The earliest account of the Mussulman tradition that connects the story of Adam with the Peak is that contained in the narrative of Soleyman, an Arab merchant who visited Ceylon in the beginning of the ninth century. His attention was particularly directed to the mountain called by his countrymen "Al-rohoun," "to the top of which" he says, "it is thought Adam ascended, and there left the print of his foot, in a rock which is seventy cubits in length; and they say, that Adam at the same time stood with his other foot in the sea. About this mountain are mines of rubies, of opals, and amethysts." Ibn Wahab, another trader who visited Ceylon about the same period, speaks of its pearls and precious stones; and the narratives of both travellers are related in a work entitled "Voyages of the two Mohammadans," written between the years A. D. 851--911, and first printed in France in 1718.†

Sindbad the Sailor in his charming tales, written probably about the same period as those of the two Mohammadans, says in the account of his sixth voyage "The capital of Serandib stands at the end of a fine valley, in the middle of the island, encompassed by high mountains. They are seen

*

History of Ceylon, by PHILALETHES, 1817, p. 7. The opals referred to by Soleyman must have been either cat's-eyes or moonstones; the real opal not being found in Ceylon.

By RENAUDOT; it was reprinted at Paris by REINAUD in 1845. An English translation was included in both HARRIS's and PINKERTON'S collections of early travels.

three days' sail off at sea. Rubies and several sorts of minerals abound. All kinds of rare plants and trees grow there, especially cedars and cocoa-nut. There is also a pearl-fishery in the mouth of its principal river; and in some of its valleys are found diamonds.* I made, by way of devotion, a pilgrimage to the place where Adam was confined after his banishment from Paradise, and had the curiosity to go to the top of the mountain."† The Arabian author Edrisi, in his Geography compiled at the desire of the Sicilian king, Roger the Norman, A. D. 1154, repeats details of the height of the holy mountain of Ceylon, its gems and odoriferous woods; and in the next century Kazwini of Bagdad, the Pliny of the East, gives particulars of Ceylon as then known to the travellers and voyagers of his day.

Ibn Batuta, a Moor of Tangiers, the record of whose thirty years' pilgrimage [A. D. 1324-1354] entitles him to rank amongst the most remarkable travellers of any age or country, whilst journeying through Persia, visited at Shíráz "the tomb of the Imám El Kotb El Walí Abú Abd Allah

* Diamonds are not found in Ceylon, but white sapphires may have been passed off for such gems. A species of zircon is found in Matura, which goes by the name of the Matura diamond; these stones are exceedingly hard, and some of them possess great lustre: but they are seldom found of any size, and are of little commercial value.

† Arabian Nights' Entertainments, by TOWNSEND; Chandos Classics Edit., p. 428.

Ibn Khafif, who is the great exemplar of all the region of Fars." Of him he says "This Abú Abd Allah is the person, who made known the way from India to the mountain of Serandib, and who wandered about the mountains in the Island of Ceylon. Of his miracles, his entering Ceylon, and wandering over its mountains in company with about thirty fakeers is one: for when these persons were all suffering from extreme hunger, and had consulted the Sheikh on the necessity of slaughtering and eating an elephant, he positively refused and forbade the act. They, nevertheless, impelled as they were by hunger, transgressed his commands, and killed a small elephant, which they ate. The Sheikh, however, refused to partake. When they had all gone to sleep, the elephants came in a body, and smelling one of them, put him to death. They then came to the Sheikh, and smelled him, but did him no injury. One of them, however, wrapt his trunk about him, and lifting him on his back, carried him off to some houses. When the people saw him, they were much astonished. The elephant then put him down and walked off. The infidels were much delighted with the Sheikh, treated him very kindly, and took him to their king. The king gave credit to his story, and treated him with the greatest kindness and respect. When I entered Ceylon I found them still infidels, although they had given great credit to the Sheikh. They also very much honour the Mohammadan fakeers, taking them to their houses and feeding them, contrary to the practice of the infidels of India; for they neither eat with a Mohammadan, nor suffer

him to come near them."* Sir James Emerson Tennent observes upon this account:-" As this saint died in the year of the Hejira 331, his story serves to fix the origin of the Mohammadan pilgrimages to Adam's Peak in the early part of the tenth century."†

Ibn Batúta's visit to Ceylon was the result of stress of weather, he being at the time on a voyage from one of the Maldive islands,-where his long residence and popularity had excited the hatred of the Vizier,-to the "Maabar Districts" on the coast of Coromandel. His narrative will be found in the Appendix, accompanied with notes identifying many of the places mentioned in his route from Puttalam to Gampola, thence to Adam's Peak, to Dondrahead, Galle, Colombo, and back to Puttalam,

* The Travels of Ibn Batúta, translated from the Arabic by the Rev. S. LEE, Professor of Arabic in the University of Cambridge, 1829, p. 42-43. Robert Knox, writing three hundred and forty years later, fully corroborates the statement of Ibn Batuta.

† Sir J. E. TENNENT'S Ceylon, vol. i.

p.

579.

G

NOTE.

It is stated in page 19, on the authority of a note in Mr. James D'Alwis's "Attanagalu-vansa," that except in the historical works of Ceylon, there is no account of this supposed impression of Buddha's foot in any of the earliest. records of Budhism." Since the printing of the sheet containing that page, I have been favoured with the following communication from Mudaliyar Louis De Zoysa, the learned Chief Translator to the Ceylon Government, whose merits as a Pali and Sanscrit scholar are patent to all who have occasion to consult him, but whose reluctance to publish the fruits of his studious labours has hitherto prevented him from taking that place amongst generally known Orientalists to which his abilities entitle him.

"I have much pleasure in sending you an extract and its translation from Buddhaghósa's Atthakathá on the Winayapitaka, entitled 'Samanta Pásádiká,' respecting the impression of Buddha's foot on the mountain of Samantakúṭa. Buddhaghósa is the great commentator on the canonical. Scriptures of Buddhism. Atthakatha is a Comment, or Glossary. Winayapitaka is that division of the sacred text which treats of the Laws of the Buddhist Priesthood.

"Tínikhópana Bhagavató padachétiyáni. Lankádípé ékay. Jambudípé Yonakaratthé dwéti. Tattha bódhitó atthamé wassé Kalyaniyan Maniakkhi nágarájéna nimantitó Bhagavá paychahi