CEYLOX COCOA ESTATE 141 



CHAPTER X 



August 1st. — Last night we had another 

 tremendous gale, the wind rustled through the 

 cocoa-nut palms, and whistled through the 

 Casuarinas just as it does through the rigging 

 of a ship, and once or twice I was quite alarmed; 

 the wind and noise of cracking branches 

 even quieted the rats behind the ceiling cloth. 

 Alas ! it did not bring the much hoped for rain. 

 All the reputed signs of coming rain have been 

 with us for some days — the cocoa has flushed — 

 the rain-bird has given forth its curious cry, — 

 the frogs have croaked — and the sky has been 

 black and threatening. We have seen rain 

 showers travelling to right and left of us, but 

 excepting for a few tantalising drops, we have 

 been left dry and parched and are beginning 

 to fear that, for us, this monsoon will be a 

 failure and most of the young plants will die, and 

 must be replaced when the N.E. monsoon 

 visits us in December. This would mean a 

 good deal of extra expense, which in these days 



