WEISDS. AND SDCKDESV 
newed strength, on being relieved from their stronger 
brethren. 
These suckers weakened eveiy part of the tree y the 
primary branches would get thin and drooping, and,, 
instead of standing straight out, would fall over, giving 
the tree the appearance of an umbrella with a large 
bunch of scmiething on the point end. 
After a night^s rain, coolies turned oidi to work 
amongst this mass of weeds and suckers were ob- 
jects to be pitied. Their cumbly, cloth, and jacket, 
if they had one, were soon as if they had been 
steeped in water ; they got numbed and chilled, their 
hands quite powerless with cold and wet, until they 
became quite unfit to use them. Then they would 
stand cowering and shivering, until the master, if 
there seemed no chance of the sun bursting forth, ^ 
would tell them, not to leave off, that had been done 
long ago, but to go to their lines. It is astonish- 
ing how such an order would suddenly brighten them ^ 
up. A set of inert, shivering, powerless creatures 4 ,, 
would start into sudden life and action, and the race 
home would put some circulation in their blood. The 
knowing ones would strip off every rag they had on, 
and get under a cold-water spout, make a rush for 
the lines .for a dry cloth, if they had one, if not a 
stick fire was speedily lighted, before which they were 
down on — (what shall I call it, so that the uninitiated 
may comprehend the position ?) — their “ hunters,’^ and 
were soon enveloped in smoke, for no amount of smoke 
seemed to incommode the coolies; on the contrary, 
they seemed to enjoy it. The position referred to is 
not sitting, although somewhat similar to it. He sitt 
down upon nothing. * His knees are drawn up under 
his chin, so that it rests upon them. His arms are 
clasped round the shins under the knee, over which the 
back and head bends, until the whole body is formed 
into somewhat like a ball. Thus, as it were, all the 
natural heat in the body is condensed, and there is no 
waste or escape, and thus he will sit before the 
fire invisible from smoke, until he becomes warm. 
How they can stand the smoke, is a mystery, for often, 
in going in search of a cooly, it was impossible to 
distinguish if there were any in the room or not, and, 
the very likely unwelcome visitor, if it was ** master,*® 
would suddenly retreat coughing and choking, his eyes 
running with water, while the cooly or coolies of 
whom he was in search were comfortably seated 
* Sitting on their * * hind legs was the description 
a Munich artist gave us ef a scene he witnessed at 
Kalutara, when a number of natives were looking on 
at an open-air theatrical performance.- — Kn. 
