NO. 41.-1890.] REBELION DE CEYLAN. 



519 



of arms, which so easily rouses the national spirit in subjects 

 newly conquered, who, like the Zingalas, were striving for 

 their liberty by the most violent means. 



By these actions Constantino de Sa gained great renown 

 during his government; for he not only showed great valour 

 in the way he carried on the war, but also great wisdom in 

 the manner he tried to preserve peace. But to do this 

 money (which is the main prop of the republic) was 

 necessary, and when he saw afterwards how little the State 

 could do to assist the Island, which up till now had been 

 severely bled by this war of conquest, that was gradually 

 sapping all its strength, he introduced a tax on cinnamon — 

 that from Ceylan being considered the best in the world, 

 especially what was grown in the Province of Columbo, 

 which produced great quantities, and was a trade of great 

 profit, considerably increasing the royal revenues. 



This drug is extracted from the bark of a wild forest 

 tree which grows without any cultivation or care — so 

 wide are the powers of nature. The fruit and leaves are 

 very like the laurel, but finer and larger ; from these 

 is distilled an oil which, as well as the water distilled from 

 its flower and crushed bark, is of great medicinal virtue for 

 chronic maladies and chills. Its various names are as nu- 

 merous as the countries from which it comes ; for instance, 

 the Zingalas call it Gorundapotra ; the Malabars Garoa; 

 the Arabs Carfd, which doctors corrupt into Quirfe, and 

 others into Quirfd. The Persians call it Darsin, which 

 means " China stick," for the Chinese were the first to culti- 

 vate it, and by them it was shipped to Europe. The Latins 

 called it Ginnamum ; the Malays Gayomavos, which signifies 

 " soft stick." It is the Gaesman or Gaesmanis of the Greeks, 

 and also the Gasia lignea* 



Returning to the introduction of the tax, he knew the 

 danger it entailed : for it is not always politic for a prince to 



* Cinnamon : Sin., kurundu pot a ; Tamil, Jtaruvap-pattai ; Arabic, 

 gliavfah ; Persian, ddr-chini ; Latin, cinnamomum ; Malay, MUt-mariis : 

 Greek, kinnambmou, from Heb. kinnamon. — B., Hon. See. 



