THE EXPENSIVE STYLE. 
weather, a dense mass of smoke arose ont of the jungle : 
the new estate was fired. It burned away in the 
usual style, which has already been described in a 
previoas chapter ; indeed, on the upper slope of the 
mountain range it caught in the bamboo underwood, and 
burnt and scorched the trees for a good way into the 
forest, an occurrence not at all desirable, for the forest 
trees, so scorched, die and stand so, bleached and 
blackened, for years, rendering it very unsafe to work 
or walk under their shadow, especially on a windy 
day, for who can tell, how, when, and where, a large 
limb or branch may come tumbling down, or even a 
ver}^ small one, which, dropping on one’s head from a 
great height, would be just as effectual in causing an 
unpleasant accident as a larger one : perhaps more so, 
as it drops in a quieter way, with no premonitory signs. 
Mr. Green sometimes took a walk through the jungle 
to see what was going on. They, whoever they were, 
had certainly commenced in style ; beautifully traced 
roads were in course of cutting ; no respect was paid to 
the nature of the ground : rocks were no obstacles, 
they were blasted ; precipices were looked upon with 
contempt, they were cut through, and as for convenient 
crossings on the rivers and streams, they were never 
looked for ; it was quite evident they intended going 
in for expensive bridges. The lining and holing was 
perfect, as far as regarded straight lines ; if a rock or 
boulder was in the way, if it was possible to move it 
out, it would be done regardless of any expense. 
Expenditure seemed no object here. A neat tem- 
porary bungalow was put up, made of wooden planks, 
and it had actually glass doors' and windows, made of 
jackwood, and sent up from Colombo ; it had also 
sawn rafters, plank floors, even the verandah was 
planked. The plan was in the usual style, sitting-room 
in the centre, with bedrooms on each side, and a 
verandah ail round. This, for these times, was con- 
sidered a first-class bungalow, something “ bj^ com- 
mon.” 
But what specially struck one was the large number 
of sawyers employed. Scattered all over the clearing, 
were temporary saw-pits ; timber of all sorts and sizes, 
lay about in heaps. It was quite evident that buildings 
of no ordinary style and structure had been decided on. 
Of course, Mr. Green made the acquaintance of the 
resident European, who although not decidedly saying 
so, certainly, from his conveisation, led one to suppose 
that he was either the proprietor or a co -proprietor, 
a piece of silly pride, or self-sufficient importance, 
■which in these times resident managers of ten adopted,^ 
a deception frequently carried on for years, with success 
