A DIFFI-CULT WORK. 
the timber was all of a species called “malabada.’’ 
This timber is a very soft tree, growing abundantly 
in the forests ; it is tall, straight, clean-grained, and 
handsome to look at, but on account of the softness 
of its fibre, and liability to rot, of no use whatever 
for any building purposes, or any purpose whatever, 
except firewood. Yes, it is also very often cut and split, 
for making pegs used in lining a projected coffee 
estate clearing. So the whole flooring had to be 
taken up, a brick kiln was set agoing, not far ofi, 
and in due time the floors were all laid with bricks. 
Having given a few samples of the difiiculties 
attending the erection of the old bnngalow, we may 
just briefly remark that time, money, and per- 
severance, will accomplish a good deal, and so 
they did eventually complete a Ceylon bungalow, 
w^bicb, thirty years ago, was about the most difficult 
and tedious undertaking that could possibly be con- 
ceived, if indeed it can be conceived by any one 
wbo has not practically come through the ordeal, 
thirty or forty miles from Kandy, which was the 
nearest town where all necessary supplies could be 
got. The total want of all head and calculation of 
the head carpenters in charge mdy be shewn in a few 
o'iven instances. Thus, at morning muster, the “baas” 
would preseiit himself, state that they could not go to 
work, :ts there were no nails. The question would 
be indignanily asked : “ Why did you not tell 
me this sooner ? Not a few days before they were 
done, and they wmuld have been here by this time. '* 
Coolies would be ordered off for nails. After an absence 
of three days, they would return, and the artificers 
set to work ; after an hour or so there would be a 
general h-to])page, and after a good deal of talk the 
exphination was forthcoming, that the nails were 
no use, they were either too short or too long. Of 
course a sample one had been sent, but the store- 
keeper, not having the exact size in stock, had 
sent the nearest approaching to it that he had, so 
the nails had all to be stowed away in store, and men 
again desp itched for more. Well the glass panes 
may be put into the frames, at any rate. It was 
then found there was neither putty nor any ma- 
terials for making it. What a pity the coolies are gone, 
but there is nothing for it, but to send off another. 
Until he comes back the glass can be fitted in with 
tacks, so the boxes of glass are brought out, and are 
all found, such as are unbroken, to be either of ton 
small or too large a size for the frames. Then comes 
a regular measuring of the exact size required, and 
more coolies are despatched with the boxes of glass 
to get them excli*i^ed. During the building of 
