Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-11-03
RURAL LIFE IN CEYLON.
4 Planters Experience---Not Har d
Work--The Bothersome
Porcupine.

A young planter from the slope of
The Knuckles" lately gave rs the
pleasure of his company. The Knuckles,
5000 feet high, are thus named because
rom distant point, my yerandah, for
Instance, the ridge appears TO be row
If regular peaks which shape the hori-
ION like the knuckles of human fist.
This planter has been in Ceylon eight
Fears and four months. The four
months elapsed Immediately after his
entrance into a world of experiment;
.hen he passed eighteen years IN Eng
and, and the next eight years on these
mountains. This embodiment of British
Drain and brainy energy has charge of
1000 cultivated acres. They lie up and
iown rather than across his "Knuckle:"
therefore AT different heights he raises
The different sorts of plants adapted to
he locality, tea being largely TIE chief,
and for its profit il is Just at this mo-
ment the plant of the future, all outlay
and no income He is putting up large
machinery, and when the estates are
working properly and flourishingly,
three or four years hence, his 1,000
acres which now require 400 laborers
viii employ two persons to each acre,
/. e.. 1000 men, women and children.
Children can pick tea leaves, and the
.oddling tot minds the creeping baby
creation which exists in every Tamil
family.
The Tamils are not dying out, though
they are Of the Dravidian, the Oldest of
Did peoples; from hardy antiquity they
survive in very vital condition. Look
ing at their slender figures and little
feet, who would suppose that they were
70 bear the heavy burdens of lifel But
he farming here IS not so muscular a
work as it is in Illinois. 1t is more a
gardening plant culture. But Tamile
shoulders the planters ''boX" trunk
with the lifting strength of an Italian
porter. and more than of the weakened
Irishman on May-day in New York,
who groans under baggage and bangs it
down at the new residence, and de-
mands extra money for the weight.
The heathen do not do 50. They give
4 smile instead of a groan, and are glad
Of the opportunity TO work. Tamils
are neither Aryan nor African, but
seem to have as much vital vim as the
Aryan; black as negroes they have none
Of the African physi0gnomy except the
color. While We were eating banana
fritters and the other good things that
form the festive tropic dinner, the
planter told how his uppermoSt field,
made of virgin earth, run up into the
original jungle that never had been mo-
Tested since Adam and Buddha left
their tread marks on this classic island.
Bnddha's on the Alu Wihar boulders
that fell to the foot of the Natalie hills,
The leading points in the landscape now
before my eye, while the footprint of
our gardener-papent is (saiG 10 bel on
hat adams Peak = whence, immedi-
itely after the fall and the curse in deep
meditation he looked over this blossom
ing island.
The planter told what an amazing in
curSiOn of pOrcupineS he is jus now
with. The hungry little
hog having fierce and frightful quills
from ears to tail, with only an unde-
tended nose, roots up and devourS all
he vegetable food that lies in his way,
md has admirable taste in the selection |
If garden stuff. The planters adjoin- |
ne neighbor, l. G.. the next knuckle of |
# the range, is not only planter, but !
/ loving student of botany and zoology.
which he has in that situation excellent
of pursuing. Too good, |
le thought, when lately confusion and
broken pottery reigned over the length |
md breadth of his verandah. The por-
.upine knocked over his choice flower
,otS, the blossoms which diffused frag-
ance through his bungalo, the tender
caves he had nurSed into development,
we're shipped of as fine edibles by this |
avaging and gustatory beast. Porcu.
'ork; pine, spine OF prickle-a hog of !
horns.
The jungle-cock was a creature which: |
he planter discourSed enthusiastically.
The domestic bird that supplies Europe;
md America with eggs, the barn-yard |
owl, is in his native country and orig |
nal state in Ceylon. He breeds no i'm |
1rovement by crossing. The jungle
,ock the planter described as being
prince in his way, admirable, beautiful.
The peacock is here also in his native
and. At Anurajapura, famous city
Of CeylOn's ancient ruins, peacock's
feathored skin, from beak to tail inclu-
sive, can be bought for SO go rupees.
more than 600 years ago
was the center of civilization. Now it
is the center of jungle.