THE CANE. 157 



such is about three-fourths of an inch, giving a cavity of 

 three and one-third to four and one-third inches in diameter. 

 These are the sizes generally of bamboo made use of as 

 vessels to convey water, holding rice, tobacco, &c. They 

 are cut in lengths, for water purposes, of 3^ feet, and a stick 

 is driven down to open a communication between the differ- 

 ent chambers, so that the water may flow into them all 

 the bottom is always cut at a joint. A man or woman takes 

 four or six pieces of such bamboo to the water side, and 

 fills them, then connects one half to one end of a bamboo, 

 and the other half to the other end ; the bamboo is then 

 hoisted on the shoulder, with these vessels filled with 

 water hanging from each end and balancing each other. 

 The Assamees and Tartars, when no other means is at 

 hand, boil their rice in them, and the Nagas, at their salt 

 springs, make use of them as substitutes for evaporation 

 pans. Such are the uses, of the bamboo. 



THE CANE. 



This useful article grows as a brier, and forms an 

 impenetrable under-wood, generally forty to fifty feet 

 long. The outer bark is like that of the brier, covered 

 all over with spires. It is a bulwark against the wild 

 elephant or buffalo, neither of whom can make his 

 way through it. It generally is the haunt of tigers. 

 We make use of it every hour in the day we sit on it, 

 sleep on it, and devote it to many other purposes. It is 

 an article of great commercial value all over the world, 

 and well worthy of attention. As stated, it is an under- 

 wood ; I never saw it grow out of the forest, and can say 

 nothing of its cultivation, if it be cultivated. The cane 



