TALIPAT TREE. 
79 
nuts. This effort to provide a numerous succession 
proves fatal to the parent. In times of great scarcity 
the natives of India cut down this palm, and extract 
the pith for food : it very much resembles sago in its 
qualities.” 
To this account of the tree, a few particulars may 
be added. The one which we saw was not above a 
hundred feet high, and measured nearly seven feet 
round the trunk ; but they are sometimes much 
larger, growing occasionally to a circumference of nine 
or ten feet. The fruit of the tree is about the size of 
a twenty-four pound cannon-ball, and contains a 
thick pulp, having seeds like the palmyra. c<r This 
tree,” says Knox, {C is as big and tall as a ship's 
mast, ” (a very vague standard either of size or 
height,) f<r and very straight, bearing only leaves, 
which are of great use and benefit to the inhabitants 
of Ceylon ; one single leaf being so broad and large 
that it will cover fifteen or twenty men, and keep them 
dry when it rains. The leaf being dried, is very 
strong and limber, and most wonderfully made for 
men’s convenience to carry along with them ; for 
though it be thus broad when open, yet it folds close, 
like a lady’s fan, and then is no bigger than a 
man’s arm, and extremely light.” In this account, 
though the size of the leaf differs from that given with 
the print published by Sir A. Johnstone, yet it is 
by no means exaggerated. A leaf of this palm which 
we saw, completely covered fourteen men, and it was 
one of ordinary dimensions. 
We now proceeded towards the interior, but found 
the aspect of the country in every respect uninvit- 
