noon
For the greater part of the year the ground in Ceylon is so hardened by the sun , that one is able to pass across the country without difficulty in every direction . The elephants and coolies , with our tents and baggage , could rarely in a straight course make good more than fifteen miles a-day , whereas Nowell and I found that we could even walk further than that , and ride more than twice the distance . We therefore frequently used to push on , either before or after our noon-day rest , so as to get some shooting , and , at all events , to kill some game for provisioning our party . One day a strongish breeze , which had somewhat cooled the air , tempted us to start away rather earlier than usual after our rest at noon , we having heard that we were approaching a country where a number of deer and a quantity of other game was to be found . By-the-bye , I had run a great chance that night of being devoured by -- not a leopard , or a hear , or a crocodile , however . I was asleep , when I suddenly began to dream that I was Gulliver , or some such person , and that a thousand Lilliputians were attempting to bind me , running their swords and spears into me in the most unmerciful manner . I awoke , and , putting out my hands , began to pull off from my neck , face , and arms , handfuls of insects .