352 
JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XVIII. 
of the letters D and E in the words ''de" and ^'erdeiros," 
and the omission of the first figure of the date in 1621. This 
manner of writing the date was customary at the period, just 
as we write '03 for 1903, omitting two figures instead of one. 
The dimensions of this tomb are 5 ft. 10 in* by 1 ft. 5 in. 
Plate No. 2. 
The inscription, which it took me considerable study to 
decipher completely, at last resolved itself into the 
following : — 
^* Esta sepultura he de Manoel de Silveira Coutinho e de sua 
molher Izabel Soares e de sous erdeiros 1640 (?)." 
This tomb is of Manoel de Silveira Coutinho^' and of his 
wife Izabel Soares and of their heirs."] 
The date is illegible. The peculiarity about this inscription 
is the use of an archaic form of Rf (thus, ) and the combi- 
nations of N and H, V, and A, &c. It is much rougher cut 
than the first inscription,the kind of stone used being diiBEerent 
also. The size is 4 ft. 7 in. by 1 ft. 2 in. The Portuguese 
seemed fond of long narrow tombs, in contrast to the Dutch, 
whose tombstones were generally of very ample dimensions. 
Plate No. 4. 
*'Esta sepultura he de Paulo Fereira Mene (?) he de seus 
herdeiros." 
This tomb is of Paulo Fereira Menezes and of his heirs."] 
The date is illegible and the word " Mene " not distinct. It 
is the only word in the inscription that presents any difficulty. 
It may be Mene," in which case it probably is a contraction 
of Menezes, or possibly " Melo," another well-known name. 
* Mr. D. Ferguson writes : "I have been unable to trace either Manoel 
da Silveira Coutinho or his wife Izabel Soares. It is a curious coincidence, 
however, that among the captains who accompanied the Viceroy D. Con- 
stantino de Braganga in his expedition against the King of Jaffna in 1560 
was Manoel da Silveira (Couto VII., ix. i.) ; and among those who took 
part in the defence of Col umbo against the attacks of " Madune " in 1563 
was Simao de Mello Soares (Couto VII., x. xiv.). 
f "This form," says Prof essor Gracias, "dates back from the early centuries 
of the Portuguese monarchy, and instances are to be found in India until 
the middle of the 1 7th century." Mr. Ferguson thinks, from the archaic 
form of R used, that the date is much earlier than 1640. 
