Chap. VII.] 



NEUERA-ELLIA. 



265 



mands at every point splendid \de\vs over the hills and 

 undulating plains of Oovali. This fertile region was 

 formed into a principality by King Senerat, who, at his 

 decease in 1G35, bequeathed it to his step-son ; and it 

 was here that the Portuguese commander, Don Constan- 

 tine de Sa y Xorofia, being tempted to invade the high 

 country, in 1G30, was led into an ambuscade, and mer- 

 cilessly slaughtered by the Kandyans. This gloomy epi- 

 sode in the history of the Europeans in Ceylon forms the 

 subject of a touching narrative Avritten by his son Itodri- 

 gues de Sa y Menezes to vindicate the memory of his 

 father^, who alone of all the Portuguese governors of the 

 island appears to have been kindly remembered for some 

 endearing qualities in his disposition. 



The general aspect of the pro\dnce presents grassy 

 plains, which afford better pasturage for cattle than 

 any other in the island ; and fertile rice-lands, in the 

 management of Avliich the people of Oovah are pre- 

 eminent, from their skill in leading streams from great 

 distances for purposes of irrigation.^ Cattle are abundant, 

 and especially buffaloes, which are universally employed 

 for tillage ; and amongst the objects of cultivation to 

 which the climate is adapted are Indian corn, millet, 

 yams, potatoes, and cassava. Large quantities of ma- 

 terials are grown for the preparation of curry ; turme- 

 ric, capsicums, onions and garUc, as well as cardamoms 

 and pepper. Vegetable oils are expressed from numerous 

 plants ; indigo, madder, sapan-wood and arnotto furnisli 

 dyes ; and the hills, long before European planters had 

 estabhshed themselves around Kandy, were celebrated 

 for yielding the linest native coffee in Ceylon. At the 



' Rchelion de Ccyhm, cS'r. Usbon, 

 A.n. 1(581. For an account of this 

 ill-fated expedition, see ante, Vol. 11. 

 rt. IV. ch. ii. p. 40. 



■^ The sources of these streams 

 ai'e chiefly in the hills surrounding 

 !Neuera-ellia ; '■'■ therefore," says Mr. 

 V>\\\VM,m\\\9, Eujlit Years" ll^ander- 



iii(/s in Cei/Ioii, " the king in possession 

 of Xeuera-ellia had the niostconiplcle 

 coniniixnd over his subjects in Oovah, 

 as he could either give or Avitlihold 

 the supply at pleasure by allowing 

 its free exit or altering its course.'' 

 Ch. iii. p. 49. 



