NO. 41. — 1890.] REBELION DB CEYLAN. 



431 



Chapter II. treats of the " Origin and Succession of the 

 Emperors of Gey lan to the Arrival of the Portuguese." 



The first portion, describing the origin of the Sinhalese, 

 contains the usual mythical absurdities ; but in the latter 

 part we come to firmer ground, the writer describing the 

 interfraternal war by which the Portuguese profited to 

 acquire a title to the Island, and showing to his own satis- 

 faction the righteousness of their methods of making converts 

 by the edge of the sword. The names of the various 

 Governors of Ceylon from Pedro Lopez de Sousa to Nuno 

 Alvarez Pereira are given ; and our author describes the 

 fictitious peace concluded between the last-named commander 

 and the King of Kandy. 



Chapter III. treats of the " Authority, Jurisdiction, and 

 Forces of the Portuguese Generals in the Island : its Fertility, 

 Religion, Rites, and Customs of its Natives." 



The details in the latter part of the chapter are evidently 

 borrowed from Couto and other writers. The natives, as 

 might be expected, are painted in the blackest colours ; at 

 the same time, however, the writer has to admit some good 

 traits in their character ; and he even acknowledges that 

 their contact with his fellow-countrymen may have tended 

 to corrupt them. The authority of the Portuguese governors 

 is shown to have been supreme ; and the writer says : — 



Considering that in all these things they represented to the 

 Zingalas the person and authority of their emperors : they performed 

 Zumbaya [reverence or worship] to them, calling them Highness, and 

 used all the royal insignia and ceremonies. 



We also read : — 



The Governors held their Court in Malmuara, three leagues 

 from Colombo, in sumptuous palaces which they called Rosapani 

 here three times in each year came to visit them the principal Zingalas 

 of the Island, who brought with them large presents, as a sign of their 

 friendship and allegiance. 



Details are also given of the military posts, troops, their 

 pay, &c. 



In chapter IY. we are told " who Constantino de Sa y 

 Norona was, his election as Governor and Captain-General of 

 Gey lan y 



The lineage of the family of De Sa is given, and we are 

 told that Constantino de Sa was born in 1586, and was 

 brought up by his grandfather, his father having died while 

 he was young. In lf)04, when eighteen years of age, he was 

 betrothed to a daughter of a noble of the house of Olivenca, 

 whom he married three years later, embarking the same 



* Malvana, in Siyane Korale ; Rosapani appears in the older Dutch 

 maps of Ceylon. — B., Hon. Sec. 



