CEYLON COCOA ESTATE 225 



chilies, and other curry stuffs, all free of 

 charge, with a climate (at all events in the 

 low country) not very dissimilar to his own. 



Ceylon is in fear of the plague being intro- 

 duced into the island, and therefore for three 

 weeks after arrival, new coolies from Southern 

 India are under careful observation, pre- 

 paratory to isolation, should the least symptom 

 of the dreaded malady appear. Added to 

 which, the important step has been taken by 

 government of closing the great north road, 

 the main artery by which most of the immigrants 

 arrive in the planting districts. For t 

 present all immigration is by sea, and a most 

 rigid inspection takes place at the ports. 

 Plague stations have been selected in various 

 central and convenient situations ; the district 

 medical officers have had portable hospitals 

 sent for their disposal : the village headman 

 and Superintendents of Estates have had 

 printed government instructions given them how 

 to act in case of an outbreak ; and we trust 

 that every human precaution having been 

 taken, we may be preserved from the awful 

 scourge taking root in Ceylon, as it has done 

 in India. 



January is a charming month so far as climate 

 is concerned. We have cool mornings with the 

 thermometer often below 70°, the temperature 

 for a few hours in the middle of the day rises 



