T oRM or C iy -
AOW.
C o n d e U s a .
A d a m ’ s P e a k .
T h e form and extent of the ifle of Ceylon, aye very much
undetermined. The figure which is generally adopted in the
maps, is that of a pear, with the ftalk turned towards the
north. The length, from Dondra-bead fouth, to Pellipeli north,
is about two hundred and eighty miles; the greateft breadth,
or from Colombo to Princoli, is about a hundred and fixty. The
latitudes o f the two extremes in length, are between 5° 50' o",
and 90 51'. Its extremes o f longitude are 79° 50', and 82° .10'.
T h e ifland rifes from on every fide to the mountains, which
run in chains, principally from north to fouth. The higheft
and rudeft trait is the kingdom of Conde Uda, which is impervious,
by reafon of rocks and forefts, except by narrow paths,
which are alfo impeded by gates o f thorns, clofely watched by
guards. At the weftern ikirt o f thefe mountains foars Hamalelly
and, in the European language, Adam's Peak. It rifes pre-eminent
above all the reft, in form of a fugar loaf. Le Bran, ii.
p. 81, gives a view as it appears from the fea. Oft the iummit
is a flat ftone, with an imprefiion refembling a human foot,
two feet long, it is called that of our great and common anceftor.
The Cingalefe, or aborigines o f Ceylon, fay that it is o f Buddoy
their great deity, when he afcended into heaven, from whom
they expeCt falvation. The Mahometan tradition is, that Adam
was caft down from Paradife (we make his Paradife an earthly
one) and fell on this fummit, and Eve near Judda, in Arabia.
They were feparated two hundred years, after which he found
his wife, and conducted her to his old retreat; there he died,
and there he was buried, and there are two large tombs. To this
day many votaries vifit his imaginary fepulchre; the Mahometans
tans out of refpeCtto our common father; the Cingalefe under
the notion I have juft mentioned. Is there not a trace of Chrif-
tianity in the opinion o f the Cingalefe refpe&ing Buddo, of the
neceflity of a mediator, which they might have collected from
the Chrijlians of St. Phomas ? Here they light lamps* and .offer
facrifices, which, by antient cuftom, are given to the MooriJI]
pilgrims. All the vifitants are, in places, obliged to be drawn
up by chains, fo rude and inaccefiible is the way to this mount
o f fanftity.
F rom this mountain ruihes the great rive r Mavila-Ganga, or G a n g e s .
Ganges, wh ich pafles unnavigable, clofe to Candy, a very lopg
and rockv courfe to the fea at Princomale.
A l l the reft o f the ifle, except fome ma tiliy flats adapted to
the culture o f rice, are broken into thoufands o f hills, beautifu
lly cloathed with wood. T h e intervening valleys are often
inorafly, or confifting o f a rich fat f o i l ; bu t the fertility o f the
open parts is aftoniihingly great.
T he account given by Ptolemy of the mineral or foflil pro- M i n e r a l s . *
duftions, is, in; a great meafure, confirmed. Iron and copper
are found here, as is black lead. A gold mine is faid to be
latent in one of the great mountains, but the working prohibited
by the emperor. Of gems, the ruby, fapphire, topaz, the G e m s ,
eleCtric tourmalin, Cronftedt. Ed. Magellan. feCt. 85; and the
cat’s eye, or Pfeud-opal, and hyacinth, are met with. But what
occafions the negleCt of the mines, and of the gems, is the attention
to the great ftaple of the ifland, the important bark of
the cinnamon. DoCtor Tbunberg is very exadt in his account
of the gems of. Ceylon, Travels, iv. 315. They are dug up
about Matura, and the liberty of feareh is farmed for no more
than