sula, while the Cholyan kingdom was north of it and extended into Mysore. One of their capitals was Uraiyur, now a suburb of Trichinopoly, and, later on what is now Conjivaram, while Madura was for a long time the capital of the Pandyans. These two states were constantly at war with one another and were equally bitter foes to Ceylon. They were both Tamil-speaking and may equally be meant under the word damilo," which appears so frequently in the chronicles. The first recorded regular invasion was that of one Elala (or Elaro) a Cholyan, who, with an army from Mysore, arrived with force and succeeded in establishing himself as King of Lanka (205 B.C.). For forty-four years he reigned and reigned well. Though he did not become a Buddhist, he was liberal minded as regards the national religion, upheld the monks, continued many useful works, such as the building of tanks, and kept the people together with a strong hand. As an instance of his justness, the Mahawansa says that at the head of his bed was a bell, with a long rope, ready to be rung by those who sought redress. Elala's son, when on an excursion to the Tissa tank in his chariot, ran over a full-grown calf, which was on the road with its mother. The cow immediately went to the bell-rope and pulled it by throwing herself against it. On hearing the story the king struck off the head of his son with the same wheel that had passed over the calf's neck! There are many other similar stories.

The great river, the Mahawelliganga, has always formed a barrier across which it was difficult to penetrate, and the power of Elala did not

reach to the further side, where lay the hill country of Rohuna, difficult to subdue, and forming at all times a refuge for the lawless or fugitive from the northern side.

Here were established some remaining members of the royal line of Wijaya, living in petty state, and fretting at their exile from power. Among them was one boy, subsequently called Dutugemunu, but as a boy Gemunu or Gamini, and his brother Tissa, two years his junior. These two were great-grandsons of King Tissa (Dewananpiatissa). When only a lad of twelve, Gemunu flung himself down on a bed with his hands and feet curled up. His mother asked him why he did not stretch himself out comfortably, to which he replied: "Confined by the damilos beyond the river (Mahawelliganga) and on the other side by the unyielding ocean, how can I, in so confined a space, lie down with outstretched limbs ? " This was taken as an omen that some time when he attained man's estate he would oust the usurper Elala, and recover the throne of his forefathers.

The father of the princes was of a peaceful or timid disposition, and tried to exact promises from the lads that they would never attempt to recover their inheritance from the Tamils. But both of them were of different metal, and stoutly refused any such pledge. On the contrary, Gemunu discovered ten strong men, heroes in prowess, and attached them to himself, causing them each to enlist ten more, as like themselves as might be. These picked warriors became an army under the command of the boy, who thereupon applied to his father for permission to cross

the river and make war upon the invaders. Thrice he made the request and thrice it was refused, whereupon, in an outburst of contemptuous anger, he sent a female jewel to his father, indicating that he held him only fit for women's baubles. This impertinence was promptly resented, and Gemunu had to fly to the mountains near Adam's Peak to save himself from his parent's wrath. For the escapade he gained the additional name of Duttha, or Dutu, meaning "rebellious." While he was away his father died, whereupon Tissa, the younger brother, seized what power there was, and established himself in his father's place. It was hardly likely Dutugemunu would stand this! Back he came and made war on his brother, forcing both him and his mother to fly. But they were persuaded to return, and Dutugemunu, emerging victorious, forgave them both magnanimously and enlisted them on his side.

Having thus strengthened himself, Dutugemunu proceeded to carry out the desire of his life. He very sensibly set himself first to the task of reducing the strongholds in the keeping of Elala's principal warriors. The town Wijito was besieged. It was protected by three lines of lofty battlements and an iron gate. The Tamils who were defending it poured down lumps of iron and molten lead on the attackers. Some of this stuff fell on the back of the state elephant Kandulo, who was being employed as a batteringram. He rushed into the water in his agony, but, having been protected by a leathern covering of “well-softened buffalo hide sevenfold thick, and an oiled skin," he pluckily returned to the fray

and burst in the gate. It took the warrior four months to demolish the fortifications of Wijito, and another four months to overcome Mahelo. Then he started out for Anuradhapura. Elala was quite ready for him, having heard of the fate of his outposts, and came out to meet him.

Dutugemunu gave command that no one but himself was to attack Elala, and, mounting on the faithful Kandulo, he approached the southern gate of the city. Elala accepted his challenge and met him there, beginning by hurling his spear at this audacious youth. Gemunu evaded it, and made his elephant charge with his tusks the other elephant, and at the same time hurled his javelin at Elala, so that both rider and mount were slain.

This Homeric combat took place 161 B.C., and the details are full of vivid actuality. We can stand near the spot where the mighty joust was played and conjure up the scene. Wonderful to say, Dutugemunu was not deficient in chivalry. He called together the foe, who had submitted on the death of their leader, and held a festival in honour of the dead king.

The corpse was burnt at a funeral pile on the spot where the king fell, a tomb was built over it, and Dutugemunu ordained that it should receive honour, as the Mahawansa says: "Even unto this day, the monarchs who have succeeded to the kingdom of Lanka, on reaching that quarter of the city, whatever the procession may be, they silence their musical band."

And these honours continued to be paid to the

tomb of Elala up to the period of the British occupation. As late as 1818, when the Kandyan chief, Pilamé Talawé, the second of that name, was escaping, after having unsuccessfully organised a revolt against the British, he got down from his litter on approaching the spot and walked for a long way, though weary and ill, until he was quite sure he had passed the precincts, for he was not certain of the exact situation of the tomb. Dutugemunu reigned twenty-four years, and was succeeded by his brother Tissa, for his only son had married a low-caste (Chandala) woman and renounced the succession.

The line of Cingalese sovereigns is divided into two distinct classes: the kings of the Mahawansa, or superior dynasty, which includes all the names up to that of Maha Sena (A.D. 275-302), and the Sula-wansa, or inferior race, who followed, and held the throne down to the occupation of the island by Europeans. But this division is not a question of blood or race, for the king who succeeded Maha Sena was his own son, Kitsiri Maiwan, who, with many of an altogether different race, is included in the Sula-wansa. The distinction is rather one of power.

There were numerous deeds of violence and murder, numerous usurpations. The kings succeeding Tissa seem to have had as their chief occupations, keeping down the quick growth of jungle, repelling Tamils, and rebuilding shrines and repairing tanks after their incursions. The second great recorded invasion of Tamils was that in 104 B.C., which drove Walagambahu I, or Watagemunu, to Dambulla caves, and the third