156 EVERYDAY LIFE ON A 



open eyed curiosity of a number of little black 

 children, Rob and I took our leave of Ranee- 

 totem, where I, at least, have spent a most 

 interesting and never to be forgotten eight 

 months. 



I am told by the older inhabitants that we 

 are having unusually dry weather for the time 

 of year, little or no rain has been measured for 

 the past month, and in consequence the cocoa 

 looks drooping, shows yellow leaves, and many 

 of the pods are turning black. Everyone is 

 watching for signs of coming rain, for this long 

 drought on the top of cocoa disease makes 

 planting at this moment an anxious occupation. 



Robs arrival at this place, where he had once 

 before acted as superintendent, was welcomed 

 by a troup of native dancers. A party 

 of five of the coolies, dressed in picturesque 

 glittering costumes, suddenly appeared in front 

 of the bungalow. A middle-aged man with the 

 inevitable tom-tom, and a younger man with a 

 kind of flageolet, and a pretty young woman 

 composed the band, while two very graceful 

 children, a mass of jewellery and tinsel, danced 

 delightfully and in perfect time to the instru- 

 ments. At intervals the music and dancing 

 stopped, and then the men chanted Rob's 

 praises in Tamil. Then the children once more 

 began their pretty movements, and so it would 

 have gone on ad infinitum had we not conveyed 



