you anyhow, so they may be disregarded) enter largely into the life of the people, so their Buddhism is not pure. In Ceylon too there is a horror of demons and evil spirits, and the solitudes of the jungles are supposed to be infested by them, especially after dark. But this hardly affects the question, as, if Buddhism were really a gloomy influence, it would make itself felt anyhow, reinforcing these intermingled beliefs.

Of all the Buddhist shrines remaining in Ceylon, with the possible exception of Adam's Peak, Anuradhapura attracts the most devotees. It is essentially a sacred as well as a royal city.

Its foundation indeed had taken place before the introduction of Buddhism into the island, but it was there, subsequently, that the most sacred relics were enshrined, the greatest monuments of piety erected, and, above all, the sacred bo-tree planted. The city was the capital of the kingdom for more than eleven centuries of varying fortunes, with one small exception, so it is amazing to consider that many English-speaking people to whom Persepolis, Karnac, and Babylon are household names, have never even heard of it.

The Mahawansa records the length of each king's reign, hence by working backwards a chronological table of dates has been compiled. There are, however, a few discrepancies and some ambiguities, so there is room for divergence of opinion, and the later part of the table of kings given by Turnour in his version of the Mahawansa does not altogether accord with that compiled by Wijesinha. Don Martino de Z. Wickremasinghe,

working on evidence deduced from the inscriptions found in Ceylon, has yet another chronology which in most cases differs from either of these. In this book Turnour is followed, as far as he goes historically in his text, and after that the dates given by Wijesinha are preferred, as the kings can be identified in the accounts he gives of them, and as most of the Cingalese kings had two or more names, this is an important matter. A table of the principal kings mentioned, giving also Don Wickremasinghe's version, will be found on p. xvi. King Tissa, as has been said, reigned for forty years, and the roll of his pious deeds is long. Among meritorious works, that of the making of great reservoirs of water, which served to supply the land by means of canals, was counted high. These tanks, as they are called, in many cases exist to-day though dwindled in extent, and they have been restored by the English Government. The word "tank" is a misnomer; they resemble beautiful lakes, and form one of the most attractive features in a lovely country.

All through the history of Ceylon we hear of raids of the Tamils (" damilos," as the Mahawansa calls them), who descended in hordes from southern India upon the little island, just as the Danes and Northmen did upon England, harrying and destroying, being driven off and conquering alternately. It was not only the Cholyans, but other races of south India, such as the Pandyans, who swarmed over to seek spoil and carry off loot. Fergusson, in his History of Indian Architecture, describes the Pandyan kingdom as occupying the extreme south of the Indian Penin

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 batteringHe 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

ram.