AN ISOLATED ESTATE. 
to them, we would close this, at the close of another 
year, in the same way, only in memory of the old 
planters, and if readers, in their minds, would substi- 
tute the word years for planters (as the latter will 
not make correct metre) it will make a very fitting 
termination to the subject : — 
“Silently passed away the years in their shrouds; 
Nor heeded the cheers, w-hich the young New Years 
Were welcomed by the crowds ; 
Nor knew that ihey left behind, 
In the thoughts that never can die, 
Of good and of bad, of merry and sad, 
A ghostly memory . 
To the memory of old planters in the years that 
have gone, and success better success, to the young 
vmes, in the years to come. May they also become old 
planters too, and successful ones, is the New Year’s 
wish of their old friend and well-wisher, even although 
they may never have seen him, and never will. Even 
when writing, an old plante)' has passed a way at Elgin, 
on Christmas day. Sad news for Ceylon, for he was 
known and deservedly esteemed through the length 
and breadth of the land. Three months ago, I saw 
him talking of going out again I but instead, be has 
20 ne home. 
O 
CHAPTER XIX. 
An Estate Ix\ Olde.v Times. A Puison with 
Forest Trees for Retaining Walls. 
In these days, there was an estate, no matter where, 
it was there, and to any inquiry as to where the only 
reply is somewhere. On this estate, there was, of 
course, a supeiTiitendent ; shall we say, his name was 
Brovv^ii ? Wnat ? Andrew Brown, back again ? It was 
even before Brown’s last exploits, further back than 
that. W e shad say, as we must say something, that 
his name '"vas Green. We have it, say some knowing 
ones. It is the writer himself? We have heard that 
he once was green, very, about these times, but that 
as he got bronzed with the sun, and climate, he became 
hrown ! Say away, say anything you like, we will 
have no dispute about names. What ’s in a name? 
A man must have one, and as well be called Mr. Green 
as anything else, provided you are not green ! 
This estate was an isolated one, entirely surrounded 
by jungle, a spot cut out of a vast surrounding forest. 
All round the clearing was a wall of standing forest : 
as far as the eye could reach, nothing was seen but 
