The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-01-30

dying on evening pillows OF purpie clouu
etched with fire. and the botanist his camp
and yalerian and lotus. want most to find
out the moral and religious tr.umphs, how
many wounds have been healed, how many
j sorrows comforted, how many entombed
nations resurrected. Sir William Baker, the
famous explorer and geographer, did we'll
for Cey.on after his eight years residence IN
this island, and Professor Ernst Heckel, the
professor from Jena, sdid we'll when he swept
these waters and rummaged these hills and
took home for future inspection the insects
of this tropical air. And forever honored he
and graphic on canvas and imposing in mon
ument and immortal In memory be brought
= to tell the deeds OF those who were heroes
/ and heroines for Christ's sake.
Many scholars have supposed that this ISL
and Of Ceylon was the original garden Of
Eden where the snake frst appeared on rep
lillian mission. There are reasons for belief
that this was the site where the first home
stead was opened and destroyed. 1t Is 80
than twelve degrees OF Fahrenheit differ
4 ence all the year round. Perpetual foliage,
4 perpetual fruit and all styles Of animal life
! proper What luxuriance and abundance
5 and superabundance Of life! What styles OF
plumage do not the birds sport! What styles
: OF scale do not the fishes reveal! What
styles Of song do not the groves have IN their
Hbretto !
Here on the roadside and clear out on the
beach Of the sea stands the cocoanut tree
saying: "Takemy leaves for shade. Take
the juice OF my fruit for delectable drink.
Take my saecharine for sugar. Take my
fiber for the cordage of your ships. Take my
oil to kindley your lamps. Take my wood to
fashion your cups and pitchers. Take my
leaves to thstch your roofs. Take my
smooth surface on which to print your books.
Take my 80 900 900 trees covering 500, 900
acres and with rhe expectation enrich the
world. I will wave In your fans and spread
abroad In your umbrellas. I will vlbrate in
your musical instruments. I will be the
sctubbing brushes on your floors"
Here also stands the palm tree saying:
Z ar am at your disposal. With these arms
fed your ancestors $50 years ago, and with
these same arms Will feed your descend
ants i60 years from now. defy the CEN
turtles q
Here also stands the nutmeg tree saying
i II am ready to spice your beverages and en-
rich your puddings and with my sweet dust
make insipid things palatable."
~ Here also stands the coffee plant saying
with the liquid boiled from my berry I
stimulate the nations morning by morning."
:
with the liquid boiled from my leaf
soothe the worlds nerves and stimulate the
worlds conversation evening by evening""
A Here stands the cinchona saying: II am
! the foe OF malaria. In all climates my Bit
terness Is the slaughter Of fevers."
What miracles OF productiveness on these
islands,! Enough sugar to sweeten all the
worlds beverages. enough bananas to pile
all the worlds fruit baskets, enough rice to
f-.1- III Al ay- III
nut to powder all the worlds cakes, enough
flowers to garland all the worlds beauty.
But In the evening, riding through cin-
namon grove, ! first tasted the leaves and
bark OF that condiment 50 valuable and
delicate that transported on ships the aroma
of the eemnamon Is dispelled IL placed near
rival bark. OF such great value Is the Gin
nannou shrub that wears ago those who in-
jured It In Ceylon were put to death. But
that which once was jungle OF cinnamon
isnoW park OF gentlenen's residences. The
long, white dwelling houses are bounded
I with this shrub, and all other styles OF growth
congregated there make botanical garden.
Doves called cinnamon doves hop among
the branches, and crows, more POLITICALLY
styled ravens, which never could sing, but
think they can, fly across the road giving
full test Of their yocables. Birds which
learned their chanting under the very caves
OF heaven overpower all with their grand
march Of the tropics. The hibiscus dapples
the scene with its scarlet clusters. All shades
Of brown and nmerald and saffron and brill
lance !; melons, lines. magnosteens, custard
apples, guavas, pineapples, jasmine 80 laden
with aroma they have to hold fast to the
wall, and begonlas, gloriosas on fire and
orchids so delicate other lands must keep
them under conservatory, bur here defiant
i OF all weather, and flowers more or less akin
; to aZaleas and honeysuckles and foxes and
fuchsias and chrysanthemums and rhodo-
dendrons and foxgloves and pansies which
dye the plains and mountains OF Ceyion with
heaven,
The evening hour burns incense of all
styles Of aromatics. The conyolvulus, blue
as II the sky had fallen, aud butterflies
spangling the air, and arms Of trees sleeved
with blossoms. and rocks upholstered of
moss, commingling sounds and sights and
odors until eye and ear and hostrils vie with
each other as to which sense shall open the
door to the most enchantment. A struggle
between music and perfume and iridescence.
Oleanders reeling In intoxication OF color.
Great banyan trees that have been changing
their minds for centuries. each century car
rying out q new plan OF growth, attracted
our attention and saw US pass In the year OF
1894 as they saw pass the generations OF
embowered in foliage that II you 90 into one
OF its towers and look down upon the city
of 130, 900 people you eanuot see house.
Oh, the trees Of Ceylon! May you live to be-
hold the morning climbing down through
their branches or the evening tipping their
leaves with amber and gold 1 forgive the
Buddhist for the worship OF trees until they
know of the God who made the trees.
wonder not that there are some trees in Cey.
lons called sacred. To me all trees are
sacred. I wonder not that before one oil
! them they burn camphor flowers and hang
lamps around its branches and 100, 900 peo-
pie zach year make pilgrimage to that tree.
Worship something man must, and, until
he hear ef the only Being worthy of worship.
what so elevating as tree! What g.sry en-
throned amid its foliage! What majestic
doxology spreads out In its branches! What
q voice when the tempesis pass through 1t !!
How It looks down upon the cradle and the
grave OF csnturiesl As the fruit Of one tree
unlawfully eaten struck the race with woe
and the uplifting OF another tree brings
peace to the soul, let the woodman spare the
tree and all nations honor 1t, II, through
higher teaching, We do not, like the Ceylon-
ese, worship It How consolatory that when
we no more walk under the tree branches on
earth we may see the ''tree OF life which
bears twelve manner Of fruit and yields her
fruit every month, and the leaves OF the
tree are for the healing Of the nations -
! Two professions I saw In Ceyion within
one hour, the first led by Hlndoo priest, q
huge pot OF flowers on his head, his face dis
figured with hcly decorations and his un-
washed followers beating as many discords
trom what are supposed to be musical In.