'434 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
[Dec.  I 1896 
ever  meeting  again.  But  such  is  life.  After  a 
few  (lays  in  London  I took  train  for  Aberdeen, 
where  1 liad  the  i>leasure  of  meeting  a number  of 
old  and  young  Ceylon  f(dks: — Dr.  Craib  and 
family,  Mrs.  Anderson,  Bandarapolla,  and  family, 
•Mrs.  .Joseph  Fraser,  Damboolugalla,  and  family. 
Geo.  Maitland  and  Angus,  b^oth  late  Kelani 
'■Valley  men;  Mrs.  Fraser,  Abbotsford,  and 
family,  Charles  Forbes,  W.  .Jackson,  of  Boiler 
T'ame,  Mrs.  Davidson  and  daughter,  late  of 
^adulkele,  all  living  in  tlie  West  End  and  look- 
ing' well,  and  all  apparently  enjoying  the 
bright  side  of  life  ! 'Faking  a run  further 
north  I met  more  Ceylon  folks.  At  'rmritl'  I 
niet . James  Beaten  and  family,  nvIio  had  pur- 
chased a farm  and  settled  down,  but  had  not 
given  u])  all  hope  of  visiting  Ceylon  at  some 
future  time.  I next  visited  Kedhythe,  Portsoy,  the 
home  of  the  late  Geo.  Wighton,  but  whose  remains 
now  lie  in  the  Churchyard  there.  Peace  to  his 
liioiuory.  Not  a better  hearted  or  more  honest 
fellow  ever  came  to  Ceylon.  A run  through 
Craigellachie  to  Coulnakyre  brought  me  to  the 
present  home  of  the  Shirelf's  of  Aldie,  Bogawan- 
talawa,  who  are  spending  th.e  summer  there.  Mrs. 
Shirell'  had  not  been  well,  but  was  better,  and 
all  hoped  to  be. back  in  Ceylon  early  in  Decem- 
?jer.  JVly  next  run  was  to  Stonehaven  to  call 
on  the  Boss’s  of  "N^cnture.  Mr.  Boss,  senior, 
had  hot  been  well  but  was  better  and  had  come 
from  London  to  s)iend  the  summer  witli  his  family, 
■'who  were  all  living  there.  Mr.  Boss,  junior, 
lioiied  to  be  in  Ceylon  in  November. 
'The  weatli  r during  the  early  summer  was 
most.  iavourab'o  for  croi)s,  but  rather  too  much 
rain  for  the  holiday  seeker.  However,  on  the  whole 
lit  was  considered  a fairly  good  season  for  all. 
'After  a cou)de  of  montlis  in  Aberdeenshire  sight- 
seeing with  some  golf  and  shooting  added, 
'I  left  Aberdeen  for  Glasgow  (Imt  not  on  my 
bicycle  as  I found  the  roads  too  narrow'.)  I met 
there  IMr.  Poison  of  tea  box  fame,  also  Mr.  David- 
son, late  of  Bajawella,  Ceylon.  Both  told  me  tea 
was  making  great  strides  in  Glasgow,  and  that  the 
metal  chest  was  to  be  the  chest  of  the  future.  I 
went  to  look  for  some  fricTids  who  left  Ceylon  for 
Carlsbad  some  time  before  the  “ Himalaya  ” left 
Ceylon,  but  they  had  not  then  returned,  in  Edin- 
burgh I had  the  i)leasure  of  meeting  Mr.  D.  Kerr,  of 
■Abergcldie,  and  .James  Brown  of  Hatton,  both 
looking  v\ell.  The  former  when  1 met  him 
•seemed  rather  in  a .switha-,  but  would  no  doubt 
get  him.self  mi  to  the  scratch  beb.re  lie  returned 
to,  Ceylon  I The  weatlicr  in  tiie  noith  of  Eng- 
land a|)peared  to  ha\  e been  much  the  same  as  in 
.Scotland,  luit-  as  you  gt'l  murrer  London  there 
had  evidently  been  a.  great  want  of  rain.  The 
crops  were  poor,  .and  a very  little  pasture  for  cattle 
.anywheic  near  London  (luihiford  and  Chellen- 
hfini  ways  being  specially  dry.  At  the  former 
I had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  .Mr.  11.  L.  Forbes 
at  his  bungalow,  one  of  the  loveliest  sjiots  in 
Fnghunl.  I'hey  were  just  incparing  to  leave  next 
(lay  for  their  liolidays,  ami  w ci'e  busy  packing  up. 
•Mr.  Foi'bcs  was  expected  l<>  join  hrs  friends  — 
.Messrs.  Cross,  Kerr  and  Porter  at  .some  (Isliing  in 
the  liighlands,  wdiile  airs.  Forbes  and  family 
were  going  to  the  sea-side  for  their  holidays  to  be 
joined  by  Mr.  Forbes  later  on.  At  Cheltenham  — 
the  great  seat  of  learning,  where  I understand  more 
young  men  jiass  into  the  Army  and  Civil  (Service 
than  from  any  other  College  in  Fngland— I 
found  Mr.s.  Mackie,  of  (lre.it  NVestern,  and 
family  settled  down  there  for  their  education. 
