CHAP. I.] CEYLON AS KNOWN TO THE PIKENICIANS. 575 



changed. To the Tyrians, who brought horses and purple robes, 

 and seats of cedar, the king gave in return, pearls, gold, 

 2000 elephants' teeth, and much unequalled cinnamon (xiwju.cp 

 TroAXcu TS x 8i<pepovTi) ; and he entertained them as guests for 

 thirty days." (Ch. xi.) " Some of the Tyrians perished in the 

 island, one indeed by sickness, but the others smitten by the gods. 

 One man, picking up some pellets of sheep's dung, drew lines 

 on the sand, and challenged another who happened to be looking 

 on, to play a game with them. The challenger held the sheep's 

 dung, but the other, who could not find any dung of camels 

 (for there are no camels in that island), took cow-dung, of 

 which there was a great quantity, and rolling up little balls of 

 it, placed them on the lines. But a priest who was present 

 warned them to desist, because cow-dung is sacred among 

 them, but they only laughed. So the priest passed on, and 

 they continued their game ; but shortly after, both fell down 

 and expired, to the consternation of the bystanders. One of 

 those who died was a native of Jerusalem." (Ch. xii.) " The sea 

 encircles this great island of Kachius on every side, except that 

 to the north and west there is an isthmus which affords a 

 passage to the opposite coast. Baaut constructed this place by 

 heaping up mud, and her footprint is still to be seen in the 

 mountain (J t s xa T^voj la-rlv lv rol$ opojj). 



" And the great king traced his descent from her race. The 

 island is six days' journey in breadth, and twelve days' journey 

 in length. It is populous and delightful. Its natural produc- 

 tions are magnificent, and the sea furnishes fish of the finest 

 flavour, and in the greatest abundance, to the inhabitants of the 

 coast. Wild beasts are numerous in the mountains, of which 

 elephants are the largest of all. There is also the most fragrant 

 of cassia (xacria 8e f; apcojU-a-nxaJTa-nj). 



" They find stones containing gold in the rivers, and pearls on 

 the sea-shore. Four kings govern the island, all subordinate 

 to the paramount sovereign, to whom they pay as tribute, cassia, 

 ivory, gems, and pearls ; for the king has gold in the greatest 

 abundance. The first of these kings reigns in the south, where 

 there are herds of elephants, of which great numbers are cap- 

 tured of surprising size. In this region the shore is inhos- 

 pitable, and destitute of inhabitants, but the city, in which the 

 governor resides, lies inland, and is said to be large and 

 flourishing. The second king governs the western regions 

 which produce cinnamon (raiv irpo; e<nrspav TeTfja//.ju.=vwv TOJV 

 and it was there the Tyrian ships cast 

 p P 4 



