FUETHER EXPERIENCES OF MR. FRESH. 
in a vej’j short space of time — a day or perhaps two 
days’ woi k, quite sufficient for half a dozen of coolies 
to bridge an average-sized mountain stream 1 In these 
times, sticks and trees of all sizes and sorts were 
plentiful, so plentiful that they were held in no esteem, 
and actually w'asted. If a building was to be put 
up, a fence to be raised, or bridge required, half a dozen 
coolies sent into the jungle close at hand would in a 
day or two have collected, on the required spot a 
heap of limber that woud gladden the heart of many a 
modern planter to see, and so abundant was the timber 
that little attention w^as paid to giving the coolies the 
required length and thickness. If the cut stick was 
found to be unsuitable for the purpose required, it 
was either allowed to lie where it was felled, and 
rot in the jungle, or, if carried in, was 'just tossed 
aside to be used as firewood by any cooly who 
chose to take the trouble of cutting it up. Little 
did the owners and managers of estates then think, 
that they would live to see the day when no sticks 
could be got for any purpose whatever — no, not as 
many as would fence in a small poultry yard ad- 
joining their fowl-house. It was just the old story, so 
quaintly expressed by' the old Scotch proverb — 
Fill and fetch mair.” So they filled, or felled, and 
fetched until their ejes were suddenly opened, caused 
by the opening of the ears to the low murmurs and 
grumbling of the coolies, after being punished for 
bringing in a sh^rt supply of sticks. These growlirgs were 
^‘cambu illai,” (no sticks) “No sticks ! ” shouts the 
enraged master ? Wwhat do you call that ? pointing his 
finger towards a dense jungle. No sticks ! Why there 
is nothing to be seen but sticks, wherever I cast my 
eyes ; there are sticks everywhere, am sick of looking 
at sticks ; but I’ll stick y' u : Hi soon let you know 
and feel too that if there are no sticks in the jungle 
there are sticks in the house,” which fact w^aa 
speedily impressed upon them in a very impressive 
manner, so impressive as to call forth a very 
impressive howl. Rut, as a rule, personally in our own 
personal experiences, this sort of conduct was meant 
more to frighten a delinquent than to hurt him ; 
he howled from the effects of fright and the dread 
of master’s displeasure^ not from being hurt. The 
fellow who declared there were no sticks, on his re- 
turn to the jungle, told the others that master was 
very angry, had taken a stick and given him a lesson 
that there were sticks, and that sticks must be cut 
and good long ones too. So, w’hat do you think they 
did in order to propitiate master? Why they all set to 
work, and cut very long ones, fully one-half or 
three-quarters more than the required length, and the 
