THE ISLAND OF CEYLON. 
20 7 
in an impression on the summit of the mountain resem- 
bling the print of a man’s foot, but more than double 
the ordinary size. After taking this farewell view, the 
father of mankind is said to have gone over to the con- 
tinent of India, which was at that time joined to the 
island ; but no sooner had he passed Adam’s bridge, than 
the sea closed behind him and cut off all hopes of return. 
This tradition, from whatever source it was originally derived, 
seems to be interwoven with their earliest notions of religion, 
and it is difficult to conceive that it could have been en- 
grafted on them without forming an original part. I have 
frequently had the curiosity to enquire of black men of 
different casts concerning this tradition of Adam. All of 
them with every appearance of belief assured me that it 
was really true, and in support of it produced a variety 
of testimonies, old sayings and prophecies which have for 
ages been current among them. The origin of these tra- 
ditions I do not pretend to trace, but their connection 
w ith scriptural history is very evident ; and they afford 
a new instance how universally the opinions with respect 
to the origin of man coincide with the history of that 
event as recorded in the bible. 
A large chain, said also to be the workmanship of 
Adam, is fixed in a rock near the summit of the mountain. 
It has the appearance of having been placed there at a 
very distant period ; but who really placed it there, or for 
what purpose, it is impossible for any European to trace 
