32 



PHYSICAL GEOGEAPHY. 



[Part L 



iiiountains and rocks of this region, arises from the 

 fact that they contain those mines of precious stones 

 which from time immemorial have conferred renown 

 on Ceylon. The ancients celebrated the gems as well 

 as the pearls of " Taprobane ; " the tales of mariners 

 retmiiing from their eastern expeditions supphed to 

 the story-tellers of the Arabian Nights their fables of 

 the jewels of "Serendib;" and the travellers of the 

 Middle Ages, on retnrning to Europe, told of the " sap- 

 phires, topazes, amethysts, garnets, and other costly 

 stones" of Ceylon, and of the ruby which belonged to 



