S98 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Nov. 2, 1903. 
"Sandy Mortimer" had by this time reached 
the dignity of minister's man, or general factotum 
to the Rev. Mr. Cushny, after whom he had 
been named, and was now recognised as a very 
capable, hard working and altogether exemplary 
youth of 25 years. The minister's man, to the 
envy of many a Garioch youth, was the next 
chosen for Ceylon, and in December, 1845, he left 
his native parish for Southampton, thence sailing 
per P. & 0. under the wing of Capt. Dalrymple's 
younger brother, G. E. Dalrymple, who accom- 
panied him to Baharundrah, where he first became 
initiated into the mysteries of Coffee Planting, and 
soon displayed that aptitude and careful plodding 
which almost invariably brings success. Mr. Mor- 
timer did much excellent work on Baharundrah, and 
particularly in planting Eeilagalla, in which work 
he took a keen interest ; and although the latter 
estate never responded well to the careful planting, 
it was not the fault of the planter, but the bleak, 
cold climate, during a wet cycle, proving unsuitable 
for coffee. From being an assistant on Baharundrah, 
Mr. Mortimer was in due time promoted to the full 
charge of Oolgrain , in Nilambe, into the duties of 
which he entered with great zeal. Fortunately for 
him this estate had been greatly neglected, had 
indeed become an eye-sore in the district, thereby 
affording him an excellent opportimity of showing 
what a capable and industrious young Scot could 
accomplish. The eyes of the neighbours were upon 
him, watching with keen interest the change he 
was effecting ; and no one witnessed this with greater 
appreciation than the neighbouring proprietor, Sir 
John Cheape, who in course of time resolved to 
secure the services of the enthusiastic and indefatig- 
able young planter. 
Planters are sometimes apt to make a grievance 
of having got charge of an estate in wretched order, 
and not being in love with the country degenerate 
into chronic grumblers. It was otherwise with 
Mortimer who saw his opportunity, delighting in 
his work, and dearly loving his adopted country. 
He was now, as he said, " happy as a king.'' 
Men of the upbringing of Sandy Mortimer have 
unquestionably a certain advantage over the scions 
of aristocratic families. There is all the difference 
between accepting the inevitable, and prizing the 
position as a first step on the ladder. General Sir 
J. Cheape was recalled to his military duties in 
India, and A. C. Mortimer was installed as sole 
manager of his extensive estates in Nilambe and 
Hantane, a trust which Mr. Mortimer fulfilled with 
great fidelity and success. The group ultimately 
consisted of six estates — Kitoolmoola, Galaha, 
E. & W. Vedehette, Gourakella and Godawella — 
besides properties in Dumbara which he periodically 
visited on his grand black steed, but often wished 
the Mahaweliganga would carry away these un- 
desirable estates, particularly Victoria, which was 
as sickly as it was profitless. Hantane, on the 
other hand, was in these days one of the most 
productive and profitable districts of the Island : 
£20 net profit per acre was not uncommon. One 
year the little group gave £12,000 clear profit and 
the next year there was a margin of £16,000 after 
providing for the most liberal upkeep. Compared 
with this the average Tea Company, with its big 
factories, complicated accounts, and grand Board of 
Directors, is a poor thing. 
Galaha was the best estate in the locality, while 
Kitoolmoola was a perfect model of all a well-culti- 
vated estate should be. Not a weed was ever allowed 
to seed on these 300 acres, yet tha culture was not 
confined to the coSee plant. Trees from many 
different lands found a congenial home here, the 
proprietor being ever on the outlook for suitable 
exotics, even British Apple trees were here brought 
into bearing with very fair success, as many a 
visitor can testify. The garden around the bun- 
galow contained many choice ornamental shrubs, 
while the bungalow itself was tastefully festooned 
with floral creepers. Here Lady Cheape lived for 
several years during the absence of Sir John on 
duty. 
During the early years of his planting career, 
Mortimer was by no means a highly-paid man. A 
" 4-3 4 man " to begin with, his salary increased by 
slow degrees, till at the end of five years I find he 
was drawing about £150 per annum. He was, 
however, a self-denying man and saved money, 
which he lent at 12% to his employer — poor G. E. 
Dalrymple— of whom he wrote in one of his letters : — 
' ' He drives tandems (round the Kandy Lake) like 
the very wind." Alas, poor yoimg Dalrymple drove 
once too often. The trap got upset and he was 
crippled for life. One horse has often ruined the 
planter who keeps him only for pleasure ; it took 
two to ruin G. E. Dalrymple. 
About this time Mortimer wrote to his mother : — 
"I can live comfortably on £30 a year" ! This 
may well surprise many a modern planter who 
would be pleased if he could live comfortably on 
double the amount ; bat there were few whiskies 
and sodas agoing in those days, and no swagger 
appus on R 30 a month to swell and multiply 
master's beef bills. Then, there was no "rugger" 
to decoy the sufficiently exeriised planter from 
home. Grand enterprise, " rugger " ! Judging from 
the prominence given to it in every weekly Overland 
paper, and the enthusiastic letters of devotees. No 
wonder that the cofiee tree got mouldy in olden 
days, when there was no rugger to relieve the 
monotony ! Only imagine what zest it would have 
givsn to life, if such men as A. C Mortimer, Peter 
Moir, R. B. Tytler, Sandy Brown, etc., had weekly 
played "rugger" in Kandy against a team led 
by Geo. Wall and backed by the Richmonds of 
Colombo ! With what eager and absorbing interest 
absent proprietors would have opened their Ol.serve.r 
and read the profuse details of this new product ! 
A. C. Mortimer, however, enjoyed life in his own 
solid — or as some would say — stolid way. From the 
first he liked Ceylon, and on Kitoolmoola he reached 
the zenith of bis glory. In writing to his brother 
from here he says : — " This is truly a beautiful and 
bountiful island, and planters ought to be very 
thankful to Providence for having been placed upon 
it. What a contrast their lot is from that of the 
poor suffering farmers at home." And to his sister 
he writes : — " Talk of society : why. Lady Cheape 
lives within a stonethrow of where I write, and one 
of my assistants has a wife. (!) Imagine what a 
change to me, after living for five years in the 
jungle without seeing a white woman." 
Mr. Mortimer was ultimately admitted as a 
partner in two estates, Goorakelly and Goorawella, 
the profits from which rapidly accumulated, and the 
time came in due course when, much as he loved 
Ceylon, he began to see the expediency of making 
room for others. Though for twenty years he 
had been blessed with robust health, latterly he 
had suffered some vvhat from dysentery which threat 
ened to become chronic. It was now the year 
1865. His relatives wrote urging him to come home, 
reminding him that health was of more importance 
than more money, that he was getting an old fellow 
now; and that if he stayed much longer, no young 
