A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar c15.33

c15.33

He mentions the richness of Ceylon in precious stones and narrates the legends he heard about Adam's Peak. He records the embassy sent to Ceylon in 1284 by Kublai Khan to get from there some of the hair and teeth of Adam. He sets down in detail the legends narrated to him of St Thomas the Apostle, and the manner of his death in the neighbourhood of Mylapore. He knew that the Andhra country was ruled by a queen (Rudrāmbā), a lady of much discretion, and he describes the different methods by which diamonds were gathered from the mines in her kingdom. He adds: 'In this kingdom also are made the best and most delicate buckrams and those of the highest price; in short, they look like tissue of spider's web! There is no king nor queen in the world but might be glad to wear them. The people have also the largest sheep in the world, and great abundance of all the necessaries of life'.