Part 3 (1/2)

TAPPING THE PALMYRA

Alot relieved of his baggage was to climb the banyan This he was able to do with ease, as the trunk, in consequence of the peculiar es and inequalities, and moreover Ossaroo could climb like a cat

But anted he up the tree? Was he after the fruit? It could not be that, for the figs were not yet ripe, and even had they been quiteup for the nuts of the palmyra? No--it could not be that either, for these were not shaped The great flower-spathe had not yet opened, and was only beginning to burst its green envelopes Had the nuts been for state, they would have afforded delicate eating

As already stated, the palrow to the size of a child's head

They are three-cornered, rounded off at the corners, consisting of a thick succulent yellowish rind, each containing three seeds as large as goose-eggs It is the seeds that are eaten when young and pulpy; but if allowed to ripen, they become quite hard and blue-coloured, and are then insipid and uneatable But it could not be the seed either which Ossaroo was after, since there were no seeds, nor nuts--only the flower, and that still hidden in its great spadix

The boys watched Ossaroo narrowly He had carried up with him a bamboo-joint which he had cut from a very thick cane It was open at one end, and formed a vessel that would hold ratherthey had observed hi as a paving-stone Still another i knife

In a few seconds the shi+karree had reached the top of the banyan; and clutching the great leaf-stalks of the pale fronds Here he was observed to lay hold of the spathe of the flower, and bending it against the trunk, he co aith the stone, evidently with the intention of crushi+ng the young inflorescence With a fes he succeeded in doing this effectually

He then drew the knife from his scarf, and, with an adroit cut, detached the upper half of the flower-spike, which fell neglected to the ground

The baht into service This he fixed on the spathe in such a manner that the incised end remained inside the hollow of the cane Both flower-spike and cane were then tied to one of the leaf-stalks of the pal vertically botto been co stone, replaced his knife under his belt, and defended from the tree

”Now, Sahibs,” said he, as soon as he had reached terra firne”

In an hour or so his proht down; and, sure enough, it was found to be full of a cool clear liquor, of which all of thene In fact, there is noand delicious drink in all India than the sap of the pal, and is used too freely by the natives of the country where this splendid tree flourishes

Sugar can also beit down

When sugar is to be made, the tree is tapped in a similar manner; but it is necessary to have a little li the liquid, else it would fer

The reason why Ossaroo was so ready in tapping this particular _tree_, was because the banyan which enveloped its trunk offered hi at it Otherwise it would have been no easy matter to have ascended the s thirty or forty feet without knot or branch Of course Ossaroo, as soon as the bamboo was empty, oncethat the sap would continue to run This it does for many days, only that each day it is necessary to cut a fresh slice from the top of the flower-stalk, so as to keep the pores open and free

Though the day had been hot, as soon as twilight came on the coolness of the air rendered it necessary for our travellers to kindle a fire

Ossaroo was not long in striking a light out of his tinder-box, and having set fire to some dry leaves and moss, a blaze was soon produced

Meanwhile Karl and Caspar had broken some branches fro the fire was created in a few minutes, and around this the party seated the their supper of rice, with so froed in this occupation, so agreeable to ry, the botanist, whose eye was always on the alert for , remarked that the wood out of which their fire had been ots, and cutting it with his knife, he was astonished to find that it _was_ oak in reality--for there is no iant of the northern forests What astonished him was the existence of oak-trees in a country where the flora was altogether tropical He knew that he ht expect to find representatives of the oak family upon the sides of the Hiion of the palenerally known, that many species of oaks are tropical trees--in fact,even as low as the level of the sea It is no less strange, that although there are no oaks in tropical South America and Africa, in Ceylon, or even in the peninsula of India itself, yet there are nual, the Moluccas, and the Indian islands--perhaps a greater nurows in any other part of the world!

The sight of this old acquaintance, as they ter effect upon the Bavarian boys; and after supper they sat conversing upon the subject, deter trees as further confire fact they had observed

They were about thinking of wrapping the to rest, when an incident occurred that kept them awake for another hour or two

CHAPTER EIGHT

THE SAMBUR STAG

”See!” cried Caspar, as hts, I declare!”