DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.643#0270
as© ISLAND OF CEYLON.
to the fides of the twigs; are of a round mape, and of the flze
of a common plumb: each has within two nuts, of no fort of
ufe; the leaves are triangular, and grow in pairs. The timber
is ufefulj efpeciahy for mingles to cover houfes. Of the pith
may be made a fort of Sago, but far inferior to the true kind.
John Gideon I am fo much indebted to my late worthy friend John Gideon
Loten, Efq. for my acquaintance with the zoology of Ceylon?
and various particulars refpecting its natural hifiory, that it
would be ungrateful in me not to pay the full tribute of praife
to his memory. I became acquainted with him a few years-
after his arrival in England, in 1758, and long enjoyed the
valuable friendfhip of a man of the ftrictefr. honor, integrity,
liberality, fimplicity, and gentlenefs of manners. He was by
birth a Dutchman, a native of Utrecht. He went to India
in the year 1732, where he exercifed feveral of the higheft
offices at Batavia, and in the iflands of Ceylon and Celebes, with
the higheft credit, he alleviating the cares of his important
duties with the fulleft cultivation of the liberal arts. At Colombo
he eftablifhed a botanical garden; and in every place made the
pleafing ftudy of natural hiftory a principal object. He brought
over with him a large collection of drawings, done with equal
neatnefs and accuracy, fome by the natives, others by Euro~
peans whom he found in the country. I was indebted to his
friendfhip for copies of feveral; but the greater part he at my
requeft liberally communicated to Peter Brown, an ingenious
artift, a Dane by birth, who engraved not fewer than twenty-
one, and, with feveral others from different places, publifhed a
3 fplendid*
to the fides of the twigs; are of a round mape, and of the flze
of a common plumb: each has within two nuts, of no fort of
ufe; the leaves are triangular, and grow in pairs. The timber
is ufefulj efpeciahy for mingles to cover houfes. Of the pith
may be made a fort of Sago, but far inferior to the true kind.
John Gideon I am fo much indebted to my late worthy friend John Gideon
Loten, Efq. for my acquaintance with the zoology of Ceylon?
and various particulars refpecting its natural hifiory, that it
would be ungrateful in me not to pay the full tribute of praife
to his memory. I became acquainted with him a few years-
after his arrival in England, in 1758, and long enjoyed the
valuable friendfhip of a man of the ftrictefr. honor, integrity,
liberality, fimplicity, and gentlenefs of manners. He was by
birth a Dutchman, a native of Utrecht. He went to India
in the year 1732, where he exercifed feveral of the higheft
offices at Batavia, and in the iflands of Ceylon and Celebes, with
the higheft credit, he alleviating the cares of his important
duties with the fulleft cultivation of the liberal arts. At Colombo
he eftablifhed a botanical garden; and in every place made the
pleafing ftudy of natural hiftory a principal object. He brought
over with him a large collection of drawings, done with equal
neatnefs and accuracy, fome by the natives, others by Euro~
peans whom he found in the country. I was indebted to his
friendfhip for copies of feveral; but the greater part he at my
requeft liberally communicated to Peter Brown, an ingenious
artift, a Dane by birth, who engraved not fewer than twenty-
one, and, with feveral others from different places, publifhed a
3 fplendid*