Part 7 (1/2)
[Footnote 1: _Aristolocia bracteata_. On the sands to the north of Ceylon there is also the _A. Indica_, which forms the food of the great red and white b.u.t.terfly (_Papilio Hector_).]
[Footnote 2: _Hedyotis umbellata_. A very curious account of the Dutch policy In relation to Choya dye will be found in a paper _On the Vegetable Productions of Ceylon_, by W.C. ONDAATJIE, in the _Ceylon Calendar_ for 1853. See also BERTOLACCI, B. iii. p. 270.]
[Footnote 3: Evolvulus alsinoides.]
[Footnote 4: Lippia nodiflora.]
[Footnote 5: Scaevola takkada and S. Koenigii]
[Footnote 6: Panda.n.u.s odoratissimus.]
[Footnote 7: _Moodu-kaduru (Ochrosia parviflora); Moodu-cobbe (Ornitrophe serrata); Moodu-murunga (Sophora tomentosa_,) &c. &c.
Amongst these marine shrubs the Nil-picha (_Guettarda speciosca_), with its white and delightfully fragrant flowers, is a conspicuous object on some parts of the sea-sh.o.r.e between Colombo and Point-de-Galle.]
Where the sand in the lagoons and estuaries is more or less mingled with the alluvium brought down by the rivers, there are plants of another cla.s.s which are equally characteristic. Amongst these the Mangroves[1]
take the first place in respect to their ma.s.s of vegetation; then follow the Belli-patta[2] and Suriya-gaha[3], with their large hibiscus-like flowers; the Tamarisks[4]; the Acanthus[5], with its beautiful blue petals and holly-like leaves; the Water Coco-nut[6]; the aegiceras and Hernandia[7], with its sonorous fruits; while the dry sands above are taken possession of by the Acacias, _Salvadora Persica_ (the true mustard-tree of Scripture[8], which, here attains a height of forty feet), Ixoras, and the numerous family of Ca.s.sias.
[Footnote 1: Two species of _Rhizophora_, two of _Bruguiera_, and one of _Ceriops_.]
[Footnote 2: Paritimn tilliaceum.]
[Footnote 3: Thespesia populnea.]
[Footnote 4: Tamarix Indica.]
[Footnote 5: Dilivaria ilicifolia.]
[Footnote 6: Nipa fruticans.]
[Footnote 7: Hernandia sonora.]
[Footnote 8: The identification of this tree with the mustard-tree alluded to by our Saviour is an interesting fact. The Greek term [Greek: sinapis], which occurs Matt. xiii 31, and elsewhere, is the name given to _mustard_; for which the Arabic equivalent is _chardul_ or _khardal_, and the Syriac _khardalo_. The same name is applied at the present day to a tree which grows freely in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem, and generally throughout Palestine; the seeds of which, have an aromatic pungency, which enables them to be used instead of the ordinary mustard (_Sinapis nigra_); besides which, its structure presents all the essentials to sustain the ill.u.s.tration sought to be established in the parable, some of which are wanting or dubious in the common plant, It has a very small seed; it may be sown in a garden: it grows into an ”herb,” and eventually ”becometh a tree; so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.” With every allowance for the extremest development attainable by culture, it must be felt that the dimensions of the domestic _sinapis_ scarcely justify the last ill.u.s.tration; besides which it is an annual, and cannot possibly be cla.s.sed as a ”tree.” The khardal grows abundantly in Syria: it was found in Egypt by Sir Gardner Wilkinson; in Arabia by Bove; on the Indus by Sir Alexander Burnes; and throughout the north-west of India it bears the name of kharjal. Combining all these facts, Dr. Royle, in an erudite paper, has shown demonstrative reasons for believing that the _Salvadora Persica_, the ”kharjal” of Hindostan, is the ”khardal” of Arabia, the ”chardul” of the Talmud, and the ”mustard-tree” of the parable.]
Lastly, after a sufficiency of earth has been formed by the decay of frequent successions of their less important predecessors, the ground becomes covered by trees of ampler magnitude, most of which are found upon the adjacent sh.o.r.es of the mainland--the Margoza[1], from whose seed the natives express a valuable oil; the Timbiri[2], with the glutinous nuts with which the fishermen ”bark” their nets; the Cashu-nut[3]; the Palu[4], one of the most valuable timber trees of the Northern Provinces; and the Wood-apple[5], whose fruit is regarded by the Singhalese as a specific for dysentery.
