CHRISTIAN RELIGION IN INDIA. 83 



same gentleman, who were handicraftmen, such as 

 weavers, weaving stuffs variegated with gold and 

 silver, and ofdivers colours. These were called, from 

 that circumstance, Peish-c/iri-Brdhmens. But they 

 could not he followers of Brahma'; for the employ- 

 ments of weavers, and dyers, are absolutely incom- 

 patible Avith the sacerdotal class : in extreme distress 

 a Brahmen may sell stuffs, but even then, under very 

 peculiar restrictions. They might however have 

 called themselves BraJimenSj at least their priests, 

 without any impropriety ; for every priest is really a 

 Brahmen in his own religion. A iew individuals 

 might have become weavers; but then, they would 

 lose their cast, and it is impossible that a numerous 

 body of Brahmens should follow that profession. It 

 is then much more pr-^bable, that they were not, 

 strictly speaking, Bi^dhmens of Hindu extraction ; 

 but the followers of a new religion, introduced by 

 foreigners, the disciples of a Peish-cdra^ and them- 

 selves Peish-cdraSj or at least many of them. 



Their first arrival in Ceylon^ happened nearly 

 about 1845, after the famous war between Ra'ma 

 and Ra'vana, called the Rdvana-Yuddlia. Ra'ma 

 lived thirteen generations before the CaU-yiiga, an- 

 swering to about 400 years ; and the Cali-yuga be- 

 gan 1370 years before Christ. The completion of 

 the 184.5 years will then fall about 77 years after 

 Christ. Vijaya, according to Captain MAHONy, 

 was the first King of Ceylon, after this period of 

 1845; during which, the island was desolate, and 

 overrun by Demoris. Then, says the same gentleman, 

 the Christian natives insist, that this King Vijaya 

 was crowned 77 years after the birth of our Saviour. 

 This King Vijaya was not ?i Bauddhist : for the 

 ninth King after him was the first who embraced 



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