As long as Lum Kwa had been alive, Ah Chin had some hope for the future. Just like his fellow prisoners, he had come in the same Chinese junk as Ho Han, leaving behind his family in China. Since the day he boarded the ship, no one had seen Ah Chin smile.

Lum Kwa had told him that he would arrange for his return to China. He had started saving some money for the journey. But after Lum Kwa’s death everything went awry. Shortage of money, the absence of someone who could speak for them and escort them back to China – many people like Ah Chin had remained confined to the tea gardens.

Losing all hope of seeing their families again, men like Ah Chin were heartbroken. Some of them were now destroying their lives with opium.

Ho Han placed a hand on Ah Chin’s shoulder, ‘We have to live. We have to survive. Just think about the days in the tin mines. We are much better here. Here our work has value. If we work hard our life will be better than what it is now. You must try to accept this place as your home.’

Suddenly, a boy entered the room in a huff. His face was red with excitement.

‘They have come. They’ve arrived,’ he said breathlessly.

‘Who?’

‘Lots of people. Very dark people. People like ghosts. Scores of them. Oh my God! I cannot make out whether they are human or ghost.’ The boy smiled hesitantly.

‘Maybe it’s the coolies,’ said one of the smokers.

‘The days of the local workers are over then,’ another opium smoker added, chuckling.

‘Come, Ah Chin, let’s go and have a look.’

After getting Ah Chin to chew on a piece of ginger and drink some rice-washed water to reduce his intoxication, Ho Han took him outside. A stream of people were going towards the coolie depot instead of their quarters. They had all heard of the new arrivals but had no idea what they would be like.

They were stunned. The newcomers really were ghost-like people of all ages – covered in dirt and grime, hair matted with dust, and their dirty faces stained with tears. All of them were ill, weak and skinny. Everyone huddled together in one place with their dirty little bundles. A few of the local workers poured black tea in the bowls and other utensils that they had brought with them. Others distributed flattened rice and jaggery. The smaller children looked around in fear and hungrily ate with their dirty fingers.

They all looked cheerless, hopeless and scared. But the onlookers were in for a big surprise. Women would now work in the tea gardens! This had never happened before. It made them happy. The presence of women in the all-male tea garden would provide them some relief.

Ho Han was watching. His past was repeating itself before his eyes. He could understand the agony and anguish these people must have gone through. He knew fully well how bonded labourers were collected and transported.