380 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTUPJST. [Dec. 1, 1898. 
road and other matters, that it came to Le 
familiarly known as 
Wood's Batteuy." 
Well, in those old times there was one curious 
circumstance that seemed to he characteristic of 
all the old men of Uva, namely an aversion 
amounting to an obstinate re^u^al to leave their 
beloved district. Decade upon decade went by 
and still found them in their jjlaces, never havinj? 
left them ; while half the country bad in turn 
visited them in their homes round about that 
grand old mountain Namunukulakanda, that 
towers like some guardian ant'el ovev the swett 
vale and town of Badulla. Without its lake 
Kandy itself would not be nearly so beautiful, 
nor can many places in the island be found to 
equal its calm repose and soothing charm. From 
a great heiglit, on a spur close to the side of this 
noble mountain, Wood's bungalow looked down 
upon this scene, over a lovely forground and nuddl* 
distance of paddy-fields and native villages, ami it 
too, could easily be discerned from the town. But, 
alas ! for all human aspirations and intentions. In 
plotting out liis bungalow and selecting the site 
Wood had projected a long facade whose whitened 
front should shine a consjiicuous object in the view 
from the town, and be a standing invitation and 
guide to all strangers to visit it. Mighty stones 
were collected and the long foundation was laid, and 
then behind a room was built well to the right to 
serve for the kitchen. Into this room Wood went 
temporarily, and as time went on one room after 
another was added to this "kitchen" till it assu- 
med the comfort and dimensions of the permanent 
abode which it became ; and, doubtless, the foun- 
dation of the projected bungalow remains to this 
day, a mystery to the uninitiated, and a monument 
to Wood's intention, if not to his procrastination ? 
But the time came at last when Wood was destined 
to be obliged to go on 
A Journey from Badulla. 
Mr. Bannatine, the proprietor, who had been con- 
tent through all the pastyears to leave his property 
in Mr. Wood's sole care, thought he would like to 
see it before accepting the offer of the Company 
promoters, and actually arrived in Ceylon for that 
pui pose. He got as far as Nuwara Eliya; but there 
either his courage or his strength failed him, and 
after travelling seven thousand miles he refused 
— on account of the bad roads— to go the re- 
maining forty or fifty ndles that still separated 
him from his splendid property. Poor Wood 
was much put out by this, and at first flatly 
refused to go up to Nuwara Eliya ; but the pro- 
prietor was firm, and he went, only to he told 
that the contract to sell had been signed. In due 
course Wood handed over, and the place which 
had known him so long knew him not again. 
The proprietor could not have paid a large 
price for the land, in the first instance, and the 
estate itself paid for the yearly extensions. Even 
had he possessed nothing else it would have 
kept this rich man in affluence all his days, while 
the man who did the work during long years 
of expatriation got his bare living and nothing 
more. So do some men fare in this life. 
Mr. Wood's religion hung lightly upon him, as 
not seldom it does upon those who have 
been trained too strictly in their youth. But the 
eeeds that had been sown were there, the roots 
alive without any upper growth ; for if Wood had 
any unreasonable prejudice it was against the 
parsons. But what he may be said to have lacked 
in outward show of religious observances he made 
up in bis humanity, in the simplicity of his 
character, the loving kindness of his heart, and in 
his sympathy for all sufitering. Never liad the 
coolies a tiuer fiiend or one more full of solicitude 
for them iu all their troubles and ailmenti--. and his 
care for them in sickness would put to shame the 
0 tentatious, odicious benevolence o» thete later 
times. He never did any man a wrong knowin-ly, 
and was always far readier to give than to receh e.' 
For long years he enjoyed robust and never-failing 
health, but a time came at last this failed 
him, and he certainly did not make a good patient 
He was 'mpatient of bodily weakness, and to thiw 
was added the real fear of dealli, and a concern for 
his " soul." He did not hesiiate to talk to me 
about his thoughts, and I fear I gave liim in- 
adequate consolation. But he recovered. On 
another occasion when he fell ill, iliet rumour 
spread that he was dead ; and withou waiting 
to hear confii ination of the report, the planters 
came into town to attend his funeral, for he 
was much respected by all. Imagine their sur- 
prise, to say nothing of his own, to see him appear 
in their midst almost as well as ever. And so their 
mourning was turned into joy, and a big fea«t 
followed. 
As a planter Mr. Wood was not afraid of bein" 
singular, and of doing things not known to or an"- 
''/r?, ^' '"s neighbours. He was the father of 
( ibbling ' in Ceylon, and after nis time not many 
holes were cut in the rich Uva soil for planting, 
coffee. He did not use the alavangas or spade- 
bars, which afterwards became so universal, but 
long poles, eight or nine feet long, newly cut from 
the jungle, one or more coolies being told off to 
keep them sharp and serviceable with wette-katties 
If any reader feels i-iclined to laugh at this, let me 
recommend him to try them first and he will pro- 
bably laugh no longer, for many are the acres of 
coffee 1 have planted by these jioles, and mucii of 
that colfee is lingering still and the last to succumb 
1 do not mean to say tlie poles had anything to do 
with that fact ; but that the clearings were effici 
ently planted is thereby proved. Another fa.1 of 
his was to plant all his roadsides up with guinea- 
grass, and none in the ravines. With this grass he 
not only fed his cattle and horses, but thatched his 
lines and buildings also. Then, as there was a larg** 
new clearing every year, the whole of it was planted 
with Indian corn of which always a rich crop wa« 
harvested for horses, fowl and cattle. He always 
made his own castor-oil, too, and along roads 
where cattle passed, they were offered a good 
hedge of roses to eat instead of the coffee. 
His servant was an old Portuguese man, the onlv 
one of the kind I have ever known. Anythine 
approaching a smile was never known to licht up 
John's face. Sometimes, after he had been with 
Mr. A\ ood for twenty years or more, his master 
would complain tliat this or that was cracked or 
broken. '"Twasdone before I came, sir" was 
the never-failing answer of John. 
Mr. Wood, of course, had not left himself wholly 
without means. He had a sum invested to yi^ld 
him a moderate income ; and had, beside* " a 
inodest accumulation of interest in the hands of 
his friends at home, for while still young aAvealthy 
relative had left hiui a small annuity. Instead of 
going home to England he was content to live on 
t^us income retired in the neighbourhood of 
Badulla, which locality it appears nothing could in- 
duce him to leave. He was found dead one day, on 
the roadside, having fallen from his horse ; and now 
he lies at rest in the pretty graveyard under the 
shadow of his beloved mountain, and within sight 
of the estate so long associated with his 
name. 
