But there is a tree in Ceylon, still more curious than the jack-tree. It is the TALPOT-TREE. This is a very tall tree, and its top is covered by a cluster of round leaves, each leaf so large, that it would do for a carpet, for a common-sized room; and one single LEAF, cut it in three-cornered pieces, will make a TENT! When cut up, the leaves are used for fans and books. But this tree bears no fruit till just before it dies,--that is till it is _fifty_ years old: THEN--an enormous bud is seen, rearing its huge head in the midst of the crown of leaves;--the bud bursts with a loud noise, and a yellow flower appears,--a flower so large, that it would fill a room! The flower turns into fruit. THAT SAME YEAR THE TREE DIES! PEOPLE.--And who are the people who live in this beautiful land? In the flat part of the island, towards the north, the people resemble the Hindoos, and speak and think like them; and they are called Tamuls. But among the mountains of the south a different kind of people live, called the Cingalese. They do not speak the Tamul language, nor do they follow the Hindoo religion. They follow the Buddhist religion. You know this is the religion of the greater part of the nations. Ceylon is full of the temples of Buddha. In each temple there is an inner dark room, very large, where Buddha's image is kept,--a great image that almost fills the room. [Illustration: DEVIL PRIESTS.] The priests in their yellow cloaks, with their shaven heads and bare feet, may be seen every morning begging from door to door; but _proud_ beggars they are,--not condescending to _speak_,--but only standing with their baskets ready to receive rice and fruit; and the only thanks they give--are their blessings. There is another worship in Ceylon, and it is more followed than the worship of Buddha, yet it is the most horrible that you can imagine. It is the worship of the DEVIL! Buddha taught, when he was alive, that there was no God, but that there were many devils: yet he forbid people to worship these devils; but no one minds what he said on that point.