UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 291 



those immense leaves, one of which, it is said, 

 can shelter fifteen or twenty men from the rain ! 

 They seem to be formed purposely for this use, 

 for they fold up like a fan, so that the whole 

 leaf, or any portion of it, becomes portable ; 

 and though tough and impenetrable to water, 

 they are easily cut with a knife. When a leaf is 

 spread out, it is nearly circular ; but it is cut for 

 use into triangular pieces, one of which every 

 Singhalese soldier carries as his parasol or um- 

 brella by day, and his tent at night. The fruit 

 is not eaten ; but the pith, like that of the sago 

 tree, is very good, if the tree be cut down before 

 the seed ripens ; when beaten in a mortar, it 

 produces a kind of flour, from which cakes are 

 made, that taste something like wheaten bread. 



Colonel Travers made an excursion into the 

 interior of Ceylon, and he described to us to- 

 day a very curious mode of hunting which 

 they have there. Near the side of a large pond, 

 a hole is dug four feet deep, and wide enough to 

 contain two or three persons. It is covered with 

 leaves, branches, and earth, except a small open- 

 ing, through which the hunters can keep a look 

 out, and when necessary point their guns. Be- 

 fore dark they conceal themselves there, in order 

 to watch the wild beasts, which come from the 

 woods to drink, and the different species of 

 which always come in separate herds. The ele- 

 phants come first, and stay longest, as they 



c2 



