i86 ISLAND OF CEYLON. 



"Jews'^ fuch was the moderation of this excellent prince ! He 

 loved good wine, which he procured from Panhia and Perjiciy 

 and difperfed among his fubjedls. He was indulgent in this gift 

 of heaven, but a moll fevere enemy to incontinence. 

 Ceylon VISITED THE Portuguefe were the firft of ih^ European nations who 

 AlmeVda^'^'^^ vifited Ceylon. It was difcovered by Laurence Almeyda^ in 1505^ 

 who was driven accidentally from his cruize off the Ma/dive 

 ifles, by the violence of the currents, into a port called by the 

 natives Gabalican*. The ruling prince was, as he is now ftyled, 

 emperor, and is lord paramount over the lefler kings; he is 

 ftyled moft great, invincible, and tailed^ -, the firft of his race 

 coming from Slam, with a tail a foot long, pendent from be- 

 hind ; his pofterity in due time (according to lord Monboddd's 

 fyftem) flied their tails, and became as capable of the arts of 

 government, as any European monarch whatfoever. Ahneyda 

 was received by the governor with the utmoft courtefy. He 

 fent PelagJo Souza, one of his officers, to the royal refidence at 

 Colombo, where he was introduced to the emperor. He met 

 with a moft favorable reception, formed a league with his im- 

 perial majelly, who agreed to ^-^j Emmanuel -annu^Wj two hun- 

 dred and fifty thoufand pounds weight of cinnamon; on con- 

 dition, that the fleets of Portugal ihovXd defend his coafts from 

 all hoftile invafions. It is well known that the Portuguefe foon 

 after made themfelves mafters of the principal ports, and en- 

 groffed the whole trade of the valuable bark. The Moors, or 

 Arabs, exerted every effort to prevent them from eftablifhing 



* O&rio i. p. 153. t Wolf's Ceylon, p. an. 



themfelves 



