Saturday July 6, 1929
Woke up to find my “sleeper” was being shunted around the spare tracks by the station. I hauled out and walked down to the beach for a bath in the sea. At ten-thirty the train took me back to Mandapam. The way led across Rameswaren Island, a flat low sandy piece of land, with no living vegetation on it except near the northern end where small shrubs, a little grass in spots, and umbrella trees have taken hold among the sand dunes. We passed the Rameswaren Temple at about two miles. It is an important point of pilgrimage. Due to my oversleeping, I missed my chance to see it, for from the nearest stop it is several miles away across a hot sandy desert under a merciless sun.
A long bridge connects the island to the mainland where the first thing to attract my attention was an old ruined temple. The Rameswaren Temple is not to be compared to that of Madura. It is much smaller, I guess, and has but one gopuram as far as I could make out. The quarantine camp is a mile from Mandapam and I rode to it on a coolie train with a Ceylon police officer. Everything there was immaculately clean. Had no trouble getting the required health certificate and the train came back in about 3 PM. It took me back to Dhamush Kodi and out on the pier where the steamer was waiting., already loaded with coolies and Indians going 3rd. So I stayed on the 1st and 2nd class deck till I got kicked off. Went below and stood by the rail till two successive waves came over and soaked me—much to the amusement of the coolies.
The 22-mile journey across the shallow Palka Straits takes 2½ hours, and at 7 PM, just at dark, we dock at Talaimannar, on a small island just off Ceylon. I got through customs in a hurry and was first one off the ship. They didn’t pry into my luggage but took my word, also with respect to ample finances. A 17-car train awaited alongside and I had my pick of 9 third-class coaches. Of course, I would pick the one that had lots of kids in it. After I was settled, the mob commenced to pour in. The people near me only had three small babies that sure did plenty of squawking. Nevertheless, I stretched out and fell asleep in a hurry. Ceylon trains are more classy and cleaner than are those of India.