MASTER’S GOLD.” 
paying all expenses, to find a (for them) considerable 
»um of money at their own disposal. They have some 
curious ideas on the relative position of soul* and body, 
which a short ancedote will illustrate. 
An old woman and her daughter lived in one room, 
and were most industrious money-making, money-loving, 
folks. They saved a good deal of cash. The elder 
woman had attained a good age, and was evidently, in 
the course of nature, not long for this world. At last 
«he was laid up, and her frieaads considered her dying. 
A deputation came up to the bungalow to inquire if 
the master had any gold money, or sovereigns. On 
asking what they were wanted for, I was told, to melt 
and pour down the throat of the dying woman? It 
would cure her, because, as she was so fond of money 
when in health, if the melted money was now put into 
her, on her soul touching it, it could not have the 
courage to leave the body. Of course they got no 
gold from me for any such purpose, but they pro- 
cured it elsewhere, only, instead of melting it, they 
filed it down into dust, washing it down the woman’s 
throat with water, notwithstanding which she died. On 
endeavouring to expostulate with them on this absurdi- 
ty, they would not be persuaded, stating that the 
reason the charm did not act was *‘It was not 
master’s gold.” This was a lesson always to humour 
them in any harmless absurdity, as there can be no 
manner of doubt amongst themselves, they were any- 
thing but satisfied with tlie unkind (?) refusal of the 
master.^ 
CHAPTER XV. 
The Malabar Cooly. 
Where, at the present time, or rather what would 
have been the present position of coffee planting with- 
out the Malabar cooly? Would it have been in exist- 
ence now ? At all events, certainly not to the same 
extent. The general character of the cooly is just 
human nature, and every one knows wha*. that is, in 
its original uncultivated state; of course, in human 
nature as in everything else, there are various degrees 
of good, bad, and indifferent. It would be a useful 
piece of general infortiiation if some authentic state- 
ment could be given by any one, as to who first took 
* But had the master consented he would have been 
accessory to manslaughter. Sending particles of indi- 
gestible and irritating metal down a sick person’s 
throat is the surest method, next to strangulation, of 
producing death. — E d. 
