316 COFFEE. 



abundance. In places the young trees are planted at regular 

 intervals, and their leaves, arching upward in regular Gothic style, 

 meet at the top in curved geometrical lines, and look exactly 

 like the groined arches of a cathedral crypt. Throughout the 

 whole distance the roar of the sea sounded in our ears, and occa- 

 sional openings in the trees gave us glimpses of it, curling over in 

 solid, green masses, and dashing its foam in concentric, circular 

 rings, far up on the broad, sandy beach. 



The cocoa-nut tree is the chief source of revenue and profit to 

 the natives here, and, indeed, is a wonderful tree. From the nut 

 large quantities of oil are made, and the milk contained in it is 

 given to cattle. From the fibre of the thick outer husk, cordage is 

 made, and also from it are manufactured vast quantities of " coir " 

 yarn, froni which is fabricated the cocoa-nut matting that is used 

 extensively in America, and, indeed, all over the world. The 

 outer shells of the nut and the wood itself are used for fuel, while 

 the leaves furnish a thatch for the native dwellings. Thus every 

 part of this wonderful tree is utilized. The process of oil-making 

 is quite simple. The nuts are cut open, and the meat extracted and 

 placed in the sun for a time until it shrinks and the oil begins to 

 exude ; it is then placed in a rude stone-mill, which is at the same 

 time a sort of press. This is turned by bullock-power, and the 

 oil is half -ground, half-pressed, and runs out through an aperture 

 at the bottom into receptacles provided to receive it. This pro- 

 cess is quite rude and primitive, and does not extract so large a per- 

 centage of the oil as the more perfect machineiy does which has 

 been established by Europeans in Colombo for the same purpose. 

 I could hardly believe that by this improved process a quantity of 

 oil equivalent to sixty-three per cent, of the entire weight of the 

 nut is extracted. The oil is used here for burning in lamps and 

 other purposes, but is principally sent to Europe, where it is 

 utilized in the manufacture of soap, candles, etc., and portions of 

 it are also refined and used in the manufacture of hair-oil and 

 various toilet preparations. 



The natives of Ceylon are a bright, intelligent-looking race, 

 with an erect, manly carriage ; are of a lighter color than most of 

 the inhabitants of the Malayan Archipelago; and some of the 

 women are positively beautiful. En ^assard, there is here a 



