No. 24. — 1881.] ANCIENT KALAH, ETC. G7 



In combination we have from these traditions a very consis- 

 tent story, that when the aboriginal ( Naga) race of Ceylon was 

 weakened by the Indo- Aryan invasion perpetuated in the Rama- 

 yana, a subsequent Tamil colony came from the South of 

 India, established itself as Yakkhos, and was organised by an 

 out-cast Prince of mixed Gangetic and South Indian blood, 

 who landed at a port frequented by merchants already settled 

 there, attracted by productions affording a lucrative trade. 



This we may call the pre-Wijayan era, and accounts for the 

 Gangetic and Br&hman Wijaya arriving at its port when the 

 Island was inhabited by two races — Nagas (snake worshippers)* 

 and Yakkhos (probably a form of Saivites). 



Hiouen-Thsang goes on to relate that 500 demon 

 women, who lived in one of the towns, seduced a party of 

 merchants who had arrived to trade, and each bore a son to 

 her paramour. Their Queen, who seduced the chief merchant, 

 bore a son who, after his father, whose name was Seng-kia 

 (Sinha) was called Seng-kia-lo. 



The legend goes on to tell how Seng-kia-lo secretly deserted 

 his wife after her lavish kindness : how she followed him to a 

 neighbouring kingdom and implored him to return to her, and 

 upbraided him with his ingratitude : how he replied she was of 

 demon origin, justifying his repudiation : and how on her 

 appealing to the King, he, struck with her beauty and moved 

 with pity, took her to wife and protected her : how during the 

 night all the inmates of the palace were murdered and muti- 

 lated, and on the next morning the refugee announced to the 

 people that his wife was a devil, and in the night had flown to 

 Ceylon, and fetched a party of other devils, who had killed 

 and eaten the inmates of the palace and the King who had 

 just married her. On this he was elected King, and proceeded 

 at once to form an army and return to Ceylon, where he 

 entirely conquered the Island, exterminating many of its 



*-JS 7 otc (1), 



