4 SPOLIA ZBYLANICA. 



The wind had been rising since the morning, but we were able to find 

 deep water close in on the south side , in which respect the chart was 

 found to be inaccurate, making the depth much less than it was 

 found to be. 



We went ashore and had our tents put up, and Mr. Ingles immedi- 

 ately began the survey of the island, getting half-way round it 

 before sunset. The island is covered with vegetation, chiefly 

 kandal {Rhizophora mucronata), used for dyeing nets and sails, and 

 stunted suriya trees, also a good many creepers and flowers, includ- 

 ing Gloriosa superba, which in Jaffna is known as " November 

 flower," as it flowers in that month. Our tent was pitched under 

 a tree which looked like Callotropis gigantea grown into a tree, the 

 leaves being very much the same. Some of the servants asserted 

 that it was " erukkalai " {Callotropis) , but as I had never seen a 

 specimen of this plant larger than a bush, and the flower looked 

 rather different, I have brought away a branch to send to the 

 Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens for identification,* also 

 some specimens of a plant with a flower like clover. 



The " vinalai " root , the size of a tiny yam, is found abundantly in 

 Kachchaiti vu . Boiled, it is used for f ood , and flour is prepared from it . 

 Twelve tons of it were imported into Delft from Kachchaitivu in 

 March and April, 1904. It is said to be also known as " karanai." 



The eastern corner of the island, opposite which we anchored, 

 terminates in a miniature headland of coral stone, and on this Mr. 

 Ingles found the remains of 'a trigonometrical station, evidently 

 erected when the Indian Government surveyed the coast line of the 

 Island for the Marine Survey. The island itself has never been 

 surveyed. There is no good water on it, which accounts for the 

 fact that it is uninhabited. Mr. Ingles found a wrecked ballam on 

 the opposite side of the island, and we saw remains of fires indicating 

 that it had been recently visited by fishermen. It is about a mile 

 long by half a mile wide. There is a grass plain on the west side. 

 We were told that there were no snakes on this island nor on Iranai- 

 tivu , but both statements were disproved by finding the skin of a snake 

 at one of the Roman Catholic churches on Iranaitivu and here also. 



December 3. — There were several squalls during the night, and 

 the wind seemed to be gradually rising, so that it seemed expedient 

 that we should get away as soon as possible, especially as we only 

 had a limited supply of water (we had to wash in salt water this 

 morning), but we had to wait till Mr. Ingles had finished his survey, 

 which took another 3| hours. We got away about 11.30 a.m. with 

 a very high head wind blowing and a very heavy sea, so much so 

 that the captain of the " Serendib " was rather anxious for the 

 safety of the vessel, which was built for use as a harbour boat only, 



. * It was identified as TournefortiU argentea " a characteristic shore tree of 

 the Eastern Equatorial Zone, but not hitlierto recorded nortli of Trincomalee." 

 The leaves certainly have a silvery shinnner, hence the name I suppose. 



