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RUBBER PLANTING JN CEYLON 
energetic pony. On the way, we stopped at a Buddhist temple, and, 
under the guidance of a priest who spoke excellent English, we saw the 
great image of Buddha, in the forehead of which is set a sapphire as 
big as a teacup, which glows and sparkles with a most uncanny luster 
when the room is darkened. 
We also saw the small temple, where, securely sealed forever from 
human sight, are the sacred books engraved on plates of gold and 
silver. The doors to this little building, by the way, were walled up 
some eleven hundred years ago. As a special favor, the priest showed 
us a footprint of the god in solid rock. To my mind, it didn’t do Bud 
justice, as the pedal extremity was exceedingly flat, and the toes looked 
PLANTAINS, CEYLON. 
as if they might have been whittled out of soft pine by a very poor 
whittler,' The size of the foot, however, was all that could be desired 
by any believer. 
He also showed us a series of striking pictures, illustrating the 
various types of torture in the hereafter for those who killed any living 
thing here on earth, even to the insects that make the fine-toothed comb 
a necessity. I was surprised to find among them special tortures for 
those who fish and hunt. 
In the temple enclosure we were at peace, but once outside a half 
hundred beggars, big and little, crowded about us, following closely 
down the narrow lane towards our carriage. I was afraid some of 
