Tennent's Ceylon - 1860
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CONTENTS
OF
THE FIRST VOLUME.
PART I.
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY.
CHAPTER I.
GEOLOGY.—MINERALOGY.—GEMS.
- I. General Aspect.
-
- Singular beauty of the island
3
- Its ancient renown in consequence
4
- Fable of its "perfumed winds" (note)
4
- Character of the scenery
5
- II. Geographical Position
6
-
- Ancient views regarding it amongst the Hindus,—"the
Meridian of Lanka"
6
- Buddhist traditions of former submersions (note)
7
- Errors as to the dimensions of Ceylon
8
- Opinions of Onesicritus, Eratosthenes, Strabo, Pliny,
Ptolemy, Agathemerus
8,
9
- The Arabian geographers
9
- Sumatra supposed to be Ceylon (note)
10
- True latitude and longitude
11
- General Eraser's map of Ceylon (note)
11
- Geological formation
12
- Adam's Bridge
13
- Error of supposing Ceylon to be a detached fragment of
India
14
- III. The Mountain System
14
-
- Remarkable hills, Mihintala and Sigiri
15
- Little evidence of volcanic action
16
- Rocks, gneiss
16
- Rock temples
17
- Laterite or "Cabook"
17
- Ancient name Tamba-panni (note)
17
- Coral formation
19
- Extraordinary wells
21
- Darwin's theory of coral wells examined (note)
22
- The soil of Ceylon generally poor
24
- "Patenas," their phenomena obscure
24
- Rice lands between the hills
26
- Soil of the plains, "Talawas"
27
- IV. Metals.—Tin
29
-
- Gold, nickel, cobalt
29
- Quicksilver (note)
29
- Iron
30
- V. Minerals.—Anthracite, plumbago, kaolin, nitre
caves
31
-
- List of Ceylon minerals (note)
32
- VI. Gems, ancient fame of
32
-
- Rose-coloured quartz (note)
33
- Mode of searching for gems
34
- Rubies
34
- Sapphire, topaz, garnet, and cinnamon stone, cat's-eye,
amethyst, moonstone
37
,
38
- Diamond not found in Ceylon (note)
38
- Gem-finders and lapidaries
39
- VII. Rivers.—Their character
40
-
- The Mahawelli-ganga
41
- Table of the rivers
41
- VIII. Singular coast formation, and its causes
43
-
- The currents and their influence
44
- Word "Gobb" explained (note)
46
- Vegetation of the sand formations
48
- Their suitability for the coconut
51
- IX. Harbours.—Galle and Trincomalie
52
-
- Tides
52
- Red infusoria
53
- Population of Ceylon
53
CHAP. II.
CLIMATE.—HEALTH AND DISEASE.
- Uniformity of temperature
54
- Brilliancy of foliage
56
- Colombo.—January—long shore wind
56
- February—cold nights (note)
57
- March, April
58
- May—S.W. monsoon
58
-
- Aspect of the country before it
59
- Lightning
60
- Rain, its violence
61
- June
62
- July and August, September,
October, November. N.E. monsoon
63
- December
64
- Annual quantity of rain in Ceylon and Hindustan (note)
65
- Opposite climates of the same mountain
66
- Climate of Galle
67
- Kandy and its climate
67
-
- Climate of Trincomalie (text and note)
70
- Jaffna and its climate
71
- Waterspouts
72
- Anthelia
73
- Buddha rays
73
- Ceylon as a sanatarium.—Neuera-ellia
74
-
- Health
75
- Malaria
75
- Food and wine
76
,
77
- Effects of the climate of Ceylon on disease
79
- Precautions for health
80
CHAP. III
VEGETATION.—TREES AND PLANTS.
- The Flora of Ceylon imperfectly known
83
- Vegetation similar to that of India and the Eastern Archipelago
84
- Trees of the sea-borde.—Mangroves—Screw-pines,
Sonneratia
85
- The Northern Plains.—Euphorbić Cassia.—Mustard-tree
of Scripture
87
- Western coast.—Luxurious vegetation
87
- Eastern coast
88
- Pitcher plant.—Orchids
88
- Vines
89
- Botany of the Mountains.—Iron-wood, Bamboo,
European fruit-trees
90
-
- Tea-plant—Rhododendron—Mickelia
90
- Rapid disappearance of dead trees in the forests
91
- Trees with natural buttresses
91
- Flowering Trees.—Coral tree
92
-
- The Murutu—Imbul—Cotton tree—Champac
93
- The Upas Tree—Poisons of Ceylon
95
- The Banyan
95
- The Sacred Bo-tree
97
- The India Rubber-tree—The Snake-tree
98
- Kumbuk-tree: lime in its bark
99
-
Curious Seeds.—The Dorian, Sterculia foetida
100
- The Sea Pomegranate
100
- Strychnos, curious belief as to its poison
101
- Euphorbia—The Cow-tree, error regarding
(note)
101
- Climbing plants, Epiphytes, and flowering creepers
102
- Orchids—Brilliant terrestrial orchid, the
Wanna-raja.—Square-stemmed Vine
103
-
Gigantic climbing Plants
104
- Enormous bean
105
- Bonduc seeds.—Ratans—Ratan bridges
106
-
Thorny Trees.—Raised as a natural fortification by
the Kandyans
107
- The buffalo thorn, Acacia tomentosa
108
-
Palms
109
- Coco-nut—Talipat
110
- Palmyra
111
- Jaggery Palm—Arcea Palm
112
-
Betel-chewing, its theory and uses
112
-
Timber Trees
115
- Jakwood—Del—Teak
116
- Suria
117
- Cabinet
Woods.—Satin-wood—Ebony—Cadooberia
117
-
- Calamander, its rarity and beauty
118
- Tamarind
119
- Fruit-trees
119
-
- Remarkable power of trees to generate cold and keep their
fruit chill
121
- Aquatic Plants—Lotus, red and blue
123
-
- Desmanthus natans, an aquatic sensitive plant
123
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