the  IJland  of  Sumatra,  169 
fometimes  one  hundred  of  the  natives,  armed  with 
match-lock  guns  and  matches  burning. 
It  is  from  this  country  that  moil:  of  the  caffia  fent  to 
Europe  is  procured ; and  I went  there  in  hopes  of  finding 
the  cinnamon,  but  without  fuccefs.  The  caffia  tree 
grows  to  fifty  or  fixty  feet,  with  a Item  of  about  two  feet 
diameter,  with  a beautiful  regular  fpreading  head;  its 
flowers  or  fruit  I could. not  then. fee,  and  the  country  peo- 
ple have  a notion  that  it  produces  neither. 
Camphire  and  Benjamin  trees  are  in  this  country  in 
great  abundance;  the  former  grows  to  the  fize  of  our 
largeil:  oaks,  and  is  the  common  timber  in  ufe : I have 
feen  trees  near  one  hundred  feet  high.  Its  leaves  are  acu- 
minated and  very  different  from  the  camphire  tree  feen 
in  the  botanic  gardens,,  which  is  the  tree  from  which  the 
Japanefe  procure  their  camphire  by  a chemical  procefs ; 
whereas  in  thefe  trees  the  camphire  is  found  native  in  a 
concrete  form.  Native  camphire  fells  here  at  upwards  of 
200  f .per  Cwt.  to  carry  to  China;  what  the  Chinefe  do 
to  it,  I cannot  fay ; but,  though  they  purchafe  it  at  250^', 
or  300^.  they  fell  it  again  for  Europe  at  about  a quarter 
of  the  money.  I have  never  been  able  to  fee  the  flower 
of  the  camphire  tree;  fome  abortive  fruit  I have  fre- 
quently found  under  the  trees,  they  are  in  a cup,  like  an 
7.  acorn, 
