CEYLON COCOA ESTATE 55 



unbuttoned, and the dog seized the wristband 

 instead of the wrist, biting it through and 

 through. He was beaten off, and in two 

 minutes more had ceased to exist. This dog 

 had sometime ago, had an abcess in the ear 

 which we thought was cured, but now believe 

 to have been the cause of the outbreak. Rob 

 has given orders that the other dogs should 

 always be tied up during the hottest hours of the 

 day, and should have an unlimited supply of 

 drinking water. 



No account of Ceylon daily life would be 

 true without a description of a day, such as 

 the one we are now passing. A most 

 uncomfortable day it is. Our small world is in 

 decidedly low spirits. The Appu, because he 

 has so little food to cook, — the Master, because 

 he has so little food to eat, and I because I feel 

 somehow or other I ought to have provided 

 against this contingency. The fact is that 

 yesterday our whole meat supply was found to 

 have gone bad. Picture to yourself that we 

 are sixteen weary miles from a shop. Thirty 

 two miles for the coolie to walk before he can 

 bring our provisions back, that for some hours 

 the meat has to be carried in a tin box under a 

 tropical sun. Also that it is useless sending 

 again before to-morrow, as the butchers only 

 kill twice a week, then you will have some idea 

 of the situation. I fear, now that the hot 



