COIR. 100 



of vessels, but rope thus made is not nearly so strong 

 as that prepared from hemp. 



The Ejoo is a species of palm-tree, which affords 

 a fibre exactly resembling coarse black horse-hair, and 

 which is capable of being made into ropes of great 

 strength, not so elastic as those made of coir, which 

 will be hereafter described, but stronger than hempen 

 ropes. This tree is called the arrow in Marsden's 

 History of Sumatra, where it is described as affording 

 fibres ready prepared by nature, flexible, strong, ex- 

 ceedingly durable, and the most convenient for cables 

 and cordage that can be desired. These fibres grow 

 in a very remarkable and peculiar manner, being pro- 

 duced from the base of the foot-stalks of each leaf, 

 and embracing completely the trunk of the tree, from 

 which the fibres and leaves are easily removed with- 

 out injuring its growth. These fibres are apparently 

 bound to the tree by thicker filaments of twigs, of 

 which the Malays make pens for writing; indeed 

 there are many other important qualities in this tree 

 which render it a very valuable production. It 

 abounds in palm-wine, a liquid which flows from in- 

 cisions made in the trunk, and is a very grateful 

 beverage much esteemed by the Malays, who like- 

 wise make sugar from it. Sago also is obtained 

 from this species of palm. Each tree throws out 

 annually six large leaves, and each leaf yields an 

 average produce of three-quarters of a pound of fibres 

 fit for cordage. 



The fibres of the husk of the Cocoa-nut are much 

 esteemed for cordage throughout Asia. These fibres 

 are called coir. The fruit has been already noticed 

 in a former volume, and the use of its fibrous parts 

 described. Mr. Henry Marshall, a medical gentle- 

 man for many years resident in Ceylon, has given in 

 his ' Contribution to a natural and economical history 



