216 



Notes of an excursion along [no. 6, new series, 



vation of the species. Take for example the Kandelia Rheedii and 

 see the long pendulous roots hanging from the boughs, perhaps the 

 only instance of the kind where the seeds actually begin to germi- 

 nate before falling from the parent branch. When of sufficient 

 length, should they not reach the water, they drop off, and sink 

 by their own weight in the soft muddy bottom, from whence the 

 new plant springs up. Now were the seeds to drop off at once 

 when ripe, as in other plants, the stream would naturally carry 

 them away, but by this wise yet simple adaptation of means to an j 

 end, the plants have the power of increasing to an indefinite extent, 

 in situations where their utility is required and appreciated. The 

 mangrove tribe has an extensive range being found in all tropical 

 countries in salt marshy places, along the shore of the sea. 



About twenty miles from Quilon to the left hand is the village 

 of Porcaad, the Dutch had a factory here, and it was formerly a 

 very populous place, but its importance as a pepper depot decreas- 

 ed on the rise of Allepey. Some miles beyond Porcaad, and with- 

 in twelve miles of Allepey, on the right hand side at a place called 

 Ambalapuley, the traveller will remark a curious stone image the 

 size of life, standing half out of the water, and apparently in a 

 running attitude. It has a singular appearance. I could never 

 ascertain anything beyond its legendary history, for stories tell 

 that it is the image of a murderer whose victim was a woman he 

 had slain in the vicinity. After the commission of the foul deed, 

 he attempted to escape by running through the water to the oppo- 

 site side, but the hand of avenging justice turned him into stone 

 on the spot, where he has remained ever since. The image of a 

 man apparently in the act of running is very remarkable. For- 

 merly the boatmen when passing by the haunted locality used to 

 cross themselves and mutter the name of their patron Saint Anthony 

 as they quickly glided by the image of the murderer. 



Proceeding along from Ambulapuley there are extensive rice- 

 fields on either side, as might naturally be expected in a tract of 

 country so flat and so abundant in water. The physical configu- 



The Mangrove tribe are most numerous at the Equator, as in Sumatra. Hei- 

 fer collected 17 species in the Tenasserim Provinces.— jBd. M. J. 



