the other, mahogany.

Friday, October 14th.--Just at our breakfast hour we sighted that
oriental fairy garden, Ceylon's isle; and though we must be from fifteen
to twenty miles off, a curiously-constructed native vessel, with perhaps
a dozen persons on board, has just put out to welcome and pilot us to
land. A boat so different to all other boats that I must say a word
about it. It is a sort of double canoe, constructed of the hollowed out
trunk of a cocoanut tree, to which is attached a couple of outriggers,
with a second canoe-shaped structure at their extremities, but of lesser
dimensions than the boat proper, and differing from it, too, in not
being hollowed out--in fact the latter is used only as a balance for the
other. When it comes on to blow with any force, the Singalese boatmen
may be observed standing out on their outriggers, to counteract the
force of the wind on the high sails. The stronger the breeze the further
out the men go. Their mode of expressing the intensity of a breeze is
significant. The Singalese don't say as we do, it is blowing stiff, or
half a gale, or a gale; but that it is a "one-man wind," or "two," or
"three-man wind," as the case may be. I believe a similar idiom is used
by the natives of the Sandwich isles.

On nearing the land we could see how really delightful this ocean gem
is. One mass of gorgeous, perfumed foliage blazes suddenly on the sight
from the midst of the sea; feathery palms, broad trembling leaves, and
groves of lofty cocoanut trees springing from the midst of
richly-flowering shrubs.

From the inner harbour the view of Galle is very fine. For miles on
either hand stretches a palm-fringed shore, with the noble cocoanut
trees so close to the water's edge, that at times the sea seems to dash
right into their midst. Cocoanut trees, like volcanoes, seemingly prefer
the proximity of the sea to a more retired position.

The whole scene reminds one of the beautiful places visited by captain
Cook, in his voyages. Even the boats are laden with the self-same royal
fruits--great green cocoanuts, pine apples, bananas, plantains, and
yams.

All those curiosities for which India is famous--every conceivable
article which the fancy or ingenuity of man can possibly fabricate out
of such commodities, as sandal wood, ebony, ivory, and porcupines'
quills, richly and delicately carved, may be had here for a mere song if
you possess only patience. Amongst other things there is a brisk t