EN ROUTE TO EGYPT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 9, 11 May 1915, Page 3

EN ROUTE TO EGYPT.

RUBBING SHOULDERS WITH THE CINGALESE. A DAY IN COLOMBO. Following is the continuation oi' tho letter, recently published, Irom a moinhcr oi ,\cw Zealand s third reinforcements, describing experiences at Colombo; — Wc stayed at Colombo two days. Each day liit.v per cent, ol the men on the shijj went ashore, llie rest being left at homo to mind the baby. Iced the hens, etc. After landing one ceased to wonder how Colombo lived. At Albany there seemed too big a town to live on the shipping; but big as Colombo may be, it is very evident that a good section ol it lives on the more or Jess wary tourist. As soon as the soldiers landed they were approached 1)v rickshaw drivers, hotel men and. others; and the class ol goods soldi and the general conduct of the natives met with left no possible doubt but that the arrival of a passenger ship was pay-day lor them. Everybody met in the streets seemed to have cigars for sale, and a certain number had

other commodities. One such commodity was jewellery, which was very palpably made in ihrmingham. Sitting down, taking one’s ease in a place ol refreshment for man and beast) a Cingalese gentleman in very shabby clothes would sidle up beside one, open his hand and display a heavy gold (. J ) ring, which he asserted was all gold and which he desired to part with ior IDs. Others would have brooches, the first price for which was .'ss 6d and tne final price paid Gd. One hopes they were reasonable value for the latter figure. All the buildings in the respectable part of the town look well. Some of the hotels, the post office and other public buildings have an imposing appearance. and the architecture generally has a unique cast. All buildings seem of brick, stone or concrete, ami are very cool inside. A small squad paid a visit to the barracks, a line lot of buildings surrounding a spacious piece of ground. AVandering about, we wandered into the barber’s shop, and, having nothing to do, had a hair-cut (of the close-fitting variety) and a shave. A Cingalese gentleman brought

a dish of delicious tea, and the party afterwards had a bath at King George’s expense. We spoke to one !of the soldiers at the barracks. He ' had to go on duty, but told us to come back later. We did so. but could not see him, and had to bo content with patronising the canteen. In the afternoon the party I was with, following its nose, humped into the native quarter. As we came into sight a man sorted us out and became, at his own desire, our guide. Being asked to lead on to a place of refreshment be took us through a number of streets to a one-storied building on a corner which had a brewer’s cart standing before the door. Inside, the “boss’’ made us very welcome and seated us at a table. After we were served with refreshment a whole crowd of nondescript persons descended on us with the usual variety of things for sale. Business was slow for them. Mem: The local beer has a taste of its own —something like rotten eggs. A wise man makes no two bites of the cherry). The only business done was the purchase of a bunch of bananas, and one man had a hit of tattooing done on his arm. This was done by a venerable Cingalese gentleman, who said he had been to New Zealand when working on ship-hoard. It is necessary when 'dealing with the street vendors and ! rickshaw drivers to beat down the prices, everything being pulfed up at first !at feast four times. We left the native •quarter, and in order to make a small 1 present to our self-appointed guide it was necessary to change half a sovereign. The change (seven rupees) looked more like the change of a. sever- 1 leign. The rupees, of course, can easjily he seen not to contain the amount of silver in the well-known and well--1 liked half-crown. Personally I did I not trouble much with the smaller [ cot 11 s and half the time did not know how much I was paying. It was too I much trouble doing intricate arithmetic to ascertain the value of coins worth {the fifth part of a half-penny or therein bouts. The town lias fine broad ! streets and electric trams. It is doubtful if any Cingalese women were on view. Some of the gentlemen wear I long hair, in which they wear combs. -They looked like members of the softer sex in their table-cloth garments. The European residents do not impress one, all having a washed-out appearance, which, I suppose, is inseparable from the climate. On the whole, 1 I think that when I come back from the i war I will not settle in Colombo.