CHAPTER VI. 



Collecting labourers The labour difficulty Causes of it 

 Coolies of the right sort The Kangany or Maistry 

 The advance system Firmly rooted Causes Losses 

 not so frequent as might be expected Usurious Kan- 

 ganies Contract labour In Ceylon In S. India 

 Malabar contractors Hill-men Ceylon labour Ordi- 

 nance Canarese coolies Jungle tribes, alias " Locals " 

 Contracts Imported labour Tamil labour in Ceylon 

 Labour-field for Wynaad The climate a difficulty 

 Author's experience in 1860 Engagements should be 

 legally binding Written agreements Coolie agents 

 Food supply. 



WHEN about to open a new estate, the first step 

 should be to secure a gang of coolies. This is not 

 always by any means an easy matter ; indeed " the 

 labour difficulty" is one of the most serious problems 

 the planter has to encounter. It is a constant 

 source of anxiety in whatever part of the coffee 

 districts he finds himself, and fortunate will he be 

 if at any time during his career he is able to 

 secure the exact number of men he wants at the 

 time he wants them. The difficulty experienced 

 by planters generally of obtaining sufficient labour, 



