1 68 EVERYDAY LIFE OX A 



CHAPTER XII 



Having come to civilized regions we thought 

 we would act accordingly ; and therefore, last 

 week, invited our friends and neighbours to tea 

 and tennis. We have an excellent gravelled 

 court, close to the bungalow, which was 

 originally the barbecue of a now disused store. 

 Two things about it would strike a new comer ; 

 the ends are protected by a stockade of bamboo 

 stems ; and the courts instead of being marked 

 out with whitening, or white paint have lines of 

 thin rope tightly drawn and securely fastened. 

 At first this struck me as being a very danger- 

 ous plan, I expected every moment to see a 

 player catch his foot in the rope, and fall head- 

 long ; but I was assured " it was the custom of 

 Ceylon," and that no accident ever happened. 



" It is the custom of Ceylon " is the stereo- 

 typed reply all over the island to any suggestion 

 of improvement or progress, and strange to say 

 it is expected to be quite conclusive. Any- 

 thing that was good enough for the grandfathers 

 is good enough for the grandchildren ; and 



