MUSTER AT THE LINES. 
in the present day, he would have his own boy, who 
would have been duly cautioned the night before to wake 
master in proper time, so that, instead of getting a rap 
on the head with a pewter basin, he gets off with a 
rap at the door. 
In those times, a very bad system was much in use 
of going to the lines to muster coolies. If the lines 
were scattered or detached, one superintendent would 
proceed to one or two sets, and another or the conductor 
to the rest. The results were that the coolies never 
thought of turning out until the master presented him- 
self, check -roll under his arm. If it rained be would 
get under cover of the lines’ verandah, or a kangani 
would do himself the honour of holding the umbrella 
over master's head and the roll while it was being 
called, in consideration for which the kangani would 
think he was entitled to creep into his hut, for 
some indefinite period of time, or at all events until 
the rain ceased. Even after the master present- d him- 
self in front of the lines, shouting out “ Vd, wtl” 
(‘‘Come, come!”) it would produce no immediate re- 
sult further than a few heads peeping out of a hole, 
serving as door and window, when a glimpse would be 
had, of two hands and a mouth stufied full of cold 
rice. After this water would be thrown out of the 
doors; this was a sign of so'ne hope — the rice was 
finished, and they wer>" w^ashi ig t eir chatties (earthen 
pots. ) I'he kan^unies w'onld then come out, completing 
tbe'r toilet in a great hurry, which consisted in roll- 
ing an immense quantity of red cloth round their heads, 
until it finally assumed the aspect of a turban. They 
would now join the master in the shout of “ Vd vd !” 
until at last a few men would appear in 'he verandah 
“ girding up their loins ” with some rolls of cloth, 
that had once been white, bat it would be difficult 
now to pronounce wbat the colour was! Thekan- 
ganies would rest their chins upon a long stick (we 
never knew a kangani without one : they seem to con- 
sider it as a sort of official badge), gazing with an earnest 
look into the doors of the lines, as if they expected some, 
or all, to respoud to the call and come out; but they 
didn’t. As the kangani was now abused and urged by 
the master, “it was getting late,” he would, stick in 
hand, make a sudden plunge into the rooms, from which 
would speedily emerge a number of men, women, and 
boys, putting one very much in mind of rabbits turned 
out of their holes by means of a ferret ! 
We have said this plan of mustering at the lines was 
l ad : it was so in many ways. Thus, of course, the 
master returned to his bungalow, with the cheek -roll, 
or more probably to have his coffee and roti, and no. 
sooner was he turned round the corner, than a num- 
