50 journal, r. a. s. (ceylon). [Vol. VII., Pt, I. 



head and bathed at the New Year ; when he shews himself publicly 

 to the whole army assembled together for this purpose, and to the 

 nobles also, under a salute from the whole of his artillery. After 

 this the nobles and people come, in order, and offer him their presents 

 of gold, silver, precious stones, arms, silk, stuffs, and cloth, besides 

 the tribute proper, of which they then have to pay the first instalment 

 in gold, palm wine(? arrack), oil, rice, honey, wax, iron, elephants' 

 teeth, tobacco, or in other kind ; and they then have often to remain 

 a very long time about the Court before their gifts are accepted by 

 the Emperor or his servants, in consequence of which great crowds 

 are collected and commotions arise. 



Besides these revenues, which are fixed, he has many others which 

 are uncertain or adventitious ; as when, for instance, a man dies leaving 

 cattle behind him, he (the Emperor) takes therefrom according to the 

 law of the land and his own prerogative, one ox, one cow, and a pair 

 of buffaloes, which are punctually claimed by certain officers appointed 

 for the purpose. 



At the time of the harvest in each year every one must pay to the 

 Emperor a certain measure of corn, or rice, according to the extent of 

 his land, which is sometimes commuted for all time by payment of 

 a sum of money, though this latter custom is now no longer followed. 



The estates of soldiers however who die in battle are free from this 

 tax, but not otherwise. 



All farmers also of the land, in addition to the prescribed grain 

 tythe, must pay a certain sum of money; but, on the other hand, those 

 lands are not liable which have been given to a priest or to a charity. 



In olden limes he had also the tolls at Kottiyar or Trincomalee, 

 Port des Galles, and Portaloon, &c, &c, &c. 



After describing the religion of the Sinhalese he alludes to — 



Trincomalee, which means either the hill of the three Pagodas, or of 

 the world-famed Pagoda called the Pagoda of "three stories." . . . 

 One or these (three temples) was appropriated to the use of the 

 pilgrims who came thither by thousands to practise their idolatry, and 

 of whom some in the fervour of devotion precipitated themselves 



