45d 



THE NORTHERN FORESTS. 



[Part IX. 



more than one or two in l")reacltli. At its southern 

 extremity this narrow inlet penetrates a marshy and 

 ahnost submerged country, covered w^th bukushes and 

 lotus. Here water-fowd are found in astonishing num- 

 bers and of infinite variety, thek haunts being seldom 

 disturbed by a sportsman, and so unfrequented as to be 

 entu'ely out of the ordinary route of travellers. 



The httle islet in the lake on which the fort stands is 

 called by the natives Poehantivoe, the " island of tama- 

 rinds ; " and its approach from the land side is ex- 

 tremely picturesque, thick groves of coco-nut pahns 

 forming an impervious shade above the white houses 

 of the town, each of which is surrounded by a garden 

 of fi'iiit trees and flowering shrubs. A few hundi-ed 

 yards beyond the landing place, we emerged from a 

 green lane upon the esplanade, wdth the old Dutch 

 fortress in front, beyond wdiicli we 

 cauglit ghmpses of the Bay of Bengal, 

 through the forest of palms. 



The fine of coast north and south 

 PM of Batticaloa presents a remarkable 

 ( example of the great sandy forma- 

 tions elsewhere described^, resulting 

 from the conjoint action of the rivers 

 and the ocean cmTcnts. It is nearly 

 thirty miles in lengtli A\dth a breadth 

 of little more than a mile and a half, 

 and separates the sea from the still 

 waters of the lagoon. 



Tliis natural embankment is covered 

 from one extremity to the other with 

 plantations of coco-nut trees, many 

 of them of veiy ancient growth, the 

 pecuhar adaptation of the soil hav- 

 ing been discovered at an early 

 period by the Moors, whose descendants have settled 



■ GOBBS ■■ ON TEE EAST COAST- 



' See (lute, Yol. I. Vt i. cb. i. p. 4o. 



