Usurious Kanganies. 69 



previous service ; sometimes, again, he or his 

 friends give security for his return and due re- 

 payment. The exorbitant interest which the 

 Kangany occasionally extorts from the poor coolies 

 for the few rupees he lets them have (out of his 

 master's purse), sometimes creates great dissatis- 

 faction in the gang, and leads to grumbling and 

 desertions the true cause of which the unfortunate 

 planter may probably never discover, the Kangany 

 of course endeavouring to put him off the scent as 

 much as possible. The unpleasantest part of this 

 is, that in all probability the Kangany has led the 

 victimized coolies to believe that this frightfully 

 usurious interest is being levied for the planter's 

 benefit and by his orders. 



Contract labour should always have the prefer- 

 ence where available, since it saves supervision and 

 anxiety. In Ceylon, no difficulty is experienced 

 in obtaining trustworthy and efficient contractors 

 to undertake felling, clearing, hut-building, &c. 

 These men, being well up to their work, merely 

 require general instructions, and to be supplied 

 with implements and food for their men. Such 

 contracts are not uncommonly merely verbal, and 

 even advances are sometimes dispensed with by 

 Cingalese contractors, until work has actually 

 begun. The usual plan is to pay so much per 

 acre for felling alone, and a further sum for clearing 



