THE VISIT OF A silversmith, AND 
ITS RESULTS. 
is behind the working gangs, the constant talk of tjie 
women is, “ A silversmith is coming, the curious 
feature of the case being that this expression is not meant 
for social information amongst themselves, for they are 
all perfectly aware of this important fact, and have 
been, for a considerable time past ; the fact being, 
what master is quite aware, that its intended specially 
for his own information, a sort of speaking instead 
of to, him, something that they wish him to know, 
and there are no greater adepts at this plan than the 
coolies. It would never do at all for people in their 
position, especially, if they hold the master in pro- 
per respect, to be continually talking to him, telling 
him all their little wants and expectations, probably 
causing a good deal of irritation, and ill-humour, and 
thus defeating the very object for which they, were 
told^ Thus it is, that when you have no rice in store, 
as you approach a working party, you will hear them 
all in very earnest conversation telling each other, 
that they are very hungry and had nothing to eat 
last night, that they cannot stand this very hard work 
on empty stomachs, indeed, that this important organ 
in the human frame, is in great pain. Some of them 
will then place the palm of the hand over the pit 
of the stomach, bend forward, and groan heavily, but 
whenever master turns his back, and goes off to another 
working party, all this ceases, they commence and 
talk about something else, and, if master is sharp in 
hearing, he will likely hear some laughing, which 
will quite set at rest the anxiety he was beginning to 
feel^ about the pains in the coolies’ stomachs. Like- 
wise also, if it is well on in the afternoon, he will 
overbear long discussions about the state of the sun, 
that it is going down fast, that it is setting, and that 
it is quite plain, they will have no time to cut fire- 
wood and boil rice, which just simply means, and is 
meant as a polite way, to let master know, that they 
consider it is four o’clock, past it and more than time 
to stop work, although of course, thej could not pre- 
sume plainly to tell him so. Then, at morning muster, 
if there are any hard works going on, such as cut- 
ting roads, timber, or holes of any sort, in hard ground, 
the coolies will all commence and talk to each other, 
in master’s, hearing, about the blistered state of their 
hands, spreading them out, the one j will narrowly in- 
spect those of the other, and, in a loud voice each will 
declare, that the other cannot possibly do this work 5 it 
may be even, that the hands are spread out in a pite- 
ous manner, for master to see, as he passes, but 
nothing is said, until at last the hopes of 
the sufferer evaporate, on being touched on tb© 
