﻿OF THE PEOPLE OF CEYLON. 441 



spoken (No. 8) produced Vvo casts; the Velcndes, 

 ■who knowing nothing of agncLdture, took to trade, 

 and are nov/ called Tcli'ittes ; and the VadighL dis- 

 tinct from the foriner, but als> traders. All the 

 other Brahmes were called Tckouderes, a general 

 ter?n for all inferior casts. 



15th Ma\y books, such as the Dampoiroave, 

 the 4ttnuvavL and the Nchalikave spe-dk oi' Peskars 

 Brahmincs wh) were kings. The bo -^k Sed'fpekave 

 taken from the Soiithsetlire, and t'ne Sonnananteke, 

 written by the king Melidow, establishes the order 

 of casts ill the following manner : Kings, Brakmines, 

 Chitth.Grahapatis. Thirty-five Peskai'S Brahjnines 

 were kings in the country of Damhedrce (the conti- 

 nent) and the lands annexed to it, such as Makhande, 

 AlahapatGonu, Kasi, Gadahare. Koitrow, and Soit- 

 loupatoii/iow. Here follows the manner in which 

 Cti/ton beeame inhabited. Ci-ijlon is a small island, 

 at a little distance from DamhedivS, about one hun- 

 dred yodiins in circumference. It was for many 

 years a savage island, and was inhabited by devils. 

 A descendant of the tirst king of Dambddhe Maha- 

 SAMETE arrived tiiere. He was called Vice Kou- 

 MAiiEA, and was the son of Vagowhagia. This 

 priu'-e V'iGE had acted very unjustly towards liis 

 father's subjects. x\nd his fatlier, recollecting that 

 BouDHou had foretold tliat his son Vige would be 

 king of Ctiflon, made him embark with 700 giants, 

 and ordered them all to go in search of the island of 

 Ctylon. _ They departed with a fair wind for the 

 mountain, Saman clc Sripade, which they perceived 

 at a distai-.ce, and landed at 7 amine in the JVany. 

 ViGE destroyed all the tlevils, and cultivated the 

 lands. He then sent large presents to the king of 

 Paundi, whose daughter he demanded and obtained 

 in marriage. The princess brought 700 young girls 

 with her, and servants and artists of every descrip- 

 tion. The 700 giants jiiarried the 700 girls; Vige 

 wedtled the princess, and declared himself king. 



Some 



