FURTHER EXPERIENCES OP MR. FRESH, 
went to the other end of the verandah, where they 
stood behind a post with their hands on their mouths ; 
but whether this action was intended to keep out the 
fever and ague or to keep in laughter, will for ever 
remain a mystery. Master now went into the bunga- 
low, and made up some powders — it might be Quinine or 
Dover’s powder — and gave them to the coolies, and said, 
Take the man away to the lines, and give him one of these 
in some kanji wa^er twice a day ; keep him in his 
room well wrapped up in warm cumblies, and he will 
soon be all right.” And so the dilatory debtor was 
carefully taken away from the bungalow in much the 
same manner as he had been brought to it, Two days 
after this the invalid put in at morning muster, and 
said he was all right. After the coolies were all gone 
off to work, he still remained, and said he wished to 
have some serious conversation with master, or to use 
his own words, ‘^pesu konjam” (speak a little); to 
which the reply was, “See that it be only a little — 
“ konjam konjam ” — for I must be off to the work. 
So the dilatory debtor commenced his little speech, 
the pith of which was this : — For a long time past 
a big devil, called Marai, had been haunting the lines, 
tormenting the people, for he had taken a fancy to 
the lines and wanted to live there, bu,t could not get 
any place, for the rooms were all inhabited; and so, when 
he (the kangani) went away in a very great hurry, so 
gre it that he had quite omitted to get some one to live 
in his room during his absence, “ Marai ” had seized 
hold of this favourable opportunity and taken posses- 
sion of it, and so of course when he came back 
Marai” was disturbed and very much annoyed at 
his presence, and had commenced to torment him. 
Master did not believe in these things, did not under- 
stand them, but it was all true. It was not fever and 
a^ue that bad been the matter with him ; it was all 
the doings of ‘ the devil Marai,’ and he must be driven 
out of that room!” In order to do this great preparations 
were being made which were to be put in force on Sunday: 
First, a very great number of things must be bought, and 
master must advance more money — three pounds at 
the very least. Here Mr. Fresh flared up, and said. 
Of course, this is always what everything is sure to 
wind up with— some more advance — but I can just tell you 
no money will be got from me for any such absurdi- 
ties. ” So the man seeing that Master was angry” 
had sense enough to go aw^ay and say no more. It 
was all told in the lines, and of course all duly 
discussed ; and that very afternoon every kangani on 
the estate came to the bungalow, and said they had 
all determined to hold a great ceremony on Sunday 
f^rst, and it wag no use master s lying anything, for 
