No. 11.— '-1858-9.] SCRIPTURE BOTANY OF CEYLON. 



321 



clothing of the primeval pair. The Bb-gaTia also belongs to 

 the same genus, and I was assured some time ago by Sir 

 J. E. Tennent, that the famous Bo-tree of Anuradhapura, 

 (the description of the introduction of which into Ceylon 

 occupies a chapter of the "Mahawansa," (is the oldest historical 

 tree on record. Sir Emerson believes there is evidence to 

 prove that the tree now growing there is the identical one 

 referred to in the " Mahawansa." Those who have read the 

 gorgeous language made use of in the " Mahawansa,") describ- 

 ing the boat, &c, in which the Bo-branch was carried, 

 cannot but have been struck with the similarity of language 

 and imagery to those used by Shakspeare in reference to 

 the mode in which Cleopatra paid her first visit to Anthony. 



Though the wood of the Sycamore tree is soft and coarse, 

 it is believed to have formed the coffins of some of the 

 Mummies found in Egypt. 



Palm. 



" The righteous shall nourish like the Palm tree." (Psalm 

 xcii. 12.) 



"And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of 

 water, and threescore and ten palm trees : and they encamped 

 there by the waters." (Exod. xv. 27.) 



The Palm tree here and elsewhere so often mentioned in 

 the Bible, is undoubtedly the Date Palm (Phcenix dactylifera), 

 single specimens of which may be seen growing in several 

 parts of Ceylon. It is the <50 rata indi of the Sinhalese ; 

 and a solitary tree which grows at Jaffna, vies in stature 

 with any which I saw growing in Egypt. The two indigenous 

 Date trees of our Island, (from the branches and leaflets 

 of which Tats and Basket work are formed,) will give a 

 very good idea, on a small scale, of the Bible date tree, and 

 he manner in which it produces its fruit. Dates are im- 

 ported into England from Barbary and Egypt, and into 

 Ceylon from the Persian Gulf and Arabia. 



