CHAP. III.] 



EARLY EXPORTS. 



445 



the Chinese and Arabians, and in which, as I have stated, 

 the native Singhalese took no part. 



Still, notwithstanding their repugnance to intercourse 

 with strangers, the Singhalese were not destitute of traffic 

 amongst themselves, and their historical annals contain 

 allusions to the mode in which it was conducted. Their 

 cities exhibited rows of shops and bazaars \ and the coun- 

 try was traversed by caravans much in the same manner 

 as the drivers of tavalams carry goods at the present day 

 between the coast and the interior. 2 



Whatever merchandise was obtained in barter from 

 foreign ships, was by this means conveyed to the cities 

 and the capital 3 , and the reference to carts which were 

 accustomed to go from Anarajapoora to the division of 

 Malaya, lying round Adam's Peak, " to procure saffron 

 and ginger," implies that at that period (B. c. 165) 

 roads and other facilities for wheel carriages must have 

 existed, enabling them to traverse forests and cross the 

 rivers. 4 



Early Exports of Ceylon. The native historians 

 give an account of the exports of Ceylon, which corres- 

 ponds in all particulars with the records left by the 

 early travellers and merchants, Greek, Eoman, Arabian, 

 Indian, and Chinese. They consisted entirely of natural 

 productions, aromatic drugs, gems, pearls, and shells ; 

 and it is a strong evidence of the more advanced state 

 of civilisation in India at the same period that, whilst 

 the presents sent from the kings of Ceylon to the native 



1 B. c. 204, a visitor to Anaraja- 

 poora is described as " purchasing 

 aromatic drugs from the bazaars, 

 and departing by the Northern Gate" 

 (3{(th(iu-(inso, ch. xxiii. p. 139) ; and 

 A.D. 8, the King Maha Dathika 

 "ranged shops on each side of the 

 streets of the capital." Mahcnuanso, 



ch. xxxiv. p. 213. 



a B.C. 170. 

 p. 138. 



Mahaivanso, ch. xxii. 



3 In the reign of Elala, B.C. 204, 

 the son of " an eminent caravan 

 chief " was despatched to a Brahman, 

 who resided near the Chetiyo moun- 

 tain (Mihintala), in whose possession 

 there were rich articles, frankincense, 

 sandal-wood, &c., imported from be- 

 yond the ocean. Mahawanso. ch. 

 xxiii. p. 138. 



4 Mahaioanso, ch. xxviii. p. 167. 



