84 JOURNAL E. A. S CEYLON. [EXTRA 



Hagan, the Admiral, that I should go to the country of Mcfbar* 

 (Coromandel ) } the king of which was my brother-in-law, and that 

 I should return with troops, to the end that the islands might be 

 reduced under his authority, and that I should then exercise the 

 power in his name. I chose to serve as signals between us* 

 white flags to be hoisted on board the vessels. As soon as 

 they should see these, they were to rise in rebellion on shore. I 

 never had any such idea, up to the day when I showed my dis- 

 pleasure. The Vizier was afraid of me and said to the people, 

 u This man is determined to get the Vizierate, me living or dead/' 

 He made many enquiries about me, and added, " 1 have heard 

 that the King of India has sent him money, to use in raising 

 trouble against me." He dreaded my departure lest I should 

 return from the Coromandel Coast with troops. He bade me re- 

 main until he should get a ship ready for me : but I refused. 



The half-sister of the Queen complained to her of the 

 departure of her mother with me. The Queen wished to prevent 

 her, but did not succeed. When she saw her resolved to go, she 

 said to her, " All the trinkets you possess were provided 

 with money from the custom-house. If you have witnesses 

 to swear that Djeldl eddtn gave them to you, good and well ; 

 otherwise restore them." These trinkets were of considerable 

 value ; nevertheless my wife gave them up to these people. 

 The Viziers and Chiefs came to me while I was at the mosque, 

 and prayed me to return. I replied to them, " Had I not sworn, 

 assuredly I would return." They said, " Go then to some other 

 island, so that your oath be kept, and then return." "Very 

 well," said I, to satisfy them. When the day of my departure 



* The name Md'har ( 'passage' or ' ferry') was given to the Coromandel 

 coast by the Arabs during the 13th and 14th centuries. Col. Yule, suggests 

 that it referred to the communication with Ceylon, or, as is more probable, to 

 its being at that age the coast most frequented by travellers from Arabia and 

 the Gulf (Marco Polo II., p, 268). The tract of coast called Ma' bar extended 

 from Cape Comorin to Nellore. 



