76 TRANSCRIPT OF AN ANCIENT COPPER-PLATE SANNAS 



history of Ceylon. This event is represented in the Sin- 

 halese annals, as an act of " Treachery," on the part of 

 the Chinese, but in the Chinese version given by Sir 

 Emerson Tennent,* as the result of a battle fought between 

 the Chinese and Sinhalese armies, A writer in a local 

 Newspaper f having recently charged the Sinhalese annal- 

 ists with having omitted " some unpleasant episodes" 

 in their history, I have collected some interesting parti- 

 culars on this subject, which, however, instead of append- 

 ing to this note, I hope to embody in a separate paper and 

 lay before the society on a future occasion. 



I have succeeded in deciphering the whole of the text 

 of the Sannas, with the exception of a few unimportant 

 words, the reading of which is doubtful, and I shall feel 

 thankful to any gentlemen who may kindly favor me with 

 their remarks on the doubtful words, which I have under- 

 lined in the Sinhalese, and italicised in the English Tran- 

 script. 



TRANSLATION, 



On the fifteenth day of the dark half of the month of 

 Poson (1), in the ninth (2) year of the reign of the illus- 

 trious Emperor Sirisangabo Sri Vijaya Bahu, lineally des- 

 cended from the happy, illustrious, progeny of Vaivassuta 

 (j3) Manu, born of the solar race, son (descendent) of Raj 4 

 Sumitra, of pure race, lord of the three Sinhalas (4) and lord 



* Vide his History of Ceylon Vol. I. p.p. 416-17, and p.p. 622-625. 



t Ceylon Observer March 7th 1872. 



(1) June-July. 



(2) Lit '' the succeeding year to the eighth." 



(3) More correctly, Vaivasvata. The son of the Sun, the manu of 

 of the seventh (or present) Manvantara. 



(4) Litthe u three Ccy.lcns." i n reference to the ancient divisions 

 of Ceylon into P.ihitj, Maya, and Ruhunu, 