[Footnote 1: Azadirachta Indica.]
[Footnote 2: Diospyros glutinosa.]
[Footnote 3: Anacardium occidentale.]
[Footnote 4: Mimusopa hexandra.]
[Footnote 5: aegle marmelos.]
But the most important fact connected with these recently formed portions of land, is their extraordinary suitability for the growth of the coco-nut, which requires the sea-air (and in Ceylon at least appears never to attain its full luxuriance when removed to any considerable distance from it)[1], and which, at the same time, requires a light and sandy soil, and the constant presence of water in large quant.i.ties. All these essentials are combined in the sea-belts here described, lying as they do between the ocean on the one side and the fresh-water lakes formed by the great rivers on the other, thus presenting every requisite of soil and surface. It is along a sand formation of this description, about forty miles long and from one to three miles broad, that thriving coco-nut plantations have been recently commenced at Batticaloa. At Calpentyn, on the western coast, a like formation has been taken advantage of for the same purpose. At Jaffna somewhat similar peculiarities of soil and locality have been seized on for this promising cultivation; and, generally, along the whole seaborde of Ceylon to the south and west, the sh.o.r.e for the breadth of one or two miles exhibits almost continuous groves of coco-nut palms.
[Footnote 1: Coco-nuts are cultivated at moderate elevations in the mountain villages of the Interior; but the fruit bears no comparison, in number, size, or weight, with that produced in the lowlands, and near the sea, on either side of the island.]
_Harbours_.--With the exception of the estuaries above alluded to, chiefly in the northern section of the island, the outline of the coast is interrupted by few sinuosities. There are no extensive inlets, or bays, and only two harbours--that of _Point-de-Galle_ which, in addition to being incommodious and small, is obstructed by coral rocks, reefs of which have been upreared to the surface, and render the entrance critical to strange s.h.i.+ps[1]; and the magnificent basin of Trincomalie, which, in extent, security, and beauty, is unsurpa.s.sed by any haven in the world.
[Footnote 1: Owing to the obstructions at its entrance, Galle is extremely difficult of access in particular winds. In 1857 it was announced in the _Colombo Examiner_ that ”the fine s.h.i.+p the 'Black Eagle' was blown out of Galle Roads the other day, with the pilot on board; whilst the captain was temporarily engaged on sh.o.r.e; and as she was not able to beat in again, she made for Trincomalie, where she has been lying for a fortnight. Such an event is by no means unprecedented at Galle.”--_Examiner_, 20 Sept. 1857.]
_Tides_.--The variation of the tides is so slight that navigation is almost unaffected by it. The ordinary rise and fall is from 18 to 24 inches, with an increase of about a third at spring tides. High water is later on the eastern than on the western coast; occurring, on full and new moon, a little after eleven o'clock at Adam's Bridge, about 1 o'clock at Colombo, and 1.25 at Galle, whilst it attains its greatest elevation between 5 and 6 o'clock in the harbour of Trincomalie.
_Red infusoria_.--On both sides of the island (but most frequently at Colombo), during the south-west monsoon, a broad expanse of the sea a.s.sumes a red tinge, considerably brighter than brick-dust; and this is confined to a s.p.a.ce so distinct that a line seems to separate it from the green water which flows on either side. Observing that the whole area changed its position without parting with any portion of its colouring, I had some of the water brought on sh.o.r.e, and, on examination with the microscope, it proved to be filled with _infusoria_, probably similar to those which have been noticed near the sh.o.r.es of South America, and whose abundance has imparted a name to the ”Vermilion Sea”
off the coast of California.
THE POPULATION OF CEYLON, of all races, was, in 1857, 1,697,975; but this was exclusive of the military and their families, both Europeans and Malays, which together amounted to 5,430; and also of aliens and other casual strangers, forming about 25,000 more.
The particulars are as follow:--
Provinces
Whites.
Coloured.
Total.
Population
Males.
Females.
Males.
Females.
Males.
Females.
to the
sq. mile.
Western.
1,293
1,246
293,409
259,106
294,702
260,352
146.59
N. Western
21
11
100,807
96,386
100,828