8 
24 
A Defcription of G E Y L O N. 
CS^-^ The Cinna mon-Tree has a double Bark, 
t^rvj outward Bark being taken off with 
a crooked Knife ^ the inward Rind is cut 
with a Knife firft round the Tree, and 
then in length, which being expos'd to 
the Sun-beams in the Fields, (brinks toge- 
ther into fuch fmall Rolls as we fee them 
in Europe. The Trees that are thus 
peel'd perifli, inflead whereof the Fruits 
that fall upon the Ground produce other 
Cinnamon-Trees. The Wood is very 
white, and ufed by the Inhabitants for 
building. It is obfervable that thefe Cin- 
namon-Trees don't grow all over Ceyloriy 
but only in fome certain places : For in 
the whole Kingdom of Jafnapatnanij and 
the Ifle of Manaar^ none of thefe Trees 
are to be feen, but only beyond the Ri- 
ver Chilau., in the Country about Ne- 
gumbo, and the Inland Coui^fS^ as like- 
wife near Gale. Thefe "^r^S feldom 
grow together, but are generally feen in 
Woods mixt with other Trees. Whilft 
I was Minifter at Gale, fome of my Slaves 
us'd now and then to bring fome Cinna- 
mon Wood among the reft into the 
Kitchin, which when put into the Fire 
emitted a very odoriferous fcent. 
It is further worth taking notice of, 
that whereas according to the Judgment 
of the Naturalifts and Phyficians, the 
Cinnamon is very hot, yet does the Root 
of the Tree produce not only a Water 
fmelling exadly like Camphyr, but alfo 
the ftrongeft fcented Camphyr it felf : I 
, have feveral pieces of it, which fmell fo 
ftrong that I am fcarceable to endure it. 
Out of the Cinnamon Wood, whilft yet 
green, they diftil a Water of an agree- 
able fmell, and very wholefom to our 
Bodies. The Natives make out of the 
outward Bark of thefe Trees curious Ca- 
binets ; I have fuch a one by me of a 
confiderable bignefs, which was prefented 
me by Major Peter duPon 1655. juft up- 
on my departure from Ceylon. 
The Eafi- Indies produce three different 
forts of Cinnamon, i. Is the fineft Cin- 
namon caird Canel Fino by the Portuguefes, 
being the fame that is taken from very 
young, or at leaft not very old Trees, 
2. The coarfe Cinnamon call'd Canel 
Groffo by the Portuguefes, taken from very 
thick and old Trees. And, 3. TheC^- 
nsl de Mato, or wild Cinnamon, which 
grows likewife on the Coaft of Mala- 
bar, but is in no efteem ; for where- 
as a Baar of Ceylonefe Cinnamon is fold 
for 50 or 60 Kix dollars, the wild Cinna- 
mon yields not above 10 or 12. Tho I 
have heard fome of the moft ingenious 
of the Natives affirm, that the wild 
Three forts 
«/ Cinna- 
mon. 
Cinnamon might be much meliorated, 
and made fit for ufe. The Dutch Com- 
pany is now, through God's Bleffmg, in the 
pofleflion ot the Cinnamon of all kinds, 
as likewife of all the Spices, wz. of the 
Nutmegs, Mace and'Cloves, except the 
Pepper, which grows in feveral places. 
ThQ Snakt-vpood or Lignum Colubrinum, TheSmkc- 
grows moft frequently in the Ifle of wood. 
Ceylon-, it is white inclining to yellow, 
very hard, and of a bitter tafte^ it is 
in great requeft among the Indians, and 
accounted a good Remedy againft feveral 
Diftempers : They pouder it, and rub 
the whole Body with it to cure the Itch. 
They alfo take an Ounce of pouder'd its ufe a- 
Snake-wood in Water or Wine againft the ^'^t- 
Colick, burning Fevers, and other Dif- 
tempers, but efpecially againft the Stings 
of the Serpents, of which there are many 
in this Ifland. 
The Cingalefc Naturalifts fay that the 
Virtue of the Snahe-nood was firft difco- fiow firfi 
ver'd by a certain fmall Creature call'd ^e^rV. 
Quil, or Quirfele, by the Portuguefesy being 
of the bignefs of our ferrets, wherewith 
we catch the Rabbets ; of this kind the 
Indians keep many in their Houfes, part- 
ly for Sport, partly to catch Rats and 
Mice with. This Creature having a na- 
tural Antipathy againft the Snakes and Antipathy 
Serpents, whenever it is ftung by them betwixt 
runs to the Snake-wood, and after having Q^jf' 
eaten of it, is cur'd of its Wound. f^^S'. 
Marcellus de Bofchhouwer, a Perfon in great f^nt^ 
efteem in Ceylon, relates, that he has 
feveral times feen this Quirpele engag'd 
with Snakes, and among the reft one 
that vanquifli'd a Serpent-, but being 
wounded run to the next Wood, and 
having eaten fome of t\{i% Snake, wood, re- 
turnM in half an hour to the place, where 
its vanquifh'd Enemy lay extended dead 
upon the ground. The Cingalefes call 
the Root of this Tree Nay Lelli, unto 
which they attribute a fingular Virtue 
for the Cure of divers Diftempers. 
There grows a ftrange Tree in the Ifle 
of Ceylon call'd the Root-tree, becaufe its 
Branches turn to the ground like Ropes, 
where taking Root again, they produce 
a Tree that fpreads in a fhort time over 
a fpacious Trad of Ground. Ceylon pro- 
duces alfo Tamarind-TrcQs of a confide- 
rable bulk, the Fruit whereof is account- 
ed an excellent Remedy againft the Scur- 
vy and Dropfy. There grows another 
Tree in Ceylon like our Noli me tangere \ 
for if you go to touch it, it moves back- 
wards, and gives way to your hand. 
For the reft, Ceylon is fufficiently pro- 
vided with Medicinal Herbs, and they 
4. cure 
