374 THE SINGHALESE CHRONICLES. [Part HI. 



CHAP. VIII. 



EXTINCTION OF THE " GREAT DYNASTY." 



B-c. From the death of Dutugannurm to the exhaustion 

 ' of the superior dynasty on the death of Maha-Sen, a.d. 

 301, there are few demonstrations of pious munificence 

 to signahse the poHcy of the intervening sovereigns. 

 The king whom, next to Devenipiatissa and Dutugai- 

 munu, the Buddhist liistorians rejoice to exalt as one 

 of the champions of the faith, was Walagam-bahu 1}, 

 whose reign, though marked by vicissitudes, was pro- 

 ductive of lasting benefit to the national faith. Wala- 

 gam-bahu ascended the throne B.C. 104., but was almost 

 immediately forced to abdicate by an incursion of the 

 Malabars ; who, concerting a simultaneous landing at 

 several parts of the island, combined their movements 

 so successfully that they seized on Anarajapoora, and 

 drove the king into conceahnent in the mountains near 

 Adam's Peak ; and whilst one portion of the invaders 

 returned laden with plunder to the Dekkan, then- com- 

 panions remained behind and held undisputed possession 

 of the northern parts of Ceylon for nearly fifteen 

 years. 



In this and the frequent incursions which followed, 

 the Malabar leaders were attracted by the wealth of 

 the country to the north of the MahaweUi-ganga, the 

 southern portion of the island being either too wild 

 and unproductive to present a temptation to conquest, 

 or too steep and inaccessible to afford facilities for in- 

 vasion. Besides, the highlanders who inhabit the lofty 

 ranges that he around Adam's Peak ; (a district known 



Called in the Mahawanso, " Wata-gamini," 



