270 



JOURNAL, R.A,S. (CEiYLON). 



[Vol. X. 



Ceylon, son of Portuguese fathers, composed with the highest 

 individuality and exactness Relagao das guerras de Uva, 

 which was preserved in his choice Library by his Excy. the 

 Marquis de Abrantes D. Rodrigo Annes de Sa e Almeyda, 

 who communicated it to Monsieur Legrand, who translated 

 it into French, and it was printed, together with the Historia 

 de Geilad, composed by Joao Rebeiro, also translated into 

 French. Trevoux, &c." 



How an error, once perpetrated, is liable to be perpetuated, 

 may be judged from the following extract from the Diccio- 

 nario Bihliographico Portuguez of Innocencio Francisco da 

 Silva, 1860, vol. IV., p. 25 : — " Joao Ribeiro, soldier in India, 

 and Captain in the island of Ceylon, the events of which he 

 described in the year 1685 as an eye-witness : Fatalidade 

 historica da ilha de Geyldo. Dedicada d magestade do 

 serenissimo D. Pedro II., ret de Portugal. — The original 

 Portuguese of this work, consisting of two parts, the first with 

 24 chapters and the second with 10, remained for many years 

 in manuscript, and was only printed for the first time in vol. 

 V. of the Gollecgdo de Noticias para a historia e geograpJiia 

 das Nagdes Ultramarinas, published by the Royal Academy 

 of Sciences, Lisbon, 1836. It was, however, translated into 

 French by M. Legrand, a few years after it was written, and 

 appeared in print under the title of Histoire de Vile de Ceylan, 

 par Jean Ribeyro, &c, together with the translation which 

 the same Legrand made of the Relagdo das guerras de Uva 

 by Filippe Botelho, Trevoux, chez Estienne Ganeau, 1701, 

 12mo. The Commander F. J. M. de Brito had copies of 

 both, as appears from the catalogue of his library, quoted 

 already several times." 



It is strange that, while confessedly so little is known of 

 Captain Ribeiro, the editors of the MS. should be able to pro- 

 nounce with such assurance upon his signature, &c. But 

 let that pass. It will be seen that the editors make very 

 strong charges against the Abbe le Grand, of not only mis- 

 translating the original Portuguese, but mutilating the work 

 by leaving out passages and even whole chapters. Now, 



