al does so, but not for long does he proceed with his work
at the same pace as he did when the mahout was present. He soon begins
sensibly to relax. Presently, finding or imagining that there is no
prospect of the mahout returning, he stops altogether, and stands for a
moment in doubt. Then all doubts seem to vanish, and finally he takes a
bunch of foliage and begins to fan himself. Such is the nature of the
elephant, and the human animal does not greatly differ from him.
Exceptional men there may be, and no doubt also exceptional elephants,
but, as the late Sir Charles Trevelyan good-naturedly said to an official
in the Madras Presidency, "The fact is, we all require a little looking
after." And hence it is that, when the proprietor cannot look after his
own property, he finds it always advisable to give the manager an interest
in the concern, or some interest which will induce the manager to fan
himself in moderation. In the case of tea plantations in India, sometimes
a share is sold to the manager, and then he is given time to pay for this
out of the profits of the concern. In coffee, sometimes, a salary is
given, and a bonus of one rupee a hundredweight on the coffee produced.
Then on some estates belonging to a firm, as it was found that this worked
unevenly, a bonus of a rupee a head was given on each coolie, which was
done to encourage managers to make their estate as attractive to coolies
as possible. In one case I know of, the manager is allowed to invest
capital of his own in the concern to even as small an amount as 1,000
rupees, and for the sum invested he receives a share in the profits of the
estate. The 1,000 rupees are treated as part of the capital of the estate,
and whatever the profits may be, the owner of the capital gets his share.
If he leaves, his capital is returned to him, or, in the event of death,
paid to his heirs. Another plan, and I think the best, is to give a share
of the profits in lieu of salary; or, should the manager not like the
risk, a salary enough for the manager to live on and a share of the
profits besides. But I do not think it wise ever to part with a share in
the ownership of the land, as, in the event of the death of a manager, who
has been turned into a working partner, a very unsatisfactory state of
things is liable to arise. And the original proprietor might, and probably
would, have trouble as to the management of the estate, as he would then
have to deal with the heirs of