1849.] DEPARTURE OF Ma. FINNIE. 183 



ment. Even the hopes which he had entertained the pre- CHAP. 



vious year, that the people would take more care in cleaning ! 



and packing, had proved altogether abortive ; for during Para 187< 

 the greater part of the season they had realized as much for 

 the dirty Cotton, as he had given them in the early part of 

 the season for the clean Cotton. Under such circumstances, 

 all his efforts to induce the people to employ the gins had of 

 course proved a failure. He had offered them the use of the 

 machines for a mere trifle, and then for nothing ; but they 

 utterly refused to have any thing to do with them ; " and 

 the gin house at Sevacausey, and the Ceylon machinery, 

 will remain a cenotaph to the judgment of those who urged 

 the purchase after I had ascertained that they were not 

 required." Mr. Finnie concluded his letter with the follow- 

 ing expressions, which are worthy of preservation, as ex- 

 hibiting his own estimate of his labours. " I have not," he 

 said, " confined myself to the track pointed out by pseudo- 

 " scientific theory, but have launched boldly into the broad 

 " ocean of practical utility, guided by the north star of com- 

 " mon sense, which, with some knowledge of political econo- 

 " my, with due regard to cause and effect, enables me to 

 " draw approximate conclusions as to the results of certain 

 " plain measures in reference to national internal improve- 

 " ment and individual prosperity. My only regret is that 

 " I have done so little ; that I have accomplished nothing 

 " for the benefit of this country and its Ryots ; but I have 

 <c done my best, and I can now return to my Native land 

 " with the proud satisfaction of having discharged my duty 

 " to my employers/' These were apparently the last words 

 of Mr. Finnie. It is however currently reported that Mr. 

 Finnie's last words were of a very different complexion ; 

 and were to the effect that he owed it, as a duty to his 

 country, to prove that American Cotton would not grow in 

 Southern India, and that this latter duty was the one Personal 

 which he considered he had fully performed. tion. 



