found in Egypt by Sir Gardner Wilkinson; in Arabia by Bove; on the Indus by Sir Alexander Burnes; and throughout the north-west of India it bears the name of kharjal.  Combining all these facts, Dr. Royle, in an erudite paper, has shown demonstrative reasons for believing that the Salvadora Persica, the “kharjal” of Hindostan, is the “khardal” of Arabia, the “chardul” of the Talmud, and the “mustard-tree” of the parable.]

Lastly, after a sufficiency of earth has been formed by the decay of frequent successions of their less important predecessors, the ground becomes covered by trees of ampler magnitude, most of which are found upon the adjacent shores of the mainland—­the Margoza[1], from whose seed the natives express a valuable oil; the Timbiri[2], with the glutinous nuts with which the fishermen “bark” their nets; the Cashu-nut[3]; the Palu[4], one of the most valuable timber trees of the Northern Provinces; and the Wood-apple[5], whose fruit is regarded by the Singhalese as a specific for dysentery.

[Footnote 1:  Azadirachta Indica.]

[Footnote 2:  Diospyros glutinosa.]

[Footnote 3:  Anacardium occidentale.]

[Footnote 4:  Mimusopa hexandra.]

[Footnote 5:  AEgle marmelos.]

But the most important fact connected with these recently formed portions of land, is their extraordinary suitability for the growth of the coco-nut, which requires the sea-air (and in Ceylon at least appears never to attain its full luxuriance when removed to any considerable distance from it)[1], and which, at the same time, requires a light and sandy soil, and the constant presence of water in large quantities.  All these essentials are combined in the sea-belts here described, lying as they do between the ocean on the one side and the fresh-water lakes formed by the great rivers on the other, thus presenting every requisite of soil and surface.  It is along a sand formation of this description, about forty miles long and from one to three miles broad, that thriving coco-nut plantations have been recently commenced at Batticaloa.  At Calpentyn, on the western coast, a like formation has been taken advantage of for the same purpose.  At Jaffna somewhat similar peculiarities of soil and locality have been seized on for this promising cultivation; and, generally, along the whole seaborde of Ceylon to the south and west, the shore for the breadth of one or two miles exhibits almost continuous groves of coco-nut palms.

[Footnote 1:  Coco-nuts are cultivated at moderate elevations in the mountain villages of the Interior; but the fruit bears no comparison, in number, size, or weight, with that produced in the lowlands, and near the sea, on either side of the island.]

Harbours.—­With the exception of the estuaries above alluded to, chiefly in the northern section of the island, the outline of the coast is interrupted by few sinuosities.  There are no extensive inlets, or bays, and only two harbours—­that of Point-de-Galle which, in addition to being incommodious and small, is obstructed by coral rocks, reefs of which have been upreared to the surface, and render the entrance critical to strange ships[1]; and the magnificent basin of Trincomalie, which, in extent, security, and beauty, is unsurpassed by any haven in the world.