CEYLON COCOA ESTATE 227 



without the exhaustion which would follow 

 the same amount of exertion in the hot weather. 

 Yesterday afternoon we had a party of school- 

 boys from St. Edward's school, Newera Eliya, 

 to tea and tennis. They are spending their 

 holidays with friends and relations in this 

 neighbourhood, and a more gentlemanly well- 

 mannered set of boys it would be impossible to 

 meet, they would do credit to any English 

 public school training, without the expense 

 and trouble of going to England. This school 

 is in a lovely and most healthy situation, an 

 excellent tone pervades among the boys, and 

 games are much encouraged, as I had the 

 benefit yesterday of seeing, for our guests 

 quite distinguished themselves at tennis, 

 especially a small boy of nine who played quite 

 well enough to make a fourth in a good game, 

 without points being allowed him. The same 

 youngster plays an excellent game of croquet 

 and billiards, but this last accomplishment was 

 taught him by his father and not at school. 

 In my opinion, unless a boy is delicate, and in 

 that case requires the bracing air of Europe 

 supposing he is eventually to become a 

 planter, it is far better for him to be educated 

 at St. Edwards amongst those who will be his 

 future friends and compeers, than to go home 

 to school in England, where he will lose the 

 continuity of his Ceylon life, learn tastes 



