38 EVERYDAY LIFE ON A 



more frequent manuring and forking at the 

 roots. 



This morning a trespassing buffalo was 

 caught. After remaining tied up here for 

 some hours until a neighbouring Arachi (or 

 village headman) was fetched to see that it was 

 really caught here, and to assess the damage, 

 the beast was sent to the nearest Courthouse, 

 there to remain until claimed, or in case of no 

 one claiming it, to be sold after the lapse of a 

 certain time. These straying buffaloes belong 

 to neighbouring villages, and do infinite damage 

 to the cocoa, knocking down the pods, tramp- 

 ling them under foot, and breaking off the 

 branches. 



Other enemies are the wild pigs, who eat the 

 cocoa and dig up quite large holes in the 

 ground, whilst hunting about for rubber roots, 

 which attract them by their sweetness. We 

 have a great many wild pigs on Raneetotem. 

 One morning whilst out walking I came close 

 upon a huge boar, and his two wives. Rob 

 promises himself and two friends a good pig 

 drive, as soon as he is not quite so busy. 



On January 22nd the M.'s hackery arrived 

 by half past six in the morning to fetch me to 

 spend Saturday and Sunday with them. I 

 arrived at P just in time to see the com- 

 mencement of the eclipse of the sun ; it was 

 only partial in Ceylon, but nevertheless was a 



