. They are not likely to cast

many searching glances into the shadows which the trees cast, for they

are apparently preoccupied, if we may judge from the excitement which

they are evidently trying to suppress. We certainly must remain

perfectly still when the queen appears, for thus only shall we see

without being seen ourselves."

"That is easy enough to say, Hassan," I replied; "but in such a moment

as that which faces us, we may easily forget to be cautious."

"Don't you think it would be a good plan if we were to separate a little

from each other?" asked Denviers. Our guide seemed strongly in favour of

this plan, and while I remained in the position which had been occupied

hitherto, Denviers moved a few yards to the right, and Hassan about the

same distance to the left of me. The latter, however, found his new

position would readily expose him to observation, and when he had

communicated this fact to me by signs, I beckoned to him to return to my

side, which he did. Denviers, however, remained where he had gone, and

this circumstance, slight as it was, led a little later on to a most

unexpected result. The silence which just before we had observed among

the Dhahs occurred again, and watching narrowly the brushwood we saw

emerge from it the one whom they were eagerly expecting. As our eyes

rested upon this last comer we were indeed startled, for before us was

the Queen of the Dhahs, and we recognised in that moment that the rumour

concerning her was true!

[Illustration: PROSTRATING HIMSELF BEFORE HER.]