Storia do Mogor 276.2

276.2

Formerly the Portuguese were masters of most of the places now held by the Dutch, and always maintained a sufficient force, with a view of obtaining possession of the island, an attempt which they made several times. On one occasion they invaded the kingdoms in the interior, climbing mighty mountains and traversing formidable forests. On reaching the capital city, from which the king fled in terror, they sacked the town and the chief temple, removing the great treasures, and with them the tooth of a monkey which was worshipped by the natives of the country. They declare this to be the tooth of that monkey called Anont (Hanmat, Hanuman), who set on fire the enchanted city of Lanca (Lanka). The tooth was forwarded to Goa, and the viceroy kept it for conveyance to Portugal, to be shown to his king as proof that the people of India worshipped such foolishnesses. The King of Candia (Kandy), or Ceilao (Ceylon) — for thus he called himself — was little concerned about the wealth carried off by the Portuguese; but he and his people were deeply grieved at their taking away the holiest relic there was in the kingdom, and to recover it the king sent an ambassador to Goa to ransom the imagined relic, offering for it a very large sum of money, with some lands and other privileges.