74 Cff ee Planting. 



desultory and uncertain, although a few of the 

 smaller estates are entirely carried on by its means. 

 These people are frequently hereditarily attached 

 by families to some native owner of rice-fields, and 

 yield a certain amount of service in ploughing, sow- 

 ing and reaping, in return for food and protection 

 during the more inclement seasons. It is probable 

 that originally they were the slaves of the superior 

 natives, whom, consequently, they are accustomed 

 to look upon more as their natural employers 

 than the European settlers. It thus happens that 

 when rice cultivation is in progress in the village, 

 but few hill-men can be induced to remain on the 

 coffee estates ; although, as soon as ploughing, sow- 

 ing, or the ingathering of the rice crop is over, they 

 return to offer their services to the planter, who, as 

 a rule, is only too glad to avail himself of them. 



These simple people excel in such operations as 

 felling and clearing jungle, which, especially where 

 the bamboo prevails, require not only patience but 

 also considerable skill. They are also very expert 

 in the construction of buildings in the native style, 

 both being branches of labour in which the Cana- 

 rese and Tamil labourers succeed but poorly. On 

 estates where large extensions are the order of the 

 day, the labour derivable from all the above sources 

 combined has been generallyfound quite inadequate, 

 more especially as at the very season when a large 



