COeOA-NUT TREK. 



310 



to ]jr()t(Tt tliein IVoiii tliu iiuplcasant solar re- 



iectfon &om ^el? m^if mi 'bmSum ; 

 tile yeibw leaves (rcKM-jjos^) ai?e pr^mfit 



tlic |nii*|ito$e, tlieir colour being much admired. 

 The Iciivcs wviv used in many of tlic religious 

 ceremonies of the Taliitaiis, aud M^as also an 



embteai of autlwrnty i it yfm smi by the cMef 

 to iik ^ispeiKdmils when aity rlsquisitidii iv^afi 

 made : tlirough the cocoa-nut leaf, tied to the 

 i^arrifice^ the god wiis supposed to enter ; and 

 by the same road the evil spirits, who, it was 

 imagined, tormented those affected mi^ dis- 

 eases, were driven t>ut, BandbeS. m ^fefewi^ «rf 

 thel^ct& wege 4bo siisfmcled fat the^ tmple 



on rrrtiiin occasions, find answered the same 

 ])urjio^e as beads in Roman Catliolic worship, 

 reudndiug the priest, or the worshipper, of tfce 

 oi*d®c of Ms'pCFay^4* 



The lieart, or very yonng foliaceons hotX^ Qt 

 this tree, is calh'd the cabbage, which is an ex- 

 cellent vegetable, citlier cooked or ih-essed, in 

 stews, hashes, or ragouts. f The Singalese use 



* Elli.s, vol. i. p. 52. 



•f T}ie Siii^uleso usad thq white youug leaves in facmiug 

 oriiaraents, iti a liiBtiM and elegant tnanher pecuHiiat to 

 tlit'insch cs, on the occasion of any festival, decorating 

 arches, &f., in various jjtcturesque ibrras oi' crowns» llorers, 



