Page:Ancient Accounts of India and China.djvu/44

other, and are governed by a Queen. Among theſe Iſlands, they find Ambergreeſe in Lumps of extraordinary bigneſs; as alſo in leſſer Pieces,in Form of Plants forcibly torn up. This Amber is produced at the Bottom of the Sea, as Plants are upon Earth; and when the Sea is troubled, the Violence of the Wave tears it up from the Bottom, and waſhes it to the Shore, in form of a Muſhroom, or a Truffle.

Coco-nut Trees.
Geogr. Nub. p.31. Thefe Iflands governed by a Woman, are full of that kind of the Palm-tree which bears the Coco-nut; and are one, two, three, or four Leagues diſtant from each other, all inhabited, and planted with Coco-nut Trees. The Wealth of the Inhabitants conſiſts in Shells [Cowries,] and even the Queen's Treaſury is full of them. They ſay there are no Artificers more expert than theſe Iſlanders ; and that of the Fibres of the Coco-nut they make whole Shirts, all of one Piece, Sleeves, Gullets and all, as alſo half Veils [or Jacquets.] With the ſame induſtry, and with the ſame Tree they build Ships and Houſes; and they are skilful in all other ſorts of Workmanſhip. Their Shells they have from the Sea, at times when they riſe up to the Surface ; at which times the Inhabitants throw Branches of the Coco-nut-tree into the Sea, and the Shells ſtick to them. They call them Kabtaje.

[D]The Iſland of Sarandib or Ceylon