“But I did not suppose it grew on a tree; I had an idea it was a root.”

“No; it is the inner bark of the trees before you.  They are from twenty to thirty feet high, and are sometimes a foot and a half through.  But the cultivated plant is not allowed to grow more than ten feet high.  The leaves average five inches long, and taste more like cloves than cinnamon.  There are two crops a year in Ceylon, the first in March, the last in November.  The bark is taken off with considerable labor and care, and when it dries it curls up as you find your stick cinnamon.”

“I used ground cinnamon,” added the lady.

“It is the same thing, passed through the mill.  Cassia is another species of cinnamon, and its oil is often substituted for the true oil; and very likely you buy it ground for the real thing.”

The experts explained some other plants, especially cinchona, one of the most valuable medicinal plants, from which Peruvian bark, quinine, and other drugs are made, in which the three doctors were much interested.  The company returned to the hotel; and after dinner the Italian band gave a concert on the veranda, as they had done in every city where the tourists remained overnight, which called forth repeated rounds of applause from the citizens of Colombo.

The next morning the travellers proceeded by railroad to Kandy, which Sir Modava insisted was the right way to spell it.  The route was mostly through an elevated region, and when they reached the place at noon they had attained an elevation of 1,665 feet above the sea.  They remained at Kandy three days, and were sorry the commander would not allow them to stay longer, for it was the most delightful region they had yet visited.  They were in sight of the lofty mountains of the island before mentioned.

They found here the remains of ancient temples from one hundred and fifty to four hundred feet high; and one of them was built to contain the shrine of Gautama’s tooth, and another for his collar-bone, both of which the English believe are frauds.  Another was the Brazen Palace, nine stories high, and supported on sixteen hundred pillars.  But most of the party took no interest in these structures, they had seen so many more that were larger, grander, and finer.  They saw here the sacred Bo-tree, of which they had before been informed.

With great regret they left Kandy, and were soon in Colombo again.  The Guardian-Mother was announced to sail the next day early in the afternoon.  The time for parting with Lord Tremlyn, Sir Modava Rao, and Dr. Ferrolan had nearly arrived.  The hosts of the party had provided a grand dinner for the last one.  The governor and a number of officials, the American consul, and others had been invited.

Lord Tremlyn presided with Captain Ringgold on his right; and after the fine dinner had been disposed of the commander was the person called upon to respond to the first toast, “The Guardian-Mother and her Passengers.”  The name announced was received with the most tremendous applause, and “For he’s a jolly good fellow!” was sung by Englishmen, assisted by the Americans, including the ladies.