CEYLON COCOA ESTATE 151 



supremely uncomfortable, and out of place, 

 amidst his eastern surroundings, but whose 

 business it is to keep order, and to accompany 

 the procession in its tortuous course through 

 the streets. The other comic incident was two 

 natives dressed up in European costume, solar 

 topee, false whiskers, and beard, they were 

 mounted on very high stilts, and occasionally 

 took off their hats with exaggerated politeness, 

 evidently intended as a skit on our manners 

 and customs. 



Some of the dancers were extremely 

 graceful, each group being differently 

 dressed ; one set had on a curious kind of 

 armour of many coloured beads ; another set 

 were dressed as women, and threw their 

 bright brass chatties into the air as they went 

 through the different evolutions, never failing 

 to catch them again. Thousands of people 

 thronged the streets, the scene was one of 

 barbaric splendour that I can never forget. 

 I was fortunate enough to see it three times 

 from a different coign of vantage, so it is in- 

 delibly impressed on my mind. Later in the 

 night, a friend took me round the green, 

 where" behind the fringe of booths I saw a 

 most extraordinary sight, whole families of 

 tired villagers had laid themselves down to 

 sleep in family groups, even including the 

 inevitable baby, with large umbrellas fixed 

 over their heads to keep off the dew. 



