CEYLON COCOA ESTATE 71 



Mahavillagange, the most important and the 

 longest river in Ceylon, is one of the boundaries 

 of this Estate, and yet, would you believe it ? 

 such is the thickness of the jungle, and the 

 under-growth of gigantic course grass, a belt of 

 which divides the cocoa from the river, that 

 nowhere can I get down to the waters edge, 

 or even in sight of it, although I have been so 

 near, that I could absolutely hear the ripple of 

 the stream. In the early morning, and at 

 sunset, which are the only possible times for 

 walking exercise, malaria haunts the lower 

 ground, especially in the neighbourhood of 

 water ; but yesterday was peculiarly dry and 

 clear, so I thought I would venture. Knowing 

 I could not accomplish my object on Raneetotem 

 I tried a very promising looking path on the 

 next estate. Down and down it zigzagged till I 

 was evidently almost on a level with the river, 

 which just there runs through a very narrow 

 wooded gorge ; but not a glimpse could I get, 

 even though I climbed up a boulder. Still the 

 beautiful but tiresome belt of jungle intervened. 

 However I did not regret my walk, for I came 

 suddenly upon a clearing, which presented to 

 me a new, and curious sight ; three terraces on 

 which thousands of cocoanuts were laid close 

 together ; out of the middle of a hundred or so, 

 young cocoanut palms were growing. When 

 these nuts are exposed to the weather they 



