﻿OP THE PEOPLE OF CBYLOK, 4l9 



TKnox) proves by an irresistible argument, that he 

 has heard at different times. — Vtge then, finding 

 himself master of the Island, took the title of Vige 

 Kagia, and the inhabitants that oi' Sinkale (friends 

 of the Lion) out of compliment to Vige. This is 

 the origin of the word Singakse (as \Ve call it), 

 Vige Ragia was the first of the hne of kmgs, de- 

 scendants of the Sun. . It has been mentioned that 

 he was the grandson of a Lion on his father's side : 

 But as his grandmother was a descendant of the Sun, 

 it is sufficient reason why he should be considered of 

 that race. Also, since his time, all the kings of 

 Lanka Dzvipe (since called Ceylon from Sinhale, ) have 

 taken the title of sons of the Sun. 



It will appear from what we have said, that Vige 

 Ragia arrived in Ceylon on the 7th of May, 543 

 years before the coming of Christ. I do not know 

 upon what authority Valentine states his arrival 

 in the year I()6 of Jesus Christ, Q^9 years after the 

 statement made by the most authentic vv^riters. He 

 is in another error, when he declares him to hav^e 

 reigned only thirty years; the Singakse being all 

 asfreed, on the authoritv of the Mahavanse, the 

 Sassenanvanse, and the Ragia Vallte, tliat he 

 reigned thirty-eight; but they vary in their accounts 

 of the time of reigning and the number of the fol- 

 lowing kings. I have before me seven or eight lists 

 of their kings, not one of which agree — Ihe first 

 extracted from the JMauavanse, the second from 

 Ragiavallie, the third from Sassenanvanse, 

 the fourth and fifth are D-.tch manuscripts, tiie sixth 

 is Valentine's the seventh Ragia Parses Aloo- 

 dilliar of Saleas, who has attempted to reconcile 

 the different statements of the other authors, but (as 

 he himself allows) to no purpose. — About twenty 

 years ago, a learned priest passed several months in 

 the archives of the king of Candia, to ascertain 

 these and other points relative to the Island. The 

 Vork, he has written is much esteemed, and great re- 



E E Si liance 



