seldom growing above sixteen or eighteen feet high; and its stem runs up straight to the top of its tuft, which is regular, in the form of an oblong cone, composed of several branches and twigs spreading equally on all sides, without leaving any vacancy. The stem at the bottom is about eight or ten inches in diameter, gradually diminishing to the top; and the wood is white while the tree is growing, but brownish when felled and dry. Its bark is tender, of a dark grey colour, and full of cracks up the stem, but on the twigs it is more green and even. The branches grow by pairs or stories, which cross each other obliquely, and not at right angles. Those at the bottom of the tuft are five or six feet long, the others shorter as they come near the top. The twigs grow on the branches in the same order as those on the stem, that is, opposite to each other, and always become less towards their extremity. The leaves also grow in the same manner, and are smooth like those of laurel, of a shining green on the upper side, and of an olive-colour on the back, pointed at the ends; and the largest of them are eight or nine inches long, but for the generality six or seven, and their breadth always nearly equal to half their length,

The flower which this tree bears is about two inches in diameter, and bears some resemblance to a single rose, being composed of four petala almost round, but a little pointed, and somewhat hollowed into the shape of a spoon. The fruit is round, of the size of a middling orange; but in this it varies, from an inch and a half to two and a half in diameter. Its top is covered with a sort of cap in the shape of a rose, or a star with the rays squared off, which rays are commonly

six or seven in number, and being thus squared, form together a kind of polygon. The body of the fruit is contained in a thick rind or shell, somewhat like that of a pomegranate, but softer and more juicy. The colour of this case on the outside is a dark brown purple, but the inside is of a rose colour, and its juice is purple. It has an astringent taste, like that of a pomegranate; nor does it stick to the parts of the fruit it encloses, which is furrowed and divided into segments, much like those of an orange, but of an unequal size, and not adhering to one another. The number of these segments is always equal to that of the rays above-mentioned; and the fewer there are, the larger. They are white, clear, fleshy, membranous, full of juice, and have a mixed taste of grapes and strawberries. Each of the largest segments encloses a seed of the figure and size of an almond stripped of its shell, which, as to consistence and colour nearly resembles a chesnut.

Travellers in general, who speak of this fruit, bestow great encomiums upon it; and Dr. Garcin thinks it surprising, that the most delicious fruit of the Indies, and which yields to none in Europe, should be hitherto so little known or regarded: But that gentleman, having often eaten of it, and found it as excellent as it is reputed where it grows, resolved to examine its genus, settle its characters, and give a description of it which might make it better known to botanists and other curious persons; and from his account we have made this extract.---Our author adds, that one may eat a great deal of this fruit without any inconvenience, and allow it even to sick people, being very wholesome, re

freshing, and more cordial than the strawberry, Its shell has the same virtue with that of the pomegranate; and at Batavia they make an infusion and a tincture of it against dysenteries: But the wood of the tree is fit for nothing but fuel.

There remain yet several other trees and plants, the produce of the Oriental islands, which are so remarkable as to deserve our observation, particularly the talipot in the island of Ceylon. This tree grows to a great height, having no branches on its trunk, but the leaves on the top are so large that one of them will shelter several men. They fold up like a fan, and, when dry, are strong, light, and pliable, insomuch that they are used for umbrellas; and the natives write upon them instead of paper. The pith likewise, when beat in a mortar, makes tolerable bread, which the Ceylonese eat in time of scarcity. It is said they do not build their houses near these trees, the blossoms having an offensive smell.

In Ceylon there likewise grows a tree called kettule, which yields a pleasant wholsome liquor, of which the natives make tolerably good

*It is an admirable provision, as Dr. Derham observes, made by the wise Creator for some countries subject to drought, that, when the waters every where fail, there are vegetables which contain moisture enough not only to supply their own vegetation and wants, but afford nk also both to man and other creatures in their great mities. Thus the wild pine, according to Dampier, aves that will hold a pint and a half or a quart of water, which he says he has many times let out of e leaf with his knife, and caught in his hat to his very great relief. And Navarette tells us of a tree called the bejuco, which twines about other trees, with its point hanging downwards; and that travellers cut off the point

sugar. They also make ropes of its leaves ; which, like those of the betel tree, are fastened to a hard skin full of very strong fibres. The buds have the taste of almonds, and the wood is so hard that it serves for pestles to pound rice. One particular told concerning it is very wonderful, viz. that while it is growing, it sheds its leaves, but sheds none for many years after it is come to full maturity.

The orula bears a fruit like an olive, which makes ink by being bruised and steeped in water. If laid upon iron, it clears it from rust in a night's time.---There is also a tree called jackes, which bears a nut like a chesnut, whose kernels are used instead of rice when it is scarce; and the tree yields a thick glutinous substance, which the boys use for bird-lime, and which tastes like eggs mixed with rice-flour.

RATTANS and large canes grow plentifully in Ceylon, running like vines along the ground, or up high trees, and bearing a fruit like bunches of grapes, covered with prickly shells, which fall off when ripe. Within these there is a scaly husk enclosing a whitish kernel, of which the natives make a sourish pottage.

They have five different kinds of rice, distinguished by their seasons of maturity, all of which except one, require a watery soil. When the rice is gathered, the women carry it to a pit, where

of it, from whence immediately issues a copious stream of water, as clear as crystal. "I have drank of this liquor," says he, "to my satisfaction, finding it cool and sweet. It is the common relief of herdsmen on the mountains, when they are thirsty." Accounts of the like nature are given us by Sir Hans Sloane, of which we shall take farther notice in our description of Jamaica.

it is trod out by buffaloes, and separated from the husks by being pounded in a mortar ; but the best sort must be boiled in the husks, to prevent it from breaking to pieces.

ANIMALS.

IN the island of Ceylon are vast numbers of buffaloes, elephants, monkeys, bears, tigers, and jackals. The island is particularly famous for its elephants, on account of their prodigious bulk, and the beauty of their ivory; and they are so numerous, as to do incredible damage to the husbandmen, by breaking their trees, and eating or trampling down their corn. Hence the

country people are obliged to watch those fields that lie near the woods every night, and they are not secure of their corn, even when it is placed in their yards. It is with great difficulty that, with lighted torches, and making a great noise, they can frighten them away. The tigers and bears are far less troublesome; for they do no damage to the corn, and seldom attack people without provocation; but these elephants, when tamed, are said to be remarkable for their docility.

The Ceylonese not only make use of fire, to drive away the wild beasts, but also to take deer, &c. with which their woods abound. en go into a wood in the night-time, one

carries on his head an earthen vessel, a fire is made of sticks and a kind of m; and in one hand he has a staff, to which