2Z2 



ISLAND OF CEYLON. 



verre) fo exprellive of the life of a good man, concluding with 

 thefe words — 



Such was John Gideon Loten. 



PONTA DE 



Pedras. 



Jaffana- 



TATAM. 



The Ape-God, 

 Hannaman. 



After this account of my worthy friend, I refume the view 

 of Ceylon^ beginning at the northern extremity of its coaft, Ponta 

 de Pedras^ Lat. 9° 52', the Boreum promontorium of Ptolemy, and 

 taking the ealtern fide, furround the whole ifland. This north- 

 ern extremity is broken into two, or perhaps more ifies, divided 

 from the greater by a very narrow channel ; the other fide is 

 faced by rocks and flioals, and afFeded by mofl: variable cur- 

 rents. 



The city of Jaffanapatam flands on the weftern fide of one 

 of the ifies ; this retains its Cingalefe name ; moft of the other 

 places in the neighborhood have been changed toD-utch. When 

 the city was taken from the natives by the Portuguefe, in 156a, 

 they found in the treafury the tooth of an ape, fo highly vene- 

 rated by the people of Ceylon, that immenfe fums were offered 

 for its redemption, but in vain. To deftroy this \}\ecQ of idola- 

 try, the viceroy ordered it to be reduced to powder, and then 

 burnt. Apes are in many parts of India highly venerated, out 

 of refped; to the God Hanfiawany a deity partaking of the form 

 of that race, with the addition of heads of bears, who rendered 

 the god Vitcbe7ioii great fervices in this very ifie, fiaying giants, 

 and performing fo many wondrous deeds. In vol. iii. p. 863, of 

 Churchiir^ collecftion, is a long detail of his exploits. There is 

 a wonderful extravagance in the Indian mythology; the warmth 



of 



