COOLY IMMIGRATION LONG AGO. 
means to introduce coolies into the coffee districts, and 
what those means and inducements were, as the earli- 
est recollections of the writer do not extend further 
back than to remember a free, full and voluntary 
immigration without any advance whatever, the im- 
migrants being pledged to no master or estate, freely 
following the bent of their own inclination. If 
they had decided upon going to any particular estate^ 
no inducement would alter their decision, and on 
arrival at the place of their choice, if their ser- 
vices were not required or refused, nothing could ex- 
ceed the disappointment which this refusal created. 
Rather than proceed to any other estate even for a few 
months, they were quite ready to agree to work for a 
certain period, merely for their rice, without any wages 
at all, on the condition or rather implied understand- 
ing that, when crop set in, they were to be taken on 
at the usual rates of pay ; or, it they objected, the other 
alternative was, three da \ s’ work in the week, which 
just allowed them about sufficient funds to pay for 
their rice, as three days’ work at sevenpence was just 
the price of a quarter of a busbel of rice at seven 
shillings, but many estates charged only six shillings, 
which left only a small surplus over, to buy curry 
stuffs. Oumbiies were supplied at about a shilling each. 
On many estates, Saturday was a half-holiday. The 
reason for this was difficult to account for, but it did 
not last long, and subsequently became, or was made 
use of, as rice issue day, and, if this commodity had to 
be carried for any distance, it was the reverse of a 
half-holiday to those who were selected for the trans- 
port work. Many of the coolies would only take three- 
quarters or even half a busbel per month, actually 
starving themselves in order to receive a larger amount 
of x>ay ni the balance due. We used in many^ instances 
to compel them to accept of rice issues, continually 
leading them to understand that, whether or not they 
accepted of a full issue, they would be made to pay 
for it. What a contrast to the present time, when, at 
least before the railw^ay was initiated, rice was one of 
the greatest pests to the planter, the coolies always in- 
sisting that they were starving for want of food, even 
for some days before their usual issue of rice was due. 
What fine gangs of able-bodied men used to come 
in, thirty, forty, or fifty under one kangani, with few, 
frequently no, women and children. In this case, it was 
no difficult matter eating or making out the check roll, 
for all had worked about equal, at the same rate of 
pay ; and my memory is perfectly vivid yet of some 
fine gangs of from thirty or forty, who regularly 
every-pay day received on an average a balance due 
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