ere in any considerable number. Its presence throughout Ceylon is
always indicative of the vicinity of man, and at a distance from the
shore it appears in those places only where it has been planted by his
care. The Singhalese believe that the coco-nut will not flourish "unless
you walk under it and talk under it:" but its proximity to human
habitations is possibly explained by the consideration that if exposed
in the forest, it would be liable, when young, to be forced down by the
elephants, who delight in its delicate leaves. See DAVY'S _Angler in the
Lake Districts, p._ 245.]

The mango, the jambo, and several other fruits are particularised, but
the historical books make no mention either of the pine-apple or the
plantain, which appear to have been of comparatively recent
introduction. Pulse is alluded to at an early date under the generic
designation of "Masa."[1]

[Footnote 1: _Mahawanso_, ch. xxiii. p. 140.]

_Rice and Curry._--Rice in various forms is always spoken of as the
food, alike of the sovereign, the priests, and the people; rice prepared
plainly, conjee (the water in which rice is boiled), "rice mixed with
sugar and honey, and rice dressed with clarified butter."[1] Chillies
are now and then mentioned as an additional condiment.[2] The _Rajavali_
speaks of curry in the second century before Christ[3] and the
_Mahawanso_ in the fifth century after.[4]

[Footnote 1: _Ibid_., ch. xxxii. p. 196.]

[Footnote 2: _Ibid_., ch. xxv, p. 158; ch. xxvi. p. 160.]

[Footnote 3: _Rajavali_, pp. 196, 200, 202.]

[Footnote 4: _Mahawanso_, TURNOUR'S MS. translation, ch. xxxix.

KNOX says that curry is a Portuguese word, _carre_ (_Relation_, &c.,
part i. ch. iv. p. 12), but this is a misapprehension. Professor H.H.
WILSON, in a private letter to me, says, "In Hindustan we are accustomed
to consider 'curry' to be derived from, _tarkari_, a general term for
esculent vegetables, but it is probably the English version of the
Kanara and Malayalam _kadi_; pronounced with a hard _r_, 'kari' or
'kuri,' which means sour milk with rice boiled, which was originally
used for such compounds as curry at the present day. The Karnata
_majkke-kari_ is a dish of rice, sour milk, spices, red pepper, &c,
&c."]

Although the taking of life is sternly forbidden in the ethical code of
Buddha, and the most prominent of the obligations undertaken by the
priesthood is directed to its preservation even in the instances of
insects and ani