a 
ji Defcrij^^kn of CEYLON. 
C H A P. XLIX. 
Natural Htjlory of Ceylon. Their Pagodes, Convents^ Moftks, Manner Ha- 
bit and Oeconomy of the Cingalefes. 
H 
JAving hitherto taken a view of 
thofe Places of Ceylon that are under 
the Jurifdiftion of the Dutch Company, 
we will now take a turn to Candy^ the 
Imperial Refidence, as the moft proper 
place to be inform'd concerning the real 
Gonftitution of this iQe, and its Inhabi- 
tants, 
the cH}i of The City of Candy is feated about 30 
Candy. Leagues from the Sea-fide, and 9 from 
Fintane up the River of Trinq^uenemaky 
about 2 1 Leagues by Land from Matecalo, 
and 9 from the Sea-fliore, where the Em- 
peror has his Docks for building and re- 
fitting his Ships and Gallies. The other 
Cities of Ceylon being not defcribed in 
any Books, we mufl: alfo pafs by in filence 
here. All over the lile you fee abundance 
' of very fplendid Pagodes. The Foun- 
dation of that of Fintane has no lefs than 
130 foot in Circumference; it is of a 
great height, and gilt on the top \ it is 
oval on the bottom, and arifes into a 
four-corner'd Point like a Pyramid. The 
Great Pagode betwixt Gale and Matccalo 
is alfo much celebrated, ferving for a 
t!kh-Tm- Light-houfe to Ships as well as that of 
f.es. qrinquenefnale. in the large high Pngode 
before- mention'd Hands an Idol renre- 
fenting a Man with a naked Sword in 
his hand, lifting up bis Arna, as if he 
were ready to ftrike. To this Idol the 
Cingalefes pay their Reverence, and offer 
their Sacrifices upon all Emergencies, or 
in time of Sicknefs 5 for which reafon 
they keep a Basket in every^ Houfe, 
wherein they gather fuch Provifions as 
they are to facrifice. They believe that 
the World will not have an end fo long 
as that Pagode ftands. Some wor/hip an 
FJe^hm's Head of Wood or Stone, to 
And iJols. obtain Wifdom. They adorn their Idols 
with Flowers, Thefe Elephants Heads 
are plac'd foniecimes on Trees in the 
High-ways, fometimes in little Brick 
Houfes or Chappels. You fee alfo fre- 
quently in the high Road certain heaps 
of Stones, Earth or Dung, upon which 
each Pallenger throws fomething as he 
palTes by. 
Jufl by Belligamme I faw the Figure of 
a Man at lealt fix Yards high, cut in a 
Rock about half a yard deep, who us'd 
to be worfhip'd by the Cingalefes. 
Near it is a high-peak'd Mountain, ac- 
counted the higheft in the Indies^ call'd 
Pico de ^dartjj or Adam's Peak ; becaiife AdamV 
they arc of opinion, that here ftood for- ^^o'*"^'^'^ 
merly the Paradife, where jidam was 
created : they alfo tell you, that the 
Print of the Foot of ^dam is to be feen 
to this day in the Rock, the Draught 
whereof is kept in the Imperial Court. 
Unto this Rock a vaft number of People 
flock from far diftant places, to fee this 
facred Relick, tho the Mountain is of very 
difficult accefs, nay (if we may credit 
Maffam the Jefuit) quite inacceffible, 
unlefs by means of certain Iron Chains 
and Iron Spikes faflened to the Rocks, 
Some are of opinion that they reve- 
rence the Chamberlain of the Queen 
Candace in this place, who according" to 
fome Hiftorians, but efpecially Borothcvin 
Bifhop of "Tyrus ( a Man equally famous 
for his Learning and Sanftity under Con- < 
ftantine the Great) preach'd the Gof- 
pel in the Happy Arabia, Erythraa and 
Taprohana. 
There are alfo divers Convents in Convents 
Ceylon, and a great number of Brahmans ^"^ ^"^^^ 
and Priefts, who are in great Veneration "/ ^^J'^^"* 
among the common People ; they never 
eat any thing that has been living, or is 
capable of producing any living Sub- 
ilance, as Eggs, 6'f. Their Friers wear 
yellow Habits, with their Heads fhaven 
all over, for which reafon they never ap- 
pear in the Streets without Umbrello's, 
and Beads in their hands, muttering 
out certain Prayers as they go along. 
Their Convents have divers Galleries 
and Chappels, wherein are placed the 
Statutes of feveral Men and Women, 
who, as they fay, have led holy Lives. 
Thefe are adorn'd with Gold and Silver 
Apparel, and attended with burning 
Lamps and Wax-Candles day and night, 
placM upon Altars: The Candlefticks 
being fupported by naked Boys artifici- 
ally carved. The Friers have their cer- 
tain hours for Prayers, which they per- 
form in thefe Chappels. 
They have alfo their publick Pro- Their pn- 
ceflions : The Head or Abbot of the <:^0ons. 
Convent being mounted on a fine Ele- 
phant, fumptuoufly harnelfed with an 
Umbrello over his Head, marches along 
the Street in great Pomp, under the 
found of Horns, Trumpets, and other 
fuch 
