io RUBBER PLANTING IN CEYLON 



before he had told his whole history, and got every Briton and European 

 there white hot by his comparisons, invidious and startling. In the 

 midst of it I was pointed out to him as a fellow countryman, and he 

 tried to get me into the fight, but I balked. Then he started in to impress 

 me with his importance. 



"I come from God's country,'' he said, "but I've been all over every- 



wheres. I used to be consul at A . I lecture, too. When I was consul 



at A I often used to go aboard a man-of-war and lecture, sometimes 



for two or three hours, and I always got seven guns ; what do you think 

 of that?" 



''Mighty poor shooting, so far, but they will get you some day/' I 

 said with conviction. 



BREAKWATER AT COLOMBO, CEYLON. 



After leaving Aden I was able to secure an upper deck cabin, which 

 was much cooler than those either on the main or spar decks. Now that 

 we were in the Indian Ocean, the sea grew much smoother, and early in 

 the morning, after a salt water bath, the men promenaded the deck in 

 pajamas until eight o'clock, after which ordinary clothes were required. 



We now began to feel the breath of the monsoon, while the water 

 took on an even bluer blue, and flying fish in shoals fled to right and 

 left from the onrushing ship. The heaviest sort of showers also began 

 to come with more or less regularity, the ship's officers came out in white 

 duck suits, prawn, fish, and other currys appeared at dinner, and we 

 knew that we were in the tropics. 



On the evening of December 5, we sighted Minecoi Island, a low 

 lying, circular bit of land crowded with graceful cocoanut palms, and 



