572 JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XI^ 



themselves more at liberty. Trusting their safety to our 

 small numbers, should they be driven to the last extremity,, 

 to the natural defence of their impenetrable forests and 

 jungle clad mountains, they withdrew themselves to the Uva 

 mountains, the most remote and rugged highlands of all, and 

 the less known. 



These fastnesses Constantino de Sa suddenly entered with 

 only fifty Portuguese, specially chosen for this service ; and 

 so great was his undaunted courage that after he had 

 penetrated into these mountains and scoured the forests, 

 cutting down all who opposed him, he descended unex- 

 pectedly upon the kingdom of Candia, laying a great part 

 of it waste, and putting numbers of Zingalas to the 

 sword. The success of this expedition appeared marvellous 

 indeed, considering its casualties and the rapidity of his 

 movements. 



After this he returned to Columbo and was received amidst 

 the acclamations of the natives, who called him nothing less 

 than "the god of the Island": so great is the impression made 

 on mankind by any extraordinary turn of fortune, that they 

 hail mortals as divine beings. During this expedition were 

 performed many deeds of valour by the arms of our Portu- 

 guese, whose blows, in imitation of their General, over- 

 powered the enemy and filled them with dread. Hastening 

 the intrigues of the conspiracy, it saved his person and the 

 kingdom, but nothing would have availed him if our power 

 had not equalled the Governor's fortune. For what could he 

 have done, weak and disarmed, without money or men. 

 hampered by officials who, stung Avith jealousy by so many 

 successes, tried to tarnish the glory of them, keeping watch 

 over every thing he did, prying into expenses so as to pick 

 holes in the waste and profusion of them, and the diminution 

 of the royal treasury. But he administered it with great care 

 and moderation. It was so small that he tried to increase it 

 by curtailing his own expenses, even to the selling off of his 

 own goods and chattels to supply in some measure absolute 

 necessities : even this was censured by the envious, so as not 



