^‘DIED ON THE ROAD.’ 
them, and the question is asked : Where is my son ?” 
to which the reply is given : “Died on the road.” It 
is heart-rending to hear the wailing and lamentation 
raised the relatives of the missing cooly. Yet he 
was “only a cooly.” 
The bones and skeletons of cattle might also be seen 
along these roads. Droves of coast cattle imported from 
the Indian continent passed along, on the journey to 
Xandy, where the owners hoped to realize a sale, at 
a good profit. Great numbers of these die, or are left 
behind in a dying state ; on these the jackals prey; 
after finishing off all the outside flesh, they get inside 
the carcass, and it was no uncommon sight, on sud- 
denly coming round a corner, on the carcnss of a dead 
bullock, to see one or two jackals crawl out of the body, 
run a short distance off, turn round, and stare at the 
unexpected and unwelcome intruder. In this position 
one scarcely felt comfortable. The jackal is a species 
of strong fox or wolf, and if two or three were fero- 
ciously to attack a man, he would have little chance. 
This however they never do, unless he is in a helpless 
or dying state. Few gangs of coolies arrived on the 
estate, without some deaths occurring on the road, but 
more took place after arrival on the estate, being worn 
with the journey, and the sudden change of climate, 
from tbe hot and dry one of the low-country to the 
cutting winds and heavy rains on the mountain ranges ; 
it is generally some time before the cooly gets hardened.. 
But what with good warm house accommodation, plenty 
of rice, and a considerate master, he soon regains, or 
rather gains, strength and muscle, and it would be 
sometimes difficult to recognize the strong stout mus* 
cular man, as the same being who arrived on the 
estate, six or eight months before, more like an animated 
bag of bones than anything else. In fact several have 
stated that, on returning to their villages after some 
years’ residence on a healthy coflee estate, it was with 
some difficulty even their own mothers recognized 
them . 
It is now very different with the immigrant coolies : 
the north roads through the Island are comparatively 
rarely used, or, when used, good Hccommodation is to, 
be found, at stated spots, in the shape of “lines” 
erected by (Government for the benefit of the coolies. 
In these they may comfortably rest, until ready and' 
fit to resume the journey, but these roads, as compared 
with former years, are rarely used. Steamers, and well 
appointed boats, are always calling for passengers at 
the different emigration ports, along the coast. These 
take on board gangs of coolies at a rate of passage 
money not exceeding tw'o or three shillings a head, 
landing them in a day or two at Colombo, fresher 
