298 COCOA-NUT TREE. 



overshadowed by umbrageous Jack,"^ Kettide,'\ 

 and cocoa-nut trees, and which displays the 

 gigantic representation of a former prince of the 

 interior, called " Kottah Rajah," to the attention 

 of the traveller. 



The figure, about sixteen or eighteen feet 

 in height, is sculptured in the solid rock ; 

 and, according to the Singalese tradition, the 

 original discovery of the cocoa-nut tree is attri- 

 buted to a vision, which first communicated to 

 this highly-favoured rajah a knowledge of that 

 principal of all vegetable productions, which 

 omnipotent wisdom and munificence has so 

 liberally bestowed upon the sable portion of 

 mankind. 



A Singalese king, or sovereign prince, as 

 the term " rajah" implies, of devout conduct 

 and character, became suddenly afflicted with a 

 cutaneous disease, which covered him with a 

 white scaly substance from head to foot, to so 

 great a degree as almost to deprive him of 

 human appearance : so very rapidly did the 

 loathsome distemper extend its malignant in- 

 fluence over the rajah's person, that sacrifices 

 were resorted to by his people, in the hope of 

 thereby appeasing the anger of the supposed 



* Artocarpus integrifolia, Linn. 

 -J- Caryota urens. 



