14 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XI. 



Conducting her [Chetiya, the widow of Jutindharo, a Yakkho, 

 who was killed in a battle fought at Siriwatthupura] to the Dhuma- 

 rakkho mountain, he [Pandukabhaya] obtained a great accession of 

 warlike power, by making her his battle steed. There, at the Dhuma- 

 rakkho mountain, he maintained his position for four years. Depart- 

 ing from thence with his forces, he repaired to the mountain Arittho 

 [Ritigala]. There preparing for the impending war, he remained 

 seven years. 



Leaving two uncles (Abhaya and Gririkandaka), the other eight 

 uncles, uniting in hostility against him, approached that mountain 

 Arittho. Throwing up a fortification at Nagaraka, and conferring 

 the command (on the person selected), they surrounded the Arittho 

 mountain on all sides. 



The prince having consulted with the Yakkhini, in conformity with 

 her advice he sent forward a strong party (in the character of a 

 deputation), placing in their charge his insignia of royalty, as well as 

 the usual offerings made as tribute, and his martial accoutrements ; 

 and enjoined them to deliver this message (from him): " Take all these 

 things : I will come to ask your forgiveness." 



"When this party had reached its destination, shouting u I will capture 

 them, forcing their camp," mounting his yakkha mare, and surrounded 

 by his whole army, he (the prince) [Pandukabhaya] threw himself 

 into the midst of the fight. The Yakkhini set up a loud shout. His 

 (the prince's) army without, as well as (the deputation) within (the 

 enemy's camp) answered with a tremendous roar. The whole of the 

 prince's army having slaughtered many of the enemy's men, as well as 

 the eight uncles, they made a heap of their (decapitated) heads. The 

 commander (of the enemy's army) having fled, and concealed himself 

 in a forest, from that circumstance that forest is called the Senapati 

 (commander's) forest. 



Observing the skulls of his eight uncles surmounting the heap of 

 heads, he remarked : "It is like a heap of Labu (fruit)." From this 

 circumstance (that place) was (from Nagaraka) called Labugama. 



" Thus this Pandukabhaya, the victorious warrior, from thence pro- 

 ceeded to the capital of his maternal great uncle Anuradho." 



The Yakku of Ritigala were afterwards much favoured by 

 the king for the assistance they rendered him in his wars. 

 He conferred high offices on the Yakku chiefs, and treated 

 them respectfully. With his death the Yakku seem to have 

 lost their influence and to have been gradually driven even 

 from their habitations by the increasing Sinhalese popula- 

 tion. Thus, in later days, when Buddhism was firmly 

 established in Ceylon, Ritigala, from which the Yakku had 



