Jan. 1, 1900.] 
THE TROPICAL AGlilCULTURIST. 
495 
PUBLIC SALES OF TEA IN LONDON. 
DURING THE YEAR 1899. 
Jan. 
Feb. 
Mar. 
Apr. 
May 
June. 
July. 
Aug. 
Sept. 
Oct. 
Nov. 
Dec. 
12 
19 
26 
2 
9 
16 
23 
2 
9 
16 
23 
13 
20 
27 
4 
11 
18 
25 
1 
8 
15 
22 
29 
6 
13 
20 
27 
3 
10 
17 
24 
31 
7 
14 
21 
28 
5 
12 
19 
26 
2 
9 
17 
23 
30 
7 
14 
21 
Packages 
Offered. 
20,000 
■J8,0.i0 
17,000 
21,000 
27,000 
24,000 
15,0')0 
15,0"0 
21,000 
28,0f!0 
26,000 
21,000 
30,000 
27,000 
18,0)0 
21,000 
21,000 
30,000 
25,000 
35,000 
26,000 
19,000 
26,000 
16,000 
8,000 
13,000 
17,000 
43,000 
41,000 
33,000 
31,000 
29,000 
27,000 
28,000 
31,000 
29,0 !0 
25,000 
22,000 
23,000 
29,000 
23,000 
26.000 
20,000 
23 fi'O 
22,(100 
12,000 
Packages 
Sold. 
18,000 
26,000 
15,000 
20,000 
26,0i>0 
23,000 
14,000 
14,000 
20,000 
27,000 
25,000 
20,010 
25,000 
21,000 
15,000 
20,000 
20,000 
27,000 
24,000 
32,000 
21,000 
18,000 
25,000 
15,000 
7,000 
13,000 
16,000 
36,000 
38,000 
32,000 
30,001) 
28,000 
26,000 
26 000 
29,000 
28,000 
23,000 
21,000 
22,000 
26,000 
22,000 
22,000 
19,000 
21,000 
19.000 
12,000 
I S 
1899 
Gow. Wilsons 
and Slanton's 
Average. 
1899. 1898. 
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81 
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Total for 
1899 
Total for 
1898 
1,117,000 
i,i39,oao 
1,030,000 8 
g 
S4- 
8 
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8 
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82 
71 
9 
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7A 
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7* 
71 
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8 
73 
7i 
74 
71 
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71, 
'5 
7l 
'T 
71 
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7A 
'5 
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71 
6| 
75 
7 
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79 
84 
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8S 
71 
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1,092,000 _ _ _ 
, . f^^ 
OUT FOR A SHOOT IN BRITISH CEN- 
TRAL AFRICA. 
(BY AN EX CP:YL0N PLANTER.) 
HIPPOS— ANTELOPE— ZEBRAS- ELEPHANTS, &C. 
To relieve the monotony of the regular routine 
of daily work on the plantation, n run out now 
and again for a bit of camp life does one a 
power of good. 
Ou 8th October 1 called my nearro boy to send 
for my " Kapabu" (conductor in Ceylon) to get 
ten men for " macliella," hammock sluag to a 
strong bamboo pole, ami ten men for loads to 
start "at 6 a.m. tomorrow. To see the happy 
^rin on the " Kapatu's" ' face at the prospect of 
"Nyama" (meat) is amusing. Without a word off 
he runs to execute tiie order, for he well knows 
for such an outing there will be no lack of 
volunteers. 
Before daylight machella team and men for 
loads are ready. Cook, plate-washer and boy are 
also ready with baskets of grub, cooking uten- 
sils, tent, &c., &c. By 7 o'clock off goes the 
caravan, after being directed to make for the 
Ruo — Portuguese boundary. 
After giving instructions about estate work 
during my absence, I tumble into my "machella," 
manned by tu'o sturdy negroes, one at each end 
of the pole ; and oif they trofc like a pair of 
tandem ponies at the rate of about five miles 
an hoar. These men are relieved by others be- 
longing to the team as we jaunt along. After two 
hours the Ruo is reached : here is a Efood-sized 
stream about 80 yards wide, with little water, 
liowever, at present, uhe weather at this seasoa 
of the year being very dry. We easily crossed. , 
Now having reached the wilds or 
COUNTRY OF THE WILD BEASTS 
— "cherombo," as the natives call it — my team 
of macliella men are returned as there are no 
village paths ahead to run on comfortably. After 
a cold roast fowl and some curry and rice, 
washed down with a cup of delicious Ceylon 
tea, a starb is made through the bush — a 
straight line is made for " Chiperone " 
mountain seen in the far distance through 
a hazy sky. We had not gone far when we came 
upon elephant tracks running in every direction. 
Some of the tracks bore evidence of large herds 
having been on the march during the rainy 
season. Elephants arrive in this " Malolo " coun- 
try about March and leave when the bush fires 
begin in July and August, during which time 
the grass is high and the livers are flooded, so that 
people cannot easily get about to disturb the 
noble beasts as they roam freely during those 
months. Confident of safety, although quibe near 
to native villages on the opposite bank of the Ruo— 
the river being seldom fordable, and there are 
no boats as the people have no use for them— I 
had nob gone far before a man arrived in great 
haste to say 
THREE HIPPOS 
were in a large pool in the river and we must 
go back and have a shot at them. The hippos 
are somewhat like your rogue elephants, take 
any number of buHjts, and unless struck on the 
vertebra or riglic on the brain-pan itself, one 
need nob expect to get them. Upon arrival 
at the river bank the strictest silence had to be 
maintained, for when a noise is made the beasts 
disappear and walk away under water, for good- 
ness knows how far, and by creeping over the 
shallows to the next deep pool, which may be 
a mile or more away, escape unobserved. Upoa 
peeping through the bushes three grand pig- 
like heads were seen, every one turned towards 
us, only eyes, nose and ears showing above water. 
A steady aim ab the nearest one's ear and bang 
went a solid Lee-Metford bullet into the head 
somewhere, for it didn't hit the water. All three 
heads disappear, only leaving the ripple on the 
surface where they had been, and all is still as 
death again. Silently waiting with the rifle 
ready, silently watching the water, for another 
shot, is rabher monobonous ; about 20 minutes later, 
however, two heads appear about 80 yards down 
the river and commence blowing and grunting, 
making a thundering noise — too far off bo shoot, 
however ; so I had to ma,ke tracks for tjie spot, 
