This place of Leawava is so contrived by the Providence of the Almighty Creator, that neither the Portuguese nor Dutch, in all the time of their wars, could ever prevent this people from having the benefit of this salt: which is the principal thing that they esteem in time of trouble or war; and most of them do keep by them, a store of salt against such times. It is, as I have heard, environed with hills on the land side, and by sea not convenient for ships to ride: and very sickly—which they do impute to the power of a great god, who dwelleth near by in a town called Cotteragom, standing in the road; to whom all that go to fetch salt, both small and great, must give an offering. The name and power of this god striketh such terror into the Cingalese, that those who otherwise are enemies to this King, and have served both Portuguese and Dutch against him; yet, would never assist to make invasions this way.
Having said thus much concerning the cities and other eminent places of this kingdom; I will now add a little concerning their towns. The best are those that do belong to their idols, wherein stand their Dewals or temples. They do not care to make streets by building their houses together in rows, but each man lives by himself in his own plantation; having a hedge, it may be, and a ditch round about him to keep out cattle. Their towns are always placed some distance from the highways: for they care not that their towns should be a thoroughfare for all people; but only for those that have business with them. The towns are not very big: in some may be forty, and in some fifty houses; and in some, above an hundred: and in some again, not above eight or ten.
As I said before of their cities, so I must of their towns; that there are many of them here and there lying desolate: occasioned by their voluntarily forsaking them; which they often do, in case many of them fall sick, and two or three die soon after one another. For this, they conclude to happen from the hand of the devil; whereupon, they all leave their town, and go to another, thinking thereby to avoid him: thus relinquishing both their houses and lands too. Yet afterwards, when they think the devil hath departed the place: some will sometimes come back, and reassume their lands again.
