CEYLON COCOA ESTATE 169 



suggestions for saving time or labour are quite 

 resented. It is not only the dark races who are 

 so conservative, but native born Europeans, and 

 old settlers all seem to have caught the non- 

 progressive disease, and their remarks often 

 make me wish that I could turn a few hundred 

 enterprising Americans loose in the island. 



But to return to our party, the guests arrived 

 in most various vehicles, a dogcart, an American 

 buggy, and two bullock hackerys, whilst a 

 couple of horsemen brought up the rear. It 

 was a curious sight to see the fine, humped 

 white bulls lying lazily under the shade of a 

 clump of tall bamboos awaiting the pleasure of 

 their masters. 



We had tea and cakes in the verandah and 

 then adjourned to the tennis court where four 

 native boys awaited us to pick up the balls. 

 Here some capital sets reminded me of summer 

 afternoons in England, but all too soon the 

 waning light warned our friends, they must 

 hurry away to reach home before dark. The 

 very short twilight is one of the great draw- 

 backs to tropical countries ; no sooner does it 

 become cool enough to play active games, than 

 it gets too dark to go on with them. Walks, 

 and rides, and all out-door amusements have 

 to be curtailed, unless you are prepared to run 

 the risk of taking your pleasure under a tropical 

 sun or else in the dark. 



