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harbor with the actual position of the island in relation to the ancient harbor, now lost, at Cape Comorin.
In the Ramayana the Sinhalese are referred to as rakshas and nagas, demons and spirits, not human because racially opposed to the Aryan invaders. So Fa-Hien describes them in an interesting passage relating to their trade ( Travels, chap, xxxviii) : “the country originally had no human inhabitants, but was occupied only by spirits and nagas, with which merchants of various countries carried on a trade. When trafficking was taking place, the spirits did not show themselves. They simply set forth their precious things with labels of the price attached to them; while the merchants made their purchases according to the price; and took the things away.” And he found in the capital city “many Vaisya clans and Sabaean merchants, whose houses are stately and beautiful.
Cosmas Indicopleustes ( Christian Topography, book XI), tells of Ceylon and its trade in the 6th century A. D. ; his account amplifies what is said in the Periplus, and a translation is appended for com- parison:
“This is the great island of the ocean, situated in the Indian Sea; which is called by the Indians Sielediba, by the Greeks Taprobane, where the hyacinthus stone is found; and it lies beyond the pepper country. It has other small islands scattered around it in great num- ber; of which some have fresh water, and cocoanut palms. They are very close to one another. But that great island, so its inhabitants say, is 300 leagues in length, and in breadth about 90 miles. Two kings reign in the island, hostile to each other; of whom one has the region of the hyacinthus, and the other the rest of the island, in which is the market-town and port. It is frequented by a great press of merchants from far countries. In that island is established the Church of Christ, of the sect of the Persians, and there is a presbyter sent from Persia, and a deacon, and the whole service of the church. But the natives, and the kings, are of other faiths. Many temples are to be seen in this island; on the top of one of them, they say, is a hya- cinthus, in full view, sparkling and very great, like a great spinning- top; and it shines brightly, sending out fiery rays almost like the sun itself, a marvellous sight. From all parts of India, Persia and Aethi- opia come a multitude of ships to this island, which is placed as it were midway between all lands; and it sends ships likewise hither and thither in all directions.
“From the inner regions, that is, from Tzinista and from the other market-towns, are brought silk cloth, aloe-wood, cloves, and sandalwood, and other products according to the place; and it
