CEYLON COCOA ESTATE 251 



coolie sits at the beast's head and another at 

 his tail, and then the blacksmith swiftly and 

 skilfully proceeds with his work. Bullock 

 follows bullock, until all have passed through 

 his hands, and as he is paid fifty cents (one 

 shilling) per head, where the Estate is of any 

 size, he makes a good day's pay. 



The roads are hard and stony, it is therefore 

 absolutely necessary that the bulls should be 

 shod, but it is much to be wished that some 

 other plan than that of throwing the poor 

 animals could be invented, for they are apt to 

 get strained, and otherwise injured, in their 

 efforts to escape the ordeal of shoeing ; but as 

 yet no one has discovered an alternative 

 method. 



March 4th. — The weather has now become 

 intensely hot in the middle of the day, but 

 the mornings and evenings are still cool. 

 Heavy dews refresh the garden and the 

 grassfields, and as yet they keep their fresh- 

 ness. The deciduous trees, of which there are 

 many, are changing their leaves, and the birds 

 sing in the early morning and late afternoon, 

 so one is in a measure reminded of springtime 

 in England. 



March 5th. — We have been to a picnic — a 

 real English tea picnic — but with variations. 

 I must really describe it. Some kind neigh- 

 bours determined to give an Australian lady 



