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JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XX. 



Deo. VIII., Chap. xiii. 

 Of the grandeur with which this tooth was received in Pegu. 



The ambassadors took only a few days to reach Cosmy, 

 the port of Pegu , where at once the news spread of the arrival 

 of the tooth of their idol Quiay, and all the talupoes and people 

 that dwelt there came flocking to worship it with great venera- 

 tion ; and for its disembarkation they made innumerable 

 jangddas on boats with coverings erected above, much carved 

 and adorned ; and the boat in which the accursed tooth was to 

 disembark was all plated with gold and silver and other very 

 costly curiosities : word was immediately sent to Pegu to the 

 Brama, who forthwith in great haste sent all the grandees of his 

 court to receive it, and began preparing the place where it was 

 to be deposited, in which the Brama displayed all his power 

 and wealth. The tooth was brought up the river, which was 

 crowded with costly boats, and that part of the boat in which 

 was the charola incircled with so many lights, that they hid the 

 light of day. 



The Brama, when he had everything ready, embarked in his 

 boats overlaid with gold and adorned with brocades, and went 

 to meet it two days' journey ; and when he came in sight of the 

 boats in which the tooth was coming, he went into the room 

 of his galley, and washed and purified himself with many 

 scented waters, and attired himself in the richest clothes that 

 he had ; and as soon as he reached the jangada in which the 

 tooth was being brought, from the prow where he entered as 

 far as the poop where the tooth was he went all the way 

 on his knees with great manifestations of devotion ; and on 

 reaching the altar upon which stood the charola, he took the 

 casket in which the tooth was in his hands, and placed it many 

 times on his head, and offered the most solemn prayers, with 

 wonderful formalities, and then returned it to its place and 

 accompanied it as far as the city, the whole of that river 

 exhaling the sweetest scents, which all those boats carried; 

 and at the disembarkation of the tooth the most honoured 

 talupoes and xirnis of all the kingdoms rushed into the sea, and 

 the principal ones took the charola upon their shoulders, 

 and went marching towards the palace with such a concourse 

 of people, that it would have been impossible to penetrate 

 it ; and the principal lords stripped off their rich and costly 

 garments, and went spreading them out on the ground, so 

 that those who bore that abominable relic might pass over it. 



The Portuguese that were present were dumbfoundered at 

 seeing that brutish folly and display ; and Antonio Toscano, 

 who as I have said above was one of them, told me things of 

 the display and grandeur with which it was received, which I 



