30 EVERYDAY LIFE ON A 



Pongal, we passed through some native villages 

 evidently " en fete." Arches decorated the fronts 

 of some of the huts, whilst to the verandah 

 posts of others, banana trees were tied, fringes 

 of the young plantain leaves cut into curious 

 shapes depended between the posts. Fire- 

 work crackers were being let off, whilst along 

 the roads we passed several men who had 

 kept Pongal <4 not wisely, but too well." 



Directly we reached home Rob was surround- 

 ed by men with complaints and quarrels to be 

 settled. He knew they were all incidents of 

 the Festival, so quietly told them to come 

 again on the morrow, and, of course, heard 

 no more about the matter. We also told our 

 servant to let it be known we were too tired 

 that night to receive a deputation of the 

 coolies, which rumour said was going to wait 

 upon us with presents, but that next day we 

 should be very pleased to see them. Accord- 

 ingly the next afternoon a little before sunset, 

 we heard approaching tom-toms, and shortly 

 afterwards were called to receive our visitors. 

 They were headed by the principal kangany 

 or overseer, a handsome, long haired Indian 

 sheep with fine curling horns, decorated with 

 flowers, was tied to the verandah post, the 

 colour, red and black, and texture of its coat, 

 resembling a goat much more than a sheep. 

 Then there were two dishes handed to us, one 



