CEYLON COCOA ESTATE 23 



by their box coolie carrying the inevitable 

 u steel trunk " on his head. 



Our drive was through most enchanting 

 scenery — starting from the wooded mountain 

 gorges of further Dumbera we passed under 

 avenues of redflowered Dadop (called in 

 Central America "the mother of Cacao" on 

 account of its valuable shade). Banians, jak 

 trees, laden with their colossal fruit, and tall 

 elegant grevillices ; whilst beneath grew 

 Caracas cacao with its red, and Forastero 

 with its crimson and golden pods, and glistening 

 coffee bushes. Now and again we drove over 

 grassy pattenas dotted with clumps of aloes ; 

 then a native Estate would bring us to a truly 

 tropical scene, plantains, their long leaves 

 shivering in the breeze, and Areca and Cocoa- 

 nut Palms reminding one of the Kew hothouses, 

 only every tree magnified four times in size. 

 The red wayside rocks were clothed every- 

 where with the most lovely creepers, and 

 luxuriant fern fronds. Sometimes a green 

 paddy (rice) field, and little groups of native 

 huts with their inhabitants in picturesque bright 

 costumes varied the scene. Occasionally we 

 passed a cluster of native shops, with their 

 curious wares, arranged in the verandah for 

 passers-by to see, bunches of bananas depend- 

 ing from the roof, on the counter a few eggs on 

 a plantain leaf, a little dried fish, various curious 



