Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 2.djvu/358

 3H HISTORY OF THE PROPAGATION nation, and, at the moment, as is proved in another place, for a long time on the decline, or unsupport- ed by an active priesthood, were no match, not- withstanding their numbers, for the zeal and ener- gy of their adversaries. The throne and govern- ment being subverted, and the leaders adopting the new religion, the progress of conversion among a people who, at this moment, would almost adopt a new religion on the authority of a royal mandate or proclamation, was necessarily rapid. * The political state of the island, previous to the subversion of Hinduism, maybe described as follows. — The eastern and central provinces, the richest and most populous districts of the island, were sub- ject to the king of Mojopahit, some in a vassal state, and others under his direct sway. Cheriboriy and the districts around it, were under petty independent princes. The rest of the island, comprehending PintOj and there is no good reason to distrust it, the Hindu religion existed entire in the independent knigdom cf Pasuru- han, 68 years after the fall of Mojopahit. The chief of Da- mak, and other Mahomedan princes, went against it in the year 154(5, and were defeated. Pinto accompanied the ex- pedition, along with some other Portuguese adventurers, and his narrative though crowded with the most palpable falsehoods in matters ^ detail, shows that he understood the country and the people ot which he was rendering an account. — Voyages and Adventures of Ferdinand Mendez Pinto, Chap, xliv.
 * If we are to credit the apochryphal authority of Mendez