KHAMTI TO INDIA 



Of course, when recruiting, the usual attractions are held 

 out to the men, — healthy country, plenty to eat, nothing to do. 

 These enticements are no more than the baits employed for 

 the enlistment of soldiers or sailors. 



If the employers can count on the support of the Government 

 to ensure the conditions of their labour, the men on their side 

 can also claim the protection of the same power. Twice a year 

 the plantations are visited by official inspectors, who inquire 

 into the treatment of the coolies, see that they are properly 

 housed, and that hospitals are provided for the sick and schools 

 for the children. It is this direct interposition of the Govern- 

 ment of the Queen to which Assam owes the opulence and air 

 of thriving vigour which I envy for our own colonies. In 

 Annam, as I have said, we possess splendid land well suited 

 for the culture of tea. The French colonist ought similarly to 

 be able to look for the help or at least the non-hostility of his 

 Government in his efforts to achieve fortune. 



From Dibrugarh we descended the Brahmaputra by steamer. 

 The service is a daily one, and the boats e.xcellent. Along the 

 river banks torpid crocodiles basked on sandy bars, and offered 

 tempting shots for our carbines. After the tea country came 

 the fine plain of Assam, with frequent towns — Tespour, Gauhati, 

 Goalapura ; at each numerous steamers lined the bank. On 

 all sides were proofs of wealth, power, strength, and success. 

 At the stopping-places we usually went ashore to stretch our 

 legs, see the market, or loiter before the shops, where to our 

 unaccustomed eyes all seemed fresh. On such occasions our 

 men would follow us about, exclaiming at each step, like school- 

 boys. And right well had they earned their holiday, after the 

 life they had led and the trials they had gone through, and the 



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