All  the  .schools  and  colleges  were  thcnclosi'd  being 
the  holiday  .season,  but  judging  fiom  what  I saw 
and  had  cxidained  to  me  of  the  methods  for 
exercise,  the  training  of  the  pupils  must  be  ex- 
cellent. We  had  a splendid  drive  out  as  far  as  the 
.source  of  the  Thames,  returning  through  a very 
pretty  part  of  the  country.  1 %vas  unfortunate  in 
mi.ssing  some  of  my  “Himalaya”  friends,  who  had 
••  gone  north  some  days  before  my  arrival  in  Chel- 
tenham. During  my  week’s  stay  at  London  I 
came  acro.ss  several  Ceylon  men; — SirJolin  Giin- 
linton,  Messrs.  .J.  L.  Siiaiui,  and  Thomas  Dickson, 
senior,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hugh  Parry,  Messrs.  W, 
t Taylor,  W.  Jenkins,  C.  and  W.  Strachan,  Colombo 
1 met,  Messrs.  E.  S.  Grigson,  A.  Orchard,  J.  Forbe.s. 
J.  (Sinclair,  W.  Foreythe,  Millington.s,  F.  D. 
Mitchell,  Capper  and  others,  at  the  Jameson- 
Aspland  marriage,  where  we  did  our  best 
to  cool  the  air  by  dr'nking  the  health  of  the 
bride  and  bridegroom  in  iced  champagne  ! All 
these  old  friends  looked  well,  and  appeared  in  the 
best  of  spirits. 
The  weather  in  L -ndon  was  very  hot  during 
the  summer,  and  very  dry.  I took  a run  through 
Belgium,  Holland,  and  Germany  to  Frankfort 
and  Homburg  via  Cologne  and  the  Bhiue,  return- 
ing to  London  via  Paris.  Notwithstanding  Homburg 
being  the  watering-place  of  Royalty,  I considu 
it  in  many  respects  a long  way  behind  Carlsbad. 
For  one  cure  effected  at  Homburg,  I should  thiri" 
there  were  ten  at  Carlsbad.  But  fancy  not  being 
able  to  get  a decent  cup  of  Ceylon  tea  on  the 
Continent  of  Europe  ! ! ! There  is  evidently  a lok 
of  room  to  exploit  Ceylon  tea  there  as  well  .as  in 
America.  l.,eaving  London  by  (hr  11  40  train  for 
Southampton  on  the  15th  of  August,  we  were  all 
aboard  the  s.s.  “ Norman,”  and  on  our  way  to 
South  Africa  by  5 p.m.  The  leaving  docks  of 
a Union  steamer  from  (Southampton  is  a scene 
not  likely  to  be  .soon  forgotten,  many  last  looks 
of  friends  of  one  another  that  day.  When  once 
on  board,  all  farewells  and  wavings  of  handker- 
chiefs were  soon  over,  but  by  many  not  for- 
gotten. Three  days’  run  brought  us  into  Madeira 
harbour  and  during  the  few  hours’  stay  a "ood 
many  had  a run  up  by  train,  which  is  on'^the 
Swiss  jirinciple  on  tlie  Bigi  mountain,  and  down 
bvthe  Sleigh,  which  ap).eared  to  come  down  much 
faster  tlian  the  train  went  up.  After  a look  into 
the  King’s  Palace  and  the  principal  street  all  went 
on  board.  'Phe  houses  on  the  hillsides  apjieared 
covered  with  vines  and  grapes.  Madeira  is  evi- 
dently the  home  of  the  vine.  We  had  now  to 
make  up  our  minds  to  .see  no  more  land  till 
we  reached  Cajie  J’own,  twehc  to  thirteen  days 
lienee.  We  liml  the  usual  sports  on  boanl  in 
which  most  joined  and  made  things  pretty  lively 
during  the  rest  of  the  voyage.  Captain  ‘ xMolony 
and  tlie  ollicers  did  all  they  could  to  make  thinifs 
pleasant  for  the  pas.sengers  during  what  may  §e 
termed  a short  but  pleasant  run  to  Cape  Town. 
On  arrival  there  we  were  delayed  a short  time 
till  the  Governor,  Lord  Bosmead,  had  lamled 
there  being  a large  escort  of  military  drawn 
nil  to  receive  him  on  landing.  Lady  Bosmead 
was  there  to  meet  her  husband.  After  their  de- 
liarture  it  did  not  take  long  to  clear  the  shiii 
of  passengers.  Both  Governor  and  Lady  Bos- 
mead look  \ ery  old  and  very  different  from  the  hue 
handsome  couple  they  were  when  they  landed 
in  Ceylon  over  thirty  years  ago.  The  Governor 
apneared  to  bo  in  weak  health,  and  never  entered 
into  the  spirit  of  the  sports.  He  told  me  he 
had  very  iilcasant  recollections  of  his  Governorsliii) 
in  Ceylon.  * 
After  a few  days  in  Cape  Town,  driving  and 
sight-seeing,  I left  for  Kimlicrloy  in  company 
with  a namesake,  and  broker  from  Glasgow  who 
had  come  out  on  a health  trip,  ami  like  myself 
to  see  the  great  mines  of  ,S.  A,  Wc  left  Ca[>e 
