CuAi'. I.] AKRIVAL OF THE PORTUGUESE. 7 



The political condition of Ceylon at the time was tie- a.d. 

 plorable. The seaports on all parts of the coast were 

 virtually in the hands of the Moors ; the north was in 

 the possession of the Malabars, whose seat of government 

 was at Jaffha-patam ; and the great central region (since 

 known as the Wanny), and Neuerakalawa, were formed 

 into petty fiefs, each governed by a Wanniya, calhng 

 himself a vassal, but wtually uncontrolled by any para- 

 mount authority. In the south, the nominal sovereign, 

 Dharma Prakrama Bahu IX., had his capital at Cotta, 

 near Colombo, whilst minor kings held mimic coiurts 

 at Badulla, Gampola, Peradenia, Kandy, and Mahagam, 

 and caused repeated commotions by their intrigues and 

 insurrections. They ceased to busy themselves with the 

 endowment of temples, and the construction of works for 

 irrigation, so that already in the foiu-teenth century, 

 Ceylon had become dependent upon India for supphes of 

 food, and annually imported rice from the Dekkan.^ 



The first appearance of the Portuguese flag in the 

 waters of Ceylon, in the year 1505, was the result of an 

 accident. The profitable trade previously conducted by 

 the Moors, in carrying the spices of Malacca and Sumatra 

 to Cambay and Bassora, having been efiectually cut off by 

 tlie Portuguese cruisers, the Moorish ships were compelled 

 to take a wide course through the Maldives, and pass 

 south of Ceylon, to escape capture. Don Francisco de 

 Almeyda, the Viceroy of India, despatched his son, Lo- 

 renzo, with a fleet from Goa to intercept the Moors on 

 their route, and wandering over unknown seas, he was 

 unexpectedly carried by the current to the harbour of 

 GaUe'^; where he found Moorish ships loading with cin- 



^ Barthema, Itinerario, kc, p. 

 xxvii. 



2 De Barros, dec. i. lib. i. cli. v. ; 

 Faria y Soxjza, vol. i. pt. i. ch. x. ; 

 RiBEYRO, b. i. cb. Y. ; De Copto, 

 dec. V. lib. i. ch. iii. De Barros and 

 San Romano describe this as "the 



discovery of Ceylon," — an expression 

 which must have been merely con- 

 ventional, as in addition to all earlier 

 ti'avellers, Ceylon had been described 

 by a Portiio;uese, Thome Lopez, in 

 a.d. 1502. See Ramusio, vol. i. p. 333. 



B 4 



