Morning journal and courier., 1888-08-23
Features of CeyIsn.
Boston Herald Correspondence. ]


The cinnamon fields of, Ceylon form q will
derness of green ranging four or 1--WE feet in
height, the bushes bearing white, scentless
flower, which is followed by small oblopg
and useless berry about as large as a pea
The spice of commerce is formed by the in
ner bark of the shrub, the branches being
cut and peeled twice annually. The coffee
plantations are very attractive; this island
once rivalled Java in the product of the ber-
~, but its cultivation is now giving way to
other industries. If We go into the forests
we find plenty of the ebony. satin-wood,
bamboo, fragrant balsam and many species
of palms and India rubber trees The shady
pools are dotted with the tabled lotus. re-
sembling huge pond lilies, while brilliant
flowers are seen blooming on tall trees, and
others very sweet and lowly bloom beneath
our feet. Vivid colors fash before the eyes
of the visitors, caused by the blue, yellow
and scarlet plumage of the feathered tribe.
Parrots and paroquets are seen in large
docks. The stock, the ibis and the heron fly
lazily over the lagoons, and here We behold
the gorgeous peacock in his wild condition.
Elephants, monkeys, bears and panthers
freely roam these jungles. The first named
animal is very prolific in its wild state, many
thousands of them having been exported to
India during the last fifty years. In those
woods the keen voice of the tropical thrush
rings on the ear like the scream of young
child; there are plenty of other small birds
in rainbow feathers, but of unknown names.
The ubiquitous sparrow is also here, very
like his English brother, except that he
wears q white bosom. All outdoors at Cey-
Ion seems like conservatory of exotic birds
and flowers, where the Thermometer rarely
falls below seventy-ive degrees, and snow lie
absolutely unknown.
The Ceylon elephants are great source Of
sport to those who can afford to hunt them,
though this is no longer done indiscriminate-
". 1t has been found necessary to protect
the animal by law, as English sportsmen
came in such numbers after the big game
that they would otherwise have soon exter-
minated them. There is now fne of Eve
hundred pounds imposed as Uehalty for
killing one of these elephants, but some rich
Englishmen, nevertheless, kill their elephant
aud pay the fine demanded. When the Duke
of Edinburgh visited the island few years
since grand elephant hunt was arranged for
his participation and pleasure, on which oc-
casion three of the huge creatures were
killed, besides couple of natives who acted
as heaters. When closely pressed the male
elephant is apt to turn savagely upon his
hunters, who not infrequently lose their
lives, as an enraged elephant Knows no fear.
Their principal food is the LEAKAGE and young
shoots of various trees, rise being their IA
vorite feast, and they sometimes devastate
whole plantation in single night. Fortu-
nately for the planters the simplest fence
will keep them off any grounds thus en-
closed. Though a single blow of their
trunks would demolish frail fence, yet they
never attempt it. Elephants are Indigenous
in this island, and from here Hindustan was
supplied with the animal for centuries during
the grandeur of the Mogul reign, whom the
creatures were trained to fight single COM
bats or duels, like gladiators in old Roman
days. fighting sayagely until one or both
fell dead.