CUAP. I.] 



NATIVE TOWN. 



Ill 



contains no remarkable buildings, and the streets at 

 the present day differ little in their aspect from that 

 which they presented during the presence of the Dutch. 

 The houses are spacious, but seldom liigher than a 

 single story, and each has, along the entire hue of the 

 front, a deep verandah supported on pillars to create 

 shade for the rooms within. 



At the close of the day we drove with the principal 

 government officer, Mr. Cripps, through the native 

 town, which extends beyond the walls of the fort, and 

 thence through some native villages along the margin 

 of the bay, in the direction of Matura, the road being 

 one continuous avenue of coco-nut trees. The enjoy- 

 ment of the scene was indescribable ; the cool shade of 

 the palm groves, the fresh verdure of the grass, the 

 bright tint of the flowers that tmned over every tree, 

 the rich copper hue of the soil, and the occasional 

 ghmpse of the sea through the openings in the dense 

 wood ; all combined to form a landscape unsurpassed in 

 novelty and beauty. 



The subm^bs consist chiefly of native huts, interspersed 

 here and there with the decaying villas of the old Dutch 

 burghers, distinguished by quaint doorways and fantastic 

 entrances to the compounds and gardens. Tlie latter 

 contained abundance of fruit-trees, oranges, limes, pap- 

 paws, bread-fruits, and plantains, and a plentiful under- 

 growth of pine-apples, yams, and sweet potatoes. Of 

 these by far the most remarkable tree is the jak, with 

 broad glossy leaves and enormous yellow fruit, not grow- 

 ing on the branches, but supported by powerful stalks 

 from the trunk of the tree.^ 



I was struck with the extraordinary numbers of the 



^ Tlie jak, AHocarjms intcf/rifolia, 

 would seem to be the tree which 

 Pliny says the Indians called Pala 

 and arima, putting- forlli fruit from 

 its bark, one of which was sufficient 

 to funiish a meal for four persons. 



'' fructum cortice mittit ut imo qua- 

 ternos satiet." — xii. 12. Sprengvl 

 and IJauliin supposed Pliny to mean 

 the plantain ; but the description 

 quoted applies to the j ak. 



